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PULLING RANK

CURMUDGEON

Blackthorn imagines Butch Cassidy in his old age

Win against top-10 Tigers would give Terps tombstone SPORTS | PAGE 8

Friday, October 14, 2011

DIVERSIONS | PAGE 6

THE DIAMONDBACK

Metro to add bike spaces in station Bike & Ride will hold 120 bicycles by early next year

Our 102ND Year, No. 32

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

SGA debates helmet policy for scooters Body questions effectiveness of mandate

BY LEAH VILLANUEVA Senior staff writer

After the SGA’s first contentious debate of the year, the body decided Wednesday night to give legislators another week to talk with officials and constituents before voting on a campus-wide helmet requirement for scooter drivers.

While many legislators voiced support for a helmet safety education campaign at Wednesday’s meeting, several questioned

Legislator Carla Castro speaks at Wednesday’s meeting about the proposed scooter helmet policy. MAYA MUNOZ/FOR THE DIAMONDBACK

whether an enforcement policy infringes on drivers’ personal choice or would actually make a difference on the campus.

Other legislators argued that instead of a mandate, the university should proactively educate students about the dangers of driving without a helmet.

Although the University Senate will vote on the actual policy next Thursday, legislators will voice either their support

see HELMET, page 3

BY JIM BACH Staff writer

In an attempt to increase bike ridership in the city, Metro officials are providing funding to create a secure room in the College Park Metro Station’s garage for students and residents to safely lock up their bicycles.

The station — called a Bike & Ride — is slated to open in the southeast corner of the parking garage, and docking stations will hold about 120 bicycles, according to a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority press release.

The first Bike & Ride within the WMATA system is set to come to the city early next year. Metro officials said they hope the project will encourage students and residents to choose this eco-conscious mode of transportation to and from the city’s light-rail system.

“It was a pretty logical choice,” said WMATA spokesman Dan Stessel. “If you build it, more people will use it.”

Situated within a steel mesh barrier, the Bike & Ride — which will cost $400,000 to install — will only be accessible to those who register with WMATA’s parking office, which will provide them with a card that enables access into the space, Stessel said. The bikes will also be locked up at a docking station, which will “effectively create a double lock on your property,” according to Stessel. It will cost about two to five cents per hour to use the location, he said.

The station’s proximity to the university made it an ideal location for nearby college students who are more receptive to riding bikes as their primary mode of transportation, according to Stessel.

He said the city could also set a trend for more Bike & Rides to pop

SHAKING IT UP Chef Bobby Flay opens local burger joint

BY JIM BACH Staff writer

The Route 1 corridor officially added star power to its dining scene yesterday as celebrity chef and best-selling author Bobby Flay opened the doors of his eatery on the street-level floor of the Varsity apartment complex.

With seven venues across the East Coast — one of which is near three university campuses — Flay said his business is no stranger to the student demographic. This familiarity, along with a menu boasting various burger combinations, has set the stage for success in the area, according to Flay.

“In Philadelphia we had a great relationship with

see BURGERS, page 2

see RIDE, page 3 JEREMY KIM/THE DIAMONDBACK

Getting their hands dirty

DOTS installs double-decker bike racks Racks can hold 80 additional bikes in Mowatt Lane Garage

BY NICK FOLEY Staff writer

As part of an ongoing effort to create a more bike-friendly campus, officials made space for 80 more cyclists to park their bikes in Mowatt Lane Parking Garage this year.

Department of Transportation Services maintenance crews installed the $30,000 double-decker bike racks on the first floor of the garage in mid-September as part of the department’s continuing initiative to increase bike use and minimize the number of cars on the campus this semester. The department also stationed a covered bike rack in the newly opened Oakland Hall, and officials are exploring the possibility of installing another double-decker near the animal sciences building.

According to DOTS Assistant Director Beverly Malone, bike ridership on the campus rose 30 percent in the past year — a number that suggests the initiative has succeeded, she said.

TOMORROW’S WEATHER:

Soil judging team wins regional contest

BY BEENA RAGHAVENDRAN For The Diamondback

Mowatt Lane Parking Garage can now hold 80 additional bicycles, thanks to double-decker bike racks recently installed. CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

“We’re hoping that means that fewer people will feel the need to bring their cars,” she said.

The new double-decker racks maximize the number of spaces without compromising car space, Malone said,

Sunny/Wind/60s

and only five car spaces were sacrificed to make room for them. Last year, 6 percent of bikes were parked under garages or other forms of shelter, and

see SPACES, page 3 INDEX

NEWS . . . . . . . . . .2 OPINION . . . . . . . .4

This university’s soil judging team won the Northeast Regional Soil Judging Contest last Friday. It’s a familiar position for the little-known but highly skilled student group: Over the past 50 years, they’ve won 20 times.

Coach Martin Rabenhorst described the annual competition run by the Soil Science Society of America as “the equivalent of the ACC [championship]” in soil judging, which qualifies the team for the upcoming national soil judging competition.

This university fielded two teams for the regional competition held at the University of Rhode Island, which grades judges on their ability to observe and interpret soils based

FEATURES . . . . . .5 CLASSIFIED . . . . .6

DIVERSIONS . . . . .6 SPORTS . . . . . . . . .8

on the classification system put forth by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. The students spent three days last week examining practice pits in Rhode Island, culminating with the competition on Friday.

“All this practice is necessary because there is so much to know,” said senior environmental science and technology major Chris Palardy. “Each soil is unique and illuminates something new about the soils of the region. In soil judging, subtle details can result in huge differences in soil interpretations.”

Competitors must provide an analysis that includes color, texture and examinations of how layers of soil differ from the layers above and below it, along with other factors that

see SOIL, page 2

www.diamondbackonline.com

2

THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

COMIC RELIEF

Food Network chef Bobby Flay opened Bobby’s Burger Palace yesterday, located on the streetlevel of The Varsity. The eatery features an array of signature burgers. JEREMY KIM/THE DIAMONDBACK

BURGERS from page 1

Max Silvestri (left) and Aziz Ansari (above) perform to a sold-out crowd at Cole Field House for last night’s annual homecoming comedy show sponsored

by Student Entertainment Events.

PHOTOS BY JEREMY KIM/THE DIAMONDBACK

SOIL from page 1 help determine a soil’s suitability for various land uses.

And this isn’t just playing in the sandbox — Palardy said the level of interpretation soil judgers tackle in their competitions is highly regarded by many employers in the environmental business.

“It’s probably the best thing you can have on a resume if you’re interested in doing anything with soils, just because it shows commitment, it shows field skills,” he said. “There’s a lot of soils work involved with agricultural applications ...

There’s lots of federal jobs, especially with the Department of the Interior.”

Soil judgers at the competition were ranked individually and as teams — in addition to this university’s ‘A’ team coming in first place, the ‘B’ team took third, and five of the top 10 individual awards went to soil judgers from this university, including Palardy, who won first place.

“This was a really convincing win,” said Rabenhorst, who is also an environmental science professor. “To have five people in the top ten. ...

They did a great job.”

But Rabenhorst said the overall team score is the one that

Academy Stadium Theatre

“really counts” in qualifying for the national competition.

Though he doesn’t want to jinx the team’s chances, Palardy said he thinks the team has an advantage going into the national competition at West Virginia University in April.

“It’s going to be pretty similar to a lot of the soils we have out in Western Mar yland,” he said. “I don’t want to make any sort of prediction, but I think we should have almost home-field advantage, so I’d like to see us continue our winning ways [and] snag Mar yland’s third national championship.” news@umdbk.com

FRIDAY – SATURDAY Dolphin Tale

11:45 2:15 4:50

Killer Elite Dream House

7:40 10:20 11:55 2:25 4:55

Abduction

7:40 10:20

Lion King 3D IN 3D/NO FEE 11:45 1:50 4:00 6:15 8:15 10:30

Week of October 14

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Footloose

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Killer Elite Dream House

5:10 7:35 11:55 2:45

Abduction

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Lion King 3D IN 3D/NO FEE 12:15 2:45

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Real Steel

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the students,” Flay said. “The generation of college students today is ver y demanding in the best way when it comes to food.”

Flay said he hopes the restaurant’s name-brand popularity will draw a crowd in a city that has seen many businesses open and shutter within the last several years.

“Hopefully the name recognition gets people to tr y us,” Flay said. “The rest is up to us, in terms of supplying people with a ver y terrific menu.”

The new restaurant will join the likes of Five Guys, which sits downtown, in selling burgers, most of which cost about $7.75.

Flay said his extensive menu of signature burgers seeks to capture the tastes of many American cultures and differs from Five Guys’ “limited menu” of burgers. Some city-inspired burgers include the Miami Burger — consisting of ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard and mayonnaise — and the L.A. burger, topped with avocado relish, watercress, cheddar cheese and tomatoes.

“Ever y burger tells its own little stor y,” Flay said, adding he doesn’t see the nearby Five Guys as competition, but rather that “there’s room for

“Hopefully the name recognition gets people to try us. The rest is up to us, in terms of supplying people with a very terrific menu.”

BOBBY FLAY FOOD NETWORK CHEF AND OWNER OF BOBBY’S BURGER PALACE

ever ybody.”

Five Guys officials could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Bobby’s Burger Palace will offer 10 signature burgers, with the option to “crunchify” — topping the burger with potato chips — at no additional cost. Flay said the added crunch brings a unique aspect to his burgers, setting them apart from other burger joint options.

“The two most important things to me are flavor and texture,” Flay said.

In addition to selling burgers, salads, French fries and onion rings, the eatery is seeking a liquor license from the Prince George’s County Board of License Commissioners that Flay said he expects to receive in about a week.

The drink menu will consist of beer, wine and margaritas.

Additionally, the burger joint plans to ser ve 10 different flavors of milkshakes, as well as “spiked milkshakes,” such as the Vanilla Caramel Bourbon, Pineapple Coconut Rum and Mocha Kahlua Vodka shake.

“I think this will be ver y popular with the University of Mar yland student body,” Flay said. “As long as they have ID.” City officials could not be reached for comment this week.

Several students said they were starstruck at the prospect of the Food Network TV personality bringing his eater y to the city.

“I know for me and my friends, we’re all obsessed with the Food Network,” said freshman communication major Amanda Hanowitz. “It brings us a little bit of Food Network.”

Some students said Flay’s foray into the city eater y scene offers quality dining and a convenient location.

Junior economics major Brad Weinstein, a New Jersey resident, said he frequented Flay’s Eatontown, N.J., location, despite the long trip.

“It takes like 40 minutes to get there, but we always made the trip,” Weinstein said. “Now there’s one 10 minutes away from my house.” bach@umdbk.com

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

3

Student Government Association business legislator Elizabeth Moran voiced uncertainty about supporting a scooter helmet requirement at Wednesday’s meeting. The body tabled the bill for next week’s meeting. MAYA MUNOZ/FOR THE DIAMONDBACK

HELMET from page 1 or opposition the night before. After several accidents occurred last year, various voting bodies and university departments discussed the possibility of enacting a helmet requirement for scooter drivers.

Neighboring commuter legislator Aaron Zaccaria said the body did not know enough about how the requirement might be enforced to pledge support just yet, noting that legisla-

tors need more time to talk to stakeholders before making their decision.

“We don’t really know how it’s going to work or what it’s going to culminate into. We don’t know what DOTS is thinking,” Zaccaria said. “I think we need to stand back and get some opinions from our constituencies and talk to officials from DOTS and people around campus before we even consider this bill.”

In response, Speaker Pro Tempore Andrea Marcin noted the resolution calls for a lenient enforcement system with several warnings

before a possible fine for multiple violations. She added Department of Transportation Ser vices officials have already expressed an openness to work with the SGA on developing a system that would be as fair to students as possible.

And with the senate vote a little more than a week away, Marcin said Wednesday night was the time to take a stand.

“If we restrain ourselves, students will be left out of the discussion,” Marcin said.

“This is cautiously approving or offering our support for a helmet policy, but it’s qualified. It isn’t set in stone yet, but we must act now to affect the discussion.”

And computer, mathematical and natural sciences legislator Elizabeth Antman voiced concern that Zaccaria felt the body needed more time to decide their stance when the resolution had been proposed more than two weeks ago.

“You had two weeks to read the bill,” Antman said.

“As a body, we are supposed to examine this legislation. That is what students elected us to do.”

Zaccaria then motioned to have the bill sent back to the body’s student affairs committee for further discussion and possible revision, saying he would use the extra week to reach out to constituents. While several legislators voted against the motion, it was ultimately passed. The resolution will return to the floor next week.

Some legislators voiced

concern during the debate that supporters of the resolution were pressuring the body to vote in favor of the helmet requirement because it seemed so likely to pass the senate.

“We weren’t elected to just go along with the flow. We should challenge authority when we see that it is fit to do so,” CMNS legislator David Lieb said. “Scooters are dangerous machines, but a helmet policy many students are against is not going to get students to wear helmets.

Education would be much more effective than straight out mandating.”

Other legislators said they were torn. While there was a general consensus about the importance of scooter safety, some questioned how strictly the requirement would be enforced by DOTS and whether officials had the right to force students to wear helmets.

“It’s your choice — how you dress yourself, whether you wear a helmet, how you conduct your affairs. It’s your business,” business legislator Elizabeth Moran said.

“Students should be educated, not forced.”

The body also unanimously passed resolutions supporting a more transparent process for setting student fees, condemning the recent price hikes for Motor Pool transportation and calling on the journalism dean search committee to seek out candidates who value student interests. villanueva@umdbk.com

DOTS officials installed double-decker bike racks in the Mowatt Lane Parking Garage. CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

SPACES from page 1 this year that number has jumped to 17 or 18 percent, she said.

“We’ve been working really hard in the last year to increase biking,” Malone said, “Part of that is just providing ample parking.”

After considering several manufacturers, DOTS officials chose to install Dero Bike Racks because they were the simplest to operate, according to Malone.

“We really did a lot of research to make sure they were easy to use,” she said.

“We really felt it was the best system on the market.”

And Malone said officials chose the Mowatt Lane garage as a prime location to ser ve residents in the nearby South Campus Commons buildings, adding the garage ser ves as a subtle, secluded hideaway for the bike racks.

“A garage also provides a kind of location that’s not so much a part of the landscape,”

RIDE from page 1 up in other stations within the WMATA system.

Metro Transit Police officials said the College Park Metro secured the sixth most dangerous spot on the Metro line for its high rate of property crimes.

Despite this, Stessel said the construction of a Bike & Ride station is not a direct response to the issue.

“It’s a secondar y consideration; it’s not in response to any crime statistics,” he said.

“It wasn’t the primar y motivation for picking College Park at all.”

About five security cameras will also monitor every angle of the station, according to Stessel.

“Someone has to work pretty hard to steal your property,” he said.

The station will occupy 2,400 square feet in a location that was originally planned for retail purposes, according to Stessel.

“It could have been a newsstand or dr y cleaners,” he said. “It just turned out not to be viable for that sort of use.”

College Park Mayor Andy Fellows said the city’s Metro station has yet to properly tap

Malone said.

Senior neurophysiology major Jiwei Sheng — who has used the racks since their debut — said the new spaces are both aesthetically pleasing and easy to use.

“I think they look really cool — the way that it’s set up, I think it’s more space efficient,” Sheng said, adding that the new racks were a welcome refuge from the other overpopulated spaces in the garage.

But other bikers were unimpressed by the new racks and said they had no desire to use them.

“Why would I want to make it any more difficult?” senior criminology major Donovan Lee said. “The whole point of riding a bike is because it’s fast — why would I go through that extra hassle?”

And senior mechanical engineering major Brent Snyder said the racks looked too complicated to operate on a daily basis.

“It’s a pain in the ass,” he said. foley@umdbk.com

its potential for surrounding the station with retail development and would like to see more done in the way of providing a more attractive hot spot for Metro passengers.

“The slowness of the area to develop is still a source of frustration,” he said.

However, Fellows said he agreed with the decision to scrap plans for retail development in that space in favor of the new Bike & Ride and that the Metro station’s new feature will complement his vision for future development projects in the location.

“I still think there’s plenty of room for retail and mixeduse development,” he said.

“The new bike system will be a welcome amenity for people who use the College Park Metro Station.”

Several students — such as sophomore letters and sciences major Zach Berman — said this project will help create a safer atmosphere for bike riders.

“I think now that they’re promoting more places for people to put their bikes, it would make everyone in College Park and the community more cognizant of bike riders.” bach@umdbk.com

4

THE DIAMONDBACK | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

0pinion

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LAUREN REDDING EDITOR IN CHIEF

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OPINION EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR

Staff editorial

Guest column

A transcript prescription

Consider the ODK privilege

A

fter a University Senate subcommittee voted in favor of adjusting stand their GPAs in a national context.

But changing the system next year, and immediately applying it to all stuthe university’s grading system Wednesday, it seems likely the change will be implemented for all students next fall. Under the cur- dents, would make the process even more complicated than it is now. Instead rent system, the grade point average calculation does not distin- of recalculating their entire GPAs, some students will have their grades recalguish between plusses and minuses, meaning a B+, B or B- are all awarded a culated on a year-by-year basis. Current sophomores, for example, would 3.0 when calculating GPA. Alternately, the proposed policy would award val- have two years under one GPA system and two years under the other. Even if transcripts are annotated to reflect the change, there ues based on the plus or minus, instead of just the letter are likely to be many confused potential employers and grade: A grade of B+ would earn a 3.3, a B would earn a admissions counselors poring over students’ grades.

3 and a B- would earn a 2.7.

To avoid such confusion, the proposed policy should Although the new policy seems like a generally good If the University Senate be grandfathered in, meaning next fall’s incoming freshidea, the university must be careful when considering a approves a revised grading men — the class of 2016 — would be the first affected plan that will have far-reaching effects on students. the new GPA rules. Doing so would carry the added This school is fairly unique in its current grading syssystem, the changes should by benefit of giving administrators a chance to properly tem. Most peer institutions already take plus-and-minus only affect students who are educate students on the policy change. grades into account, so officials hope the change will Let’s face it: Students spend a lot of time worrying about bring the university in line with the national standard. new to the university. our GPAs. We’ve grown accustomed to the current system, That argument alone doesn’t hold much water — “if where there is little reason to fret over an A- instead of an everyone jumps off a bridge, would you?” — but changing the system would better reflect the grades students earn. It would also expected A. Instead of trying to reeducate the entire student body on this policy assist those hoping to attend graduate school, which is why this editorial change, the university could integrate it into next year’s freshman orientation. Four years later, the new policy would cover the vast majority of students, and everyone board supports the move.

Many university students applying to medical or law school are surprised would know exactly how his or her GPA is calculated.

This editorial board acknowledges it may be easier for officials to impleto learn their GPAs will be recalculated to reflect the standard plus-andminus system. Although the university estimates the average GPA would ment a blanket policy change: Keeping track of which students fall under only drop by three one-hundredths of a point, that number can var y widely which policy would be a headache for the Registrar’s Office, but so too would on a case-by-case basis because it’s contingent on a particular student’s be utilizing two formulas for one transcript.

If the University Senate ultimately approves the legislation — as subcompropensity to earn grades with a plus or minus attached. Changing the way GPAs are calculated would make it easier for students to gauge their gradu- mittee members believe it will — university President Wallace Loh should ate program admissions chances and would enable all students to under- implement it, but only if the policy change does not affect returning students.

Our View

Editorial cartoon: Joey Lockwood

Washington Redskins : Offending creativity

T

o all of my friends in the Washington Redskins faithful, I wish to convey my congratulations that your team is not God-awful this year. But I’m going to ruin your day.

Seriously. What the hell is a Redskin?

Sports nicknames generally go for certain things — creativity, relevance, competitiveness, ferocity, mystique — and many other things that don’t describe a Redskin. It’s not remotely relevant, there’s no mystique and the ferocity is based on an ancient stereotype.

Society has moved on from prodding teams with racist monikers (81 percent of Native Americans are unoffended by their patronage in sports).

The Washington Redskins have innovated, however, and found other ways to be profoundly racist. They refused to integrate their team until buckling to federal pressure to do so in 1962.

Meanwhile, other teams that use Native American mascots tend to narrow themselves — the Atlanta Braves (the Redskins’ original nickname until they presumably determined it wasn’t racist enough) use a term for a Native American warrior, which also happens to be a synonym for courage. The Florida State Semi-

GREG NASIF noles represent a specific cultural aspect of Florida’s history. The Kansas City Chiefs represent leadership, and are also a nod to a former mayor who helped spread awareness of Native American culture in the Boy Scouts. There’s your mystique.

Let’s look at some other teams with great names, beginning with my hometown favorite, the New England Patriots. Our nation’s fight for independence began in Massachusetts; the term ‘patriot’ is synonymous with the region, and it’s easy to rally behind. If you disagree, you can go live in Russia.

And who can forget the Patriots winning their first Super Bowl just months after the September 11 attacks, when Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft held Lombardi Trophy high and said, “We are all Patriots, and tonight, the Patriots are world champions!” Perfect. What else is out there?

The Dallas Cowboys have a good theme going. Cowboys are associated

with fearlessness, boldness and adventure. They are also historically linked to Texas. Well done.

The name 49ers is a reference to the Gold Rush of 1849. It’s an interesting choice, but I give more credit to the Pittsburgh Steelers, a nod to the industry that built their city. Steel also implies toughness, endurance … do I need to continue? It’s steel.

As for the San Diego Chargers … charge up, bro! It’s a weird pick, but it works for the surfer bros.

The Baltimore Ravens are named for Edgar Allen Poe’s poem, The Raven, as Poe lived in Baltimore for some time and is buried there. Sure, that’s relevant, and the raven is a fierce creature. I also like how they’ve incorporated the Maryland flag into their symbol. Still, they named a football team after a poem.

I’m generally not much a fan of using ferocious animals as mascots.

When St. Louis fans call their team the Rams, I remind them they are, in fact, humans. However, I give credit to Chicago for matching two of their teams (Bears and Cubs).

As a Super Bowl XLII attendant, I will always resent the Giants for robbing my Patriots of a perfect 19-0 season. But I respect the name choice, a

reference to a city that’s larger than life. Go to hell, Giants fans.

There’s a lot to naming a football team, and most of these sports teams did a pretty good job picking their mascots. But Redskins, your team didn’t.

It’s not cool, interesting, relevant or competitive. It just sucks. Washington is our nation’s capital, named for a man who led an unorganized military to defeat over a much more powerful enemy — a man who could bloodlessly have become George I of the Kingdom of America, but chose instead to relinquish his power to the people.

I could write 30 of these columns about George Washington’s epic awesomeness. Our nation’s capital is named for the man even King George III of England begrudgingly acknowledged as “the greatest man who ever lived,” yet all its proud football team reminds us is that our nation was built upon stolen land and broken promises.

Good luck with the remainder of the season, Redskins fans. Just know that every generation sees its finest hour in breaking cherished traditions of the past.

Greg Nasif is a senior history major. He can be reached at nasif@umdbk.com.

Bend it like Blutarsky

F

irst they were confused. “Sorry, what frat are you guys in?” “We aren’t in one.” The misunderstanding cleared up; they then explained our mistake: “You must be on the wrong field. We’re in frat-A.” “No,” we replied. “There was a mix-up, and now we’re playing in your league.”

What followed was just disbelief from our opponents. This is what happens when the team you bring to play in the Fraternity A-League for intramural soccer is composed mostly of skinny engineers.

Last spring, some of my floormates and I decided to make an intramural soccer team — only two of us had ever played competitively, and most of the kids had little to no experience. However, thanks to some patient coaching by one teammate, we thought we could do some damage in the Men’s B-League.

We were wrong. Turns out you cannot learn soccer in a few days, or even in a whole week.

This fall, we’re back. The six-on-six

format allowed us to make the team smaller and focus on the more talented players. Again, we signed up for Men’s B, and with these improvements, we felt we could actually win a game or two. Or at least score a goal in the regular season.

However, due to an understandable mistake by Campus Recreation Services, we ended up in the Fraternity ALeague, which tends to be the most competitive of all the intramural leagues. We went to our first game very apprehensive, which was justified, as we were absolutely dominated from start to finish by a very coordinated and cohesive team.

Somehow, we stayed optimistic. Our play had improved by the end of the first game, and we could count our goal difference on one hand, so we felt good going into the next game. Unfortunately, a few of our players could not make it, and we had to play with just six guys. While this might not seem so bad, keep in mind we only had one player in good shape, while our opposi-

RAJARSHI CHATTOPADHYAY tion had about 15 kids, meaning they could substitute and stay fresh.

Moreover, they had shin guards and cleats. There are very few things as intimidating as walking onto a field and seeing the other team has actual equipment. It was as if David went to fight Goliath without his sling.

To everyone’s surprise, we eked out a draw. And by eked, I mean we essentially survived a fist fight for the last 35 minutes because the fraternity we were playing could not believe we were still in the game, and decided to get a little physical.

I received one very nasty threat and was taken down every time I touched the ball in the second half — and I got off relatively easy. We walked away extremely happy with what we suspected to be the

closest thing to a victory all season. Basically, unarmed David convinced Goliath they should both go home, but David realized he should avoid Goliath’s parties from now on.

The third and final regular-season game, which lead to the playoffs, was unremarkable (Guess what? We lost).

We were put back into Men’s B-League for the playoffs, and so ended our brief foray into Greek Life sports. Despite friendly warnings that the fraternity teams would be “headhunting you GDIs,” we only ran into a few belligerent individuals, and even then, they were just very into the game. If I were in their shoes, I might have done the same.

After going up against three well-practiced and far superior teams, we learned one valuable lesson: If we ever end up in a fraternity league again, we should at least have matching pinnies.

Rajarshi Chattopadhyay is a sophomore aerospace engineering and history major.

He can be reached at chattopadhyay@umdbk.com.

T

his week, I had the honor of being embarrassed in front of my animal nutrition class by a student in a suit inviting me into Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society.

Although my gold-chained tapping key would be better suited around the neck of a member of Run-DMC, it was nonetheless exciting to receive. Upon reading their invitation letter, however, I was disappointed to learn that the membership fee is $160 (plus $45 for the initiation banquet).

Although I understand the money is to engrave your name on the ODK fountain, and being accepted is an honor and quite a highlight on your resume, I think this situation points to the bigger role of money and privilege in today’s college culture.

This university is a respected state school. Many of us chose Mar yland because we understood the value of the education we could get for our dollar.

When it comes to actual admissions and matriculation into both the university and its graduate programs, however, it seems only those who can pay in one way or another are actually able to get ahead. Although I readily acknowledge there are certainly exceptions of “beating the odds,” there are also many more people who are subjected to an inequality of experience, considering their financial standings.

Internships exemplify this: The role of internships in the admissions process has recently risen in importance. For many internships, 10 to 40 hours a week are expected, and neither financial assistance nor transportation compensation are provided.

Spending valuable time in an unpaid position — no matter how beneficial the job is for their future — is simply not feasible for many students.

The university does tr y to provide as much assistance to students as possible with financial and academic help. However, students who are not financially privileged are the ones who find themselves having to work, often for minimum wage and 40 hours a week. They are the ones who commute two hours a day and they are the ones who lose out to those who can afford to study abroad, take the unpaid internships and volunteer their time to those less fortunate. For many, they simply may not have the time or energy to seek out the scholarship necessar y to receive these beneficial opportunities.

When I was accepted into the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Sciences, a scholarship program for gifted high school students, I found that I — a resident of a poor, rural farming community — was in the minority.

Even though the goal of the program was to assist all gifted students, it appeared instead to cater to those who were already ahead and could afford to spend a summer not working.

My point is this: We need to recognize the role that privilege plays in our education. We don’t need to dwell on who is privileged and who is not, but we should determine the role that finances play in their lives.

I am ver y lucky to be relatively financially stable now, but I also have been struggling with balancing my bank account with my resume. I may have the money to pay for ODK membership, but it has to come out of my budget for gas money. This gas would be used to get to an unpaid animal science internship or to a community ser vice site.

With veterinar y school admissions and the $120,000 tuition bill looming on the horizon, it is unfair to put a student who can afford to have “extra experiences” against a student who is struggling to work full-time while finishing school. The system of privilege must change, because students from all walks of life are gifted and talented in too many ways to distinguish based on whether one can pay for a gold medallion or not.

Hanum Wensil-Strow is a junior animal science and environmental science and policy major. She can be reached at hanum.ws@gmail.com.

POLICY: Signed letters, columns and cartoons represent the opinions of the authors. The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Diamondback’s editorial board and is the responsibility of the editor in chief.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011 | THE DIAMONDBACK

5

Features HOROSCOPESTELLA WILDER

CROSSWORD ACROSS 61 Push rudely 65 Roast pig repast 1 Benefit, often 66 Vast multitude 5 Busch Gardens 69 Glut city 70 Wheels for 10 Turnstile the fields 14 Midterm or final 71 PC message 15 Scallion 72 Norse god 16 Theater award 73 You, formerly 17 Late-night Jay 74 Bills 18 Stoneworker 75 Oriole’s abode 19 Babysitter, often 20 Lie dormant DOWN 22 Knight’s thing 1 Hardens 24 “Eso —” 2 Skater’s leap (Anka hit) 3 Country road 27 Whiskery animal 4 Protozoan 28 Settle accounts 5 Huck’s raftmate (2 wds.)

6 Literary 32 “Vertigo” actress miscellany 36 — bono 7 File folder label (who profits?)

37 Brass or mercury 8 Makes light of 9 Comics orphan 39 Catty 10 Managed (2 wds.)

40 South African 11 Cain’s victim money 12 Cake layer 42 Fracas 13 Counting-rhyme 44 Aim start 45 “Fair as — —, when only one ...” 21 Salon request 23 FedEx trucks (Wordsworth) 47 Buy new weapons 25 Strike one as 26 On the fringes 49 Mae West role 28 Discard 50 Grand or upright 29 Virtual 51 So-so 30 Utah range 53 Antler bearer 31 Opposite of neo56 Identify 33 Cello’s kin 57 Latitude (2 wds.)

© 2011 UNITED FEATURES SYNDICATE

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34 Oil-well capper Red — 35 Shade of green 38 Memorize 41 Ballerina 43 Wagner’s

46 48 52 54 55

earth goddess Portnoy’s creator Play charades Wrestling hold Oohed and — Troll’s cousin

57 58 59 60 62

Tire trouble Babe with a bat Chalet feature Dingy Invited

63 64 67 68

Luthor’s gofer Shoved off Morse click Overhead railways

orn today, you are a lively individual, and one of those lucky ones who will seem to be much younger than you actually are. Indeed, your enthusiastic and spritely nature is likely to open many doors for you in your lifetime, win you many friends and enable you again and again to accomplish things that others may only dream of. You know how to make opportunities for yourself, rather than simply wait for them to arrive, and you further know how to take the greatest possible advantage of them. You are able to think out of the box — and this gives you an edge in almost all things.

B

You have a strong attraction to those who are smart, wily, energetic and sassy — and indeed, you are likely to fall in love with one who is not so quick to fall in love with you. You like a challenge, and this is true in affairs of the heart as well; you wouldn’t want love to be too easy!

Also born on this date are: Harry Anderson, actor, comedian, magician; Sir Cliff Richard, singer; Ralph Lauren, fashion designer; Roger Moore, actor; e.e. cummings, poet; Lillian Gish, actress; Dwight D. Eisenhower, U.S. president; William Penn, colonial Quaker leader.

casual become far too serious and complex. Remember to keep your priorities straight at all times.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Do you really want to follow a friend down a path that you know will be dangerous — if only to you? Use caution and common sense.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — You’ll have the chance to look back at much that has been done recently. You’ll recognize patterns.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — You may not be ready to do something that others have deemed absolutely necessary — and perhaps overdue. Don’t let yourself be pressured.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) — The more honest and open you can be, even when dealing with a sensitive personal issue, the more progress you will make.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) — This is a good time to reaffirm your commitment to a certain project, and to try to take things to the next level. Raise the bar!

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — You may not be able to reach every goal, but you can surely score what, to you, will count as a major personal victory.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — You may be caught between two conflicting influences, as a friend and a loved one battle it out over a strangely volatile issue.

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WHEN:

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — You’re still trying to carve a niche for yourself, but the struggle may be increasing because of the special nature of your cause.

HAPPY HOUR

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — You may be letting something

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — You do not need to be front and center to be sure things go as planned. Indeed, you can exert a positive influence behind the scenes.

TODAY’S HOROSCOPE SPONSORED BY:

To see what is in store for you tomorrow, find your birthday and read the corresponding paragraph. Let your birthday star be your daily guide.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — You know something that others want to know, but sharing everything right now would not be wise. Keep some things to yourself.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — You will want to do things on an independent basis as much as possible, but you must recognize that some things require a group effort.

11am to 7pm

WHERE:

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Call 1-800-687-9327 to make your appointment or online at ouryear.com (school code 87101) 2012 Terrapins may still be purchased for $58 TODAY! The Yearbook will cost $72 when it comes out. Cash or check only, please.

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6

THE DIAMONDBACK | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES:

Diversions

THE THING AND FOOTLOOSE Two more films released today are based on old ideas. (The summer movie season is still going?) Our fearless writers take on updates of The Thing, which had incarnations in 1952 and 1982, and Footloose, which — in 1984 — made Kevin Bacon the galaxy-devouring actor he is today.

For the full reviews, just click the Diversions tab at: WWW.DIAMONDBACKONLINE.COM

arts. music. living. movies. weekend.

REVIEW | BLACKTHORN

Death was just the beginning Blackthorn revives the legend of Butch Cassidy, revisiting him as a grouchy old man

BY ROBERT GIFFORD Staff writer

Director Mateo Gil’s (Nobody Knows Anybody) Blackthorn presupposes Butch Cassidy (a typically surly and atypically bearded Sam Shepard, Inhale) survived the 1908 gunfight with Bolivian authorities in which he was supposedly killed, and finds him raising horses in South America twenty years after his “death.”

After setting off toward America in hopes of meeting his nephew — or maybe son, the film hints — he runs into a Spanish engineer (Eduardo Noriega, Agnosia) who’s made off with a few thousand dollars from a mining magnate and is being pursued by the tycoon’s men. After some hostility, Cas-

sidy joins him — you can probably guess whether or not the two end up forming an unlikely bond.

The film borrows freely from past oaters. The most obvious influence is George Roy Hill’s great Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid — the setup of “bickering partners rob a tycoon who hires a posse of elite trackers to chase them down” sounds a bit familiar, doesn’t it? — but it also shares the “aging gunman’s one last job” element with The Wild Bunch and the slow pace and elegiac tone of the severely underrated The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

There’s no way the film could live up to those influences, of course.

Shepard and Noriega make a pretty good pair, but they’re no Paul New-

man and Robert Redford (in particu- member of an endangered species.

The film, set on the Bolivian Plateau lar, Noriega’s English line readings can be a bit awkward), and Mateo Gil — a place so rough even the barmaids carry six-shooters — takes great is no Sam Peckinpah.

The dialogue is a frequent source of pleasure in its scenery.

It’s a frequently gorgeous film: A concern — it crackles with wit one scene set on a salt flat is moment, and particularly breathtakwilts under the VERDICT: ing, the alkali earth and weight of clouded sky both so clunky exposiIt’s not as good as the movies white they practically tion the next that inspired it, but Blackthorn bleed into each other.

— and it only is a welcome if unremarkable That’s the power of has a shadow entry in the genre. the genre: Wide-open of the thematic spaces and cowboy depth of The Wild Bunch and The Assassination of Jesse iconography — both so elemental to James. (How many times do audiences American culture — have the power need to hear the “Things were different to elevate even the most conventional then, before the railroads came…” story to the level of myth. And that’s true of Blackthorn. It’s not a great speech? Once more, apparently.)

But the Western, a genre as Ameri- Western, but it’s a good one — and can as jazz, is a dying breed, and it’s that’ll do for now. hard not to cherish even a modestly successful entry the way one would a rgifford@umdbk.com

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011 | THE DIAMONDBACK

7

8

THE DIAMONDBACK | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Sports

Follow all the Madness For coverage of this weekend’s busy slate, including Maryland Madness, you can follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/DBKSports.

TERPSGAMEDAY

THE MATCHUP

Maryland Terrapins

Clemson Tigers

2-3 (1-1 ACC)

6-0 (3-0 ACC)

WHEN: Tomorrow, 7 p.m.

WHERE: Byrd Stadium T.V.: ESPNU LINE: Tigers by 8 DATA: Despite their youth , the Terps are the one of the least penalized teams in the nation, averaging just 3.6 penalties per game.

TERPSTRACKER 2011 TEAM STATS TERPS TIGERS Passing (YPG) 211.2 Rushing (YPG) 165.6 Total (YPG) 376.8 Points per game 22.8 Opponents’ PPG 24.6 Avg. Time of Possession 24:38

297.7 174.7 472.3 35.0 19.5 30:08

BOYD WONDER Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said earlier this week that star quarterback Tajh Boyd should be fine to face the Terps tomorrow after straining his hip in last Saturday’s game against Boston College.

The sophomore had to be carted off the field and sat out Monday’s practice, but he returned the next day and said he will be ready to suit up for the undefeated Tigers.

“It was a little scary,” Boyd said Tuesday. “If you look at it, it definitely could have gone a lot of different ways. But fortunately it turned out in my favor.”

Boyd’s return certainly could spark problems for the Terps’ defense. The quarterback leads the ACC in passing yards per game (290.3) and has thrown 15 touchdowns and just two interceptions.

“He is very athletic and a good thrower,” coach Randy Edsall said. “He can run the ball, throws the ball well and plays at a high level.”

“This is going to be the first chance I ever had to get a tombstone,” said defensive tackle A.J. Francis, referring to the honor the Terps bestow on victories against top-10 opponents. The Terps last beat such an opponent in 2007 (No. 8 Boston College). CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

GRAVEYARD GAME Terps could add tombstone to practice field with win against white-hot No. 8 Tigers

BY CONOR WALSH Senior staff writer

INJURY WOES The Terps were without starting linebackers Kenny Tate and Demetrius Hartsfield for much of their loss against Georgia Tech last weekend.

The same might be true tomorrow, as Tate was listed as doubtful against Clemson last night on the team’s injury report.

Hartsfield, right, was also ruled out.

Hartsfield, the team’s leading tackler, suffered what appeared to be a lowerbody injury against Georgia Tech and did not return to the game after leaving.

The Terps’ injury report did not specify his injury.

Should Tate sit out tomorrow, it’s hard to say which absence will be bigger. Hartsfield has been a standout performer for the thin unit, originally playing middle linebacker before moving over to the weakside position after injuries ravaged the corps. He has racked up 51 tackles, along with 3.5 tackles for a loss, so far this season.

In Hartsfield’s absence, freshman Alex Twine is expected to draw the start.

Ten tombstones decorate the path the Terrapins football team takes before each practice.

The graveyard stands just outside the gate to the Terps’ practice field, with each slab representing a victory over a top-10 opponent.

No new victims have been claimed since 2007, when the Terps upset then-No. 8 Boston College in front of a raucous Byrd Stadium crowd.

Tomorrow, the Terps get an opportunity to add another when No. 8 Clemson comes to College Park.

“This is going to be the first chance I ever had to get a tombstone,” defensive tackle A.J. Francis said. “The last tombstone we got was my senior year in high school. I was at the game … and I was charging the field with the rest of the students.

“It was a good time, and I remember how crazy it was. It’s

Tigers lead, 31-26-2 2010

LAST MEETING 2010 — (A)

L, Tigers 31, Terps 7

HEAD

KEY MATCHUP TERPS CB CAMERON CHISM VS. CU WR SAMMY WATKINS Only a true freshman, Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins has quickly made a name for himself with stunning numbers through his first six games.

Perhaps the country’s best newcomer, Watkins is averaging 103.8 receiving yards per game and has already scored six touchdowns. Just last week, the 6foot-1 receiver torched Boston College for 152 yards.

Terps cornerback Cameron Chism, right, who has so far had an inconsistent senior season, will likely be matched up with the highly regarded freshman. But this won’t be his first matchup against a star — Chism faced a topnotch receiver in West Virginia’s Tavon Austin last month. Austin, however, seemingly came out on top in the Mountaineers’ win with a game-high 122 yards on 11 receptions.

Clemson has beaten three ranked opponents in its first six games, and coach Dabo Swinney seemingly has the Tigers primed for their first ACC Championship since 1991.

And with quarterback Tajh Boyd, who’s averaging 290 passing yards per game, almost certain to play after suffering a hip injury last weekend against Boston College, the Tigers will be a handful.

“We’re going to have our challenges,” coach Randy Edsall said Tuesday. “I’ve been very, very impressed watching him on film.”

Clemson flaunts a supremely athletic roster, an offense that can score in bunches and a defense that swarms the ball.

The Terps do, however, have history on their side. In recent years, the Tigers have earned a reputation for falling short of preseason expectations, and while the Terps have largely struggled during the same timeframe, they’ve enjoyed success against Clemson.

The team has won three of its past five meetings with the Tigers, including a 24-21 win during the Terps’ dismal 2-10 campaign in

2HEAD

SERIES HISTORY ALL-TIME SERIES LAST MEETING

been too long since we had one.”

A win over the Tigers would have far more meaning than the symbolic reminder outside the team’s practice facility, though. While the Terps (2-3, 1-1 ACC) have struggled with consistency this season, they still control their own destiny in the ACC’s Atlantic Division.

At 1-1 in conference play, the Terps’ goal of a conference championship, remarkably, is still intact.

The first necessary step, though, is nothing short of a leap: beat Clemson (6-0, 3-0).

“I’d be a liar if I sat here and told you it’s not a big game,” Francis said. “They’re No. 1 in our division, and if you want to go to the conference championship, you’ve got to win your division. So the road goes through Clemson right now, so all the other games after Clemson don’t matter if you lose, because it doesn’t look like if we lose to them they’re going to lose anytime soon.”

That’s a tall order for a Terps team that hasn’t lived up to the hype it created in an exciting season-opening win over Miami.

OFFENSE

DEFENSE

Move over, Danny O’Brien. Clemson’s Tajh Boyd has quickly taken over the mantle of the top young gunslinger in the conference. For help, he has Sammy Watkins, one of the most exciting young receivers in college football, who has more than 600 yards receiving this season.

The Terps’ defense had an impressive showing on the road against Georgia Tech last weekend, shutting down the triple option better than anyone had all season. But with linebacker Kenny Tate nursing an injury and several freshmen playing key roles, the unit just isn’t as solid as the Tigers’.

SPECIAL TEAMS

COACHING

Clemson kicker Chandler Catanzaro has become one of the best kickers in the country this season. The sophomore has made 10 of 12 fieldgoal attempts, including five of six from 40 yards or longer. Last week against Boston College, Catanzaro hit all five of his tries.

Few teams have been more inconsistent over the past few seasons than Clemson and fourth-year coach Dabo Swinney, who usually finds a way to sour a great season with a questionable loss. This year, though, Swinney has the Tigers in national-championship contention at 6-0.

INTANGIBLES The Tigers are undefeated and still riding the momentum of an impressive victor y at Virginia Tech two weeks ago and a blowout of Boston College last week. The Terps, despite nearly earning a win at Georgia Tech last week, might be fading.

2009. And although they’re 0-2 against nationally ranked teams this season, the Terps found themselves in a position to beat both No. 12 Georgia Tech and No. 13 West Virginia.

Now the Terps feel tomorrow’s game will give them an opportunity to finally get the signature victory that’s so far eluded them.

“We can play with anybody, and we know we can, so I think the key to upsets and the ability to pull them is the fact that you’ve got to believe you can beat the team you’re playing,” Francis said.

There’s no doubt the Terps will need their best effort if they expect an opportunity to stay in the race for an ACC crown — and if they want to see a new tombstone when they walk to practice next week.

“Who knows if I’ll ever be able to play another top-10 team again?”

Francis said. “It’s cool that guys get to come back and take their kid to the practice field one day and say, ‘Yeah, see that tombstone? I played in that game.’” cwalsh@umdbk.com

MEN’S SOCCER

PREDICTION

27 21 Want an explanation? Go to TerrapinTrail.com.

In In Duke’s Duke’s Andrew Andrew Wenger, Wenger, could could Terps Terps men’s men’s soccer soccer forward forward Casey Casey Townsend Townsend have have met met his his match? match? For For more more on on the the striker striker showdown showdown tonight, tonight, check check out out aa preview preview at at diamondbackonline.com diamondbackonline.com..

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

HOMECOMING FOOTBALL PREVIEW

THE DIAMONDBACK

Twine of the times Freshman linebacker leading Terps’ youth movement | PAGE 3

Charlie DeBoyace/The Diamondback

2

THE DIAMONDBACK | HOMECOMING FOOTBALL PREVIEW | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Looking for answers JEREMY SCHNEIDER

O

nly a little more than a month ago, the Terrapins football team’s season held tremendous promise. The hype that surrounded the season-opening game against Miami was actually met as the Terps topped the Hurricanes on national television under the Byrd Stadium lights.

Quarterback Danny O’Brien’s methodical play and the fast-moving, efficient offense garnered attention. The provocative Maryland Pride uniforms the team wore garnered even more. In the days after the game, the national media couldn’t get enough of them, and in turn, the Terps.

Randy Edsall had been brought in to elevate the program from perennial nonfactor to ACC contender, but could the metamorphosis really happen literally overnight? After looking that impressive on opening night, people dared to dream. Maybe the Terps really could contend for a conference title in 2011. Maybe O’Brien really was the best quarterback in the ACC. For one night, the sky was the limit.

Over the next month, the sun came up.

The season is nearly halfway over. The Terps — losers of three of their past four games — have yet to recapture the magic of that night. Questions about coaching and the culture Edsall has created have surfaced. The star quarterback who was supposed to lead the charge to relevance has been benched. Even bowl eligibility, long thought to be a given, will now be a struggle.

As sweet as the memories of Sept. 5 may be for Terps fans — and it may be the sweetest they have from this season when it’s all said and done — they’d be best suited to forget it. What at the time seemed like a revelation for the team may have really been an anomaly.

A HARSH REALITY While the Miami victory looked as if it could be a jumpingoff point for a resurgent season, the next four games proved it to be a bit of a fluke, a seemingly freak occurrence. The Terps’ true potential was masked by a month of preparation for the Hurricanes and the eight suspensions that made victory that much easier.

O’Brien looked electric in that game. The defense was opportunistic. But since, O’Brien has struggled enough to be benched.

The Terps allowed Temple to run for nearly 300 rushing yards.

Their only win since the Miami game came against Towson.

Even for much of that game, victory hardly seemed assured.

Through the first half of the season, we’ve yet to see a full 60minute effort from this team.

It’s certainly shown flashes — a dominant defensive effort against the vaunted Georgia Tech triple option, and an impressive near-comeback powered by the offense against West Virginia come to mind.

But the Terps still lost those games. And until they can put together a complete game, they’re going to keep losing.

“My own thought is, you know, you want to be undefeated,” Edsall said. “At this point in time, we’re not. We’re 2-3.

What [do] we have to do? We just have to get better in all phases.

You see progression taking place, you see improvement taking place. But what we have to do is just continue to work on those little things as we continue to go through the second half.”

Who is to blame for the disappointing first five games? You could point to a lack of depth at linebacker and wide receiver.

O’Brien’s struggles could be at fault. Several starters have been lost to injury, as well.

But we’ve seen what this squad can do when motivated. It seems like the Terps haven’t been up for several games this year. Part of that obviously falls on the players, but it’s also fair to put some of it on the coaching staff, whose job it is to have those players ready.

QUESTIONING COACHES While Edsall was brought in to take this team from “good to great,” it would have been unrealistic to expect it to happen overnight. You can live with a rough first year. It’s almost expected.

Yet even with that in mind, the first half of Edsall’s inaugural season has hardly been promising.

Take record out of the equation.

Some of his decisions have been questionable, to say the least.

Why is Kenny Tate still playing linebacker? Why is D.J. Adams languishing on the bench? Was sticking with C.J. Brown for the entire second half of the Georgia Tech game really the right move?

The coordinators Edsall have brought in have also had varied levels of success. While Todd Bradford’s defense was impressive against Georgia Tech, it was paltry in almost every other game. Gary Crowton’s offense hasn’t fit O’Brien, and his play calling has been questionable.

What’s even scarier, though, is that Edsall seems like he may have lost the locker room. Flat, uninspired play and reports of disgruntled players in his discipline-oriented, taskmaster-like approach could be signs that the Terps have tuned Edsall out.

But some players say it isn’t a matter of being mad at the coaches. It’s a matter of being mad at themselves.

“The team is just pissed that we’re 2-3, you know?” defensive tackle A.J. Francis said. “It has nothing to do with the coaches. It has nothing to do with anything like that. It’s just the fact that we’re not at the record we’re

capable of having. It’s just the fact that we want to win. Nobody here likes losing.”

MOVING FORWARD As the second half of the season begins, the best thing to do is forget the high hopes the Labor Day victory created. It was a great night for the program. But it was just that: one night. It isn’t truly indicative of what this team is made of. At least, not yet.

So judge this team like it never beat Miami. Act like Cameron Chism’s pick-six didn’t send Byrd Stadium into a frenzy that night. Forget you ever thought this team was an ACC contender.

Judge the Terps for what they are: a middle-of-the-road ACC squad still trying to figure out who they are. They have a new coach trying to make a stamp on his program and a quarterback just trying to get back on the field.

And even if the Terps don’t recreate the success they had on Labor Day this year, that doesn’t mean it won’t return in the future. schneider@umdbk.com

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Both on and off the field, coach Randy Edsall has hardly gotten off to the start he would have liked five games into his tenure as Terps coach. CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011 | HOMECOMING FOOTBALL PREVIEW | THE DIAMONDBACK

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A fresh start Gaithersburg native stepping up

BY CONOR WALSH Senior staff writer

Linebacker Alex Twine didn’t receive an offer from the Terps’ coaching staff until late in the recruiting process, but after several Terps injuries and a standout preseason, the 17-year-old is already seeing time on the field. CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

WELCOME ALUMNI TO MARYLAND’S NEWEST TRADITION

As recently as 10 months ago, Alex Twine hadn’t spoken to a single FBS school. And he was fine with that.

A linebacker at Gaithersburg’s Quince Orchard High School, Twine received his first offer from Massachusetts only last November, and he was quite comfortable with a future with either the Minutemen or another team in the FCS powerhouse Colonial Athletic Association.

That all changed when the Terrapins football team contacted Twine.

“After I got my first offer, I was excited then,” Twine recalled. “I didn’t think about Maryland or any other teams because nobody had really talked to me.”

As National Signing Day rapidly approached last winter, Twine’s recruiting path took a sudden twist. In December, he received a scholarship offer from former coach Ralph Friedgen, giving Twine a more prestigious option than he’d ever imagined.

“I was shocked,” Twine said.

“I knew exactly what I wanted to do when I got the offer.”

Twine’s subsequent commitment in December and eventual role as a contributing

true freshman this season has culminated a remarkable transformation.

He entered his junior season at Quince Orchard as a backup linebacker and special teamer with a largely untapped source of raw athleticism.

But when an injury gave Twine a chance to start for the Montgomery County power, he quickly began to recognize his potential, and after living in the weight room the next offseason, he dominated competition in his senior season.

“I just think he lacked confidence in himself,” Quince Orchard coach Dave Mencarini said. “Unbelievable athleticism, he just didn’t do it consistently.

“I told him he could be a scholarship football player. He worked really, really hard, and his senior year he really blossomed. When he hits people, he runs through them. He was clearly the best player on the field in every game we played last season.”

And so Mencarini fought for Twine. He knew that Twine was a “classic late bloomer” and had what it took to compete in the ACC. The ACC just didn’t know it yet.

“I kept calling [former Terps recruiting coordinator] Dave Sollazzo and said, ‘You’re going

see TWINE, page 5

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4

THE DIAMONDBACK | HOMECOMING FOOTBALL PREVIEW | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

ATLANTIC DIVISION CLEMSON: CONTENDER

WAKE FOREST: CONTENDER

FLORIDA STATE: CONTENDER

TERPS: PRETENDER

N.C. STATE: PRETENDER

BOSTON COLLEGE: PRETENDER

Perhaps the surprise of the season, the Tigers have put themselves in great position to take the Atlantic Division.

With a perfect 6-0 record and wins over defending national champion Auburn and in-conference foes Florida State and Virginia Tech, it will prove difficult for any team in the division to catch up with them.

This doesn’t look like any old Clemson team.

Until last weekend, the Demon Deacons’ lone conference victories came against unimpressive opponents in N.C. State and Boston College. Then the team managed a 35-30 victory over preseason favorite Florida State, all but affirming its surprising legitimacy. As long as quarterback Tanner Price continues to impress, the Demon Deacons will stay in the hunt.

No team in the ACC, or perhaps the nation, is dealing with a more disappointing start right now than the Seminoles. After losses to Oklahoma and Clemson, the team came off a bye week looking to beat Wake Forest … then didn’t. Still, the remainder of its schedule could give Florida State an outside shot, and quarterback E.J. Manuel is back in the fold.

The Terps have had flashes of brilliance, most notably against Miami and in a nearcomeback against West Virginia, but they have shown themselves to be too inconsistent to be a favorite. The team hasn’t had a good start to a game since its season opener, and Towson’s first-half performance against the Terps served to show just how far they still have to come.

Without a conference win this year — or, until last weekend, a win against an FBS opponent — the Wolfpack will have to offer a sign of life soon. Yes, N.C. State’s defense is beginning to come together after early injuries, and two of its three losses came in close games against ACC leaders Wake Forest and Georgia Tech, but don’t count on the Wolfpack.

Usually, a 1-5 start to the season is never a good sign.

Add that to a remaining schedule that includes Virginia Tech and Florida State and you get a team that will remain at the bottom of the ACC. After a season-ending injur y to star running back Montel Harris, the Eagles are thinking about the years ahead for the program, not the rest of 2011.

FOR REAL?

At the midpoint of an ACC season that’s been, to say the least, unpredictable, we break down each team’s chances of a division title and a trip to Charlotte, N.C., for the 2011 ACC Football Championship.

COASTAL DIVISION DUKE: PRETENDER

VIRGINIA: PRETENDER

MIAMI: PRETENDER

GEORGIA TECH: CONTENDER

VIRGINIA TECH: CONTENDER

NORTH CAROLINA: CONTENDER

Quarterback Sean Renfree carried the Blue Devils through their first five games, averaging more than 311 yards passing per game, good for 34th in the nation. But with one of the nation’s worst rushing attacks and a porous defense, Duke — as has been the norm — isn’t a contender.

The Cavaliers have been only average so far, sneaking out a few close wins, but a loss to Southern Mississippi suggests there’s trouble in Charlottesville, Va. With games remaining against Georgia Tech, Florida State and Virginia Tech, the Cavaliers aren’t a threat.

Suspensions stemming from a slew of NCAA violations forced the Hurricanes to slump out of the gate. Even with a solid quarterback in Jacory Harris and a potent rushing attack, Miami faces an uphill climb in the divisional race after Saturday’s loss to Virginia Tech.

The Yellow Jackets own one of the nation’s most dominant offensive attacks. Their triple-option rushing attack averages a gaudy 378.2 yards per game and their average of 46.5 points per game is good for sixth in the FBS, making them a clear favorite in the division.

Do-it-all quarterback Logan Thomas and running back David Wilson lead an impressive Hokies offense. With a stingy defense that allows less than 17 points a game, the Hokies have established themselves as a threat to take the division crown, as is the case virtually every year.

Despite a young team that features a sophomore quarterback and a true freshman running back, the Tar Heels jumped out to a quick start this season with the help of an easy early-season schedule. They have a chance to make a title run if they can survive some tough second-half games.

– Compiled by staff writers Josh Vitale and Nicholas Munson

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011 | HOMECOMING FOOTBALL PREVIEW | THE DIAMONDBACK

5

TWINE from page 3

“It kind of makes you feel special that a lot of people know who I am and this is my school,” said linebacker Alex Twine, a Quince Orchard High school alumnus. CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

to call me crazy, but you should look at this guy,’” Mencarini said. “He got the tape, and it was a no-brainer. Middle of his senior year, he came to a game and it was pretty obvious.”

After working his way from relative no-name to FBS athlete, Twine spent much of the offseason in limbo.

He faced the possibility of a redshirt year, and concern even existed that he would have to greyshirt — a seldom-used scholarship alternative that requires a player to pay his way through his first semester to preserve eligibility.

Once those issues were resolved, though, it soon became clear that Twine could expect to contribute right away.

“I didn’t really know if I was going to greyshirt or redshirt,” Twine said. “That was one of the reasons why I was always upset over the summer, because I really didn’t want to wait. … I

was so worried about not playing, and now I’m thrown into situations I never thought I’d be thrown into before.”

The 17-year-old impressed coach Randy Edsall and his staff during preseason camp, and has appeared in all five games this season in varying capacities on defense and special teams.

Despite his youth — “I don’t really get made fun of, but they kind of kid with me because a lot of kids here are 22, 23 and I’m just 17,” Twine said — he’s proven capable of playing with the big dogs.

After linebacker Demetrius Hartsfield left in the third quarter of Saturday’s loss to No. 12 Georgia Tech with an undisclosed injury, Twine was called on for the first extended appearance of his career.

It wasn’t a storybook start for Twine. The Yellow Jackets ran right at him on his first play and scored a touchdown.

But as Georgia Tech continued to attack the youngster, Twine settled in and made two pivotal third-down tackles to force Yellow Jackets punts.

“He came in, and I turned back to him and I was like, ‘Twine, they’re going to take a shot at you,’” defensive tackle Joe Vellano said. “He stepped up. When you come in against the 13th team in the country, every play is a game changer.

Last year he was playing against some high schoolers.”

While his transition from high school to college hasn’t been

completely smooth on the field, his being just 30 minutes down the road from his hometown has helped the rookie adjust to college life off the field.

“I like it because a lot of people here knew who I am. I’m like a hometown kid,” Twine said. “It kind of makes you feel special that a lot of people know who I am and this is my school.”

Plus, he gets to enjoy some of the little comforts of home.

“It’s always good to have home-cooked meals,” Twine said with a smile. “My mom can come up and bring homecooked meals, I can go see my family. It’s good that I’m so close to home, it makes me feel so much more comfortable.”

He’ll have a national-television audience eyeing him tomorrow, when he again starts at weakside linebacker against No. 8 Clemson in place of the injured Demetrius Hartsfield.

Still, given the work ethic he showed off during his development from a high school role player to a 17-year-old contributor in the ACC, there’s little concern he’ll be ready for his latest on-field challenge.

“Alex Twine was a backup to [Hartsfield], and he goes down, so he’s got to go right in there in the second half,” Edsall said.

“But because of how he practiced and how he prepared during the week, it didn’t surprise me that he went out and played as well as he did.” cwalsh@umdbk.com

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THE DIAMONDBACK | HOMECOMING FOOTBALL PREVIEW | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Progress reports At the midpoint of the Terps’ season, we honor the team’s best of the best.

KEVIN DORSEY Most improved With the departure of AllACC wide receiver Torrey Smith and graduation of LaQuan Williams and Adrian Cannon, Kevin Dorsey soared up the depth chart to become the team’s top target as a junior.

In just his first game as the team’s No. 1 receiver, Dorsey torched Miami for 124 yards on eight receptions. His 52-yard catch in the fourth quarter helped set up a game-winning field goal.

So far, Dorsey has been the only consistent receiver on the roster this season.

He ranks in the top 10 in the ACC in receptions per game (5.6) and receiving yards per game (70.4).

DAVIN MEGGETT Most valuable (offense) After a handful of seasons sharing the load, Meggett has finally had the opportunity to lead the offense as a feature back this year. While his season hasn’t been dominant by any stretch, he has been remarkably consistent.

On a team with a quarterback controversy swirling, an offensive line enjoying mixed results and a wide receiver corps hit by suspensions earlier this year, Meggett has emerged as one of the few positives for the unit.

He is fifth in the ACC with 82.6 rushing yards per game and has scored twice this season. Meggett had 86 yards and a score against Georgia Tech.

JOE VELLANO

NICK FERRARA

Most valuable (defense)

Most valuable (special teams)

As the defense around him has largely struggled, junior defensive tackle Joe Vellano has become one of the ACC’s best playmakers along the line of scrimmage. Vellano started the season in dramatic fashion, returning a fumble 30 yards for a touchdown in a 32-24 win against Miami on Sept. 5.

His career-high 20 tackles at No. 12 Georgia Tech earned him ACC defensive lineman of the week, and he became one of just five Terps players in the past 15 seasons to have a 20tackle game.

After enduring a season on the bench as a sophomore, Nick Ferrara has taken on triple duty as the team’s go-to guy for field goals, kickoffs and punts.

While he’s been consistent kicking (6-for-9 field goals this season), Ferrara has stood out with his punting skills. His 44.1-yard average ranks No. 2 in the conference, and eight of his 17 punts have landed inside the 20, while six have been more than 50 yards.

Despite a few hiccups, including a blocked punt against Temple, Ferrara has far eclipsed the play of punt returner Tony Logan, last year’s standout on special teams.

Text by Chris Eckard/The Diamondback. Photos by Charlie DeBoyace/The Diamondback.