University officials explain campus-wide smoking ban, students react
AUBURN vs. arkansas State
Q&A with Auburn marching band’s four drum majors
See special section inside
Page A3
Page B6
The Auburn Plainsman Thursday, September 5, 2013
ONLINE
A Spirit That Is Not Afraid ThePlainsman.com
Vol. 120, Issue 15, 16 Pages
Harrison Mills
Amy Anne Olsen
President of SGA
Football vs. Arkansas State Stay posted for updates from the game Saturday, Sept. 7
COMMUNITY A7
Vice president of SGA
Harrison Mills’ campaign slogan, ‘Hey Harrison,’ will haunt him throughout the rest of his term, but he is OK with that. Mills said he will make sure to walk the concourse and answer any questions students have about policies and issues on campus.
Along with serving approximately 25,000 students as vice president, Amy Anne Olsen also has to watch over and lead 34 student senators. “It’s a challenging position, but it’s a lot of fun,” Olsen said. “I’m blessed to work with 34 of the best, most hard-working students at Auburn.”
SGA moves forward with new executive leaders See A2 for full stories
Chelsea Crooks
William McManus
Executive vice president of initiatives
Treasurer of SGA
Downtown Master Plan meeting held City of Auburn invited community to provide input on potential downtown renovations
William McManus is no stranger to the treasury business. Serving as UPC’s vice president of finance in the last school year, McManus said he is one of the only people in his position that has ever had such financial experience before being elected treasurer.
Have any idea or issue regarding students that you want heard? Chelsea Crooks is your go-to woman. “If [students] want to contact me personally, I check my email 600 times a day,” Crooks said. Graphic by emily brett and rachel suhs
SPORTS
B1
Changes in student organization seating goes into practice
Therezie wins awards Therezie earns two awards for his performance against Washingtion State
Ben Hohenstatt Campus Reporter
Emily enfinger / Photographer
READERS RESPOND
Auburn fans gathered after the win against Washington State to roll the new Toomer’s structure.
New traditions on The Plains Ashtyne Cole Intrigue Writer
Want your opinion heard? To be featured in our issue, chime in on Facebook, Twitter or ThePlainsman.com
INDEX Campus Opinion Community Sports Intrigue
A2 A6 A7 B1 B5
It’s that time of the year again. RV’s roll in on Thursday and people stand in staked-off areas in a field just to get their favorite spot. White tents start popping up all over campus and there is a tangible, lifted spirit in the air throughout town. Families come back to visit their favorite school, a little older and with kids in tow, sipping on Toomer’s lemonade. Students wear game day buttons and tailgate with friends all for one special reason: it’s game day at Auburn University. There is just one difference with this season: the Toomer’s Oaks will not be present for the first games. The tradition of rolling Toomer’s Corner will live on. The city of Auburn spent $5,000 on the installation of four wires across the College Street and Magnolia Avenue intersection downtown, according to Aubun officials. The wires will hold the place of the trees until more are able to be planted in spring of
2014. The wires are attached to three poles downtown, coming together and forming a “V” where the Oaks used to stand. They aim to give the Auburn Family a place to celebrate our victories and provide a sense of normalcy. The wires are adorned with big “AU” symbols to add to the festivities. They celebrated their first rolling with Auburn’s win against Washington State Saturday, Aug. 31. The wires come with a bit of mixed emotion and reaction. Nothing can take the place of the trees, which were removed in April after Harvey Updyke’s irreversible poisoning. The point is to give the Auburn family a place to come and celebrate, even though the trees are gone. June and Jerry Carpenter have been coming back to Auburn off and on since they graduated from the University in 1974.
» See traditions A2
Based on the noise generated by 87,451 rabid fans at Auburn home games, there isn’t a bad seat in Jordan-Hare Stadium. However, four sections of the best seats in the student section are reserved as part of the Organizational Seating Program well before game time. “Obviously, the Organizational Seating Program block has some pretty great seats,” said Brad Smith, Student Government Association graduate assistant. The seats are located in sections 24, 25, 26 and 27. Connor Graves, SGA assistant vice president of traditions, said the reserved seats can accommodate approximately 2,200 students. The Organizational Seating Program, better known as block seating, is rewarded to student organization members who regularly attend athletic events. “Block seating is entirely event attendance based,” said Anna Malloy, assistant director of marketing for Auburn Athletics. In recent years, block seat-
“
We’re no longer on the spirit system. Starting last year, we opened organizational seating to all student organizations.” —Brad smith Student government association adviser
ing was only open to Greek organizations and was determined by a combination of philanthropic efforts and attending sporting events. “We’re no longer on the spirit system,” Smith said. “Starting last year, we opened organizational seating to all student organizations.” Organizational seating is also open to students with the most Auburn Ignited points. Smith said the change was prompted by disingenuous involvement from organizations.
» See stadium A2
Campus A2
The Auburn Plainsman
DUI ARRESTS FOR AUG. 28–SEPT. 4, 2013 Grier Stephen, 21 Opelika Road Aug. 29, 3:31 a.m.
Aug. 29 - Gatewood Drive Burglary Third Degree – theft of televisions and laptop between Aug. 29, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
David Kell, 31 East Glenn Avenue Aug. 31, 1:19 a.m. Casey Ledbetter, 22 South College Street and East University Drive Sept. 2, 4:08 a.m. Shane Brunstien, 23 Debardeleben Street and East Thatch Avenue Sept. 4, 2:29 a.m.
MILLS
» From A1 Two of the main issues Mills hopes to address are Tiger Dining and night transportation. His plan is to implement service for Wednesday nights and increase capacity for dining services. “What we’re hoping to bring in a proposal is bring back those days, but streamline a couple of lines, so we can still offer [the students] the same benefit, but the ride when you need it,” Mills said. “The spring will be the earliest we could make it happen.” As for Tiger Dining, Mills said he wants to increase student interest in the Tiger Zone dining option located in the Village. “People think that it’s only for student athletes, too expensive or don’t know about it,” Mills said. “Marketing is going to be a big push.” SGA was also in charge of creating the new online ticket exchange system. “For the first time in several years, freshman who wanted to purchase any variety of those ticket packages could,” Mills said. “And now there’s an online system on tigeri to exchange tickets from card to card one week before the game free of charge.”
OLSEN » From A1
Olsen plans on helping strengthen the relationships between senators and their constituents while in office. “We want to make sure they are representing them, as well as we have a new committee structure, so we’re trying to move senate to more of an initiative-based group,” Olsen said. The summer was a busy time for Olsen. “Part of my platform was to improve collegiate readership and we now receive the New York Times,” Olsen said. “A lot of students don’t realize that’s an SGA initiative, but it affects a lot of them. “Also, we’re looking at ways to delve into the SGA Code of Laws and changing some things so that we’re best serving students.” Olsen emphasizes SGA’s open-door policy to
MCMANUS » From A1
“I realized there was a need for someone who was really qualified and had that experience in finance. Normally this position hasn’t gone through the process before they are in this [position],” McManus said. McManus said he plans on changing around a few things during his term. “My platform was changing the budget and finance process from the fall to the spring,” McManus said. “I said my plan was to do it as per usual throughout this month, so I’m going through it this fall as normal. But as of Sept. 16, the budget that will move from the fall to the spring will go
POLICE REPORTS FOR THE CITY OF AUBURN AUG. 28–SEPT. 4, 2013 Aug. 29 - Combs Avenue Burglary Third Degree – theft of television, jewelry and sunglasses between Aug. 28, 3 p.m.–Aug. 29, 11 a.m.
Bryan James, 20 North Donahue Drive Aug. 31, 12:51 a.m.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Aug. 30 - East University Drive Theft of Property Second Degree – theft of wallet, credit cards and identification cards between 8–8:20 p.m. Aug. 30 - West Thatch Concourse Theft of Lost Property Second Degree – theft of wallet, currency, credit cards and identification cards between 11:55 a.m.–12:05 p.m.
Aug. 31 - West Magnolia Avenue Theft of Property Third Degree – theft of cell phone and currency between 1:30–3:05 a.m. Sept. 1 - North Donahue Drive Criminal Mischief Third Degree – damage to tires between 1 a.m.–10 a.m. Sept. 2 - North Donahue Drive Unlawful Breaking and Entering a Vehicle – theft of wallet, currency, credit cards and identification cards between 3:30–6:30 p.m. Sept. 2 - Meagan Lane Unlawful Breaking and Entering a Vehicle – theft of wallet credit cards and identification card between midnight–10 a.m.
Sept. 3 - Trailridge Road Theft of Property Second Degree – theft of rifle between 2:30–4 p.m. Sept. 2 - Golf Club Drive Theft of Property First Degree – theft of jewelry between Aug. 25, noon– Sept. 1, noon Sept. 3 - West Longleaf Drive Unlawful Breaking and Entering a Vehicle – Theft of cameras, camera accessories, laptop and police vehicle emergency lights, between 6:30–7 p.m. — Reports provided by Auburn Department of Public Safety
Mills is also working on allowing students with C-zone parking passes to be allowed to park in PC lots after 2 p.m. Although Mills’ life seems to be all work and no play, Mills still finds some free time in his packed schedule. “When I do have free time I just want to go out with my friends, go to Chewacla, go downtown to have a drink with a friend or just sit and watch a movie,” Mills said. Mills said working with his four other executive board teammates has been fun. “We’re all type-A people and we definitely all bring an opinion, but we’re not here for groupthink, we’re here to bring a perspective, to provide some research and insight and hash things out,” Mills said. “We’ve definitely grown close and we spend a lot of time in the [office].” Since being elected SGA president, Mills’ life has changed. “I’ve always been a person who thrived off of being busy, so coming into this role, it’s just been a boost of energy,” Mills said. “It’s definitely been something to adjust to, like seeing my face on the front of a newspaper and comments in publications in the state, but it’s been a blessing to learn about leadership and embody the creed.”
Students cheer on the front rows of the Washington State football game Saturday, Sept. 31.
students. “We love when students come and chat with us,” Olsen said. “We have campaigns on the concourse and we’ll be out there trying to meet students. We’re all about meeting people and learning how to make a better Auburn experience for them.” Olsen has worked with SGA since she was a freshman, so a lot of time commitment has not changed for her. “Last year, I served as a senator-at-large, so that was a really cool opportunity to learn about senate and learn more about the position I’m in now,” Olsen said. “I was also a War Eagle Girl, so it was great to form relationships with administrators who’ve helped me with this role.” Olsen said group discussions are comfortable and fun with the executive group they have. “We challenge each other while respecting each other,” she said.
TRADITIONS
through the student senate.” This plan will go into action so the University does not have to make up an imaginary budget count for SGA when they go over their budget in the spring. “The University allocated their money during the spring, but [SGA] doesn’t do it until the beginning of the fiscal year,” McManus said. “ When the University makes their budget, they allocate the activity fee they collect. They have to make up a number of what SGA is going to get because their budget is due in the spring. This will make it so they don’t have to make up a number.” No matter the time or place, McManus will always return a student’s emails.
“People don’t think it’s true, but if you email me I’ll respond,” McManus said. “I was a Camp War Eagle counselor and still email my campers. I sent them an email and reminded them of the drop fee. I love taking care of people.” Over the summer, McManus updated the student involvement space. “We updated the office to make the space more interactive with students and improve their ability to get work done,” McManus said. McManus said everyone on the executive board is reliable. “I’m a huge fan of specialization,” McManus said. “We all know what our job is. If I say I’m going to get something done, it’s going to get done.”
ANNA GRAFTON / PHOTO EDITOR
STADIUM » From A1
“We’d prefer organizations being out in the community for the sake of the community, not for seats,” Smith said. Opening up block seating to all student organizations had an immediate impact on which organizations received block seating. Honors Congress, a non-Greek organization, finished in first place last year. Smith said a first-place finish earned Honors College the best seats at the front of the block. “There was a change in groups that received organizational seating,” Smith said. “Some groups did not compete very well.” Smith also said the old system allowed fraternities to essentially buy spirit points. “They could show up to an event, buy a Tshirt and get spirit points,” Smith said. “That aspect and social media don’t count for points to-
» From A1
“I think [the wires] are fine,” June said. “When we were here, they didn’t roll the trees, they rolled the corner. The trees came a little later and it just sort of multiplied over to the trees.” Auburn’s downtown is rich in history and, of course, tradition. The trees were planted in 1937, but were not rolled immediately. “The trees weren’t rolled until the ’80s or so,” June said. The tradition of rolling the trees began when employees from Toomer’s Drugs received news of an away-game win via the only telegraph in the city. They would then toss the ticker tape over the power lines outside, signaling the Auburn victory for all the fans. “You only rolled when it was an out of town game and we won, so we would know if Au-
ward organizational seating points.” Malloy said points are only earned one at a time by scanning in and out of athletic events. “This year, there are 22 organizations in the seating block,” Graves said. Placing high enough in points among organizations is only half the battle. Organizations must also fill their allotted rows in a punctual manner. “Organizations fill their rows an hour before kickoff,” Graves said. “If they don’t, it’s at our discretion to hand out general admission wrist bands.” This means if a group has been designated rows in the seating block runs late, their seats will be filled by random students. “If their seats get taken, tough luck,” Graves said. “They need to be on time.” In addition to having their seats reassigned, organizations also have points deducted. This makes it harder for organizations that do not fill their seats to earn seating in the future. burn won because the corner would be rolled,” Carpenter said. “Sometimes, it wasn’t on TV or we wouldn’t hear anything on the radio. Even if we were out of town, we would cut through just to see what happened and if the corner was rolled.” Fans are happy to celebrate Auburn victories, even if the trees are gone and wires are present. “I think it keeps the tradition alive in the best way we can right now,” said Bethany Cooley, junior in accounting. “It’s not the trees, and the wires are a little harder to roll, but we’re still Auburn and will celebrate our victories on the Corner like we are supposed to do.” “I was just happy to wake up in Auburn on game day again,” said Colton Mayhall, Auburn alumus. “And we still get to roll; it’s an Auburn tradition and it will stay that way. It’s just a little different with wires, and something we’ll just have to get used to.”
CORRECTIONS FROM AUG. 29 ISSUE A2: In an article titled “Auburn enters partnership with Raycom Media,” Paul McTeer was misquoted as saying “Raycom Media will provide studio equipment, editing software, cameras, sets, furniture and professional expertise as a means to guide and further educate journalism students.” He did not say this, the information came from a press release. The Plainsman apologizes for the mistake.
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CROOKS » From A1
“I’m interested in talking with people who want to get involved or have questions about SGA,” Crooks said. “One thing we’re trying to push this year is this online program called ‘Heard That.’ We respond to feedback as soon as we get it.” One of Crooks’ goals for her term is to get more diverse student feedback. “I think my biggest goal for this year is to let students know what SGA is working on and to feel more comfortable expressing their opinions and to be more involved,” Crooks said. Crooks is also working on various projects.
“We’re working on a lot of the same issues that students complain about, like transportation and dining, and making a dent with those,” Crooks said. “Also [I’m] working with the provost office to increase the graduation rate.” Although running against Mills in the election may have been a challenge for Crooks, working with him has given her no challenges. “Harrison and I work really close together because a lot of what I work on were his platform points. I knew going into this we would be working closely,” Crooks said. “Despite everything that’s happened, this year’s gone great. He’s doing a great job and obviously we have not had any problems
working together.” During the summer, Crooks worked on establishing SGA’s goals and initiatives for the year. “We have a document we want to share with campus on what we want to accomplish for this next year,” Crooks said. “So far we’ve done a lot of groundwork. We’re looking forward to sustainability projects.” Being from out of state, Crooks did not know much about Auburn before she came here. “Auburn’s really given me a lot and student government is my way of giving back to Auburn,” Crooks said. “I would really love to see younger leaders develop and that’s what makes this job awesome for me.”
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Campus A3
The Auburn Plainsman
Auburn’s smoking ban, fresh air or just a drag?
Smoking policies of SEC schools Non-smoking campuses
Students voice their approval and disapproval regarding the new campus smoking policy Derek Herscovici Campus Writer
Students may be fuming over Auburn University’s new policy to ban tobacco products and e-cigarettes from campus. But for many, the policy came as a breath of fresh air. Like many other universities across the country, Auburn made the final push to go entirely smoke-free by eliminating the designated smoking areas on campus and by banning all smoke-able tobacco products. The bans included cigarettes, cigars, tobacco pipes, hookahs and e-cigarettes. “The spark of it was the result of a student letter to Dr. Gogue where he asked the president, essentially, for Auburn University to go smokefree and their concern for the health effects on others by second-hand smoke,” said Christine Eick, executive manager of risk management and safety for Auburn University. “Each governance group, meaning the Student Government Association, faculty senate, the staff council and the administrative professional assembly, were all supportive of going smoke free,” Eick said. “So their votes passed in support of doing so.” Rather than ban tobacco products outright from the start, the University initiated a multi-stage program to phase out smoking in places deemed harmful to non-smokers, beginning with the creation of designated smoking zones, a governmentapproved distance of 25 feet from doors and walkways. While never a permanent solution, it became clear that designated zones could only function some of the time when it was a convenience to the smoker. “I’m not saying you can’t smoke,
I’m not saying I’m against smoking. I’m just saying that when I walk to class in the morning, I want to be able to not breathe in smoke,” said Scottie Brown, senior in journalism. “If it stayed in the designated areas, that would be fine, but I see them smoking right outside the door.” There are no penalties if you get caught smoking on campus, nor any fines to pay, as was the rumor at the beginning of the year. The evolution to smokefree permanence also came with a solution for students: the Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy has a step-by-step program to assist you in quitting nicotine for good, complete with a “Pack It Up” to help motivate and keep students on track. Despite being a solution to the problem many have complained about in the past, some people would rather make the decision for themselves instead of allowing the school to be the deciding factor. As Auburn Taylor Carr, senior in sociology, said, “People’s personal lives are their personal lives, and no one should butt into that. I worked at Disneyworld for six months, and they have designated smoking zones all over the park, and it’s just away from kids, and away from tourists. It’s not banned at all; there are spots for it in the Magic Kingdom. I think the designated zones were the perfect middle ground between the two different parties here, and I’ve seen that work fine before where 60,000 people go everyday, so why not a
campus of 25,000?” It’s a decision that’s been taken out of the hands of Auburn students, but one in which they did much of the groundwork to inform the administration, Eick said. E-cigarettes, in particular, have proven to be something of a slippery slope as they aren’t technically tobacco products and can vary greatly from user to user but still contain unsafe levels of nicotine that could potentially harm non-users in the vicinity. “The whole premise of the smoke-free policy was the health benefits of the person who’s choosing not to smoke, and there’s just not a lot of good research on electronic cigarettes,” Eick said. “So we were looking to federal agencies in their standards, we primarily looked to the Food and Drug Administration, they say that the e-cigarette is a tobacco product and so it kind of comes under that jurisdiction.” Regardless of your decision to smoke or not to smoke, everyone can appreciate the push to improve the quality of life for all involved. “ We have received so much positive feedback from people, I think sometimes the focus is on the negative aspects of change, but we have received many more ‘thank yous’ than complaints,” Eick said. “I’m administering a policy that was asked for by the community.”
Louisiana State University
University of Kentucky
Mississippi State university
University of Mississippi
Texas A&M university
University of Missouri
University of Arkansas
University of South Carolina
University of Florida
University of Tennessee
Vanderbilt university
Smoking campuses university of alabama Alabama does not allow smoking in campus buildings and people can only smoke 30 feet away from buildings.
University of Georgia Georgia does not allow smoking in campus buildings, under outdoor covered walkways and on the health sciences campus. People can smoke 35 feet away from buildings.
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Campus A4
The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Two professors develop protein-dectecting device Two professors in the College of Sciences and Mathematics develop a new disease-dectecting method Jimika Clovin
those and we can get the DNA design anyway we want,” Easley said. The DNA is used to tell Assistant professor John us if the protein is there and Easley and professor Curtis acts as a signal. Shannon, with the depart“We can get it to bind only ment of chemistry and bioWe were if the protein is there,” Easchemistry in the College of ley said. Science and Mathematics, developing a Easley’s proximity assay successfully led a collabora- method to detect work and Shannon’s work on tive effort between their reelectroanalytical chemistry search teams, the Easley Re- the proteins we led to the realization of colsearch Group and Shannon were looking laboration. Research Group, to develop a for, but then we “We combined our methnew disease-detection methods with Dr. Shannon’s elecod referred to as the electro- realized it can trochemical methods, and it chemical proximity assay, or actually detect ECPA. many other ones” turned out to work way better than all the other techThe Easley Research —John easley niques,” Easley said. “There Group is focused on makassistant Professor of are many different things ing an impact on the underchemistry and biochemistry that you can detect by havstanding of the fundamening a method that could tals of diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome by developing meth- quantify proteins.” This technology also has the potential for ods to measure hormone release from a small commercialization because of its wide range number of cells in a short time frame. “We are trying to develop methods that can of detection abilities and because of the elecmake those types of measurements and help tro-chemistry aspect, which allows it to be out some of the people who study more fun- miniaturized into an electric circuit. Auburn University applied for a patent in damental lab biology,” Easley said. “We want to help them out, and maybe even do some of 2012, and Easley and Shannon are continuing their work on the ECPA. the measurements ourselves.” “Working with Dr. Shannon has been very The ECPA is one of those methods the fruitful and were going to continue working,” groups worked to develop. “We were developing a method to detect Easley said. “The next steps for the ECPA include protothe proteins we were looking for, but then we realized that it can actually detect many oth- typing a handheld device, miniaturization of er ones,” Easley said. “Your body has hundreds the sensor components, optimizing the meaof thousands of different proteins, and native surement parameters and detecting multiple protein is one of the main components of your proteins at the same time,” Shannon said. The National Science Foundation and other body. It’s simply detecting proteins.” The Easley Research Group detects pro- organizations fund this research that the proteins by using chemical methods to attach fessors do. Auburn’s Office of the Vice President for ReDNA to antibodies, which are also proteins. These antibodies can specifically recognize search also supported the development of the ECPA as Easley, Shannon and engineers work certain proteins. “We get the ones that we need for that par- with the Office of Technology Transfer to conticular protein, and then we attach DNA to duct more studies. Writer
anna grafton / photo editor
Solar panels on the roof of a University parking deck transmit power to electric vehicles below.
Sunlight in the spotlight Ben Hohenstatt Campus Reporter
It might seem odd that an institution with a proud tradition of throwing toilet paper would be distinguished for environmental friendliness, but Auburn University was recently praised for its solar panels. Auburn was one of the 40 institutions included in the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s 2012 Sustainability Review. The partnership between Facilities Management and the Office of Sustainability, which produced solar panels for the stadium parking deck, were the subject of the profile. “The panels offset the charging of the golf carts on the bottom floor,” said Jennifer Morse, communication and outreach coordinator for the University Office of Sustainability. There are 10 stations used to charge golf carts and vehicles used by University departments on the ground floor of the parking deck.
Morse said the solar panels do not provide electricity directly to the vehicles, but provide roughly the equivalent amount of energy used by the charging stations to Auburn’s power grid. Ray Kirby, electrical engineer in facilities management, said there are two sections of 3.3 kilowatt solar panels on the parking deck. “That means during peak sunlight hours, about five hours per day, those panels can produce 6.6 KW of power,” Kirby said. In total, there are 24 solar panels on top of the parking deck. Morse said the idea for the solar panels came during a brainstorming session for a highly visible project between the Office of Sustainability and facilities management. “Something about the solar panels with Jordan-Hare in the background seemed like a great idea,” Morse said. “It’s a powerful image.” Morse said while the solar
panels are a high-profile project, the Office of Sustainability is also involved with other oncampus projects. “We have another demo project we’re doing,” Morse said. “We’re doing a rain-gathering project over at the Dudley shop roof. Morse said projects such as these, and overall efforts toward sustainability, resulted and will continue to result in Auburn receiving recognition from organizations such as the AASHE Sustainability Review. AASHE also has a Sustainability Tracking and Rating System that evaluates an institution’s sustainability efforts. “We did the STARS assessment last year,” Morse said. “We got a silver star.” Morse said the University is aiming for a gold star rating this year. “We’re working for it, but we don’t really care about a score or a ranking,” Morse said. “We want the results in sustainability that those sorts of things represent.”
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Successful women’s studies open house held Aug. 28 Ben Hohenstatt Campus Reporter
The excitement at the women’s studies program faculty open house was palpable, but had nothing to do with the lunchtime refreshments served at the event. The crowd packed into Haley Center room 3227 was excited by the full department event calendar and for a chance for the women’s studies program affiliates to get to know each other. The event began with announcements regarding the women’s studies program’s event schedule for the semester. “We have a lot of great things scheduled,” said Joyce de Vries, director of the University’s women’s studies program. The women’s studies program’s fall semes-
ter schedule includes an arts and humanities month barbecue with Elvis Oct. 16, a tribute to A.R. Siddons Oct. 18, a foreign languages panel Nov. 6, as well as many other events. However, it was the Extraordinary Women Lecture featuring Gloria Steinem scheduled for Feb. 18 captured the most attention. “We have a lot of things going,” de Vries said. “But of course, we’re all very excited for Steinem in February.” Barbara Baker, executive director of the Women’s Leadership Institute, said she has high hopes for the event. “We’re really trying to tie women together around this event,” Baker said. The open house served as more than a chance to announce discussion panels and
guest speakers. “The focal point of the event was to greet new faculty,” de Vries said. “We have more than 90 affiliates that now have the opportunity to meet and greet.” She also said the interdisciplinary nature can make it difficult for all of the affiliates to be familiar with one another. “We have faculty all over campus,” de Vries said. One new face was Kelly Krawczyk, assistant professor of political science. This semester will be Krawczyk’s first at Auburn. “I came from Wayne State University in Detroit,” Krawczyk said. “The South is still new to me.”
Krawczyk said the open house was an excellent opportunity to get to know other members of the women’s studies program. “It seemed to me to be a great way to learn about Auburn, new programs and initiatives and to meet new people,” Krawczyk said. One of the recent programs highlighted at the event was the women’s studies minor the College of Liberal Arts has started offering for students this semester. “We want the word out that there is a women’s studies minor,” de Vries said. Information and schedules were given to everyone who attended the event. People can learn about the program, including the minor and scheduled events, by visiting CLA.Auburn.edu/WomensStudies/.
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Thursday, September 5, 2013
The Auburn Plainsman
Campus A5
Opinion
A6
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Social Media on The Plains In response to our post “Do you expect the Tigers to play better against Arkansas St. this weekend? What do they need to improve?”
Phillip Key: Giving up less passing yards, not dropping passes. In response to our post “Editorial: Unfiltered prejudice and the anti-smoking iron fist”
Wayne Partridge: I’d be happy to rat out a smoker. In fact, I did it yesterday. I like breathing carcinogen-free air
Jacob Dean: I would encourage The Plainsman to look up the definition of prejudice. Are we really willing to say that a smoking ban is somehow “prejudice?”
ThePlainsman.com Our View
Lessons from the season opener We won, and it feels good. The joy of rolling Toomer’s, even without the trees, almost brought tears to our eyes. Campus seems to be brighter, and the general mood around town is positivity laced with optimism. Almost every Auburn fan is singing Head Coach Gus Malzahn’s praises. He gave us what we need so desperately, what we crave: a win. But we wouldn’t be doing our job as journalists if we didn’t bring a healthy dose of skepticism to the party. Can it really be as good as it feels? Is Malzahn the second coming? We want so much to believe. It hurts to even imagine this season not going well, but all we have to go on is a seasonopener that was far less than impressive. Perhaps it was just a young team finding its legs, a baby tiger learning how to walk. Maybe they’re saving the excellence for an SEC team. Either way, it’s just too soon to tell.
We could make predictions, jump on the sports media bandwagon and play fortune teller, but what good does that do? The hype surrounding Malzahn’s return to The Plains has been well deserved. It’s part morale booster, part nostalgia for the 2010 season. However, this hype has the potential to make an underwhelming season seem that much worse. Robenson Therezie gave us some hope, but one star player out of a team of highprofile recruits is disappointing, especially against a school such as Washington State. Nick Marshall had a rough go of it; he played more like Kiehl Frazier than Cam Newton. If we’ve learned anything over the past few seasons, it’s that the Tigers need an effective QB to anchor the rest of the team and take the leadership role. So get pumped up, wave your shakers and scream War Eagle as loud as you can. But remember the lessons of the 2011 and 2012 seasons, and don’t believe the hype.
@thesabanfactor: Pay the bill!!
@thetopbrianna: There was no one trapped inside the Bookstore. The huge sliding door to the lobby is manual. In response to our tweet “Power has been restored throughout campus”
@DaPrincessCass: psychhh it’s out again In response to our tweer “Auburn facilities management confirmed a campus-wide power outage for unknown reasons.”
@ddonahoo1: Damn updyke poisoned the substation
This week’s poll question: Does the Tigers’ win against WSU give you hope for the rest of the season? •YES •NO •I FORGOT WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO WIN
Last week’s poll results: Are you excited about Ben Affleck being Batman? 5% YES
RACHEL SUHS / DESIGN EDITOR
His View
My college bucket list has been finished Jordan Dale COPY@THEPLAINSMAN.COM
In response to our tweet “Campus-wide power outages at Auburn University”
Opinion
As bass singer Avi Kaplan of Pentatonix’s voice reverberated through the speakers and the audience members’ chests, a deeper roar was growing in mine. I didn’t understand what it was until the end of UPC’s concert Thursday, Aug. 29, but when I did, it came upon me so suddenly I had no choice but to yield to its fury. Hoping my 1,000 other Auburn Family members would help me, I cracked open my lips and expelled the breathtaking cry, “Waaaaaaaar…” And incredibly, those around me were caught up in the involuntary, powerful moment and joined me, their voices melding into something majestic. As I guided them into the crescendo, culminating in “…eagle, hey!” I had finally done what many Auburn freshmen dream of doing: I led the Auburn game day cry. It lasted only 6 seconds. But within those 6 seconds, I checked off almost everything on my Auburn University
bucket list, and it had only taken six years to do so. With my graduation looming, it made me conscious of time and how fleeting it is. People say they blink and are forty; imagine how quickly your four, or six, years of college will fly by. I hope you have the chance to experience the successes I’ve had and the mistakes I’ve made. I’ve failed classes, used all my GAPs, wished I had more and learned lessons from years of immaturity. I’ve gone to football games, lost my voice, bled blue and orange and bled red in boyish scuffles defending the honor of Auburn’s football team against LSU fans. I’ve had nights I’ll never forget and some I’ll never remember at bars and fraternity houses. I’ve broken nearly every rule while living in the dorms, but nothing illegal in an on-campus dorm. I’ve made enemies and forgiven them, and made friends who I hope will last a lifetime. I’ve loved and lost, loved and lost and chosen to stoically love again. I’ve gone from an out-of-state student confused whether the mascot was Aubie or an eagle to a member of the Auburn Family explaining the story of both to others.
I read the creed and believe in it wholeheartedly, hoping my peers set their life to its course because it won’t lead them astray. Poet Robert Herrick told the virgins to make much of time, and Robin Williams told us it meant carpe diem, “seize the day.” So, make the most of your time left at Auburn, because when it’s gone, you’ll never get it back, and while you’ll always be an Auburn alumnus or alumna, you will never be an Auburn student again. I wish I would have joined an a capella club, been more active in intramural sports, cultivated new interests, studied abroad, found something to devote my life to and engendered more friendships that will last a lifetime. But my time is coming to an end, and wishing wounds the heart. Your time may be ending as well, or just beginning, but make the most of it, and ensure the pages of your story at Auburn are written in indelible ink. That’s what college is: sweet, poignant and then? Over. Leave a legacy, and learn something beyond the major on your diploma, something that lasts forever. The thing I’ve learned at Auburn, and not from any single event, person or class, but the culmination of everything? I believe in Auburn and love it.
Letters to the Editor
Jordan-Hare home to football, bigotry Dear the-person-in-charge of Jordan-Hare Stadium, I am writing this letter to request seating in the stadium for future football games where I will be free from sexist, racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic language and behavior. On Saturday, I skipped my way to the stadium in the wet heat with my friends and my boyfriend’s family visiting from far away. I felt proud to be entering the stadium for the third year in a row as a new football fan. I never thought I would get excited about football, live in the
South, or have so many of my negative stereotypes about Southerners disconfirmed. Within the first quarter, however, we became subject to harassment, taunting, and provocation by drunk people in the student section sitting behind us. My boyfriend’s brother was particularly subjected to heinous masculinity baiting. Although, as a graduate student at Auburn, I am older than most people in that section, I was shaking in my boots with the thick anticipation of violence stinking the air. We didn’t even make it to the
end of the first half when a nearby woman referred to me as a “F---- JEW” and we left. I knew that I was different than most people in the stands, but felt safe assuming that only I knew this. For most of my life I have enjoyed the privilege of not wearing my othered identity statuses externally, unlike many people of color, people with disabilities, or gender non-conforming folks who do not have this luxury. Saturday, I got a taste of what it feels like to be reminded that because of how I look I DON’T BELONG. It has taken me a long time to
accept and love what makes me different, and I will not have that taken away from me. I will not feel unsafe or allow my friends or family to feel this way. Please let me know if you can accommodate my request because I have invited a number of friends and family who are Jewish, gay, people of color, or different in some marvelous way to games this season and I will not expose them to what we went through. Emily Kerzin Doctoral Student Counseling Psychology
Plainsman’s views on smoking misguided
70% NO
25% ONLY IF MATT DAMON CAN BE ROBIN
THE PLAINSMAN WANTS TO HEAR YOUR VOICE! Send us your tweets, photos, facebook posts and letters to the editor. We want to know what you think about the issues. Like us on Facebook and follow us @theauplainsman
The Plainsman’s unfortunate and misinformed editorial last week referring to the recently implemented smoking ban as “prejudice” shows the editorial board’s dearth of scientific knowledge related to tobacco associated illness. Although it would take well more than 300 words to sort out the misinformation and false allegations promulgated by the article, I will attempt to correct several pieces of fallacious information in this letter to the editor. First, the assertion that the measure“was instituted through
non-democratic means” is simply false. As a member of the SGA Senate, I can personally attest to the polling conducted among students which demonstrated an overwhelming support of the ban. Additionally, all four governing bodies—Auburn University Faculty Senate, SGA Senate and A &P Council and the Staff Council— passed a resolution in favor of a smoking ban. Smokers’ concerns were taken into consideration and their opinions were considered. Secondly, the editorial claims that the smoke-free campus is an
“affront” to any Auburn Family member who smokes. I take offense to that claim because while each and every person of a legal age possesses the right to smoke, non-smokers possess a greater right to walk to and from class without inhaling a mouthful of carcinogen filled smoke. According to the CDC, secondhand smoke exposure causes an estimated 3,400 lung cancer deaths and 46,000 heart disease deaths annually among adult nonsmokers in the United States. Let’s ensure Auburn Fami-
ly members can live long, meaningful lives without the extremely horrible side-effects of secondhand smoke. Today, nearly 1,182 campuses nationwide have banned smoking on campuses and we can expect that number to grow. Auburn’s decision to join the movement demonstrates that we’re committed to ensuring the health and well-being of our students, faculty, and campus visitors. Jacob Dean Auburn SGA Senate President Pro Tempore
The Editorial Board KELSEY DAVIS Editor-in-Chief
Elizabeth Wieck MANAGING EDITOR
Ben Croomes OPINION
Jordan Dale COPY
Dustin Shrader ONLINE
Becky Hardy
Justin Ferguson
CAMPUS
SPECIAL SECTIONS
Will Gaines
Daniel Oramas
SPORTS
MULTIMEDIA
Anna Grafton
Ashley Selby
PHOTO
INTRIGUE
Rachel Suhs DESIGN
Chandler Jones COMMUNITY
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The Auburn Plainsman welcomes letters from students as well as from faculty, administrators, alumni and those not affiliated with the University. Letters must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. on the 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.
The opinions of The Auburn Plainsman staff are restricted to these pages. This editorial is the majority opinion of the 13-member editorial board and are the official opinion of the newspaper. The opinions expressed in columns and letters represent the views and opinions of their individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the Auburn University student body, faculty, administration or Board of Trustees.
Contact Phone 334–844–4130 Email opinion@theplainsman.com
Community Thursday, September 5, 2013
A7 ThePlainsman.com
Community
Things will be great when you’re downtown The city of Auburn held an open forum meeting to hear options for growth and development Aug. 28. Citizens gathered to discuss and voice opinions on the city’s potential renovations to Downtown Auburn Chandler Jones COMMUNITY EDITOR
Most of us know the cozy strip of downtown Auburn to be the core of this city. College Street and Magnolia Avenue mirror the University with the city. Thousands of Auburn students, residents and visitors walk the sidewalks and drive the streets of the downtown area. It’s home to most of us, whether it be where we go for dinner, out for entertainment, to get to school or to the stadium. Auburn’s downtown epitomizes the approachable, yet exciting, environment all Tigers know and love. This is a fact the city of Auburn understands completely, and only hopes to improve. The city held a public meeting in the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center Wednesday, Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. so Auburn residents were able to give input on what is referred to as the “Downtown Master Plan.” The city of Auburn realizes the best and most fitting people to make the decisions regarding what should be renovated downtown, and what it should look like, are the people who frequent our downtown area in their everyday lives. The plan aims to revitalize the downtown area. The area’s proximity has not expanded since the 1940s, so the city is aiming to adequately utilize the space by renovating some of the more dilapidated buildings and structures. “What we’re trying to zero in on is some things aesthetically that we can do better,” said Forrest Cotton, Auburn’s planning director. “I think streetscape and talking about expanding into some of these areas and making some ac-
CHANDLER JONES / COMMUNITY EDITOR
Citizens convened for an interactive meeting on the Downtown Master Plan.
tual infrastructure improvements to really show people that we aren’t just on paper expanding downtown, this is what we want downtown to feel like.” The presentation included an explanation of the issues and potential developments, allowed for community input and held workshops for more personal communication.
Residents in attendance ranged from those who have been living in Auburn for 30 years to those living here for less than two years. “It shows how interested and in-tune the Auburn citizens are,” City Manager Charles Duggan said. “They care about what the future is going to be. They want to have a hand in shaping that and we’re welcoming it. We want people to
come tell us what they like and don’t like. Their input is going to be vital to what the final recommendations are going to be.” Bob Begle of Urban Collage conducted the meeting as principal designer. Urban Collage is a planning and design company based in Atlanta and established in 1997. Urban Collage’s research in Auburn began in June, and with the first phase nearly complete, it intends to move into the second phase of designing and drafting, which will include another public meeting. The last phase will accept community feedback and focus on implementation. “This is a downtown that doesn’t have a lot of vacant lots, doesn’t have a lot of vacant store fronts, but it still could be an even better version of itself,” Begle said. “That’s what we are interested to hear what people think that better version could be.” Urban Collage suggested the new downtown feature a modern grocery store, more fine dining, family-oriented retail and more entertainment such as nightlife options and a movie theater. “At the end of the day we want to make sure we get the quality the citizens of Auburn want to see in their downtown,” Duggan said. “We want a welcoming destination. We don’t want just a place people drive through. We want people to come, have a great time, bring their families and when they leave think, ‘I want to go back there.’” The city has yet to assign a budget, but Duggan said the process would need to be completed before they can make an estimate. At this point, puts completion at 2030.
With a bark, not a whine, Woofstock 2013 went to the dogs
CONTRIBUTED BY LCHS
CONTRIBUTED BY LCHS
CONTRIBUTED BY LCHS
CONTRIBUTED BY LCHS
Ellen Sims adopted Bella and Ranger in July 2010.
Jovie, a LCHS alumI, belongs to Anne Gorden.
A family adopted Roulaine from the LCHS.
Getting a bath at the Wash & Wag.
Chandler Jones
Activities for dogs, such as the Wash & Wag. made it a great day for the four-legged friends of the Auburn community. Dog treats were abundant and happily barking animals ran rampant in Kiesel Park. “My favorite part was having the pets come in and enjoying the day,” said Shelly Adams, administration and events coordinator for the Lee County Humane Society. “Just seeing all the dif-
ferent people and their pets and how they interact, seeing the joy in their face watching their pets be able to have fun. We had every shape and size dog out there.” Children enjoyed face paintings and inflatables. The event’s major sponsors were Delta Zeta sorority, philanthropist Gerald Leischuck, Fur Buds Veterinarians, Glynn Smith Chevrolet, Buick and
GMC and Golden Family Cattle Farm. McAllister’s Deli, Reggie’s Concessions, Dinky Donuts, Overall’s Pops, Kona Ice and Momma Mocha’s Coffee sold refreshments and Spicer’s Music provided all the equipment for the musical entertainment. Garage bands performed from 9 a.m.–noon and the band, Sol Co, followed. All donated funds went toward the society’s operating costs, animal care and provisions.
COMMUNITY EDITOR
The barks of the 2013 Woofstock could be heard even of the streets of South College Saturday, Aug. 24. This year’s Woofstock brought out nearly two thousand people, resulted in six adoptions and raised approximately $20,000 for the Lee County Humane Society.
RACHEL SUHS
For Ward 3 representative Worden it is elementary from start to finish By Jessa Pease COMMUNITY WRITER
With a grandfather as a trustee of his hometown, a mother who was active in the Republican Party and a brother who was a city council member, it’s no wonder Tom Worden is the city council representative for Ward 3. Ten years ago, the man who had Worden’s current position had to leave the Council, so Mayor Ham asked Worden to fill the slot. He said he had no idea he would run for two more terms. In a year from now, the 67-year -old representative’s term will be over and he doesn’t plan on running again. He said it is time to get someone younger to get involved. He said he plans to travel more with his wife, Tasha,
and plans to make more time for his volunteer work with the Literacy Coalition, the Auburn Arts Association and the two church choirs he directs. After 10 years, he said he’s proud to be the representative of Ward 3 and the work he’s done. “It’s in my blood,” Worden said. “I decided I needed to give back what I could, so I decided to do this. It has been wonderful. I love that I can help in a small way, work with citizens and have a ward where I can be depended on.” Worden grew up in Valparaiso, Ind., a city smaller than Auburn. After majoring in elementary education at Ball State University and receiving his masters and Ph.D at Purdue, Worden applied for a job with Auburn University. “I could do almost anything
ANNIE FAULK / COMMUNITY REPORTER
City Councilmember Tom Worden represents Ward 3.
in the area of education by the time I finished school,” Worden said. “I thought to apply to Auburn, see what I could do, and they gave me a job the
first time I showed up.” Worden said he and his wife had always wanted to live in a warm climate, so the job was perfect. He taught read-
ing methods to education majors, but retired 15 years ago for health reasons. “I was very fortunate,” Worden said. “The students were all great and they were all interested in what they were doing. They were dedicated to finding a degree and doing it right.” When Worden joined the City Council, he said one thing he wanted to do was make the community understand what the City Council was and that they could help. “They knew they could call me in Ward 3 and knew I did what I could,” Worden said. “It sounds pretty easy, but not everyone knew they could do that. I’m glad I have been able to do it, and do it to the best of my ability. I like what I have been doing here.” Worden said the council is
currently working on the revitalization of Opelika Road and the downtown area. “We have so many exciting things going on right now that it is great fun,” Worden said. “There are so many things we can do to help people realize this is important.” Worden said the projects are exciting for him because the Council has been talking about them for approximately five years. Now it is actually happening, although he will not hold his seat on the council, he said he is excited to see the plans come to fruition as a resident of the Auburn community. “I don’t know why we would ever think of leaving Auburn because it is just wonderful,” Worden said. “We have a ton of friends, and it is a great place to live.”
Community A8
The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Hookah, cigars focus at City Council Auburn City Council votes on smoking ordinances and consistent rulings at the Tuesday, Sept. 3 meeting Annie Faulk
Other notes from City Council
COMMUNITY REPORTER
The City Council met Tuesday, Sept. 3 to discuss Havana Dreamin’ requesting an alcohol license, and Exhale’s request to operate as a cigar and hookah lounge. “They died because a lack of action,” said David Dorton, city director of public affairs. “The Havana Dreamin’ one is two issues, even though they are both dealing with smoking. Havana Dreamin’s issue was that they wanted to add alcohol to a smoking lounge.” Havana Dreamin’ located at 2328 S. College St. suite 12, sought approval for an alcoholic beverage license, but the license was denied after being granted approval to operate as a retail tobacco shop in January. Zamil Ali of Exhale, the cigar and hookah lounge, requested approval to operate as a tobacco specialty shop, or operate as a cigar or hookah lounge. Exhale is located at 221 N. College St. in the College Edge Overlay District. At the Aug. 6 meeting, both Havana Dreamin’ and Exhale’s requests were tabled in order for the City Council to research the businesses’ compliance of the city’s smoking ordinances. “The problem the City Council saw with that was we’ve told bars that they can’t smoke anymore,” Dorton said. “So if you allow a smoking lounge to add alcohol to the smoking lounge, then that might be inconsistent with rules bars have to abide by.” Three citizens approached the City Council to discuss the potential harms of smoking, while Havana Dreamin’ owner, Rick Payne, argued for the approval of the alcohol license. “I think the hookah bar goes back to the issue of what do they want the smoking ordinance to allow, and the idea that we are going back and being consistent in how we apply all of these rules,” Dorton said. “And really, do they want to allow any type of smoking establishment, I think is part of the discussion.”
• •
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• • • • •
• •
Katie Robinson from the planning department was named employee of the month. Mayor Ham awarded five service pins and plaques. Stephanie Spraggins with the finance department and Audrea May with the public works department were awarded pins for their five-year service to the city. David Carr with the public safety department and Marty Beckwith with the public works department were honored for their 10 years of service. The City Council approved alcoholic beverage licenses to Halftime Sports Bar and Grill on 154 and 156 N. College St. Approved closing City streets for the Historic Pine Hill Lantern Tour and the Downtown Trick or Treat in October. Approved Zazu’s, 149 E. Magnolia Ave., request for an outdoor cafe permit. Approved fixed costs for cutting overgrown lots at 804 Cahaba Drive and South College Street parcels. Approved non-educational tax abatements for Pyongsan America Inc and toolCare U.S. International. Approved conditional use of an accessory road for Oly’s Automotive Detailing, 465 Opelika Road. The item originally appeared in the August 20 City Council meeting where it was tabled to ensure the correction of zoning violations. Approved the purchase of 60 Motorola two-way radios at a cost of $59,145. Approved purchase of two 60-inch Exmark mowers, three weed eaters, two edgers and one backpack blower at a total cost of $21,968.25
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SARAH MAY / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
At Tiger Walk, fans and cheerleaders enjoy the atmosphere of anticipation and celebration of Tiger football before the Tigers’ win against Washington State Aug. 31.
Win or lose, there’s always tailgating Annie Faulk COMMUNITY REPORTER
Some students think the perfect fall football tailgate involves hamburgers, barbecue, booze, games and friends. People gather on Auburn’s campus and all over town for pre-game festivities. But for some, tailgating has more to offer than food and fun before going into the stadium. “Tailgating is a special time because you are with all the people you’ll go to the game with, all your friends,” said Corey Smith, graduate student in biomechanics. “You’re having a good time conversing, but there is a real sense of community, too, with the people in the next tent over. You’ll get to know them over the whole season.” Someone not familiar with football traditions might think tailgating involves sitting on a truck’s tailgate, or as Google defines it as “to eat an informal meal served from the back of a parked vehicle,” but that’s not the case. Most people tailgate in style with RVs, motorhomes, decorated cars or tents with satellite television connections. The concept of tailgating is not complicated, but there’s more to tailgating than a good time. “You go to the site, you set up a tent, you hang out, cook, hang out some more and then go to the game and it’s a great way to get into the Auburn spirit before the game,” said Lynn Tamblyn, senior in industrial and systems engineering. “I like to spend time with Auburn people and fans before the game and it’s a time where you cook, grill and hang out with friends.” Auburn fans, hopeful to celebrate football, flock to campus beginning Fridays at 4 p.m., when tailgaters are allowed to reserve certain areas on campus. Tailgating on campus is so prevalent, the University es-
“
Tailgating is a special time because you are with all the people you’ll go to the game with, all your friends.” — Corey Smith GRADUATE STUDENT
tablished guidelines for tents used on University property. “It’s a big community thing, people are happy before the game and it’s a fun atmosphere,” Smith said. “It’s all about community, I think. I always bring my grill because someone needs a grill master, and that’s me.” Auburn University allows tailgating in the hayfields on Donahue Drive, the Intramural Fields, at Ag Heritage Park, on the Student Center Greenspace and the Weagle Woods behind the Forestry and Wildlife building. “I love it. I grew up tailgating when I was little. It’s a real nice ambiance before the game,” Smith said. “You don’t care about the game just yet. If you are uptight about the game, tailgating eases you up a little bit.” Tailgating goes beyond Jordan-Hare Stadium and Auburn’s central campus. There are parks dedicated to RV tailgating, like University Station RV Resort on Highway 14, where the park offers a shuttle service to the Stadium. “The atmosphere here during home football exceeds your most elaborate expectation for tailgating,” said Jill Holt of University Station. “Everyone here is here for Auburn football. Golf carts are decked out in their Auburn décor with horns, and big sound systems playing Auburn songs or ballgames as they breeze around the com-
munity and throughout the park, exchanging ‘War Eagles’ with fellow passing fans.” University Station covers 92 acres with approximately 550 sites available for RVs. Holt said there are approximately 450–650 RVs at the site, depending on the game. “Tailgating has evolved to another level here at the station. There is an unspoken competition to “out-Auburn” the neighbors, or at least represent yourself very well in your display,” Holt said. “Many sites have gone from camping to “glamping” here. Elaborate decks, coach houses, landscaped lawns and of course, all of the Auburn Tailgate décor you can find to promote team pride.” Friday nights, University Station features live bands performances with meals alongside a bonfire. Holt said there is a tradition of events that include Halloween costume contests, parades, church services and auctions for Auburn scholarship funds. “Our guests vary in age from newborn to 90 plus in years,” Holt said. “We have tailgaters who are grandparents entertaining their families and grandchildren, to large tailgates with lots of college students, to quiet couples who just want a place to relax.” Holt said tailgating away from central campus is a money-saver because people do not have to drive their RVs back and forth to Auburn every weekend. At places like University Station, people are able to leave their RVs at the site all season. “The two main charms are the enormous amount of fun we have here with friends, new and old, and the hasslefree experience you get when you have a spot reserved and your site is set up when you get here,” Holt said. “You just unlock the door and start your party.”
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Sports
B1 ThePlainsman.com
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Sports
Therezie earns SEC Defensive Player of the Week Justin Ferguson ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
For the first time in almost two years, an Auburn Tiger has been named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week. Robenson Therezie, who started in place of the injured Justin Garrett at the “star” position, had seven tackles and two interceptions in Auburn’s 31–24 win against Washington State. “I knew [I could start] during camp when Garrett went down,” Therezie said after the victory. “He was talking like he might not play, said his injury could keep him out for three or four weeks. I knew I had to step up to be that man.” The Miami native made what many have called the play of the game during the late stages of the fourth quarter. Therezie stopped a long Cougar drive cold when he picked off a Conor Halliday pass in the end zone just before the clock hit the 4-minute mark. “(Therezie) played really well,” head coach Gus Malzahn said after the win. “He played a lot of snaps out there and he was tired, but he found a way, especially with one in the end zone late, it was one of the critical plays of the game.” Therezie was announced in the starting lineup right before kickoff. Malzahn said the deci-
SARAH MAY / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Robenson Therezie celebrates with teammates Craig Sanders, Jonothan Mincy and Jermaine Whitehead.
sion to play Therezie over Garrett was a gametime decision, and the former safety took full advantage of his opportunity in the hybrid role of Ellis Johnson’s 4-2-5 defense. His interception in the first quarter was the first takeaway for the Tigers secondary since the 2011 season. “I had to make a big play there,” Therezie said. “We knew as a defense they were going for the
endzone right there and we communicated the right read and I made the play.” After fellow defensive back Jonathan Mincy matched the Tigers’ 2012 interception total with another first half takeaway, Therezie and the rest of the Tiger defense held the visitors to just three points after halftime. “I told (Therezie) big-time players make bigtime plays, and that is exactly what he did to-
night,” said cornerback Chris Davis. Therezie and the rest of the secondary had plenty of chances to make those big-time plays against Washington State as Halliday threw the ball 65 times in the loss. The junior provided key defensive back experience to the “star” position, which has been called a safety/linebacker hybrid. “Coach always tells us the game is on us, especially against a big passing team like this,” Therezie said. “That’s all we talk about, getting turnovers. In my opinion, we have one of the best groups of defensive backs in the country.” Therezie is Auburn’s first conference Player of the Week on defense since Corey Lemonier’s big performance against Florida in October 2011. He joined Georgia running back Todd Gurley, Alabama returner Christion Jones, Arkansas defensive lineman Trey Flowers, LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins and Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell in receiving All-SEC honors for the opening week. Malzahn said he is hopeful Garrett will return Saturday, Sept. 3, but Therezie said he is prepared to continue as the Tigers’ No. 1 star. When asked if he thought the starting job would still be his when Garrett returned from injury, Therezie simply said, “Yes, I do.”
Lashlee looking for playmakers in week two against Arkansas State Jeff moore SPORTS REPORTER
In his press conference Tuesday, Sept. 3, Auburn offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said he was pleased with the way the offense found a way to win Saturday’s, Aug. 31, game against Washington State. However, according to Lashlee, doing just enough to win is not good enough. “Offensively, I’m not really overall pleased, just because [the offense’s performance] was not to our standard,” Lashlee said. There were several instances in which his players failed to capitalize on opportunities for big plays that could have potentially closed the door on the Cougars. Lashlee said repeating the same mistakes in the future could be the difference in winning and losing. “I felt like every time we had a chance to really put some distance between us and them, whether it be missing a deep ball or having a touchdown called back for a penalty,” Lashlee said. “We just sputtered. We didn’t take advantage of those moments, and that’s not good enough. When we’re in position to separate ourselves, we’ve got to press forward, and get some distance between ourselves and our opponent.” Lashlee pointed specifically to the third quarter and the start of the fourth quarter as times when he said he thought the Tigers could have stepped
up and made plays. He placed an emphasis on correcting their second half shortcomings going into week two against Arkansas State. “We’ve got to have guys who are making plays in big moments, and that’s what we’ve got to improve on this week,” Lashlee said. “We’ve got to make those plays, period. It doesn’t matter who you are playing. Whether it’s to stay in a game or put a team away, we’ve got to make those plays.” One positive takeaway from Saturday, Lashlee said, was Auburn’s ability to stay calm under pressure and resolve to win the game. “Never once did they panic, never once did they get tight. Our guys were pretty even keeled,” Lashlee said. “They didn’t act like the moment was too big and they found a way to win, and at the end of the day you would rather win and have some things to correct than to be on the other end of things.” Lashlee also said he was pleased with junior quarterback Nick Marshall’s first performance under center. Though Marshall’s stat line wasn’t spectacular, going 10– for–19 for 199 yards through the air and rushing for 27 yards, the offensive coordinator said he thought Marshall made sound decisions and managed the game effectively. “For the most part, mentally, he didn’t have a lot of mental busts. I felt like he called the right plays, the protections, the things we needed to do,”
Lashlee said. Though Marshall didn’t account for any touchdowns in his debut, he also didn’t turn the ball over, which was a problem for him last season in junior college. “At the end of the day, the quarterback’s job is simple,” Lashlee said. “It’s to win the game, and a lot of that has to do with protecting the football. Who cares how many yards you throw for or how flashy it is? Did you win the game or not? And we did. He was, I thought, very conservative with the football, which is good.” Because, head coach Gus Malzahn brought in several assistant coaches, such as Lashlee, with him from Arkansas State, they are familiar with the players and schemes the Tigers will be facing Saturday, Sept. 7. However, Lashlee was quick to point out familiarity with their opponent won’t necessarily translate to a win on the field. “I know one thing: those guys are winners. They’ve won nine straight now. They’re going to come in here with the expectation of winning and we’re going to have to play a really good football game to beat them,” Lashlee said. “They’re going to know us well, and we’re going to know them well. I know that there are a lot of guys over there that we care about, and they care about us, but when we play on Saturday, both sides are going to want to win pretty bad.”
SARAH MAY / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Carl Lawson during pre-game warm ups at the Washington State game Saturday, Aug. 31.
Auburn defense prepares for Red Wolves’ dynamic running game Eric Wallace SPORTS WRITER
After containing Washington State’s Air Raid attack, Auburn’s defense must now prepare for an Arkansas State offense that produced four different 100-yard rushers in week one. The Red Wolves, who are on a nine-game winning streak dating back to last season, totaled 509 rushing yards in a 62–11 opening week rout of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. “I think three different guys had runs over 50 yards,” defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson said. “They got up so quickly and so fast that the backups were playing by the third quarter.” Under the direction of new head coach Bryan Harsin, Arkansas State has incorporated many of the offensive strategies current Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn installed last year during his only season as the Red Wolves’ coach. “It’s kind of a combination of Gus’ offense and their head coach’s offense merging to-
gether, and it really presents some difficult problems,” Johnson said. “It’s a similar operation, with some of the same formations and motions.” Johnson said Malzahn and his staff ’s time with the Red Wolves last season will help the defense’s weekly preparation. “He knows the set-up plays and things we can work on that weren’t on the film,” Johnson said. “They also know the personnel because we have seven coaches here who coached those guys last year. They have very good familiarity of the personnel.” One of those coaches, Auburn offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, expects a stiff test from Arkansas State Saturday, Sept. 7. “They’ve won nine or 10 straight now, and they’re going to come in here with the expectation of winning,” Lashlee said. “We’re going to have to play a really good football game to beat them. They’ve got a lot of weapons back on of-
» See DEFENSE B3
Auburn narrowly beat Washington State and must improve in week two Will Gaines SPORTS@ THEPLAINSMAN.COM
Auburn’s week one performance was a mixed bag of good and bad. One of the few positives was the Tigers’ ground game. The Tigers finished with 297 yards on the ground with five different players getting involved in the running game. This needs to continue to improve as they move closer to SEC play, but it’s still a good sign for the offense. Another positive were the big plays on defense. The Tigers already surpassed last season’s interception total with three interceptions, and the interceptions came at crucial times in the game, providing the team with much-needed momentum. Also, the defense had two fourth down stops in the game with the last sealing the victory for the Tigers. The
defense had many flaws that need to be corrected, but if they continue to make game-changing plays like they did against Washington State, Saturday, Aug. 31, the defense should be fine. Auburn had several surprise performances Saturday, which caught the attention of many Auburn fans. One surprise performance was by Robenson Therezie. Therezie finished the game with two interceptions and seven tackles, earning him SEC Defensive Player of the Week. This was a big surprise considering he was not supposed to start, but got the nod late because of Justin Garrett’s injury. He, like the rest of the defense, needs to improve, but if he does, Therezie should be a solid player for the Tigers this season. On the offensive side, Corey Grant also provided an unexpected spark. Auburn fans have been waiting for Grant to step on the field and be a difference maker. Against Washington State, he did just that. Rushing for
SARAH MAY / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Trovon Reed, Ryan Smith, Anthony Swain and Tre Mason before the game Aug. 31.
149 yards and one touchdown was exactly what fans have been waiting for him to do. Grant’s game Saturday was pretty much flawless. He needs to continue to produce like he did Saturday. Last Saturday’s game did have it’s fair share of struggles for, but none
was more evident than Nick Marshall’s debut performance. After throwing for less than 100 yards, he needs to find a way to be more productive through the air. Marshall admitted to being nervous before the game Saturday, so that probably had a lot to do with his performance.
But if he does not produce more than he did Saturday soon, Auburn fans may see Jeremy Johnson get a chance to show what he can do for the offense. Marshall does not deserve all of the blame, though. He did not have much help from his receivers. Ricardo Louis had two drops in the game, despite showing explosive play potential in fall camp. At best, his performance was disappointing. Louis, and the rest of the receiving corps, needs to step up and be a go-to guy for Marshall. Overall, I give the team a C+ grade for the Washington State game, and Therezie and Grant’s contributions inflated the grade more than the team probably deserved. This team still has a lot of holes on defense and a non-existent passing game. These things need to change before the Tigers start conference play, but it was an encouraging first game the team can build on.
Sports B2
The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Volleyball upsets No. 10 Nebraska, begins season 4–0 Jeffrey Moore, SPORTS REPORTER
The Auburn volleyball team is off to a hot start this year, winning the Marcia E. Hamilton Classic in St. Louis and taking down No. 10 Nebraska along the way. The win against the Cornhuskers marks the biggest upset in program history, with Auburn’s only other victory over a ranked opponent coming in 2010 against No. 24 Kentucky. “It’s a huge win,” said head coach Rick Nold. “Nebraska’s got a great program. I thought we did a great job of staying really aggressive when we really weren’t playing that well.” After beating St. Louis 3–0 (25–21, 25–21, 25– 22) Friday, Aug. 30, senior outside hitter Katherine Culwell showed her versatility by filling up the stat sheet in almost every category against Nebraska. She posted her second double-double in as many matches, recording 17 kills and 16 digs. Culwell also added five blocks, five assists and one ace. For her outstanding performance, she was named tournament MVP. Joining Culwell in the double-double club was sophomore Alyssa Ivey, with 26 assists and 14 digs, and senior Chelsea Wintzinger, with 18
assists and 11 digs. Ivey’s double-double was the first of her career. Contributing to the milestone 3–1 victory (25–23, 22–25, 25–23, 25–23) against No. 10 Nebraska were seniors Camila Jersonsky and Kathia Rud. Both had nine kills, with Jersonksky also chipping in five blocks. Jersonsky and senior Sarah Wroblicky were named to the alltournament team. Though the second set loss to the Cornhuskers was Auburn’s defeat throughout the entire tournament, it may have contributed the most to the match victory. After finding themselves down 20–7, the Tigers used an 11–1 run to fight their way back into the game. Though they lost the second set, the momentum gained during that comeback run carried into the final two sets. The last two sets were neck and neck, but costly service errors by Nebraska on each set point wound up being the difference in the match. After the monumental win against Nebraska, the Tigers cruised to an easy 3–0 win (25–20, 25–15, 25–17) over Louisiana-Monroe to claim the tournament championship later that day. They continued their season-opening hot
streak by defeating Southern Illinois-Edwardsville in straight sets Sunday, Sept. 1. With the 3–0 win (25–13, 25–13, 25–23), Auburn moved to 4–0 on the year. After dominating the first two sets and ripping off a 10–0 run during the third, Auburn appeared to be cruising to another easy win. However, the Cougars wouldn’t go away, cutting a 17-9 deficit all the way down to three at 21–18. Auburn had several chances to put the game away, serving unsuccessfully for the match four times before a SIUE service error ended it at 25– 23. “Obviously, coming out 3–0 and winning this tournament is a huge plus,” Nold said. “We had three good matches here. We were challenged in a lot of different ways, lot of different styles from the three teams we played.” Culwell paced the Tigers on offense and defense, recording a team high 10 kills and four blocks. Jersonsky also chipped in four blocks, while freshman Kia Bright contributed three. Auburn recorded nine total team blocks, a season high. Wintzinger led the team in assists with 14, and Bright followed close behind with 12.
FILE
Auburn’s seven aces were more than they recorded in any three-set match in 2012, with sophomores Mary Hannah Arrington and Alyssa Ivey leading the way with two each. Auburn will see their first home action of the season, hosting Green Bay, Mercer and Troy at the Active Ankle Challenge Thursday and Friday, Sept. 5–6, at the Auburn Arena.
Men’s golf team searches for production from new players Eric Wallace SPORTS WRITER
SARAH MAY / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Nick Marshall dropping back to pass against Washington State Saturday, Aug. 31.
Marshall nervous in his first start Will Gaines SPORTS EDITOR
Nick Marshall’s first start last Saturday Aug. 31 was not what Auburn fan’s were hoping for, but it did result in a victory and a foundation was laid for improvement. Marshall finished the day going 10-for-19 for 99 yards with no touchdowns, and 27-yards rushing. Missed opportunities were a big theme for the new quarterback, after having several passes sail over the hands of open receivers early in the game. Marshall admitted he was a little wide-eyed in his first start in the SEC. “I was kind of nervous on the first drive, but then I started getting more comfortable,” Marshall said. While Marshall did not play his best, head coach Gus Malzahn was pleased with how he played considering the circumstances. “You know there were a couple things, communication wise, we’ll get better on. But overall I liked the way he handled himself; he protected the football and that’s hard to do,” Malzahn said. “They were showing him a lot of different
looks and trying to disguise some things, but he protected the football.” Malzahn was also not concerned with Marshall’s nerves at the beginning of the game, and believes that should improve as the season goes on. “That’s expected,” Malzahn said. “I think a lot of our guys had jitters starting out and he calmed down after the first series or two. I think we had some drops early that probably didn’t help either, but he settled down and I think the game settled down for him.” The missed opportunities should improve as Marshall gets more experience and becomes more comfortable on the field. “Sometimes it takes a while when you’ve got a quarterback for [only] four weeks trying to get timing with everything; they should get better as we [progress],” Malzahn said. “I thought there was one that was close– I didn’t really get a great look at it, but the one in the end-zone, it was close. We’ll just keep working.” The game plan was designed to allow Marshall time to settle, adjust and become comfortable.
“We had a game plan coming into the game so at halftime we didn’t adjust anything, we just stuck to our game plan,” Marshall said. Washington State head coach Mike Leach has seen his fair share of successful quarterbacks in his career, and he does not think people should write off Marshall. “I am just kind of curious about him after he gets more games under his belt,” Leach said. “I thought our defense played well against him and our defensive scheme was good.” Tre Mason said the rest of the offense needs to help make his job easier, by not putting too much pressure on him to make all the big plays. He also said now that Marshall has a game under his belt, he can start making plays, and not have the same problems he had in the first game. “I felt like, as playmakers, we need to help him out more, and make more big plays,” Mason said. “When he gets the jitters out he’s pretty good on his feet, has a strong arm and is pretty accurate too. So we’re looking for big things from him.”
The preseason No. 12 Auburn golf team tees off its 2013–14 campaign Friday, Sept. 6 looking to replace two of its top golfers with a group of talented, yet inexperienced, underclassmen. The Tigers lost seniors Dominic Bozelli, who picked up All-American honorable mention honors after finishing second individually at the NCAA Championships last spring, and All-SEC golfer Michael Hebert, to graduation in the offseason. “We really won’t be able to just replace those guys,” said head coach Nick Clinard. “They were obviously All-SEC and All-American type players.” Clinard said another strong recruiting class and the maturation of several key players in the offseason softened the blow of losing Bozelli and Hebert. “Overall, it was probably one of the top five recruiting classes in the country, but they’re still freshman and they’ve still got a lot to get used to and get comfortable with,” Clinard said. “They have to prove that they can play at this level too.” Jason Dufner’s recent success has also helped them take their recruiting to the next level. Coming off a seventh place finish in last spring’s NCAA Championships, junior Michael Johnson was listed among the Top-50 Male Players to Watch by Golf World in its annual college preview. “He’s really matured on and off the golf course,” Clinard said. “He’s really become a leader for us. He’s a great player with great talent, and now he’s a great leader.” Johnson joins Niclas Carlsson, Blake Soni and Dan Stringfellow as the only upperclassmen on Auburn’s roster. The Tigers have finished in the top three at the SEC Championships and top 15 at the NCAA Championships in the past two seasons. Clinard said the close calls won’t shake the Tigers from the approach that’s brought them success in recent years. “We’re not going to do anything different than what we do,” Clinard said. “The only thing I can say is that we have to try to improve and we’re always trying to get better.” Clinard said though the team, as a whole,
hasn’t set a goal for the season, getting the underclassmen adjusted to the college game will help others achieve both their individual and team goals. “I don’t really know that we’ve set goals, it’s more that we try to establish a daily routine,” Clinard said. “We try to make sure that we believe in ourselves and believe in your teammates. We need to establish the player’s confidence.” Sophomore Jake Mondy, who picked up All-SEC freshman honors last season, has already made an impact on the new team with his work ethic. “Jake Mondy is probably the hardest worker on the team,” Clinard said. “He holds himself to a pretty high standard on a daily basis. We expect a lot out of him and I think he expects a lot out of himself.” Heavily recruited freshmen Matt Gilchrest and Victor Wiggins will hope to make an early impact in their first seasons at the collegiate level, and start trying to fill the hole left by Bozelli and Herbert. The Tigers will begin their season with the Carpet Capital Collegiate in Dalton, Ga., Sept. 6–8.
FILE
Grant’s journey comes full circle against Washington State Will Gaines SPORTS EDITOR
Corey Grant has had an interesting journey since he graduated from Opelika High School in 2010. Grant was a four-star recruit who decided he wanted to venture away from home and attend the University of Alabama, but after a year playing for the Tide, Grant decided he needed to make a change. He transferred home to the Tide’s bitter rival, Auburn. Auburn offered Grant a better chance for success with his skill sets. Auburn ran an offense that relied on speed from its running backs, while Alabama ran an offense that needed big, heavy, powerful running backs. While Grant is not necessarily a small back at 5-foot-11-inches and 205 pounds, he does not have the ideal size to be a powerful betweenthe-tackles runner. However, Grant is a fast and agile running back, a trait head coach Gus Malzahn relies on for his offensive scheme to be successful. After Grant’s return to The Plains, impressed with his work ethic, and it looked like Grant
SARAH MAY / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Corey Grant takes a handoff from Nick Marshall against Washington State Saturday, Aug. 31.
would be a major contributor in 2012. But things changed when Malzahn, who was the offensive coordinator at the time, left to be the coach at Arkansas State. Auburn brought in Scott Loeffler to install a pro-style offensive attack similar to what Alabama runs. Because of the switch in offenses, Grant did not have the kind of season he was looking to have in 2012.
But now, Malzahn has returned to Auburn and his fast-paced offense is fitting Grant well. After three years of struggle for Grant, he finally broke through and had a big night for the Tigers against Washington State. “I think I’m more of a speed type player, and the way the coaches are using me, I think is perfect,” Grant said. Grant led the team in rushing against Washington State with 149 yards, and a 75-yard
touchdown run. “(Grant) was awesome,” said offensive lineman Reese Dismukes. “I’m proud of him. He’s a guy who works hard, and really came out and busted it. We need a guy that can do that every week.” Malzahn spoke about Grant, saying that Grant is the type of rusher Auburn needs to win. “Corey can really run and I think everybody saw that [wSaturday],” Malzahn said. “He’s got speed that’s comparable to Onterio McCalebb and we just need to find ways to get him the ball.” Not only was it nice that Grant was able to show off his football skills, but he was able to do it in front of his home crowd. “It’s a big advantage growing up so close to Auburn,” Grant said. “I get to play in front of my family and friends. I get to see old coaches and talk about football. When I play at home, I feel like I have to produce.” Grant’s journey has been an interesting one, but with a big first game and the rest of his junior and senior seasons ahead of him, his journey has been worth it. “After all these years, it finally feels like it’s paying off,” Grant said.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Sports B3
The Auburn Plainsman
The Gus Bus is out recruiting
Gus Chose Us Whoop the Wolves
Angel’s Antique and Flea Mall.com
Taylor Jones SPORTS WRITER
Head coach Gus Malzahn and his recruiting staff wasted no time in working toward building Auburn’s future. The hiring of great recruiters such as Dameyune Craig and Rodney Gardner strengthened Auburn’s recruiting plan, and so far the Tigers have 14 commitments for the 2014 season. Seven of the recruits are offensive players, including several big names in the college recruiting world. Five-star running back Racean “Roc” Thomas is arguably the Tigers’ top commitment as of now. Thomas is ranked as the No. 3 running back in the nation, and received offers from a multitude of universities, including Alabama, Florida and Georgia. The 5-foot-11, 204-pound running back out of Oxford (Miss.) High School was recruited by Rhett Lashlee and Gardner. Thomas looks to join an already impressive stable in the Auburn backfield, and said he hopes to use his impressive mixture of balance and agility to make a difference for the Tigers. Thomas rushed for 1,768 yards and ran for 24 touchdowns in 2012. Three-star quarterback Sean White is also a highly touted recruit after impressing at the Elite 11 Quarterback Competition. White is ranked the No. 42 quarterback in the nation, but performed so well at the competition he left with the MVP. White also left with some very encouraging words from former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer. “His accuracy isn’t just accurate, it’s exact.” Dilfer said. “It’s an NFLtype of ball.” White was recruited by Lashlee out of University School (Fla.). In 2012, White completed 148 of his 215 pass attempts, for 2,670 yards, 32 touchdowns and seven interceptions. White chose Auburn over schools including West Virginia and Cincinnati. Four-star wide receiver D’haquille Williams also made the news lately, after the No. 1 ranked JUCO prospect de-committed from LSU. Williams played the 2012 season at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (Miss.). The 6-foot-3, 213-pound receiver racked up 67 receptions for 1,295 yards and 17 touchdowns. Dameyune Craig was Williams’ lead re-
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SPORTS WRITER
After having a 7-17-0 overall record last season, the Auburn University hockey team is optimistic going into this year’s season opener Sept. 15 against Georgia Tech at the Columbus Ice Rink in Columbus, Ga. This year’s team is returning 14 players from last year, while adding 14 new players. “All of our defenses are coming back, so that’s going to be huge for us because they were a brick last year,” said sophomore center Evan Barber. “We’ve got a lot of new guys coming in so we’re excited to see that. I know we have a couple new defenseman coming in that played for good programs before coming here. But a lot of our starting forwards and our leading scorers are coming back so hopefully we’re going to score a lot of goals.” Although the team is excited for all the newcomers who are joining the team this year, there will be an adjustment period. “With so many new guys joining the team it will take time to develop good chemistry and flow in the games,” junior co-captain defenseman
MOVE-IN SPECIALS
Head coach Gus Malzahn is escorted off the field following Auburn’s win Saturday, Aug. 31.
cruiter. Auburn has two tight ends committed for the ’14 class. Jakell Mitchell, a threestar player at Opelika High School is ranked as the No. 22 tight end in the nation, while three-star Chris Laye, from Lambert High School (Ga.), is ranked No. 51. Running back Kamryn Pettway, from state powerhouse Prattville High School, also committed to the Tigers. The threestar running back is ranked No. 59 for running backs. Wide receiver Stanton Truitt, of Monroe High School (Ga.), also committed to the Tigers. Truitt is a three-star and is ranked as the No. 93 wide receiver nationally. Defensively, Auburn received a committment from middle linebacker Tre Williams. The four-star linebacker from St. Paul’s Episcopal School is ranked as the No. 3 linebacker in the nation. Williams was also recruited heavily by Alabama. In the 2011 season, Williams had 77 tackles with two sacks and one interception. In the 2012 season, Williams accumulated 113 tackles for St. Paul’s.
Auburn has one other linebacker commitment for ’14 in DeShaun Davis. Davis is a three-star linebacker and is ranked as the No. 42 player in his position. Davis attends Vigor High School Auburn also got a committment from Davis’ teammate, 6-foot-5, 226-pound defensive end Justin Thornton. Thornton is a four-star end and is ranked as the No. 10 end in the nation. The Tigers have two JUCO players committed to the 2014 class. Defensive tackle Davaroe Lawrence plays at Georgia Military College and is ranked as a two-star. The other JUCO commitment is Derrick Moncrief, a four-star who comes from Mississippi Gulf Coast, with fellow commitment D’haquille Williams. The Tigers are bringing in some size with a commitment from three-star defensive end Raashed Kennion, who comes in at 6-foot-7, 220 pounds out of First Coast (Fla.) High School. Auburn also signed four-star cornerback Nick Ruffin, who is ranked as the No. 13 cornerback in the nation. Thornton is 6-feet-tall, 170 pounds and plays his high school ball at St. Pius X (Ga.)
Hockey season set to begin Kyle Van Fechtmann
It’s HUGE!
Dion Moore said. “Our teamwork will be the best thing for us to focus on this season.” The team is also excited to play for new head coach Marcel Richard. After playing Division I hockey for Colgate University, Richard played professional hockey for seven seasons and was a star for the Columbus Cottonmouths of the Southern Professional Hockey League from 1996–2000. “He’s a guy who comes in with a lot of experience and hockey knowledge,” Barber said. “He’s worked with the team in the past and we feel confident that he brings a lot to the table to bring us to the next level.” With the new additions and new coach, there is reason to believe the team may be about to turn the page. “There are a lot of new faces out there. With that being said, I expect the new blood and the new coach to improve this team’s performance compared to that of last season,” said senior co-captain and defenseman Will Cancilla. After finishing the season with losses against South Carolina and Vanderbilt in the SEC Conference tournament,
DEFENSE » From B1
on offense and I know they’ve got some really good players back on defense.” Johnson said Auburn’s defense will prepare for the Red Wolves’ offense by studying the game film of Arkansas State and Texas. Harsin was co-offensive coordinator at Texas before being hired to replace Malzahn at Arkansas State. Despite the pass heavy attack of Washington State, Johnson expressed concern over the success the Cougars found running the ball against the Tigers. “The only thing that was really disappointing was we didn’t stop the run well when we were playing two high safeties,” Johnson said. “That was as much my fault with the plan. We
the team is focused on improving their finish in conference playoffs this season. “I would say Arkansas, Alabama, Ole Miss and Florida are some of the best teams in the conference. But I think if we can finish above Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Georgia, we’ll be very happy with ourselves and I think that would be achievable,” Barber said. “I think there are some teams that we lost to last year that we could definitely beat throughout this year.” In order to get to the point of moving up to the top of the SEC, the team knows their overall team defense must improve. “Every winning team needs to play good defense. It obviously starts with goaltending and the defenseman; however, the forwards must play a large role as well,” Cancilla said. Individual talent isn’t enough, and the players recognize that bonding to become a more cohesive unit will improve the results. “Our individual defensemen are very strong. But as a team, playing a five-man system in our defensive zone we need to improve on that,” Barber said.
should’ve adjusted it a little more quickly.” Freshman defensive tackle Montravius Adams, who recorded a sack on the first play of his college career, impressed Johnson with his performance Saturday after an up-and-down offseason. “I just thought he played outstanding for the first time ever in a college football game,” Johnson said. “He probably showed up as much as anybody in that whole front with disruption in the running game and pressuring the quarterback. He had the fewest mental errors and he certainly, physically played well.” Johnson praised the defense’s attitude in forcing crucial stops late in the game that sealed Auburn’s first victory of the season. “They stood right in there, played hard and finished the game to get it done,” Johnson said. “Obviously they’ve had a problem doing that in the past.”
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Sports B4
The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Four former Auburn football players were cut from NFL teams Staff Report
Former football players Phillip Lutzenkirchen, Emory Blake, John Sullen and Onterio McCalebb were cut from their NFL teams last week in the final week of cuts. Lutzenkirchen was officially released by the St. Louis Rams Friday, Aug. 30. He caught two passes for 18 yards in the Rams preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns. The Rams had a wide-open tight end competition including seven players, and they chose to only choose keep of them. Lutzenkirchen has the opportunity to make the practice squad, which will be assembled after released players clear waivers. His Auburn career was cut short because of a hip injury he suffered during his senior year. He finished ranked No. 1 in touchdown catches by a tight end in Auburn history with 14. He also had three game-winning touchdowns, twice against South Carolina in 2010 and 2011 and against Alabama in 2010. Blake was also cut by the Rams. He caught two passes over the course of four preseason games. He also will be given a chance to make the practice squad. He finished his Auburn career ranked No. 17 in singleseason recieving yards with 1,233 and No. 9 in touchdown catches with nine total. Sullen was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as a free agent to give the team depth on the offensive line during the preaseason. Sullen performed well for the Bengals, especially as a pass blocker, but was cut so the team could get down to the 53-man roster limit. He played in 38 games at Auburn recording 12 starts.
McCalebb was also cut by the Bengals. He was an interesting player last season during the NFL draft. A undersized running back during his time at Auburn, his unofficial 4.21 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine raised eyebrows as a possible late-round draft pick. Eventually, he was signed as an undrafted free-agent cornerback instead of a running back. The change of postion seemed like a good fit for McCalebb. He even reached out to Bengals legend Ken Riley during the offseason for tips on how to make the transition to cornerback. He never had a chance to earn a spot on the 53-man roster, but he does have the potential to make the practice squad. McCalebb finished his Auburn career No. 15 in career rushing with 2,016 yards total. The only Auburn player to earn a spot on an NFL roster from last years team was Daren Bates, who signed with the Rams. Bates played safety when he first arrived at Auburn, but moved to linebacker his sophomore year. He was always considered an undersized linebacker but never let that stop him from being a productive linebacker. While he was preparing for the NFL draft, Bates returned to his original position, safety. He had to drop from 225 pounds to 209 pounds. The Rams ended up signing him as a linebacker, so he had to gain the weight he had lost back before training camp started. Bates was able to impress coaches and earn a spot Bates will probably not play at linebacker this season, but his relentlessness will likely earn him a spot on special teams for the Rams this fall.
PHILIP LUTZENKIRCHEN
EMORY BLAKE
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ONTERIO MCCALEBB
JOHN SULLEN
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Thursday, September 5, 2013
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EMILY ENFINGER / PHOTOGRAPHER
Critical Mass rode from Samford Lawn to Town Creek Park and back the night of Aug. 30 to raise awareness for bikers around town.
Critical Mass rides for city-wide biker awareness Kailey Miller INTRIGUE REPORTER
Auburn students and community members took action to spread awareness for bike safety and compatibility with drivers. Auburn students grabbed their bikes and helmets and met on Samford Lawn Friday, Aug. 30, for Critical Mass. Catherine Priester, senior in biosystems engineering, explained how the event was named. “It’s called Critical Mass because it’s based on a concept that happens in other parts of the world where it’s more common for people to commute by bicycle,” Priester said. “So, at an intersection when there are bicyclists gathering, it takes a certain amount of bicyclists to approach this critical mass to where cars will let them pass through.” The group left from Samford Lawn and rode as a group for about five miles to Town Creek Park and back. “Critical Mass is a group bike ride,” said Alex Carter, alumnus in computer engineering. “It’s to bring the community to-
gether, the bike community together, to create awareness about the number of cyclists on the road that bike to and fro, while also educating the bicyclist on proper safety, rules, regulations and laws.” Carter said the group’s goal was to encourage drivers to be aware of the amount of people who bike around. Critical Mass has taken place in many cities throughout the country, but Carter was a main contributor to Critical Mass in Auburn. Carter said many cities don’t endorse Critical Mass because they think it does the exact opposite of what it’s intended to do. Carter didn’t go through any official channels to plan Critical Mass; he described it as an open forum for bicyclists. “I have a feeling that the University isn’t too happy with us,” Carter said. According to Priester, their goal is to have Critical Mass every month in Auburn. They said they hope to spread a positive message about bicyclists.
“I feel like there’s a kind of animosity toward people who bicycle in Auburn, just because people see it as something that is for fun,” Priester said. “If someone is bicycling in the street, you think ‘this person in inconveniencing me, why are they out here biking in the road and holding me up from getting to work?’ Whereas we want to promote cooperation, sharing the road and respect, mutual respect of bicyclist to motorist and for motorist to bicyclist.” Cris Krizan, graduate student in mathematics, said he wants Auburn to be more bike aware. “It’s a pretty friendly bike city,” Krizan said. “Most of the problem is drivers don’t know how to drive around bikes.” Carter said he encourages people to use helmets and proper etiquette on the streets. Priester said to start a Critical Mass, all a person has to do is tell people about it and start riding. For more information and updates about Auburn’s Critical Mass, join the “Auburn Critical Mass” group on Facebook.
EMILY ENFINGER / PHOTOGRAPHER
Tyler Williamson gets ready to ride as part of Critical Mass.
Swing Dance Association swings into semester Kailey Miller INTRIGUE REPORTER
While recent celebrities and YouTube sensations have endorsed “twerking” as an acceptable dance to do in public, Auburn students have brought back an entirely different type of dancing. Swing dancing has become a common pastime for many Auburn students. Swing originated in the late ‘20s, but has recently made a comeback. Chris Olds, co-founder of the Auburn Swing Dance Association, said he wanted to learn how to swing dance after a Gap khaki commercial came out. “There was a Gap commercial that kind of had swing, then there was this big comeback,” said Kathryn Hoerlein, senior in industrial and systems engineering and swing dance instructor. “(There was) a big comeback because ever yone thought it was really cool, and it looked really fun.” Hoerlein said swing dancing can be a challenge for nondancers at the beginning, but the basic steps aren’t that difficult. Hoerlein also said swing dancing is a relaxed dance, and it’s good for people that have dance backgrounds or that don’t. Olds has been learning and teaching swing dancing for many years. “We thought it would be fun to learn,” Olds said. “We took [classes] from a guy who was
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Anybody can learn how to [swing dance]. There’s a pattern to the dance, but there are not set-instone rules.” —Chris Olds CO-FOUNDER OF AUBURN SWING DANCE ASSOCIATION
teaching ballroom here, and he knew the basics of it, so we started to learn the basics and we went on from there.” The instructors teach multiple types of swing dancing every Friday night during the school semesters at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Lessons are free and open to the public. “Anybody can learn how to [swing dance],” Olds said. “There’s a pattern to the dance, but there are not set-in-stone rules. A lot of the younger generations tend to, not rebel against, but like the freedom of being able to play with stuff and make up stuff on their own.” The three types of dance focused on are six-count, eightcount, or the lindy hop, and the Charleston. Olds said his favorite part of swing dancing is meeting different people. “I actually met my wife through swing dancing, that’s
where we really got to know each other,” Olds said. Guests who do not have partners are still welcome to take the classes. The Auburn University Swing Dance Association is a student run, non-profit organization. From 7–9 p.m. each Friday, attendees can receive free lessons for the first hour, and participate in a dance during the second hour. “Welcome Week is usually our biggest week and we can have 100 people pretty easily,” Olds said. “We’ve been up to 250 (people) before.” On slower nights, approximately 50–75 people attend the classes. Virginia Lewis, senior in apparel merchandising, said she doesn’t know much about swing dancing, but said she thinks it looks like fun. “My sister did it at YoungLife camp and she said it’s really fun,” Lewis said. “She’ll always try to get people to do it when she’s out at the bars, I guess not really many people know how.” Students can join classes at any time during the semester, and no experience is necessary. The Auburn University Swing Dancing Association also hosts communitywide dances and workshops throughout the year. For more information and updates about the Auburn University Swing Dance Association, visit auburn.edu/student_info/swing.
ASHLEY SELBY / INTRIGUE EDITOR
Cameron worked as a blacksmith this summer at the National Ornamental Metal Museum.
Auburn students redefine crafting Ashley Selby INTRIGUE EDITOR
In a Pinterest-soaked generation, the term craft usually evokes images of pasting photos to journals or knitting a sweater for a Pomeranian. For some Auburn students, however, their craft is much more involved than melting some crayons on a canvas. Christy Cameron, junior in industrial design, recently spent her summer as a blacksmith at the National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis, Tenn. Cameron was given the chance to create fine metal works in a metal shop that were later displayed within the museum. “I’ve always enjoyed making things,” Cameron said. “I was able to make some coat hooks, S-hooks and some fire pokers. I helped work on a fire grate. I also got to work with casting aluminum and iron. I made switch plates, decorative bookends and some bottle openers that were for the shops.” Cameron spent two days per week during the summer months in front of a roaring fire, hammering raw metal into works of art. Although the shop was hot and the work physically taxing, Cameron said she enjoyed the hands-on learning experience. “My favorite part was… watching something that started as a straight piece of metal
turn into whatever I wanted it to be and sort of meld and form into the shapes I wanted,” Cameron said. As one would expect, pounding on a sheet of red-hot metal came with its risks. “I burned myself a few times,” Cameron said. “I almost dumped melted aluminum on another person by accident. You think [aluminum] is pretty light until you get eight pounds of it and it’s boiling hot and you have to hold it with an 8-foot pole.” Although she can’t continue her craft while in Auburn, Cameron said blacksmithing was an activity she would revisit. “Hopefully I will be able to work with metal again,” Cameron said. “I’m thinking of taking it up as a hobby once I have a house and I can put it in a shed, maybe work on weekends.” Rhett Kubasiak, junior in aerospace engineering, has been developing his woodworking skills since high school. Kubasiak has created multiple pieces of fine furniture, some of which has been entered into competitions. “I’ve built a coffee table, desk, fishing pole rack, shadow box, hope chest and a guitar,” Kubasiak said. He spent his summer with youth mission organization TEAM Effort passing his wood-
» See CRAFTING, B8
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The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, September 5, 2013
The Burn City Rollers use sport to serve Auburn community Becky Sheehan INTRIGUE WRITER
The Burn City Rollers look like a small gang. The women are inked, pierced and intense. For five years, Auburn’s roller derby team has been recognized as aggressive competitors. Queens of a counterculture sport, they are broadening their horizons this season and giving back to the city of Auburn. “If you can make a difference, you want to make that difference,” said Ashley Pott, secondyear veterinary student. “Raising money for something else while drawing attention to derby—it’s a win-win.” For Pott, who is brand new to roller derby, the team’s outreach efforts are simply icing on the cake. The Burn City Rollers spent the year volunteering with the Lee County Humane Society. They held a booth at Woofstock in Kiesel Park Aug. 24, and raised $400 for the Humane Society with a bingo night at Zazu’s Gastropub the week before. “(The Humane Society) used the money for medicine, medical supplies, food and utilities,” Vanessa Thuma, president of the Burn City Rollers, said. They also made connections with a local women’s shelter and plan to get involved with the Boys and Girls Club by holding demos and open skate nights. “It’s important to give back because we need
BECKY SHEEHAN / INTRIGUE WRITER
Ashley Pott, Andre Nelson and Jennifer Lisenby hang out with Humane Society canine buddy Venus.
to help other groups,” Thuma said. “Without that help, they can’t continue to thrive and offer services to the greater community.” The service projects do not only fill a need within the community, they allow the team to transcend the stereotype the sport has been branded with. “You always want to have a positive image,” Neecee Matthews-Bradshaw, veteran team member, said. “Especially with roller derby, people think ‘Oh, those are some thuggish girls.
They’re scary,’ but we’re really not.” Matthews-Bradshaw, known to the derby world as Seedy Ell, is completing her doctorate in rhetoric and composition at Auburn University. She is a jammer and a blocker on the team, which means she can take a hit and score points, despite her petite stature. “All of us have lives outside of derby and we’re trying to let people see what that is,” Seedy said. Outside of derby, the lives the Rollers lead are
rich and varied. The team members are students, teachers, mothers and military wives drawn together to connect with other passionate women. “For the first time since coming here, I feel like I fit in with a group of outgoing, strong women,” Pott said. “And it’s really just a wonderful environment to be in and everybody there is just so open and out-there and gung-ho about everything.” The Rollers understand they should take part in improving the area. “I think it’s really important that people see that we want to be a part of this community— that kids can look up to us,” Seedy said. As they make their impact on the city and become more recognizable, the Rollers anticipate an influx of new faces to the team. Tryouts for the upcoming season are in January, but newcomers may attend practice at any time. There is advice from the team for those interested in trying out. “You gotta get in there and try,” Pott said. “It’s about breaking down boundaries.” Greater civic visibility also means more opportunities to help, and the Rollers are excited to lend a hand. “If there’s anything that we can do from Burn City Rollers to help, contact us.” Seedy said. The Burn City Rollers can be contacted on Facebook and on their website, BurnCityRollers. com.
Behind the scenes with the 2013 drum majors Kailey Miller INTRIGUE REPORTER
Football season is finally here with the team bringing in our first win of the season. As the football players strategize and condition for upcoming games, the band is hard at work at a different kind of practice. Led by four drum majors, senior Emily Gray, senior Paige Lenssen, junior Gerritt Keaton and senior Madison Argo, the band has a strict schedule and routine to be prepared for game day. The drum majors sat down with The Plainsman and explained what it’s like to be in their shoes, and what they do to make each game day the best it can be. When did you first decide you wanted to be a drum major and why? Gray: I think the first year I got here. I was a drum major back in high school, so freshman year, I got to watch that entire year what the drum majors did and I fell in love with it instantly. Lenssen: My freshman year here, I was so impressed and I thought it was something that maybe I’d want to do. But it took me a little longer than the other drum majors. I was actually a section leader here last year, my junior year, and right toward the end I was like ‘this is it, senior year, go big or go home.’ So I decided to go for it. Keaton: I was a three-year drum major in high school, and when I got here, my goal was to be a drum major. But it wasn’t until after my first semester in band that I really saw what the drum majors here did, and decided to finally try out and do it. What are your responsibilities as a drum major? Gray: Responsibilities are more of a service leadership type of deal, so we kind of give back to the band in the best way that we can possible. So, sure everybody on Saturdays sees [us] whistling off tempos and things of that nature, but really we’re more mentors and models for [what] the rest of the band should be doing. Lenssen: We are the student leaders of the band, so like the quarterbacks are to the football team, that’s what we are to the marching band. Keaton: Our responsibilities include leading the ensemble, conducting tunes, but one of our main focuses is keeping the stadium energized on game day and keeping the fan base energized outside the stadium before and after games. One of our main focuses is to work with the other units, [such as] the cheerleaders, Tiger
The drum majors practice their pre-game march.
Paws, everybody and just keep the energy level high in the stadium. What is your favorite part of game day? Gray: We go off of cues for everything, so when we’re in the tunnel, the drum majors are waiting for the eagle to fly down and stop, and then for the band video to come on and that’s our cue to go set up… there are about 8-10 seconds where it’s so loud, you can’t hear your own thoughts, and that’s probably one of the big things for me on game days. Lenssen: I love the pre-game jog. I haven’t seen any other group do anything like it. Coming out of that tunnel, your heart’s just pounding one million miles a minute. It’s one of the things that, I think, makes game day at Auburn different. Argo: It’s definitely not our 4 a.m. rehearsals for 11 a.m. games. I would say getting ready for pregame. That initial lead up right to pregame, that huge crowd reaction, and then we spike the mace. Just the way our students light up and explode is phenomenal. Keaton: My favorite part of game day is pregame, because a lot of times, that’s when the stadium is most energized and we’re a major part of that. It’s very exciting and an honor to be a part. Can you describe a typical day of band practice? Gray: It’s really warm and it’s really sunny, and everybody hopefully has their water bottles. We have detailed schedules sent out to us every day via email of exactly down-to-the-minute what we’re supposed to be doing, in hopes to get through as much information and have as much continuity with our drills as possible. It’s a lot of focus in an hour and a half. Lenssen: The drum majors arrive a little bit early, around 3 p.m., to start setting up the field. At 3:15 p.m., warm-ups start with sections. The section leaders have 15 minutes to warm up their sections and stretch. Then we’ll start going into, depending on what day of the week it is, we might go into halftime first, or pregame. We’ll really go through, set-by-set, and based on the videos from the last week, fix any mistakes from that performance. And we try to end with running a bigger segment of whatever we’re working on. What’s your favorite memory with the band? Gray: Probably the championship year. Lenssen: The last season was rough. The military appreciation game that we did where we had cannons during the American halftime
PHOTOS BY SARAH MAY / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
(L/R) Drum majors Paige Lenssen, Emily Gray, Madison Argo and Gerritt Keaton.
show and paratroopers came onto the field, it was great to see that. Football teams, they can win, they can lose, but we just had fun. We just had a lot of fun. Argo: My favorite band memory would have to be at the National Championship game. The play where Michael Dyer went down, but he didn’t actually go down, and he got up and ran. We, actually, all missed that play because we had one of our fellow trumpet players passed out and we were like ‘what’s going on, oh he’s down, what’s going on?’ Then we looked up and he was still going. Keaton: Unlike the other three drum majors, I wasn’t at the National Championship game, so I can’t say that. But, my favorite band memory is probably singing the alma mater, which we do pretty often. What goes on behind-the-scenes on game days? Gray: Depending on what time the game is kind of determines when our times are going to start. We’ll have morning practice, where we’ll go over halftime and pre-game stuff. Once we get done there, we’ll have a little bit of a break before we have to get our uniforms on and go to our spirit location, where we do some warmups and then we do Tiger Walk. Then we do the four corners stuff, go under the tunnel, get kind of readjusted, cooled back down... We do things such as President’s Box, march around… some things that the students don’t always see
because they’re not there early enough. Come back in, a little bit more down time, pregame and then we’re in the stands the rest of the time. Lenssen: A lot of people don’t realize that no matter what time the game actually starts, the day for the band starts a whole lot earlier. So depending on the time of the game, we’re here in the morning and we do a full rehearsal. A lot of people who are tailgating will wake up early to come listen to us. Argo: It’s super hectic. There are a lot of logistics that go into it. Basically, our whole day is timed out almost to the second. From the time we get here and start rehearsal, to the time that we break to go relax, if we have time to relax. Those 11 a.m. games we go straight to Tiger Walk in less than 45 minutes, so it’s kind of crazy. Just a lot of logistics, especially pregame, making sure that everything is timed out. If we have a fly-over, those things are logistical nightmares, but it’s really awesome the way that everything lines up and kind of just smoothly goes through the day.
SEE MORE PICTURES FROM BAND PRACTICE @ THEPLAINSMAN.COM
Head drum major Madison Argo practices the iconic drum major pre-game jog.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Students, leave a greater legacy Ashley Selby INTRIGUE@ THEPLAINSMAN. COM
I had the chance to attend a public forum for the city of Auburn this past week. The meeting was held to gather feedback and opinions from the community about the new Downtown Master Plan. The crowd’s demographic was what you would expect for a forum meeting, mostly elderly members of the community, mixed with a few middle-age couples and a small group of students, most of whom were required to be there for a class. I went to the event expecting to be bored, but actually found myself getting excited. I got more and more enthusiastic as the urban planners shared their visions of a revamped Toomer’s Corner, landscaped areas in downtown, more theaters, bookstores, art galleries and thankfully, better parking options. As I filled out my survey detailing what I would like to see in Auburn, I sadly realized I would never get to see the plans come to fruition. I will never see the new Samford Park, the outdoor patio areas, the manicured lawns and beautifully landscaped park areas set around downtown. As of August 2014, I’ll be done, graduated and hopefully will have a job, most likely in a different city. Then I began thinking about my legacy. I hope the input I gave to the city’s planning department will spur them on to make changes that will be for the betterment of Auburn students and the community as a whole. I, however, will not be a part
of that happening after next summer. As I looked around the room, I was struck with the realization that the people who were offering their opinions and making decisions for the area, also, will most likely not reap the benefits of their involvement. Many of the attendees were older than 70 years old, and as the development plan is a long term, 20-year plan, most will not live long enough to see the revitalized Auburn. And yet, they still showed up. They still decided it was important enough to have a voice, to offer whatever wisdom and thoughts they had to serve the city they love. Which got me to thinking, why don’t we? Why do we as students, young adults in our 20s, the upcoming movers and shakers in our community and the world, not take responsibility like the elders of this area? It will most likely be our generation and those younger than us who reap the benefits of the new development plan, or any sort of proposed action from the city, our government, etc., and yet, a lot of us simply don’t care. We don’t show up, don’t offer our thoughts, don’t offer to help and don’t nurture our city. I understand most of us are here only for a brief time, usually about four years, but what are we leaving for those coming behind us? During the meeting, it was obvious to me some of the residents of Auburn are less than thrilled with our presence. Our music is loud, our cars are fast and there are a lot of us. But what would it look like if we made a point to leave a positive, lasting impact on our
Intrigue B7
The Auburn Plainsman
city, even in the small amount of time we’re here? I think the effect would be enormous. I think this city could grow, thrive and contribute even more than it does now. Of course, the lack of involvement isn’t true of everyone. I understand our students already do a lot for the community. Local ministries, service organizations and student employment are evidence of that. What I’m talking about is more. More intentionality. More investment. What would this city look like if we showed up to city council meetings? What if we voted more often? What if we invested time and money in efforts to better Auburn? What if we shopped locally and supported the hard-working people who earn their living here? I think we would find that when we leave, there would be a hole. The people here would miss us, not breath a sigh of relief when we leave for the summer. We would leave behind a legacy of service, involvement and care for Auburn. I want to challenge our student body, and particularly our new freshmen. Invest in the citizens of Auburn. Invest in this community. You have four years here. Why not make sure the time you spend will make life better for the people left behind after you leave? I know I’m grateful for the impact this city, its people and past students have had on me. It’s funny how a city council meeting can make you so sentimental.
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Jordan Hays INTRIGUE@ THEPLAINSMAN. COM
Stop. This is a warning to anyone who might feel brave. Making an app the App of the Week does not necessarily mean we, here at The Plainsman, condone its use. I will not be held responsible for what happens to you, or your phone, from use of this app. The app marketplace is just like any other marketplace. It’s a unique way to look at, and test, different products. However, similar to many other marketplaces, there is a black market of apps, and it’s not always obvious when you’ve entered the app black market. If you find yourself looking at a list of shady, poorly designed apps asking for money, then you might want to put your head down, clutch your purse to your chest and power click your way to your nearest home button. Every time you enter a phrase into the search engine, you are given an opportunity to peer into the dark alleyways of the app black market. Among its wares, you will find an app called S.M.T.H. S.M.T.H. is an acronym for Send Me to Heaven. The app was developed by a Norwegian-based group called Carrot Pop. The premise of the app is very simple. Throw your phone vertically into the air and S.M.T.H. will measure how far you threw it in meters. Unfortunately, meters are metric, so the information
it gives is virtually useless to those in the U.S. But surely this app is just a scam? They just want you to break your phone, right? What kind of masochistic freak would download such an app? Well, according to Google Play, between 100,000 and 500,000 people have already downloaded the app. It also has a rating of four out of five stars with more than 800 votes. This app is obviously dangerous, so I gave it a whirl. Now, I didn’t just throw phones into the air and eyeball it. I wanted to see if this app actually measured the distance accurately. In order to test this app properly, I bought a 12-footlong piece of plywood, which is a little more than 3.5 meters, spray painted it white and measured out markers every 1/8 of a meter to measure the vertical height, like “Mythbusters”. Tosses were recorded by video to ensure the height of each throw was accurate. To ensure the app was inaccurate and not the hardware in the phone itself, two different types of phones were used during the tests: the Motorola Droid RAZR M and the Galaxy S4. Unfortunately, S.M.T.H. is unavailable on Apple’s App Store, which meant the iPhone didn’t get to go to heaven. All test throws on both phones were within decimal points of each other, but the height displayed didn’t match the actual height the phone traveled. This meant whatever the app was using to measure distance was precise, but not ac-
curate. All measurements were close to one another, but more than 0.5 meters away from the actual height recorded on the plywood ruler. However, results vary based on the phone. The Galaxy S4 was far more accurate than the RAZR M. This indicated to me the developers of this app actually tried to make a product that was accurate, since the numbers were not random or completely bogus. However, this does not mean they do not want you to break your phone. If you are one of the brave people, and have amazing hand-eye coordination, this app is for you. Oh, the hours you will spend raising your phone up to the sky as it careens toward the heavens! S.M.T.H. has the adrenaline rush of bungee jumping coupled with all of the inherent monetary risks of gambling. Like gambling, your parents will get mad when they find out what you have done with their money. However, if you have a tendency to stumble, fumble, fall, trip, drop things, are uncoordinated, missing your thumbs, or have ever dropped your phone on accident, I would highly recommend you to not download, or use, this app. Why would anyone want to send their phone to heaven anyway? Do you realize what’s required to get into heaven? Death. And that is exactly what your phone will go through if you download this app. Amazingly, no phones were harmed in the making of this column.
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Intrigue B8
The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Auburn runners race for a world record Ashtyne Cole INTRIGUE WRITER
Not many college students are able to boast the title of world-record holder. But ask Jake Brewer, Chris Patrick and Richard Alverson, and they can say they assuredly are. These three Auburn students are now the world record holders for the fastest 10-kilometer run in a beach relay in Gulf Shores. Guinness Book of World Records was even there to snap some photographs and award them the title. Brewer, originally from Phenix City, has been running since the seventh grade, and first participated in Smith Station’s cross country and track teams. A senior in exercise science, Brewer runs individually on campus, but also participates in Saturday runs with organizations such as Big Dog Running Company and AORTA, Auburn-Opelika Running and Track Organizations. Through Big Dog, he met one of his relay teammates, Richard Alverson. Running in mostly 5K’s, the 10K in Gulf Shores was a bit of a change for
Brewer. “I found out about the (WorldBeater All-Beach 10K) Race and Relay on the AORTA website,” Brewer said. “It was completely spur of the moment, and it was really cool because we were trying to win a Guinness World Record. They had four wheelers following us, and guys on the back were videotaping us so that we couldn’t cheat or anything.” A 10K is equivalent to 6.2 miles, and this specific 10K was exclusively on sand. Alverson said how difficult it was to run the race. “It was the hardest race we’ve ever run,” Alverson said. “It was a relief when we finished because that meant the race was over. When you run on land, it’s easy to maintain a fast, consistent speed, but this race was different because there was not a lot of hard sand to run on.” Alverson is a Talladega native, and recently graduated from Auburn with a degree in software engineering. Moments before speaking with The Plainsman about the race, Alverson finished an 18-mile run at Chewacla, and said he plans on pacing a friend
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Jake Brewer, Chris Patrick and Richard Alverson broke a 10K World Record in Gulf Shores.
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at a two-day, 100-mile run Sept.13. The anchor of the team, or the last in the relay, was Patrick. Patrick graduated from Auburn with a degree in health sciences and ran with Brewer in high school. “I kind of knew we were going to win when I saw Richard and saw that we were really far ahead, we were two minutes ahead of the other team,” Patrick said. The race began in Gulf State Park’s Cotton Bayou beach complex and continued to the end of East Second Street. The first race started Aug. 10 at 6:45 a.m., and was sectioned off into two, two-mile sections and one 2.2 mile stretch. Brewer, Patrick, and Alverson finished the 6.2 miles in 42 minutes 17 seconds. “I never expected to break a world record or something unless I was in the Olympics,” Brewer said. Brewer is running a half marathon in September in Talladega, Ala., while Patrick said he plans to start back in competitions when track season comes around at the end of February or early March.
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working knowledge on to the next generation. Kubasiak taught middleand high-school students how to build roofs and decks on houses. Now back in Auburn, he is already planning his next big project. “My next goal is to build a guitar with only hand tools,” Kubasiak said. “I’m working on collecting the tools right now.” Freshman Braxton Pugh is following in his father’s footsteps building custom cabinetry. Pugh’s father owns a custom cabinet shop in Suwanee, Ga., where he first learned the craft.
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Pugh, a pre-engineering major, said owning his own shop is a goal he hopes to pursue in the future. “I love to build cabinets,” Pugh said. “That would actually be one of my favorite things to do… just settle down and start a cabinet shop somewhere. That would be awesome.” Pugh put his skills to work when it came to furnishing his dorm room this year. “I think my favorite project was building the shelves and stuff for our dorms, because I didn’t want to spend $300 for that, and just decided, hey, I’m going to make it for $40,” Pugh said. He said he hopes to use skills here in Auburn, but has not yet found an opportunity to do so.
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ACROSS 1 Bear’s place 4 Mil. awards 8 Long-eared pooch 14 Stat for Clayton Kershaw 15 “Nope” 16 Rustler, e.g. 17 Emeril interjection 18 Shortest way to get there 20 Uintah and Ouray Reservation residents 22 Disney’s “__ & Stitch” 23 Key in 24 Good Samaritan parable source 27 Quash 28 Sheep’s hangout 29 They could happen 32 Early gaming name 34 Judge’s reprieve 36 Go __ great length 37 “That’s weird!” (or a comment about what’s hidden in 18-, 24-, 46- and 57-Across) 40 Tinged 41 Start the pot 42 Dodge 43 1776 and 2001, e.g.: Abbr. 44 Forward pass path 45 Cousteau’s workplace 46 Hot-rodder’s add-on 52 American competitor, as it was once known 55 Chewy candy brand 56 Memorable golfing Spaniard, familiarly 57 Annual Mexican celebration 60 Trivial picking point 61 Not exactly social butterflies 62 “I don’t give __!” 63 NFL snapper 64 Jaguar or impala 65 Tweed’s caricaturist 66 “Hurrah!”
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