April 17, 2008 by UTRGV Student Media

Thursday April 17, 2008

59th Year No. 27

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER

BORDER

Fenced in Officials say government not properly communicating on Border Wall issue

By J.R. ORTEGA The Pan American he topic was the economical and environmental impact the proposed Border Fence would bring to the region, and possible solutions, as a panel of Texas and Mexican mayors and business and environmental officials at The University of Texas-Pan American Tuesday. One of the main reasons for the forum was to bring attention to the perceived lack of communication on the part U.S. government officials with people and groups in this area. Both sides of the border argue that business and environmental sectors of the Valley and its neighboring country, Mexico, would be deeply impinged on. In fact, recent immigration crackdowns across the board, from increased number of Border Patrol agents to employer accountability and raids on businesses, have changed the local number of daily crossings. Brownsville mayor Pat Ahumada said the number of people crossing every day had decreased by one million people, and that this lessening of traffic has affected local business. “Brownsville has already witnessed a

THIS WEEK

SGA

NEWS Residents benefit from housing program See Page 3

A&E

SPORTS Hardship no match for track standout Doria See Page 16

ACADEMIC

By ANA VILLAURRUTIA The Pan American

big

See Page 8 & 9

See FORUM page 11

New president realistic Math alternative anticipated about goals, challenges By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American

DJ scene next ‘movement’

decrease in crossing,” he said. “The problem with a physical wall is that our nature reserves will be affected…our historical corridor will be affected, those are historical monuments and sites that will be affected. “ Ahumada, who is a member of the Texas Border Coalition, opposes the physical barrier that became a pending fact last year through lesiglation, adding that alternative forms of security should be implemented instead of a wall that will disturb of wildlife and history. Proponents of this tack recommend electronic technology for a sort of “virtual fence,” among other options Del Rio mayor Efrain Valdez said the proposed Texas wall differs from the partially constructed one along the California and Arizona border because of the rich environment present in the Valley. With its world famous habitat and numerous wildlife refugees, the Texas border has a lot more at stake than the sparse desert land of the other states. Valdez added that the Texas Border Coalition is not against border security, but rather the construction of a physical fence. “A one-size-fits-all attitude doesn’t work here,” he said. “What works in Arizona and New Mexico doesn’t work in Texas because we already have a natural border, the Rio Grande.” Most of the contributing panelists saw eye to eye when it came to finding creative ways to secure the border without a fence. Ahumada said a project proposal out of Brownsville calls for the water level of the Rio Grande to be raised from 12 to 26 feet, widened up to 300 feet and backed up for 32 miles upriver. He said by implementing more surveillance and security technology along with the “natural barrier,” Brownsville’s historical sites such as Fort Brown - which is on the river can be preserved. Wayne Bartholomew, director of Frontera Audubon Society in Weslaco, said the environmental impact a physical wall would have on the Valley is “catastrophic.” According to him, a physical wall would roll back 30 years of wildlife preservations and natural environment. Another concern discussed was border-crossing waiting times. Those who cross often have gone from waiting for 10 minutes to about 30 minutes at some bridge crossings. The Real ID law and other more strict policies have also threatened to extend the downtime for people who work or go to school on one side and live on the other. Monica Weisberg-Stewart of the TBC said that the points of entry

Marcos Silva didn’t enter the Student Government a year ago with dreams of becoming its president. But it happened anyway. He didn’t start a recycling program last year in hope of laying the groundwork for bigger, future earthfriendly plans. But that’s how it has shaken out. Much behind Silva’s rise to the

head of SGA has been a series of things that he didn’t plan with a specific goal in mind, but curiosity carried the day. As recently elected campus president, the junior psychology major will continue his give-it-a-try approach and hopes to bring about a new era for the student group. Silva, of McAllen, and now SGA Vice President Raghuveer Puttagunta beat out Yuri Bazan and Michael

See SGA page 11

If you’re not good at it, math can be a nightmare. But Students at The University of Texas-Pan American whose major does not fall under math, engineering or science will soon have another option for their required math course offered through the philosophy department. Last fall, the philosophy department’s request for a new course, Introduction to Formal Logic 1320, was approved by the Texas Higher Education

Coordinating Board. The course will be offered beginning this fall and is a requirement for philosophy students. Formal logic had only been briefly mentioned in Introduction to Philosophy classes. It was a five-year long endeavor but they finally named Greg Gilson, philosophy program coordinator, as the logic professor. “It’s been a group effort among the philosophy department,” said Gilson. “We were taking a while to develop it but it was approved in one year.” According to assistant philosophy

See MATH page 11

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O PINION

April 17, 2008

THE PAN AMERICAN

A GREGISH MIND

Black Cats and Red Sox BY: GREGORIO GARZA

ver since I can remember, superstitions have been a part of every game and sport. Each sport has its own set of superstitions that set the rules for how the games will be played out. Every player has his own good luck charm, be that a lucky piece of equipment or some clothing. Yet, a recent set of events has moved these little beliefs into a whole new ballpark. Pardon the pun, if you get it. It seems that a Red Sox fan was helping build the Yankees’ new baseball stadium, and in an attempt to curse the team, buried one of the Boston player’s jerseys on the grounds.

For those that might not know, there has been an ongoing rivalry with the Red Sox and the Yankees for a long time, as well as the “Curse of the Bambino,” as after Babe Ruth was sold by Boston to the Yankees, some believe the deal made the Red Sox unable to win any World Series or pennant. Until, that is, they miraculously beat the Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series after being down by three games, going on to win their first World Series since the teens. The unearthing of the jersey now brings into question not only the superstitions that people use in hopes of winning, but also the idea of what people do to try and make the opponent lose.

Is there some voodoo witch doctor out there, that when he just has the itching to make some team lose, spreads his juju powder to curse the team? And what if you make little voodoo dolls of the entire team? While some might see this as a little over the top, it still begs the question of where will it all stop. Even with last year’s football season, superstition ran rampant with the Dallas Cowboys. Jessica Simpson watches the game, Tony Romo screws up and costs the team the game. So people wanted her out of the stadium, saying Romo couldn’t handle the pressure of having his main squeeze watching him in action. But what if she watches at home?

She is still watching him. So shouldn’t he still screw up? And if we take away the television, I’m sure she has at least some sense as to how to work a radio. I think its time now that we drop this thing about curses and superstitions. No one wants you to wear the very first socks you had on when you won your first game, which you never wash so you don’t wash out the win. Let’s base the results on actual talent and blame the players themselves when they screw up.

Got a way to break a seven-year curse, contact me at my email the_nataku@yahoo.com.

PONDERINGS

Journalists can only go so far

BY: JEANETTE PEREZ

s a fond lover of journalism, there’s not much that I won’t do or places I won’t go to find an interesting subject. Case in point: Going to local biker bars to find out what’s really behind the biker lifestyle. Yes, bikers. I should have repeated that out loud to understand how ridiculous it sounded. For our last story assignment in my specialized reporting class, our group was assigned five-hour time slots, from Friday at midnight to Saturday midnight, in which we were to go out and explore the Valley in search of a good story. First thing that comes to my group mates’ minds is bikers, How they came to that conclusion, I have yet to understand but there it was. My jaw dropped and my eyes squinted as I

APRIL 17, 2008 THE

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

attempted to process what just came out of their mouths. Three girls going out to biker bars on Saturday? Our time slot was from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. so after I pinched myself and realized that that was going to be our subject, I figured that biker bars around that time might not be as scary or dangerous than if we had the midnight to 5 a.m. shift. A wave of anxiety hit me as I drove to meet my two group mates on campus; they had determined our first stop would be along 107, at Jokerz Biker Bar. We finally landed ourselves at the small, orange shack known as Jokerz. Biker Fest was going on at the Island so an empty bar was expected. We hesitated as we made our way toward the wide-open door, but somehow found the last bit of courage to step right on in. Immediately, we’re greeted with a hello from a scraggly, old biker

dude and…hugs?! “We’re not bikers.” “Doesn’t matter, we’re all friends here.” Odd I thought, but whatever, he seemed friendly. Maybe too friendly, but whatever, better that than a grumpy old guy kicking out of his bar. So after introductions were made, we proceeded to pursue our story. I listened in as I wandered the bar with my 35 mm. Joker proceeded to down about three beers during the course of the interview but he seemed to be able to hold his alcohol so we didn’t think much of it. After about 45 minutes into the interview, I find myself asking him a question but am rudely interrupted as Joker starts complaining about my lip ring. What? How does an interview about him suddenly turn into my body modification? The man reaches out his arm as if

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

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

Designers Rick Gamez Juan Torres

Sports Co-Editors Gregorio Garza........the_nataku@yahoo.com Ramiro Paez...................ramiropaez@aol.com Photography Editor Roxy Solis..................roxysolis34@yahoo.com

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

Design Editor Roy Bazan........................rbazanzz@yahoo.com

Adviser Dr. Greg Selber..........selberg@utpa.edu

to touch my lip, I shudder and my group mates are mortified. Fortunately, Joker pulls back and shakes his head in disgust at me. Uh, ok. Nervous, I attempt to break the awkward silence by bringing up my new tattoo, right below my neck. I show my group but Joker remains at the counter, smiles and says he’s got a tattoo too. What happened next was exactly what I feared. The man proceeded to unbuckle his belt, unzip his pants and pull the side of his faded jeans. All we saw was a skinny white thigh and hip as he laughed and said, “Oh wait, my troll ate it.” The things I do for journalism.

If you feel I wasn’t open

enough to some tough ‘ol bikers, tell me about it at faemyst@yahoo.com 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.

Savethesedates April

17-19

UTPA Dance Program: Senior Choreography Projects at 7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium

Student Union presents illusionist Craig Karges in the Student Union Theatre at 4 p.m.

Empty Bowls Throw-AThon for Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the UTPA fine arts annex

Newsinbrief LEADERSHIP WEEK The University of Texas-Pan American will be hosting Leadership Week, which will run April 14-19 this year. In it’s fifth year, the project encourages and recognizes student leadership and service. United to Serve, the highlight of this year’s activities, is a volunteer project set to be held on Saturday. Students, faculty and staff volunteers will work together with Keep McAllen Beautiful to clean yards and paint the homes of elderly, disabled and low-income residents in McAllen’s Idela Park area. For more information contact Amy Martin at 381-2260.

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.

April 17, 2008

N EWS

Page 3

THE PAN AMERICAN

LOCAL

Group puts ‘unity’ in community By ABBY MUNIZ The Pan American At first glance, the pristine landscaping and a repetition of attractivelooking houses may not suggest a typical housing site catering to under-privileged residents, but Jardines de la Fuente in the Las Milpas area of Pharr, does just that. The property houses more than 200 families in this “I think the low-income area that of town and is people funded and run come to live by National Farm here, also come Workers Service Center Inc.; it wanting to comfirst opened in municate with January 2005 to the rest of the offer high-quality, affordable community....” housing for Maria Gomez working families. Organizer For resiLUPE dents like Brigida Rodriguez, the fact that rent is based on income is a big help. A single mother, Rodriguez lives off what she makes as a housekeeper at the leasing office and three laundromats at Jardines de la Fuente. “I think that in my case, it’s a change since in Mexico, you to have pay for everything,” Rodriguez said in Spanish, mentioning there are more pro-

grams in the United States offering financial help. Rodriguez said she has seen how positive the after-school program on the property is, especially to children of tenants. “It’s very beneficial to the parents even,” Rodriguez said. “A lot of parents don’t have time because of work. I don’t feel they would be able to find this kind of help anywhere else.” THE LEARNING CENTER For Frank Gutierrez, the opportunity to work at the Si Se Puede (Yes we can) Learning Center in Jardines de la Fuente, was a way to give back to the community. Having grown up in the housing projects of Edinburg, Gutierrez felt it was important to go back to his roots and find a way to help an under-served area. The 25-year-old sophomore education major at UTPA feels a sense of accomplishment working in such a place. “It’s rewarding to me, personally,” said Gutierrez, a resident activity leader, who assists the resident service coordinator with the children’s after-school activities. The children learn a lot at the center from 3:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. as they wait for parents to pick them up. The program offers a supplement to what they learn at school, Gutierrez said.

Abby Muniz /The Pan American READING TIME - Nick Burt, resident service coordinator for Jardines de la Fuente, reads There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold to the younger kids in the after school program at the learning center.

“They get more out of it because we reinforce what they learn at school,” Gutierrez said, mentioning they also work closely with individual students’

teachers at their regular school. “We can focus on what the children need.” Gutierrez said they consulted with the principal at the elementary school

the students attend. Permission was given to them so that they can coordinate with teachers.

See HOUSING page 12

PROFILE

Every Freeman has his fight By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American

Onydia Garza /The Pan American OUTSPOKEN - Samuel Freeman, a political science profesor, is one of UTPAʼs most vocal and politically active faculty members.

Samuel Freeman lives a life surrounded by paradox. He’s the outspoken long-time professor who people quietly — or not — exchange affection and/or grievances about. He’s the man who - though born and bred in the Deep South where gentleman are stereotypically the norm - has nothing but harsh words for U.S. President George Bush. But most notably, he’s the man with the political views and activism all will expect, but a personal story few will. His adventurous tenure at the university has been full of action, in the

classroom and on the protest scene, and he comes by his noteworthy passion naturally, through a lifetime of experiences. Freeman grew up the typical “Georgia boy,” in his words. Like many long-time professors, his birth year gave him a seat in front of the window with a Civil Rights-movement view. But never being the type to watch for long, the 14-year-old Freeman got involved. It was 1959 and Atlanta, like many other places in the United States at the time, found itself embroiled in a fight over blacks and segregation. Freeman was an active participant in the burgeoning movement, in spite of his parents’ views.

“My parents were racists,” clarified Freeman, who has lived in Edinburg for almost 30 years. “I say that and it sounds horrible because you immediately think Ku Klux Klan. My parents were not at all empathetic toward the Klan... when I say they were racist these weren’t people who hated blacks, but they did believe that blacks were inferior to whites. And they did believe that blacks and white would never be able to live together in a peaceful and integrated society.” Their views never sat well with the young Freeman. “I grew up in the South, I grew up in a racist environment and I was taught

See FREEMAN page 11

April 17, 2008

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April 17, 2008 NEWS

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ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

April 17, 2008

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THE PAN AMERICAN

I ON THE SPOT

I ALUM

Local artist lends time to community Ear Candy: What’s playing in your iPod?

By AMANDA ALANIZ The Pan American

Every year from September through May, the McAllen Chamber of Commerce presents a compilation of 16 workshops and seminars called the Cultural Arts and Entertainment Series. This year, Greg Schuller, administrative assistant for cultural arts with the McAllen Chamber of Commerce, said organizers found themselves in a bind. The original pottery instructor opted not to do the workshop this year. But the problem was solved, as recent UTPA graduate Ramiro Paz led the workshop April 15 at the McAllen Creative Incubator. “I contacted several art professors from UTPA and they all recommended that I contact Mr. Paz. He was gracious enough to present this workshop,” Schuller said. Paz is a sculptor, potter and now an art instructor at Veterans’ Middle School in the Donna I.S.D. He graduated from the university with a master’s in Spanish and a master of fine art (MFA). “I have found that making pottery relaxes me and allows me to express myself,” Paz said. “I’d like to share this with other people while at the same time contributing my time with the community.” Paz was born in Mendez, Tamaulipas, Mexico and moved to Las

Milpas, near Pharr, when he was 13, attending P-SJ-A High School. Before college, he didn’t have much experience with pottery and sculpturing but he had been intrigued by art at a young age. “I started doing some drawings when I was in third grade in Mexico. I continued doing it sporadically, until I was in high school,” recalled Paz. After he graduated from P-SJ-A, he enrolled in the Navy and put art on hold while he served. Upon completing active duty, he applied to UTPA and began enrolling in art classes. Before he had received the job in Donna, he was a teaching assistant, gallery director and part-time lecturer at UTPA. He had also dabbled in teaching pottery workshops before. “I have contributed with the Empty Bowls Throw-a-thon event for the past three years,” he said, adding that he enjoys teaching events of this nature and wouldn’t mind instructing more in the future. “I like to give people an opportunity to learn something new,” Paz said. When asked what he hoped to accomplish with this workshop, Paz said he believed everyone had some type of talent that is undiscovered, making this a good outlet to help them. “Workshops like this one can serve as an inspiration or a vehicle to discover that talent,” he commented. “For people that never thought of art as an interest

John McLaughlin Extrapolation “I recently got into jazz and I play the guitar so I can pick up ideas from it.” -Mike Reyes sophomore, computer science

Roxy Solis/The Pan American WORKING TOGETHER - People from the community collaborated as they dirtied their hands with clay during a pottery workshop. The McAllen Creative Incubator offers creative arts events to help promote the growing art scene.

for them, I would like for this workshop to pique that interest.” Judging from past turnouts, the event has grabbed much of the public’s attention. According to Schuller, the pot-

Roxy SolisThe Pan American GIVING ART - UTPA alumnus Ramiro Paz (standing) instructed a pottery workshop at the McAllen Creative Incubator Tuesday evening as part of the Cultural Arts and Entertainment Series.

tery workshop had sold out, and there was even a waiting list. Senior graphic design major Alexis Carranza, 20, believes that workshops like this are a great opportunity for artists to showcase their talents and share them with the community. “There should be workshops for all types of art concentrations,” the McAllen native said. “Art is a visual way to communicate ideas and emotions with others and it provides an opportunity for imagination to run wild.” Beatriz Guzman, junior studio art and English major, says she admires Paz for willing to do a workshop of this sort. “I hope other professors would follow his example and give workshops for undergrads at UTPA, so not only do we learn something else outside of our core classes, but we get to meet and talk to them on a one to one basis,” said Guzman, of Edinburg. “There is great need in the Valley for young artists to communicate with professional artist like Ramiro Paz to know the difficulties that they went through in getting his master’s and to know that it is possible to have a profession as an artist in the Valley.”

Gwen Stefani Danger Zone “I’ve been into her music for a while. Usually I don’t listen to pop but I love Gwen.” -Bianca Ramirez junior, psychology

Radiohead High and Dry “It puts me in a good mood. I guess the whole psychology of it.” -Jonathan Padron freshman, music

Alan Jackson Drive “It’s a reminder. It just brings back memories.” -Albert Moreno senior, mechanical engineering

Boys like Girls Thunder “It’s mellow and it relaxes me.” -Sabrina Rios sophomore, history

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Local, visiting DJs offer electric sound to Valley club scene By ISAAC GARCIA The Pan American

eciding how to spend a Saturday night can prove to be very taxing for many students, who find themselves jaded with the familiar scene the Valley has to offer. On Saturday, student-run production company IllOddeo hosted a so-called DnB show, a style of DJing, outside of Sophie’s “Double S” Saloon. The event’s first beats sounded off at 10 p.m., consisting of three local acts: Fuse, Fee-Niks, and OPTX, followed by headlining act Random Movement. DJs spun the night away well past 2 a.m. as event goers expressed themselves rhythmically, outdoors under several mesquite trees. Drum and Bass (often referred to as DnB) is an extremely underground form of electronic dance music that surfaced in the early 1990s. This genre is buttoned down with elaborate bass lines, broken beat drums and an accelerated tempo. Due to its intricate sound DnB has remained relatively under the radar of mainstream music. Usually only attracting a small but loyal following that has kept it slowly gaining new ground. In attendance was Benny Vasquez, a 22-yearold senior and rehab major. “This is my second time to an event like this and I am enjoying it!” said Vasquez. “These things are few and far between; I hope this becomes a frequent gig all over the Valley.” Local promoters are working diligently to expose this sub-culture and offer a new entrée to

add to the Valley’s menu aside from the over exposure of Tejano concerts that have become a routine all over the Valley. Dani Garza, a DJ, is producer/president of Klubstalkerz, an organization that is aiding in the quest to “bring the life to night.” He has been promoting events in the Valley for the past year. Garza got his start in the Denver, Colorado area working with NIPP and Denver Underground, throwing big “massives” and rock concerts. He credits many of the local acts for their superior talent. “I have DJ’d all over the country and throughout Europe, and the Valley has some of the best talent I have seen,” Garza commented. “OPTX and his IllOddeo crew is one of the better groups in the Valley and OPTX deserves a lot more recognition for helping the local scene.” Carlos Villarreal, who DJs under the name OPTX was in charge of the DnB even on Saturday. He expressed that he is solely responsible for all DJ parties. He also credits his crew for the huge support they offer his efforts. “No man is an island and the more parties I organize the more this saying is true,” he noted. Villarreal added that he enjoys organizing events, but performing is what it’s all about. “It truly is a blissful experience to convey your feelings through the music you play and having people respond to that by dancing,” said Villarreal. “It’s the greatest form of satisfaction, if you ask me.” Villarreal and Garza both suggest that the

events they make are very important for the Valley, exposing the population to new sounds. “Drum and Bass is especially big in major metropolitan areas and for the Valley to have a good upcoming presence says a lot for our area,” said Garza. “I think the more exposure we have to different styles of electronic/dance music, the greater the appreciation to music is and how it correlates to club life.” Since it’s inception into society Electronic and Dance music has been dogged with many stereotypes. Villarreal believes that they can help shatter people’s stereotypical views about the music type. “The majority of people have this stereo typical concept that electronic music is your trendy electro house/club music,” said Villareal. Garza also commented on the more serious misconceptions of Electronic and Dance music. “Dance music started out as illegal activity and with that came the drugs. So dance music and drugs over the years go hand in hand. However, we are starting to see the drug use not as heavy as it once was. Artists like Moby who is Christian have been preaching anti-drugs for years,” said Garza. Electronic and Dance music has many subgenres yet people collectively draw comparison to only the mainstream acts; Prodigy and Chemical Brothers being two of the more commercial dance acts. “The point is to expand people’s palette to enjoy other forms of dance music aside from what they would typically hear,” said Villareal.

Isaac Garcia/The Pan American NIGHTLIFE - Klubstalkerz, an organization established in 2006, promotes DJs, venues, clubs and bars across Texas. Saturday night, the collaborative group held Random Movement as part of their goal to expand the electronic/trance/techno scene.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Local, visiting DJs offer electric sound to Valley club scene By ISAAC GARCIA The Pan American

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April 17, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

I SHOW BIZ

Recent graduates find success on television By LAURA GARCIA The Pan American Mario Molina was always the chatterbox in grade school. While back then it sent him straight to time-out or the principal’s office, his lively personality now pays the bills. Molina, a recent UTPA grad has found success on a network television show, Living the Beat, on NBC. Molina, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism last year, blends his passion for the field and the entertainment industry, making him one of the lucky ones who gets paid to do what he loves. Living the Beat, which airs Saturdays at 5 p.m. on NBC, showcases the latest music videos from several genres including International, Hip Hop, and R&B, with rock videos soon to come. The show’s hosts are seen at all the Rio Grande Valley ’s hot spots. While similar shows have already tried this concept, Living the Beat differs in that its “hot spots” include venues other than clubs, such as La Mexicana restaurant and a “Ladies Night Out” at Merle Norman cosmetics in the Uptown Plaza, in McAllen. One of the show’s segments features local talent and spotlight singers, dancers, rappers and bands. Many of the artists don’t have the finances to do promotion, making the show a great opportunity for exposure. For the most part, Molina loves what he does and is glad that his show gives local artists “opportunities that others don’t want to.” Another positive to the job is the

opportunity to mingle with celebrities, whether they be musicians or reality TV stars. Among those he’s met are Bone Thugs and Harmony, Chingo Bling, and Nehemiah and Wes from MTV’s Real World. Molina’s interest stems from his childhood and adolescence and it’s something he’s always wanted to do. The former standout football player from McAllen Memorial High School started out doing sports play-by-play for Bronc Radio. UTPA instructor Frederick Mann described Molina’s classroom style. “He is enthusiastic like you would not believe, a stickler for perfection,” Mann said. “I learned the potential of college students after teaching Mario. I came from the high school ranks and was blown away by Mario’s tireless work ethic in the classroom, studio and his play by play.” Living the Beat is also home to another UTPA alum, co-host Naela Menchaca, who graduated in 2005 with a marketing degree. While she’s enjoying life on TV, she’s not through with education yet. “I plan to return and take more courses in the acting/broadcast field pretty soon. Entertainment has always been a dream of mine, whether it was modeling, dancing, and acting/hosting I love it all,” said Menchaca. Both Molina and Menchaca have a professional dynamic, but enjoy working with each other. “Working alongside Mario is so much fun and unpredictable. He always cracks me up,” she said. “There is never a dull moment around this guy.”

Aside from the biz, Molina is also actively involved with younger kids as a cheerleading competition coach. Future plans include conquering every aspect of the industry from television to the silver screen to behind the scenes. He would like to do a comedy and a drama, and his ultimate goal would

be an epic film like Gladiator or last year’s 300. Molina and Menchaca would also like to move forward with SeeJay’s Productions, the show’s production company. Plans are in the works to have a similar show for each target market in Laredo, San Antonio, Corpus Christi,

Dallas and Houston, even heading across the border into Reynosa and Matamoros. For more information or to view photos and schedules for upcoming events, vist myspace.com/livingthebeat or the show’s official site www.livingthebeat.com.

Mario Molina LIVING IT UP - Recent UTPA graduates Naela Menchaca and Mario Molina showcase the Valleyʼs hot spots and artists on the NBC show, Living the Beat.

I CAMPUS SCENE

UPB hopes to set records, feed stomachs with hotdogs By RUSSEN VELA The Pan American Across the United States there are competitions where contestants must devour a huge amount of food in order to receive a grand prize. The prize is usually money, but to have the title of “Champion” is even better. Such foodeating competitions center on Buffalo wings, cheese fries, pies, and arguably the most famous: the hotdog. The University Program Board, which hosts most of the campus’ off-beat events, will be holding a hot dog eating contest April 22 at the Student Union from noon to 1. Hotdogs are used in many competitions, including attempts to create dogs of world-record size. On July 4, 2007, Joey Chestnut set a new record when he ate 66 hotdogs in 12 minutes at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, a

2007 event at Coney Island, breaking the previous his own record set a month before when he ate 59 and a half in 12 minutes at a Nathan’s qualifier event in Tempe, Ariz. In Arizona, Chestnut had broken the record of 53 by Takeru Kobayashi the Japanese native known around the world as the “Hotdog-eating Champion.” Milena Andrea Melo, the spirit committee chair for UPB and pre-med biology/ anthropology major, was excited about her committee’s event, the first of its kind at UTPA. “My committee felt it would be a fun way for students to compete, relax, and have fun during activity period,” Melo said. UPB has been responsible for other contests such as texting contest, spirit rallies, and Halloween costume contests. Though rules have varied in other contests, Melo said these are

pretty straightforward. “The winner is the person who eats the most hot dogs in five minutes,” noted the Mission native. “Whoever wins, wins 100 Bronc Bucks.” There are a total of 10 contestants in the competition, and Melo and her committee expect about 200 spectators to join in on the fun and cheer on their favorite to win. Brenda Lopez, a sophomore biology major, is enthusiastic about the event and hopes to see some excitement. “I have seen those competitions on TV, so to experience it up close will be a huge treat for me,” Lopez said. Lopez mentioned that she will certainly feel a bit nauseated when she sees

the contestants down all those hotdogs. “I just don’t want them to throw up. I don’t think that would be fun to watch,” the Edinburg native stated, laughing.

April 17, 2008

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FORUM continued from page 1 need $4 billion of improvements and 4,000 new personnel just to keep working at a decent pace. Stewart, who also acted as a mediator for UTPA’s Office International Programs in setting up the event during Pan American Days, added the programs are there but not the tools. “We have program at our points of entry that are not working,” she said. “Our government continues to put these programs into effect but do not provide them the equipment.” Ahumada added that some type of advance warning for drivers about new requirements and possible delays would be good. Farther north, Robert Andrade, executive assistant to the mayor of El Paso, said the city faces similar problems. However he suggests that if Texas does not engage in dialogue with Mexico, solutions can’t be reached. “Working with your neighbors is the only way we’ll have a solution,” he said. Accordingly, Jesus Mario Flores Garza, mayor of Piedras Niegras, voiced his concern about the issue from

FREEMAN continued from page 3

Mexico’s standpoint. “The wall is security and security is the basis of this entire discussion, but security should not violate human rights,” he noted. The TBC plans to meet with officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security soon to discuss matters further, as the search for solid answers and solutions continues. UTPA president Blandina Cardenas said it is essential for students to become involved in the political process, also stressing that students must register to vote. “There is no issue that touches all of us more than this issue of how federal policies will define the way in which we can transact our business, civics and cultural relationships,” she stated.

“A one-size-fits-all attitude doesn’t work here.” -Efrain Valdez Mayor of Del Rio

MATH continued from page 1 professor Cory Wimberly, logic is a branch of math. The subject attempts to prove a natural language – or non-mathematical words — by removing words and leaving variables in order to make a logical argument. The course will cover propositional calculus, formal property, probability calculus and some inductive and abductive forms of reasoning. “The course will be quantitative but not numerical,” said Gilson. “Logic is often part of the mathematics department, but it’s a philosophy subject that often intersects with the math department,” Wimberly said. He added the growth of the philosophy department was indication enough for the addition of the course. “The philosophy department has grown,” he said. “We have the staff now to give certain courses, we have a course that has quantitative reasoning and mathematical, it will fit all of the THECB.” Gilson added that though the philosophy department is offering the course, students in other disciplines could benefit from taking the course. “Different math courses are valuable to different students, for example many majors within SBS require statistics,” Gilson said. “So in the same way that statistics is valuable to some majors, so will formal logic to philosophy students.” Sandra Aparicio, sophomore political science major, said she already took college algebra but when she heard of the option for logic she said it would be

a good idea. “I would take it. I don’t like to deal with numbers. I don’t need it for my major,” said Aparicio. The course will be taught by Gilson and offered in three sections this fall; class sizes will be small with about 35 students per class. “Because of the small classroom size, the vast majority of students will still be required to take 1340 Algebra,” Gilson said. “I don’t think it will become a requirement within other majors. It’s up to their department.” Gilson said keeping the classrooms small is essential for him to teach an intensive course on logic. Gilson said students should expect a rigorous math course, but assures it will be most useful to the philosophy major, especially philosophy graduate students. He added many of the questions in philosophy graduate tests deal with logic; therefore, the course may be useful to the students who plan to take the exams. The only prerequisite for the course is a 230 THEA math score. If a student makes below the THEA score, a remedial math course must be taken beforehand. “We will really start from scratch,” Gilson said. “The prerequisite skills we will teach, in my opinion, will teach the THECB objectives better that any other math course.” He added that most colleges and universities in and outside of Texas have offered logic courses, including Texas A&M and Texas Tech.

to be a racist... but for some reason that stuff didn’t take with me and I don’t quite know why,” he explained. “I think I had some good experiences with African Americans as I was a kid growing up and I didn’t see them as being particularly different from me.” Though he didn’t agree with his parents’ views of race, he did believe in their sense of justice. “My father was a segregationist; my father believed that blacks were infe-

rior to whites, but my father also knew and openly admitted to the fact that there had been no justice for the blacks,” he said. “And that was the message that resonated with, me rather than the message that these people are inferior or that we should be segregated from them.” As the movies and documentaries portray, the price of justice was often paid in blood. Thought it never got that bad for him, Freeman did find himself slightly battered after one event in which

he sought to integration a public building. Things became violent and hostile. He sustained mostly bruises. But the blows — minor as they were — were the first alert that told him all was not as he had been taught. He feels as though he was deceived as a student and says it is his goal to make sure the same does not happen to his own students. Freeman frequently holds speeches and talks on political subjects as part of

See PROFESSOR page 12

SGA continued from page 1 Martinez with 867 votes to the opposing pair’s 683. Silva replaces former SGA president Tony Villarreal, who took the post after the previous president stepped down after the fall semester to attend an internship in Washington, D.C. But absent is the “Save the World” attitude that has prevailed among previous student government administrations. Rather, Silva says he and Edinburg native Puttagunta want to make small, realistic changes that will improve life at The University of Texas-Pan American. It started about a year ago when Silva spearheaded the Reuse It or Lose It program in the UTPA dorms. Under the program, residents placed recyclables into boxes that were picked up weekly. This was done not only to further the widely touted Green Movement but to get disjoined groups on campus to contribute to a united cause. “You never saw an Engineering Club member working with someone in psychology,” said Silva, himself a psychology major. “But eventually we saw

organizations getting involved because they wanted to work with other groups.” It was a win-win deal, he said, and though a small change, it set the groundwork for bigger projects. Silva said he would like to find a way to expand that program campus-wide or develop one on that scale. Ideas developed by past SGA administrations rarely got off the ground and the group was “really not active,” he said. The first step in correcting inactivity is refocusing efforts internally. Too much time, he said, is dedicated toward SGA items such as personnel and public relations. Rather, the group should be focusing on subcommittees which address singular issues like recycling and textbook prices. During the summer, he and Puttagunta will lay the groundwork for some of their biggest projects and “make sure we have something going on” when fall begins, Silva said. He hopes to have made progress in either the textbook cost issue or the recycling program when stu-

dents return from summer break. The pair will also begin negotiations with a Web site that offers free music downloads to college students from participating campuses in exchange for advertisement space. They will begin getting the measure cleared by the proper channels – including administrators – this summer. Though seemingly a luxury, Silva said the feature plays an integral part in his vision for university interaction. “Everyone listens to music,” he said. “And can you imagine groups students sitting on benches with laptops and everyone listening to music?” Other measures they will begin work on soon include posting SGA budgets online for all to see, and implementing a system that would ask professors to post their syllabus online so students can be aware of class expectations before signing up. “I’m excited about the year,” he said. “We have a lot of plans and it would be nice to get everything accomplished.”

SEEN AND CAPTURED

Ben Briones/The Pan American GRAND OPENING - (From left) Dr. Shirley Reed, South Texas College president; Blas Castañeda, chief development officer, Laredo Community College; U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar; U.S. Sec. of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez; Dr. Blandina Cárdenas; and U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa attend the ribbon cutting of the Rapid Response Center

April 17, 2008

Page 12 NEWS

PROFESSOR continued from page 11

HOUSING continued from page 3

Students for Peace, an organization that he acts as faculty adviser for. His next will take place Thursday at noon and will address veterans’ issues with a focus on health benefits. It’s another small way Freeman says he fights the political injustice he has witnessed too many times in his life. Years after his teen days in Georgia, Freeman would find himself in the Cambodian jungle, just northwest of Sai Gon, serving as an adviser to the Army’s A i r b o r n e Infantry. It was “I just speak there, fighting a out and I do Vietnam war he what I can.” did not believe in, that he was Samuel Freeman witness to even professor more eye-openpolitical science ing experiences. “I opposed the war and then went off and fought the war,” he said. “Certainly all the doubts I had were confirmed.” Shaped by the experiences he’s had and silenced by no one, the UTPA professor of 28 years has gained consistent notoriety for his views, expressed as a frequent public speaker, activist, and vigilant committee member on campus. Radical as some of them may seem, Freeman can defend each one and gives

“We’re [now] being informed what homework they’re going to have,” Gutierrez said. Nick Burt, resident service coordinator for Jardines de la Fuente, is in charge of the Si Se Puede Learning Center and of the community programming for the neighborhood. Working as a volunteer for a year until August 2008, Burt represents Americorp Volunteers in Service to America, an organization specifically designed to fight poverty. “One of the things that we’re trying to work at is community activities for community involvement,” Burt, a college graduate from Pennsylvania said. “We’re trying to build a sense of community.” An upcoming activity includes a trash pickup on Earth Day, April 20. He hopes this will allow people and children to feel proud of where they live, and also create a kind of responsibility for the place, among residents.

no apologies for his vocal approach to the world. “I just speak out and I do what I can,” he said, pausing for a moment to stare at the shuffle of papers on his desk. It’s not the papers he’s thinking about. “I don’t think I can change the tilt of the earth, but what I know is that if enough of us get involved we can change the tilt of the earth’s axis.” Whether it’s a fight of one, or a million, Freeman knows critics will always be there; he’s certainly had his share but he’s also had plenty of admirers and students who clamor to take a seat in his classes. Few things irk him, however. Should someone have a problem, he only asks they come to him directly. “I don’t know whether you saw that little thing out there that some asshole put up, supposedly comparing me to General Petraeus,” he said. “The fact that whoever did that has an issue with me, I don’t have a problem with. What I don’t like is that he such a damn coward. He doesn’t have the balls to come talk to me eyeball-to-eyeball, face-toface.” Oh, and don’t “question his patriotism.” “If they’re gonna question...my

Didyouknow? Freeman will present “Broken Promises To Our T r o o p s : A Presentation On Current Veteransʼ Issues” on Thursday at noon in SBSC 101. love of this nation, my loyalty to this nation...those are fighting words,” he said. “And I don’t care who says that to me; I’m going to call them out on it. And one of two things is going to happen they’re going to back down and walk away or one of us is going to be carried away. Nobody questions my patriotism to my face.” It’s only happened once. “They walked away,” he said. “I said you got two choices here: you can apologize and walk away or you can deal with the consequences of refusing apologizing because those are fighting words and my intention is to beat you to a bloody pulp.” Fighting words. But did anyone expect anything less?

MORE THAN A HOME Maria Gomez, colonia organizer for La Union del Pueblo Entero, the union for the entire community, feels Jardines de la Fuente offers most families living there what would have other-

wise been unlikely, a decent home. LUPE, founded in 1989 by Cesar Chavez, offers services to residents in this area. According to the Web site, LUPE was founded with the belief that members of the low-income community should organize themselves and “articulate for the issues and factors that impact their lives.” “People with low incomes have a right to a home too,” Gomez said. “I think the people that come to live here also come wanting to communicate with the rest of the community, something you don’t see that often at other places.” On-site special services are provided to residents on behalf of LUPE. They are able to take residency classes, learn English and engage in other community events. Apartment amenities of the fenced community include ceiling fans, gas stoves, refrigerators, playgrounds, swimming pools, three Laundromats, and computer facilities. Rodriguez enjoys the fact that she can keep cool in the summer with central air-conditioning, something she did not have available at her previous home. “I paid the same amount of rent, but this one has (central air),” she said. “What more could I want?”

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April 17, 2008 SPORTS

FEATURE

Fitness coordinator receives new start By PEDRO PEREZ IV The Pan American

Onydia Garza/The Pan American WORKING HARD - After leaving the White House, Jacqueline Adams came to UTPA for a fitness coordinator position, to teach students different health aspects.

Given her passion for fitness and wellness, when the opportunity arose, it didn’t take long for fitness coordinator Jacqueline Adams to leave her prestigious position at the White House to come to The University of Texas-Pan American to work for the Wellness and Recreational Sports Complex. Adams, a native of Rolla, Mo., attended the University of West Florida in Pensacola and stumbled into majoring in exercise physiology after figuring she didn’t want to be a teacher, her first option. She also worked at the campus recreation facility for four years, where she discovered her love for fitness and wellness in the recreation atmosphere. During her senior year, Adams received a monumental offer. She kept close contact with a consultant from Washington D.C. and over the course of the year, she was informed about an interesting work site, The White House. She took the opportunity after graduating in 2005. The White House brought everything Adams could imagine. She held a

position as fitness specialist managing facilities in the new and old executive offices, where she trained Secret Service people, White House military staff, carpenters, plus many more highranking officials. “I loved Washington D.C.,” she said. “It was one of my greatest experiences ever. Just being in that environment with the rush and the way you hear people say I’m going somewhere with the president.” Although the White House was fast-paced and exciting, Adams felt like her work was becoming a job with not much room for advancement. That’s when Dr. Jim Watson, director of the WRSC, called and brought her down to Edinburg for a visit and an interview. “She was picked out of a database called N.I.R.S.A. [National IntramuralRecreational Sports Association],” said Watson. “Her name came up along with six others and she responded.” When Watson offered her the position of a fitness and wellness coordinator, she accepted to start fresh in the hopes of obtaining her goals, and being able to create the position the way she envisioned it. Adams, whose goals center on spreading fitness, wants students to understand the

different approaches people can take to attain a healthy lifestyle. “Everyone has their own little place in fitness, it’s just a matter of finding that place,” Adams said. “I find the passion in trying to help everyone find their own little groove.” Adams now has seven months under her belt, and Watson believes his employee has set a fine example so far. “She has done a superior performance and knows everything about the business,” Watson said. “She’s proactive, not reactive. There is nothing I can say, she does everything I want and more.” Adams hopes to obtain a master’s degree at UTPA in either nutrition or business so she can bring more educational elements to the position. But because of the similarities between her personal and professional goals, she ultimately wants to reach out to people and teach them that fitness is not just a fun, recreational fixation but a disease-prevention tool and therefore a necessity for life. “Spreading fitness is a growing thing in the Valley,” she said. “It takes a lot of hard work, but I think people are accepting of it and everyone is trying to find their own niches.”

LOCAL SPORTS

Football combine offers Valley athletes second chance By RAMIRO PAEZ The Pan American It’s a phrase that most local football players dread but have become accustomed to hearing every fall. For those who played high school football or keep up with it, you hear it every year, “The Valley can’t beat San Antonio schools.” The phrase of futility extends to any school in Corpus Christi as well. The 2007 high school football season may have ended more than three months ago but for a football player whose team advanced deep into the postseason in December, the lack of credit given by analysts, schoolmates and fans is still drilling in their heads. Year-in, year-out though, the Valley produces great athletes who get the opportunity to continue their football careers in the col-

legiate ranks. Former running back standouts in Bradley Stephens of McAllen Memorial (Texas A&M) and Mishak Rivas of Weslaco (Texas State) were two of the top athletes recruited by top universities. Others are not as fortunate. Because of the lack of quality wins against schools upstate, college recruiters rarely take the time to schedule a trip to deep South Texas, which dampens the chances of capable players who can compete in the next level. But now, former high school stars will get a second opportunity to showcase their talent to several college football scouts as USA Sports will host its second USA Sports Football Camp/Combine Saturday at Weslaco East High School. “I am disappointed in the amount

of Valley athletes who are playing in the next level,” said Arturo Mata, president of USA Sports. “We have 32 high schools in the Valley. We should have plenty of athletes playing at the next level, male and female.” Mata created USA Sports, an organization whose main objective is to promote patriotism, peace and good sportsmanship in the Valley, to provide male and female athletes with chances to proceed with their athletic careers. The combine was started after Mata read an article in The Monitor by local sportswriter Pikey Rodriguez, who wrote that only a small number of high school athletes are playing in college. In its first year, Mata says the combine helped several athletes get recruited to various universities including Jorge Rubio, a standout Edcouch-Elsa quarter-

back who was recruited by Texas Lutheran University. “There are plenty of athletes who have graduated that would still like an opportunity to play at the collegiate level, so this is one venue to get the athlete and the scout together to see what and if the athlete can do athletically and academically,” Mata said. “I think that we have athletes that can play in Division I, II and III or any other division, but the key thing is that they prepare academically to be accepted to these universities. They must be tutored, encouraged and groomed at a very young age to prepare for the university level.” Some of the universities who will attend the combine are Texas Lutheran, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Sul Ross, Incarnate Word, Texas A&M-Kingsville,

Central Methodist and Tech De Monterrey. The cost of the event is $250, which is non-refundable and will cover all administrative costs plus a DVD of the camp combined with music. Registration begins at 8 a.m. with the combine starting promptly at 10 a.m. All participants will begin with stretching followed by vertical and long jumps, 10, 20 and 40-yard dash sprints and concluding with short and long shuttles to test quickness, agility and speed. The camp will follow after a 15-minute break where athletes will join their respective position’s coach for proper training. The appropriate field attired is required. For further information on the combine/camp, call Mata at (956) 7782228 or e-mail him at mataarturo@hotmail.com.

April 17, 2008

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April 17, 2008

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TENNIS

BASEBALL

Women finish with best season Broncs upset Santa Clara, set sights on UTSA By ALVARO BALDERAS The Pan American There is no doubt every team wants to finish off its season on a winning note. And that is exactly what The University of Texas-Pan American women’s tennis team accomplished Monday when it concluded the 2008 season with a decisive 4-3 triumph over Santa Clara University on the West Coast. With the win the Lady Broncs improved to 17-8 and finished with the program’s all-time best single-season record. Sophomore Luisa Cantu, who posted a 6-4, 6-2 victory the sixth spot, collected the crucial fourth match point for the Lady Broncs. Accumulating their 19th win of the season, Germany native Silke Buksik and sophomore Megan Bedeau set a new season doubles record after their 9-8 decision. The women recorded a 2-1 mark on their three-game West Coast swing and experienced a whirlwind of events. The trip started in disarray. After

driving to Laredo in the middle of the night to catch a 5 a.m. flight to San Jose (plus two flight cancellations), a sleepless UTPA squad arrived in California and handily defeated San Jose State 6-1. “I’m proud of the women’s squad for stepping off the plane with all the traveling and coming out with such a convincing victory,” said men’s and women’s coach Rob Hubbard. “It speaks volumes about the character and commitment of the team.” In their second match, the Lady Broncs were unable to come out victorious against The University of San Francisco as they were routed 7-0. Meanwhile, the Broncs will enter their final game of the season with an 810 mark after splitting a three-game road trip 1-1. The scheduled Friday match with Portland State was cancelled due to flight cancellations. Before the Southland Conference Tournament, the Broncs will travel up Highway 281 Saturday for the regularseason finale, against The University of Texas-San Antonio at 2 p.m. Last year, UTPA entered as the conference tourney as the sixth seed and were bounced in the first round. The men claimed a 5-2 upset over the Santa Clara Broncos Monday but suffered a 6-1 loss the previous day to 72nd ranked University of San Francisco.

By RAMIRO PAEZ The Pan American

Roxy Solis/The Pan American A NEW RECORD - Teammates Megan Bedeau (above) and Silke Buksik surpassed the single-season doubleʼs record with their 19th win Monday.

Q&A

Hubbard offers past, current tennis insight Coach talks about personal, team aspects By ALVARO BALDERAS The Pan American In the wake of a record-setting season for women’s tennis and a promising yet tough campaign for the men, UTPA tennis coach Rob Hubbard sat down with The Pan American to talk about the season and his career as a player and coach. The Pan American: How does UTPA tennis compare today to when you were playing in the ‘70s? Ron Hubbard: There was only a men’s program, which obviously is a big change. We were nationally ranked the four years I was here and my senior year we were in the top 10. PA: Why did you choose to attend UTPA? RH: I chose Pan Am because it offered me the opportunity to find out if I was going to be able to move to the pro level, which was always my goal.

PA: How was it competing on the Association of Tennis Professionals tour? RH: Even though I only played for about three years, I truly enjoyed it because of the great friends I made while I was competing. I have no regrets whatsoever about coming up short with injuries or with sponsors. It also helped me obtain great experience that got me to this next level in coaching. PA: Given your experience, what do you tell your players? What do you instill in their game? RH: There are times I see them with a problem I have encountered myself and that’s where I pass along my knowledge of the game. I can see the some problems coming; therefore I try and help them solve it before they encounter it. PA: Some say that a part of your success as a coach not only comes on the court but in the classroom? What do you think? RH: When I was a student, I saw that when I was going up and down with my studies, so was my tennis game. PA: Is there anyone on the team that reminds you of yourself?

UTPA posts 3-4 mark on road swing

RH: Not anyone in particular, more in certain situations. When I see someone venture to the net it reminds me a little bit because I was very much a serve-and-volley type of player. I wasn’t Mister Poker Face when I played. I let my emotions show and I see that in everybody a little bit. PA: What does the men’s team have to do for it to achieve the same success that the women have right now? RH: They need one more year, like the women last year. We have a very young squad this year. It reminds me of last year on the women’s side. We had a young squad but they got a year under their belts and now look at their success this year. It’s a learning process for the freshmen guys this year. PA: How do you feel about the women’s accomplishments this year? RH: I’m extremely proud of them because they sat down in the beginning of the season and established a goal of attaining at least 15 wins, which they surpassed. Hopefully, I had an impact along with the assistant and strengthand-conditioning coaches. They worked really hard throughout the long

season and sticking together as a team deserves kudos. PA: What are some things that have helped the women with their success? RH: We instilled a much heavier strength-and-conditioning program in the fall with the help of Matt Taylor. It certainly made a considerable impact on the team.

ROB HUBBARD MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS HEAD COACH 3RD SEASON

After suffering a two-game sweep at the hands of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi April 8, things didn’t look good for the Broncs, as the day marked their eighth consecutive loss, dropping them to 9-22 for the season. With five road games still looming, the Green and Orange traveled to Houston Friday in search of a much-needed win against Texas Southern, a team plagued by struggles of its own. The three-game series against the Tigers turned out to be exactly what the Broncs needed as they exploded with offensive production, combining for 48 runs in the sweep. But then in San Marcos, UTPA’s momentum could not withstand Texas State’s late surge in an 11-7 Game 1 defeat Tuesday night. In Game 2, the visitors continued to struggle as Edinburg native Evan Cunningham allowed three runs in the first two innings of play and the Bobcats cruised to 8-0 victory. The Broncs, who now stand at 1224, held a 5-1 lead entering the bottom of the fifth inning against the Bobcats in Game 1 and looked poised to escape Bobcat Field with a big win. But the inning turned awry. Texas State’s six runs off six hits proved to be the crucial blow against UTPA, which allowed three more runs in the sixth to seal its fate. In the high-scoring Tigers-Broncs series, whatever offensive struggles both teams experienced in the past came to end over the weekend. The Green and Orange claimed 17-11, 17-12 and 14-12 victories. Seniors Matt Shepherd (3-3), Cody Cisper (2-5) and Cunningham (1-1) were credited with the wins. Junior Jordan Rutenbar, who entered Wednesday’s game with the third-leading batting average (.352), led the Broncs with five runs, five hits and seven RBIs in the three games. Rutenbar is also tied for first in the home-run category with four and claims the most RBIs at 26.

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S P O RT S

April 17, 2008

THE PAN AMERICAN

FEATURE

StatsAtAGlance

By ADRIANA ACOSTA The Pan American While some find it difficult to obtain, persistence is something that has become vital for The University of Texas-Pan American junior Omar Doria. He’s learned to be tough through some hard times in life, and has not let anything stand in his way. Despite laying off a season after his mother was diagnosed with cancer, Doria will return to the Bronc track and field team in 2009, after having made some impressive strides two years ago. He is working hard in preparation for his comeback, and has a lifetime of experience in overcoming obstacles to work from. Doria’s passion for track and field began in middle school out of sheer love for being active. Wanting to excel in something along with academics, he decided to join the track team with the encouragement of his coach. “I was not very good in any other sport other than soccer, so I started running and progressed very quickly,” Doria said. The sport followed him to Edinburg North High School as Doria captured the district crown in the 1,600and 3,200-meter races during his senior year and earned a trip to regionals crown. He also helped the Cougars to the regional team championship during the 2004 season. His performances brought greater opportunities. At the height of his high school running career, universities from all over the country showed interest in Doria. Schools like Texas Christian University and Columbia University approached him with full scholarships. But being close to family and friends was the determining factor for Doria when he pondered future ambitions. “In the end I said, family comes first and I just wanted to get an education and be able to run. It would have been the same in other schools,” said the biology major. Holding no regrets, he chose to attend UTPA to continue his track career and soon after signed a letter of intent. Doria’s first competition was the

8K at the Texas A&M Cross Country Invitational, which he finished in 26 minutes en route to a 15th-place finish. During the 2007 season, he placed second in the 1,500 meters at the Border Oympics and second in the 3,000 at the Bobcat Open. Even with all his accomplishments, nothing prepared him for what would happen next. In April 2006, his career path abruptly changed – his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and the disease soon spread to her bones. “I wanted nothing but to be there for her,” he said. “Track would have to wait.” After the 2007 track season ended, the 19-year-old decided to leave the team for a season. Within a year, his mother’s quick recovery inspired him to return to the track, but this time as an unattached runner. Still trying to get his stride back, he competed in early February at the Houston Invitational and placed sixth overall in the 800-meter run. The Edinburg native admits staying focused and motivated doesn’t always come easy, especially with added pressures of taking 20 hours per semester. But thinking of his mother and her challenges gets him back on page with what he loves to do: run. “I think about my mom and what she went through. If she can overcome cancer, I can push myself though the hot weather or being tired,” Doria said, smiling. That has prompted the former Coog star to return to the track in August. He has been preparing by running 10 to 12 miles a day – trying to hit his goal of 80 miles a week. In the summer, he will travel to Morocco in North Africa, after being accepted to a fiveweek program with the Culture Immersion Program, a course designated for research, including the history of Morocco, and Arabic studies classes. He and was one of 10 students chosen. Earning a chance at that prestigious program has added greater incentive for Doria to make a furious comeback in the 2009 track and field season. “I want to prove to people that I can do it again and that I am strong,” he said. I am ready to bring it.”

Roxy Solis/The Pan American

Number of 2007 playoff teams the Dallas Cowboys will play in 2008

286 286

Number of points the Chicago Bulls and the Milwuakee Bucks combined for Monday night

ShortSports TRACK AND FIELD After a rough outing at the Texas Relays April 2, The University of TexasPan American men’s and women’s track and field team rebounded with top finishes Saturday at the Javelina Invitational hosted by Texas A&MKingsville. In the 3,000-meter steeplechase, sophomore Carolina Izaguirre led the Lady Broncs, finishing first with a time of 11:27.70, while Edinburg North alum Rose Escovedo placed fourth after punching a time of 12:15.80. Vanessa Brown of Houston led the Lady Broncs in the 400-meter dash, placing second with a time of 56.00. Ashlon Martin, who clocked in a time of 57.56 at the Rice Bayou Classic March 28, increased her mark to 56.85 en route to a fourth-place finish. And in field competition, Michelle Elizondo took first in the hammer throw and third in the shot put for her hurls of 164-04 and 41-09.25, respectively. On the men’s side, Edinburg native Wally Gonzalez, senior J.J. Hernandez and newcomer Jason Strachan took home first place in their respective events. Gonzalez, in the 800-meter run, finished with a time of 1:54. 90 and in the steeplechase, Hernandez managed a 9:19.30 with Luis Nava closely following behind in third. Strachan recorded a 48.88 time in the 400-meter dash. Mission native Angel Ramirez and junior Ruben Cantu collected second-place finishes in the 3,000-meter run, and 100- and 200-meter dash, respectively. The men and women will return to Austin Saturday for the UT Twilight hosted by the University of Texas.