A SPIRIT THAT IS NOT AFRAID
VOL 125 • ISSUE 11 • NOV. 9, 2017
END OF AN ERA FILE PHOTO
Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs watches the North Carolina vs. South Carolina game on the new “jumbotron” video board at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2015.
SPORTS ATHLETICS ADMINISTRATION
Athletic director Jay Jacobs resigns By CHIP BROWNLEE, SAM WILLOUGHBY AND WILL SAHLIE
Editor-in-chief, community editor and sports editor editor@theplainsman.com
Longtime athletic director Jay Jacobs’ tenure at Auburn Athletics is coming to an end. Jacobs, who has spent over a decade leading Auburn’s $100 million athletic machine, is stepping down from his position, according to an announcement from Jacobs circulating in booster circles. The letter, written as a “Word from Jay Jacobs,” was obtained Friday afternoon by The Plainsman. The letter was later posted online and the University confirmed Jacob’s resignation in a statement. “Earlier this week, I informed President Leath that I will step down as Director of Athletics on June 1, 2018, or sooner if my successor is in place,” Jacobs wrote in the letter. “I have come to this decision after a lot of prayer, deliberative discussions with my wife, Angie, and with the realization that it is time for a new leader of an incredible department.” Jacobs’ move, which will be effective by next summer,
comes after a succession of scandals hit Auburn Athletics over the course of the year, including allegations against two winning softball coaches accused of inappropriate sexual conduct and the arrest of an Auburn basketball legend turned coach accused of bribery and corruption. If a successor is chosen earlier, Jacobs said he will step down then. “Until a new director of athletics is chosen, I will work hard every day, every way I can,” he wrote. “I still have work to do, but I know already that I will miss so much about this place.” On top of recent scandals, his resignation comes after several years of athletic performance that has failed to live up to the expectations of deep-pocketed athletic boosters and scholarship donors — whose discontent fueled much of the decision calculus. “The last several months have been a particularly difficult time,” Jacobs went on to say. “Across several sports, a series of controversies have arisen. They have begun to take their toll and have raised questions about why Auburn must endure such problems. As I have always done, I have worked my hardest and best to do what is right for
Auburn.” Between the scandals and Auburn football’s trouble competing with other SEC rivals under head coach Gus Malzahn, donors had begun to question the state of the athletic program that more often than not serves as the public face of the University, with many donors threatening to close their wallets if no changes were made. Jacobs’ departure is weeks, if not months, in the making with Jacobs, President Steven Leath — in his first year as a president — and University trustees ironing out details over the last few weeks. Sources close to the decision have said the decision was there, but the timing has been in flux, continually evolving in recent weeks as other allegations and scandals came to light. Leath, in a statement to The Plainsman, painted the resignation in a more positive light. “Auburn and Auburn Athletics are both better because of Jay’s years of service to his alma mater,” Leath said. “Under his leadership, Auburn teams have won 11 national and 24 SEC championships, student-athlete
» See RESIGNATION, 2
JACOBS’ TIME AT AUBURN A TIMELINE 1982
1985
Jay Jacobs, a native of Lafayette, Alabama, near Auburn, becomes a walk-on offensive tackle at Auburn under coach Pat Dye.
Jacobs graduates from Auburn and later begins coaching.
1991
2004
Jacobs begins career as admin in Auburn Athletics.
Jacobs is named Auburn’s 14th athletic director.
NOV.
2008
FALL 2017
Jacobs hires Gene Chizik under immense criticism, but it subsided when Chizik won a National Championship in 2011.
Calls for and speculation about Jacobs’ departure begin after several controversies slam Auburn Athletics.
2013 Jacobs fires Chizik, hires Gus Malzahn as head football coach.
Jacobs announces he will step down as athletic director by June 1, 2018.
Photos: Library special collections and Plainsman file photos
SPORTS
Federal grand jury indicts assistant basketball coach By CHIP BROWNLEE Editor-in-chief editor@theplainsman.com
A federal grand jury impaneled in New York has indicted now-former assistant head basketball coach Chuck Person on six felony bribery and wire fraud charges, according to court documents. Following the indictment, the University announced Person had been fired.
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A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York confirmed the indictments to The Plainsman. “He is no longer an Auburn employee,” a spokesperson said. “As such, it’s completely in the hands of the criminal justice system.” The grand jury returned similar indictments against a high-end Atlanta-based clothing executive Rashan Michel, a former NBA official and founder of Thompson Bespoke Clothing, a men’s clothing company that often tailors to NFL and
for clothing if they made it into the NBA. The indictment posits similar allegations to those the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced in September as part of a two-year investigation into basketball coaches across the country. The new indictment again charges that Person used his influence to steer players and their families to particular advisers — not because of their merits but because he was being bribed to do so.
» See INDICTMENT, 2
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NBA sports stars. “In exchange for the bribes, Person agreed to exert, and did exert, his influence over studentathletes under his control to retain the services of the bribe-payers once the athletes eventually entered the National Basketball Association,” the indictment reads. Person and Michel are accused of conspiring together as part of a scheme that directed payments to Person in return for funneling players to financial advisers for money advice and Michel
Michael Battle served as the US ambassador to the AU for the longest term in history Page 2
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Battling for Africa Former ambassador to African Union informs students on America-Africa relations By LILY JACKSON Managing Editor managing.editor@theplainsman.com
Michael Battle served as the United States Ambassador to the African Union for the longest term in history. Before his diplomatic days, Battle was an academic — working with students in higher education. The switch from education to diplomatic relations "was a progression — not necessarily a natural progression — but a progression," Battle said. "Prior to serving in an official U.S. capacity, I was the vice chair of the American Committee on Africa, which is a think tank on Africa." Battle said he was the antagonist to the government in this role. "It needed to be recognized that there is an ethical responsibility to put back into Africa the capacity to build lives, to build houses, to build schools, to build hospitals," Battle said. During that time, Battle focused on swaying industrial activity to think about ethical aspects of their investment in Africa, rather than focusing on what could be extracted. It was after his time in education, that former President Barack Obama asked him to be an ambassador. Battle worked with Obama through his time as a state senator and U.S. senator before he ran for president in 2008. Alongside working as an ambassador, Battle worked on the United Nations Commission for Africa and after his time with both, he was called back to Washington as senior advisor to the State Department in preparation for a summit coordinated by Obama. Battle said in order to shape any part of the world — whether Asia, Africa or Europe — diplomacy, defense and development are necessary. He said the current focus has been placed on anti-terrorism efforts. Although important, Battle said a strategy solely based on defense will not be successful. This role and his later positions in the government would give him a "360-degree view" of what was necessary to com-
RESIGNATION » From 1
academic achievement has risen to its highest level, revenue has grown dramatically, and Auburn consistently ranks among the nation’s best in game day experience. Jay is an Auburn man through and through. Janet and I wish Jay and Angie the very best, and we look forward to his continued service to Auburn as Athletics Director Emeritus.” There are lingering questions surrounding Jacobs’ depth and breadth of knowledge of any misconduct and improprieties in the two major scandals. He and Auburn Athletics have denied any mishandling of the department, pointing to the softball coaches’ resignations and federal prosecutors who have said University administrators weren’t involved in nor subjects of the nationwide basketball investigation. Since August, the University has retained a high-powered Birmingham law firm — Lightfoot, Franklin & White — to serve as an independent third party to investigate the softball program and the basketball program, costing the University thousands in legal fees. The two scandals added to a bill of $2.3 million since 2010. The details of Jacobs’ agreement to step down are still unknown. It isn’t clear if Jacobs, who has worked at Auburn for more than 10 years earning more than $1.1 million last year, will receive a buyout or other compensation for his resignation. The University hasn’t responded to requests from The Plainsman to clarify what Jacobs’ role will be once he steps down as athletic director. Jacobs told AL.com this week that he isn’t sure himself. The search for his successor has reportedly already begun, with several top candidates being considered in a national search, the likes of which the University hasn’t undergone since. Some top candidates could include NFL senior vice president and Auburn alumna Michelle McKenna-Doyle and former head coach Tommy Tuberville. The search will likely be kept quiet until a replacement is chosen. JAY JACOBS’ TIME AT AUBURN A former walk-on Auburn football player and two-time graduate who played under legendary head coach Pat Dye, Jacobs was selected as Auburn’s 14th athletics director in 2004 after serving in the Athletics Department for nearly 20 years as an assistant director, an associate director and a senior associate athletics director. Having served now as athletic director for 13 years, Jacobs holds the trophy for being the longest-serving athletic director still in his position in the cut-throat SEC West. Vanderbilt and Kentucky athletic directors David Williams and Mitch Barnhart are the only still-
plete the cycle, which he connected back to the basic concern for people and a concern for America's capacity to "influence and shape the development of the rest of the world." Battle taught philosophy and religion at Hampton University. He served as the university chaplain until taking a job as associate vice president for student affairs at Virginia State and Chicago University. Battle is retired now and enjoys working at his own pace. When he travels around the country speaking to students and young people in America, he hopes to impress upon them a few things. WHAT HAPPENED IN NIGER, SOLUTIONS Battle said Niger has been a breeding ground for terrorist activity brought on by the fall of Lybia and the access stash of weapons taken from Muammar Gaddafi's stockpiles. These weapons were then used by groups who were "not positively oriented." "Those weapons provided an opportunity for terrorist activities that were heavily armed and able to challenge the stability of Mali, Niger, Algeria, Lybia and almost threatened Egypt," Battle said. During Battle's term, the U.S. started a program to attempt to counter terrorist expansion. Initially, the intent was to advise, but quickly they found advise was not enough. "You have to accompany newly trained troops in the field," Battle said. "I am also retired military. I spent 20 years as an Army chaplain." Battle said the failure in Niger came when a lack of consistent contact and flow of information set up a disconnect between troops and those in the air. United States African Command, AfriCom, had requested intelligence, networking assistance and a constant flow of connectivity between all of the forces in Niger.
» See BATTLE, 4
seated athletic directors to have served longer in the SEC. Earlier this year, he won the Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year Award — the only SEC coach this year to do that. Jacobs’ time at Auburn began during an undefeated football season under Tuberville but has since been marked by both successes and failures, particularly in revenue-generating sports. In 2008, Tuberville stepped down after a 10-year stint at Auburn that included the 2004 undefeated season and several years during which his team competed for SEC championships. Jacobs hired Iowa State University head coach Gene Chizik to replace Tuberville. Chizik finished his Iowa State tenure with a career 5–19 record. Auburn fans famously heckled Jacobs upon his arrival at the Auburn airport after the announcement of Chizik’s hiring. Though Chizik would go on to coach Cam Newton and the Tigers to a national championship in 2010 and win the coach of the year award, he was fired in 2012 after finishing 0–8 in conference play that year. Chizik and his assistant coaches’ contract buyouts cost the University over $11 million, driving a wedge between Jacobs and boosters and a few trustees who took issue with the mounting costs. In September 2015, Jacobs fired Auburn baseball head coach Sunny Golloway with cause, allowing Auburn to avoid paying for Golloway’s contract buyout. Auburn accused Golloway of committing 11 NCAA infractions at the time, though the NCAA later cleared him of wrongdoing. Golloway subsequently filed a lawsuit against Jacobs, the Board of Trustees and several other athletics administrators for wrongful termination. A federal judge dismissed Golloway’s claims against Jacobs and the board in September, but not the ones against the administrators, including executive associate athletic director Rich McGlynn. That case will go to trial in June 2018. The Montgomery Advertiser reported in October 2015 that for years certain boosters had been getting opportunities to buy more tickets to Auburn games than normally allowed for their priority level. One of those boosters was Jim Cleveland, co-owner of the Moore’s Mill Club in Auburn, who had an extensive business past with Jacobs. THE FINAL MONTHS
Despite his successes, memories of Jacobs’ 13-year tenure at Auburn will undoubtedly include the numerous controversies that slammed Auburn Athletics in the finals months of his tenure. In August, an explosive report from ESPN highlighted an alleged pattern of abuse and sexual harassment by Auburn’s softball coach-
NEWS
INDICTMENT » From 1
“The illicit payments to athletes’ families also defrauded Auburn University by interfering with Auburn University’s ability to control its assets, and creating a risk of tangible economic harm,” the indictment continues. Person and nine other individuals including three other NCAA Division I assistant and associate coaches were arrested in September as part of a nationwide law enforcement effort and a federal investigation into NCAA basketball programs and coaches. In October, federal prosecutors subpoenaed the University, requesting a wide range of documents related to Person and the basketball program. The University, which is not believed to be implicated in the scheme, has promised full cooperation with federal investigators. The allegations against Person hit the basketball program only weeks after allegations of inappropriate relationships between a coach and student-athletes on the softball team stunned the University. In the days following Person’s arrest, dozens of season ticket holders began requesting refunds. Employees of public institutions funded by the federal government are prohibited from accepting bribes by federal law. During the last fiscal year, Person was paid more than $279,000 by the University. His last payment came on Sept. 29, 2017, days after he was charged, according to open records. The University suspended him indefinitely without pay on Sept. 26, the day the initial charges became public. Person, a former Auburn and NBA basketball star, joined head coach Bruce Pearl’s coaching staff in 2014. The indictment alleges that Person accepted $91,500 in bribes from an unnamed cooperating witness in the case believed to be Martin Blazer, a Pittsburgh-based financial adviser who recently pleaded guilty to charges brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. On top of the $91,000 bribes from Blazer, among others, Person is also accused of accepting $50,000 in cash bribes from Michel in exchange for steering student-athletes to his clothing company and other interests. In total, Person is accused of handling more than $141,000. Among the six-count indictment are charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, solicitation of bribes and gratuities by an agent of a federally funded organization, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, honest services wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy and travel act conspiracy. More indictments are expected in the case against the other individuals implicated in the investigation — among them, the three other Division I basketball coaches at USC, Oklahoma State and Arizona, and an Adidas representative.
FILE PHOTO
Athletic director Jay Jacobs sits down for an interview with The Plainsman in 2015.
ing staff including former head coach Clint Myers and his son, former associate head coach Corey Myers. A Title IX complaint filed in July by former walk-on pitcher Alexa Nemeth alleged that Clint Myers looked the other way and allowed Corey Myers to pursue “relations with multiple members of the team.” Nemeth had previously met with Jacobs and executive associate athletics director Meredith Jenkins about the allegations. Her and her father’s complaints were met with responses that ranged from apathetic to “dismissive” and even threatening, Nemeth told The Plainsman in an exclusive interview. The news of the complaint came just days after Clint Myers abruptly retired. The complaint, written by Wisconsin sports attorney Martin Greenberg, was sent to the University in July, a month prior to Clint Myer’s retirement. But the allegations against Corey Myers dated back to fall 2016. Corey Myers abruptly resigned in March ahead of a road series against Georgia. At the time, Jenkins allegedly “quarantined” the team and tried to force them to delete proof, in the form of cell phone text messages, the complaint and several players said. The team was threatened with legal action and other retribution if they didn’t comply. The letter, sent to school officials and Gov. Kay Ivey’s office after Nemeth filed the Title IX complaint, also lists concerns about a potential cover-up by administrative staff. Nemeth said she had also corresponded with then-President Jay Gogue, administrator Bernard Hill and President Steven Leath. The Plainsman’s editorial board called for Jacobs to step down or be removed after the softball scandal was first reported. Later, just weeks after the softball scandal broke, federal authorities arrested Chuck Person, a former star Auburn basketball play-
er turned assistant head coach who also had a stint in the NBA. The arrest and subsequent charges in federal court stemmed from a wide-ranging bribery scheme that sent shock waves through college basketball. A federal grand jury indicted him on 6 felony charges on Tuesday. Person is facing bribery, fraud and corruption charges as part of a nationwide criminal probe into similar schemes across the NCAA, which federal prosecutors have said involved top coaches funneling athletes to agents and financial advisers in exchange for monetary bribes. Days after Person’s arrest, Leath, when asked whether he would give a vote of confidence to the athletic director, said he was focused on the serious misconduct charges against the basketball program — not Jacobs’ future. “I don’t have the time or the bandwidth right now to speculate on what might happen in the future,” Leath said. “I’m running the university, making sure the students are successful and dealing with these serious misconduct charges.” The hit to the basketball program just weeks after the softball allegations stunned those close to the athletic program. In the days following Person’s arrest, dozens of season ticket holders began requesting refunds, adding to their concern. On top of the allegations in softball and basketball, Jacobs’ athletic department, in the last few months of his tenure, faced allegations that a tutor had taken an online test for a football player. And in October, a former track and field assistant coach filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the University, alleging that he had been physically assaulted by another coach and retaliated against by coaching staff and administrators for filing complaints.
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Global perceptions Moving on from Jay Jacobs of the United States By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Last week, Auburn’s athletic director Jay Jacobs announced he will be stepping down by June 2018. Overseeing a program mired in scandal and berated by allegations, Jacobs decided leaving would be the best way to help Auburn University, and we emphatically agree with him. Jacobs has not been a “bad” athletic director by any means, but it was past time for a change at the top of Auburn’s athletics department. Despite his successes — including leading Auburn to win 11 national championships and 24 SEC championships across several sports — his actions over the past year left a void in leadership that precludes him from being the proper person to lead a program as important as Auburn Athletics. Sport has been a key component to schooling for millennia, going as far back as the ancient Greeks who recognized its utility. It continues to promote human excellence. Sport not only promotes physical discipline, it also creates stronger, more disciplined minds. Additionally, our athletics program contribute to community cohesion, with our teams carrying the hearts of students and fans who may not typically associate with one another. Perhaps even more important to the University is the money the department contributes to academic programs.
Given the important functions of athletics, we challenge Auburn to thoughtfully choose its next athletic director. We need someone who will continue Jacobs’ successes, but more importantly, we need someone who will provide strong, ethical leadership and a coherent vision of what Auburn athletics should aspire to be. Our next athletic director must be committed to transparency. Skirting around issues won’t solve them. Auburn Athletics relationship with the media — which ranges from dismissive to hostile — needs to be repaired. Moreover, we need an athletic director who isn’t so entrenched in the good ol’ boy system that it’ll detract from his leadership. Friends cannot come before the well-being of student-athletes and the University. Often times, the University places an enormous amount of weight in whether a candidate is already part of the Auburn Family, but sometimes outsiders can be good for institutions, they can identify and fix issues that have festered for too long. This is not to say we’d prefer a non-alum, but Auburn’s choice must care about studentathletes in a manner that goes beyond seeing them as tools for Auburn’s financial success or image; their humanity is more valuable than revenue. If our next athletic director reflects these qualities, we are confident Auburn Athletics will fulfill its purpose: to promote excellence in Auburn students, both in spirit and body.
HER VIEW
‘Now they always say congratulations’: Celebrating Post Malone’s success By CHRISTIE SHIOVITZ Contributing Columnist
What began as just a simple game of Guitar Hero turned into a headlining career. It all started back in August 2015 when “White Iverson” was released and Post Malone instantly made it into our hearts. All over social media are videos of Post Malone singing, either in concert or just while hanging out with his crew having a good time. No matter the setting, you can see the pure passion he instills in his music. His internet presence is part of what makes him so unique. If you go to his Twitter account, he’s mostly just talking about Call of Duty. In his own quirky way, that makes him much more relatable to the average person. Because Post Malone is so relatable, his audience is much broader than most artists. He’s very odd but in a refreshing way. He doesn’t fit into your typical stereotype of a successful musician in his looks or in his behavior. He embodies a new spin on a hip-hop artist. His success shows that there isn’t a specific mold that you need to fit into in order to be successful in the music industry. As far as his music goes, I think everyone can agree it’s extremely impressive that he started learning guitar by playing Guitar Hero. From there he taught himself by watching YouTube videos. It shows you don’t necessarily need every high-end resource or instructor you can
find as long as you are dedicated to putting in the work. His music style fits his personality because it is as unique as he is. Every song Post Malone releases are relatable to everyone, but no two are the same. He has some that you would play during a relaxing wine night and some that you would want to bop to at a music festival. Post’s clever lyrics also make his music more interesting to anyone listening. Post Malone is the type of artist where you remember where you were when you first heard about him. For me, I was in my psychology class, and the guy behind me was messing with my French braids and told me I looked like Post Malone. At the time, I didn’t know who he was nor did I realize any comparison to him was flattering. After that, I watched every video he had on YouTube and was mesmerized by his raw talent. I noticed that he did whatever he wanted to be happy. That’s how he started his music career; he just up and moved to Los Angeles because he thought he’d be happier there. I think everyone can take notes from how he lives his life. He’s well-liked because he’s the exact opposite of someone you would expect to make great music, especially in the genre he’s in. The views expressed in columns do not reflect the opinion of The Auburn Plainsman.
By JAKE BAKER
Contributing Columnist
The United States of America has long been a bastion of liberty to the nations of the world. Throughout the history of the U.S., there have been times of progress, times of tragedy and times of triumph. In establishing ourselves as a global superpower, we have successfully inspired nations all over the world to adopt democratic policies that mirror our own. Our inspiration has led to the physical and moral well-being of billions worldwide. We have enabled the equal rights of all races and religious groups, as well as both genders. This is due to our unique and enduring constitution that has created a system that still leaves political theorists all over the world enamored. Our constitution is the cornerstone of what has now come to be known as the American dream. It allows citizens to worship in the way they please, it allows people to speak in any way they choose and it allows people to be free from government overreach. Americans of all backgrounds have taken enormous pride in this idea, but over the course of the past 50 years, some Americans have begun to slander America’s heritage, proclaiming that we were founded on racism, that we have diluted other nation’s cultures and that we have contributed to vast inequality. Some celebrities have begun taking pride in their hatred for America. Ariana Grande sums up many actors’ and musicians’ thoughts on America with her famous quote, “I hate America. I hate Americans.” Johnny Depp infamously stated that “America is dumb.” These celebrities, which are idolized by many, have spread this hatred to many of their followers, who, in turn, repeat the hatred they hear. Some foreign actors have chimed in, claiming that America embodies arrogance and greed. As a result, Americans, 64 percent of which have never left the country, have begun to feel alienated and hated by the rest of the world. Many leftists claim that America is “arrogant” and “dumb” without even acknowledging the American exceptionalism recognized worldwide. America’s contributions to the world consist of more than just inspiration to other nations. American culture is recognized and glorified by the populations of all developed countries. American music, movies, even historical culture are celebrated by billions of people world-wide. America is also the economic cornerstone of the world. Business people from every stock exchange recognize the sheer mass and importance of the NASDAQ and New York Stock Exchange. Many important technological advances are easily attributed to American companies. American technology is constantly revolutionizing the way the world operates. America has also created opportunities for individuals from other nations to come and express
Whoppers? More like whoopsies By LILY JACKSON Managing Editor
A Whoppers’ off-white packaging perfectly aligns with the off-kilter flavor and texture inside. “The Original Malted Milk Balls” are known as the popular choice for father’s when ravaging the leftover candy in their child’s pumpkinshaped trick-or-treat sack. Once crushed and soiled, the Styrofoam-like substance coats the mouth in a way that resembles leaving the beach at the end of a sunny day,
The Auburn Plainsman welcomes letters from students, as well as faculty, administrators, alumni and those not affiliated with the University.
The opinions of The Auburn Plainsman staff are restricted to these pages.
Letters must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. on Monday for publication. Letters must include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification, though the name of the author may be withheld upon request. Submission may be edited for grammar and/or length. Please submit no more than 400 words.
This editorial is the majority opinion of the Editorial Board and is the official opinion of the newspaper. The opinions expressed in columns and letters represent the views and opinions of their individual authors. These opinions do not necessarily reflect the Auburn University student body, faculty, administration or Board of Trustees.
taking four showers and still finding sand under the arms. The chocolate coating would redeem the rightfully neglected spherical treat if it melted less like grainy asphalt and more like brown sugar. The winking malt ball resting in the red “O” on the rapper appears to be hiding something or maybe it’s just a joke that only the world’s fathers understand. The views expressed in columns do not reflect the opinion of The Auburn Plainsman.
THE EDITORIAL BOARD CHIP BROWNLEE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LILY JACKSON MANAGING EDITOR JESSICA BALLARD STANDARDS EDITOR WESTON SIMS OPINION EDITOR
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their thoughts and ideas and progress the world as a whole. Other nations recognize all of these contributions the United States has made to the world. Michael Caine, famed British author and actor, claimed, “I’m one of the most pro-American foreigners I know. I love America and Americans.” From Berlin to Budapest, statues of American generals and presidents can be found in city squares. The Czech Republic even has an annual parade in the city of Pilsen to celebrate the American liberation of the country in 1945. Many American leftists refuse to admit that this American exceptionalism existed in the first place, and they also attest that the rest of the world feels the same way. However, leaders that admire American principles of classical liberalism are making a comeback after making the realization that leftist ideologies inhibit true progression. After nations in Europe were damaged from the overwhelming amounts of refugees, which the leftist EU commanded them to take in, they realized that the modern left does not hold the answer. Countries that face the direst consequences of the refugee crisis have already turned to conservative politics. They are now reaping the rewards of seemingly hard decisions. Among these are Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and now Austria. Students inspired by American democracy are now causing friction through peaceful protests between themselves and the heavily Chinese-influenced establishment. This, among other cultural revolutions, are inspiring nations all over Asia to step back from their totalitarian regimes and embrace the American way. All of these micro-revolutions, and more, can be attributed to the influence of the American system’s enduring ingenuity. Contrary to the narrative put forward by mainstream media and many leftists, the United States is not looked down upon by the rest of the world. The recent upset in our presidential election is not some isolated occurrence abhorred by every educated individual outside of our borders. The population of the U.S., as well as populations abroad, have grown sick and tired of their own liberties and rights being infringed upon by over-reaching, leftist governments. America’s reputation is not marred by one or even two elections. President Barack Obama did not ruin America’s reputation, and neither will President Donald Trump. However, many governments are returning to more conservative political policies in order to begin healing the damage done by border-line socialist leaders, and this revolution is led by the United States of America.
LOREN KIMMEL CAMPUS EDITOR SAM WILLOUGHBY COMMUNITY EDITOR WILL SAHLIE SPORTS EDITOR
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campus THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2017
OID encourages female students to run for office By PAUL BROCK Campus Writer
Auburn’s Office of Inclusion and Diversity hosted Elect Her, intended to encourage females to run for elected positions. Within the Student Center Sunday evening, women students were provided training and skills for beginning their own campaign. “This program is to encourage women to run for elected office,” said Bonnie Wilson, the coordinator for the Women in Science and Engineering Institute. “This is the first year we’ve done it here.” The Elect Her program was presented by Running Start, a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization founded in 2007 under the support of the Women Under Forty Political Action Committee. The goal of Running Start is to encourage more women to run for political office and to prepare them for campaigning. “We actually called all of the female members of congressional office and found out that over half of them did start their political career in student government whether it was in high school or college,” said Jessica Kelly, the leadership and programs director at Running Start. “Running for student government, you get to sort of test the waters and learn campaigning skills you can use later.” Elect Her was developed with the help of the American Association of University Women, and events have been held at over 85 different university campuses. “We had an independent evaluator reach back out to all of our participants in 2016, last year, and of those who ran for office 90 percent of them won their race,” said Kelly. “We’re really seeing some amazing outcomes.” A playlist full of upbeat and encouraging songs by women artists was played before the event started. Attendees sat around tables and received worksheets to fill out during the presentation. “I think being able to have an opportunity to learn about leadership and how to run a student organization as a woman and just being able to learn how to be a leader here is something that I’d be interested in,” said Morgan Kull, freshman in political science. “I want to get involved with SGA eventually because I’m a political science and communications major.” Kull said she is currently involved with Auburn’s Honor’s Congress. Various speakers gave advice and encouragement to participants of the event. Two of the event speakers were Niki Ozburn, Director of Elections for SGA, and former Miss Homecoming candidate Kayla Warner. “I think it just helps everybody out just knowing that they have the ability to know that they can run for position,” Warner said. “So many people see people in position but don’t know what goes behind it, so I think that things like this kind of lift that veil, and try to make seem less scary and something that’s definitely doable for everyone.” Opelika councilwoman Tiffany Gibson-Pitts spoke about her experience of running for an office and gave practical advice on how to campaign. “Organization is the key or was the key for me being elected,” said Gibson-Pitts. “I was in the pool with three other men of which I beat them.” Attendees were given opportunities to ask question and voice their ideas and experiences. At 7 p.m., Newk’s was provided to the attendees of the event. For the final part of the event, participants went to the podium and practiced answering questions they might be asked while running for a student office. “I wasn’t expecting such a small group, you know, but it ended up being very personal and super beneficial for me,” said Tatum Thompson, sophomore in business. “We learned a lot about ourselves but also campaigns and I think that’s really important.” At the end, participants shared with each other what impacted them the most. “We had a really great group,” Kelly said. “We just shared some takeaways at the end, and someone said, ‘I never thought of running for office, but it’s ok to just try,’ which is exactly the outcome we want of people who might have hesitated to run before now having the confidence to do it.”
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Battle said with constant communication, the U.S. would not have lost four "valiant young soldiers." He said the U.S.'s first orientation in Africa is to train African soldiers to do their jobs. The second is to protect U.S. troops when they are engaged in training. He said the training mission has been expanded, and he feels the American public should always be aware when troops are deployed and where they are. "When we are aware of where our troops are, we then can have the responsibility of making sure the safety our troops are paramount," Battle said. "What happened in Niger should not have happened. The response time to these young men having lost their lives should have been much more rapid. The French responded before we responded." Battle said the only coverage of the armed troops was an unarmed aircraft, to which he
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said didn't make a whole lot of sense. He drew the situation back to the necessities of diplomatic relations outlined before. With military engagement, there must be diplomatic engagement. With the desired situation, Battle said there would have never been an opportunity for "our guys" to be out there and ambushed by a group of people who should have never had the ability to overpower U.S. troops. Battle said he hopes the American public won't see what happened in Niger as a reason to cease training in Africa. "If we don't, the opportunity for Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabaab, ISIS to fill a vacuum would be much, much, much more dangerous in the long run," Battle said. Battle said the happenings in Niger should prompt the Department of Defense to give AfriCom everything it needs for counter-terrorism efforts and should assist African mili-
‘I’d rather be here than anywhere else’
ADAM SPARKS / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Heather Ralson holding one of her sketches in front of the Cater Lawn on Monday, Nov. 8 in Auburn, Ala.
Student veteran shares her story of balancing a college workload after serving in the military By LOREN KIMMEL Campus Editor
Throughout the week as students pass Cater Lawn they are met with a visual representation of 210 red stakes representing the lives of veterans taken by suicide. Social Chair for Auburn’s Student Veterans Association and retired Senior Airman Heather Ralson stands by the visual, ready to answer questions and inform others about the disheartening truths of being a veteran. Ralson began her studies at Auburn last semester after serving six years in the Air Force. During her time, Ralson was stationed in Montana for three years on an airborne team specializing in recapture and recovery of nuclear weapons. Ralson was later stationed in Alabama, during which time she completed a combat tour in Afghanistan. “Being able to see our countryside from a helicopter, I often just sat back in awe thinking, ‘Wow, this is my job,’” Ralson said of one of the moments that stays with her most. “I had the same feeling when I would fly around in Afghanistan.” Ralson was the third woman in her family to be in the military and the first one to go on a combat tour. Coming from a military family, Ralson was most inspired by her grandfather to join the military. After her grandfather served 10 years as a marine, Ralson said it was the values he learned in the military that stayed with him. “It was just the right path for me, and it made me into the strong, independent woman that I am today,” Ralson said. Due to getting hurt in Afghanistan, Ralson medically separated from the military and went on to pursue her undergraduate degree in wildlife ecology and management. After recognizing Auburn’s School of Wildlife and Forestry to be one of the best in the region, Ralson decided on Auburn. “It is just a friendly environment to live,” Ralson said. “When I came to visit and talked to the director of Veterans Resource Center, I just [knew] it was the place I wanted to be.” It is Ralson’s love and appreciation for animals that drove taries in doing more than warfighting missions. He noted the roles American military fills in times of natural disaster and community building missions. Battle said African militaries should be trained to provide civil services as well. WHAT AFRICA HAS TO OFFER "President Clinton, President Bush, President Obama had very structured, solid programmatic orientations toward the African continent — recognizing Africa as a strategic partner, not simply as a recipient of aid," Battle said. "I think there is still a capacity in the current administration, it's just that the current administration hasn't acted upon the capacity it has to shape African policy." He said when looking at the continent, look at it holistically, not seeing the raw materials as something to extract, but rather a breeding ground for training. "Look at the ways we can help African countries devel-
op their raw material into value-added products rather than where we look at extracting those raw materials," Battle said. Battle said Africa is the only continent with enough arable land to feed the rest of world. With investments in the land, "Africa could become the breadbasket it needs to become." Battle said the American people would benefit by knowing the vast resources and opportunities that reside on the African continent. Africa is the only continent with rapid population growth and an abundance of young people. Battle said Africa will be the key to the world's shortage of youth and reproduction. "The survival of planet Earth will depend on the world's ability to partner with Africa for future industrialization, ingenuity, future insight and future partnership," Battle said. "[Africa] has the land resources to feed the rest of the world, it has the mineral resources to supply energy for the rest of the world
her in this direction. “The reason I chose wildlife ecology and management was because I care about all animals and their well-being,” she said. “It’s important to make sure we preserve and conserve in the future to keep animals off the endangered list as well as extinct. I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself.” But even with Ralson’s choice of a direction that fascinates her, she cannot escape the stresses of her past with the heightened stress of being a student. “You have to figure out where your classes are, where you fit in, if you’re going to talk to anybody in class and sometimes I don’t feel like getting out of bed,” Ralson said. “Sometimes it is like I just don’t really want to do this, like why am I putting myself through this?” This is when Ralson turned to the Veterans Resource Center and the Auburn Student Veterans Association open to any veteran on campus. The resource center helped Ralson with resources like tutors as well as knowledge of counseling opportunities free to students. “When I know I have a bad day, I know I can go get help if I need it,” Ralson said. “A lot of us don’t have family here, and even though we are out of the military, the staff there looks out for us.” Ralson said there are multiple forms of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. While the red stakes represent those suffered by veterans, Ralson stressed that PTSD awareness is for everyone, as anyone can experience it. “As far as being haunted, I guess because the military spends so much time building us up, it’s hard to ask for help when we need it,” Ralson said. “Especially as an older student, it’s harder for me even still to admit when I need help.” Ralson said she notices a difference among her and her peers’ interactions. Due to Ralson’s path leading her to be older than the usual student, Ralson noted times of frustration she faced when she was met with younger students who did not share the same life experience.
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FORMER AMBASSADOR MICHAEL BATTLE
and itself, it has the raw materials to support itself and the rest of the world." The need to partner with Africa impressed Battle the most. Battle said in many instances, the U.S. has seen the necessity of mobilizing vast numbers of people in industrial ways and the same situation must present itself on the African continent. He said evolution will lean that
way and the reality will come with time. "I think we, as a nation, should be out front leading the process of constructive engagement with the African continent," Battle said. "With all of the problems we have in the way our democracy works, it is still the best system of government that humankind has ever experienced."
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The Auburn Plainsman
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Warrior Research Center focuses on military R&D By CHRIS HEANEY Campus Reporter
While many programs at Auburn prepare men and women to be a part of the United States Armed Forces, one lesser known program focuses on helping those men and women succeed once they are in the military. Working out of the College of Education’s School of Kinesiology, the Warrior Research Center conducts research to improve health, wellness, physical performance and other human factors in members of the military and tactical athletes such as firefighters and police. Started in 2010 by JoEllen Sefton, the Warrior Research Center has become one of the premier institutions in the country dedicated to U.S. military research, performance and warfighter health. The WRC collaborates with researchers and investigators around the country and works with students who are seeking internship opportuni-
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She said even when she butted heads with students over certain topics, students would still be interested in her words as an older and more experienced student. With the ability to share her words, Ralson wanted to take the opportunity to break down the barriers between fellow veterans on campus and other students. She encouraged students to
ties, military research experience and Ph.D. candidates. “If a researcher has an idea that might work for the military they can come to us, we can help direct them in the right way,” Sefton said. “We help them be successful, find the language needed and put them in touch with the right people.” The center also works with military personnel and tactical athletes who may have specific needs. “If military or tactical athletes have questions, or they would like to reach out to specific researchers, we are the one place here in Auburn that they can come to,” Sefton said. According to Sefton, the WRC works with a broad range of disciplines and majors in order to address a wide array of problems that the military may have. Students and professionals in fields from psychology to engineering participate in the research that goes on there. “We try to involve as diverse a population as we can,” Sefton said. “The questions and the problems
approach those wearing the “war damn veterans” T-shirts around campus. Dissuading students from being intimidated by veterans covered in tattoos or rendered unapproachable, Ralson said not to be afraid to come up and talk to them because most of them are very friendly. Ralson urged interested parties to reach out to the Veterans Research Center and herself with questions and involvement or partnership opportunities. “If anyone just has questions about
that we are dealing with are not easy, the easy ones have already been solved.” The research conducted focuses on performance optimization, injury prevention and the improvement of military gear and equipment. A current project nearing completion after nine months of data collection and five more months of data analysis is the Initial Entry Training Physical Resiliency Enhancement Program, or I-PREP. For this project, the WRC worked with Ft. Benning in Georgia to reduce injury and improve initial entry training soldier success. “We were working with soldiers down at Fort Benning, looking at protein and carbohydrate supplementation and how that affects their physiology, their performance and their injury rates,” Sefton said. I-PREP has already been shown to decrease injury, improve trainee fitness and graduation rates and provide significant savings in medical, recruitment and training time costs for the military.
military service I would rather a student come to us first before they went to a recruiter,” Ralson said. On top of her school work and responsibilities as social chair, Ralson works within the Veteran Research Center helping the certifying officials make sure students are certified in order to receive their parents’ or their benefits. “You have everything set out for you, you have when to be there in the morning, what uniform to wear, where to be, who’s in charge, there is
When they’re not conducting research, the WRC also provides educational and community outreach services for military, academic and local groups around Auburn. They have worked with the Student Veteran and Transfer Resource Center at the University, provided sports medicine coverages for road races and collaborated with Auburn Athletics to provide gear to Wounded Warriors. The first WRC Summit, which took place in summer of 2017 at the University, brought over 30 speakers and presenters together to share ideas and findings of soldier training, injury prevention and many other aspects related to warfighter readiness. Although small, the WRC here at the University has made a large impact in the world of military research since its start seven years ago. “We conduct very problem-based research,” Sefton said. “We are not doing a lot of basic research just for research’s sake; we are trying to take that and apply it to solve a number of problems.”
a chain of command that you have to follow and then when you go to school it is kind of like running around like a chicken with your head cut off,” Ralson said. In order to handle these pressures, Ralson taps into one of her hobbies as a stress reliever. She enjoys drawing and utilizes it as her escape and a manner to relax. “It helped me with anxiety and to decompress overseas, and now it does the same for me, but it’s just something that is relaxing,” Ralson said. “If I ever
need to take a break from study or just clear my head, I can pull out my sketchbook.” Ralson continues to find a balance between her studies and responsibility as she continues to earn her bachelor’s degree. Ralson plans to maintain this balance as she looks forward to the possibility of receiving her graduate degree from Auburn as well. “Don’t be stubborn and ask for help when you need it,” Random said, encouraging students from her experiences.
community THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2017
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From Iraq to Auburn: Elvis Davis on his time overseas By OLIVIA WILKES Community Writer
Retired Lt. Col. Charles Elvis Davis III flourishes an Iraq Campaign pin on his lapel and a pair of cufflinks that reads, “Embassy of the United States of America, Baghdad Iraq,” that he received from the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, “who presented them with the reminder that they could not be purchased anywhere, only earned,” Davis said. Davis, who served two tours in Iraq, jokes that they’re how he proves he’s a veteran. Currently, a graduate teaching assistant and Ph.D. student in Auburn’s department of political science, Davis joined the Air Force Reserve in the summer of 1984. He served in Panama from late 1988 through 1989 and was stationed in Colorado during Operation Desert Storm. “I fought Operation Desert Storm from Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs,” Davis said, using his fingers to put air quotes around ‘fought.’ “I was part of the missile warning wing. … We tracked every Scud missile launch.” In March 2009, toward the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Davis headed overseas for his first tour in Iraq with the embassy. He was assigned to the Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq, or MNSTC-I. In Baghdad, Davis worked with and trained Iraqi officials as part of the United States’ objective to set up a Westernized government in the country. “We were doing cultural affairs with the Iraqis,” Davis said. “We were building an English language academy; we were trying to show them how the Western world operates,” Davis said. In August 2009, Davis returned to the U.S. for about a month before heading back to Baghdad on his second tour. This time, he was assigned to a different section of MNTSC-I and became the official U.S. advisor to the Iraqi Minister of Defense. “That was quite awesome,” Davis said. “We were, to put it in a gentleman’s terms, we were the minister’s Americans. … Anything he needed from the U.S. or from the coalition, we provided it.” Davis also helped keep tabs on the Iranians. He discovered that if he grew his dark hair a little
longer and his mustache a little bigger, he looked like one of the natives. “As long as I didn’t speak, I could pass very easily for an Iranian,” he said. “So we started using that to our advantage.” Davis spent a lot of time in Sadr City, a district of Baghdad, accompanied by an Iraqi interpreter and an Iraqi cultural advisor, who spoke for him and got him into places. “Especially in Sadr City, there were a lot of high-level Iranian operatives, and they were not good people, they were not good guys,” Davis said. “And we were trying to keep up with them and identify them and figure out what they were doing. So it was important that I not let on or let them find out that I was American.” Davis had to learn Arab cultural customs, especially when it came to social classes and behavior toward women. “The vast, vast majority of the Islamic women outside of Baghdad, you do not touch them; you do not speak to them; you don’t look at them,” he said. Although diplomacy was beginning to replace combat in the Iraq War when Davis went on tour, he was constantly aware of the danger surrounding him and came very close to having to use his weapon many times. His unit was attacked with improvised explosive devices and rockets. He often had to drive on Route Irish, sometimes called “the world’s most dangerous road,” between the international zone where he lived, and the U.S. headquarters at the Baghdad International Airport. “If I was on Route Irish, I had my weapon in my hand,” Davis said. “Bad, bad things happen on that road every day.” Davis said they often had to flash their weapons as a warning to suspicious-looking men. This was necessary many times, he said while traveling along Route Irish with his boss. “He would look over, and he would say like, ‘Elvis, wave your weapon out the window at that guy behind me,’” Davis recounted. “Just a sort of a, ‘Yes, I’m an American, and yes, you know I will use this thing.’” Another time, Davis and his boss were walking back to their forward operating base around midnight after being in meetings all day.
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Lt. Col. Charles Elvis Davis III poses at the at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq.
“We were tooting along and here comes this vehicle,” he said. When the vehicle slowed down and stopped next to them, Davis and his boss hit the ground and drew their weapons. “You produce a weapon, they know you’re going to use it, and they just bolt,” Davis said, recounting how the vehicle then drove on. Davis said that truck-bomb attacks were the worst thing he saw overseas. One he witnessed occurred as he and his boss were walking to the ministry one day. “We see this truck come over the bridge,
coming out of Sadr City,” he said. “And you just sometimes you get this feeling, like ‘That truck doesn’t look right,’ … and sure enough, that moron drives that thing across the bridge, goes right up into a big market city square and bam, blows the thing up.” Davis said they dubbed 10:30 in the morning as PBT or “prime bomb time,” as that was when the markets would be full of Iraqis shopping, making large targets for the terrorists. “Honestly, I’ll never forgive those guys for do-
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RELIEF
By ALEX HOSEY Community Reporter
The Auburn City Council approved a year-long, city-wide traffic study valued at $483,934 at their meeting Tuesday night. Public Works Director and City Engineer Jeffery Ramsey said the study will not only cover automotive traffic but bicycle and pedestrian traffic as well. “It really does give us a plan for the next 10 to 15 years in the areas we need to be looking at to make improvements to our roadway infrastructure,” Ramsey said. City Manager Jim Buston said the traffic study could take one to two years. The results of the study will be used in determining the feasibility of many development plans in the city. “I think this particular plan is much more in-depth than the one was 12 years ago,” Buston said. “It incorporates many more thoroughfares through Auburn. … A big part of it is trying to get traffic moving through Auburn so there’s signalization at the intersections as well as pedestrian and bicycle considerations.” The last traffic study done by the city was issued in 2005 and completed in 2007. Buston said Auburn is long overdue for an updated study due to the city’s rapid growth.
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The chefs from the Taste of Puerto Rico fundraising event pose for a picture on Thursday Nov. 2, 2017.
Auburn chefs come together to fundraise for Puerto Rico By ALEX HOSEY Community Reporter
The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center held a fundraiser on Thursday to benefit those in Puerto Rico impacted by Hurricane Irma. The Taste of Puerto Rico fundraiser raised over $13,000 to go toward ¡ADELANTE!, a charity initiative started by Ricardo Calderon, a 15-year-old Puerto Rican who lives in a suburb outside of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Hans Van der Reijden, managing director of hotel operations, said he heard about ¡ADELANTE! throwugh his best friend Emmanuel Kemiji, Calderon’s stepfather and a master sommelier, and decided to get involved. “I was just inspired,” Van der Reijden said. “I saw a video of a 15-year-old young man who was making things happen on an island that was devastated, and I used to live there, so it definitely made me want to do something.” Van der Reijden then began talking to Miguel Figueroa, a chef at Amsterdam Cafe as well as a Puerto Rican native who had been making trips to the island after the hurricane, about getting local chefs involved in Calderon’s initiative. “That’s the great thing about the chefs community here in Auburn is that, though we are competitors, we
are friends, and when one wants to do something, everybody else jumps in, and we all help each other out,’” Van der Reijden said. Chefs Figueroa, Leo Maurelli, Brandon Burleson, Fernando Justiniano, David Bancroft, Caleb Fisher and Robbie Nicolaisen from local restaurants including the Auburn Hotel, Acre and Amsterdam Cafe served dishes inspired by Puerto Rican cuisine – a whole roasted suckling pig, escabeche and pastelitos, arroz con gandules and Alabama tamales. Figueroa, who came back to Auburn for the event after volunteering in Puerto Rico, said that conditions there were horrible. “The most pressing concern is that the government is not doing anything about it, only the good people are doing something,” Figueroa said. Figueroa said he hopes the fundraiser will help set an example for those who want to help others so negatively affected by the catastrophe. “When other catastrophes come, don’t sit and wait for help,” Figueroa said. “Do it yourself, and go out there and make it happen. Rise up yourself, and don’t wait for anybody to do it because if you wait then they’ll probably never get that help. You’ve got to do it.” Kemiji, who donated bottles of his finest wines for the event’s auction, said
that the government’s response to Puerto Rican recovery was lacking. “People just don’t understand how bad it is,” Kemiji said. “When you say, ‘Well this is hurting our budget,’ I mean, there’s people that are starving; there’s people who are getting diseases and they’re talking about a budget? Really?” Kemiji said the money raised at the event at the Auburn Hotel that night would make a real difference in the lives of Puerto Ricans who still struggled. “All of these people that have come here today have no idea; they have no idea how much they are helping,” Kemiji said. “Out of every $125 ticket, $100 is going straight to ¡ADELANTE! … That’s probably food for 10 families for a week, so it’s great. They don’t realize how much they are helping those people.” Calderon was unable to fly out from Puerto Rico to Auburn because he had to go to school, but a video compilation of photos he had taken of the ¡ADELANTE! initiative helping other Puerto Ricans was shown to those in attendance. “What you all just saw is nothing more than a fraction of what the American citizens of Puerto Rico have gone through, what we have lived through,” Calderon said in the video. “With your donations, we will continue to help Puerto Rico through ¡ADELANTE! and all the way from San Juan — War Eagle.”
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2017
The Auburn Plainsman
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VETERANS
Auburn High teacher named finalist for national award Blake Busbin has had students interview veterans for years as part of an oral history project By STEPHEN LANZI Campus Writer
An Auburn College of Education alumnus earned a nomination for national history teacher of the year for his innovative approach to teaching. Blake Busbin, the advanced placement U.S. history teacher at Auburn High School, has used oral history projects as an intricate part of the students’ curriculum. The Project Based Learning earned Busbin the 2017 Alabama History Teacher of the Year by the History Channel, which also earned him a spot as one of the 10 finalists for the National Teacher of the Year award. In 2007, while working on his master’s in education, Busbin filled an emergency position at Auburn High School. He had envisioned moving back home in Atlanta after school, but the position and the atmosphere of Auburn persuaded him to stay. Busbin taught advanced placement U.S. government for five years at Auburn High School before teaching advanced placement U.S. history. In 2014, he began his oral history project. Along with state and national appreciation, the projects allowed Busbin to create a relationship with his students that was conducive to learning. “He was one of my favorite teachers in high school,” said Sierra Hardwick, a former oral history project participant. “I really am not a big fan of history, but he made me like history and really enjoy it.” The students conducted recorded interviews with veterans of wars ranging from World War II to ongoing wars with a heavy focus on Vietnam veterans in order to get a personal account of what the war was like. “The goal of the project was three-fold,” Busbin said. “One, to have the students learn more about military history from the individual level. The second goal was to provide a means of gratitude for the veterans by preserving their accounts. Opposed to having them just as a guest speaker, we wanted to provide them with an interview that they could pass on to their family. And third, to show students what historians do, which is produce research for the community.” Many of the interviews have been housed in the Library of Congress. Busbin, with help from some of the students, also created a proj-
MADISON OGLETREE / PHOTO EDITOR
A classroom at Auburn High School on Thursday, May 31, 2017, in Auburn, Ala.
ect website as part of the platform for sharing the content. “Whenever we talk about the Vietnam War, we talk about how bad it was for the soldiers and how bad it was for the environment over there, but actually hearing about it from a veteran made you completely understand what they went through,” Hardwick said. “It made me come to a conclusion how I should view all these veterans. It made me want to thank every veteran for their service.” The students worked in groups of two to three to create a set of questions to ask their interviewee along with a set of follow-up questions dealing with sensitive aspects of war in which they asked as a group to their designated veteran. “He always provided us with primary documents from a ton of different perspectives and tried to get us to think about why things happened,” said Andrew Bowling, a former student of Busbin. “The oral history project was an extension of this.” Busbin goes through about a three-month recruiting process of veterans from east Alabama and west Georgia. He sets out to recruit as many veterans so the student-to-veteran ratio is small enough to ensure a personal setting
for the interview. “It is a different and, in my opinion, more direct way of making sure we remember the past,” Bowling said. “Being able to actually listen to some of these people’s answers about what life was like for them is going to change how history is remembered. I cannot sing the praises enough for [Busbin]. He deserves every award he gets.” Busbin also sees the project as beneficial for the veterans as well. “We’ve had several veterans every year who to come back and talk again,” he said. “Several of them were hesitant to do it in the first place. But now, they see that the students are interested and that they have an audience who wishes to hear their story when in many other cases, not many other people have cared.” The project has been used as a tool for networking for the veterans. Busbin has worked with the Auburn Veteran’s Council for the city to help them reach out to new veterans. In addition to the actual content retained, the students got the opportunity to develop real-life skills, especially showing compassion for the veterans during the interview. “One of my favorite memories is a gentleman who was sharing a very tough experience
and he was having to pause and start to cry,” Busbin said. “I watched one of my students reach her hand over and put her hand over the top of his hand, which is something you just can’t teach in a classroom.” Another component of the project has the students use a piece of information from their interview to build further research upon. Some of this research has included veteran’s experiences with Veterans Affairs and communication between the home-front and the war theatre. “I think it’s important to note that this isn’t my project. This isn’t the student’s project,” Busbin said. “This has just been a community project. I think it’s great to see public education being public — being something that everyone buys into for the sake of overall learning.” Busbin is planning on transitioning into a new three-year theme for the project. The project recently received a grant from the Alabama Humanities Foundation to begin a new project called Land of Freedom focusing on the Civil Rights Movement in east Alabama. The title is in reference to the Auburn Creed, “I believe in my country because it is a land of freedom.” With the new form of the project, the project is planning on forging more relationships with the community. The students will create an exhibit in public areas and give a presentation at the Auburn library. “With the amount of tension given to race in the news recently, I think students will be able to connect with what happened 50 years ago and see that these issues are still a part of who we are today,” Busbin said. “Even with the veteran interviews, the students were talking about a past war, but the end of the interview always talks about what lessons we can take away for today.” The recognition that Busbin has received has provided a platform to share the concept behind this innovative approach through different workshops. According to Busbin, several other schools across the state are adopting the method, including a large program in Dothan. Hardwick thought her experiences with the project came full circle when Auburn celebrated military appreciation day at the Ole Miss football game earlier this year. “It really hit home,” she said. “I definitely shed a tear, I’m not going to lie.”
SPOTLIGHT
Anne Bruno LaRussa on food, Italian heritage By COLE MCCAULEY Campus Writer
Birmingham native, Anne Bruno LaRussa is the founder of “Oasis,” a non-profit organization that provides mental health counseling to women and children in the Birmingham area. Anne Bruno LaRussa graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1993 with a master’s degree in counselor education and two years later, founded “Oasis”, an organization that mainly serves less privileged families in the Birmingham area. While being involved with “Oasis,” Anne Bruno LaRussa has also become involved with writing. She debuted a new book in early 2017 based on her family life, struggles with mental health and life experiences. “The Knitter” mainly focuses on Anne Bruno LaRussa’s paternal family tree and growing up as an Italian American in Birmingham. Daughter of Joe Bruno, founder of the grocery chain “Bruno’s,” Anne Bruno LaRussa has fond memories of growing up. “All of my memories [of childhood] were about family because my father was such a strong figure in our family; he was someone who was a model for our children.” Anne Bruno LaRussa said. She is deeply in touch with her Italian roots and cites food as a way that she is able to connect to her culture as well as pass it along to the next generations. Growing up, Anne Bruno LaRussa recalls her Sicilian grandparents and the emphasis they put on food whether that be how they
DAVIS » From 6
ing that,” Davis said. “It’s just the worst stuff I’ve ever seen, it’s those clowns that do that.” Davis said he was fortunate to have some hospitable encounters with the Iraqis, though. He once attended a large dinner party at then-Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s house, which he described as “pretty awesome,” but more meaningful was being invited a few times to some Iraqis’ private
prepare it, serve it or passing down recipes to the next generations. “Their way of cooking was very important to them so, of course, that’s what I learned,” she said. Anne Bruno LaRussa also recalls her memories as a child at the St. Joseph Altar during World War II. With most of her male relatives out fighting in the war, Anne Bruno LaRussa, only about 5 years old, remembers helping her grandmother serve the poor of Birmingham. “When I think of food, I think of big family dinners, and when I cooked for my own family, I take a lot of pride in my meals,” she said. Anne Bruno LaRussa is adamant that the cultural values that were instilled in her when she was a child are just as important and something she is proud to pass down to her children and grandchildren. “I think of the values of our family that begin with my father that have been instilled in my children and in me – that has been the most important thing,” Anne Bruno LaRussa said. Her son, John LaRussa, adds how the family’s tradition of food has helped keep the family together and has helped them better connect with their heritage. “It’s so easy to just go pick up a jar of pasta sauce and put it on the stove top,” he said. John LaRussa, who will come to Auburn University in the coming months to talk to Italian classes about his family’s story, believes the more traditional Italian of pasta sauce can be superior in many ways.
homes. “To go to someone’s personal residence and be invited in, I was very honored that they would have me in to do that,” Davis said. “That was a wonderful opportunity for me to get to know them on a completely human side, much different than we had before. So that was very special.” Davis said that the two things he doesn’t do since coming home from Iraq are war movies and fireworks shows. War movies are “as accurate as they can make them,” he said. “But really, and I learned this
in Panama, I learned this as a young buck. … It’s one of those things that, until you’ve been there, there’s no possible way to imagine it,” he said. Davis retired from the air force in October 2014 and came to Auburn to complete his Ph.D. in public administration and public policy. He teaches American government in a multicultural world in the political science department and is currently writing his dissertation comparing California’s, Arizona’s and Alabama’s immigration policies.
CONTRIBUTED BY ANNE BRUNO LARUSSA
Anne Bruno LaRussa is a founder of “Oasis,” a non-profit organization that offers counseling in Birmingham.
“We’ve started to do the homemade spaghetti sauce even though it does take a longer time to get it right,” he said. From growing up during World War II, watching her father manage a successful grocery chain, raising six children, fighting a mental battle with depression, earning a master’s in counseling and, now, writing her per-
TRAFFIC » From 7
The study will encompass 59 intersections, almost every intersection within Auburn’s city limits, and will be completed by Skipper Consulting, a thirdparty firm based out of Birmingham. Ward 5 Councilwoman Lynda Tremaine supported the traffic study but said the city didn’t need one to realize there were congestion problems downtown. “I’ll admit that when I saw it
sonal memoir, Anne Bruno LaRussa has certainly done a lot with her life. Through her upbringing as an Italian American, the values that were instilled in her and the passing down of the many cultural traditions, LaRussa is certainly a family woman – proud in her heritage, children and the life that she has lived so far.
was almost $500,000 I thought, ‘Is it worth it?’” Tremaine said. “Then I started reading what was done 10 years ago, and it’s certainly in-depth. … We know that there is a traffic problem in Auburn.” Buston said the study might reveal ways to redirect congested traffic around Auburn’s urban core after its completion. Ward 3 Councilwoman Beth Witten spoke in favor of the resolution. “I too am a little leery of the price tag on this, but after some conversation and more studying it does make sense that we
are trying to be more comprehensive,” Witten said. The council also passed a resolution authorizing the city to make certain expenditures related to the proposed parking deck on Wright Street. The expenditures will go towards the city’s efforts to locate a design firm for the project as well as acquisition costs before construction begins. Buston said, assuming everything goes smoothly, the lot will be sold to the city on Nov. 10, and the parking deck will be completed as soon as December 2018.
sports
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2017
THEPLAINSMAN.COM
SPORTS
SOCCER
Tigers to host Hofstra in NCAA Tournament
AUBURN ATHLETICS
Huddle Auburn soccer vs. Arkansas on Thursday, October 5, 2017, in Auburn, Ala.
By STAFF REPORT Sports Staff
The Auburn soccer team earned its fourth straight and 15th overall NCAA Tournament appearance Monday afternoon and will take on Hofstra in the first round Friday. The contest between the Tigers and Pride is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT at the Auburn Soccer Complex. “We were thrilled to see our name up there and even more excited to see that asterisk next to our name, which means we get another home game,” said head coach Karen Hoppa. “When we start this new season, the most important thing is that we’re all together and focused on the goal. It’s one game at a time, and we need ev-
erybody to rally together.” Auburn enters the tournament with a 7-6-5 overall record and went 4-2-4 in conference play. Auburn is 8-5 in the NCAA Tournament since 2011 and 5-2 alltime when playing at the Auburn Soccer Complex, including 3-0 in the last three tournament contests on The Plains. This postseason will mark the Tigers sixth year overall and third straight hosting a first-round match. Auburn has achieved program firsts in each of the last two NCAA Tournaments as the team advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2015 and made its first ever Elite Eight appearance a season ago. “There are no words to express these past four years,” said senior captain Courtney Schell. “I couldn’t have asked for anything
different. The teammates I’ve had, our coaching staff, it’s all been amazing. To go to the NCAA Tournament four years in a row, it’s just incredible.” Auburn is one of nine SEC teams to make the NCAA Tournament. South Carolina earned a No. 1 national seed while Texas A&M and Florida earned a No. 2 and No. 3 seed, respectively. The nine teams set a SEC record, eclipsing the eight teams which was set in 2011 and 2014. Hofstra is 15-3-2 overall this season and is riding a 12-match win streak. The Pride went 9-0-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association and went on to earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament by winning the conference tournament. Friday’s contest will mark the first between the Tigers and Pride.
FOOTBALL
Auburn enters Top 10 in CFP rankings By WILL SAHLIE Sports Editor
During a weekend of upsets across college football, Auburn took care of business against a lesser Texas A&M team, and the Tigers find themselves in control of their own destiny, once again, following LSU’s loss at Alabama. The Tigers also find themselves back in the Top 10, a place they have not been since their demoralizing collapse at LSU. Auburn moved up four spots this week in the College Football Playoff rankings, jumping from No. 14 to No. 10. The Tigers are the highest-ranked two-loss team ahead of Ohio State and Oklahoma State, among others. Georgia and Alabama remained firm at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, as Auburn eyes potential upsets against its archrivals in two of the final three weeks of the regular season. Auburn currently sits as a 2.5-point
STUDENT AFFAIRS S P OT L I G H T See Hazing, Stop Hazing
home underdog this weekend against No. 1 Georgia. The Bulldogs have won nine of the last 11 meetings, with Auburn’s lone wins coming in 2010 and 2013. “Obviously, a huge game for us at home,” Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn said. “I like where our team is at. We had a very good win at Texas A&M. The thing that stood out to me most about that win was the way we handled adversity. We handled it better in that game than we have in any other game this year. I feel that is good moving forward, especially when we get down to the end and play very talented teams.” The Tigers will look to bounce back vs. Georgia after last season’s second-half debacle as the Bulldogs rallied for a 13-7 win while holding Auburn to 32 yards and zero first downs in the second half. If Auburn is able to knock off Georgia, the Iron Bowl will determine the winner of the SEC West for the first time since 2013.
As Auburn men and women, we should be vigilant about protecting one another from power-based violence, including hazing. Make an anonymous report at www.auburn.edu/stophazing.
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Auburn Students ADAM SPARKS / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Auburn linebacker Deshaun Davis (57) celebrates after making a tackle vs. Clemson.
The Auburn Plainsman
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2017
PAGE 9
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
McKay ready to lead Tigers into 2017-18 season
FILE PHOTO
Auburn Tigers guard Janiah McKay (33) drives the ball down the court during the Auburn vs. Tennessee women’s basketball game on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017, in Auburn, Ala.
By JOHN KOO Sports Writer
When discussing great Auburn women, especially in the game of basketball, names such as Vickie Orr, Ruthie Bolton, Chantel Tremitiere and Alli Smalley are top of many people’s lists. These women exemplified not only stellar performances on the court but also were natural born leaders, gaining respect from their coaches and teammates. Today, point guard Janiah McKay is following the footsteps of these greats to extend the legacy of Auburn women’s basketball. McKay was introduced to basketball at an early age. “I started at three or four,” McKay said. “It was just me interrupting my cousin and my brother playing basketball at our grandparent’s house.” What started out as a backyard activity during family time paved a road for something McKay could seriously pursue. McKay was good, and she soon took Florida high school women’s basketball by storm. During her junior year at Gainesville High School, she averaged 23.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game, leading her team to a 27-3 record and a spot in the regional finals. That year, she was named second team All-State, Player of the Year in Alachua County, and Gainesville Sun Player of the Year. During her senior year, McKay averaged 24.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game, and was named Florida Class 6A Player of the Year. ESPN ranked McKay as the No. 31 point guard in the country. Recruiters started to take notice, and McKay’s goal of furthering her basketball career was becoming a reality. It was just a matter of where. “The process was a lot once I started getting recruited,” McKay said. “My parents let me make my own decision and figure out what school fit me the best.” From the pool of offers McKay received, she knew where she wanted her next home would be. “Being from Gainesville, a small college town, Auburn feels just like I am home,” McKay said. “I love the family aspect, and you just feel it in the atmosphere anytime you’re walking around
campus.” McKay made an immediate impact her first year on The Plains. As a freshman, she played in all 33 games, 19 of them as a starter at the point guard position. McKay averaged 9.2 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game while playing 27.1 minutes per night. She scored double-digit points 13 times during the 2015-2016 season and helped the Tigers land a spot in the postseason NCAA tournament. In the first round of the tournament, McKay scored 24 points along with four assists and three steals, in a 68-57 victory by the Tigers over St. John’s. As a sophomore last season, McKay started all 32 games. She was the Tigers’ third-leading scorer averaging 12.9 points per game along with 3.4 assists, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.3 steals. In an impressive season, she had six 25-plus point performances. She enters her junior year with 185 assists, just two away from Auburn’s top 30. Even with her impressive resume, Auburn is allowing McKay to continue learning about basketball. “I’ve learned so much about defense,” McKay said. “I definitely chose Auburn to challenge myself defensively and paying attention to the small details, defensively and offensively, has definitely made me a better point guard. I have learned so much from my freshman year to junior year.” Being a point guard for the team, there is always a spotlight on McKay to be a leader on the court. Helping the team keep its structure is a job required for all guards to succeed. “The most important skill to have as a point guard is knowing and understanding your personnel,” said McKay. “I think it’s my job to understand what all of my teammates’ strengths and weaknesses are and making sure they are getting the ball where they feel the most comfortable and be the most effective. McKay is an on-court coach, communicating plays between head coach Terry Williams-Flournoy and her teammates. “[My job] is to be an extension of coach Flo,” McKay said. “We have a really good relationship, and I know that when I’m out there on the court, she trusts that I’m going to make the best decision. Whether it’s the beginning of the shot clock or at the end, she trusts to have the ball in my hand, and that I am thinking like
SWIMMING AND DIVING
her.” As McKay and the rest of the Auburn women are preparing to start the new season, they recognize that their team is much different than the season before. However, the mentality of the team still remains the same. “This team is obviously different,” McKay said. “Losing Brandy [Montgomery] and Khady [Dieng] were definitely huge for us, but I think this year we just have to constantly play together and perform in our individual roles the best way that we can, staying composed and knowing that what we do will never change. “We are always going to be defensive, and we are always going to be aggressive.” McKay, as an upperclassman, could definitely feel the pressure on her shoulders, but McKay and coach Flo are focused on record-breaking numbers. “She’s a point guard,” Flournoy said. “A point guard is very selfless. Whether she had a good game, bad game, her job is to lead and motivate the team, run the team. Her role really hasn’t changed.” “Coach Flo has told me that she didn’t want me to take all this pressure like I have to average 30 points per game,” McKay said. “If I put my teammates in the best position and just do my job, we are going to win games.” Auburn women’s basketball is made up of closely bound players that all share the Auburn spirit. “Our culture is definitely effort and energy,” McKay said. “Every time we step on the court, we are going to play with high energy and leave everything we have on the court. We take pride in what we do. For Coach Flo and the players, Auburn women’s basketball means more than just being good. No matter what they do, Flournoy is challenging the team to pursue it to the highest level. “We’ve been building around ‘A Team of Excellence,’” Flournoy said. “If fans see ‘TOE’ that’s what it is. You’re always going to see us play hard, that’s a given. But there’s a certain swag we’re trying to build upon and that’s being excellent, on and off the court.” The women’s basketball seasons starts on Monday, Nov. 13 in Blacksburg, Virginia, as the Tigers face Virginia Tech.
VOLLEYBALL
Gonzalez named Freshman of the Week By STAFF REPORT Sports Staff
For the second time this season, Hugo Gonzalez was named the SEC Swimming and Diving Male Freshman of the Week, it was announced on Tuesday. Gonzalez, from Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Spain, took home the honor after recording the fastest time in the 200 breaststroke and 200 IM, taking second in the 200 fly and swimming leadoff for the winning 400 medley relay team. Gonzalez’ win in the 200 breast came in 1:58.72 in his first time competing in the event. That time, which is currently 11th-fastest in the nation, added to his collection of NCAA B cuts, giving him a team-best five after the first five weeks of competition. Gonzalez also was the first to the wall in the
200 IM, touching in a season-best 1:46.74 to win the race by over four-and-a-half seconds. That times puts him eighth-fastest in the nation to date. He has now won the 200 IM at three dual meets this season. Gonzalez closed out his individual racing with a 1:48.42 to take second in the 100 fly. This is the second time Gonzalez has been named the SEC Freshman of the Week, also being recognized on Oct. 17 following Auburn’s dual meets with Tennessee and Wisconsin. The No. 9 Auburn swimming and diving teams swept South Carolina over the weekend, winning the men’s meet 164-131 and the women’s meet 166.5-133.5 The Auburn women will compete at the Georgia Tech Invitational, Nov. 16-18 while the men will return to action at the Georgia Invitational, Dec. 1-3.
MADISON OGLETREE / PHOTO EDITOR
Anna Stevenson (22) prepares to hit the ball during Auburn Volleyball vs. Alabama.
Tigers to host two SEC foes By WILL SAHLIE Sports Editor
AUBURN ATHLETICS
Hugo Gonzalez won SEC Freshman of the Week for the second time this season.
The Auburn volleyball team (13-8, 6-6) kicks off and then closes down a busy weekend on the Plains with a pair of SEC matches in Auburn Arena. The Tigers host Tennessee Thursday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. CT and conclude with a 1:30 p.m. CT contest Sunday, Nov. 12, against No. 7 Kentucky. The Tigers will look to build off a fiveset victory over Alabama on Nov. 1, in which five Auburn players totaled doubledigit kills with sophomore Shaina White leading the way with 15. Alexa Filley, who leads is fourth in the SEC in assists, racked up a match-high 51
assists in Auburn’s victory over Alabama. Auburn will look to sweep Tennessee this season after taking down the Volunteers 3-2 (25-22, 19-25, 25-18, 25-27, 1511) on Oct. 4 in Knoxville. The Volunteers are 11-11 overall this season and 4-9 in the SEC. No. 7 Kentucky knocked off Auburn on Oct. 8 in Lexington, winning 3-1 (2519, 25-14, 30-32, 25-21). The Wildcats are 20-3 overall and 11-1 in the SEC this season. Kentucky’s lone loss came last week vs. No. 4 Florida. Following the two home games this week, Auburn will travel to LSU on Nov. 15 to take on the Bayou Bengals at 7 p.m. CT.
The Auburn Plainsman
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2017 MEN’S BASKETBALL
PAGE 10
FOOTBALL
Basketball looks to move past exhibition loss By PETER SANTO Sports Writer
There’s nowhere to go but up for Auburn basketball after last Thursday’s overtime loss to Division II Barry. While they’re trying to learn from that game, the Tigers have turned their full attention to Friday night’s regular season opener against Norfolk State. “We’ve already moved past that,” junior guard Bryce Brown said. “We’ve put that in the back of our heads. We’re 0-0. We’re not looking at that loss. We’re looking to build from it. We got exposed a little bit. So we’re trying to learn from that game, defensively and offensively. We should be fine. We’re not worried.” Auburn struggled on the defensive end against Barry, as the Buccaneers shot 50 percent from the floor and 39 percent from three-point range. Multiple players noted that practices have been more competitive after that loss and that the regular season should bring improvement. “We’ve been competing harder,” Brown said. “We’re trying to get our defense to translate into the game. We worked really hard this offseason on improving our defense, and
we definitely have. In the game against Barry, it just wasn’t what we’ve been practicing. We’re definitely better than what we just displayed. You should see better in the future.” Forward DeSean Murray will play his first game since 2015 Friday night after sitting out last season due to NCAA transfer rules. The Stanley, North Carolina, native played two years at Presbyterian College and was the Big South Conference Freshman of the Year after averaging 15.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in 2014. He was even better as a sophomore, leading the Big South and ranking 29th nationally with 20.2 points per game in 2015. Murray has two years of eligibility remaining and should see time at both small forward and power forward. “It feels great to be on the court again,” Murray said. “It feels great to be a part of a team again and be able to use my time to help out the team.” Austin Wiley and Danjel Purifoy, who were suspended for the exhibition game due to eligibility concerns, both practiced with the scout team Thursday. “It’s good. I feel good about Austin [Wiley],” Brown said. “He looked like a beast out there. It would be really good if we can get him back.”
MADISON OGLETREE / PHOTO EDITOR
Desean Murray (13) looks to make a pass during Auburn Men’s Basketball vs. Barry.
FILE PHOTO
Nick Ruffin (19) and Darrell Williams (49) celebrate after a incomplete pass vs. Georgia.
Auburn looks ahead to No. 1 Georgia By TYLER ROUSH Sports Reporter
Experience, health and revenge are expected to be factors in Auburn’s matchup with top-ranked Georgia, head coach Gus Malzahn discussed Tuesday morning. The entirety of the offensive line is expected to practice this week, Malzahn said, and running back Kerryon Johnson is expected to maintain his current workload despite injury concerns. Malzahn noted that this game is one that many players had been looking forward to since the start of the season. “Last year was an extremely tough loss -- the fact they won the game and didn’t score an offensive touchdown,” Malzahn said. “This is one we have been waiting on.” In addition to discussing injury, Malzahn said that the team was impressed by the way the team responded to adversity in its win over Texas A&M. The response, Malzahn said, was in large part due to the effort made by freshmen. “The freshmen are no longer freshmen,” he said. “They got extra work last week, so we have to take the next step.” With Auburn returning several players from injury, the Tiger defense will be focused on stopping what defensive back Tray Matthews called the “two-headed monster.” Georgia running backs Nick Chubb, who is third in the SEC behind Johnson in rushing yards, and Sony Michel, who is eighth, drive Georgia’s dominant rushing attack. Their ability to play one running back at a time and maintain the health of the other, Malzahn said, is a definitive factor in the Bulldog’s undefeated season. “They can keep a fresh guy in there,”
Malzahn said. “When you’re facing just one guy that’s special, there’s a chance of him wearing down, but they’ve got two guys and they’re very talented.” Another cog in the Georgia backfield is quarterback Jake Fromm, a freshman who leads the SEC with a quarterback rating of 172.7. He is tied for eighth in passing yards, with 1,459, and fourth in touchdowns with 15. “Their young quarterback has done a good job managing the offense and throwing the football,” Malzahn said. “They are number one in the country in red-zone offense. They are one of the best in thirddown conversions.” While the Auburn defense, which ranks 14th in the nation, will look to stop the Bulldog offense, the Georgia defense, which ranks fourth in the nation, will look to stop an arguably inconsistent, yet efficient Auburn offense. Malzahn credited the success of Darius Slayton and the ability of running backs Johnson and Kam Martin to determine the outcome of Saturday’s game. “[Johnson] is one of our best players,” Malzahn said. “You can see it in the way he plays. He’s been protecting the ball, and, in that fourth quarter, he just willed his way on the last drive. The special ones have that and he’s definitely in that category of the special running backs we have had here.” Johnson is tied for third in the country in rushing touchdowns with 15 while leading Auburn in rushing, with 868 yards. Apart from the performance of his players, Malzahn has been impressed with his team’s ability to adapt in preparation for Auburn’s three-game home stretch. “Our team, we took the next step,” he said. “I’m proud of where we’re at.”
lifestyle
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2017
THEPLAINSMAN.COM
LIFESTYLE
The Superhero Invasion Part II: Film & Television By PRICE EVERETT Lifestyle writer
Comic books are being adapted today more than ever before. With the release of “Thor Ragnarok” this past weekend and “Justice League” in two weeks, as well as show’s like “The Flash,” “Arrow,” and “Supergirl” hitting their midseason, it’s important that we take a look at how comic books were first adapted into early film and telvision. This is part II of our series on the comic book invasion. The first medium that comics were adapted onto was the radio, and with that came the ability to attach a voice to the characters on the page. As technology progressed, with sound coming to film and the introduction of the television, comic adaptations changed with it. Early films often came out in short serials. Captain America, Batman, Captain Marvel and Superman all got numerous serials throughout the 1940s, being shown before the feature film of the day. This want for serialized content never went away but was replaced with televised seri-
als. Television allowed people to enjoy entertainment from their own home, and because all channels were free as long as you had a working television and antenna, television soon became one of the dominant ways in which Americans spent their leisure time. Television became the home of talk shows, comedies, dramas and news. Superhero properties were of course used as a source for this burgeoning market of television. Famously, George Reeves starred as Superman from 1952 -1958 in the television show “The Adventures of Superman,” not to be confused with the radio show of the same name. The show was incredibly popular, and it would’ve lasted longer if not for Reeves’ untimely death in 1959 from a gunshot. As time went on, television became more accessible across the country, and more and more shows were being produced. By the mid-1960s, TVs were in more houses than ever before. The 1960s also brought about one of the most famous superhero adaptations of all time, Adam West’s “Batman.” Known for its campy humor, antics and flashy
style, Batman became a pop culture phenomenon. The nature and tone of the show went along with the comic books of the day. Back in 1954, the Comics Code Authority began as a way of self-regulating comic books due to massive amounts of complaints from parents about the violence shown in certain books. Many of the regulations placed limits on violence and suggestive language, while also prohibiting words like terror, horror and crime. These regulations turned mainstream comics into campy children’s stories. This influence is seen in West’s “Batman.” The complete silliness of the show was a direct influence of the 60s culture and campy comics of the time. This extended use of comic characters on television continued to imbue these characters in pop culture. While television continued to grow, film tried numerous methods to recapture their dwindling audience. Whether it was new technology, improving theater conditions or longer movies, the film industry did whatever they could to convince audiences that it was the best
place to go to for entertainment. Comic book characters weren’t seen in theaters as often as they were on television during this time. This was forever changed when Warner Bros. released Richard Donner’s “Superman” in 1978. With the tagline “You’ll Believe a Man Can Fly” the movie was groundbreaking in its special effects. Starring Christopher Reeves as Superman, it featured an epic science fiction tale chronicling Superman’s birth on the planet Krypton and the story of the hero fighting the evil businessman Lex Luthor, played by Gene Hackman. The movie was a massive hit and brought on three sequels. “Superman” showed that the big screen was the perfect place for superhero projects. With a larger budget and a more self-contained narrative, the film could more easily show the crazy powers and shenanigans that were seen on the comic book page than television could. “Superman” the movie started a new era of superheroes in other media and brought superhero characters even further into the pop culture of the United States.
FACULTY
Stitching with Auburn in mind Karla Teel fights breast cancer while dedicating time to students By CAROLINE KRUZA Lifestyle writer
Making clothes and a love for Auburn University are both in Karla Teel’s blood. Her love for Auburn began in infancy when her grandmother whispered “War Eagle” over her crib. But Teel was first inspired to pursue her lifelong passion to create clothing on what she calls “the more conservative side of fashion” when Vanity Fair sponsored students to come tour Auburn University for E-Day. Teel was also inspired to follow in the footsteps of two strong women in the fashion industry: her grandmothers. “Both of my grandmothers were in the business as you say,” Teel said. “My mom’s mother was a home economics teacher and my dad’s mother was a sewing trainer for Vanity Fair Mills in Monroeville.” After graduating from Auburn University with a degree in textile engineering and a minor in apparel production management, Teel began attending schools around the Southeast to gain higher level education. She eventually came back to Auburn, and when she was offered the job of her dreams, teaching at Auburn, she accepted the position on the spot and never looked back. “Every day I come to school wanting to be here with a smile on my face knowing that this is a job that I love,” Teel said. “When you go to work every day knowing that it is something you love to do, you never work a day in your life.”
Just as Teel’s dream of teaching at Auburn University was unfolding, she was soon diagnosed with breast cancer. “Right after I got here in 2006, I was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Teel said. “I was diagnosed again in 2009, and, since then, I’ve had multiple reconstructive surgeries. It’s now been 24 surgeries over the last 12 years. But I have a strong faith and it is what it is. After all I have been through, a good attitude is all I will accept to have.” Teel said she could not have made it through the hard times without the faculty in the consumer and design sciences department. “Everyone has been so gracious and you don’t find that every day in other departments,” Teel said. “I am totally blessed to have the people around me that are here. It’s hard for me to leave my students like that, and it makes me feel bad.” The students that Teel teaches are what she finds to be the root of her passion. From watching her students in their beginning design course to seeing their final capstone presentation walk down a runway with a look of joy on their face, that is where Teel’s joy lies. She said she seeks to make students feel as though they are not just a number. From taking students to counseling if they need it or driving them to the hospital, Teel does everything in her power to be there for her students. “This is exactly where God has put me so, I can have an influence on a mainly female population because I remember how
hard it was being in school at this age for females,” Teel said. “Just being able to be there for them and help them through the problems of the world, which are way worse than when I was in college, is what I try to do.”
CONTRIBUTED BY KARLA TEEL
SLEEP
Should you listen to music while you study? By AIDAN LAMBRECHT Lifestyle writer
Long days and longer nights spent poring over class material and homework are nothing new to students. To make this task more palatable, students will often listen to music or put on a show in the background. While the latter is quite obviously a distraction and detriment to efficiency, opinions differ about the effects of music. Some students believe that music is beneficial to their studies. “Music helps me to continue to stay in the mindset of studying,” said Jordan Engle, sophomore in pre-communications. “I enjoy listening to music when I study because it provides me with a calm environment to focus in.”
Others dislike studying with music, unable to concentrate well with distractions. Much like how students disagree on the effects of music, science does not have a definitive statement to make about this. “Research ... provides mixed evidence about background music effects on learning,” said Jane Kuehne, associate professor of music education. “Some supports that familiar background music helps block out other sounds that could take attention away from the task at hand. Some suggests that silence is better.” Fast and loud music can definitely be said to have a negative effect on comprehending new material, Kuehne said. Keeping the music constrained to a lower volume can help minimize the distraction of music, she added.
Similarly, she said that new music can have a negative effect as well. “If you are listening to a new playlist you created of music that you specifically like — or think you’ll like — but you’re not familiar with — you don’t know the words, melodies, etc. — you may end up paying more attention to the music and less to what you’re reading or studying,” Kuehne said. According to a study by Chew et al, participants who listened to familiar music scored higher in most tasks compared to those who listened to new music or who completed them in silence. Familiar music without words is even more helpful in blocking out other distractions without being distracting itself, Kuehne said. “Vocal music can be distracting because the brain begins to focus on the words in the mu-
sic rather than the studying that needs to take place,” Kuehne said. Replacements for music that drives away an oppressive silence while at the same time being entirely uninteresting include white noise machines, rain or beach sounds and loud fans. Sometimes, Kuehne said, busy places like Starbucks or a loud floor in the library can help. In the end there is no right answer to the question of background music because each person is unique in how they study, she said. “Ultimately, if you find silence is too loud to focus, use music or something else to block out the silence,” Kuehne said. “Because science tends to go back and forth on the subject, each person needs to experiment to find what works best for themselves.”
The Auburn Plainsman
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2017
PAGE 12
ENTERTAINMENT
Reviews of current entertainment ‘Stranger Things 2’ created more questions than it answered By JESSICA BALLARD Standards Editor
Warning: this review contains mild spoilers Netflix has put out original series about everything from political dynasties to crime fighting and zombies, but the one that caught everyone off guard and had people chattering about it for months last year was “Stranger Things.” The first season of the 1980s-style sci-fi thriller came out in July 2016, and as the show’s momentum grew, so did the expectations for a second season. In the first season, viewers were introduced to the upside down, demogorgans and Eleven. Watching the journey of a group of kids after their friend, Will, goes missing and they meet El is absolutely enticing. The charm of the show not only lies within the ‘80s nostalgia but also the perfectly crafted balance between thrill and light-hearted humor. And, naturally, fans were scared that more would ruin it. The season’s opening scene was absolutely the right choice. The confusion that engulfed the audience until it was revealed that one of the delinquents was another test subject, just like El, gave viewers an extra spark of excitement for what was to come.
It was a brilliant move to bring in Kali, test subject number eight. The audience from the beginning of season one has been wondering about the other 10 poor kids that went through what El did. But, Kali’s “gang of misfits” that goes around seeking revenge on those that wronged them is contrived. Out of all the possibilities of what Kali’s character could have done, the path the writers chose for Kali was a misfire. It’s even cringe inducing. The absolute best aspects of the entire series are the characters – each with their own complex, fleshed out intricacies. Millie Bobby Brown might as well already have a star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood because her talent is palpable. The other child actors have 100 percent proven their abilities, and the new addition of Sadie Sink as Max lives up to the high standards set for her in the previous season. The actors aren’t to blame for the slight problems in season two; the writers are. While many decisions regarding the plot were brilliant and well done, some of them felt contrived and unfocused. Dustin’s pet from the upside down that ends up being a baby demogorgan was a great choice. The decision aligned with his character traits and gave fans something to wonder about from the beginning of the season. But the choice to throw in a ton of demogorgans and a giant creature that inhabits Will with little-to-no explanation
was misguided. The most annoying aspect of “Stranger Things 2” is the lack of any type of explanation of the upside down. It was a good move to leave it ominous in the first season; it left room for expansion in season two. But there’s only so long the plot can survive without an explanation of the upside down and its origin in the lab. The best decisions the creators of the show made during the making of season two were Steve’s character development and Hopper and El’s relationship. Steve, the jerk that Nancy likes in season one, is a responsible, respectable guy at the end of season two. He looks out for the kids in all of their quests to take down the demogorgans, and he is mature as Nancy Jonathan Byers’ relationship begins. Hopper and El’s relationship feels so similar to a genuine fatherdaughter relationship. He’s intensely protective, and she’s a middle school aged girl with an independent spirit. From Lucas and Max’s budding tween romance to the development of the giant spider monster, season two had its ups and its downs, but by no means did season two ruin the “Stranger Things” magic. It did, though, create more questions than it answered. While a third season would be wholly unpredictable, one can only hope Will Byers has a better year in “Stranger Things 3.”
‘Thor: Ragnarok’ finally makes the movie franchise godlike By Chris Heaney Campus Reporter
The “Thor” movies have always been an odd fit in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The first one introduced the main villain of “The Avengers” and the second revealed another vital ingredient to the overarching story of the MCU in the form of an Infinity Stone, but the movies never really stood out. It wasn’t because of the usual sins of cinema like bad acting or a lackluster cast, but rather because the films featuring the Asgardian Avenger have been largely, well, boring. The settings and characters had so much potential to be amazing; a dishonored Norse god battling for nine realms while trying to impress his father and keep his not-so-secretly evil brother at bay. In the comics, that setup has brought about some of the best story arcs ever. In the movies, the adventures of Thor and friends felt held back by safe writing, boring characters and an over-reliance on love interests.
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Ignoring everything that came before it, “Thor: Ragnarok” rights the wrongs of previous installments by standing on its own. “Ragnarok” is a movie that bends genre, art style and character archetypes, making for a much more interesting experience that secures it a place in the upper echelons of the MCU. Directed by Taika Waititi, a first timer in the superhero genre, “Ragnarok” feels different than any MCU movie, and completely different from the first two “Thors.” Gone are the drawn out, opulent sounding diatribes of Nordic myth royalty, the largely faceless and aimless villains and the excruciatingly boring Jane Foster love interest. “Ragnarok” carries itself like a dream sequence from the mind of an ‘80s cartoon fan, mixing sword and shield with lasers and aliens. While the action jumps back and forth between the fantasy haven of Asgard and the cyber punk planet of Sakaar, the motivations of all characters line up and the story is surprisingly coherent. The most striking thing about “Ragnarok,” next to its vibrant, colorful cinematography that puts
“Guardians of the Galaxy 2” to shame, is how absolutely hysterical it is. Because Waititi directed the film it wasn’t a surprise that the movie was funny, but the consistency was an unexpected treat. From the very opening scene, the movie delivers joke after joke while reigning itself in when it needs to as to never getting annoying. The humor fits well in the setting of the movie and perfectly complements the absurdity of Thor and Hulk’s “buddy-cop” situations throughout. The characters are the best part of the movie. Returning characters retain their primary characteristics while adding new, organic feeling aspects to who they are and shedding the comic book stereotypes that made them feel shallow. New characters — and there are quite a lot — fit perfectly into the universe and make you care for them without spending too much time on backstory. Every new character has a purpose that fits into the overarching, end-of-the-world narrative, meaning there is always someone to cheer for. It is the pacing of the action, though, that really makes the movie shine. The story is told explicitly
through character actions. “Ragnarok” trims the fat of the older films and replaces all moments of sitting around planning with actively finding solutions to problems. Even when characters have flashback sequences or are figuring out their next move, these scenes are presented in a way that adds to the overall feel of the movie rather than making the action grind to a complete halt. Marvel Studios seems to have caught their stride in their “third sequence” of films, and “Thor: Ragnarok” is the epitome of proof for that. The action is visceral, the story is interesting and the movie is just plain fun, something that was severely missing in the previous “Thor” installments. “Ragnarok” proves that superhero films don’t have to fit the mold or stay “safe” like their predecessors, and because of that leaves an impact on the MCU that will hopefully influence the movies that come after it. This is definitely a movie to see and is well worth the price of admission to see on the big screen.
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11/09/17