February 14, 2008 by UTRGV Student Media

Thursday Feb. 14, 2008

59th Year No. 19

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER

LOCAL/NATIONAL

Clinton in Rio Grande Valley

Onydia Garza/The Pan American RALLY - Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks to a crowd of over 2,000 at the McAllen Convention Center Wednesday. The New York senator is expected to return to the Valley next week.

UTPA visit possible Senator speaks on local issues By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American

THIS WEEK

No plans have been finalized yet for a rally in support of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton despite Congressman Ruben Hinojosa’s last minute announcement Wednesday during the senator’s stop in McAllen. In the last moments of Clinton’s

rally at the McAllen Convention Center, Hinojosa took the microphone and said a rally would take place Feb. 20 at The University of Texas-Pan American campus. But Dean of Students Jerry Price said negotiations between his office and the campaign are only “in preliminary stages” and was reluctant to say the

See UTPA page 11

By SANDRA GONZALEZ and J.R. ORTEGA The Pan American Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton made a highly anticipated visit to the Rio Grande Valley Wednesday for a morning rally at the McAllen Convention Center. Clinton’s stop comes the day after

three losses to Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in the Virginia, Washington D.C. and Maryland primaries that left her 55 delegates behind her opponent. Clinton’s view of the future was anything but dreary as she spoke to the crowd of nearly 2,000. “My campaign is about 21st century solutions to the problems we face,” she said. “Let’s get real about the future.

We have to deliver the solutions America needs.” Clinton made the most of the 15 minutes she was on stage, speaking about health care and the possibility of a veteran’s hospital. “There are 20,000 vets in this Valley that deserve to have a VA hospital in this region,” she said.

See CLINTON page 11

ECONOMY

NEWS University staff member shares story of love See Page 3

A&E Speed dating gives singles leg up on Valentine’s See Page 8 & 9

SPORTS Broncs to bid farewell to major talents See Page 16

Students await stimulus package By ABBY MUNIZ The Pan American Kayla Guerra is hoping to head straight to the bank with a $600 check come May. She, along with most American taxpayers whose income does not exceed $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for couples, will receive a tax rebate check by then. The economic stimulus package, passed by Congress last week and signed by Bush on Wednesday, is an attempt to boost a wavering economy by returning

money to Americans and increasing consumer spending. At The University of Texas-Pan American, students have differing intentions regarding the windfall. Guerra, a sophomore English major, does not intend to spend her money once Uncle Sam sends out the checks. “I think I’d probably save it because I’m not planning to work in the fall,” the Edinburg resident said. “I need a break from working before I really start working after college for the rest of my life.” Since the revenue is aimed at stim-

ulating the economy, the government has expressed concern about the possibility that Americans like Guerra will save the money. Guerra though, believes that most college students will spend the extra cash. “I think college students who don’t live with parents are going to spend it on food or bills,” she commented. Damian Damianov, assistant professor of economics and finance, agrees with many experts who say the economy is lethargic. Part of the problem has been fall-

out from the situation involving subprime mortgages. The rising price of oil has also contributed to the slowdown. At the end of September, nearly 4 percent of prime mortgages were past due or in foreclosure, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The delinquency and foreclosure rate for all mortgages now stands at 7.3 percent, higher than at any time since the group started tracking that data in 1979. The government response has

See STIMULUS page 12

O PINION

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February 14, 2008

THE PAN AMERICAN

SOCIAL COMMENTARY

Give candidates a real challenge BY: SANDRA GONZALEZ

uring Hillary Clinton’s speech at the McAllen Convention Center on Wednesday, a crowd of happy supporters cheered on the New York senator. They whooped, hollered and stomped at almost every word (very annoying, by the way). They chanted and applauded. They even made little signs and waved them around. At one point during the speech, she called out to a few sign holders. One read: “Teachers for Hillary” (or something like that). Hillary pointed and began describing what she’s done for teachers. And while there are several challenges facing education today, she’s had time to craft a plan. I want to know how well she thinks on her feet. Hillary said she has had the “cando spirit” her whole life to “take on the tough challenges that affect people’s lives.” Well, I want to know what she

does for those people who don’t have unions to vote in masses for her but still face tough challenges. So, I’ve been brainstorming a few sign ideas for next week’s possible visit to The University of Texas-Pan American. I’m hoping she’ll call out one of mine and tell me something I haven’t already heard semi-screamed at me at a political rally. Perhaps if she comes up with something good, she’ll win a vote from someone. Here are a few ideas I’ve been toying with: “People with short legs who can never find a good pair of jeans for Hillary.” I never did hear back from her office when I sent them my rough draft of the Levi’s Act of 2004. “Unpleasant 20-somethings for Hillary.” She can’t deny that recovering from this is a challenge. “People who hate Bill Clinton for Hillary.” Two to one says she replies

with “Don’t we all, sometimes?” “Underpaid journalists for Hillary.” You can’t blame me for trying, right? “Vain people for....” wait, sorry, who were we talking about? And here are some I’ve been thinking of for a few friends of mine to hold as well: “Obnoxious screamers for Hillary.” WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT ONE, HUH? “Unwise fortune cookie writers for Hillary.” Sometimes, fate is just cruel. “People with unmanageable hair for Hillary.” We’ve heard about health, but I know a number of people who need a good plan for hair care reform. Tell me what you think. The choice is just getting harder (for some at least). It’s time to come up with innovative tests of wit and ingenuity.

don’t know if I watch too many sports events and not enough news, or the fact that it was breaking news when I first saw it, but it was shocking to discover the potential tragedy that could have taken place in Glendale, Ariz., during Super Bowl XLII. Early last week, I was logging into my e-mail on AOL and one of the stories that was featured on the Web site was about a man who supposedly was about to go on a shooting rampage at the Super Bowl, but could not go through with it. First of all, that keeps proving to me and hopefully others that nut jobs really do exist in this world. The story

down as one of the most tragic in history. Our country has hit rock bottom and people still keep coming up with plots like these to make us suffer more. His original plan was to open fire at Phoenix’s Desert Ridge Marketplace near Scottsdale, Ariz., but he changed his location because the “scum” and “villainy” lived in Scottsdale; instead he wanted to wreak havoc on the innocent. I was looking for details as to when the restaurateur was planning his scheme and couldn’t find anything, it made me wonder about what would have happened if tragedy had struck. The Patriots/Giants matchup was one of the best games that I have ever seen and most would probably agree.

FEBRUARY 14, 2008

Editor-in-Chief Sandra Gonzalez................................................. sandra_panamerican@yahoo.com

Assistant News Editors Abby Muniz..............abby.muniz@yahoo.com J.R. Ortega.............ortega.e.jr@gmail.com

A&E Editor Jeanette Perez.........fae_myst@yahoo.com

Designers Rick Gamez Juan Torres

THE

PANAMERICAN 1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 381-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122 www.utpa.edu/dept/panamerican

Sports Co-Editors Greg Garza...............the_nataku@yahoo.com Ramiro Paez...................ramiropaez@aol.com Photography Editor Nicholas Dodd.................................................. fathernicolow@gmail.com Design Editor Roy Bazan........................rbazanzz@yahoo.com

Reporters and Photographers Bobby Cervantes Leslie Estrada Onydia Garza Laura Garcia Russen Vela

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Weslaco Music Festival in the Eugene A. Braught Memorial Theatre at 3 p.m.

You know you want to:

thesandrafanclub@gmail.com.

Evil scheme didn’t ruin Giants’ upset goes that a 35-year-old restaurateur was denied a liquor license and threatened to shoot people at the Super Bowl. He drove close to the stadium with a rifle and 200 rounds of ammunition before he changed his mind and turned himself in to authorities. His exact words were that he wished to “to shed the blood of the innocent.” When reading this, I thought the situation was one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard in my life. This guy was a psycho, but fortunately he had an ounce of sanity to turn himself in. But if this guy did have an apparent awakening, why would he ever think of doing such a thing in the first place, an event that probably would have gone

February

Telling Moments, an art exhibit by local artist Anna Marie Salinas, at the D’Arte Center in Harlingen at 6:30 p.m.

AS I SEE IT

BY: RAMIRO PAEZ

Savethesedates

The Giants defeated the perfect Patriots and the win will go down as one of the biggest upsets in NFL history, but I can only think about how that matchup would have gone down had the man gone through with his plot. Thank God we will never know and fortunately for the 97.5 million viewers that tuned in that Sunday night, they will only remember one thing: a Giant upset.

Do you know more about the psycho who almost ruined Super Bowl XLII? Let me know about it : ramiropaez@aol.com. Adviser Dr. Greg Selber..........selberg@utpa.edu Secretary Anita Casares..........areyes18@utpa.edu Advertising Manager Samantha Quintana.....spubs@utpa.edu Assitant Advertising Manager Jacqueline Iglesias................................... jiglesiasz@broncs.utpa.edu **Delivery** Thursday at noon 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 paper or university.

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Nine-ball Pool Tournament at 2 p.m. in Student Union Gameroom

Newsinbrief MUSIC The fourth annual Rio Grande Music Festival will be held Feb. 13-17 at the RGV Livestock Showgrounds in Mercedes. The event will feature five stages of bluegrass, country, western, folk and gospel music. The festival will start at 8 a.m. every day and end at 6 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday and 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The event closes on Sunday at noon with a Sunday Gospel Jam. Advance tickets are available for $25 at the Rio Grande Valley Partnership. They are also available at the door for $5. For more information, visit the festival’s Web site at http://www.rgvmf.com.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Pan American accepts letters of 300 words or less from students, staff and faculty regarding recent newspaper content, campus concerns or current events. The Pan American reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and length. The Pan American cannot publish anonymous letters or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send all story ideas to thepanamerican@gmail.com. Individuals with disabilities wishing to acquire this publication in an alternative format or needing assistance to attend any event listed can contact The Pan American for more details.

February 14, 2008

N EWS

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THE PAN AMERICAN

HERITAGE HALL

Residents question procedures By ANA VILLAURRUTIA The Pan American Several residents of Heritage Hall are irate after several weeks’ worth of unpleasant events have caused discord, while administrators at the dorm spread a message urging open communication in an attempt to ease tensions. It all began a little more than three weeks ago, when Heritage Hall inhabitants were disrupted by sounds of banging at 1 a.m. for bedroom checks. The procedure, conducted once a semester by resident advisers, left residents angry and annoyed. According to residents of the incident, resident advisors banged on the doors in order to wake up residents to make sure they were in their correct rooms. “I didn’t know they were doing it [bedroom checks] at that time. It was Martin Luther King Day, they could have done it all day,” said resident Myra Canales, a resident for two-plus years. Another resident rang in. “It bothered me because I had class

See DORMS page 12

ACHIEVEMENT

Student awarded for success By BOBBY CERVANTES The Pan American Tears welled up in Yanci Swenson’s eyes many times while she recounted her tumultuous past. But even the grief and hardships of her life did not dampen her outlook on what could be a bright future. The senior advertising and public relations major will be graduating from The University of Texas-Pan American in May 2008, but no matter how far she may go in life, she embraces trying times that have shaped her attitude today. Just back from a New York City trip to claim her award as one of the “Most Promising Minority Students” in the nation, given by the American Advertising Federation, Swenson relished her accomplishment and the long road she traveled to get it. After being nominated by Kimberly Selber, assistant professor of communication at UTPA, Swenson found out she was one of 50 finalists chosen from over 2,000 students. As a finalist, she had to complete a lengthy application, but in hindsight, says it was all worth it. “It took me about three months to

fill it out,” she said. “Having my name in Advertising Age [one of the industry’s most prestigious trade journals], having my resume published is like a diamond in the rough.” Accompanied to the Big Apple by Salma Ghanem, chair of the department, Swenson interviewed with the New York Times and ESPN multiple times, an accomplishment she does not take lightly. “I won recognition. I won the prestige,” she said. “I would never have this opportunity if it were not for the AAF.” Born in Illinois to an Anglo traveling insurance salesman and a Hispanic future Ms. Edinburg (1968), Swenson never had a settled life, moving to a new city every couple of months. At the age of three, her family settled in Austin where she resided until her high school graduation from William B. Travis High School in 1992. Swenson said her family constantly moved and her mixed culture really affected the drive she has today. She said she “did not have strong bonds,” with her family and that her father would say that things would not come easy in life for her but she decided to prove him wrong.

FEATURE

Yanci Swenson THE BIG APPLE - Yanci Swenson stands in front of Rockefeller Center during her trip to New York City where she accepted an award for being one of the “Most Promising Minority Students” in the United States.

“Being in the family I grew up in, it was assumed that because I was female and because I was mixed, I wasn’t a real Anglo,” she said. “So, I had to be twice as good as anybody else. I’ve always had that drive – do or die, never give up.” “True to the Hispanic form,” Swenson said she had her first child at

19, got married, and a little more than a year later, she had her second child. Seven months into her second pregnancy, tragedy struck when her husband passed away. At 20, with no husband, barely out of high school, two mouths to feed and bills to pay, Swenson admits she did not

See AWARD page 12

FITNESS

Proving the power of love

KidFIT for healthy lifestyle

By J.R. ORTEGA The Pan American

By LUPE A. FLORES The Pan American

Norfilia and Oscar Gonzalez’s marriage is much like that of Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet, only their story has a much happier ending. Raised in neighboring towns, the two overcame family prejudice, which 31 years later has altered a family’s perception and has proved that nothing is more rewarding than the power of love. Norfilia, a secretary for the Learning Assistance Center, and her husband, a retired warehouse supervisor of Edcouch-Elsa school district, were high school acquaintances, but the two lost track when he was drafted into the Vietnam War and she stayed back home performing gigs with sibling band, Los Layton.

Marissa, 9, Mari, 6, and Nicholas, 7, left the back gym of the Wellness and Recreational Sports Complex pink-cheeked and catching their breaths. After they returned basketballs and volleyballs to the front and got some more water, they met up with their parents and bid each other a farewell with an “until next time.” The three children took part in the complex’s latest pursuit for a healthier South Texas youth; the new program called KidFIT. The idea for the program, launched Feb. 9, came about when University of Texas-Pan American senior Steve Flores, eager to work with youths and health, ran into Fitness and Wellness Coordinator Jacqueline Adams at a bench-press competition.

But fate brought them together five years later, when they met again in a chance encounter. “Back in the late 60s the cars would park by the railroad track and

you would see friends there so you’d stop and just chat and say hi,” she said. “We (she and her cousins) started in La Villa when we were passing by the

See LOVE page 12

He told her of his idea to open a gym for kids that could especially benefit those who are overweight and obese. “She responded that they had been wanting to launch a program of the sort, so we started talking and the idea for KidFIT was born,” Flores, a kinesiology major, said. The program will operate every Saturday, and is designed to promote fitness and nutritional health to kids ages six to 17. KidFIT will be available to youths who sign up under a user’s current membership, participating either with current students, faculty or staff of the facility. On the first day, Flores, an instructor, and junior kinesiology major Laurie Muhlbauer spent an hour and a half playing soccer and basketball, among other sport activities, with three excited and active kids.

See FIT page 12

February 14, 2008

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February 14, 2008 NEWS

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ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

February 14, 2008

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THE PAN AMERICAN

I COMMUNITY

I CAMPUS SCENE

Local cafe honors student through auction

Wellness Center celebrates Valentine’s

By LESLIE ESTRADA The Pan American Art, music and a great cause joined Friday night as the Ofrendas del Corazon silent heart art auction took place at the Habanero Cafe in downtown Pharr. The event’s purpose was to raise awareness about organ donation as well as collect funds for a scholarship. “We want to make people aware of organ donations and to get them to be registered donors,” said Ernesto Duenas, who organized the event. “We also want to raise funds for a scholarship that has been made in honor of a former dual-language PSJA North student who passed away last year.” Duenas, who was Michael

Rutledge’s 6th grade teacher, was very excited on the turnout of the fundraiser. “I am surprised on how the community has reacted with this fund-raiser,” he said. “Michael definitely left a legacy and we can see the results.” All the proceeds from the event will benefit the Michael M. Rutledge Legacy Award. Rutledge, who would have been a junior this year, was involved with the Raider Band and the dual-language program. The first award will be given in 2009 to a PSJA North dual-language student who has already been accepted into a university. Although this is the first time the event has taken place, Duenas said he plans on making it an annual thing. “Hopefully this is something that

See AUCTION page 10

By AMANDA ALANIZ The Pan American

Ben Briones/The Pan American MATTERS OF THE HEART - Personalized, decorated hearts were up for auction Friday night at the Habanero Cafe in Pharr to benefit scholarship.

I MOVIE REVIEW

Atonement shows haunting love story By RUSSEN VELA The Pan American When fans of Ian McEwan’s 2001 best-selling novel Atonement heard it was being made into a feature-length film, many were skeptical of whether it would be a faithful adaptation, or worse, a loosely based film with no emotional attachment to its central characters. To their surprise, Atonement became one the top 10 films of this year, and has received high praise from critics along with seven Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture. With its huge wins at last month’s Golden Globes of Best Picture Drama, and just this past Sunday at the BAFTA awards (the British equivalent of the Oscars) for Best Picture, there is no doubt that Atonement will be remembered for its simplicity, elegance and story. While the film came out in January, it is still being talked about as one of the best of the year and still continues to draw audiences to the theater. Directed by award-winning Joe Wright, whose first film, Pride and Prejudice (2006) became a sleeper hit, Atonement rose above the odds, and despite a budget of only $15 million has gone on to gross more than $45 million in the United States and over $80 million overseas. The film starts off in a hot summer

day in 1935 England at the Tallis family estate. Cecilia, the eldest of three Tallis children is played by Keira Knightley and the garden boy to the estate, Robbie, played by James Mcavoy, try to understand and confess their undying love for each other no matter what social classes may tell them. When the youngest Tallis, Briony, played by newcomer Saoirse Ronan sees an event between the couple, she sets off a rollercoaster of events that ruins Robbie’s good name, spoils her sister’s chance for happiness and brings tragedy. Wright, who has an obvious gift for staging period pieces, is at his best in Atonement. He shot the entire summer sequence with a pair of Christian Dior pantyhose over the camera lens to give

the feeling and emotion of the English heat. The effect is beyond amazing. Once he covers the events during WWII, his direction changes into a more moody, somber presence. Christopher Hampton, who won an Oscar for his adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons in 1988, once again proves why he is the man when it comes to adapting classic novels into great lush, romantic films. The dialogue is perfection. Wright explained in numerous interviews that he wanted his cast to act as if they were in a 1930s or 1940s film, and they achieve it in Atonement. Mcavoy, who got praise and numerous attention for his role as Mr. Tumnus in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe, proves to be the

filminfocus.com TRAGIC LOVE TALE - In Atonement, Kiera Knightleyʼs character, Cecilia, is torn between her love interest, Robbie (James Mcavoy) and her familly.

emotional punch of the story. Robbie is a single man, forlorn and obsessed, his dizzying inner turmoil reflected against the grand canvas of a chaotic world at war. It is a shame he and Knightley were snubbed in favor of less worthy performances in the lead categories for Best Actor and Best Actress by the Academy. Along with the acting, directing and writing, the technical aspects of Atonement make it hauntingly beautiful and almost mystical. The costumes designed by Jacqueline Durran are sure to cause a stir with females who see the film. As for Dario Marianelli’s score? Pure perfection. His use of a typewriter to provides the beat of the music is beyond brilliant, and will no doubt win this year’s Oscar for best score. In the end, Atonement builds to a heartbreaking encounter with the aged Briony Tallis, played by Oscar winner Vanessa Redgrave, who has grown up to become a famous novelist. As she talks of the past and her role in the undoing of her sister’s lover, her words are devastating and force the audience to look at everything in a new light. As the audience roots for Robbie and Cecilia, and yes, even Briony, to have a happy ending, one recognizes that Atonement isn’t simply a grand historical romance but an exploration of how storytelling can both betray and redeem someone.

It’s not often that climbing a wall crosses one’s mind on Valentine’s Day. The idea of being strapped from a bungee cord, with beads of sweat and that dreaded fear might not necessarily be a popular choice. The Wellness & Recreational Sports Complex is hoping to brighten everyone’s Valentine’s Day and promote their famous wall by hosting the Rock of Love event in which participants will climb the wall to collect prizes that will be situated at certain levels on the wall for their significant other. Charlie Caceres, UTPA’s coordinator of campus activities, organized the event as a new form of getting the students involved in the less technical aspects of the wall and the more relaxing stress-free joy that can come out of it. The idea for the event came about during the winter break. “We thought it was a great idea [for people] to come in and get a bunch of stuffed animals and make the prizes nicer the higher they climb,” said Caceres. “And so far the response has been fantastic.” One of the main purposes of the event is to help promote the Climbing Wall, which has yet to receive the anticipated attention as hoped. “The Rock of Love is a way to develop an interest for the Climbing Wall,” Caceres continued. “Number one: I don’t think people realize what a great facility we have here. Number two: we want people to come in and climb the wall. We know that once you get on there, you’ll enjoy it and want to come back.” UTPA junior education major and Alamo native, Julie G. Montalvo says she may participate in the Rock of Love. and hopes the event will help the wall gain attention. “It’s going to get promotion. [The participants] will receive prizes so they can give to their significant other.

See WALL page 10

February 14, 2008

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February 14, 2008

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Local venue caters to singles just in time for Valentine’s By J.R. ORTEGA The Pan American

ike a scene right out of a junior high dance flick, guys stayed in one group and girls in another as they periodically glanced across the room in hopes of finding that special someone this past Saturday at McLain’s first ever RGV Speedating event. With the vast amount of people celebrating this Valentine’s Day with someone special and countless others spending theirs single, it was the vision of Marcelo Rodriguez to help make the day special for someonerather than a day to dread. “It would be a great pleasure if some of our attendees did fall in love and become a family; a dear friend of mine met his wife at a speed dating event in Montreal,” said Rodriguez. “So I hope that our events bring people together too.” Participants were required to fill out basic information about themselves and are given a questions tip sheet to help them during their speed-date. Candidates then have six to ten minutes per date and if both participants tell organizers they are interested, they will be provided with contact information. “If you really want to know someone it only takes five to ten minutes to know if you really like

them or not,” said Rodriguez, a McAllen resident who headed the event. For first-time speed-daters like Joel, who asked that his last name not be disclosed, said he was not single last Valentine’s but does not mind the holiday. “It’s a good day for you to recognize,” he said. “It’s just a day to celebrate your love with your significant other.” Joel said coming into the event that he was looking for nothing too serious, just a chance to meet some good women but said if the opportunity for love presented itself, “You never know,” he added. However when it comes to spending Valentines Day either in a relationship or single some people still just can not buy the holiday.

Nick Dodd/The Pan American READY TO MINGLE - Local singles can now look for that certain someone through speed dating.

PERCEPTIONS Aaron Alvarez, a 20-year-old sophomore music major, said he won’t really be doing much this Valentine’s Day but hanging out with friends and just making the best out of it. “I’m kind of glad I don’t have to spend a lot of money on anyone,” he said. “No expensive dinners or presents; it really is just saving me a lot of money.” That, Alvarez said, is the slight upside to being single but said if he were in a relationship, he would have no problem doing all he can to make the holiday memorable. While some people dread the day, he chooses to simply just celebrate it. He added an example of a happy couple and a single person and how speaking your mind about Valentine’s Day can rain on ones parade. “A positive attitude is contagious, but so is a negative,” he said. “People should keep their thoughts to

themselves and let those who celebrate the day be happy; that’s what I do.” Living the singles life is not all that bad for graphic design major Jeanette Sosa. She said that she has never disliked the day and finds that it is not necessarily for couples. “Men my age are either settled or not interested much in dating,” the 28-year-old said. She added that she has enjoyed spending the day in the past with friends and family and feels that is okay. “You can do anything you want on any day with your girlfriends and stuff,” the senior said. “Go to the movies, go hang out with friends; it’s fun and that’s okay.” Students like Daisy Tercero, a single, freshman pre-med biology major believe that Valentine’s Day is only a good holiday if you are in a relationship other

then that, it makes those who are single feel bad. “Well when you’re alone it sucks, it is for those people who have somebody and are together,” she said. “I like it, but not when I’m alone, it’s just a set date for the hell of it.” While many clubs will host a Valentine’s Day themed dance, Kabos, located next to Fast Eddie’s on N. 10th street in Edinburg/McAllen will have a Valentine’s Day singles party and anyone with a college ID enters for free.

February 14, 2008

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February 14, 2008

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Local venue caters to singles just in time for Valentine’s By J.R. ORTEGA The Pan American

Nick Dodd/The Pan American READY TO MINGLE - Local singles can now look for that certain someone through speed dating.

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February 14, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

AUCTION continued from page 1

Ben Briones/The Pan American GOOD CAUSE - One of Michael Rutledgeʼs 6th grade teachers, Hal Anderson, lent a helping hand in the art auction held in Michaelʼs name.

WALL we’ll continue to do every year,” he said. “We want to do it around Valentine’s Day because of the heart theme going on.” The heart has taken on significant meaning for everyone involved since Michael, through his parents’ gift of organ donation, was able to give life to four Texas residents. “We decided to pass out wooden hearts to the students, which were Michael’s friends, and it sort of grew from there,” said Duenas. “From there, we began passing hearts out to people in the community, local artists and celebrities, and we were able to put on a nice fundraising event today.” Enrique Frias, a Reynosa resident who attended the event, said he was amazed at the extensive process that went into creating the art. “The hearts were beautifully decorated,” he said. “It is truly a great gift for someone you love and you get a plus knowing that you are helping out with a good cause.” Frias said that he was glad to see how everyone was working together to make this event successful. “I was surprised to see so many young people here tonight,” he said. “Although I never met Michael, I can tell that he was liked and loved among his friends. It is awesome to see how

everyone is so devoted to make this event a great one.” Duenas and others who organized the event started collecting the hearts last September from all over the Valley community and built up the collection for this noteworthy cause. “We got 50 beautiful pieces back that the community willingly decorated,” explained Duenas. “Everyone chipped in, we had a local business donate the wood, a person donating his time to cut all the wood, and of course all the different people that put time into decorating the hearts.” By the end of the night, Duenas could almost assure that the event had been a success and couldn’t be prouder of the turnount. “I can’t tell exactly, but I am guessing that we had around 300 people in and out,” he said. “Some of the hearts went up to 3-digit amounts, which makes me very happy. I just want to thank everyone who came out and hope to see everyone next year.” For more information about the Michael Rutledge Legacy Award or if you wish to send a donation, please contact by e-mail at: michaelslegacy@yahoo.com. For more information on how to become a registered organ donor, visit organdonor.gov or donatelife.net.

continued from page 1 [People should] try out the rock wall,” said the 21-year-old. Caceres hopes the event will have a good turnout and could possibly give leeway to future holiday events. “Depending on the success of this one, we are looking at having something for Easter,” he said. They are also looking at creating different events for other holidays such as St. Patrick’s Day and Fourth of July. “We want to attract people to come in and have fun with this,” continued Caceres. “We are sure that once you’ve done it, you’ll come back and do it again.” Nursing major Hazel Dalton said she hopes Rock of Love will continue as a means to provide more opportunities for students and promotion for the Rec Center. “I think it’s fun whenever we have all these little events. It always attracts more people, especially to the rock wall. It’s been kind of slow so it’s good to have events like this because then we get more people interested,” said 21-year-old Dalton. The Rock of Love will be open to all UTPA staff and students and members of the recreational complex from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday.

February 14, 2008

CLINTON continued from page 1

Clinton also mentioned her plan to create what she called “green-collar jobs.” “Let’s put people to work weatherizing homes, insulating homes, installing solar panels,” she said. “These are jobs that will be good paying jobs and will give us the kind of energy future we need in America.” Sandra Olvera, a sophomore education major, said her top concern this presidential election is immigration reform.

“We have family over there (Mexico),” said Olvera regarding immigration. “It’s really important that they will stay here in the U.S. and that they don’t deport them back.” The former first lady made a brief mention of immigration, saying her plans are “comprehensive” and go beyond using the issue as a “political football.” Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas said he was glad Clinton visited the

Page 11

NEWS

Valley because that could mean important resources later, of which include funding for levees and health care for more residents. “Nothing against him (Obama) but Hillary Clinton has been in the Valley before and she all ready knows the area,” he said. Clinton first came to the Valley nearly 36 years ago to help register voters along the border, a point she men-

tioned in her speech.

LOCAL SUPPORT Clinton’s efforts to garner support with the announcement of this rally were not in vain. Congressman Ruben Hinojosa said 24 hours after the announcement of her visit, the number of endorsements from local officials rose from 40 to 125. In his brief introduction at the rally, Hinojosa said South Texas residents have a “historic opportunity to play a major role in selecting the next president.” “The vote each and one of you cast will determine the future of our country. For far too long our electoral voice has not been heard,” he said.

“Today marks the milestone where that is going to change.” Hinojosa projects that Valley voters will turn up in twice the numbers they did for the last presidential primary in 2004, which would be about 100,000 people. Clinton could return to the Valley as soon as Feb. 20, he added. Tentatively, she may speak at The University of Texas-Pan American in the morning and have an evening rally at The McAllen Memorial Stadium on Bicentennial Street. Tony Martinez, a member of the Young Democrat’s Club at UTPA, said Obama’s campaign has also contacted them with tentative plans to visit the Valley, although no date has been set.

Ben Briones/The Pan American ISSUES - Sen. Hillary Clintonʼs 15-mintue speech touched on health care, the possibility of a veteranʼs hospital and other issues.

UTPA continued from page 1

event was a sure thing. “I know that an announcement was made this morning, but nothing has been set,” Price said. “It is something [Clinton’s campaign is] considering.” Price said he could learn of Clinton’s final plans as early as Thursday afternoon. Presidential campaigns are allowed to rent locations on campus for events or rallies, but UT System rules forbid the university from sponsoring a particular candidate, according to University Relations. Campaigns can avoid paying for space on campus if they are sponsored

by a student organization. The Young Democrats Club, while a natural choice to host the former first lady, will be unable to sponsor her visit, according to member Tony Martinez. “There are still two Democrat candidates,” the senior political science major said, referring to Clinton and her opponent, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. Martinez confirmed that the Clinton campaign plans on paying for their space at UTPA. The amount they will be charged was unavailable at press time. This marks the second time within a week that word of a Clinton visit has circulated campus. Price said his office

had been in talks with her campaign until Monday when they learned “expectations for the event had changed.” Clinton’s camp had been exploring the Field house and the Quad as possible locations, but the convention center was eventually chosen as the venue. Price said if plans do come to fruition, it would be a great event for all students. “It would be great for our students to see a presidential candidate on campus,” he said. Visit www.utpa.edu/dept/panamerican for updated information on Clinton’s possible rally at UTPA as it becomes available.

Roxy Solis/The Pan American GREETINGS - Clinton spent nearly 25 minutes shaking hands and meeting locals following her speech in McAllen Wednesday morning.

STIMULUS continued from page 1 been swift. “Put money in the hands of consumers, especially those on a tight budget, to spend on other goods, and you see a relief in the whole economic system,” Damianov said. Damianov also noted that it is the government’s hope that the stimulus will maintain the economy and prevent a recession from taking place. According to experts, the plan’s capability depends on how promptly Americans receive their money. “It’s sort of like a big stone going down a hill. If you wait a little too long, it might accelerate in speed and it’s too late,” Damianov said.

Like many students, Michael Palomo, an accounting and CIS double major from Pharr, plans to use his money once he receives it. Although he says he will spend as he sees the need, he hopes to buy a few domestic items. “I think it’ll help me buy stuff for around the house, maybe a new flat-screen TV, and it will help pay off credit cards and a loan that I have,” said Palomo, a junior. Rebates of $600 for individuals and $1,200 for couples, plus another $300 for each child with no limit on the number of children, are part of the proposal. About $50 billion of the proposed stimulus package is to be designated for businesses.

Page 12

DORMS continued from page 3

at 10:35 a.m. the next day,” said Sonia Tretro, 18, an education major. One of Tretro’s suitemates, had an early-morning class the next day and said it was unfair to conduct the checks at the time they were. “Half of us have early classes and I was asleep,” she said. “When you’re waked up at that time you not aware of what’s going on.” Residents went to Chad Martin, director of resident life, and others eventually took the problem up with Dean of Students Jerry Price. “I did meet with some students on the bedroom checks and was upset about how they were handled. Once the issue was brought to me, the next day it was fixed,” said Price. According to Price, bedroom checks should take place between 6-8 p.m. and he is making sure that another late night bedroom check does not occur. Martin said the reason the bedroom checks were done so late was because of a “miscommunication” between himself and the hall coordinators. “There have only been two complaints raised on that topic. Both were resolved that very week,” said Martin about the bedroom checks. The office of residence life has always made sure that bedroom checks are conducted once a semester. Lee Mahi, an RA, said they had been told to do bed checks at that time in order to better catch people that were staying overnight. Mahi also said that RAs have permission to confiscate belongings, however, this semester the RAs have confiscated items without leaving a required note on why items like candles and toasters were confiscated. “We were not leaving notes, which was something Esther let us do,” she said.

Esther Rodriguez is the hall coordinator and is responsible for running Heritage Hall.

LENGTHY PROCESSES But the bedroom checks are not the only problems at the Heritage Hall this semester. Dnnie Rae Vargas, who said fainting spells related to an undisclosed condition could be easily triggered by stress, wanted to move in with friend Treto and Savannah Martinez. She got approval from Martin, but she said Rodriguez still denied her. “I wanted a room change in case I would collapse and I had rather have someone who is there and who knows me,” said Vargas. Rodriguez did not want to comment on the issues because they were “private matters,” and instead directed that Martin speak on behalf of Heritage Hall. Vargas felt that others who requested room changes were given more attention than hers. “I thought it was sad that I had to go above and beyond like that,” she said. Policies for room changes require that residents fill out a form stating why they would like to change rooms. They can also contact their hall coordinator. “Esther’s not very approachable,” said Triauna Carey, a resident of Heritage Hall. “She doesn’t know much, she’s very new.” Rodriguez and Martin were not at liberty to discuss whether Rodriguez acted accordingly but Liz Ramos, an RA at Heritage Hall defended Rodriguez. “Anyone can reach her if you leave a message at the desk,” Ramos said. Price encourages residents to contact him if there is a problem needing to be addressed.

LOVE continued from page 3

tracks and saw Oscar.” Oscar, at that time, was from La Villa and Norfilia from Edcouch-Elsa, a town separated by railroad tracks; a physical barrier that would soon become symbolic of the prejudices between their families.

BEGINNINGS Their relationship began like countless others have: boy meets girl, boy asks girl and girl accepts; but growing up in the late ‘60s with a tight-knit, prominent Hispanic culture was more complicated than that. Her father found out about the relationship and did not approve because Oscar was from the city beyond the tracks; a city Norfilia said she remembers being called “no man’s land.” “My father was a very jealous person. I can’t deny that, and my broth-

February 14, 2008

NEWS

ers were very protective of me,” she said. “I would hang out with my housekeeper, because if I wanted to go out I had to go with someone… I was 21.” At the time, Oscar’s family was known for everything her family did not stand for, she was well off and more conservative, while his family’s history was riddled in dilemmas. “Back then, I was very obedient I was an obedient daughter, but I felt that he wasn’t giving Oscar the chance to prove himself,” she remembers. “He didn’t want to give him the opportunity, he didn’t want to get to know him at all, the true him.” Her obedience somewhat paid off when her father let his guard down and permitted periodic visits under supervision. A year and half into the relationship the two were ready to be engaged,

FIT continued from page 3

Flores and Adams, along with WFRC director Jim Watson, have set common goals for the program: to do what they can to help address the problem of rising obesity recent reports have shown and to help children of the Valley understand the importance of adopting healthy habits. They also want to encourage exercise and healthy eating to ensure a healthy lifestyle as an adult. “If we can get in there and teach kids that fitness doesn’t have to be running on a treadmill. It can be games, activities and play,” said Adams. “It creates that need for (daily activity). It becomes a discipline. It becomes something that they crave in their lives.” The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent studies reported that obesity in Hispanic/Latino youth living in the U.S. has risen at an alarming rate. The national rates for overweight and obese children (ages six to 11) in America are 30.3 percent and 15.3 percent, respectively. Obesity percentages for adolescents ages 13-19, are 15.5 and 30.4

percent for those overweight. Jane Collins, acting director for the adolescent and school division of the Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, noted in her study, Battling Childhood Obesity – The Difference Between Your Child’s Good Health and Unhealthy Body Weight, that “these numbers are even more dramatic when compared to Mexican-American children (living in the states) of whom 39.3 percent are overweight and 23.7 percent are obese.” She reported Mexican-American adolescent overweight and obesity percentages to be 43.8 and 23.4, respectively. With percentage numbers predicted to soar above 50 percent for American youths by 2014, the trio are hoping their program gets through to the UTPA community – especially those with young relatives who could benefit from such a plan to deter the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes and elevated blood pressure and cholesterol. The ultimate goal is to introduce them to a healthy lifestyle they can stick to. Sophomore business major Celine

AWARD continued from page 3

band passed away. At 20, with no husband, barely out of high school, two mouths to feed and bills to pay, Swenson admits she did not have much time to plan a future. “I didn’t have time to think about it,” she said. “So, I started working.” Taking after her father, Swenson began to think of sales as the “family biz,” and decided to undertake the job to make ends meet, moving to Arizona and then Arkansas to try and do that. “I knew it. I knew I could do it in my sleep,” she said of the family busi-

but getting her father’s blessing was to this day, the hardest thing she’s ever had to do. Oscar and his mother did the right thing by approaching Norfilia’s father to ask for her hand in marriage. “But you know that she’s my only daughter. You know that she’s used to this other lifestyle that your son will probably not be able to provide for her,” said Norfilia, quoting her father. To no surprise, her father rejected Oscar’s offering. But one morning, seemingly out of the blue, her father gave his permission. He said his deceased mother and grandmother came to him in a dream and told him it was time to let go. “I knelt down and cried like a baby, like I had just won a million dollars, I had everything, I didn’t need anything else,” she said.

ness. “I knew I could make money.” She credits her mother for pushing her to begin college 2003 and to realize her potential, despite intimidation by students who are not “even legal to drink yet and people who grew up on computers…text messaging and all of this technology stuff.” “Everything happens for a reason,” she said. “When you’re in the thick of it, everybody is like, ‘If I didn’t have bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all.’ And, you have a tendency to feel sorry for yourself or just give up.”

THE MARRIAGE Her father was not in for a disappointment either. Within the first five years of marriage, they bought their first home and started a family, complete with daughters Laura and Lizette. But one day, they found the foundation of their life burned to the ground. Their house had burned to the ground due to an electrical shortage. “It was so hard,” she said.” That’s why I say we’ve had our thorns and we’ve been through so much, but my losing the house does not compare to the pain that I went through when I was struggling to try and get my father to give Oscar the chance to prove himself.” But instead of crumbling, they moved forward and soon purchased a mobile home along with the 34 acres of land. “At that given point we lost every-

Rincon is enthusiastic about making her sister part of KidFIT. “I think it will be a good program,” she said. “I want my sister to get involved in something like this to find out things like what she can eat and what she can’t, ‘cause she is just gaining weight.” Though the new program is not a technical gym for youths, it provides the opportunity for them to take part in learning benefits of becoming healthy through fitness and proper nutrition, and maintaining those practices to lead a healthy life. “The main importance is the benefit of the young kids,” said Flores, of McAllen. “Nowadays, a good majority of kids are obese at a young age, and are coming out with health dangers like diabetes, among others. It’s good that we have our mind-set on helping to change that.” The membership is obtainable after a $50 charge for yearly admissions. Children can be enrolled by their parent or guardian WFRC member with a $6 fee.

As for her future, Swenson will be studying for her master’s degree at UTPA in fall 2008 and will continue as a teaching assistant in the department. “I don’t know what is in the cards right now, but eventually I’ll probably end up back in the Valley and opening my own agency.” In 2007, UTPA student Brenda Hernandez, was among one of the winners of the “Most Promising Minority Students” award. In 2006, Lynda Louise Laurin won was also nominated for as a finalist for the award.

thing in our home it was just material things. We can survive,” she said. “That’s the least of your worries, so as long as your person is not touched.” As time progressed, her father began to realize Oscar was the right choice because of how he treated the family and helped out tremendously. However in 1993, her father passed away of a heart attack but Norfilia is just happy he got to know the true Oscar and trust that she was in good hands. Everyday Norfilia manages to be surprised by the things he does on a daily basis but also the sweet things he has done in the past 31 years. Norfilia said everyday is Valentine’s for them and that she cannot choose just one romantic thing he has done for her. Instead, Norfilia sat back against her seat, looked up and said with tears of joy swelling in her eyes, “Ay, que Oscar.”

Page 13

February 14, 2008 SPORTS

SEEN AND CAPTURED

Bronc teams stride at Bayou Classic After some record-setting performances at the Houston Invitational last week, The University of Texas-Pan American men’s and women’s track and field team traveled to the Gulf Coast for the third consecutive time Saturday and did it again, posting top finishes at the Bayou Classic. The men’s distance medley team recorded a top finish at the event and set a new Bronc record with a time of 10:15.96, breaking last week’s time of

10:16.38. UTPA All-American Will Littleton placed second behind Marcus Harris of Shore’s Athletic Club with a jump of 7-0 ½. Senior J.J. Hernandez, with a time of 8:45.69, and freshman Angel Ramirez, who clocked in at 15:28.94, placed fourth in the 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter races, respectively. On the women’s side, senior long jumper Liliana Cavazos finished third

with a jump of 17-08. Brownsville native Carolina Izaguirre’s time of 10:23.68 led her to a fourth-place finish at 3,000 meters and Valley View High School alum Sara Rodriguez placed fourth in the 5,000. The Bayou Classic was the last indoor event before the team travels to Boston Feb. 23 to compete in the all-day USA Indoor Championships. The outdoor season begins March 1 with the Border Olympics.

Onydia Garza/The Pan American FIELD MASTERY - Senior Will Littleton (above) sprints toward a bar in the highjump competition where he finished in second place. Junior Michelle Elizondo (left) goes through her weight-throwing movements in Saturdayʼs morning field events. Elizondo finished in sixth place with a throw of 47-10 and claimed seventh place in the shot-put competition with a 41-8-meter throw.

TENNIS

Green and Orange suffers losses on the road Men fall to 3-4, women slip to 6-3 on the season By SAVANNAH S. MARTINEZ The Pan American It was an up-and-down weekend for The University of Texas-Pan American men’s and women’s tennis team in Little Rock, Ark. The women recorded a 7-0 victory Friday over Central Arkansas, but suffered two setbacks the following day to Tennessee Tech and Arkansas-Little Rock. The men gave 68th-ranked Tennessee Tech a run for their money

Saturday but came up short to a 4-3 decision. On Sunday, the Trojans of Arkansas-Little Rock handed the Broncs their fourth loss of the season. “Both teams went to Little Rock to win,” tennis coach Robert Hubbard said. “We felt that we were competitive and in a position to defeat teams farther up the food chain and/or nationally ranked like UALR and Tennessee Tech. We just came up a hair short, literally missing a win over Tennessee Tech by one point.” Despite high hopes, competition in Little Rock was fierce. In women’s singles against Tennessee Tech, Giana Oliveira lost against Kelly Holtzhausen with a score of 6-2, 6-4. Julia Cirne-Lima suffered a

loss against Diana Woodstock with a score of, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 and Mireia Cano defeated Megan Bedeau with a score of 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. In the fourth spot, Stephanie Willerding gave a valiant effort as she defeated Kay Ngiam with a 6-2, 6-2 setback. Fellow teammates Luisa Cantu and Silke Buksik each earned victories as Cantu defeated Evgenia Yartseva 6-4, 7-5, while Buksik claimed a win over Katie Barnhill 7-6(7-1), 5-7, 1-0, (10-6). “Silke Buksik and Luisa Cantu have been on fire,” Hubbard said. “Megan Bedeau, Stephanie Willerding and Sarah Burton have improved tremendously from their freshman year, and Julia Cirne-Lima and Giana Oliveira

continue to show that they are seasoned seniors handling the best players from our opponents.” Regardless of the new combinations in their plays, the men’s team showed much improvement as they came up shy of an upset over the Golden Eagles. India native Nirvick Mohinta and freshman Andrew Irving kept the fire going as they defeated Juan Gomez, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, and James Crawford with a score of 6-2, 6-2. Newcomer Marcus Dornauf was defeated by Dean O’Brien, 6-2, 6-2, while in doubles action Ivan Avila and Irving recorded an 8-3 win over O’Brien and Giovanni Vaglietti in the second flight, but sophomore Brett

Bernstein and Ashwin Vijayaragavan fell to an 8-7 decision. “Overall, I feel as though we are a young team,” Hubbard said. “We are progressing in the right direction with the near victory against the 68th ranked Tennessee Tech attests.” The Broncs will resume play tomorrow at 5 p.m. in the Coastal Bend, as they will face nationally ranked Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. They will return to the Valley for a Sunday date against Monterrey Tech at the Cimarron Country Club in McAllen. The Lady Broncs will play their first home game of the season at the Orville Cox Tennis Center Saturday against Texas State, while they join the men Sunday to face Monterrey Tech at 1:30 p.m..

February 14, 2008

Page 14 SPORTS

February 14, 2008

Page 15 SPORTS

MEN’S BASKETBALL

UTPA soars past visitors in home finale blowouts

By RAMIRO PAEZ The Pan American

home games of the season, where they said goodbye to seven seniors. The Bronc faithful witnessed a determined UTPA squad who rolled past the New Jersey Institute of Technology Higlanders Saturday, 90-64 and the Roadrunners of Cal-State Bakersfield three days later, 86-68.

After suffering from a three-game losing streak, The University of TexasPan American men’s basketball team knew no one was going to stop them from claiming victories in their final two

CAL-STATE BAKERSFIELD It took about midway through the first half for the Broncs to pick up where they left off Saturday as the Green and Orange noticeably outplayed its oppo-

Broncs improve record to 16-13 on the season

Onydia Garza/The Pan American ROLE PLAYERS - Freshman Steven Davila (middle) celebrates with teammates Ben Smith (left) and Jacob Trader (right) during Tuesday nightʼs home finale against Cal State-Bakersfield. During the final minutes of the game, Davila connected on a 3-pointer to contribute to the teamʼs romp.

## Player 32 Trader, Zach............ 04 Stoll, Paul................ 05 Burrell, Brian............ 02 Hawkins, Nathan..... 10 Jones, Emmanuel.... 15 Shankle, Dexter....... 01 Puente, Danny......... 12 Weiermiller, Nick...... 11 Franklin, Damon...... 33 Buck, Ryan.............. 24 Smith, Ben............... 20 Silva, Steven............ 40 Trader, Jacob...........

GP-GS 29-29 29-29 29-29 29-28 20-0 27-27 29-2 28-0 13-0 16-1 20-0 5-0 13-0

nent the rest of the way. Tied at 16 during the first 10 minutes of the game, UTPA went on a 23-4 run and never looked back, leaving CSUB confused. “The key word was defense,” second-year coach Tom Schuberth. “Our guys were just ready defensively.” Michigan native Paul Stoll set a career high in assists, dishing out 14 while also snagging six steals and eight points. Stoll’s assists were more than the Roadrunners’ combined (9). “That was crazy,” Stoll said. “I was definitely inspired with this being my last home game.” Five seniors led the Broncs in scoring as they combined for 68 of the team’s 86 points. Zach Trader recorded a team high of 17 points and grabbed six boards and senior guard Brian Burrell contributed 16 points and seven rebounds. NEW JERSEY TECH There couldn’t have been a better way to snap the three-game skid for the men than to win big on senior night during Saturday’s game against the Highlanders. After lackluster performances from both teams during the first half, the Broncs started a 29-6 run at the 18-minute mark of the second half which gave them a commanding 70-46 lead. The run gave Schuberth the opportunity to give minutes to his young and eager bench, which maintained the lead and finished the game, giving them the victory. “It was a game with two completely different halves,” he said. “We weren’t ready to play during the first half. It was as if we didn’t show up. We played excellent perimeter defense in the second half which helped us a lot and also had great energy off the bench which contributed to the win.” Sixth-man Emmanuel Jones came off the bench giving the Green and Orange a much needed spark with 14 points and two blocks. “Coming off the bench, I gave as

|----TOTAL----|

|-----3-PTS-----|

Min -- Avg

FG-FGA Pct

3FG-FGA Pct

977 958 958 747 369 728 320 389 63 164 100 9 43

159-313 99-208 150-376 114-211 62-120 61-127 25-64 22-52 14-23 11-20 6-33 2-8 4-9

33.7 33.0 33.0 25.8 18.5 27.0 11.0 13.9 4.8 10.3 5.0 1.8 3.3

.508 .476 .399 .540 .517 .480 .391 .423 .609 .550 .182 .250 .444

0-6 78-169 73-205 0-0 0-2 39-85 23-56 11-29 1-3 0-1 6-26 1-4 0-0

Onydia Garza/The Pan American ONE LAST TIME - Senior guard Dexter Shankle looks to make a pass over a Roadrunners defender. Shankle finished his Bronc career at home, recording 12 points. He is one of seven seniors who will leave the 2007-2008 campaign.

much energy as I could, especially after coach got on us about our slow start in the beginning,” Jones said. Jones threw down three monster dunks in the second half that seemed to set the intensity level throughout the remainder of the game. “I haven’t had those in a while. It sparked me and my teammates up to

|----REBOUNDS----| FT-FTA

Pct

Off Def Tot

Avg

PF FO

.000 89-118 .754 .462 125-148 .845 .356 27-36 .750 .000 94-161 .584 .000 50-72 .694 .459 20-33 .606 .411 8-9 .889 .379 17-17 1.000 .333 3-6 .500 .000 8-15 .533 .231 8-10 .800 .250 1-2 .500 .000 0-2 .000

51 121 172 6 71 77 37 117 154 48 69 117 30 47 77 6 53 59 4 11 15 4 27 31 3 14 17 9 16 25 2 12 14 2 0 2 2 2 4

5.9 2.7 5.3 4.0 3.9 2.2 0.5 1.1 1.3 1.6 0.7 0.4 0.3

74 76 72 76 46 67 20 30 5 28 12 2 8

2 69 65 1 14 3 213 96 4 73 2 43 68 2 38 2 13 31 2 2 0 16 19 15 10 1 47 23 3 9 0 42 20 2 8 1 35 27 0 10 0 2 8 0 1 0 9 8 1 3 0 11 5 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1

3.4

TEAM....................... Total..........................

5825

729-1564 .466

get back in the game,” the junior forward said. Stoll led UTPA with 19 points to go along with six assists and Burrell had a solid 16-point, six-rebound night with 14 of his 16 coming in the first half. The men will resume action on the road Feb. 22 at 9:05 p.m. against the Roadrunners.

232-586 .396 450-629 .715

TO Blk Stl Pts

Avg

407 14.0 401 13.8 400 13.8 322 11.1 174 8.7 181 6.7 81 2.8 72 2.6 32 2.5 30 1.9 26 1.3 6 1.2 8 0.6

254 605 859 29.6 517 12 502 377 31 170 2140 73.8

Page 16

S P O RT S

February 14, 2008

THE PAN AMERICAN

FEATURE

StatsAtAGlance

1 1

By RAMIRO PAEZ The Pan American The 2007-2008 campaign has been a rollercoaster ride for The University of Texas-Pan American men’s basketball team, as the Broncs have experienced their share of triumphs, defeats, heartbreakers and injuries this year. But at the end of the day the men remember one thing: they are the pride of UTPA. And as the Green and Orange wrap up their season finale Feb. 28 in Georgia against Savannah State University, they will say goodbye to two influential players who helped turn the program around. Senior guards Brian Burrell and Paul Stoll joined the roster at the beginning of 2006-2007, along with now second-year head coach Tom Schuberth. And although they have only been part of the UTPA family for two seasons, the pair has undoubtedly made a splash in Edinburg. “UTPA has become my home,” said Stoll, who is from Lansing, Mich. “Since Michigan is so far away, I rarely get the chance to go home and visit, therefore Bronc Village has turned into the place I look forward to coming home to on a daily basis.”

Although Burrell, a Texas native, and Stoll were born at opposite ends of the country, the two share many things in common, including a quiet, humble attitude. They each take a winning mindset to the Division I court after starting their collegiate careers at the junior-college level. Burrell began at Paris (Texas) Junior College and led the Dragons to the 2004-2005 NJCAA national championship. The following year, he helped guide the team to a 24-6 record en route to the top seed in the region. Burrell was the second leading scorer on the team and his teammates selected him Most Valuable Player. To the north, Stoll helped the Lansing Community College Stars clinch a post-season berth during his freshman year and led Region XII in free-throw percentage (89 percent) and assists per game (5.3). Schuberth came to town as head coach in 2006 and decided to add the guards to his roster; they were two guys he believed would fit into the UTPA academic and athletic system. “I had to find some young men that were kind of being under-recruited,” he said. “I found out about them because of our relationships with coaches that we

had and they felt that these were young men that were not getting the fortunes they deserved.” Schuberth said the situation worked out perfectly. “We were fortunate to have scholarships, and the coaching change came at a time that enabled us to get involved with them,” he explained. “We were excited they were available and chose to come with us.” The newcomers made their way to South Texas, adjusted to the Valley lifestyle, and now find themselves two weeks away from their final game. Burrell, one of the team’s leading scorers the past two seasons as a 6foot-3 guard, has enjoyed all experiences at UTPA from being a college student, joking around with and imitating the coaching staff or bonding with teammates. Stoll says attending UTPA will be an experience he will never forget. His dream was to play basketball at the Division I level and he got the chance from Schuberth. “He took a chance on me when nobody else would,” stressed the assist king. “And I’m just trying to make sure I don’t let him down and show him he made the right choice by signing me.”

But if you ask Schuberth, there are absolutely no regrets about that, as Stoll, the leading scorer for the Broncs along with Burrell and fellow graduating senior Zach Trader, netted a career-high 37 points Jan. 22 against Houston Baptist, recorded a career-high 12 assists against Alabama in December and is the top assist man in the nation (199). His mates realize what Stoll has meant to the squad since he arrived. “Paul is a competitor,” Burrell said. “Hands down, I’ve never met anyone who hates losing as bad as he does. He’s a very excellent player who is getting better every game.” Both players end their two-year run at UTPA feeling lucky to have had the opportunity to play Division I basketball. And they’re looking toward future ambitions. Burrell hopes to continue his basketball career at the professional level after graduating with a degree in communication studies. Stoll’s goal is to establish a good job and healthy family, valuing nothing more than simple happiness. “(UTPA) has been a great experience for me as a student as well as an athlete,” he said. “Honestly I’m lucky I had the chance to come and play here.”

Onydia Garza/The Pan American

The place the men’s distance medley team recieved at the Bayou Classic in Houston, a personal best for the season

The 2008-2009 college football preseason rank for the Texas Longhorns, according to ESPN.com

12 12

The number of UTPA baseball players who signed national letters of intent for the 2008 season

ShortSports WOMEN’S BASKETBALL It was a short-lived winning streak for The University of Texas-Pan American women’s basketball team. After snapping their seven-game losing skein with back-to-back home wins, the women traveled to the Salt Lake state in hopes of keeping the momentum going, but stumbled on Utah Valley State’s “Think Pink” day, an event to help raise breast cancer awareness. The Wolverines held UTPA and senior guard LeKeisha Gray in check as they handily defeated the Lady Broncs 70-52 Saturday afternoon. The Green and Orange fell to 10-14 on the season. The home team quickly set the tone of the game from the opening tipoff as they got off to a 10-0 start and led by 22 points at halftime. UTPA shot 31.7 percent for the game compared to State’s 50.9 percent and was outrebounded 44-28. Gray was held scoreless on 0-of-7 shooting and guard Tiona Wilson was the only Lady Bronc who scored in double figures, finishing with 11 points. With only two games and an exhibition remaining before the start of the National Independent Tournament, the Lady Broncs will return for a home date against the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Lady Islanders at 7:05 p.m. Monday.