Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014
The Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Houston State University
What’s happening at Sam HOMECOMING, P.2
JUDAISM, P.3
LUNCH, P.4
VOLLEYBALL, P.5
COWBOYS, P.5
See Homecoming parade and football game recapped in photos
One group on campus seeks to spread the traditions and wisdom of Judaism
Ever get stuck in line in Paw Print? Use these (sometimes unethical) tips
The Bearkats bested Abilene Christian on Saturday
Even a non-fan says the team is better than everyone expected (so far)
Volume 126 | Issue 14
THE HEADL I N E S i n br i e f
/HoustonianSHSU
@HoustonianSHSU
@HoustonianSHSU
Johnson breaks record, helps top McNeese
HoustonianOnline.com
Adrian Peterson turns up for Bearkat game
Compiled by Manny Jawa, web editor
EXECUTION STAYED
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has blocked the execution of Larry Hatten which was scheduled for Wednesday. Hatten, 40, was convicted of fatally shooting a 5-year-old boy 20 years ago.
NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT: CLIMATE CHANGE
A report issued by the U.S. Department of Defense yesterday outlined plans to address climate change, which it believes will threaten national security. In the report, the department says climate change will hinder their ability to protect the U.S from threats such as terrorism, infectious diseases and other potential threats. According to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, increased extreme weather events and rising sea levels would affect the work of the department.
Courtesy @JulianRuiz____ via Twitter
CONGRATULATIONS. Sophomore linebacker Myke Chatman gets a handshake from suspended Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. Peterson had his
Alex Broussard | The Houstonian
RUN WITH THE WIND. Sophomore quarterback Jared Johnson broke the most rushing yards by a quarterback in a game at Sam Houston State on Saturday against McNeese State. Johnson rushed for 190 yards and two touchdowns to break a record previously owned by SHSU’s 1990 quarterback, Ashley Van Meter.
SHAWN MCFARLAND Senior Reporter
CYCLONE HUDHUD
Heavy rains and winds topping 120 mph resulted in the deaths of at least five people as a cyclone, named Hudhud, made landfall on Oct. 12 along India’s eastern seaboard. N. Chandrababu, chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, were the cyclone hit hardest, said that 70 percent of communication in the region has collapsed and that damage assessments would begin soon.
NIELSEN ERROR
An error in Nielsen’s audience measuring software has produced false data the company announced Oct. 10. The error was discovered Oct. 6 and fixed three days later and spokespeople for the company say the error was in statistical tolerance.
FERGUSONOCTOBER
Over the weekend, police arrested 17 protesters and used pepper spray on others during a spontaneous sit-in outside of a convenience store where 18-year-old Vonderrit Myers Jr. was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer earlier that week. The sit-in, along with other protests is a part of a national movement called FergusonOctober that aims to bring attention to the death of Michael Brown and other fatal police shootings across the nation.
SPACE PLANE RETURNS
The Air Force announced that its mini-shuttle, the X-37B space plane, will return to Earth after at least 671 days in space. The plane, launched for its third mission in December 2012. Reports indicate the plane will land today, but because the mission of the plane is top secret, it has not been confirmed.
U2 ITUNES
Head’s up - If it didn’t automatically show up on your phone, today is the last day to get U2’s new album, “Songs of Innocence” for free from the iTunes Promotion that coincided with the launch of Apple’s iPhone 6 and Apple Watch.
DALLAS NURSE CONTRACTS EBOLA
The Center for Disease Control confirmed on Sunday that Nina Pham, 26, of Dallas has contracted Ebola.
Sophomore quarterback Jared Johnson was an offensive beast at Bowers Stadium on Saturday when Sam Houston State pulled the upset on former No. 4 McNeese State 38-22. Johnson exploded on offense, breaking the SHSU all-time record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game, snapping a record set in 1990, silencing Bearkat fans wanting a change a quarterback. “I feel like the opportunity came for me to be able to use my athleticism,” Johnson said. “[I was] just playing natural football.” Going into Saturday’s game, some Bearkat fans questioned Johnson’s play at quarterback and called for head coach K.C. Keeler to put in another quarterback, such as sophomore Don King III or redshirt freshman John Roderique. But Johnson showed up against the Cowboys in record fashion. “Great teams don’t worry about what just happened in the past,” Keeler said. “They worry about what’s up next. We focus on going 1-0 every day” In 1990, SHSU quarterback Ashley Van Meter rushed 16 times for 163 yards in a 26-14 win over
North Texas. This game would give Van Meter the record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game, and the record stood tall for 20-plus seasons. Yet Johnson would shatter the record by rushing 11 times for 190 yards, including two long rushing touchdowns of 73 yards and 67 yards. His performance earned him Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week as well as being named FCS National Co-Offensive Player of the Week by The Sports Network. Johnson would not control the game with just his feet. He threw 15-29 for 192 yards and two touchdowns, one to redshirt freshman wide receiver Yedidiah Louis and the other to junior wide receiver LaDarius Brown. This was both Louis and Brown’s first touchdowns of the season, even with Louis averaging 56.2 receiving yards a game and Brown averaging 41.0 receiving yards a game. Louis would lead all Bearkat receivers against McNeese with five catches for 65 yards, and Brown would follow with four catches and 63 yards. Louis did not just use his hands for catching but provided a huge block on a McNeese defender for Johnson’s 67-yard touchdown. Johnson now leads all Bearkats with not only passing yards but rushing yards as well. He has 375 rushing yards through six games
with four touchdowns, while averaging 62.5 yards a game. Johnson also has more carries than any of the running backs on the Bearkats’ roster. The Bearkats also saw tremendous play on the other side of the ball. Redshirt freshman defensive end P.J. Hall led the Bearkat defense with 11 total tackles, including three for a total loss of 12 yards. This was Hall’s first game with the ability to fully use both his hands. Hall played the first five games with one hand in a cast, forcing him to be put on the outside, but now he can be moved around the line. Last week Hall was named to the 20-player “watch list” for the Jerry Rice Award, which is given to the most outstanding FCS freshman. Senior safety Michael Wade finished the game with nine tackles and junior safety Eric Agbaroji finished with seven tackles. The Bearkat defense also forced McNeese to punt nine times in the game and allowed only two trips in the redzone. “As men we decided to fight through this thing,” Keeler said. “I think we are relevant again.” Johnson will next lead his 2-0 Southland Conference squad into Natchitoches, La. against Northwestern State. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. on Saturday.
first court appearance Wednesday in Conroe after being indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury for alleged child abuse. JEREMY VILLANUEVA Sports Editor
Adrian Peterson, suspended Minnesota Vikings running back, made a special appearance at the Sam Houston State football game Saturday against McNeese State. Peterson was unavailable to speak to press after the game, leaving no confirmation on the reason for his stopping by at the game. News about Peterson’s appearance broke via Twitter midway through the game. Fans made their way to the exit nearest the Ron Mafrige Field House for autographs and pictures with Peterson. “When I heard he was up here and I saw him, I couldn’t pass it up,” Brent Peters, father of a SHSU senior, said. “He’s going through some bad things right now. I’m just glad he’s out here supporting the community.” Peterson has been in recent headlines due to incidents off the field. He had his first court appearance Wednesday in Conroe after being indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury for alleged child abuse. After the 38-22 victory for SHSU over No. 4 McNeese State, Peterson greeted each Bearkat football player and shook their hand in congratulations.
Bearkat Camp transportation awarded to Sierra Trailways LESLIE CORDOVA Staff Reporter This past year marks the sixth year that Bearkat Camp has been offered to incoming students at Sam Houston State University. Transportation has also been offered every year from Bowers Stadium to the location of the camp. Assistant Director of Outdoor Recreation Chris Mahlen believes that the camp, now located at University Camp, has definitely enhanced the program. The convenience of transportation is one to be appreciated by those students. However, the process of attaining it is much more complicated. Sierra Trailways is the charter bus company that was chosen to provide their services to the students attending this past Bearkat Camp. They were named the winners of the bid to the sum of $12,850. “This is the first time that bus service [Sierra Trailways] has been
competitively bid through the procurement office,” SHSU purchaser Dan Fry said. SHSU is required to accept the lowest bid, as well as taking into account whether or not the bidder meets state requirements. Every year, various companies place bids and only one is chosen according to certain specifications. The other companies who participated in the bidding were AFC Transportation with a bid of $13,125, Continental Bus Lines with a bid of $15,000, Clark Travel with a bid of $27,500 and Kerrville Bus Company with a bid of $16,523.60. Some requirements potential bidders must meet include the ability to transport 100 to 150 passengers, access to modern motor coaches with storage space for passenger luggage, air conditioning, non-smoking coaches and drivers who are properly certified and licensed. There are multiple sessions of the camps, and depending on the amount of attending students per
session, two to three buses may be needed. However, the number is subject to change. This past year, there were three session and three buses per session. This included both Bearkat Camp and Transfer Camp students. According to Mahlen, there has been a steady growth in the number of incoming students who partake in both Bearkat Camp and Transfer Camp. In order to attend the camp, students must pay a fee of $115 for a four-day, three-night camp. Currently the program consists of the three separate sessions which serve as a way to allow more students to be able to go to camp based on their own schedules. “Bearkat camp is an extended orientation program for new students and then we have the Transfer Camp which includes transfer students,” Mahlen said. “Transfer camp is in its third season and Bearkat camp is in its sixth season. The first five seasons we rented out a local private camp that was called Forest Glen. In 2014 we were able
to move onto our own property in Riverside, and that’s University Camp.” Discussion of providing this transportation to students began in the first year the program started six years ago. According to Mahlen, the reason behind the program was the University wanting to provide students with a quality experience. In addition, the camps are also an attempt to allow new students’ first impression of SHSU to be one of quality as well. Mahlen said he believes Bearkat Camp has had a tremendous impact on incoming students. Mahlen also said it’s been shown that students who attended the program have a higher retention rate than those who did not attend. The program is aimed to be centered around “spirit, pride and the tradition” of the university. It is also focused on aiding new students, particularly those fresh out of high school, to ease the transition of the college experience, alleviating some of the anxiety that can accompany it.
The Houstonian | HoustonianOnline.com/news | Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014
Page 2
Homecoming Week a success
Photos Brynn Castro and Alex Broussard | The Houstonian
TOP RIGHT: Homecoming queen and mass communication major Cheznay Dones (left) stands with homecoming king and criminal justice major Nick Duhon (right) after the announcement was made during the 2014 Homecoming game at halftime Oct. 11. The homecoming parade Oct. 9 featured several floats, including the Sam Houston Construction Association, University President Dana G. Hoyt with cheerleader and senior Molly Niemczyk, Miss Sam Houston and senior Briarley Dellinger and the Soul Lifters. The week of festivities concluded with the Homecoming football game Oct. 11 against McNeese State who the Bearkats defeated 38-22.
The Houstonian | HoustonianOnline.com/campusculture | Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014
Page 3
Jewish group celebrates fall holiday SAVANNAH WOODWORTH Staff Reporter
Catherine Stallard | The Houstonian
SUKKAH. Senior psychology and criminal justice major Joshua Carrierre digs in to a free meal provided by Jews on Campus during their celebration of Sukkot on Monday in the Baptist Student Ministry.
There are a large number of groups represented on campus, a great number of them religious based organizations. Most students have heard of Truth Worship and Bible Study and Chi Alpha Campus Ministries, but they are not the only religious groups present and active on campus. Jews on Campus is an organization at Sam Houston State University dedicated to the study and practice of the Judaism. The organization puts on events, such as the celebration of Sukkot. The Jewish holiday of Sukkot is a weeklong fall festival and began Oct. 8 in the evening and lasts until tomorrow evening. “In ancient days, Jews would pick their fruits and vegetables during Sukkot and they would not be able to travel home during the week so they would put up a hut to sleep in that they could see the stars from,” Anne Sergi, secretary of Jews on Campus, said. Jews on Campus organization will have a Sukkah hut set up in front of the LSC for the weeklong holiday. Yesterday, a rabbi came to speak to the students and answer questions about Sukkot where the organization provided food for participating students to celebrate the event. The organization is not just for people who practice Judaism, but also for anyone interested in the culture, according to Sergi.
“We are always looking for more members,” Sergi said. “Anyone who is interested in Jewish culture whether or not they’re Jewish can join.” The organization holds many activities and get-togethers such as Torah studies. They also hold dinners with rabbis, called “Farbrengen,” so students can speak about philosophical and religious ideas. Jews on Campus celebrates religious events, holidays and holds services and Seders. “We aim to inform people about Jewish culture and create sustainable Jewish life on campus,” Sergi said. “We are hoping to start a Hillel on campus which is a place on campus for Jewish students to hang out, study, celebrate and eat a nice meal.” Hillels are common at university campuses around the world as a place for students to gather. Jewish students go to relax and celebrate their religion and culture. In the Hillel, weekly services and meals are held along with Torah and Hebrew studies. The group organizes trips during Hillel meetings to places such as Israel and the Annual JewishAmerican Political conference in DC and Dallas. “We have a lot of events planned for the next semester and would love anyone who’s interested to contact us,” said Sergi. For more information about the organization and their upcoming events, contact Anne Sergi at abs013@shsu.edu
Food Pantry hopes to leave no Bearkat hungry PHILLIP GARCIA Staff Reporter
This past year marks the sixth year that Bearkat Camp has been offered to incoming students at Sam Houston State University. Transportation has also been offered every year from Bowers Stadium to the location of the camp. Assistant Director of Outdoor Recreation Chris Mahlen believes that the camp, now located at University Camp, has definitely enhanced the program. The convenience of transportation is one to be appreciated by those students. However, the process of attaining it is much more complicated. Sierra Trailways is the charter bus company that was chosen to provide their services to the stu-
dents attending this past Bearkat Camp. They were named the winners of the bid to the sum of $12,850. “This is the first time that bus service [Sierra Trailways] has been competitively bid through the procurement office,” SHSU purchaser Dan Fry said. SHSU is required to accept the lowest bid, as well as taking into account whether or not the bidder meets state requirements. Every year, various companies place bids and only one is chosen according to certain specifications. The other companies who participated in the bidding were AFC Transportation with a bid of $13,125, Continental Bus Lines with a bid of $15,000, Clark Travel with a bid of $27,500 and Kerrville Bus Company with a bid of $16,523.60.
Some requirements potential bidders must meet include the ability to transport 100 to 150 passengers, access to modern motor coaches with storage space for passenger luggage, air conditioning, non-smoking coaches and drivers who are properly certified and licensed. There are multiple sessions of the camps, and depending on the amount of attending students per session, two to three buses may be needed. However, the number is subject to change. This past year, there were three session and three buses per session. This included both Bearkat Camp and Transfer Camp students. According to Mahlen, there has been a steady growth in the number of incoming students who partake in both Bearkat Camp and Transfer Camp.
In order to attend the camp, students must pay a fee of $115 for a four-day, three-night camp. Currently the program consists of the three separate sessions which serve as a way to allow more students to be able to go to camp based on their own schedules. “Bearkat camp is an extended orientation program for new students and then we have the Transfer Camp which includes transfer students,” Mahlen said. “Transfer camp is in its third season and Bearkat camp is in its sixth season. The first five seasons we rented out a local private camp that was called Forest Glen. In 2014 we were able to move onto our own property in Riverside, and that’s University Camp.” Discussion of providing this transportation to students began in the first year the program started
six years ago. According to Mahlen, the reason behind the program was the University wanting to provide students with a quality experience. In addition, the camps are also an attempt to allow new students’ first impression of SHSU to be one of quality as well. Mahlen said he believes Bearkat Camp has had a tremendous impact on incoming students. Mahlen also said it’s been shown that students who attended the program have a higher retention rate than those who did not attend. The program is aimed to be centered around “spirit, pride and the tradition” of the university. It is also focused on aiding new students, particularly those fresh out of high school, to ease the transition of the college experience, alleviating some of the anxiety that can accompany it.
Outstanding TA’s to be nominated for award SEAN SMITH Campus Culture Editor
The nomination process for the second annual Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards is underway, as the office of Graduate Studies and the Professional and Academic Center for Excellence (PACE) work to recognize exceptional graduate
teaching assistants. Graduate advisors, faculty and students are encouraged to nominate graduate teaching assistants who have demonstrated effective and innovative teaching techniques in either the classroom or lab, according to Graduate Studies media and communications specialist Weston Rose. “Because graduate teaching as-
sistants primarily teach undergraduate students, their influence is far reaching,” Rose said. “We also consider TAs who are not the instructor or record, which means the TA does not have to be assigned as the instructor of the class. TAs who support tenure and tenure track faculty by grading assignments and exams, taking attendance, leading study sessions and giving guest lec-
tures are equally eligible.” The nomination process began in late September and nominees are judged by a selection committee made up of members from PACE and the Graduate Studies office. The deadline for nominations is Nov. 3. Following their nomination, teaching assistants must assemble a teaching portfolio for further re-
view by the selection committee. Winners will receive an iPad Air along with a plaque noting their accomplishment. Nominations are still open for this year’s awards. Nomination forms can be found on the SHSU Graduate Studies webpage under the forms and publications tab.
COLLEGE SKI & BOARD WEEK Breckenridge • Vail • Beaver Creek • Keystone • Arapahoe Basin
breckenridge
20 Mountains. 5 Resorts. 1 Price. FROMY ONL
plus t/s
WWW.UBSKI.COM
1-800-SKI-WILD • 1-800-754-9453
The Houstonian | HoustonianOnline.com/viewpoints | Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014
Page 4
The Octogenerian:
PAWS
Pot pourri, gripes and council
KENNETH LEVIN Columnist This week, I come to you with a series of unconnected, short thoughts. BE A BETTER DRIVER My son and I commute to our campus three days a week, 78 miles each way, which gives us joint study time of two hours each way on the classes we share. It has also given me an opportunity to observe some traffic situations that I share here. Most of our travel is on Interstate 45 is with cruise control set at the speed limit of 65 mph. Leaving the left or passing lane open means we are passed frequently which is fine. But there is always the driver (I’m tempted to use a superlative rather than the word “driver” in this spot) who speeds up behind us and, with lanes open to our right and left, leaving virtually no space between our vehicles, proceeds to tailgate, endangering his life and ours. My reaction is to slowly reduce speed causing the miscreant to discover his steering wheel and zip around us catching up to and tailgating some other driver. Noticed of these reprobates, even
though it is the low light of dawn, is that their headlights are off (“Heck, I can see, what do I care who can’t see me.”) This is the same guy who, when you switch on your turn signal to change lanes, will quickly speed-up to block you. FEED THE BIRDS But enough on these degenerates, lets talk about our campus. Have you ever noticed, when you are walking to and from classes in the mornings, the number of birds serenading you from the trees and building roofs? And have you ever noticed that, unlike other places with large numbers of birds, very few are seen on the ground? I like birds, so I am suggesting that rather than depositing your leftover morning toast in the garbage, break it up, and as you stroll from building to building, leave those crumbs for our feathered friends to consume at their leisure between songs. LIFT THE SEAT And now, lady students, next is a problem that you do not have to read about. Although, having grown up in a female dominated household, I know the problem does exist off campus.
With that short out, a proviso to my fellow male students. I address you guys, most especially those of you who head into the campus men’s restrooms to relieve your bursting bladders and for some reason or another do not use one of the plethora of urinals located there-in but instead, step into the privacy of one of the less numerous stalls: Please, double please, lift up the seat so that your fellow student who follow you in there does not have to clean up after you before he can use the facility. If it is your fear of germs that causes your reluctance in raising the seat before you discharge, ample soap is available to properly clean your hands. Should you be unfortunate enough to follow one of these thoughtless boys into a stall area and the miscreant is still around, do what I do and loudly and with fervor admonish the perpetrator causing them public embarrassment and get them to clean up after their misdeed. LOOK BEFORE YOU CROSS Also noticed is that walking on campus means crossing often busy
streets. Also noticed is that very few students bother to look before crossing. Trust me, despite the fact that I admit that the following is a fib. “In recent scientific tests, it has been proven that the very worn and fading white lines indicating pedestrian crosswalks and safety have been shown to be deleted in strength enough to now be ineffective in stopping a moving thirtyeight hundred pound vehicle or even one of the multitude of golf carts on campus.” So this is a plea my fellow students, please when crossing the streets, look and hesitate for at least three seconds and do this so as not to upset the day of the poor driver who runs over your body. And, finally for this week I leave you by changing the subject again with a tip for the sake of your on campus safety. Remember, while considering the feeding of our on campus wildlife, please be careful of any your fellow scholars you may tend to feed or share edibles with; Students are often know to bite!
Lunchtime rules: how not to starve when stuck on campus DHARMESH PATEL Viewpoints Editor By the time noon rolls around, the parking lots are overflowing and stomachs all over campus are growling on empty. It is hard to concentrate in class, especially when all you can think about is the location of your next meal. Lunchtime is like being at the watering hole on the African Savanah. All the animals are in a frenzy, frantically searching for a means to alleviate their hunger pains. The Paw Print, Old Main Market and South Paw are the top choice for Bearkats when in need of a good source of nourishment on campus. Each place has a structured hierarchy with different groups of students, cliques and loners with their designated places of gathering. Even as various people separate to their various tables and benches, each group is afflicted by the same issue: endless lines.
Speaking from personal experience, trying to get food from any food venue on campus during the hours from 12 to 3 p.m. is nearly impossible. It seems as if the entire student body, faculty and staff makes a B-line the nearest restaurant and congregates in the hopes of getting a chicken nugget to snack on. In turn, the congestion causes confusion and tempers generally run high. But it is to be expected when hungry people are herded into a small space who are on the verge of starvation. My suggestions on what you can do to combat the issue of 10,000 students seeking substance from limited sources are as follows: 1. Show up early and claim a spot at the front of the line. Just like the pioneers, you have to stake your claim and mark your territory. The words “stand your ground” come to mind but I am pretty sure that they apply to some other non-sensible law.
Unfortunately, most people have classes that end at noon so leaving lecture 30 minutes early is not very plausible and I’m sure that your professor would not appreciate it either. 2. Your next option is to pack your own lunch. Just like back in grade school, slap some peanut butter and jelly onto a couple of slices of stale bread and throw it into a brown paper sack and you’re on your way. But if you’re like most college students you don’t have time to be making sandwiches every morning so you show up to school with your Bearkat OneCard and no sack lunch. 3. You can opt to wait in line and hope that Lady Luck is on your side. Rushing out of class to go stand in line will not guarantee that you will get food but it’s a risk that you have to take since you can’t leave class early and are too lazy to pack a lunch. 4. Your final option is to simply starve. I mean you can’t be both-
ered to pack a lunch, leave class early or wait in line so “no soup for you.” If none of these options work for you, here are some more tips that can help you in your search for food. Chick-fil-A usually has a ton of sandwiches hot and ready but the line is thwarted by people waiting for waffle fries that can’t ever seem to be fried fast enough. Simply cut the line, grab a spicy chicken sandwich and make a run for the cashier before you get caught. While searching for a place to eat, scan the lines for a buddy, a roommate or even an acquaintance you may have gotten notes from that one time and make best friends so you can cut in line and increase your chances of getting lunch. Remember, lunch is the second most important meal and with these being your only choices, try each one out until you find the one that works best for you.
Turn down for what? How about to stay alive? PARBATTEE MAHARAJ Assistant Viewpoints Editor If you were to ask any college student how they spend their time (aside from class because we are good students that always attend class), what would you think is the most common answer? Homework and studying? Participating in extracurricular activities? Hanging out with friends? More often than not, it is one of the above. However, when the weekend rolls around, and in some cases even before Friday hits, students are turning up. For those of you who do not know, turning up can be defined as “getting wild” and/or “letting loose.”
Now as someone who enjoys a good party every now and then, I am all for “turning up.” However, I think that some people are much too extreme when it comes to partying. I’m not saying that you should not go out and have a good time, by all means, you should definitely do that, but you should not be turning up every weekend. I get it. School is stressful. Participating in all these organizations is stressful. Balancing your social life with your school life is stressful. You’re just a big ball of stress. You need some way to let loose, relax and not worry about all the things that really get to you for a while. Getting so wasted that you cannot remember what happened the night before and taking the entire weekend to recover is not some-
Editorial
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jay R. Jordan ........................... 936-294-1505 STAFF Hannah Zedaker .................... Associate Editor Dharmesh Patel .................. Viewpoints Editor Jeremy Villanueva ...................... Sports Editor Sean Smith ................... Campus Culture Editor Manjot Jawa .................................. Web Editor
STAFF, cont. Brynn Castro ................................ Photo Editor Parbattee Maharaj...... Asst. Viewpoints Editor Connor Hyde .......................... Senior Reporter Ryan Reynolds.............................Layout Editor Jasmine Rangel...........................Layout Editor Lillie Muyskens .................. Graphic Designer Alex Broussard ............. Senior Photographer
thing that should be a constant reoccurrence in your life. Yes, school is a bitch sometimes, but you need to stop complaining about it all the time and get your crap together. Suck it up. The real world is not going to be so gracious and give you an extra day to turn in an assignment (you are lucky if you get that now) because you missed a day due to being hungover. Not to mention that a significant amount of the parties that take place are always broken up by the police due to excessive noise, and dare I say it, the scent of certain illegal substances. Is saying “oh, I was there. The police rolled in around 10 p.m. and shut things down” really something you want to go on and on about when someone asks you about your weekend?
Editor’s Note Subject matter in this newspaper and on www.HoustonianOnline.com does not reflect the opinion of The Houstonian unless otherwise noted. Staff editorials are subject to the approval of listed Houstonian staff members. For more information, call 936-294-1505.
Faculty Advisor Marcus Funk ......................... (936) 294-3553
College is a time where you are supposed to discover who you are, at least that’s what I’ve been told. How are you supposed to figure out who are if all you do is party and get wasted every other weekend? There is more to life than binge drinking, going to The Fox and losing your panties in a pit party or waking up next to a stranger and not knowing if you’re knocked up (keep a condom handy). Instead of binge drinking, find other activities to keep yourself entertained. Netlfix is highly recommended. Get your life together. And trust me, you cannot do that at Confetti’s.
up
PAWS UP to Nick Duhon and Cheznay Dones for winning Homecoming king and queen: Thank for embodying the Bearkat spirit and representing Sam Houston State University student body, faculty, staff and community.
PAWS UP to the Bearkats defeating McNeese State at Saturday’s game: What a great way to end Homecoming. Eat ‘Em Up Kats!
PAWS UP to Pope Francis and the Vatican: It is about time you show progressive thinking and sinking and support all people equally and recognize that we are all unique individuals.
PAWS
down
PAWS DOWN to not having Columbus Day off. All the other institutions of higher learning got the day off. But no, we had to wake up for our 8 a.m.
PAWS DOWN to the torrential downpours: I was looking super cute but now I am drenched. So much for trying to make an effort at looking professional. I guess it will be sweat pants for the rest of the week.
PAWS DOWN to midterms: How is the semester already over and how am I going to catch after taking half the semester off?
Advertising BUSINESS MANAGER Paty Mason ........................... 936-294-1500 ADVERTISING MANAGER Stacy Hood ............................ 936-294-1495
ADVERTISING DEADLINES
ADVERTISING STAFF Advertising Executives ....................... TBD Joey Peters ....................... Delivery Manager
Tuesday’s issue ................. Friday at 2 p.m. Thursday’s issue ............. Tuesday at 2 p.m. Call for pricing.
The Houstonian | HoustonianOnline.com/sports | Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014
Page 5
SHSU shaky early, pulls out three-set win
BY THE N UM B ERS. . . TREY OURSLER Contributing Reporter
190 The number of record-breaking rushing yards Sam Houston State sophomore quarterback Jared Johnson had running the football in a 38- 22 win over McNeese Saturday
3 SHSU bowling’s preseason rank after a national championship last season Brynn Castro | The Houstonian
DIGGING THE STREAK. Freshman outside hitter Jordyn Vaughn, sophomore setter Michelle Griffith and sophomore libero Claire Kilpatrick celebrate a big play in Saturday’s win over Abilene Christian to maintain their home winning streak. Sam Houston is 6-0 at Johnson Coliseum this season.
AMSHI STEPHENSON Staff Reporter Sam Houston State managed to pull off a three-set win over Abilene Christian on Saturday after a shaky start in the opening sets. The Bearkats were slow to react to the Wildcats’ offense but somehow got the win after the first two sets went into extra points. Not only was there a lack of communication throughout the entire match, but head coach Brenda Gray admitted her team had lazy tendencies. “We were struggling a little bit,” she said. “Our passing got extremely tight, which is a sign of lazy passing, and our setting got a little too tight.” ACU won the first two points
of the first set after junior middle blocker Carling Urben hit in the net and out of bounds. Serving was also a problem for the Bearkats. SHSU had two service errors in the first set topped by seven in the second. SHSU totaled 42 kills out of 108 total attempts while ACU totaled 27 kills in 86 attempts for the match. ACU junior outside hitter Jennifer Loerch finished with 11 kills to lead the Wildcat offense. Her hard hits from the back row and quick tempo outside sets caused miscommunication from the Bearkats’ defense allowing her to get kill after kill. ACU was down 11-8 in the second set, but Loerch had four straight kills tying the game at 1212. The Bearkats made some adjustments coming out of a crucial timeout down 18-20. Urben was
replaced by junior middle blocker Cherise Coleman and freshman defensive specialist Sarah Cranek served for freshman outside hitter Jordyn Vaughn. The Bearkats pulled out a win on the second set 29-27. The Wildcats had two set points in the first set and three in the second but simply could not work their way past the Bearkats. The third set did not compare to the previous ones. The Bearkats took a quick 5-1 lead as their offense finally began clicking. Senior outside hitter Deveney Wells-Gibson had two back-to-back kills, and Vaughn had a service ace. ACU saw hope a little too late at 23-13 when senior outside hitter Taylor Nix served seven times and cut their deficit to five. Coach Gray still envisioned how great the team played against In-
carnate Word (25-14, 25-16 and 25-12) last Thursday before Saturday’s tough win. “You can be great one night and struggle the next,” she said. Wells-Gibson led the Bearkats with 19 kills. Vaughn and Urben shared nine kills, and sophomore middle blocker Shelby Genung added seven kills to the scoreboard. Sophomore Michelle Griffith totaled 45 assists and sophomore Claire Kilpatrick ran the defense with 17 digs. There were a total of 31 tied scores and 17 lead changes for the match. The Bearkats look to extend their home-winning streak today against Lamar. First serve is slated for 6:30 p.m. at Johnson Coliseum.
SHSU heads to ‘Bama after three-week break RYAN REYNOLDS Layout Editor It has been a total of three weeks since the Sam Houston State cross country teams last took action heading into this week’s run at the Crimson Tide Classic in Tuscaloosa, Al. Both teams are coming off great finishes at the Islander Splash in Corpus Christi but have had an abnormal amount of time between the two meets. Both teams seem to take the break in a positive way and are using it to their advantage in order to hone their skills. “The weeks off between meets is actually a nice break for both the athletes and as a coach,” head coach Jesse Parker said. “The time off allows us to refocus on training and build fitness to hopefully im-
prove our times from one race to the next.” Junior men’s runner J.T. Bounds also agrees with Parker about the off weeks between meets, no matter if the time sometimes has its downs. “It definitely has pros and cons,” Bounds said. “The good thing is that we can push ourselves to the limit in practice without having to worry about racing, but not racing very often builds up a lot of anticipation, because we don’t have a lot of chances to gauge what we are capable of in an actual race.” The life of the cross country runners is pretty strenuous as the athletes have little free time. Mondays typically involve a longer mileage run in the morning with some power and speed activities at the end. The afternoon contains a shorter mileage run and some injury prevention activities.
Turn to Tuesday, where it is typically the hardest, most intense training day of the week outside of races. The runners are often running repetitions on the intramural field, such as last week where the men ran 1600 meters four times with three minutes rest, and the women ran 1000 meters six times with two-and-a-half minutes rest. The afternoons conclude with weightlifting. The teams only train in the morning Wednesdays and Thursdays with activities being similar to Tuesday’s. Fridays are typically the easiest day of the week. “I tell people that you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to be a good endurance runner,” Parker said. “The ‘trick’ is to get out the door and run a lot. Typically the more you run the better you’ll be. During our highest mileage weeks, several of the men will run 90-100 miles
(13 plus miles a day) and several of the women will run 65-70 miles (nine plus miles a day). The life of an endurance running doesn’t include many days off.” The Bearkats are continuing the busy training schedule heading into this week’s strong competition. “Alabama is a really great course with tough competition,” Bounds said. “The course is not too difficult, so everyone tends to have great races and can show the results of our efforts in practice. It is definitely a good chance to put up some good times before Conference and see what last minute adjustments we need to make to better prepare ourselves.” The meet will take place Friday at the Harry Pritchett Running Course.
Players of the Week
JARED JOHNSON, QUARTERBACK
Quarterback Jared Johnson had a career-defining game in SHSU’s 38-22 upset over No. 4 McNeese State on Saturday. Johnson broke the SHSU record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game. Johnson had 11 carries for 190 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown and a 67-yard touchdown. As for his actual position, Johnson finished 15-29 for 192 passing yards with two touchdown.
JORDYN VAUGHN, OUTSIDE HITTER
Outside hitter Jordyn Vaughn had two great matches against Incarnate Word and Abilene Christian, both matches ending in a win for SHSU. In the rout against IWU, Vaughn totaled 12 kills, seven digs and two serving aces as the Bearkats won 25-14, 25-16 and 25-12. In the hard-fought match against ACU, Vaughn totaled nine kills, eight digs and three serving aces for the Bearkats’ three-set win.
119.50
Total amount of points for Deveney Wells- Gibson scored in her last five games for SHSU Volleyball heading into Tuesday’s matchup against Lamar
FO O T BA L L GA M E GRA DES DAVID GIBSON Contributing Reporter Offense: A The Bearkats’ offense exploded against No. 4 McNeese State on Saturday. Sophomore quarterback Jared Johnson rushed for 180 total yards and scored two touchdowns earning Southland Conference and FCS honors. Johnson tacked on two passing touchdowns to his name. Reshirt freshman receiver Yedidah Lewis and junior wide receiver LaDarius Brown both had receiving touchdowns. Defense: B+ Sam Houston State’s defense stepped up big against a dominating McNeese offense. The Kats hit the Cowboys really hard and forced them to drop passes and have short runs. The coverage was way better than before with senior safety Michael Wade leading the way with another great performance. Freshman defensive end P.J. Hall had a top notch game on the line. Special Teams: B The special teams did a great job limiting the big returns for McNeese while providing good returns on the other side of the ball. Kicker Luc Swimberghe was named SLC’s special team’s player of the week after a 44-yard field goal, although his first two kickoffs went out of bounds for penalties.
Page 6
Cowboys are the real deal
Associated Press
SHAWN MCFARLAND Senior Reporter Let me first start off by saying I am not a Dallas Cowboys fan, but I am giving them credit for everything they have done so far this 2014 season. The Cowboys beat the defending Super Bowl champions, in their own house, where Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has only lost once before in his career. Coming into the season, fans and critics bashed on the Cowboys and made comments of them finishing with another 8-8 season last year, or even worse. Through six games, the Cowboys are tied with the San Diego Chargers for the best record in the NFL with a record of 5-1. Offensively, running back Demarco Murray has ran all over every defense he has faced. Murray as 159 carries for 785 rushing yards, leading all of the NFL. If Murray were his own team right now, he would have rushed for the fourth most of any team in the league, trailing the Cow-
boys, Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens. Murray is on track to annihilate the record for most rushing yards in a single season. Looking at the record holder, Eric Dickerson, through six games, Dickerson only had 605 rushing yards. And when Adrian Peterson nearly broke Dickerson’s record, he had only 499 rushing yards through six games. The only thing will be if Murray can stay healthy through all 17 weeks of the NFL season. Quarterback Tony Romo and his receivers have also done a great job this season. Romo who has a 68.6 percent completion percentage with 11 touchdowns and 5 picks, three of those coming in the Cowboys’ lone loss in week 1 against San Francisco. Wide receiver Dez Bryant leads the Cowboy receivers with 36 receptions for 439 yards and four touchdowns, and wide receiver Terrance Williams has been clutch with five touchdowns in only 18 receptions, averaging 17.8 yards per reception. Tight End Jason Witten has been his reliable self with 21 catches for 239 yards. Kicker Dan
Bailey has also been reliable being 13-14 on field goals. The Cowboys are the fourth best team offensively averaging 398.7 total yards a game. Another big question mark coming into the season was how the Dallas defense would be after losing stars like Demarcus Ware, who was traded to the Denver Broncos, and Sean Lee, who tore his ACL in early preseason. The defense has picked off opposing quarterbacks seven times so far this season and given up a total of 102 first downs. Although the Cowboys are ranked 15th in the NFL in total defense, that is nowhere close to the 32nd rank that most had them to be. With the Cowboys having their next two games against division rivals, New York Giants and Washington Redskins, the next two weeks will help the Cowboys get atop the NFC East division. So whether or not you are a Dallas Cowboys fan or not, just know they are a real threat this year.