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CAMPUS

Record attempt given college try SAMONE HARRIS Contributing Reporter Sam Houston State University Student Legal Services came short in their attempt at breaking a Guinness World Record with only 621 people that showed up at event yesterday.

The event was an attempt at breaking a record for the largest number of people attending a self-defense workshop. More than 2,012 participants were needed to break the record with the expectation preceding the event pushed 2,500.

Yet despite the small number, students and Huntsville residents received a free seminar in martial arts defense.

Associate professor Marcus Gillespie taught the crowd Hapkido defense moves for when someone is under personal attack.

Gillespie said this was his first time doing an event in front of so many people and that he enjoyed himself.

“It was a lot of fun and different

Brynn Castro | The Houstonian

BREAKING ARMS BUT NOT RECORDS. Junior kinesiology major Kris Hooper (right) mimics an attack on junior psychology major Christopher Ellison (left) during yesterday’s free self-defense class at Bowers Stadium. Student Legal Services hosted the event in an attempt at breaking the Guinness World Record for the number of participants in a selfdefense class. The event needed more than 2,012 people to break the record, yet only 621 people showed up to the event.

as well,” he said.

Michael Emrpic from the Guinness World Records oversaw

the event and said he was surprised the attendance was as large, or small, as it was. He said he didn’t

MALL AREA

CAMPUS

SGA asks officials for public records

JAY R. JORDAN Associate Editor

Student government officials filed multiple open records requests Wednesday concerning Sam Houston State University’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and various campus issues.

Student Government Association’s University Affairs department requested copies of or access to public information held by the university, including multiple emails and audit reports.

The three different requests are asking for documents concerning the ADA, intellectual property rights as they pertain to students and the Office of Audits and

Analysis.

“It’s hard to tackle any kind of potential problem if we don’t know what’s actually going on,” University Affairs chief Spencer Copeland said. “All we’re really doing is asking permission. It wouldn’t matter if we submitted [an open records] request or if I just walk up to the person and say ‘hey, can I see the documents?’

In this case, we can get more information quicker, and be more accurate, as opposed to a face-toface meeting.”

Copeland said the spirit of SGA submitting these requests is for the organization to be clear whether or not issues exist.

In one request, Copeland asked for access to audit reports, — RECORDS, page 2

know that over 621 people would actually attend.

“Even though the record wasn’t

broken, I liked the fact that everyone came out to take care of themselves and their personal safety,” he said.

Although there was a 1,591-person deficit, the event turned out a crowd of people that almost filled Bowers Stadium.

Huntsville High School, SHSU Nursing Program, ROTC, SHSU students and the community of Huntsville came to this event to learn how to self- defend themselves as well as to meet new people.

“Our purpose was to educate the students,” director of Student Legal Services Gene Roberts said.

Senior mass communication student Stevie Hall said that the event was still good despite the relatively low turnout. “[If you] look at the football field, half of it is filled up with people who wanted to be here,” she said. “I say it was a huge success.

You can only work so hard and put out so much promotion as you can, but once put out as much as you can you can only wait for people to show.”

Brynn Castro | The Houstonian

MALL WALKERS. Students flock to the Lowman Student Center’s Student Organization Fair. Various groups on campus set up outside in the LSC Mall Area, giving away free prizes in hopes of growing their organization.

CAMPUS

SHSU research protocol to be audited CHRISTIAN VAZQUEZ Contributing Reporter

While many different programs at Sam Houston State University get audited each year, 2014 marks the first time for the Research Compliance Protocol (RPC).

The protocol compliance audit is among 18 other planned audits on SHSU’s Fiscal Year 2014 Audit Plan.

The Office of Audits and Analysis is independent of SHSU management since they report to the Texas State University System.

Director of Audits and Analysis Kelly Bielamowicz said the RPC

is on the audit plan because it has not been audited before.

The auditor office’s process for carrying out audits is different depending on what kind it is.

According to Bielamowicz, since RPC falls under compliance reviews, an audit will determine the degree of compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies and procedures.

Delia Gallinaro, executive director for the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP), said the research department has been operating under compliance by federal law.

“I think we make a very good effort to address all the compliance areas that we are required to

oversee,” Gallinaro said.

Gallinaro said that in the past year the ORSP has implemented two new compliance areas, the Responsible Conduct in Research Compliance and the Conflict of Interest Compliance.

The Responsible Conduct in Research Compliance requires anyone on campus who works with National Science Foundation grants to be certified. The certification is earned after taking a research ethics class, and an online module is in place for everyone to be certified.

The Conflict of Interest Compliance is also mandated by the federal government to ensure there is no financial gain from a

researcher board.

Although the research department has been under compliance, there has only been one reported accident, according to Gallinaro.

“There was an issue with the air conditioning unit, and some frogs died that were being used as an experiment,” she said. “It was reported to the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.”

According to Bielamowicz, the Office of Audits and Analysis’s job is to provide the Texas State University System with objective evaluations of SHSU’s programs.

The Audit Plan is based on input from management to identify those programs for which an

independent assessment would be the most beneficial. Even programs that have not been audited in the past are up for inclusion.

Bielamowicz said programs appearing on the audit plan does not necessarily mean there are issues present. Instead, it helps her office manage resources.

Programs are not regularly scheduled for audits, so it is normal to see new programs up for audit for the first time. As for the research compliance audit, there have been no problems officially addressed in the past, according to Gallinaro.

THE SAM HOUSTON MEMORIAL MUSEUM Presents

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Page 2

News

Thursday, February 20, 2014 houstonianonline.com/news

CAMPUS

SGA brings internship rules into question JAY R. JORDAN Associate Editor Internship regulation at Sam Houston State University should be more strictly enforced, according to a new resolution passed Tuesday by the Student Government Association.

Senate Resolution S14-14, which passed unanimously, outlined SGA’s disdain with the university’s lack of oversight when it comes to internships. The resolution highlights suggestions the university could take, including adopting the College of Business Administration’s method of ensuring an ethical and productive internship for its students.

One of the resolution’s authors, Student Affairs chief Alex Rangel, said his interest was sparked by a bad experience he had during an internship where he was allegedly misused by the employer. He said he hopes the university can take steps to make sure that doesn’t

Brynn Castro | The Houstonian

DELIVERANCE. Student Affairs chief Alex Rangel reads S14-14, a resolution advocating for the creation of a university-wide policy for internships. The resolution passed unanimously during Tuesday’s Student Government Association meeting.

happen to other students.

“I think it could have been solved a couple different ways,”

he said. “One, definitely with a policy.”

Rangel said the faculty sponsor

of his internship was working on her own accord when she put together internship programs,

and he hopes a new universitywide policy would either create a new job for an internship coordinator, or at least put in place rules and regulations for possible internships.

The COBA policy the resolution references states internships are to provide a planned transition from the school curriculum to the working environment. The contract that interns, employers and faculty sponsors sign in COBA states each internship must have real classroom theory in practice and must be paid.

According to the resolution, internship policies vary from college to college and sometimes from department to department within a college, as it is in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

The resolution also calls for a medium for students to address grievances they have with internships, as well as for employers to address against students.

LOCAL

City Council reviews proposed energy rates HANNAH ZEDAKER Senior Reporter

Huntsville City Council is discussing the possibility of denying an across-the-board Entergy Texas rate increase request while accepting a settlement reached with the company following Tuesday’s meeting.

With the proposed settlement, residents of Huntsville will see a slight decrease in their Entergy rates if the passes, while big business entities should expect

an increase, according to city attorney Leonard Schneider.

The rates for general service, large general service, and large industrial customers are slated to increase, with decreasing rates for small general service and residential customers.

The original ordinance would have increased electric base rates in the Entergy Service Area by $38.6 million per year, as well as an additional $14.5 million per year to implement new riders, totaling $53.1 million. It first filed on Sept. 25, 2013.

The implementation date was pushed back by Entergy to March 15 and again to March 24 to accommodate the passage of the ordinance and the adoption of the settlement rates.

Entergy recently reached a settlement of $18.5 million per year— a difference of roughly $34.6 million.

“What strikes me about this is that the original request and the settlement is such a broad difference,” councilmember Andy Brauniger said. “It almost appears like you’re asking for the moon but

Hannah Zedaker | The Houstonian

POWER TALK . Councilmembers Joe Emmett (left), Ronald Allen (center) and Andy Brauninger (right) listen as City Attorney Leonard Schneider discuss the parameters of Ordinance 2014-22. The ordinance is a settlement reached with Entergy to decrease rates for residents while increasing rates for businesses.

JUMPS

RECORDS,

page 1

investigations, consultations and emergency appropriation information on anything having to do with ADA. The request also asked for access to any emails concerning ADA from any address within the Office of the President, Office of Facilities Management, Office of the Provost, Office of Audits and Analysis, and the Office of Finance and Operation.

This is a part of an ongoing interest student government has with the state of ADA compliance on campus.

In another request, Copeland asked for documents that outline the university’s intellectual property rights policy concerning students. SGA picked up on the idea after Faculty Senate brought up their concerns with the faculty’s intellectual property rights.

Student Affairs chief Alex Rangel said he attended a meeting in which Faculty Senate raised concern over intellectual property.

“The first thing that popped into my mind was, what about students?” Rangel said. “Students create many different things.”

He said he was notified of an incident in the theatre

department where SHSU tried to film a performance, but a student wouldn’t let the university film it due to his ownership of the rights to the production.

According to the most recent publication of SHSU Intellectual Property Policy, material created by faculty or staff using “significant resources” of the university is owned by the university.

“With administration, with faculty and with staff, it’s a slightly different ballgame because with them, they’re being paid by the university,” Copeland said. “The university can claim some rights into what was created, because the university is paying them to do ‘a, b, c and d’. If ‘a, b, c and d’ lead to some kind of invention, idea or design, the university can say they paid them to do that.”

Since students are paying the university, and not being paid by the university, Copeland said there should be different policy for students when it comes to what’s created by students with on-campus policies. Rangel and Copeland both hope looking into the intellectual rights of students, and how they intertwine with the university’s existing or future policies, will produce a clear-cut

answer to who owns what students create.

The third open records request SGA submitted was for a detailed description of every audit outlined in the Internal Audit Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2012-2013. The organization also asked for emails regarding why three of the 18 audits, including one over dorm security, weren’t performed.

Copeland said reporting in The Houstonian led to SGA’s interest in the audits.

“The audits that weren’t performed do raise some eyebrows, but that doesn’t mean that there’s anything necessarily wrong,” Copeland said. “If there are legitimate reasons as to why they weren’t conducted, that’s fine, and we want to make sure we move forward informed and we don’t make decisions based on misinformation.”

According to the Texas Open Records Act handbook, the university has to release the information “promptly” or reply to SGA within 10 days with a reason why they’re withholding any information.

settle for the small amount—I just found it kind of strange that the difference between the original request and the settlement was so huge.”

According Schneider, these large decreases are typical.

“I think they’re playing within the rules,” Schneider said. “It’s not uncommon to see a rate increase that’s significantly reduced during settlement.”

Schneider said the attorneys of other cities affected by the proposed increase recently met in Beaumont to discuss with

experts the settlements and other alternative options such as switching to the Public Utility Commission. The majority of which accepted the settlement.

“Both parties agreed that this would likely happen had they actually litigated it in front of the Public Utility Commission so that’s why [other city attorneys] accepted this proposal,” Schneider said.

Statutory deadline to act on Entergy’s rate increase request is March 24, 2014.

Page 3

Viewpoints

Thursday, February 20, 2014 houstonianonline.com/viewpoints

CAMPUS

Why I chose Sam Houston STEPHEN GREEN Web Editor When I was in the eighth grade we were all called into the library to start picking out what classes we would take in high school. I only had seven classes, so I had to pick another extracurricular.

Because my friends were in it, I decided to take this “blow-off ” journalism class.

That class turned into my career goal, but I didn’t really know where to go after high school. It came down to only one choice: Sam Houston State University.

If you’ve read my other columns you may laugh at my humor at the university’s expense and notice that I don’t agree with what the school does. I actually like SHSU, believe it or not.

For starters, the mass communication program lends itself to students who work hard and do it early. It’s a hands-on program from practically the first day. There are opportunities at every media outlet to get involved.

Meagan Ellsworth and Jessica

Priest, then Editor-in-Chief and News Editor, gave me a job as a contributing reporter before I ever stepped into the classroom.

Professors across campus, for the most part, seem to be willing to talk to students one-on-one after class more so than I’ve seen at other schools. I think that has something to do with the family atmosphere here that makes it easy to approach relatively anyone and have a meaningful conversation.

It’s the kind of conversations like the one between a tatted up student clutching a skateboard and sporting an earring sitting on a wall near the College of Humanities and Social Sciences building talking to an older, grandfatherly type student that I saw this morning. Those conversations clearly happen on campuses everywhere, but I think there’s a general feeling of diversity.

SHSU is also a hidden gem in terms of our academics.

Our education and criminal justice programs are the obvious standouts that seem to go unheard of in high schools when it’s such a missed opportunity for future teachers and law enforcement officials.

Unlike my fellow high school graduates at other, “better” universities, I won’t graduate with nearly as much debt. SHSU is a comparably affordable college to attend despite the seemingly

constant tuition and fee increases – ubiquitous college affordability is for a different column. Even the online programs are affordable, which is difficult to say when so many others are criticized for being so steep.

When I graduate in May, I don’t want the university officials to get the feeling that my four years of criticism comes from a place of malice or frivolity. I just want to at least try to leave the school I love better than I found it.

I encourage everyone else to do so as well. This doesn’t necessarily call for widespread protests or formal complaints. It’s the little things like picking up trash out of the fountain, giving helpful feedback when administrators host town halls or going to Student Government Association meetings.

It’s participating in community service events like Bearkat All Paws In, going to school sponsored events and cheering on all of our sports teams – not just football whenever they start showing success.

When May comes and I begin my career as a working professional, I will hold this university and the people who work here as the singular fundamental aide in any success that will follow. The university’s motto – the measure of a life is its service – starts now, while we have positive change within reach.

Word on the Street: What do you think about changing minimum wage?

“I don’t think it should increase, when it increased in 2009 the price of milk went up to $3, and I don’t think the dollar can withstand it right now” -Kayla Johnson, Senior Human Resource

“Its great but you would have to figure out how its going to effect the economy… if it runs the economy I’m down for it” -John Babineaux Junior, Biology

NATION

‘True Detective’ brings the heat

COLIN HARRIS Viewpoints Editor I remember watching HBO back in November and between programs, a preview for a cop show called “True Detective” starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson briefly aired.

I knew I had to watch it.

Little did I know that three episodes in, I would stop streaming the show on HBO’s online service, instead opting to tune in to HBO at 8 p.m. each Sunday, so I see it as it airs.

I also didn’t know that five episodes in, I would be reading theories about characters and the show’s central mystery the way “Lost” fanatics did five years ago, obsessing over plot details and still shots like Kennedy conspiracy theorists over the Zapruder film.

Simply put, this show is the best thing on television right now and just keeps getting better.

Without spoiling the plot, the story centers on two homicide

detectives in Louisiana, Rust Cohle (McConaughey) and Marty Hart (Harrelson) who are assigned to investigate the 1995 murder of prostitute Dora Kelly Lange.

The plot isn’t linear and jumps between the pair attempting to solve the murder in the mid-90’s and the present day, where both have washed out of the police force and are explaining the past events to two investigators.

Cohle is a haunted exundercover narcotics officer who meanders into ramblings about nihilism and a strange metaphysics that often irritate Hart, a straight-laced family man with little patience for Cohle’s preachings.

The two have a compelling dynamic and bring complementary skills to the table during the investigation.

Hart’s by-the-book police style contrasts well with Cohle’s hunches, interrogation style and undercover ability.

What pushes “True Detective” from excellent, well-filmed show into greatness though, is the story.

The show plays out as a fairly straight cop show through the first three episodes. There are allusions to grand conspiracies, but nothing concrete. Like most cop shows, Cohle and Hart spend their time tracking down leads and interviewing suspects.

The series’ fourth and fifth episodes are where it begins to be

less formulaic and consequently more compelling. The violence and action are more prevalent and those grand conspiracies come to fruition in more ways than any viewer had anticipated.

By the fifth episode, the two narratives (one past and one present) begin to tie together expertly and viewers are left to question the true motivation of the show’s two flawed protagonists.

The appeal of “True Detective” however lies in the series’ structure. It’s an anthology, not a multiyear serial. None of the characters will return next season, as the entire show will be recast and take place in a different setting. FX’s “American Horror Story” started this trend, but HBO took it A-list with McConaughey and Harrelson.

This means that unlike “Lost” which threw up an indefinite series of red herrings and subterfuge to keep viewers guessing, “True Detective” will wrap this storyline up after its eight episode first season and come up with something else entirely for season two.

With five episodes in and three to go, HBO’s “True Detective” has quickly ascended to the throne of TV programming. Lovers of high-octane cinema quality programming need no longer despair in the wake of Walter White’s demise.

“I agree to a certain point, it’s nice to get an increase but at the same time we should focus on the current financial situation” -Miranda Zapata Dance, Junior

“I think it would be ok it would help more people out. It would raise the price of gas and food, things we use on a regular basis.

I think it wouldn’t make that big of a difference, it would help employees out that work at a job that doesn’t require an education” -Rene Delgado, Freshman Criminal Justice

The Houstonian Editorial

The Houstonian was named in the top 100 college newspapers for journalism students by JournalismDegree.org. Members of Associated Collegiate Press and Texas Intercolligiate Press Association.

EDITOR’S NOTE Articles, letters and cartoons by Houstonian staff members or others in this paper are their own and not the opinion of the Houstonian, unless it is noted as such. Submissions and letters to the editor are welcome. Please send submissions to viewpoints@houstonianonline.com. Articles may be edited for grammar and spelling at discretion of editor. Unsolicited oppinions should be 150 words or under. Please contact us if you wish to submit anything longer. Deadline for submission is by 5 p.m. on Mondays or Wednesdays.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Connor Hyde ........................................................................................................................................936-294-1505 FACULTY ADVISER Robin Johnson..................................................................................................................................936-294-1499 STAFF Jay R. Jordan .................................................................................................................................Associate Editor Colin Harris...................................................................................................................................Viewpoints Editor Jeremy Villanueva..................................................................................................................................Sports Editor Kizzie Frank.............................................................................................................................Entertainment Editor Stephen Green...........................................................................................................................................Web Editor Kassidy Turnpaugh.............................................................................................................. Assistant News Editor Dharmesh Patel.........................................................................................................Assistant Entertainment Editor Marissa Hill........................................................................................................................................Sports Reporter Hannah Zedeker.................................................................................................................................Senior Reporter Steven Snook.............................................................................................................................Multimedia Reporter Samantha Zambrano.............................................................................................................................Layout Editor Lillie Muyskens..............................................................................................................................Graphic Designer Staff Reporter(s)..................................................................................................... Kaleigh Treiber, Alex Broussard

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Page 4

Arts&Entertainment

Thursday, February 20, 2014 houstonianonline.com/a-e

BLACK HISTORY

Black artists draw from rich history RAVEEN JOHNSON Staff Reporter

African American culture has provided an outlet of expression for years through music and literature, and those outlets are still being used for political and social expression today.

The stanzas of poetry still linger on the stages of theaters while the dancers leave their hearts and souls on the concrete sidewalks of Louisiana. African American literature is what binds the community, according to senior communication studies major Le’Antranell Gibson said.

“African American people used art to express [themselves] back then,” Gibson said. “Now we use it as a part of our identity. We identify with each other through art.”

The legacy of African American

music can be found in the pews of churches and on the corners of any neighborhood across the country.

Blues music was one of the most popular ways to send a message to the African American community. It originated on Southern plantations and evolved from African spirituals and chants about the struggles and inner conflicts of a people.

“One major development in African American Art was the abolition of slavery,” Associate Professor of English Victoria Lantz said. “The art responded to the oppression inflected upon black citizens.”

Musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Etta James have ballads that are still played on airwaves, expressed the trials and hardships of love and life in the early 1900s such as “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” and “At Last.”

In Etta James’ classic “At Last,” she speaks about the joys of finding love.

“At last, my love has come along. My lonely days are over, and life is like a song,” she sang.

You can find those same sentiments from modern soul singers such as Anita Baker with her song “Angel.”

“Love like ours is heaven sent, each day a day to remember. I feel so safe, feel secure with you,” she sang.

Modern music reflects the sounds of the past, and poetry is no different. In fact, music and poetry often complement one another because of the songwriting process or because of the melody that plays while a poet recites his/her lines.

“Poetry has evolved into many different things, but the most prevalent evolution that it

has made is the transition into hip hop and rap,” senior mass communication major Corey Chenier said.

Soul and jazz poet Gil Scott Heron often included music in his poetry. He fused blues, jazz, soul music and paired that combination with his mix of rapping and reciting. He wrote about social issues as well as the history and relevance of blues music in the 1970s and 1980s.

Other poets in Heron’s time are Wanda Robinson, Alice Walker and Nikki Giovanni.

These poets were the voice of the people that were inspired by artists dating back to the Harlem Renaissance.

Today there are many poets and rappers who can hold that have been inspired by older music and literature. Common, Queen Latifah, Kanye West, Saul Williams, John Legend and

Sunni Patterson are all examples of keeping music unique to the African American community alive.

“African American arts have evolved into different nuances with the same components,” Associate Dean of Students Jeanine Bias said. “It has become something new while still carrying the characteristics of the old school.”

Some might argue that art has lost its authenticity and substance, but the African American arts have made an impact on the world that reflects a vivid image of its history.

The African American arts have served as a movement and strengthened the culture of African American people who express themselves without any restrictions or limitations.

Surreal artists to share SHSU gallery CAMPUS

SEAN SMITH Contributing Reporter

The theme of feminine philosophy in culture expressed through avenues of various artistic media will hit Sam Houston State University Thursday.

Houston’s Elaine Bradford and Los Angeles-based artist Bari Ziperstein will exhibit “Doppelgäng-er” at the Gaddis Geeslin Gallery through March 17.

The two artists met while attending the California Institute of the Arts, and mutual interests fueled their friendship.

Despite not having lived in the same city for 10 years, the two artists pull ideas from different places to create similar work with similar messages and will showcase their work in their first two-person exhibition together.

Although their bodies of work

come from different inspirations, the two will both touch on similar ideas.

After being taught how to crochet by her grandmother, Bradford found comfort in the slow and repetitive action. This passion for craft transferred to her artwork and is visible in the objects she creates.

Bradford said she channels the spirit of her ancestors by using items that once belonged to family members such as blankets from her grandmother and suitcases owned by her great aunt.

“I think of myself as both the shaman and the anthropologist revealing the narrative of my own mythical culture,” Bradford said.

Ziperstein similarly uses crafting and sculpture in her pieces and channels feminine themes through her work.

Using simple structures including fences and iron bar windows, Ziperstein creates

photographs and sculptures to express the perception of the female form in today’s society.

Blending the fem-inine figure with decoration, furniture, and other sculptures, she creates connections between urban environments and decoration.

Ziperstein’s more surreal pieces come from her use of totem poles and collapsed female figures to combine both past and present ideas and modern day female pop icons with Roman warriors and Greek Goddesses.

Elaine Bradford will give a guest lecture on Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. with a reception following.

Ziperstein will also give a lecture on March 6 from 5 to 6 p.m.

Lectures will take place in Art Building E, room 108.

All events are free and open to the public, and the gallery will be open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Saturdays open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Courtesy of Annie Strader| Art Department

MODERN VINTAGE. Elaine Bradford and Bari Ziperstein use craft, scultue and photography to create piecesj dealing with feminine philosophies. The two artists’ work only differe slightly. Extravagant masks paired with modern as well as vintage clothing and accesories.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Hero (Amanda Parker) a soft-spoken, lady-like, young girl, gets from her bolder,older, cousin, Beatrice (Ashten Lane) about the nature of men while waiting for the evening’s masquerade to begin. Talks of loyalty and contentment of never marrying are discussed

by Beatrice. Hero’s father Antonio (Brett Mourglia) and her uncle Leonato (Tanner Stogsdill) stand by and listen in on the girls’ conversation.

The two men inform Hero that a man she does not necessarily love will propose to her at the ball.

Set in the Romantic Period of Messina, Italy, ‘Much Ado About Nothing” is a classic, comedic tale of deception, revenge, misplaced loyalty.

Kizzie Frank | The Houstonian

RANDY ROGERS BAND • JOSH ABBOTT BAND TURNPIKE TROUBADOURS • WILLIAM CLARK GREEN KEVIN FOWLER • JOHN D. HALE • AMERICAN AQUARIUM ZANE WILLIAMS • CROOKS • SHINYRIBS SPAZMATICS • AND PEOPLE'S CHOICE

Page 5

Sports

Thursday, February 20, 2014 houstonianonline.com/sports

RUGBY

Rugby fends past, moves forward

JEREMY VILLANUEVA Sports Editor

The game of rugby has a bad reputation.

According to Sam Houston State University rugby treasurer Zack Meyers the reputation comes from the idea it’s “a bunch of drunkards crashing skulls together.”

And SHSU’s club rugby squad hasn’t been exempt from the bad rap.

Until now.

After returning to campus, SHSU rugby is putting the past behind them and only looking forward, Director of Rugby Johnny Smith said. With the addition of Smith and five new coaches, SHSU is looking to take the program off crutches and rebuild.

According to Smith, an offcampus incident involving a former rugby player led the team to being removed as a club sport, SHSU is hoping to rid the checkered past and move forward, he said.

“We want the campus to know to take us seriously,” Smith said.

“The rugby team has had a certain reputation in the past and we want to overcome that and let people know we’re a true blue endeavor.”

The team plans to overcome

Alex Broussard | The Houstonian

MOVING ON. Sam Houston State University club rugby officers Marcos Garcia and Zach Meyers are leading the team in focusing on the future and becoming a better representation of Sam Houston State.

previous struggles by focusing on the future. Since the rebuilding of the program, the squad has developed a better structure in being student athletes while serving the community, according to Smith.

“We want to be something the university can be proud of,” Smith said. “We want to them think of

rugby and think, ‘Oh yeah. Those guys represent us.’”

Smith added the best way to be better on the field is to be better people off the field.

SHSU has set up a regulated guideline for the rugby squad academically by setting a 2.5 GPA standard for each member of the team, a rule the team previously

didn’t abide by.

SHSU rugby president Marcos Garcia said he plans on hosting a high school rugby tournament in May and hold a camp for high school students interested in rugby.

Garcia said the success off the field will come success on the field.

The team is playing at the

highest level of collegiate rugby through USA Rugby Division I-A. Although the competition is stiff with powerhouse Oklahoma in the same division, SHSU is taking small steps working their way to victories.

“We have less people, but we have better athletes,” Garcia said.

“I would like to win at least two conference matches.”

The team has put in the work on all sides of the ball every Monday and Wednesday night, but is only missing the numbers.

SHSU needs 15 on the field at all times and sometimes it’s hard making those numbers due to injuries, sickness or leave even with a 20-man roster. Meyers stressed his desire to bring more people into the sport to experience what he’s been a part of since he was in junior high.

“My goal is to have more people be on the club,” Meyers said. “I want more people to experience the game of rugby. I want it to grow on the field and be a better team together.”

With two months left in the season, SHSU is hoping to finish strong with matches against Baylor, University of Oklahoma and Texas-A&M before matches in the Texas Cup in April.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Bearkats on outskirts of SLC tourney MARISSA HILL Sports Reporter

The race for the women’s Southland Conference tournament is reaching a fevered pitch as the end of the regular season approaches for the women’s basketball team.

With only three weekends remaining in

the regular season, every game is important as the outcomes will decide the Bearkats’ fate.

The top eight teams earn berths to the conference tournament, and SHSU holds a 6-7 record in league play, currently seeding them in 10th place.

The Bearkats would place at 7-7, if they snag a victory Saturday against Lamar,

allowing them to jump from 10th place into a three-way tie for seventh with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Houston Baptist.

If they climb up to 7-7, the Bearkats will go ahead of Abilene Christian, a conference newcomer, who is ineligible for postseason play.

With the conference coming down to the wire, head coach Brenda Nichols is using the tension as a motivational tool.

“We drew it up today,” she said. “We showed the girls who fell where and what teams would bounce around.”

The berth battle begins Saturday for SHSU as they face the Lamar Cardinals for their second tangle of the season. These two ball clubs matched up a few weeks ago where the Cardinals overwhelmed the Bearkats, 70-45.

The first half was competitive, both teams going into the locker room tied at 25-25.

However, momentum fell in favor of Lamar during the second half. The Cardinals pulled together a 15-0 run towards the middle of the half with no answer from the Bearkats.

Despite the previous loss, Nichols knows her team is prepared.

“We’re comfortable playing on their floor,” she said. “We know we can beat them.”

Southeastern Louisiana also sits in front of SHSU in conference standings, clinging on to a narrow one-game lead at 6-6. The

Lions and the Bearkats last faced each other in a mid-January contest where SHSU barely escaped Hammond, La., with an 8685 overtime victory.

Senior guard Jasmine Johnson propelled the Bearkats to the victory with a 26-point performance.

Even though claiming a berth in the conference tournament is time-sensitive, Nicholls isn’t looking too far down the road.

“We’ve just got to take it one game at a time,” she said. “We’re working hard every day, and we know it’s going to come down to the wire, but it’s a matter of believing.”

SHSU and Lamar will tip-off Saturday at 6 p.m. in Beaumont.

Lillie Muyskens | The Houstonian

FOOTBALL

Flanders has NFL in sight KYLE KELLY Staff Reporter Timothy Flanders garnered fame at Sam Houston State University as the star running back for the Bearkats from 2010 to 2013.

Flanders completed his final snap in the Bearkat uniform against Southeastern Louisiana during the FCS Playoffs in December.

Now Flanders is looking to reel in fame on the national level.

The All-American running back will highlight his skillset in Indianapolis during the NFL Scouting Combine this weekend.

Flanders is one of the Southland Conference’s most decorated players. He is the all-time rushing leader in the league’s history, breaking the school’s records in rushing touchdowns and rushing yards in the process. Flanders took the all-time Southland conference record this past season with a career total of 5,664 rushing yards, passing Southwest Texas’ Claude Mathis.

Flanders totaled 1,430 yards in 2013.

Flanders fueled the 2011-12 and 201213 national championship finalists as a sophomore and junior respectively, but he takes no credit for his unrivaled success at SHSU. Flanders said he gives credit to his teammates getting him to this point.

“It feels good, it’s an honor, and I feel like it’s one of, if not the biggest, interviews of my life,” Flanders said. “I owe credit to all my teammates and coaches from last season.”

During his time at SHSU, Flanders was a two-time Walter Payton finalist, two-time Southland Conference Player of the Year, four-time Southland Conference Player of the Week, and a handful of All American honors.

Flanders is a projected fifth-round draft pick by most scouts, which considering the size of SHSU and the competition level versus other major prospects from bigger schools, is a fair assessment. Although that’s not the case for the soon-to-be former Bearkat, who seems to be going into the combine with somewhat of a chip on his shoulder.

“I was told no matter where you played at, just play like you’re the best player on the field,” Flanders said. “It also helped that I had a good week at the East-West Shrine game, but I want to show up and run good times, run clean drills and give good interviews.”

He will travel to the combine this weekend hoping to impress any of the 32 teams that will be present at Lucas Oil Stadium.

“If they draft me, they’re going to get a player that has great vision that can also play multiple positions on offense and special teams,” Flanders said. “I also want to be known as a great team player and a student in the meeting room trying to get better and help win games.”

He won’t be alone as he will also be trying to gain advantage over 300 top prospects hailing from the nation’s NCAA football powerhouses.

Page 6 Thursday, February 20, 2014 houstonianonline.com/

Bearkats stay perfect with big rally BASEBALL

KYLE KELLY Staff Reporter

Alex Broussard | The Houstonian

IN STRIDE. Infielder Carter Burgess heads to home plate against Northern Colorado. The Bearkats took their highpowered offense to McNeese State Tuesday night, defeating the Cowboys 18-6.

we would respond with legs and bodies, and I thought we

responded great,” Pierce said.

The Bearkats would take an

early lead in the first inning off a walk from Luke Plucheck, who was

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The sixth inning has been generous to the Bearkats lineup this season.

Sam Houston State baseball continued upon their winning streak with an 18-6 win over Southland Conference opponent McNeese State in Lake Charles, La., Tuesday, scoring eight in the sixth inning.

This was the third game in a row SHSU has uncorked their bats for big rallies in the sixth, eventually sealing a win.

McNeese State and SHSU brought high octane offensive displays into this game, with the Bearkats surging in the final innings of the game. Head Coach David Pierce said he was concerned about how his team would stay up to the physical drag of playing five in a row.

“I was worried about how

then batted in by Ryan O’Hearn.

McNeese State took the lead in the top of the second inning, closing the second inning up 2-1.

Down by two, SHSU shortstop Corey Toups initiated the sixthinning rally with a double to left center. He was then was drove in by catcher Shea Pierce.

Left fielder Plucheck delivered a scorching go-ahead double down the left field chalk after a Cowboy pitching change. The Bearkats would go on to add two more hits in the inning, with eight additional runs throughout the game including six points in the ninth.

“It might be coincidental right now, but we are making some adjustments and fortunately we’re scoring some runs and it happens to be in the sixth inning,” Pierce said.

The Bearkats return to Don Sanders Stadium Friday at 6:30 p.m. to kick off a three-game series against Dallas Baptist University.

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