February 21, 2008 by UTRGV Student Media

Thursday Feb. 21, 2008

59th Year No. 20

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER

NATIONAL

VOTING

Elected officials Sen. Kennedy rallies in laud early preparation for Obama voting

Obama to visit UTPA

By ABBY MUNIZ The Pan American By SANDRA GONZALEZ

that could hold 6,000 to 10,000 people, a crowd he said would have been difficult to host at the university for a number of reasons. “I told them, there’s no way 10,000 people will be able to find parking at 6 p.m. on a Wednesday,” he said. “You can find a place in some of the remote parking lots, but the main parking lots are full. Even though many students already on campus would attend the event, parking would have been a difficult task for people coming from other places in the

With the primary campaigns in full swing and early voting under way since Tuesday, elected officials stressed the importance of early voting at a press conference Monday. “The early voting will be a critical element to winning the March 4 primary elections in Texas, and we believe that up to forty percent of all votes will be cast early, so try to be one of them,” Congressman Ruben Hinojosa said. Historically, young people vote less frequently than any age group. Between 2002 and 2006, youth voter turnout did not improve much in Texas. The state ranked 49th among all states with 17 percent, 8 percent lower than the rest of the nation, according to The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. At the conference, Texas Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa encouraged young people to participate as early voters, as they are more crucial than ever. “We need young voters because they have an important opinion and that can be expressed on voting day, vote early,” he said. “Every generation has new ideas and new approaches and I would certainly encourage all our young people to get involved.” Additionally, State Rep. Veronica Gonzales, noted how Texas would play a vital part in the process, starting with early voting. “This is an exciting time for Texas,” Gonzales said. “Nobody thought Texas was going to have a role in choosing the next president for the United States, and not only do we have a role, we are key in this presidential election.” According to State Rep. Eddie Lucio III, the first day of early voting, was a success. “We set a record by doubling previous records,” Lucio said Wednesday at a rally for Senator Barack Obama in the Student Union.

See CLINTON page 11

See EARLY page 11

The Pan American

Isaac Barrientes/The Pan American

THIS WEEK

FOR OBAMA - Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy speaks with reporters following his speech at the Student Union Theater Wednesday. Kennedy talked extensively about his personal experiences with Barack Obama. The Illinois senator will speak at UTPA on Friday at 9:30 a.m. in front of the Chapel of the Lordʼs Prayer.

The Valley’s day in the media sun continues, as presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama will visit The University of Texas-Pan American Friday, Edinburg mayor Joe Ochoa announced Wednesday at a rally hosted by Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy. “I was just told a little while ago and what a great feeling,” Ochoa said, just before making the announcement to a near capacity crowd on hand see Kennedy in the Student Union Theater. “And if I had more hair I think all of it would be standing up.” Obama will speak at 9:30 a.m. in front of the Chapel of the Lord’s Prayer, a campaign official said. His visit comes just 11 days before Texas’ highly anticipated primaries March 4 where the state’s 228 delegates will be up for grabs. And it caps a frenetic week of political activity for the region. Though the fast-rising challenger has been criticized by some for promoting a message of hope while giving few details so far, Kennedy, the political vet-

See KENNEDY page 11

CAMPUS

NEWS Eastside campus lighting raises concerns See Page 3

A&E European torture exhibit hits IMAS See Page 8 & 9

SPORTS Bronc baseball season on horizon See Page 15

Clinton event held elsewhere Candidate speech moves to Dodge, parking blamed By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American Last week, The University of Texas-Pan American was all abuzz upon news that presidential candidate Hillary Clinton would be holding a rally on campus. But by Saturday it was apparent

that geographic and strategic barriers quashed those plans, according to a campus official. Clinton was initially expected to hold a rally Wednesday evening, said Dean of Students Jerry Price. He was set to meet with the campaign to finalize plans Feb. 16, but they called to inform him they had gone with Dodge Arena, where the event was held yesterday at 4 p.m. An estimated 4,000 people attended the event. Price said the Clinton campaign had been shopping around for a venue

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O PINION

February 21, 2008

THE PAN AMERICAN

SOCIAL COMMENTARY

AS I SEE IT

Enjoy the fame while it lasts

David vs. Goliath BY: RAMIRO PAEZ

these young people is squelched; the bulk of the newly involved will drift into the dead center of an apathetic public that has little faith in any political party’s capacity to set this nation on a path that bodes a more promising and inclusive future for working and middle class, and destitute Americans. Before good old Democrats let this happen, it is best to remember John F. Kennedy’s inaugural charge to the American people of his time: “Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans.” Sam Osborne Retired psychology professor

here is something interesting I noticed in the NBA. I can almost guarantee no one would disagree that since Michael Jordan was last seen as an NBA champion during the 1997-1998 season, the Eastern Conference has literally been a joke. In the last nine NBA Finals, only the Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat (from the East) have claimed the trophy. I am not taking anything away from these two teams, but the Pistons won the 2004 championship during the midst of a tormented Lakers t e a m . Shaquille O’Neal was traded the following year. Two years ago, the Dallas Mavericks suffered a complete meltdown in the Finals and witnessed the Heat celebrate the momentous occasion on their home floor. The Mavericks dominated Miami in the first two games and had Game Three all but wrapped up, however a late surge ultimately led the Florida team to its first championship. In other words, Dallas and Los Angeles could have easily lifted the Western Conference to a 9-0 advantage over the East since the ’97-98 NBA champion Bulls. And with the way the season has been going so far this year, the East has gotten even more pathetic. It’s amazing to log onto ESPN and see that only four games separate the eighth seed from the first in the West. The third seed in the East would be in the playoff hunt in the West, though they

FEBRUARY 21, 2008

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

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

THE

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

Designers Rick Gamez Juan Torres

BY: SANDRA GONZALEZ

ast Thursday, I visited the New York Times Web site like I do every morning. But that day, I was still on a journalistic high from the Hillary Clinton rally at the McAllen Convention Center the day before, so I read with a little more enthusiasm for all things news. My excitement got one more boost as I read the second page of a story about Barack Obama and John McCain and the fiery remarks toward each other. There it was: “March 4 is a turning point date,” Mrs. Clinton told the cheering crowd of more than 2,000 people at a convention center in McAllen. Before the Clinton bus rolled through the Valley, I didn’t know anyone from the Times knew where McAllen was. But now, we were on the map. That day on the press platform, I saw a man from CNN. Aside from thinking how much I wanted to suck up to him and get a job, I remember pondering the scene before me.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR To the editor: The candidacy of Barack Obama has excited a whole new generation of previously disinterested young Americans. And though this large and swelling involvement of youth should set Democratic Party members singing “Happy Days Are Here Again,” some regular and older members seem averse to joining the movement and instead expect these young people to temper their idealism and switch allegiance to a candidate of their elders’ choosing. This wave of change is not going to happen if the incipient enthusiasm of

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

Everyone in that room was excited to be there. They cared about what was about to take place. Moreover, big news organizations cared. That kind of energy is rare to find around here, especially when dealing with a political race. We were on the map. People in the audience probably weren’t the wiser about who was there from the press that day. They probably didn’t care. All they cared about was Clinton. On Friday, no one will care that CNN is standing next to the camera crew from News Channel 5. To them, it’s all the same. From the outside looking in, however, they will notice. Yes, some viewers may question if McAllen is near Houston (no, moron), but the important thing is we matter, if only for a moment. Our 15 minutes of fame will be brief. Enjoy it while you can.

You know you want to: thesandrafanclub@gmail.com

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

Savethesedates

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

would find themselves at the bottom of the pile. Boston and Detroit are the only two teams that look poised to try for a title, as they hold the best records in the NBA. They should be for playing for it all in a weak conference. Kevin Garnett, who played in the West since he entered the league in ‘95, was traded to Boston before the start of the season and now the Celtics are back, but I can only imagine if he wasn’t there. The Celtics would probably still be a team that people mock. On the other hand, the West keeps on getting stronger. Shaq was traded to the Phoenix Suns and Pau Gasol was traded to the Lakers. Even though Gasol played with the Western Conference Memphis Grizzlies, the Tennessee city might as well be considered a team in the Eastern Conference with the way it has been playing. And now there Jason Kidd coming to Dallas from New Jersey, come on it’s getting ridiculous. This situation reminds of me of the BCS system in college football. Is it fair? Should they make new conferences that mix all power teams? I haven’t heard any rumors or a potential change in the sports news, but maybe there should be action taken on this matter so quality teams from the west have equal chances of making the playoffs compared to a currently 23-30 eighth-seed east team.

Do you think the East can give the West a run for their money? Tell me 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.

February

FREE health screening games and prizes 12 a.m. to 4 p.m.

11th Annual Music Fest at La Joya ISD Performing Arts Center at 11 a.m.

Student Union Event: Bingo/Loteria 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Newsinbrief COMMUNITY On Feb. 24, The University of Texas-Pan American College of Arts and Humanities and the McAllen Chamber of Commerce will co-sponsor the premier production of a new performance work for theater by Carl Seale, a Rio Grande Valley Native and UTPA professor emeritus and conductor emeritus of the Valley Symphony Orchestra. There will be 13 musical numbers and the dances have been choreographed by Alex Ossadnik of East Germany. Ossadnik worked with the dancers this past summer and will return this February to put the wrap up the choreography. Admission is free and the event will take place at 3 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium.

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 21, 2008

N EWS

Page 3

THE PAN AMERICAN

INTERNATIONAL

Visa process complicated, some say By ANA VILLAURRUTIA The Pan American At the University of Texas-Pan American there is a diverse collection of educators and administration from across the globe. However, as borders tighten in the United States as a result of the Department of Homeland Security’s changing policies, keeping them on staff and legally in the country can become troublesome. In the fiscal year 2008, UTPA is processing or has processed 145 faculty and staff visas. The number will increase in fiscal year 2009. Zhiying Lu, a visiting professor in the modern language and literatures department, came to the university in September 2006 and received her visa through the university. Lu said she found an ad for the job on a Chinese council Web site after the department added Chinese to its list of courses. “I wanted to experience another country’s life and to teach Chinese in America,” said Lu. But getting her ticket to the States did not come easy.

See VISA page 12

CAMPUS SAFETY

Campus lighting causes concern By J.R. ORTEGA The Pan American A late-night walk from the west side campus parking lot C to the east lot R reveals two large differences in the areas. First, at night there is often a noticeable decrease in the number of cars in the lots, with the east side being nearly barren. Add inadequate lighting and you have what some professors at the Education Complex say is a possibly dangerous situation. Though the majority of students attend day classes, the night students on the east side of campus have to walk that sometimes lightless stroll back to their vehicle, raising concerns from some professors, like Peter Kranz, associate professor of educational psychology at The

able…I’m sensitive to their needs,” said Kranz. Rosalinda Hernandez, a professor in educational leadership, said many students arrive early to school when parking lots are still full, so they park far away. A problem arises, however, when night comes. At 10 p.m., when the last evening classes let out, many must walk through dark lots to their vehicles. “I think this area is probably not as lit up because we end up being close to a street and then there is like a neighborhood out

See LIGHTING page 12

Nick Dodd/The Pan American

MEMORIAM

SECURITY ISSUES

U.S. officials to speak at security conference By L. ANNE MAINOUS The Pan American On Friday, current and former members of the U.S. Intelligence Community will discuss border, national and global security topics at The University of TexasPan American Ballroom. The conference is hosted by The Integrated Global Knowledge & Understanding Collaboration program, whose goal at the university is to educate students interested in a career in any of the 16 intelligence agencies, such as the Central Intelligence Agency. The IGkNU was founded by a grant under the Intelligence Community Centers of Academic Excellence. UTPA students and faculty will be

University of Texas-Pan American. Kranz teaches a graduate course Monday night and said many students in his class agree that there is not enough lighting in Lot R and the overload parking lot, both located near the UTPA child development center. “They felt that if you park on the side streets and some of the lots it’s pretty dark in the corners, one [student] told me she wears a whistle,” he said. “Most felt the lighting was not good in many of the spots.” Kranz added that he always asks his students that if they’re parked far from campus, they should use a group or buddy system to walk to their vehicles. “I want students to feel comfort-

joined by other border universities in Texas at the event, called the Border, National and Global Security: Education for the 21st Century Conference. Coordinator Nick Weimer anticipates attendees will be educated on current and future security challenges dealing with the border, nation and world. “We are heading in a direction in the world where what happens in one country will affect all countries,” said Weimer, manager of the Center for Academic Excellence. “If the economy collapses in China it will have a strong impact here in America.” America should have a global soci-

See CONFERENCE page 12

Grad dies in chopper crash By LUPE A. FLORES The Pan American At 38, Raúl García was on top of the world. He had two sons and a wife who loved him dearly, a network of friends and colleagues who highly respected him and two careers he worked above and beyond at – one that he knew came with incalculable hazards. As chief flight nurse for Valley AirCare and house supervisor at Rio Grande Regional Hospital, García was killed Feb. 5 while on duty aboard Valley AirCare 1. He and two crew members were headed back to their base in Harlingen after the airlifting of a female patient from the South Padre Island Convention Center was aborted. The ambulance fleet of three never

made it back that night. García, a recent graduate from The University of Texas-Pan American’s nursing program, was scheduled to pursue a master’s degree this summer. Already a nurse practitioner well over a decade before being accepted into the BSN program, life-changing events inspired García to further his education and hone expertise. His next big step was to become a nurse anesthetist, but he would never get the opportunity to accomplish this educational goal. REMEMBERING RAÚL Crystal F. Stewart, a registered nurse with a bachelor of arts in biology, at Student Health Services, heard the news of her colleague’s death on televi-

sion the day after it happened. “I was in the lounge getting some water,” she said. “I was there for a couple of minutes and the news was on. They were talking about a helicopter crash, and I thought of Raul.” Seconds after tuning in, Stewart found herself dealing with the truth of García’s tragic, but heroic death. “They were going on and on… and then they said his name. I couldn’t believe it,” she remembered. He was a man everyone admired and trusted, she said. So great was his influence that anyone who heard him talk would listen. “We respected everything he had to say,” Stewart said. “Even though he had so much knowledge and so much experi-

See ALUM page 12

February 21, 2008

Page 4 NEWS

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February 21, 2008 NEWS

February 21, 2008

Page 6 NEWS

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

February 21, 2008

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THE PAN AMERICAN

I CAMPUS SCENE

I COMMUNITY

Fundraiser entwines murder and mystery Brownsville By JEANETTE PEREZ The Pan American Hors D’Oeuvres, wine and pastries lined the catered tables inside the party room of the exquisite Shary Shivers Mansion in Mission Saturday night. The 52 guests were in for a surprise as a murder case unfolded before their very eyes. It was a night of mystery, lies suspicion and murder as the 1920s Speakeasy Murder Mystery Scandal unraveled. While ultimately, murder was afoot, the scandal was a unique take on the usual school fundraiser. On behalf of The University of Texas-Pan American, director Natalie Haime found a new way to help collect money for scholarships benefiting the athletic department. “They’ve never done a murder mystery before. We do various fundraisers throughout the year but I wanted something that was a little different that forces people to go and mingle and talk to everybody at the party,” said the 2007 UTPA graduate, in her first year as PR and marketing director. “Everybody there at one point or another had to talk to everybody because they had to figure out who done it.” Haime believes fundraisers contribute to an organization but also form a chance to meet new people and share new experiences as well. “I had been to a couple of fundraisers before and although they’re fun, peo-

ple generally come in the same groups and mingle with the same people,” said the 24-year-old. “Whereas I wanted to put together something just a little different to encourage people to network and just put a different spin on a party rather than a fundraiser that’s just the same old, same old.” Haime planned out everything from decorations to RSVPS for the $80 dollar tickets, with the food and drinks provided by sponsors, Feldman’s Valleywide. The characters however, played out on their own. “A company called Murder Mystery Mania sent me all the information after I ordered the set,” said Haime, originally from Canada. “The party sort of runs itself once you get all the characters distributed. I just tried to pick the people who were doing the integral role that I knew would do a good job with it and ham it up.” The scandal was quite the array of characters; from mobsters to flappers to federal agents and professors. “We had everyone from Mole ‘The Scorpion Deluca’ to Rockefeller’s son, Calvin. Just a myriad of different people,” continued Haime. “The thief, Ed Malone, one way or another everyone knew him. After the murder happened, every character had specific information to the crime and the only person who could lie about that information was the murderer. They all had to tell the truth. But there was one person in there who was lying like the dickens.”

native adds music to Oscar and indie flicks

By LAURA GARCIA The Pan American

Ben Briones/The Pan American IN DISGUISE - Israel Silva or Charlie Chapel (as he was known throughout Saturday evening), won the award for Best Costume at the Speakeasy Scandal.

Everyone had motive and opportunity when it came down to the death of the infamous Chicago mob boss, played by recent UTPA broadcast graduate Romeo Longoria. Longoria’s role, while an important one, had to be to scrapped together rather quickly. “I got a phone call from Natalie the night before saying she needed a body. I said, ‘What does that mean you need a body,’” said Longoria with a chuckle. “She let me know about this really interesting ‘Whodunnit?’ and it just sounded like a really neat evening. I didn’t know they [EMS] were going to take off my

Ben Briones/The Pan American TURNING POINT - South Texas College student Liana Pesina takes a breather from all the drama and excitement during the murder mystery at the Shary Mansion. Pesina was one of 52 guests involved in the UTPA Athletic fundraiser Feb. 16.

shoes though, but I didn’t know I was going to die either.” Longoria’s neat evening turned into a murder investigation. Valley EMS was called upon to remove the body, thus arousing everyone’s suspicions as to who had committed the crime. Sophomore political science/psychology major Alejandra Teran was elated to be part of the first-time event. “The first thing that came to mind was Clue, so I was pretty much confused at first but once I got there it sort of all played out,” said the 19-year-old. “It was hard to get information out of the characters, but [they] were good at pointing fingers.” Even UTPA provost Paul Sale was among the suspected guests of the night. His character, federal agent Kent Harvey, was allegedly close to the murder victim. While this was Sale’s first time dressed in character, he and his wife, Kim, had already had some experience with such events. “I had done a murder mystery before, done by a professional group with professional actors where you were given clues, but there was no interaction,” said Sale. “This was much better. It was fun and a new way to bring people together to raise money.” Haime, although the hostess and information person throughout the night, felt all her group’s hard work paid off in the end. “People enjoyed it so I’m hoping that if they kind of understand what’s going on they’ll want to do it again at another point,” she said.

They’ve worked side by side with popular directors like Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. They attend red carpet events and have traveled to many places all over the world. However, they aren’t actors; they are the people behind the scenes, without whom a film could not reach the silver screen. Brownsville native Rick Del Castillo has worked on noteworthy films such as last year’s Grindhouse Planet Terror, Kill Bill Volume 2, and Spy Kids, but not in the glory of the spotlight. He works behind the action in the music booth. Del Castillo, who currently resides in Austin, has composed music for movies and has also taken on the role as co-writer along with collaborator and close friend Martina Kreidl Amende, on a short indie film titled Killing Snakes. Del Castillo credits his older brother for introducing him to the love of music; in grade school he took an interest in the drums and guitar. The duo recently celebrated a win at Park City (Utah) Music Festival Jan. 28, where they received the Gold Achievement award for best score for a short film, Killing Snakes. “We were elated, all of the hard work over the years had paid off, we are very fortunate and blessed,” said Del Castillo about the win. Killing Snakes tells the story of hard living, bad polo and lifelong friendships gone wrong. It came from a concept Amende adapted from her time spent living in Spain and New Mexico. “Coming from Europe, I glean the ideas from my travels and life and am sure I will never run out of material,” said Amende. “I played polo in the Southwest so a lot of anecdotes came to life here.” While the indie film is only a short screenplay that was entered in festivals and has been released in virtually all of Europe, as well as Morocco and Turkey, plans for a full-length feature in the States

See CASTILLO page 10

February 21, 2008

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Museum visitors in awe of artifacts

Exhibition Opens: By RUSSEN VELA The Pan American

ueen Elizabeth I of England was quoted in 1570 saying that “A man would confess to anything, under torture.” It is no surprise that Queen Elizabeth was right. It was gruesome, violent, painful and according to The International Museum of Art & Science in McAllen, a vital part of history. With its display, “Torture Instruments Through the Ages,” the museum will be showcasing infamous torture devices such as the Iron Maiden, the guillotine, and the rack. Maria Elena Macias, an assistant art professor in the art department of UTPA, is the curator for the museum. The Guadalajara native was enthusiastic about the showcase of the torture devices. “Instruments of Torture Through the Ages took almost two years of negotiations with Museo del la Toscana located in Florence, Italy, who owns the exhibit, to fine-tune details and present it to the RGV community,” Macias said. “It is an exhibit with great educational content in history, religion, philosophy, behavioral sciences, engineering, and design. It is a great example of effective creative thinking, design and engineering with the most extreme negative outcome.” Macias who has been the curator for the museum for two years, also explains that the gallery filled with the torture devices will no doubt leave the viewer in either stoned silence or great admiration. They might even discuss the different tools and compare and contrast them to discuss which one would be the most painful to bear. “Grasping the reality of the human condition and the understanding of the behavior to punish and torture a human being has nothing to do with race, period, or anything else,” Macias said. “Torture devices subdued societies by using fear as the most effective tool for change.” The torture exhibit will run until December. And this Saturday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., IMAS will host a presentation and discussion from Manuel Balbona and Rev. Sharmin DeMoss of the Center for Survivors of Torture. They will discuss types of torture

still present in the world today. HISTORY OF PAIN The Iron Maiden, which was built as an iron cabinet to torture a person by piercing the body with sharp objects such as knives, spikes, or nails, was also a torture in itself because the convicted or victim of the iron maiden was forced to remain standing. The condemned bled profusely and was weakened slowly, eventually dying because of blood loss, or perhaps asphyxiation. It is often associated with the Middle Ages, but in fact was not invented until the 19th century. Natalive Sandoval, a junior psychology major was both entranced and disturbed by the design of the Iron Maiden. “When you look at it from the outside, it looks like a beautiful coffin made for an Empress or a Princess,” Sandoval said. However when the Iron Maiden was opened to reveal its deadly purpose, the 22-year-old Edinburg native felt betrayed by its beauty. “Once it opened it up, I was just in shock. To see something so beautiful in the outside and so deadly in the inside just proves that beauty can be deceiving and fatal.” T The Iron Maiden may seem to look like a torture device, but like her arch rival the Guillotine, it was designed to kill someone instead of torture them. The guillotine was made in 1788 as a device for carrying out executions by decapitation. It consisted of a tall upright frame from which a heavy blade was suspended. This blade was raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the victim’s head from his or her body. The device is noted for long being the main method of execution in France and, more particularly, for its use during the French Revolution. It was known throughout the world as the “Terror.” The guillotine claimed the lives of an estimated

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February 21, 2008

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Nick Dodd/The Pan American BARBARIC - The IMAS Torture Collection offers the audience four rooms of torture and execution devices used throughout history.

15,000 and 40,000 along with some high-profile victims such as King Louis XVI, his wife Queen Marie Antoinette, and the leader of the French Revolution, Maximilien Robespierre. Sarah Almaraz, a sophomore dance major, supported Fresquez’s theory about the device not truly being a torture device. “That thing was made to kill people,” Almaraz said. “I don’t know how that could torture somebody. To me, it seems like a quick painless death.” In fact, the guillotine was constructed to be a quick execution device. The basis for the machine’s success was the belief that it was a humane form of execution, contrasting with the methods used in pre-revolutionary France. Before the guillotine, members of the nobility were beheaded with a sword or axe (a technique used to execute Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn), while commoners were usually hanged. This form of execution could take minutes or longer. Other gruesome methods of death were also used, such as the wheel or burning at the stake. In the case of decapitation by the sword or axe, it sometimes took repeated blows to sever the head completely. The family of the condemned would sometimes pay the executioner to ensure that the blade was sharp, in order to provide for a quick and relatively painless death. The guillotine was thus supposed to deliver an immediate death without risk of misses. Furthermore, having only one method of execution was seen as an expression of equality among citizens. The rack was an ancient tradition dating back to Medieval Great Britain. The torture device consisted of an oblong rectangular, usually wooden frame, slightly raised from the ground. It had a roller at one, or both,

ends, having at one end a fixed bar to which the legs were fastened, and at the other a movable bar to which the hands were tied. The victim’s feet were fastened to one roller, and the wrists to the other. As the interrogation progressed, a handle and ratchet attached to the top roller were used to very gradually increase the tension on the chains, which induced excruciating, hard-hitting pain as the victim’s joints slowly dislocated. By means of pulleys and levers this latter could be rolled on its own axis, thus straining the ropes till the sufferer’s joints were dislocated. “Once muscle fibers have been stretched past a certain point they lose their ability to contract, so the victims who were released had problems with dislocation in their muscles,” said Ruben Morin, sophomore biology major. “It was so gruesome, I mean I would rather just get my head chopped off than go through the pain of that.” Because of its mechanically precise, graded operation, it was particularly suited for hard interrogation, to extract a confession. One gruesome aspect of being stretched too far on the rack was the loud popping noises made by snapping cartilage, ligaments or bones. Jennah Palacios, a freshman criminal justice major, said the thought of the device is chilling. “Imagine having your arms, your legs, just everything being stretched to a limit where the pain is just excruciating that you were actually begging for death,” the McAllen native said. “When you see it happen in old movies, you can almost hear the popping of the bones, or the ligaments being torn, I get dizzy just thinking about it.” Eventually, if the application of the rack was continued, the victim’s limbs were ripped right off. One powerful method for putting pressure upon a prisoner was to merely force him to view someone else being subjected to the rack. A person stretched on the rack presented a spectacle of the body in pain. General admission rates are $5 for adults, $4 for students and seniors, $3 for children ages 3 to 13, and $2 for all on Sunday. Children under age 3 get in free.

February 21, 2008

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Museum visitors in awe of artifacts

Exhibition Opens: By RUSSEN VELA The Pan American

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February 21, 2008

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Nick Dodd/The Pan American BARBARIC - The IMAS Torture Collection offers the audience four rooms of torture and execution devices used throughout history.

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February 21, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

I MOVIE REVIEW

Time travel with Liman’s latest, Jumper By RUSSEN VELA The Pan American Doug Liman is possibly our generation’s James Cameron. His films exude and radiate espionage worlds filled with mischief, sex and, of course, a great plot line. His works have included Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the blockbuster of 2005 starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, and his first hit The Bourne Identity in 2002. His new film Jumper, starring Hayden Christensen (the last two Star Wars prequels) Rachel Bilson (The O.C.) and Jamie Bell (King Kong, Billy Elliot) is an extraordinary film which will leave audiences breathless with its cinematography, vast in-your-face plot line, and originality. A genetic anomaly allows David Rice (Christensen) to teleport himself anywhere. He discovers this gift has existed for centuries and finds himself in a war that has been raging for thousands of years between “Jumpers” and those who have sworn to kill them. Sure that may sound silly, but the plot gets better. David soon figures out he’s being chased by Roland (Samuel Jackson) a “Paladin” who spends his life exterminating Jumpers. He finds out other Jumpers exist when Griffin (Jamie Bell) pops out of nowhere and warns him of

the foreseeable destruction. Christensen, who has improved his acting skills since the Star Wars prequels, does a fine job as David. In the beginning of the film David is a confused boy tormented by school mates (doesn’t almost every superhero in his younger years) and is left alone to fend for himself when his mother abandons him. When he finds powers to teleporting almost anywhere in the world, his confidence builds and he becomes what superheroes almost always do, a bad-ass with super cool powers, an awesome house (or in this case an awesome loft) and a hot girlfriend. Rachel Bilson of the hit television series The O.C. makes a good impression as David’s love interest Millie, but the script does nothing in her favor. Sure people get to connect with her and David, but at some moments in the film Bilson tends to overact, and makes the audience feel they are watching an episode of The O.C. In her previous film The Last Kiss starring Zac Braff, Bilson made an entrance and was actually quite good, but in Jumper she falls in the superhero love-interest nest, where all she does is scream, kiss her superhero hubby, and scream some more. The standout in Jumper is British

actor Jamie Bell, one-time paramour of actress Evan Rachel Wood. His character, Griffin, is the only one who comes off as capable and competent. In other words, he steals the movie from Christensen. Griffin is also a Jumper, but he doesn’t take it to the extreme. In the quieter moments he soars as an actor: shame on the producers for casting him as the sidekick and not the leading hero! Jumper has all the pieces of an exciting, engaging supernatural fun-fest including exotic locations, cool hightech toys and sweet special effects. Liman, no stranger to making his films feel other-worldly, shot this one on locations like Egypt, Rome, Greece and Alaska, and the cinematography is to die for. Barry Peterson, who shot such movies as Starsky and Hutch and Zoolander, is in another league with Jumper. He captures the moment so precisely that you can almost feel that you are there with David or Griffin in those exotic locations. You can breathe the air in Egypt, and you can smell the Tuscan herbs in Rome. If this had been released sooner it would no doubt be in contention as Best Cinematography at the Academy awards. The superhero aspect of the film has UTPA student, Jeanna Guerra look-

ing forward to the flick. “I am really excited to see this film,” said 21-year-old Guerra, a junior nursing major. “I am really into superhero movies, and this one looks like it will be an update on that genre, which really needed new and original material. I am glad this doesn’t look like a generic superhero movie that we are given all the time.” Given all the worn-out genre retreads Hollywood turns out these days, it’s nice to see that Jumper is a real breath of fresh air. It comes up with some fun and interesting ways to use teleporting in combat. The ending, however, resolves little and obviously sets the scene for a sequel.

jumperthemovie.com TIME AND SPACE - David Rice,

Hayden Christensen’s character, jumps through time in Doug Liman’s new supernatural flick, Jumper.

CASTILLO continued from page 7 are in the works. This is the first major project Del Castillo has composed an original score for. For some of Rodriguez’s past films, he worked on music cues, which are pieces of music designed for a specific scene, usually written by the director. Aside from his day job, he is also in a band with his older brother called Del Castillo, playing a style that is a cross between flamenco and rock. They sometimes play with Rodriguez and are known as Chingon, a loose term for Rodriguez’s band containing members of various bands. Working in Hollywood alongside big-time players, Del Castillo has observed how Hispanics are gaining momentum in the film industry. “Robert Rodriguez has been a huge catalyst in his involvement with Latinos making a name for themselves in Hollywood,” said Del Castillo. Both also support and admire fellow Latinos in the entertainment industry. “We both personally and professionally agree on Guillermo del Toro and the Spanish artists — including Antonio Banderas,” said Del Castillo. Though no plans are currently in place, Del Castillo said there is still a possibility of a Valley premiere for the fulllength Killing Snakes feature.

Page 11

February 21, 2008

NEWS

KENNEDY continued from page 1 eran who endorsed Obama in late January, said he’s experienced Obama’s plans in action. “I have seen what he had done in Chicago as a local organizer and how committed he was to the education of young people, how sensitive he was to the problems of school drop outs and how sensitive he was to those who could not find their way through the application for student help and assistance,” said Kennedy, chair of the Senate Education Committee. “They were basically being discouraged from continuing their education. I said ‘this is a person who is committed to good quality education for all people.’” Kennedy, who first came to the Valley nearly 50 years ago with the Viva Kennedy campaign of his brother, praised students at UTPA for setting “an extraordinary pathway” for the rest of the nation, saying they “understand that this school can give you a second chance or third chance to get an education and get your degree and give you a new opportunity for the future.” The venerable Democrat continued on this theme, saying, “But we do not do enough. We do not provide enough help, encouragement or assistance at the

national level.” Aside from Obama’s dedication to education, Kennedy said in a press conference after the event that he admires the candidate’s ability to rally people. “He inspires because he is able to lead the discussion about the issues that face this country in a way that brings people together,” he said. With “the eyes of the world” upon the state, Kennedy said it is time for Texans to rally together in support of the junior senator. “You not only have an opportunity to select the Democratic nominee, but really select the next president of the United States,” he suggested. Obama leads Clinton in delegates heading into March 4, and had won 10 straight primaries through midweek. Parking for the Obama event will be available at the old Haggar warehouse, located at the corner of Closner Blvd. and Freddy Gonzalez Drive, according to The Monitor. Shuttles will be available to take people from there to campus, sidestepping the parking problem that caused the Hillary Clinton campaign to decide on the Dodge Arena last week instead of UTPA for her speech venue.

Onydia Garza/The Pan American SUPPORT - Sen. Ted Kennedy endorsed presidential candidate Barack Obama in late January. At the rally Wednesday, several local elected officials publicly announced their own endorsements, among them Edinburg Mayor Joe Ochoa (left) and State Rep. Eddie Lucio III.

CLINTON continued from page 1 Valley, Price said, adding that at one point he had suggested busing in people from an off-campus parking location. “I told them, ‘let’s say there were 10,000 people, about 2,000 would come from students already on campus, but the rest will get frustrated because there would be no place to park,’” he said.

Location also presented a problem. The expected crowd was much larger than the Field House capacity of roughly 4,000, and the campaign was hesitant about holding the event in the Quad due to weather unpredictability, Price said. While a public university can not officially host any political event or

EARLY continued from page 1 rally, Price said when students take the lead it sets a good example. “So I’m glad when any student organization is able to host these kinds of events,” he said. “And I think because of when Texas holds the primaries, we haven’t had that much excitement. This is a great opportunity.”

Sidney Meadows/The Pan American RALLY - Sen. Hillary Clinton addresses an estimated crowd of 4,000 Wednesday night at Dodge Arena. UTPA had been considered as a venue for the event, but parking limitations ultimately curtailed those plans. Last Wednesday, Clinton spoke at the McAllen Convention Center.

At the same event, Edinburg mayor Joe Ochoa emphasized that voting should continue to be important to the community. “We the people are the ones who make a difference. We are the ones who elect the individuals,” Ochoa said. “We need each and every one of you to get your friends, family, co-workers; anyone you can pick off the street and [take them to] vote.” Early primary voting started Tuesday and will run until Feb. 29, with the actual primaries scheduled for March 4. To be able to register in Texas, an individual must be a U.S. citizen and resident of the United States, be 18 years of age, and have not been convicted of a

felony or declared mentally incapacitated by a court of law. People are advised to bring their voter registration card, although it is not required. Registered voters may vote without a card, but must provide a picture ID such as a driver’s license or a birth certificate. They can even use a current utility bill or official mail from a government entity addressed specifically to them in order to vote. Students at The University of Texas-Pan American can vote at the UTPA Library, the Old Hidalgo County Tax Office and the Elections Office in Edinburg from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day except Sunday when it is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

February 21, 2008

Page 12 NEWS

LIGHTING continued from page 3

CONFERENCE continued from page 3

there,” she said. “I think lighting needs to really be looked at for safety of our students.” Hernandez said she does not carry a form of self defense; her keys are always in hand and she is constantly aware of surroundings when walking to her vehicle. “I hope we don’t get to that stage at the university that we have to do something like that,” she said. Velmi Chavez, a 20-year-old psychology major, has two night classes a week but after the stabbing incident this past January in parking lot C that left one student injured, will schedule her classes differently in the future. “I usually try and park as close as I can,” said Chavez. “I try to get work done early if I can and not be here so late.” Chavez said the lighting situation is okay, but if it were improved, walking to your vehicle at night would not be scary. She added that an increase in security around parking lot R could also help.

ety perspective instead of thinking only about U.S. issues, he said. Keynote speaker James Olson, a former CIA agent for over 25 years and author of “Fair Play: The Moral Dilemmas of Spying,” will be discussing ethics of field agents in the intelligence community. He believes the conference’s topics on security are relevant to all Americans. “I think these are really important issues for our country, I think we need to have a debate on them,” Olson said.

TWO-PART EFFORT Richard Costello, director of environmental health and safety, said that his department, in conjunction with the Physical Plant, has been comparing lighting levels around campus to address standards established by the Illuminating

Engineering Society of North America. “We identified areas of campus that need additional or improved lighting, and made some improvements, however, there are some parts of the campus that are still poorly lit,” he said. Some improvements include newer lighting near the Student Union and adjacent to the library. For the Education Complex parking lot, Costello said adding more lighting is not likely. The area cannot exceed a certain light illumination because of the residential area across the parking lot and the drivers that could be blinded. According to Costello, the university is planning to add accent lighting, which will not only help beautify the campus but also add to security. He added he noticed students driving fast through parking lots or constantly on their cell phones not paying attention to their surroundings, noting that this can also lead to a more dangerous situation. Joe Loya, UTPA assistant police chief, said students and faculty should use the UTPA-PD escort service if they feel uncomfortable walking to their car alone. “Crimes are going to occur,” he said. “We attempt to educate the community in theft prevention and safety awareness at various crime prevention events throughout the year.”

However, meeting security challenges implies cost, Olson acknowledges. “There is a real danger in fighting terror that we will end up doing some things that we wouldn’t be proud of afterwards,” Olson said. Eliot Jardines, another speaker at the all-day conference, is the intelligence community’s Open Source senior officer. He will be talking about Open Source, a database used by the CIA as a research tool for analysts; it contains all Web information and publications, non-

confidential information. Jardines wants to offer the service to UTPA faculty and students, and to establish an Open Source lab on campus that would be the first in the nation. Weimer says those who get clearance to use Open Source will be able to use the lab for research purposes. Entry to the event will be free. It will take place Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and those interested should preregister with Vicki Castellano at (956) 292-7829.

ALUM continued from page 3 ence, he was humble… not at all was he arrogant, though he had all the reason in the world to be.” Stewart, who began the BSN program with Garcia and five other RNs with associate degrees during the spring of 2007, said his stories about working two jobs, supporting a family and dealing with death and the dying helped her and her classmates understand his respectable life and work ethic. “(Aside from nursing) he would talk a lot about his kids, and how having them changed his perspective on life,” she said. “He knew that life was too short because he dealt with that every day, so

he inspired us to seize the moment, and do what we were meant to do.” A HERO TO ALL An only child born and raised in Laredo, Garcia never had a maternal sibling, but his nobility, humility and eagerness to teach and save the world allowed many people to enter his life and proudly deem him the big brother who kept them going. One such person is Omar Almaguer, director of the emergency room at Doctor’s Hospital at Renaissance, who also met Garcia last year. “He would talk anyone who

thought of quitting the program out of that state of mind,” Almaguer said. “He was a very encouraging guy who would say, ‘Andale! Why are you gonna quit now? Te falta bien poquito! (You have so little left).’” As Almaguer recalls, Garcia was encouraging and impacting even to the clerks and techs that had class with him, people whom he saw as equally important in the nursing field. “I remember him saying that working with the (sickly) and seeing the dead in the levels he did really convinced him there was a God… that there is something beyond,” Stewart said.

Perez said the seminars were held once a year in the past, but hopes to host four starting this year.

need to hurry up, and the money is low,” Cisneros said. “We need to find out where the money to pay for them is going to come from.” All departments and employees (beneficiaries), dependent on the situation, are given the option to pay a $1,000 optional premium processing fee if a visa cannot be processed before the employee’s start date, which can pose a problem. Barnabas Bede, an assistant professor in the math department from Romania, said the department paid the premium processing fee for his last visa. Bede added that jobs in America pay more and is now considering permanent residency, which

is also handled through UTPA. Meanwhile, Lu hopes to keep teaching the Chinese language and culture at the university, but said that it is up to the Chinese Council and UTPA to see that she stays in the U.S. “I wish because we have 60 students enrolled, I wish to have more classes in the summer,” she said. The process is lengthy and unpredictable, but Perez said that the best way to handle visas and residencies is to keep in touch with human resources. For more information on the process, refer to HOP policy 7.2.5, entitled “Hiring of Foreign Nationals.”

VISA continued from page 3 “It’s boring,” she said. “You’re supposed to prepare so many documents and have an interview by the telephone and then they will deny you.” Lu added she was denied a visa the second time she applied as well. Gilbert Perez, human resources associate for Immigration Services, is in charge of submitting all of the university’s staff and faculty papers for visas to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a department within Homeland Security. Perez said HR processes about 60 petitions a semester and employees are starting to offer seminars to demystify

the process of bringing in international employees. “For the department chairs, the secretaries were trying to educate them so that they know what needs to be submitted into my office and so we don’t have any delays,” Perez said. Reasons for delays include missing signatures, missing documents and sudden policy changes from the USCIS, all which can prevent an employee from starting on the job. “USCIS makes changes constantly so I have to view their Web site daily and go over a form that may need to change,” Perez explained.

LEARNING THE ROPES Several secretaries and professors around campus are better preparing themselves to deal with any visa issues that may come up at their department. Maria Lisa Cisneros, secretary for the math department, said they are running into problems as they renew three professor visas which expire at the end of the semester. “We need to know as far as sponsoring teachers, what’s the timeline. We

Page 13

February 21, 2008 SPORTS

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Game-ending steal snubs Lady Broncs at home Free throws plague UTPA in three-point loss By RAMIRO PAEZ The Pan American With 1:16 remaining in the game, University of Texas-Pan American women’s basketball center Robin Garrett found herself at the free-throw line to potentially tie the game at 58 against Coastal Bend foe Texas A&MCorpus Christi. The foul angered Lady Islander coach Robert Robinson as he turned to his bench and yelled, “I said no foul.” What he did not know was that the foul ultimately led to the demise of the Lady Broncs as the visiting team handed the women their second straight loss in a thrilling 60-57 defeat Monday. The loss dropped UTPA to 10-15 on the season. “We struggled all night,” women’s coach DeAnn Craft said. “We could not turn some steals into points in the second half and again we relied on senior leadership. I feel for our kids; they laid it all out on the floor. LeKeisha Gray wanted this so bad and she did not have a good game tonight, but we wouldn’t trade her for anything.” Indeed Gray was held to under double digits for the second consecutive

time as she went 3 of 14 from the field, netting just six points, well under her team-leading average of 14.7 points. But back to Garrett. She connected on her first free-throw attempt but missed the second, giving Corpus a onepoint advantage. Deziree Green collected the rebound for the Lady Islanders and Adrienne Scott made a 2-point jumper for a 60-57 lead with 46 ticks remaining. The Lady Broncs were fouled once again the next trip down the court, frustrating Robinson on the sideline. While junior guard Teshay Winfrey could not connect on her two free throws, Gray kept the women alive with a pivotal rebound. Craft called a timeout to set up a play that was designed for Winfrey, but UTPA never got a shot off as Green nabbed the ball from Gray with three seconds, ending the game. “We drew up a play but we just couldn’t finish it,” said Winfrey, who scored 12 points and garnered three rebounds. “I think it was my fault but my teammates are encouraging me. I think if we would have done what we were supposed to do in the end, the outcome would have been different.” The free-throw category was the fallout for the women as the Lady Islanders shot 93.3 percent at the line (14 for 15), while UTPA went 10 for 19. The Green and Orange had been shooting 64 percent for the season. “If we would have just made our

Onydia Garza/The Pan American EYEING THE COURT - Tiona Wilson looks to advance the ball past midcourt in Monday nightʼs game against Texas A&MCorpus Christi. The senior guard recorded eight points, including 2 of 6 from behind the arc, in 39 minutes of action.

free throws it would have been different,” Winfrey said. “We would have come out with the win.” Garrett, who has been coming on lately, was one of two Lady Broncs in double figures, scoring a career-high 22

points and collecting eight rebounds on 7-of-11 shooting. Tiona Wilson recorded eight points and added five assists. The women will conclude the regular season Saturday at 9:05 p.m. on the West Coast as they travel to Cal State-

|-----TOTAL----| |-----3-PTS------| ## Player

GP-GS Min---Avg FG-FGA

03 05 10 13 14 15 21 23 24 25 30 31 32 33 52

25-21 18-0 25-25 19-5 12-0 24-10 21-0 21-10 24-20 24-9 13-1 15-1 13-7 22-3 25-13

642 91 871 201 58 424 221 332 388 437 88 162 214 324 597

5050

Wilson, Tiona........... Sessions, Janita...... Gray, LeKeisha........ Walker, Jessica....... Cottrell, Michelle...... Vaughn, Tamara...... Kostacky, Danielle... Winfrey, Teshay....... Garrett, Robin.......... Jean, Rose Esther... Woodard, La'Shae... Schneider, Taylor..... Erlingsdottir, Mari..... Ramirez, Cinthia...... Grigsby, Aleeya.......

Total...........................

Pct 3FG-FGA

25.7 62-136 .456 5.1 8-21 .381 34.8 128-323 .396 10.6 14-47 .298 4.8 5-13 .385 17.7 56-140 .400 10.5 9-25 .360 15.8 41-104 .394 16.2 49-106 .462 18.2 52-112 .464 6.8 8-22 .364 10.8 10-21 .476 16.5 22-71 .310 14.7 13-36 .361 23.9 49-120 .408

44-94 0-0 60-174 6-20 1-7 21-62 2-9 14-50 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-3 0-13 6-17 6-22

526-1297 .406 161-471

Pct .468 .000 .345 .300 .143 .339 .222 .280 .000 .000 .000 .333 .000 .353 .273

Bakersfield. The Lady Broncs return to the Field House for an exhibition game March 1 against Houston Baptist at 2:05 p.m. before hosting the three-day National Independent Tournament five days later.

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

Off

Def Tot

Avg

PF FO A

TO Blk

Stl

22-28 2-5 51-72 9-12 2-2 15-18 9-10 21-30 39-66 18-44 3-6 1-1 20-25 1-3 27-53

14 5 21 10 3 11 5 29 27 22 9 9 5 4 41

47 61 7 12 81 102 16 26 4 7 36 47 22 27 38 67 47 74 47 69 18 27 6 15 21 26 25 29 70 111

2.4 0.7 4.1 1.4 0.6 2.0 1.3 3.2 3.1 2.9 2.1 1.0 2.0 1.3 4.4

53 3 37 8 2 28 19 28 55 51 4 14 18 14 48

61 3 13 0 81 1 12 2 8 0 26 5 10 5 39 4 41 4 26 15 8 2 13 1 21 2 18 0 63 4

32 5 50 4 4 12 2 16 9 28 3 4 0 7 12

.786 .400 .708 .750 1.000 .833 .900 .700 .591 .409 .500 1.000 .800 .333 .509

.342 240-375 .640 272

3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1

547 819 32.8 382 6

62 5 87 7 8 36 7 21 10 27 3 14 10 26 24

347 464 48

Pts

Avg

190 7.6 18 1.0 367 14.7 43 2.3 13 1.1 148 6.2 29 1.4 117 5.6 137 5.7 122 5.1 19 1.5 22 1.5 64 4.9 33 1.5 131 5.2

188 1453 58.1

February 21, 2008

Page 14 SPORTS

February 21, 2008

Page 15 SPORTS

BASEBALL

Broncs ready to begin 2008 with newcomers, experience UTPA looks to rebuild after1739 campaign By RAMIRO PAEZ The Pan American It’s a year that some might not remember, but in 1971 the University of Texas-Pan American’s baseball team posted its best season in the program’s 53-year history. Under the helm of Al Ogletree, the legendary coach led the Broncs, then called Pan American University, to the College World Series en route to a fourth-place national finish. To kick off the 2008 campaign Saturday, the Green and Orange will honor the UTPA Hall of Famer with the two-day Al Ogletree Classic Tournament. And after a long, hard-fought 17-39 season a year ago, excitement and anticipation are building around the new-look Broncs as head coach Willie Gawlik returns for his fifth year. “We’re excited about the upcoming season,” Gawlik said. “We pretty much got a new team and old ones from last year that are going to make big contributions. We got a lot of new guys, a lot of new faces to go along with the old experience, so we’re excited about those things.”

Indeed, UTPA will have to build around a new nucleus this year after losing 20 players from the roster a season ago, including eight pitchers. Former Bronc standouts Josh Wymer and relief pitcher Ray Silva left after successful senior seasons. Silva is now a member of the Johnson City Cardinals, an affiliate team of the St. Louis Cardinals, after signing a minor league contract over the summer. Two more former players join Silva in the minor league ranks as catcher Osiel Flores and home-run leader Patrick Brooks signed free agent contracts with affiliate teams of the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs, respectively. But it’s time to wave farewell to the past as 2008 brings familiar faces, an assortment of changes and new level of expectation. AT THE PLATE With another tough schedule ahead, the Broncs will feature 31 players, with 13 returning from 2007. Second-year outfielder Roly Gonzalez returns to guide the bunch after leading in seven categories last year, including batting average (.342). In 43 starts and 158 at bats, the Miami, Fla., native took it to opponents as he drove in 23 runs, scored 31 and recorded 54 hits. “I think we got a lot of new, incom-

Onydia Garza/The Pan American TOP BRONC - Senior pitcher Cody Cisper will look to lead the pitching corps on the mound this year. The Oklahoma native started 10 games for the Broncs and recorded an ERA of 9.29 during his junior year.

Onydia Garza/The Pan American HURRYING HOME - Senior outfielder Roly Gonzalez looks to slide home before catcher Nick Spears tags him out during the three-game Green and White series that took place in mid-November. Gonzalez and Spears will spearhead the teamʼs 2008 season.

ing players who are going to contribute to the team,” Gonzalez said. “I think we have some experience with the seniors that are returning and who got some playing time last year. It will help set the tone for everybody.” McAllen native Abraham Garcia and senior Matt Guzman also look to make an impact offensively as they finished fourth (.258) and sixth (.230) respectively in batting average a season ago. ON THE MOUND Productivity from the pitcher’s mound will have to be reinforced fast as the team faces the challenge of replacing eight players. Senior Matt Shepard returns after posting a 2-6 record and striking out 36 batters in 14 appearances. He finished his junior season with a 7.66 earned run average in 49.2 innings pitched. With 26 strikeouts under his belt in his first year with the Broncs, Cody Cisper recorded no wins in seven starts, but Gawlik expects the senior pitcher to make an impact. Edinburg local Philip Rodriguez enters his final season with the Green and Orange after appearing in 12 games on the mound last year. He recorded 14 strikeouts, including a personal best of five strikeouts on March 3 against Stephen F. Austin. He held opponents to a .329 batting average. “We have a number of guys that got good experience from last year and the key thing between last year and this year is the work ethic,” Rodriguez said. “They know they have to overcome adversity so they work harder. We got some new guys who come from good, winning programs so we’re going to try

to pass on our work ethic and be example to the younger guys.” NEWCOMERS With 20 players departed from 2007, Gawlik brings 18 newcomers who will suit up this season. Ten of the 18 players signed national letters of intent from May through August and six look to compete for playing time on the mound. Kankakee Community College transfer Seth Brevard, a junior, leads the pack after finishing with a 1.37 earned run average in 34 appearances on the mound with the Cavaliers. He recorded 55 strikeouts and 12 saves in 39.1 innings pitched. Freshman David DeLeon, a product of Corpus Christi Calallen High School, is a lefthanded pitcher who went 8-0 in his senior season with the Wildcats. At third base, four-year starter Ruben Shives Jr. receives help from sophomore Ryan Vest, who comes out of La Porte, Texas. Look for the duo of Nick Spears and first-year Bronc Jordan Rutenbar to call the shots behind the plate as they replace Flores. And after the departure of Dominic Tognetti and Zach Smith at first base, La Joya native Esquiel Garza and Tyler Junior College transfer Billy Donaho will compete for the starting nod. “It’s not just one guy, there’s a bunch of guys who will make some contributions,” Gawlik said. “It would be hard to single out one guy because we’re looking at everybody to make contributions.” Players will not be the only new additions to the Bronc roster as two new assistant coaches join Gawlik in the dugout.

Gene Salazar comes from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi where he served as an interim head coach. Before joining the Islanders, the Texas native was the head coach at St. Edward’s University and finished with a .513 winning percentage. Pitching coach Patrick Hon brings success to UTPA as his former teams, Uniondale College and Newman University, were among the leaders in earned run averages in their respective conferences. Despite all the challenges faced ahead with a young team, Gawlik expects an exciting year. “We’re young and we’re going to be competitive, there’s no doubt,” said the UTPA alum, an outfielder on the legendary 1971 group. “We’re going to play a very challenging schedule just as we normally do. We’re not going to play a weak schedule and that makes us better.”

Baseball February Schedule Al Ogletree Classic Feb. 23 Texas A&M Corpus Christi Edinburg Baseball Stadium 5 p.m. Stephen F. Austin Edinburg Baseball Stadium 8:30 p.m. Feb. 24 Sam Houston State Edinburg Baseball Stadium 8:30 p.m. Feb. 26 @ Texas Austin

2:30 p.m.

Feb. 27 @ Texas Austin

2:30 p.m.

Feb. 29 Jackson State Jackson, MS

3 p.m.

Page 16

S P O RT S

February 21, 2008

THE PAN AMERICAN

FEATURE

StatsAtAGlance

25 25

By ALVARO BALDERAS The Pan American “Everything happens for a reason” is a phrase that has always been in the mind of University of Texas-Pan American baseball pitcher Philip Rodriguez. Along with his faith, it can also describe the reason for his success up to this point as he has gone through hardships and adversity during his young life. The Edinburg local has learned to leave both positive and negatives behind, helping him concentrate on what is ahead and continue walking the line. It has helped him become what he has always strived to be, a positive example to others. Rodriguez, a senior general studies major, graduated from Edinburg North in 2003 as an outstanding three-sport athlete (basketball, baseball and football). During his senior year as a baseball player, he captured first team AllDistrict 31-5A honors, All-Rio Grande Valley honors, and was selected to compete in the South Texas All-Star Game. He was also selected second team All-

District 31-5A as a football quarterback. At the time, football was his passion and felt the sport was worth pursuing in college. The senior had recruiters from universities such as Baylor and Iowa keeping a close watch on him as the Cougar quarterback, but unfortunately during the first game of his anticipated senior year, Rodriguez suffered a broken right leg. Just like that, his goals and dreams of playing Division 1 football went into a tailspin. He turned to his Christian faith along with enormous support from parents and younger siblings in order to get through the sorrow. Rodriguez made a speedy recovery to play the last four games of the season but by then, the recruiters were not showing up anymore. Rodriguez credits spirituality for his recovery, and also as the reason he ended up playing baseball for UTPA. “Whenever there’s a door closed another one opens, is the way I looked at it,” Rodriguez said. “Football wasn’t it. God had different plans for me.” He grew up in a religious family and prides himself in always setting a positive example for friends and teammates.

“I want people to look up to me in a positive light,” says Rodriguez. “Not just as a baseball player but as a person I’d want people to come to for advice.” His journey to UTPA plus his faith in God also led to meeting the woman who is now his wife, Shanda Nichole Rodriguez, during his freshmen year. “I knew that there was a reason I should come here,” he recalled. “As it turned out, coming to UTPA gave me the opportunity to meet my wife and develop some close relationships with friends that I’ll keep for the rest of my life.” One of those friendships is with teammate and close friend Abraham Garcia, an infielder with the Broncs. Garcia credits Rodriguez for his decision to play baseball for the school. “Phillip is not just a great baseball player but a great person too,” says the junior second baseman from McAllen. “He’s one of the most dedicated people

you’ll see whether it be at school, baseball or church. He‘s a major reason why I decided to play for Pan Am.” Coach Willie Gawlik also recognizes Rodriguez’s well-rounded persona and he’s expecting the Edinburg native to contribute leadership to the team while also providing results on the mound. “Phillips’ been around the block,” Gawlik said. “He’s had a good fall and spring that we’re looking for him to make big contributions to the team this season.” A season ago, the junior ranked fifth among Bronc pitchers with an earned run average of 7.02 in 12 appearances. Rodriguez will graduate this summer and will always have a dream of playing professionally. But if life takes him in a different direction, he plans to pursue a kinesiology certification and get into coaching in the Valley, to set an example for children.

The day the women’s golf team will travel to Corpus Christi to compete in the Islander Spring Classic

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The margin of points as No. 7 Texas defeated No. 22 Texas A&M in Monday’s Big XII basketball game

ShortSports TRACK & FIELD It was the final preparation indoor meet for the University of Texas-Pan American men’s and women’s track team and has been the pattern this year, records were broken. The men’s relay traveled to the Gulf Coast Saturday to compete in Houston at the UH/All Comers Meet. Its distance medley relay team, consisting of senior Luis Nava, Edinburg native Wally Gonzalez, junior J.J. Hernandez and Gilroy Martinez, continued dominance by breaking its record for the third time this season, running first in the meet with a time of 10:12.63. Sophomore Vanessa Brown traveled to Fayetteville, Ark., to compete in the Tyson Invitational and broke her Feb. 9 record of 25.40 in the 200 with a 25.0. The teams will travel to Boston Saturday for the USA Indoor Championships, and then looks forward to the start of the outdoor campaign.

TENNIS

Onydia Garza/The Pan American

It was their second home game of the season and The University of TexasPan American women’s tennis team couldn’t have asked for a better opponent to upset than the Texas State Lady Bobcats. The women improved their record to 6-3 Saturday by posting a 5-2 victory on the road. The men experienced a different result Friday, getting defeated 7-0 by nationally ranked Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to drop to 2-5 for the season. The teams will resume play Friday in Thibodaux, La., where they look to capture victories against Nicholls State.