February 22, 2007 by UTRGV Student Media

THE

PAN AMERICAN

T h e S t u d e n t N e w s p a p e r o f T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Te x a s - P a n A m e r i c a n

February 22, 2007

Graduation venue discussions near resolution By BRENDA RODRIGUEZ The Pan American The Commencement Committee took the floor at Tuesday’s Student Government Association meeting to propose the new McAllen Convention Center as the new venue for May 2007 graduation. Ana Maria Rodriguez, senior vice provost for undergraduate studies, aca-

demic assessment and retention; Linda Lopez, public affairs specialist; and Cindy Blanco, assistant registrar, represented the Commencement Committee. They discussed the pros and cons of having the convention center host the event instead of The University of Texas-Pan American’s Field House, where it’s usually held. If the event is moved, there would be improvements to the quality of the cere-

mony, according to Rodriguez. One of the most notable benefits includes the prospect of more tickets allotted per student. The seats will be flat on the floor but risers will be at the very back of the venue, which at the length of a football field has a 5,500-seat capacity. According to Rodriguez, the first two rows will be for the graduates with the audience seated behind them. However, while the

Commencement Committee hopes May 2007 graduates will be the first to celebrate at the new building, they wanted students to voice their opinion before changes are permanently made. LAYOUT DIFFICULTIES Denys Rodriguez, a senior education major from Rio Grande City, said despite the possibility of being allowed 12 tickets per student, she was against

Governor’s mandate on vaccine questioned By SARAH JESKE The Pan American On Feb. 6, Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed an executive order requiring all girls entering the sixth grade to receive a vaccine, Gardasil, to help protect them from the human papillomavirus, or HPV. HPV is a common, usually sexually transmitted virus found in both men and women. Most types of it are harmless; however, there are about 30 strains that affect the genital area; in some cases, cervical cancer can result

from infection. Of the many known strains of HPV, Gardasil protects against the four that are known to cause most cases of cervical cancer, abnormal cervical cells and genital warts, among other genital diseases. On Wednesday, Merck and Co., creators of Gardasil, announced they were no longer lobbying for the mandatory inoculation of young girls, saying the movement is hindering their ability to provide the vaccine to as many women as possible. In studies done by the company prior to the announcement, it was found

See VACCINE page 11

the commencement venue move because of the seating arrangement. “I was planning to invite my close family and if they’re going to be at the convention center they won’t be able to see me, because it’s flat seating,” said Rodriguez, who will be part of the May 2007 ceremony. “So what’s the point in going to graduation if they can’t see me on the screen (monitors)?”

See VENUE page 11

Film shown in spite of controversy By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American A documentary addressing sexual abuse within the Catholic Church was screened for Valley residents Sunday, after the Valley’s public television station failed to air it during prime time several weeks ago. “Hand of God,” a film by Joe Cultrera that tells the story of his brother’s experiences after allegedly being sexually abused by a Catholic priest, was scheduled to be shown Jan. 16 on the local PBS station, which is controlled by Diocese of Brownsville. However, it was removed from the programming shortly before its scheduled showing, and broadcast at 1 a.m. the next morning. Nationally, it was shown as planned on more than 340 stations, with only two outlets failing to air it, in the Valley and a station in Utah. Controversy reigned after the botched airing, with critics of the local church and its station claiming that the Diocese made the programming decision to avoid negative publicity about the molestation scandals that have plagued it for the past five years. The film hit home for Barbara

See FILM page 11

Tabitha Arce/The Pan American

News

A&E

Sports

Update on Wellness Center’s progress

The ultimate garage sale comes to McAllen

New intramural sport to grace UTPA

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R EADER FORUM

Februar y 22, 2007 THE

PAN AMERICAN 1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 (956) 381-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122 http://www.panam.edu/dept/panamerican 56th Year – No. 20

A&E Editor

Sports Editor

Frank Calvillo

Luke Koong

sandra_ panamerican@ yahoo.com

hennero@ msn.com

lkoong2004 @yahoo.com

Web site Review y:

News Editor Sandra Gonzalez

Editor Claudette Gonzalez ThePanAmerican@gmail.com

n dra G o nza

Design Editor

Photo Editor Sidney Meadows

Roy Bazan

outintherain@ aol.com

crazy_restless@ yahoo.com

Designers Gregorio Garza

Rick Gamez

the_nataku@ yahoo.com

rikgamez@ gmail.com

Reporters and Photographers Leslie Estrada Jeanette Perez Onydia Garza

Rafael Roux

Patrick Kennedy

Angela Salazar

I’ve been told more than once that I think like a man. And in this Web site review, I’m going to find out exactly how true that is. While a handful of men I’ve met admitted to thinking “I love those shoes” or “Good God, he has a fabulous rump,” those men (ahem) don’t really count. Nevertheless, as I explore this week’s site, I believe all concerned parties will learn a great deal about what the Internet is feeding the minds of men and if it’s what they should be reading

Kristyna Mancias Erick Quintero Savannah Martinez

Up for review: www.askmen.com

Adviser Dr. Greg Selber Secretary Anita Casares Ad Manager Lillian Villarreal

Asst. Ad Manager Samantha Quintana

Advertising information spubs@panam.edu Delivery Thursday at Noon

The Pan American gladly accepts letters from students, staff and faculty regarding newspaper content or current issues. The Pan American reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and length. Please limit submission length to 300 words. The Pan American cannot publish anonymous letters, or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Letters are printed at the discretion of the editor and must include the writer’s name, classification/title and phone number.

The Pan American is the official student newspaper of The University of Texas-Pan American. Views presented are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the university.

Upon pulling up the site in the newsroom on my handy laptop, a girl with jealousy-inducing cleavage took up half of my screen, much to the pleasure of the newspaper’s (male) photography editor who was reading over my shoulder. After insisting I click on the headline accompanying the apparently very cold female, the corners of his mouth began to glisten with drool as the top 99 girls of 2007 popped up one by one on my screen. This would be a perfect place for a “strike one” in my book, but then I figured: what would a men’s Web site be without one of those girl countdowns anyway? Strike overruled. Beyonce was number one, in case you were wondering. After shooing the editor away so I could explore, I came across the “Dating and Love” section where Doc Love offers advice to the clueless men with very common problems - and not the “it happens to everybody” kind of stuff. I was surprised to find that Doc Love’s recommendations weren’t of free downtown clinic proportions. In fact, his guidance on how to deal with a cheating girlfriend could actually be used by women on men and still make good advice. Now, I’ve never been cheated on because (frankly) I’m a tasty dish. But I imagine if it ever happened, asking myself questions like “can I forgive?” and “is the spark still there?” would help me figure out what to do next. Now, much of his advice may seem eye-rollingly obvious, but in a time of turmoil things aren’t always working up to par in the ol’ noggin. Wonderfully paradoxical is that fact that his wise words are the most obvious solutions you never thought of. Even the female contributors on the site make sense. Yes, there is a section made to explain the irrationality that is the female to the irritability that is the male (wait, maybe that’s vice versa. *shrug*). One of the very best parts of this section was a feature called “Why women lie.” A few of the reasons given for the above inquiry include: she’s sparing your feelings, she wants to make herself look good, and she doesn’t want you to worry. Take this from someone with a dating truth record about as long as my list of recent sexual partners (that means it’s short, smartass) the reasons speak nothing but the truth. If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, then AskMen.com is the rickety old spaceship that people should ride every now and then to take a glance at the other side. Although, I do hope that upon return from the trip no mace fights erupt because I don’t think there are enough diapers for everyone.

Content:

AskMen.com is a free online magazine for men, updated daily. Everything from advice about how to approach girls to (come on, you knew it was coming) sex advice. Should a woman get a sex change and immediately need as much information about being a guy a possible, this is where they would go. The site was recently bought by IGN Entertainment, a leading online gaming and entertainment network. For this growing site, size does matter (I’m talking Web site visitors here people. Pervert.) because it is what is setting it apart. With over 5 million readers and 65 million hits a month, it is obvious guys and curious women (or newly sex-changed ones) are reading this and coming back for seconds more often than a happily hairless, pleasantly portly Britney Spears at Mr. Gatti’s. Contributors like John Gray, author of “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus;” Robert Knafo, a writer from GQ, and Pete Sisco, a renowned fitness expert, keep the site a credible place to visit. This assures visitors that a butt-scratching, Keystone-drinking man named Earl isn’t dishing out advice to clueless men everywhere.

Web site overview:

Hours of entertainment: Gentleman can expect at least a half hour a day. Women can explore for about an hour, but probably won’t check back religiously.

There are a lot of girls with bigger boobs than me. And hell yes, I’m irascible with envy. But there is also a section of the Top 49 men, which I enjoyed. Topping that list was George Clooney [insert inappropriate come-hither gesture here]. And while at 45 he would be old enough to be my grandpa in the ghetto, I have never been able to stop being attracted to him. However, except for their No. 1, AskMen.com’s taste in men is repulsive. Just to name a few, wildly unattractive Jay-Z came in at No. 2 and bored rich guy Richard Branson came in at No. 3. Shame on you Askmen.com. However, strike overruled because I am to assume a group of guys did have to make this list.

Graphics/Photos:

Send a letter, a link, a witty joke, or a nude photograph of Wentworth Miller to Sandra_panamerican@yahoo.com. Geez, I’ll even settle for a photo of Wentworth in an erotic pose that I can print to life-size. Have a day. Not a good one. Not a bad one. Just have one.

Sidenote:

IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF

THE PAN AMERICAN

Available March 1

Trip to remember

Festival of Books, Arts

- Learn about two students’ journey to India

-Find out what the Communication Department is all about at FESTIBA

N EWS

News in brief: The Office of Student Development will be holding a seminar titled “Is Racism Still Alive?” Feb. 27 at noon in the UTPA Ballroom.

Student named one of ‘most promising’ in nation By KRISTEN VILLEGAS The Pan American Brenda Hernandez had just given her friend the big news: she was headed to New York City. However, it would be no vacation. In fact, it was a very big deal, indeed. The American Advertising Federation had named the senior advertising major one of 50 “Most Promising

Minority Students.” Hundreds of students across the country in the fields of advertising, media, marketing and communication applied for this award. To receive the award, was HERNANDEZ Hernandez

flown to New York City Feb. 6-8 all expenses paid along with Kimberly Selber, Ad Club advisor and assistant professor of communication. Selber saw Hernandez’ dedication and the potential in her work and nominated her for the award. “The students who were nominated for this award are not just minority students but are the academic cream of the

crop,” Selber said. “These are outstanding students who are passionate about advertising, who are rising stars.” The AAF judges the candidates on a range of criteria like academic standing, a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 and the desire to work in the advertising industry. “To be 1 of 50 in the whole country, to be nominated is such an honor,” said Hernandez, who works as a writer

for the Panorama student magazine. The program began in 1997 and recruits “outstanding” minority college graduates who are black, Asian, Hispanic, Native American and Pacific Islander. The award is given annually at the New York Athletic Club. “This program brings top minority students to the center of the universe

See STUDENT page 12

Wellness Center making progress on schedule State Farm By LUKE KOONG The Pan American The University of Texas-Pan American was offered a preview and update of the Wellness and Recreational Sports Complex and Student Health Center Friday. The project, slated to be completed by August ‘07, is halfway complete. “The future is almost here. We’re very excited it’s about to become a reality,” Jerry Price, dean of students, said. In fall 2003, the process toward construction of both facilities began, and has since come a long way. From a road trip to study other sports complexes in February 2004 to a referendum passed by students a month later, the facilities have evolved to match the needs of the students. “We’re all here because of the students. Without the students, we wouldn’t have this job,” said Jack Solka, an architect from SolkaNavaTorno, the firm in charge of the Student Health Center. “It’s certainly a leap forward and a reflection of how the administration feels about their students.” Blandina Cardenas, president of UTPA, said the Wellness and Recreational Sports Complex will have an influence on and off campus.

“When you take this mass of people and you can get them thinking and acting and living wellness, when you do that year after year, you can then transform how the whole state of Texas thinks about it,” Cardenas said. “We could transform the health and well-being of the Valley.” The centerpiece of the new Wellness Complex is the cardio/weight training area. Jim Watson, director of wellness and recreation sports, said the current university weight room has a capacity of 40 students. The new one will be able to accommodate many more, with the equipment to be housed in the 60,000square-foot first floor. Other notable features include a lazy river located outside, a running track on the second floor, a 35-foot climbing wall, and courts for basketball, volleyball, badminton and racquetball. David Mills, an architect from F&S Partners, helped design the new Wellness Complex. He said the new building could also help attract more students. “These types of buildings are a magnet for students on the campus and play a large part in recruitment and retention of students,” said Mills, who has helped design similar facilities at

See WELLNESS page 12

gives funds for HESTEC By VERONICA GONZALEZ The Pan American

Sidney Meadows/The Pan American UNDERWAY - David Mills (left), an architect from F&S Partners, looks at the interior of the Wellness Center with Jerry Price, dean of students.

For the past several years, The University of Texas-Pan American has been recognized for its academic performance and community outreach to more than 45,000 people during the Hispanic, Engineering, Science and Technology Week (HESTEC). As a consequence, UTPA is one of two universities to receive $50,000 after being named a “State Farm Priority School.” This donation is part of a five-year partnership between State Farm Companies Foundation and UTPA, according to Julian Garza, a State Farm agent. “We live up to our motto (Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there), because we have been there to support HESTEC since it was first founded,” Garza said. The contributions made to UTPA over the past five years bring the company’s support to over $230,000, which has been used to create scholarships and develop programs in association with science, engineering and technology.

See FUNDS page 12

Concerns compound following meeting on environmental status By MANUEL TISCARENO The Pan American Global environmental concerns were compounded last week upon a group of scientists’ announcement that global warming is indeed a reality, and that humans were likely partially responsible. The group, which met in Paris, France Feb. 7, prepared a 21-page report

for policymakers and attributed the steady increase of average global temperatures to manmade greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. While the global effects of pollution are also being felt worldwide, Hudson De Yoe, an associate professor in the biology department, says environmental issues are very relevant to the Rio Grande Valley. He has been conducting environmental projects in the

RGV area for the past eight years. “The subtropical environment of the Valley is a biologically interesting and diverse area; it would be a shame to eliminate it,” DeYoe said. DeYoe’s on-going projects include examining the effects of sewage treatments, restoration of the Bahia Grande and ecology and conservation of sea grasses in the Laguna Madre. His work is aimed at stabilizing the

health of the sea grass; consequentially the fish population will be maintained at normal levels. DeYoe suggested that changes need to take place on an individual and governmental level. “Individuals, as well as governments need to be willing to make significant changes in their behaviors in order to avoid catastrophic environmental events,” DeYoe said.

Many organizations are doing what they can to help. National projects like Sell a Book Build a Forest, in association with South Texas Book and Supply in Edinburg, are some of the initiatives employed by businesses and organizations to promote environmental awareness as well as conservation. By the purchase of used books, the thousands of trees required to meet a

See ENVIRONMENT page 12

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NEWS

February 22, 2007

NEWS

Page 5

EN ESPAÑOL

Noticias en breve: La officina de desarrollo estudiantil llevara a cabo un seminario titulado “Sigue vivo el racismo?” dia 27 de Febrero a las 12 p.m. en el UTPA Ballroom.

Perry ordena vacunar a niñas de sexto grado contra HPV Por SARAH JESKE Traducido Por JAIME NAVARRO The Pan American El 6 de febrero Gobernador Rick Perry uso su poder ejecutivo para firmar un mandato que hace obligatorio vacunar a todas las niñas que entren al sexto grado contra el papilomavirus o HPV. Gardasil es el nombre de esta vacuna y ayudará a proteger a las niñas contra ciertos cánceres causados por el virus. EL HPV es un virus común que por lo general se transmite sexualmente y se encuentra tanto en hombres como en mujeres. Aunque la mayoría de estos virus no son dañinos, existen cerca de 30 especies que afectan el área genital y en algunos casos pueden resultar en cánceres. De las muchas variaciones de HPV, Gardasil puede proteger las cuatro que más casos de cánceres, anormalidad en células y verrugas provocan. En un estudio patrocinado por Merck and Co., la

compañía creadora de Gardasil, de 20,541 mujeres en edades de 16 a 26 años a las que se les inyectó la vacuna en el plazo de un año y que fueron durante cuatro años demostraron que la vacuna respondía con un 98 porciento de efectividad. Desde que el estudio fue dado a conocer, muchas clínicas y hospitales han empezado a ofrecer Gardasil a sus pacientes, incluyendo el centro de servicios de salud en la Universidad de Texas Pan American. El centro ha tenido Gardasil disponible por tres meses, reporta Crystal Stewart, enfermera y parte del equipo de salud. Sin embargo, antes de que se empezaran a administrar, el equipo de salud de la universidad hizo un estudio del producto y encontraron que los efectos secundarios solo eran mínimos. “La mayoría de los efectos se reducen a un hinchazón o enrojecimiento en el lugar donde se aplico la inyección”, explica Stewart.

Algunos criticos alegan que al evitar pasar por la legislatura del estado y hacer esta vacuna forzosa, el gobernandor ha sobrepasado sus poderes. Sin embargo, muchos de los oponentes de este mandato no están preocupados en los efectos secundarios o políticos tanto como en los problemas sociales que rodean a la vacuna. Ellos insisten que al poner la vacuna a tan temprana edad mandara un mensaje que puede invitar a la actividad sexual. Amy Weimer, una profesora de psicología en UTPA, dice que aquellos que creen que vacunando a niñas en contra del HPV promoverá la actividad sexual, deben echar un vistazo en estudios relacionados a este tema. “Los estudios muestran que enseñar acerca de condones no incrementa la actividad sexual”, dice Weimer. Stewart cree que todos deberían enfocarse en los beneficios del medicamento. “Entiendo la preocupación de los

padres, pero no creo que las niñas asocien la vacuna con el sexo. En tanto nos enfoquemos en como prevenir el cáncer y no en un el comportamiento social esto resultará mejor”. Otra preocupación es que la droga tenga efectos secundarios a largo plazo, pues solo se han estudiado por un máximo de 4 años, dice Stewart. Claudia Wilson, una estudiante de consejería en UTPA dice que ella apoya la medicina preventiva así como la educación, sin embargo no quiere probar hasta que conozca todos los detalles de esta. “No debe existir ninguna duda con respecto a su efectividad, incluso si esto nos cuesta que la medicina sea retirada del mercado y más pruebas se le realicen”, comenta Wilson, quien también es madre. Como es sabido, los miembros de la legislatura Tejana están molestos por haber sido sobrepasados por esta orden del ejecutivo y los padres preocupados

por el costo de la vacuna. El costo del medicamento por las tres dosis necesarias costará cerca de $360 por niña. Sin embargo, los padres que tienen seguro médico solo pagaran entre $5 y $10. Para Garza, proteger a sus niños de posibles virus es lo más importante. “Entiendo a la gente que esta preocupada por el costo, pero los niños lo valen”, dice Garza. Weimer agrego que existe una opción para los padres que no quieren vacunar a sus niñas. “Ellos pueden elegir no aplicar las vacunas si no se sienten seguros de la vacuna, esto es completando una aplicación para exentar esta vacuna”, dice Weimer Aun con algunas dudas, muchos padres se encuentran entusiasmados sobre el reciente descubrimiento. “Yo creo que es una gran idea vacunar a nuestras hijas”, dice Linda Garza, estudiante de trabajo social. “Los beneficios de la vacuna superan a sus riesgos”.

RTS A EN T& E RTA I N M E N T

Editor’s Pick: Must-See Movie “Breach,” the new thriller from Universal Pictures, tells the story of the greatest governmental security breach in U.S. history.

Annual city event features unique vendors, goods By JEANETTE PEREZ The Pan American Downtown McAllen was quite a sight on Sunday afternoon. Over 30 stands and tables lined the streets from Austin to Dallas Avenue. There was a plethora of beads, hardware, weapons, home furnishings, toys and food stands. The McAllen Chamber of Commerce hosted the second week of its its eighth annual McAllen Street Market Days. According to MCC member and cultural arts coordinator Rita Perera this event occurs every second Sunday of the first three months of every year. “This is an opportunity to showcase downtown McAllen, the local artists and businesses within the Rio Grande Valley,” Perera said. “It’s also an opportunity for people to get together. It improves the special history of the area.” The community has a lot to do with it as well. “It’s a way of improving relations within the community,” said Perera, in her second year with the chamber. “It’s a good place and fun-filled event.” The market featured vendors selling jewelry: silver, crystal, and gold; vendors specializing in daggers, swords, homemade wood crafts including cat-

Rita Perera ODDS AND ENDS - The eighth annual McAllen Street Market Days featured an assortment of items from classic toys to hardware tools. The next street market will take place on March 11 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

shaped doorstops, birdhouses and even a very amusing Tabasco stand, interestingly enough called the “Tabasco Hombre,” selling at $3. Another vendor had his seven tables packed up with Mexican and Valley historical photographs. Pancho Villa, General Zapata and images of old downtown McAllen preserved the significance of this day’s event. A street market would not be complete without Tony Roma’s ribs and sausage, the award-winning Longhorn cooking team, and market favorites like

hot dogs, funnel cakes, fajitas, BBQ baked potatoes, smoked turkey legs and raspas. The City of McAllen Parks and Recreation Department even had a presentation of belly dancers. PEOPLE AND THEIR THINGS More interesting than the items being sold were the vendors themselves. Peter and Cheryl Blennert of St. Charles, Ill., were among those with a story to tell. Being vendors is not something they’d call a ‘hobby.’ In fact, the two

have been in the business for more than five years now. It’s their lifestyle, a fulltime job, but it wasn’t always that way. “Actually I started this about six months after 9/11. We were laid off like quite a lot of people were,” Peter Blennert said. “Cheryl and I were in the computer industry and after that, it just quit. I was let go immediately. She was in it for another six months.” In the face of hardship, the Blennerts looked for another way to make a living. “There weren’t any jobs so I start-

ed making beef jerky and selling it in the spring of 2002,” Peter Blennert said. “After a while she said she needed something to do so she started selling knives and swords. And that’s how we got started.” Right across from their tables of swords, dragons and beef jerky was “Hat Lady” Mary Lou Fisk of Michigan, with her crazy flip-flop hats. Although this was her first year participating in this street market, she is no stranger to the world of fairs. “My sons think I’m nuts but I like traveling. This gives me something to do, a reason to wake up in the morning. I did this even when my husband was around. I lost him five years ago,” said the Winter Texan who admits spending $600 on gas per month. “It keeps me busy and it supports my habits which are buying more hats and putting gas in my motor home.” Although all three vendors admitted the pay isn’t always great, they say experience is well worth it. “I love it. I’ve never worked so hard in my life and believe me, we used to work pretty constant 14-hour days,” said Peter Blennert. “We’re having so much fun and that’s what’s nice about it.”

Local groups perform at free community concert By LESLIE ESTRADA The Pan American As part of the exclusive Mi Circulo, Mi Musica (My Circle, My Music) concert, Alltel featured special performances by Siggno and Los Horoscopos de Durango at the Tejano Saloon Feb. 14. The concert, which was free of charge, was packed. It started roughly at 8 p.m., and by 10 p.m. there was still a huge line of people waiting to enter. An all-girl mariachi group opened the show, followed by Siggno. The band, composed of six Rio Grande Valley residents, performed songs like “Mejor Dimelo” (Tell Me), “En Donde Quiera Que Estes” (Wherever You Are) and “Sin Tu Amor” (Without Your Love). “I think Siggno is a great band, I really like all of their songs,” Valley resident Jennifer Cavazos said. “They are local talents, and we should be proud of them as residents of this area.”

The last group to perform was Los Horoscopos de Durango, who in their first visit to the Valley promoted their latest album “Desatados” (Unleashed). This seven-person ensemble, which started 30 years ago, is one of the most beloved groups in the Regional Mexican genre and is considered one of the icons of the Duranguense wave, mainly bands from the Mexican state of Durango. “We are very excited to be here. We still don’t know how the public will react since our genre of music is not very much heard around here,” said Vicky Terrazas, vocalist of the ensemble. “Although we are a little nervous about our performance, we’ll do everything we can to make the public have fun.” Despite the Horoscopos de Durango’s pre-concert jitters, the audience reacted enthusiastically to their music and the dance floor began to fill up quickly. Audience members were

anxious to dance to the sticky beat of the “Pasito Duranguense,” and hits like “Dos Locos” (Two Fools), “Antes Muerta que Sencilla” and “Como Te Va Mi Amor” (How do you do my love). Valley resident Jesse Munoz, who attended the concert with his wife, said he enjoyed the show and appreciated those who made it happen. “I think that what Alltel is doing for us is great,” said Munoz. “Bringing groups like these ones and presenting them for free is a very nice thing that we get to enjoy.” According to Terrazas, that’s just what Alltell had in mind. “We are very honored to take part in a thing like this which lets us be more in touch with our public, and what better way of doing so than by what we love the most, music,” she said. Munoz stated that he really liked the way he got to spend his Valentine’s evening with his wife listening to the music they like.

Alan Taylor Communications MUSIC OF THE NIGHT - Local artists Siggno and Los Horoscopos de Durango brought a mixture of Latin music to Valley residents on Valentine’s Day.

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t’s 8:30 on a Saturday night at the Carmike theater. The lobby is filled with teenagers and young adults sitting at tables talking with their friends. Couples on dates hold hands as they sit on a bench and families fight over popcorn and pickles at the concession stand. There is hardly a place to sit in the crowded building and over by the usher’s stand a line has formed that appears to be growing by the second. At the box office, theater employees write the words “Sold Out” on a sign and place it on the window. No, these people aren’t here to see the newest romantic comedy. They’re here to see “Ghost Rider,” the latest movie adaptation of a comic book. Starring Nicolas Cage, “Ghost Rider” tells the story of a motorcycle stuntman who makes a lifelong pact with the devil, offering his soul in exchange for his father’s health. With this choice that forces him to abandon any hopes for a normal life, the now-immortal rider must find a way to reclaim his soul. “I’ve been waiting for this for two years now,” said Joshua Townsend, Valley resident and long-time comic book fan. “The ghost rider was always one of my favorites and for a while there I didn’t think they were ever going to give him his own movie.” As the sign on the lobby for the 9:30 showing of “Ghost Rider” changes from “remain in lobby” to “now seating,” a small smatter of applause can be heard from a group of teenage boys. With heavy anticipation, the diverse group of patrons joins the line as the whole army moves forward with their tickets. “Ghost Rider” is the first in a series of comic book movies scheduled to be released this year. And it became the top grossing movie of the weekend. The film is yet another installment in an ongoing trend of comic book movies, a trend that has been going on since the ‘60s. The plots of these movies are simple. A hero with an extraordinary super power has to come to grips with being different from everybody else while at the same time fighting off those who are hell-bent on destroying the world (or at least the city the hero lives in). After doing so, the hero makes it his or her life’s work to protect their beloved city from further harm. Movies such as these hold few surprises in their plots, yet the majority of them prove to be box-office gold, raking in mega-figures and recouping the multimillions it cost to make them. It is still unclear however as to what the main appeal of these movies is. WHY THEY COME For fan Lucy Gonzalez, a senior at The University of Texas-Pan American, it is the struggle faced by the central character that draws her in each time.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

February 22, 2007

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

“I enjoy the conflicts between complex characters, and I don’t imagine there is a more complex character than a superhero trying to come to terms with his duality,” she said. Gonzalez, a psychology major, went on to say that wellrounded characters make a comic book movie successful. “Character development is definitely key when creating a quali-

be strong and it was refreshing to see a superhero that was genuinely vulnerable without looking weak,” Gonzalez said. “In addition, Penguin was a very sympathetic character, having been abandoned by his parents. It provided a connection between the villains and the superhero because Batman himself was a product of unfortunate childhood Because of the shared tragedy, all the characters were linked and the audience felt sympathy

ty comic book movie. Even villains have to be multidimensional. They must evolve with the story,” Gonzalez said. “If villains fail to evolve with the story they become stagnant characters resulting in a story held in stagnation.” According to Gonzalez, a good example of this can be found in the 1992 box-office smash “Batman Returns.” “I liked ‘Batman Returns’ because Catwoman epitomized a weak woman trying to

for all the characters.” Aside from being interesting pieces of character studies, comic book movies provide fans with big-budget special effects, elaborate costumes and makeup, plus heart-stopping special effects, each of which plays a part in comprising the formula for a successful comic book movie. With franchises such as “Batman,” “Superman,” “X-Men” and “Spiderman,” among others, becoming some of the highestgrossing moneymakers of the past 30-plus years, comic books have definitely found a niche

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for themselves in Hollywood. Just before the release of the first “X-Men” movie in 2000, creator Stan Lee (the comic book world’s answer to Donald Trump) described the medium’s longevity and far-reaching success. “We hear from Spain, from Brazil, from Japan. People say, we’ve been reading your books for years, and now we love what you’re doing,” Lee said. Though there have been more hits than misses in comic book movie world, the ones that failed have been hard to ignore. The first major comic book movie flop occurred with 1990’s “Captain America,” which after a series of major re-shoots, was literally laughed off the screen in European cinemas, thus halting a North American theatrical release. Equally sad are the cases of the third and fourth “Batman” installments (1995’s “Batman Forever,” and 1997’s “Batman and Robin”) which took great liberties with the much-beloved series, resulting in noticeable alienation in long-time fans. Other major disasters have included the visually appealing, yet dull-scripted film version of “Hulk” in 2003, as well as the campy version of “Catwoman,” in 2004. Furthermore, much-touted releases such as “The Punisher,” “Daredevil,” “Elektra” and “Blade: Trinity” all failed to deliver. Despite these errors in judgments, comic book movies have proved more successful and popular than ever. 2005 saw the release of “Batman Begins,” which traces the dark knight’s origins. The film was a blockbuster hit and scored with moviegoers. But some, such as Gonzalez, seemed to find flaws with the prequel. “’Batman Begins’ was comparable to watching a Bruce Wayne biography on A&E,” Gonzalez said. “Don’t get me wrong, the film had potential, but I feel the addition of superfluous, one-dimensional characters took away from some of the better qualities of the movie.” Other recent hit releases have included “The Fantastic Four,” “X3: X-Men United” and last year’s much-anticipated “Superman Returns.” When asked about what makes a movie based on a comic book such a success, Lee insists the answer lies in the widespread appeal the movies possess. “It’s incredible, from young kids to people 50 and 60, people who say, ‘my children love what you’re doing, and they’ve got me watching now,’” Lee said. Aside from “Ghost Rider,” other titles scheduled for release this year include “Spiderman 3” and “The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.” And with sequels planned for “Batman” and “Hulk,” among others, the comic book movie franchise will continue to soar.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

February 22, 2007

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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A&E

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February 22, 2007

Bloc Party album gifted, but flawed By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American

Moses Garcia/The Pan American A TASTY MAKEOVER - Family-run Mexican restaurant Don Pepe’s recently greeted loyal customers at a new location, which features family-size booths as well as decorative balconies in an hacienda-styled building.

Don Pepe’s new look sure to hit the spot

By CLAUDETTE GONZALEZ

The Pan American Eight years ago, a friend of the family introduced me to Don Pepe’s, a tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant on Business 83. The food was great but the cramped dining room just below street level left me gasping for fresh air. Recently, however, Don Pepe’s opened at a new location. Located at 306 N. McColl Road, just north of Business 83, the imposing Spanish-style stucco building is a far cry from the humble original storefront. The food is sumptuous. Platters of sizzling fajitas, carne asada, chicken, rice, beans and tortillas make up the bulk of the menu. And, even those who generally aren’t crazy about seafood will love their camarones al molcajete. Served in an old-fashioned mortar, as in mortar and pestle, the shrimp comes piled high, garnished with avocado and slices of white cheese. The décor adds to the dining experience. Exposed brick walls, although very obviously a faux treatment, and the warm earthy tones such as golden yellow, russet orange and yellow ochre used on the wall contribute to the cozy feel, despite the large size of the dining room. Small balconies complete with potted plants and lacy white curtains overlook

the dining room, taking patrons back to a time of romance and serenatas. A slightly older crowd, one that knows all the words to the classic Latin songs being played by Efrain Soto on the keyboard, might better appreciate the music emanating from one corner of the dining room. At some tables, including my own, parents enjoy singing along, much to the amusement and/or embarrassment of their children. But, that’s the idea. This is a family restaurant, owned and operated by the Jasso family of Pharr. Homer and Rebecca Jasso, along with their children Jessica and Robbie, opened the new location in December 2006, but this is the product of almost 20 years of working their way up. The Jassos first tried their hand at the bakery business in 1989. While Homer Jasso’s family already owned a bakery, Jasso’s Tortillas, this was the young married couple’s first step on their own. The couple chose to name their new business Don Pepe’s, after Homer’s father, Jose “Pepe” Jasso. “We wanted to open a bakery. We started selling pan dulce and barbacoa and we started getting a lot of business right away,” Rebecca Jasso said. “Then we started making menudo. They started asking for tacos and we started making tacos.”

After moving twice when the buildings they were renting were sold, the Jasso’s moved into 1103 W. Hwy. 83. There, customers started asking for more. “People started asking, wanting to sit down. We didn’t have any tables, it was just to-go, really,” Rebecca Jasso said. “My aunt gave us a table and we started putting chairs and more tables. We started making caldo and guisado de puerco and stuff like that and finally we turned into a restaurant rather than a bakery.” With a little prodding from their banker, who told them they had “a little gold mine” in their restaurant, the Jassos broke ground on the new location in March 2006. Although they opened for business on Dec. 16, 2006, the Jassos are holding off on hosting an official grand opening until their liquor license comes in within the next few weeks. Over the years, the Jassos have learned hands-on what it takes to run a successful restaurant. “We went through some hard times because we didn’t know a lot of things about restaurants,” Rebecca Jasso said with a laugh. “We’re still learning.” One thing they learned was not to mess with a good thing. The new location features the same cook whose food was so popular at the old one. In addition, they insist on using quality ingredients and old family recipes.

Take two parts The Killers, minus oddly sexy British guy with eyeliner, and add a couple of talented gentlemen on the instruments and you’ve got yourself “A Weekend in the City,” the newest effort from UK indie rockers Bloc Party. After the band’s first LP “Silent Alarm” was released in 2005, the band experienced mild success on the charts overseas but failed to tickle any pickles stateside. However, this new record has made a promising dent on the U.S. Billboard top 200 after its Feb. 6 release, reaching No. 12. Unlike the inaudible blabber that so many in their genre call lyrics, Bloc Party is understandable and (dare I say) catchy. Songs like “Waiting for the 7:18” and “I Still Remember” stand out, containing some profound lyrics that don’t try too hard to be clever or overly metaphorical. In addition, the musical riffs and composition are as a whole innovative and well thought out. Even when the song wasn’t all that great, a talented guitarist or drummer often served as the listener CPR needed to make it through to the end. This praise doesn’t even come as a result of my admitted nature for being partial to British rockers. In fact, Bloc Party as a whole are relatively ugly, in case you were wondering. Looks aside, there were some

other distasteful parts to the new album. One of them was called “Hunting for Witches.” Upon first listen I knew it was a metaphor for something. Once I listened again, I scorned it as I realized it was in fact a politically charged track. As relatively new artists, Bloc Party should beware of being too vocal about issues such as war. They should really stick to what they have experienced and leave the political talk to professionals with big mouths and receding hairlines. A guitar and microphone are not a Pass Go to take a political soap box. And if an artist is going to write political music, at least write it well like Green Day. Moreover, lead singer Kele Okereke needs to be replaced. Simple as that. Throughout the album, his voice is often covered with synthesizers, a staple of non-musicians out there. This, however, resulted in some songs sounding more like trance and techno than insightful rock. Such vocal theatrics are better suited for the club, not for a band seeking any kind of musical longevity. Track number eight, “Kreuzberg” could be “With or without Your Best Friend’s Baby’s Daddy.” My humble suggestion for forthcoming albums is to take this track, place it in a test tube and clone it. My mind can’t even begin to fathom the number of piercings the British teen listening to this would have in their face. However, should an American be considering buying the new album, my best advice is to preview it and cut them a little slack. I’ve heard worse.

Vice Records ROCK WITH AN OPINION - The latest effort from the British band Bloc Party focuses more on the political rather than the personal.

NEWS

February 22, 2007

FILM continued from page 1

VENUE continued from page 1 The flat seating arrangement isn’t the only concern the committee is facing. Due to the convention center’s floor plan, restrooms are located behind the stage area and a pathway will have to be created for the crowd. In addition, the set-up crew would not have access to the building early to set up for three separate ceremonies. The College of Education, which anticipates 353 graduates, would celebrate at 9 a.m. The colleges of Health Sciences and Business, which have 375 anticipated graduates, is at 1:30 p.m. and the colleges of Arts & Humanities, Science and Engineering, and Social Behavioral Sciences, with a total of 432 students anticipated, will be held at 5:30 p.m. HOME, SWEET HOME Structural issues aside, Denys Rodriguez says that graduating on UTPA’s campus holds significance to her. “For me it would be more sentimental if it was held at school because we went to school here every day,” she said. The committee recognizes this as another concern. Having a different venue doesn’t allow visitors to see what

UTPA has to offer. While Denys Rodriguez doesn’t agree with the venue change due to the uncertainty of the Commencement Committee’s plans, she does acknowledge that the university is growing and will need a new place at some point. However she hopes that the committee can come up with a way so everyone in the audience can see the graduates from their seats. Ana Maria Rodriguez pointed out that other cons the committee is facing include the fact that a video production will not be made; more staffing will be necessary; there will be more costs in rental of projectors and screens; and increased total cost for the ceremonies. She said that right now fees will be able to cover the venue change, but admits that fees will go up for students as the university grows. BOOKED While the committee is looking into the option of the convention center for May graduation, booking the venue for August 2007 graduation is out of the question, as it is already set to host another event.

A similar situation occurred when talks of moving the ceremony to the Dodge Arena were halted by the news that South Texas College booked its ceremonies there. That created conflict as STC and UTPA share the same calendar. In addition, Dodge Arena books events years in advance and UTPA’s academic calendar is approved for the next couple of years. Changes in it will have a domino effect, according to Ana Maria Rodriguez. Despite concerns, Cruz Rios, a senior public relations major, welcomes the venue change. “I plan to graduate next May and I personally don’t really care, but if it means having more of my family there, I’m in favor of the convention center,” said Rios, an SGA senator at large and Palmview native. Members of SGA are scheduled to visit the Convention Center Friday. Students can contact Blinda Torres, provost for academic affairs, at bvtorres@panam.edu to add input on the matter, according to Rios. A final decision regarding the venue will be made on Monday or Tuesday.

VACCINE continued from page 1 that 20,541 women ages 16 to 26 were given three doses of the injection, over one year, and evaluated over the next four years. The results showed the vaccine to be, on average, 98 percent effective. Since this study’s release, many clinics and hospitals have begun offering Gardasil to their female patients, including Student Health Services at The University of Texas-Pan American. SHS has had Gardasil available for three month, according to Crystal Stewart, a registered nurse on staff. However, before they started administering the vaccine, the staff at SHS did their research on the product. What they found was that the adverse effects were minimal and included minor swelling or redness at the injection site. However, many of the opponents of the governor’s order are not worried about

the side effects or the politics, as much as social issues surrounding the vaccine. Some critics have complained that by circumventing the Legislature and acting by fiat to make the vaccine mandatory, the governor overstepped his political powers. They insist that offering a vaccine at such a young age will send a message to youths that encourages sexual activity. Amy Weimer, a psychology professor at UTPA, said those who believe immunizing girls against HPV, a sexually transmitted virus, will promote sexual activity among adolescents should look to studies regarding the subject. “Research shows that teaching about condoms does not increase sexual activity,” she said. Stewart believes everyone should focus on the benefits of the drug.

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“As long as we focus on how it is preventing cancer and not an STD, we will all be better off,” she said. While members of the Texas Legislature are upset at being bypassed by this executive order, parents are concerned about how much this new vaccine will cost. The three-dose regimen will cost about $360 per child. However, parents who have insurance that covers their children’s immunizations will only have to pay $5 to $10 per shot. For Garza, protecting her children from possible viruses comes first. “I understand people are concerned about the cost, but our children are worth it,” she said. Weimer also added that parents who do not want their daughters to be vaccinated can sign exemption forms.

Garcia Boehland, founder of the San Antonio chapter of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, whose 20-year-old son committed suicide in 1999, four years after he was molested by a priest while a student at St. Anthony’s High School Seminary in San Antonio. “I believe that showing this film here will really help people come forward and talk about their abuse, because you can’t live with this,” she said. “You can keep it in your mind and try and control it, but even then you sometimes can’t.” Boehland, who was one of about 300 people who attended the free screening of the film at McAllen’s Cine El Rey, praised the theater for showing the film despite the possibility of backlash from certain religious groups. Luis Munoz, owner of the theater, said while he knew of the debate surrounding “Hand of God,” he said it didn’t influence their decision to screen it. “Controversy aside, it was critically acclaimed and a good piece of film work,” he said. “I think it’s important that voices be heard. Cine El Rey has always been there for the voices of independent film.” Munoz added that every documentary has some level of dispute. “Any film documentary is going to have at least two voices involved: who made it and who it’s about,” he said. “As I’ve said, it’s not an indictment of religion or of Catholicism, but it’s an indictment of human weakness and what human beings and bureaucracy can do.” Mark Pena, a member of the local chapter of the Catholic activist group Call to Action, said that bureaucracy often tries to shield the public from getting all the facts. He mentioned ongoing allegations that the church is not telling people about area priests who are known sex offenders. “My wife and I love the Catholic Church. And the sexual abuse scandal is like a cancer that is eating away at the Catholic Church,” Pena said. “Unfortunately there are many people in our society who believe the way to cure this cancer is to ignore it.”

Pena, of Edinburg, added that ignoring the problem does not get rid of it. “We believe that the community needs to be aware of what is going on so the problem can be fixed and the cancer can be removed,” he said. However, Pena said that when taking an activist role, you subject yourself to certain criticisms. “There are actually people, both in our church (Holy Spirit in McAllen) and throughout the country, who would like to see people who support this effort excommunicated from the Church,” he said. “It’s very unfortunate that there are people who want this kind of stuff put away in the closet and hidden away.” Moises Lopez, a sophomore English major at The University of Texas-Pan American, says he believes the Catholic Church has always been attacked, so to protect themselves from further criticism, they have to shield certain things from the public. “I disagree in the form that they are doing it because I believe it should be an open forum,” he said. “They should just be open about it, but not release the names [of the priests]. If you release the names they are going to be publicly attacked and I believe that is what the Catholic Church doesn’t want.” Lopez, who is a youth coordinator at San Martin in Weslaco, said they should let the public know that measures are being taken to protect children. He added that when training for his position, he went through several workshops, one of which was titled “Protecting God’s Children,” that aimed at looking out for youth in the church. “[Not talking about it] makes us look like the bad guys, like we have something to hide and I see that as wrong,” he said. While there are no plans to screen the film again, Munoz said he would consider doing it. Moreover, Boehland said she is trying to get a chapter of SNAP established in the Rio Grande Valley. For more information on her organization, contact Boehland at (210) 621-2177 or e-mail her at bhealinghands@aol.com.

NEWS

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February 22, 2007

WELLNESS continued from page 3

Sidney Meadows/The Pan American PREVIEW - Jim Watson, director of the wellness and recreation sports, speaks about the upcoming Wellness Center at a press conference Feb. 16.

other Texas universities. University administrators also hope the new facility can serve as a social gathering point. There are plans to include wireless access points and social areas in the final design. However, Price stressed that the building’s primary goal will be for the improvement of student wellness. “While it is a fun place, we always want to have a reminder that the concept of wellness and creating a healthy lifestyle for life was the primary purpose and driving force behind the project,” he said. When the Complex opens, students will be able to utilize the facility from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. at a price yet to be determined. of $75 a semester ($35 during summer sessions). The fee for alumni and employees

has not been determined yet and will be announced in May after an April 17 board meeting. The Student Health Center, which is being constructed adjacent to the Wellness Complex, will also be an upgrade from the university’s current facilities. Glenn Gray, director of student health services, said they are planning on adding a Class A retail pharmacy and improving current services. UTPA’s health center is currently accredited by the Accreditation Association of Ambulatory Health Care Centers, one of five health centers in-state with that honor. Watson said university’s future facility will be everything UTPA needs. “Commercial venues focus on other things. Ours will be a total wellness concept,” he said.

On the national scale, Al Gore’s popular documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth,” gives 10 tips which surprisingly enough require very little effort. According to the film, changing one regular light to a fluorescents bulb will save 150 pounds of carbon dioxide in a year. However, despite the widespread

concerns, Laurie Amciaux, a freshman public relations major, said that she does not recycle because she believes that is not where the real problem lies. “I don’t recycle; I mean yeah, I would if it were the solution,” Amciaux said. “But the problem really lies on the factories which need to really reduce their output.”

the level of achievement for students at all levels of education. He believes that the more young students are exposed to college, the greater the chance of them wanting to be involved in it. As an alumnus of UTPA, Garza is proud to be involved in supporting his old school. In the long run, State Farm and other supporters of higher education hope to see not only safer, more educated communities, but also the development of job opportunities that will impact the economy. “We support education, period,” he

said. “We need to educate consumers in order to create a stronger community. If they do well, in the long term we do well.” Both Garza and Arriola believe strongly in the impact HESTEC has had on the community, and note that the success of the weeklong yearly event continues to increase. This year, HESTEC has been set for the week of Sept. 24-29. According to Arriola, no speakers have been officially announced, but they do expect several CEOs of major corporations, a Nobel Laureate and well-known movie star to attend.

ENVIRONMENT continued from page 3 massive demand of textbooks will be reduced significantly. Moreover, Sell a Book Build a Forest aims to donate a percentage of the proceeds to the National Arbor Day Foundation. NADF will in turn use the donated capital to plant more trees. Last year alone, the project managed to raise $100,000. Thanks to customer feedback,

the project is now at a 90 percent progress marker, according to Ana Vasquez, assistant manager for the STBS. “I didn’t think it was going to work at first but we had a great outcome with the Buy a Book Build a Forest project,” said Vasquez. “I guess people really do care about the environment.”

FUNDS continued from page 3 Since its founding in 2002 by former UTPA President Miguel Nevarez, Congressman Ruben Hinojosa and the Region One Educational Service Center, HESTEC has helped more than 25,000 elementary, middle school and high school students participate in various conferences and workshops held throughout the community. Programs like GEAR UP have attracted thousands of students to the university, allowing them to experience higher education and prepare for the future. A total of $1.55 million has been

raised in the past five years by various organizations. By becoming proactive in the community, UTPA has done well in becoming noticed by such programs like the State Farm Foundation, according to Roland Arriola, vice president for external affairs. “We need the support of companies like State Farm to help us cover the costs of the event and to generate scholarships for students,” Arriola said, referring to HESTEC. Garza said the State Farm Companies Foundation is committed to supporting programs that will raise

STUDENT continued from page 3 where advertising is concerned Madison Ave.,” Selber said. In New York, Hernandez got a chance to meet with top agency recruiters from General Mills, Verizon Communications, MTV and the New York Times along with many others. She says she received information from several recruiters on how to go about applying for jobs if she was interested. “It was super fun. Hopefully someone else will apply [for the award] next year and get to experience it also,” Hernandez said. Selber says this amazing opportunity helps students connect with major agencies and helps form relationships they might not otherwise have had. “The advertising industry is being very proactive in diversity and this is part of their mosaic program to promote diversity in an industry that is predominantly white males,” Selber said. Denise Gonzalez, a junior communication disorder major and close friend of Hernandez’, said she has seen her juggle a lot of things at once. “She keeps her school separate from her work but she dedicates herself to school first,” Gonzalez said. Hernandez is the second student from UTPA to receive this prestigious award. Lynda Laurin, now attending graduate school at The University of Texas-Austin, won it in 2006. According to Selber, having two students nominated for this award back to back speaks volumes about the quality of the university’s programs and is helping get the university’s name out into the advertising industry. Top agencies will now be encouraged to look at UTPA advertising students as serious contenders. Hernandez will graduate in December and is hoping to do an internship in the summer. She is most interested in getting an internship with Broadway Communications, a top advertising agency located in San Antonio that targets the Hispanic market, and hopes to have a career with them when she graduates.

SPORTS

February 22, 2007

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ENLIGHTENED BY LUCAS

The death of “The O.C.” Tonight at 8 p.m., FOX will air “The O.C.” s e a s o n finale. The drama set in O r a n g e County, Calif., feaBy LUKE KOONG tured Rachel The Pan American B i l s o n , Adam Brody, Mischa Barton and most recently, Kevin Sorbo. The show never garnered much of an audience, but the following it did create remained religiously devoted even after hearing the announcement “The O.C.” was getting canned. While not a zealous viewer, I did watch the show as often as possible. Of course, it wasn’t for the great acting or the compelling storylines, but for the ladies (Bilson’s a hottie). Now, you might be asking what “The O.C.” has to do with sports. Let me begin by saying it was never about the drama. Unbeknownst to most people, the show was about water sports. The sport that made the most appearances on the show was water polo. Reading up on it has revealed to me that this is quite a difficult sport to participate

in. For one thing, you swim back and forth, which requires lots of endurance. Then you have to be able to throw the ball with one hand only while swimming or treading water at the same time. On top of that, you need to be able to outmuscle your opponent to the ball and have the speed and reflexes to react to what is taking place in the field of play. I personally would not be caught participating, though. For one thing, I cannot swim. Most importantly, I wouldn’t want to be wearing a Speedo in a pool with other men. Not to be forgotten is surfing. It’s hard not to think about the sport without getting images of the West Coast. Surfing is quite simple. All you do is ride the wave on a board. Apparently, the support for this sport is so strong that million dollar sponsorships and competitions abound. The Association of Surfing Professionals, which was created in 1976, hosts the best known competition, the ASP World Championship Tour, annually. But as stated earlier, I wouldn’t participate because I lack aquatic skill. I salute the FOX drama for supporting water sports and am sad to see it (and my weekly dates with Rachel) go. Please send all questions, comments and suggestions for new ladies to watch to lkoong2004@yahoo.com.

Baseball Feb. 20 Texas A&M – Corpus at Texas-Pan American (Edinburg) Texas-Pan American 5, Texas A&M 3 R H E Texas-Pan American 111 002 00X 5 8 2 Texas A&M – Corpus 030 000 000 3 10 2 Wilson, Thompson (7) and Plumaj. S- Silva (2); Smolen, Davila (7), Silva (9) and Flores. 2B: Texas A&M – Corpus- Gerondale, Williams; Texas-Pan American- Guzman. HR: Texas A&M – Corpus- Kourie.

Feb. 18 Texas-Pan American at Texas A&M (College Station) Texas A&M 6, Texas-Pan American 3 R H E Texas A&M 010 005 00X 6 12 1 Texas-Pan American 002 010 000 3 6 0 Guajardo, Silva (6), Davila (6), Mancini (7), Hutcherson (7) and Flores; Newmann, Migl (5), Campfield (9) and Stinton. S- Campfield (2). 2B: Texas-Pan American- Flores, Brooks; Texas A&M- Feltner, Stouffer, Colligan, Stinson.

Feb. 17 Texas-Pan American at Texas A&M (College Station) Texas A&M 5, Texas -Pan American 2 R Texas A&M 200 000 30X 5 Texas-Pan American 000 002 000 2 Wymer, Davila (8) and Flores; Thebeau, Renfro (7), Rivers (8) and Stinson. S- Rivers

Feb. 16 Texas-Pan American at Texas A&M (College Station) Texas A&M 7, Texas-Pan American 4 R H Texas A&M 000 213 10X 7 14 Texas-Pan American 001 010 002 4 11 Cisper, Smolen (6), Guajardo (6) and Flores; Meyer, Nicholson (7), Minks (9), Campfield (9) and Texas-Pan American-Autrey; Texas A&M- Hicks, Ruggiano, Dalton.

E 3 0 Stinson. S- Campfield (1). 2B:

Men’s Tennis

Women’s Tennis

Feb. 17

Texas A&M-C.C. 4 Texas-Pan American 1

Texas-Pan American 4 Texas A&M-C.C. 3

Singles Andrey Kumantsov,A&M-C.C., def. Ivan Avila, UTPA, 6-1,6-3 Rual Morant-Rivas, A&M-C.C., def. Gary Bianco, UTPA, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 Dimitri Novikov, A&M-C.C., def. David Lopez-Heredia, UTPA, 75, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3) Jose Zunio, A&M-C.C., def. Nirvick Mohinta, UTPA, 6-1, 6-4

Singles Giana Oliveira, UTPA, def. Carmen Abeaboeru, A&M-C.C., 7-6, 6-2 Erika Iriarte, A&M-C.C., def. Julia Cirne-Lima, UTPA, 6-4, 6-2 Stephanie Willerding, UTPA, def. Alexandra Dyckman, A&M-C.C., 6-4, 6-4 Amanda Brahim, A&M-C.C., def. Nicole Garcia, UTPA, 6-3, 6-3 Silke Buksik, UTPA, def. Alexandra Valarezo, A&M-C.C., 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) Megan Bedeau, UTPA, def. Erika Iriate, A&M-C.C., 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-5)

Doubles Brett Bernstein and David Lopez-Heredia, UTPA, def. Raul Morant-Rivas and Jose Ycaza, A&M-C.C., 8-5 Gary Bianco and Shashank Vij, UTPA, def. Jose Zunino and Joey Farias, A&M-C.C., 8-6

Tennis teams experience mixed results Men lose, women win, 4-3

H E 6 2 3 0 (1). 2B: Texas A&M- Brown, Aaron, Carter.

Doubles Stephanie Willerding and Nicole Garcia, UTPA, def. Nina Ciric amd Alexandra Dyckman, A&M-C.C., 9-7

Men’s Basketball Feb. 21 The University of Texas-Pan American tennis teams both went up against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in net action Friday and Saturday. The men were up against an Islander squad ranked 53rd in the nation and fell 4-1. The lone point came from two doubles victories for the Broncs. David Lopez-Heredia and freshman Brett Bernstein defeated Raul Morant-Rivas and Jose Ycaza (8-5) while junior Gary Bianco and freshman Shashank Vij beat Jose Zunino and Joey Farias (8-6). The loss dropped the Broncs to 2-5 on the season. They return to the court tomorrow at 2 p.m. when they play host to Nicholls State. The women won 4-3 over their counterparts. Winners for the Lady Broncs included junior Giana Oliveira, who defeated Carmen Abeaboeru (7-6, 6-2), Stephanie Willerding, who won her match 6-4, 6-4 over Alexandra Dyckman, and Silke Buksik, won 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) against Alexandra Valarezo. Lady Bronc freshman Megan Bedeau sealed the victory for the lady netters when she came back for a 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-5) win against Erika Iriarte. The women improved to 3-7 and will also host Nicholls State Saturday at 10 a.m. In other sports, the men’s golf team finished seventh out of 13 teams in the Rice Intercollegiate Sunday. The team finished with a tally of 307310-306-923. Senior Colin Norris was the top golfer, finishing 22nd and notching a three-round total of 230. The Pan American

Texas-Pan American at Northwestern (Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill.) Northwestern 67, Texas-Pan American 56 Texas-Pan American (13-13) Lien 3-7 3-4 9, Tradder 2-6 2-2 6, Shankle 1-4 0-0 3, Burrell 9-15 0-0 24, Stoll 2-8 0-0 6, Puente 1-2 0-0 3, Sheppard 0-4 0-0 0, Chatman 0-1 0-0 0, Edwards 2-3 1-2 5, Allgood 0-1 0-0 0. 20-48 6-8 56. Northwestern (13-14) Tolic 3-3 0-0 6, Doyle 6-7 4-6 17, Coble 6-10 2-2 18, Williams 0-3 0-0 0, Moore 2-5 0-0 5, Ryan 2-3 6-7 10, Okrzesik 1-4 9-9 11, Nash 0-0 0-0 0, Scott 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 20-37 21-24 67. Halftime- NU 37-26. 3-Point Goals- UTPA 10-23 (Shankle 1-4, Burrel 6-9, Stoll 2-7, Puente 1-2, Chatman 0-1) NU 6-16 (Doyle 1-1, Coble 4-6, Williams 0-1, Moore 1-4, Okrzesik 0-2, Scott 0-2). Rebounds- UTPA 24 (Burrell 6) NU 24 (Coble 8). Assists- UTPA 18 (Stoll 10) NU 16 (Scott 7). Total Fouls- UTPA 21, NU 13. A-unavailable

Women’s Basketball Feb. 17 Texas-Pan American at North Dakota State (Bison Sports Arena in Fargo, ND) NDSU 69, Texas-Pan American 57 Texas-Pan American (10-17) Daniel 6-9 1-2 13, Grigsby 1-3 2-2 4, Gray 2-8 2-2 7, Vaughn 6-14 0-0 16, Ramirez 1-1 0-0 2, Wilson 1-2 0-0 2, Jones 1-4 0-0 2, Kostacky 0-0 0-0 0, Winfrey 3-10 2-2 9, Garret 0-0 0-0 0, Jean 1-2 0-0 2, Chneider 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-53 7-8 57. NDSU (12-10) Bue 5-14 4-6 15, Slyt 5-13 2-2 14, Lemnus 1-1 1-2 3, Girodat 1-2 0-0 2, Moran 8-19 5-6 27, Kayla Dahlen 1-2 0-0 2, Katie Dahlen 00 0-0 0, Penley 1-2 0-1 2, Heintzelman 1-1 2-3 4. Totals 23-54 14-20 69. Halftime-Texas-Pan American 31-29. 3-Point Goals-Texas-Pan American 6-17 (Gray 1-3, Vaughn 4-9, Wilson 0-1, Winfrey 1-4) NDSU 9-24 (Bue 1-3, Slyt 2-7, Moran 6-14). Fouled Out-Lemnus. Rebounds-Texas-Pan American 32 (Gray 7) NDSU 35 (Bue, Heintzelman 7). Assists-Texas-Pan American 11 (Gray 5) NDSU 18 (Girodat 11). Total Fouls-Texas-Pan American 16, NDSU 12. A-1,233.

SPORTS

Page 14

March Madness begins early By PATRICK KENNEDY The Pan American Walking around campus, one might have noticed the great number of people coughing and sputtering. It’s not because of the flu; it’s because they’ve caught the fever - basketball fever that is. The fever has spread from the Field House to the offices of the Intramural Rec Sports Department, which has seen a flood of young men sign up to play in this semester’s basketball league. “Our numbers are up from last year,” confirmed Intramural Assistant Arturo Cabrera. Although full league play officially ended Monday, fans showed up to watch the playoffs that began Wednesday night. Four basketball teams went into the playoffs with dreams of emerging the university champion. The matchups: Novacane versus the Rounders, and Make It Rain versus Team Flight. Although the games finished after The Pan American deadline, it is known that the last two teams left in the playoffs will represent the university in the Second Annual Intramural South Texas Shootout, March 3. The tournament will feature two basketball teams each from UTPA, South Texas College, Texas State

Technical College-Harlingen, and University of Texas-Brownsville. Efrain Ochoa, a junior kinesiology major from Roma, and captain of the Rounders, believed that, heading into the playoffs, his team “has a good chance, and has a good chance at winning the playoffs.” The Make It Rain/Team Flight bracket brought a dramatic atmosphere with it because it pitted former teammates against each other. A basketball team known as The Blazers took second place in last semester’s intramural tournament. The team was known for its very productive offense and its domineering defense. Between last semester and the current one, the team fell apart and the teammates split, forming two different teams, Make It Rain and Team Flight. On Wednesday night, old teammates and current rivals squared off against each other for the chance to be the champion. Chris Morales, a sophomore business major from Edinburg and captain of Make It Rain, said that his team had been practicing every day for the playoffs and that his team was, “very confident.” Opposing captain - and former teammate - Alex Sotelo, a sophomore psychology major from Pharr, believed

that his unit, Team Flight, was, “feeling pretty good.” “We’ve got a very good defense, so I think that we’ll do good,” he said. Of course, basketball is just one of the many activities that Intramural and Rec Sports offers students. The office has seen a dramatic growth in its current soccer, volleyball and tennis programs. Currently, there are 13 soccer teams vying to be the spring champion, seven 4-on-4 volleyball teams, and in tennis, there are nine men and eight women enrolled in singles play, as well as four co-ed doubles teams, and three women’s doubles teams. Rec Sports’ Cabrera noted that this is the first time in years that the university has had doubles teams in intramural tennis. Many more sports will be offered throughout this semester, including an unusual new one, Wiffle ball, baseball with plastic equipment. It starts April 16. “Wiffle ball is a game I used to play back in Chicago, and I thought that it would be fun to bring it down here to the campus,” said Cabrera. Students can also look forward to the beginning of the spring flag football season on March 19, 3-on-3 basketball March 26, and dodgeball April 9.

Upcoming Office of Intramural and Rec Sports Events Second Annual Intramural South Texas Shootout: March 3 at 8 a.m. Flag Football – Deadline to sign up: March 9, Games start on: March 19 Dodgeball – Deadline to sign up: April 6, Games start on : April 9 3 on 3 Basketball – Deadline to sign up: March 23, Games start on: March 26 Wiffle Ball – Deadline to sign up: April 13, Games start on: April 16

February 22, 2007

Wiffle ball takes stage as newest intramural sport By PATRICK KENNEDY The Pan American The Office of Intramural and Rec Sports will be bringing a brand new sport to campus known as Wiffle ball. The new sport is being welcomed with enthusiasm, but has many students scratching their head and wondering just what exactly it is.

games. Wiffle ball is played in a triangular field, with four scoring zones instead of bases. The four scoring zones are the single area, double area, triple area and home run area. If the batter hits the ball, outfielders in each of the specific zones try to catch the ball in order to get the player out. The outfielders cannot leave their specified zone. For example, out-

fielders Wi f f l e in the douball, invented bles area canin 1954, is a sport not enter the modeled after other areas. America’s favorite If the outfielders pastime, baseball, but catch the ball, the batter with a few differences. is out, but if they fail, then The most notable are the it is counted as an imagiitems used to play Wiffle nary runner to a base. Balls ball. Instead of a traditional landing in the single area count heavy bat, Wiffle ball players as gaining one base, balls in the will use a “Wiffle WIFFLE BALL FIELD double area count as bat,” which is a gaining two bases, much lighter bat made of plastic. This balls in the triple area counts as gaining bat will be used to hit a “Wiffle ball,” three bases and balls in the home run which is a perforated plastic ball that area count as an automatic score. The cannot be hit or thrown great distances. baseball rules of scoring are still applied The minimum number of players to this sport. needed for a Wiffle ball game is two. For more information about the The Office of Intramural and Rec Sports rules of the sport, as well as the equiphas yet to determine the minimum ment, check out the official Wiffle ball required players for the upcoming website at www.wiffle.com.

Baseball squad rebounds against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi By JESSICA BALDERAS The Pan American

Baseball Schedule through March Date

Opponent

Location

02/23/07 02/24/07 02/25/07 03/03/07

at Sam Houston State at Sam Houston State at Sam Houston State vs. Stephen F. Austin vs. Illinois vs. Sam Houston State vs. Texas at San Antonio at Prairie View A&M at Prairie View A&M at Stephen F. Austin at Stephen F. Austin at Stephen F. Austin at Oklahoma at Oklahoma vs. Northern Colorado vs. Northern Colorado vs. Northern Colorado at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi vs. Texas at San Antonio vs. North Dakota State vs. North Dakota State

Huntsville Huntsville Huntsville Edinburg Baseball Stadium Edinburg Baseball Stadium Edinburg Baseball Stadium Edinburg Baseball Stadium Prairie View Prairie View Nacogdoches Nacogdoches Nacogdoches Norman, Okla. Norman, Okla Edinburg Baseball Stadium Edinburg Baseball Stadium Edinburg Baseball Stadium Corpus Christi Edinburg Baseball Stadium Edinburg Baseball Stadium Edinburg Baseball Stadium

03/04/07 03/06/07 03/07/07 03/09/07 03/10/07 03/11/07 03/13/07 03/14/07 03/16/07 03/17/07 03/18/07 03/20/07 03/27/07 03/30/07 03/31/07

Time 6:30p.m. 2:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. TBA TBA 6:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m.

The University of Texas PanAmerican Broncs improved their record to 5-7 with a victory against the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Islanders on Tuesday with a score of 5-3. The Broncs opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first inning on an error by the Islanders, which allowed senior catcher Osiel Flores from Mission, to score the first of five points for the Broncs. With the game tied at 3-3, senior centerfielder Leighton Autrey from Stephenville scored the second single of the night, which brought in senior catcher Blake Whittlesey of Marble Falls and sophomore second baseman Abraham

Garcia of McAllen. Freshman pitcher Bryce Smolen from Houston went six innings on the mound, allowing seven hits and three runs while striking out four of the 27 batters faced. The victory against the Islanders was a big boost for the team after losses against both the University of Texas Longhorns and Texas A&MCollege Station. The Broncs faced off against the Longhorns on Feb. 12 and came out scoreless against the Longhorns with a score of 19-0. Coming off of the loss, the Broncs headed to College Station to face the Aggies in a three-day battle. The Big XII conference-opponent Texas A&M swept the series leaving the Broncs with a record of 4-7. The Broncs took the lead in the

first game against the Aggies with a score by sophomore shortstop Matt Guzman from Corpus Christi. After an RBI-single by Flores, the Broncs lost by a score of 7-4. On the second day of the three-game series, the Broncs suffered a heartbreaking loss after the Aggies scored three runs to break a 22 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning. The last of the three-game series was much less dramatic with the Broncs losing 6-3. Although they lost, the Bronc performance saw two hits apiece by players Flores, Autrey, and senior third baseman Patrick Brooks from Vallejo, Calif. With the losses and the win against the Islanders under their belts, the Broncs are looking ahead to the match-up against Sam Houston State Feb. 23-25.

SPORTS

February 22, 2007

Page 15

UTPA aims for wins away from Field House By ERICK QUINTERO The Pan American Bucky the Bronc won’t be dancing once March rolls up, and any talk of madness among The University of Texas-Pan American men’s basketball squad is just that, madness. UTPA hasn’t been to any post-season play since a visit to the National Invitational Tournament in 1981, and as an independent with a middle-of-theroad record the squad will likely miss out again this year. Still, the Broncs keep on doing their thing. Junior shooting guard Dexter Shankle is running back to the hoop on defense to sacrifice his body on yet another charge though. “I just like sacrificing my body for the betterment of the team. I know my body will heal and winning is what matters right now, and whatever I have to do to help us win I’m going to do it,” said the southpaw from Katy. In fact it’s been a rollercoaster type of season for UTPA, who fell to 13-12 after their home season finale loss to North Dakota State, 74-63, last weekend. As the season draws to a conclusion on a four game road-trip, the squad

remains focused on one thing: finishing with a winning record. Senior center Kato Edwards knows about finishing strong. “I wanted to leave on a good note, with people remembering me as going out with a nice bang, with a nice victory. But it didn’t go the way I planned it,” said Edwards of a Senior Day that saw him post a 24-point, seven-rebound effort in the loss against NDSU. The Bridgeport, Conn., native said personal accolades don’t matter as much as winning. “Right now I’m just focusing on the next four games,” he said. Whereas playing on their home turf has yielded an impressive 11-2 record, the road has been less than friendly. Including neutral games, the Green and Orange have compiled a dismal 2-10 record. Ultimately, many of the entries into the loss column have been due to a subpar physical or mental effort and not a lack of talent, as was evident against NDSU. Head Coach Tom Schuberth did not get much energy from his usual starters in the loss against ND State. The toughness factor on the boards, or lack

thereof actually, bothered him the most. “I tell our guys all the time, rebounding is a mentality. You have to be in position. I was disappointed with our toughness,” Schuberth said. He went on to say the last four games are critical as they can make or break the season. “We have an opportunity to go on the road for the last four and at least get two of them. We’ve beaten two of those teams already. We can end the season on a winning note. I think for the first year that’s a good accomplishment,” said Schuberth referring to previous victories over IPFW and New Jersey Institute of Technology. If the Green and Orange can get two wins on the road, they would end the season at 15-14, a huge improvement, considering many doubted a 10-win-season was possible after last year’s six victories. The Broncs face IPFW on Feb. 24, followed by a stop two days later at NJIT and finish their season on Mar. 3 against Utah Valley State. NOTES: UTPA (13-13) lost to Northwestern yesterday, 67-56. Stoll had 10 assists out of the team’s 16. Burrell had a team-high of 24 points.

Onydia Garza/The Pan American UP AND OVER - Senior guard Johnathan Chatman (10) shoots over a crowd during the Feb. 15 game against South Dakota State.

Lady Broncs return home to finish out season By KRISTYNA MANCIAS The Pan American With three home games remaining, the conclusion of the Lady Broncs’ season is just around the corner. The University of Texas-Pan American (1017) will face off against Indiana-PurdueFort Wayne on Saturday at 2 p.m., followed by an exhibition game Tuesday against rival Monterrey Tech. The Lady Broncs will conclude the 2006-2007 campaign at home on March 3 against Utah Valley State, where lone

senior, MaHogany Daniel will be honored for her hard work and dedication throughout her Lady Bronc career. The Lady Broncs are coming off their five-game road trip, where they went 1-4. The only ‘W’ came against New Jersey Institute of Technology, 7057. UTPA ended the trip with stops at North Dakota and South Dakota State University. They failed to come up with wins at both sites but Head Coach DeAnn Craft recognized the effort made by her squad. “I was pleased with our effort in

Onydia Garza/The Pan American ONE ON ONE - Freshman guard Rose Esther Jean stares down defender Ali Sonstelie (44) during the Feb. 17 game against North Dakota State.

both games but we just made too many mental mistakes on the road. You can’t afford to do that when you’re playing the two best teams in the league,” Craft said. “Our turnovers were down in both games, which is outstanding. Our rebounding was better, but you have to play perfect when you’re playing these two teams. Overall I thought we played very good basketball.” UTPA came up short 78-55 against the top team in the league, South Dakota State. They also fell to the hands of the second best team, North Dakota State University, 69-57. The Lady Broncs will now set their attention on finishing the season on a good note behind the leadership of Daniel. The senior leads the team in offensive rebounds with (179) and block shots (51). The Corpus Christi native came to the Lady Broncs as a freshman when they were ranked near the bottom of 300 teams in the country. In the past three seasons, Daniel has been a big part of the success – two years ago the team set a record for wins - and if the Lady Broncs succeed in winning their final three home games, she will have been on teams with three of the top four win totals in program history. “She’s really changed the face of the program. MaHogany has been, in

my opinion, the finest rebounder from freshman to senior,” commented Craft. “I think she just changes ball games through her defensive intensity. She can get her hands on blocks, steals and deflections. She creates offense for others through her intensity and our program has had three double-digit seasons with her. I don’t think that’s ironic. That’s Mo - she’s been a big part of that.” IPFW (12-13) is coming off a high note after picking up a victory against New Jersey Institute of Technology 5843 on Tuesday. The Mastodons are led by junior Johnna Lewis-Carlisle, who leads the team in points and assists. This will be the second meeting between the Lady Broncs and IPFW. The Mastodons came up with a 58-41 victory on Feb. 1 at Fort Wayne, Ind. “I think that IPFW played very well and we did not meet the challenge that night. I think we’ve grown from that and we’ve been playing much better basketball since that time. We were 3 of 20 in the second half, we shot 15% and we’re shooting almost 42% as a team now,” Craft exclaimed. “If we get back to our statistical averages we can be very competitive. I think we are going to shoot very well at home and I think we are really going to be biting at the bit to play them.”

SPORTS By SAVANNAH MARTINEZ The Pan American One of the biggest aspects of high school athletics is the competition. Nothing can be a bigger motivator than going up against your rival. While most people think of football when it comes to high school rivalries, the feud extends to other sports like track and field. “In my senior year we were competing for the district title and we were really close. It was always very competitive,” Lizet Garcia said. The senior communications

“Now that I’m in college, I have left high school behind. It’s not about which high school you attended. It’s about running.” -Omar Doria Distance runner Sophomore biology major major, who runs the 800-meter and 1,500-meter, graduated from McAllen High School and competed against McAllen Memorial and McAllen Rowe during her time as a Bulldog.

Valley schools are more than just a little competitive with each other. The athletes constantly push themselves to beat their rival’s team and show them up. Rose Escovedo, a sophomore runner, attended Edinburg North. She said the outcomes of track meets were always up in the air. “Our rivals in high school were Edinburg High and PSJA North. We competed against them every weekend,” said the elementary education major. “Our district meet was close. I got third place for the one-mile. One of the Bobcat (Edinburg High) girls beat me.” The fires fueling the rivalries became fires that united a team. Escovedo, like a handful of Valley athletes, decided to attend The University of Texas-Pan American. One would surely feel some sort of awkwardness at first when confronting an old high school rival. Escovedo said those feelings quickly subsided. “In the beginning it was kind of hard because you knew these people from high school. You would compete against them and you wanted to be the first one all the time,” Escovedo said. “As you get acquainted with them and befriend them you really don’t pay attention to that anymore.” The Bronc athletes are now past

Editor’s Pick: Game to Watch When: Saturday Time: 7 p.m. Where: San Antonio Seattle

the awkwardness. The team can now joke around with each other about past times. Through the comradery, bragging about their alma maters and the exhange of memories over “battle” still remain. However it is done in good fun and not in any way meant to be harsh.

San Antonio

“There is no rivalry at all within the team,” Garcia said. “If anything we just laugh at each other and are like ‘Oh, I beat you in this race.’ We bring up past races that we have had and we laugh at each other. It is nothing serious.” For some though, it was never about what high school they went to or how well they did. For them it was just about passion for what they do. “Now that I’m in college, I have left high school behind. It’s not about which high school you attended. It’s about running,” Omar Doria, sophomore pre-med biology major and distance runner, said. The UTPA track team has now turned their attention to the upcoming Border Olympics that will take place March 3 in Laredo. Under a united banner, the track and field squad has been preparing and conditioning themselves to compete against their South Texas rivals. “We have been working on our racing techniques. We have been applying ourselves to running faster and building speed. We have been doing a lot of distance and getting prepared,” Doria said. “I anticipate that we will do fairly well at the Border Olympics.”

Onydia Garza/The Pan American PERFORMING TOGETHER - Scott Miller (above), a freshman thrower, now teams up with Lizet Garcia (right), a senior communication major, and other athletes he used to call his rivals.