Industrial design students build unique charging stations at the Hangout Music Festival Page 3
Multimedia: New dining changes coming to campus this summer semester Online
Recordbreaking season not unexpected for softball freshman Cooper Page 6
The Auburn Plainsman A SPIRIT THAT IS NOT AFRAID
Thursday, June 5, 2014 • Vol. 121, Issue 3, 8 Pages
SPORTS
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY RAYE MAY / PHOTO AND DESIGN EDITOR
National title claim debate reaches tipping point The University and fans of Auburn Football discuss retroactively claiming national championship titles for the years 1913, 1983, 1993 and 2004.
Athletic director Jay Jacobs said committee’s decision needs to be made before football season Eric Wallace SPORTS EDITOR
Debates over whether to retroactively claim national championships are not a new topic in college football. Nor are they confined to the Auburn football program. The debate has reached a tipping point in recent months on the Plains as fans, alumni and media members take to social media to voice their opinion as to whether Auburn should claim NCAA recognized national championships in 1913, 1983, 1993 and 2004. “I think the important thing is that we’re dis-
cussing this now,” said former Auburn kicker Al Del Greco, a member of the controversial 1983 team. “If the powers that be at Auburn decide it best to leave it as is, and not claim, I’m fine with that then. But if they want to go ahead and claim them, I understand why they would do that.” Michael Skotnicki, Birmingham-based lawyer and author of the book “Auburn’s Unclaimed National Championships,” said the issue often comes down to semantics and the standard to which Auburn wants to hold itself. “People, when they address this issue, tend to get into this idea that they need to find who is ‘the’
CRIME
national champion,” Skotnicki said. “They don’t think a national championship can be claimed unless they were ‘the national champion.’” The NCAA as an organization has never selected an annual national champion in football. Instead, it recognizes “National Champion Major Selectors” based on poll results and computer rankings. While two polls generally receive the most widespread acceptance, the Associated Press poll of sportswriters and the United Press International’s poll of coaches, the NCAA Record Book recognizes a total of 35 polls as “National Champi-
on Major Selectors.” The methods used in these polls varied from the mathematical formulas of the Litkenhous poll to the Williamson power ratings system created by New Orleans geologist and former Sugar Bowl committee member Paul Williamson. “People today recognize national championships based on those,” Skotnicki said. “They may have some historical value, but they’re terrible. They were terrible ways of choosing a national champion.”
» See TITLES, A2
NATIONAL
Maya Angelou leaves legacy Ben Ruffin
NEWS REPORTER
RAYE MAY / PHOTO AND DESIGN EDITOR
The shooting occured Sunday, June 1, at Stone Crest Apartments on Opelika Road.
Man in ‘unsatisfactory condition’ after shooting at Stone Crest Apartments
Taylor Ennis NEWS REPORTER
The Auburn Police Division arrested Turquorius Lacharles Vines, 25, of Auburn in obedience to a felony warrant for attempted murder Tuesday, June 3. Vines’ arrest was subsequent to an investigation of a shots fired call that was received on Sunday, June 1. An Auburn Police officer heard several gunshots while patrolling the area of Glenn Avenue. Upon arrival, officers located Kendarious Moss, 21, of Auburn, on the second floor balcony in front of Stone Crest
VINES Apartments. Moss suffered from an apparent gunshot wound to his torso. A resident of Stone Crest told The Plainsman the shooting happened quickly. Moss was airlifted to Columbus Regional Hospital in
Georgia. Moss was received under unsatisfactory condition, according to Public Relations Coordinator for Columbus Regional Hospital Jessica Word. During a subsequent investigation, Vines was developed as a suspect and taken in to custody, initially for the charge possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. A warrant for attempted murder was issued on June 3 on Vines at the Lee County Detention Facility. Vines’ bond is set for $75,000.
In the fall of 2012, the College of Liberal Arts hosted civil rights activist Maya Angelou as part of an event called “Angelou and the Arts.” Following the event, Angelou gave a speech that sold out in the Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center as part of the Women’s Leadership Institute Extraordinary Women Lecture Series. Angelou died May 28.
ANGELOU Longtime friend and assistant vice president of Access and Community Affairs, Paula Dilworth, recalled the speech
as an ordinary Maya Angelou speech, which were never truly ordinary. “It was pretty typical of Maya,” Dilworth said. “I would say it was the little nuggets of wisdom that she always shared with people about life and living and always looking for ways to be hopeful.” Angelou’s legacy is ingrained in her artistic works that have influenced many gen-
» See ANGELOU, A2
SPORTS
Auburn alumnus set to build Braves’ stadium Marlee Moore NEWS WRITER
Jim Gorrie has been a fan of the Atlanta Braves his entire life, but his involvement with the Major League Baseball team just got bigger. Gorrie, 1984 building science alumnus of Auburn University, is president and CEO of Brasfield & Gorrie, one of four construction companies jointly named American Builders 2017, recently award-
ed the contract to build the new Braves stadium. Barton Malow Company, New South Construction and Mortenson Construction are the other companies that make up American Builders 2017. This group was formed to highlight each of the four companies’ strengths. Brasfield & Gorrie took the lead position because of their large presence in Atlanta and Cobb County. Gorrie graduated with New
South Construction CEO Doug Davidson in spring 1984 and has always had “a tremendous amount of respect for [Davidson’s] firm.” Gorrie, whose parents are Auburn alumni, grew up attending football games and said football Saturdays with his friends and family are one of his favorite memories of the Plains.
» See BRAVES, A2