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Serving Southern Miss since 1927

Tuesday, November 4 2008

Volume 93, Issue 22

Friends, family react to student’s death Meryl Dakin Printz Writer

Friends and family of USM student Kemiaya Jackson remember her as a well rounded, very intelligent individual with a huge personality.

Shock, grief, and denial consumed those who were touched by this young woman. Julian Harper, Kemiaya’s cousin, described his initial reaction to the news.

“I got the call around 2 a.m.

Sunday saying that Kemiaya was dead. And I had to ask him over and over to repeat it.

He just kept saying the same thing. It was a shock to me…I just could never imagine that happening to her.”

Police responded to Jackson’s residence at the Boardwalk Apartment Complex around 1 a.m. after her roommate found Jackson unconscious. Police have arrested and charged 26-year old Perry Graves Sunday and charged him with one count of murder in the slaying of Jackson.

Police said they knew of a prior relationship between the two.

Kemiaya’s close associations say she had been seeing Graves

for some time.

“The family didn’t know too much about the guy,” said Harper.

“He was new to all Kemiaya Jackson of us.”

Keilani Drake, a friend from childhood and USM alumnus, said she knew Graves, whom she referred to as Kemiaya’s boyfriend. “I found out about their relationship last year…we’re not sure if she lived with him; I hadn’t thought so but then some other people said that he was staying

there with her.”

Kemiaya grew up in Mt. Olive and attended Magee elementary, middle, and high school before enrolling in USM. Harper, who attended the same schools before attending William Carey, described her as a “well rounded person,” and “very intelligent,” as she graduated thirteenth in her class with honors. “In high school, she was part of the student council, beta club, and history society. We were in band together…she played the clarinet.

She was even a cheerleader in our middle school years.”

Kemiaya’s involvement and

school spirit stretched far past high school. As a USM student, she was an Eagle Ambassador, working the home football games. She was also actively involved in her church, the Church of God in Christ. Harper, who attended the same church, said she was an active member in the youth ministry and choir there.

Although seemingly undecided on a specific career path, Kemiaya knew what direction she wanted to take. “She knew for a fact she wanted to do something in the school system,” said Harper. Darius Howard, a senior biology major from Yazoo City

and friend of Kemiaya’s, said he knew she was getting her licensure to teach.

Friend of Kemiaya’s and senior human performance and recreation major Laquita Streeter said, “I didn’t know her family but I know she had a little brother because she talked about him all the time.” Drake said that for Kalen, who is thirteen, “losing his big sister is really hard.”

Though such a loss is a traumatic experience for those who knew and loved Kemiaya, conversation focused primarily on the positive impact she made during her 22 years. see JACKSON on page 3

Election day tips How to survive the big day Bob Worth Printz Writer

Courtesy of USM Public Relations

Katie Christiansen, a nursing major from Fairhope, Ala., was crowned Homecoming Queen at Saturday’s game where the Golden Eagles won 70-14 in their first win in five games.

Officials have made preparations for what is expected to be an historic turnout at today’s election, and voters can help ensure a smooth process by following a few guidelines.

In a press release, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said, “Our office is doing all we can to ensure this election is run as smoothly as possible.

But there are a few things voters can do as well.”

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., and anyone who arrived by 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote even if they are still waiting in line when the polls close.

With nearly 200,000 new registered voters in Mississippi, voters are encouraged to avoid the peak voting hours of 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The best times to vote are after the morning rush hour and later in the evening.

Voters who are physically unable to enter the poling place will be assisted with curbside voting.

Mississippians are only required to bring identification to the polls if they registered by mail and did not include identification in their application. They are not required to show a picture ID, however, a copy of a utility bill, bank statement, government check, or government document with the voter’s current address are considered acceptable by the Secretary of State.

Voters can find their polling place by clicking on the “polling locator” button on the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.state.ms.us and entering their address. If a voter shows up at the wrong polling place, poll workers will contact the circuit clerk to determine the voter’s correct polling place.

If a voter is not listed in the poll book at his polling place, he will have to vote by affidavit ballot. Affidavit ballots that are not properly signed and dated, or are cast from an improper polling place, will not be counted.

Campaign paraphernalia, such as buttons or shirts, are not allowed within 150 feet of the entrance to polling places.

If a voter is displaying campaign paraphernalia, he will have to remove or cover it before being allowed to vote.

Transportation to the polls from the Hattiesburg campus will be provided by the Mississippi Campus Compact. A van will depart from the front entrance of the Thad Cochran Center every 15 minutes from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Voters experiencing problems at the polls can access 200 lawyers through Protect the Vote at (800) 601-VOTE. The Secretary of State says that “unprecedented turnout” will result in longer than normal lines at most polling places, and reminds voters that the most important thing for voters to do on election day is to be patient.

Dave Barnes, Mute Math headline Eaglepalooza Lesley Walters News Editor

The Student Government Association and Brownstone’s, a downtown restaurant, will present Eaglepalooza from 6 p.m. to midnight Nov. 14 on Main Street in Hattiesburg.

Red Hill City, winner of the Battle of the Bands held in spring, will be the opening act. Whild Peach from New Orleans and the Foulon Brothers from Picayune, both cover bands, will follow. The headliners this year are Dave Barnes and Mute Math.

Danielle Couturie, a senior tourism management major, and Brian Harris, a senior sports administration major, are the co-directors of this year’s Eaglepalooza. Courturie

also helped direct the event last before the event, she added. year, which featured hip-hop artist Jill Duckworth, the EaglepalEve as its headliner. ooza public relations director for Instead of hosting a big-name SGA, said Tee shirts have been concert, the SGA “went to a dif- designed and are ready for sale ferent genre and audience this year this week. Besides passing out trying to spice it up,” Couturie said, fliers and hanging up posters on favoring a festival atmosphere. the Southern Miss campus, DuckShe said the planning process be- worth said her team will also pubgan in March when the SGA com- licize the event at schools in the piled a list of bands to consider. Af- area to draw an even larger crowd. ter evaluating costs and availability, “Eaglepalooza has been going deciding on the festival format, and on for years now, and I think it’s waiting for contracts to be signed, great for the community and stuthe SGA could finally announce dents that are looking to come to the lineup this week.

Southern Miss in the future,” the In past years, the lineup was an- sophomore and Clinton native nounced early in October, but the said. “I just think it’s great for our delay this year should not cause any school to come together and … problems, Couturie said. “It ended support our Student Government up being right on time,” since SGA and our university, and have a usually begins its major public re- good time.” lations campaign about two weeks EAGLEPALOOZA on page 3

Page 2|News

www.studentprintz.com |Tuesday, November 4, 2008

DirtyBirds

10-27-08 Chain Tech - Auto Burglary - A student reported the theft of clothes from his vehicle Southern MS Dr - Report - A student reported that her elbow was struck by a passing vehicle . No medical attention was required.

4th St Lot - Motor Vehicle Accident - MS Uniform Crash report filed.

10-28-08 George Hurst Lot - Vandalism - A student reported her parked was damaged, possibly by another vehicle.

Joseph Greene Lot - Motor Vehicle Accident - Incident report on file.

Performing Arts Lot - Hit and Run - Incident report on file.

Hyper Lot - Medical Assist - A student was transported by UPD to her residence.

Thad Cochran Center - Citizen Complaint - A student reported he was harassed by three black males.

10-29-08 Bond Hall - Public Drunk - AAA ambulance responded but the reporting party was not transported.

Roberts Hall - Service Non-Criminal - Incident report on file.

Find us online. www.studentprintz.com

David Jackson/Printz

Supporters come out to Hattiesburg’s Obama Headquarters for a Get Out and Vote rally and fish fry led by the Forrest County Democratic Party Saturday. The headquarters will be helping voters who need a ride get to polls by shuttle today. For information, call Richard Jones at 601-583-3810.

Campus Events TODAY

All Day – “Breaking the Veils” – Train Depot – Downtown Hattiesburg All Day – Women’s Golf @ Lady Blazer Bash – Birmingham, Ala. 7 p.m. – Southern Miss v. Tulane – Reed Green Coliseum 7:30 p.m. – Jazz Sextet Reunion Concert – PAC 8 p.m. – Wesley Foundation JAM – Wesley Foundation TOMORROW All Day – Souther Miss Soccer @ C-USA Championship All Day -- “Breaking the Veils” – Train Depot – Downtown Hattiesburg 6 p.m. – Southeastern Guitar Quartet – Marsh Auditorium 7 p.m. – Center for Writers presents Ann Beattle – International Center Auditorium 7:30 p.m. – Southern Miss Saxophone Quartet Recital – Marsh Auditorium

We’re hiring.

Apply now -- printz@usm.edu

www.studentprintz.com |News

Tuesday, November 4, 2008 | Page 3

Both parties impressed by get out the vote numbers Lynn Bonner McClatchy Newspapers

RALEIGH, N.C. -- At their summer convention, Republicans scoffed at an early line on Barak Obama’s resume.

“Community organizer?” former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani asked the crowd to rising laughter. “What?”

Now the GOP is finding out.

In the closing hours of a national election, Republican nominee John McCain faces an Obama get-out-the-vote push that is exceptionally well organized The Democrat’s campaign, fueled in part by an army of small donors and set up around an vast network of field offices, is closing with an enormous door-by-door effort, with North Carolina one of its key targets.

The results are already showing up in a lopsided turnout by Democrats in early voting states.

The scale of the effort has left even some Republicans impressed.

“He has had an amazing organization down to the street level. I’ve never seen anything like it,” former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said on CBS on Friday.

“It’s stunning, it’s impressive, and he has done something I’ve

never seen in any candidate.”

Ironically, the Obama campaign’s ground game has gained precision by using computer-based targeting of voters, a tactic that Karl Rove used to boost GOP turnout in the 2000 and 2004 elections.

Republicans are responding with the GOP’s vaunted “72hour program” of phone calls, canvassing and poll watching that proved decisive in the last two closely fought presidential elections.

The McCain campaign has recently shifted some resources to national advertising, but at an outdoor rally in Newport News, Va., on Saturday, McCain exhorted his supporters to get into the ground game.

“My friends, I need your help in the next three days,” he said, “Volunteer! Knock on doors!”

In North Carolina, a once reliable red state that is now closely contested, the closing push to win the state’s 15 electoral votes may be the most intense in state history. The Obama campaign list 60 field offices as open in the state. The McCain campaign said last week it has 40 field offices open in North Carolina.

The Obama campaign worked hard to get supporters to the polls during the record-setting early voting period in North

Carolina that ended Saturday.

Registered Democrats were outpacing Republicans at the polls by about 480,000 people by Thursday night. About 40 percent of registered Democrats and 31 percent of registered Republicans had voted.

The contest has encouraged creative ways to reach potential supporters.

Republican students at N.C. State University in Raleigh sponsored tailgate parties before football games. Eight hundred women in Durham, N.C., in an effort organized through the county Democratic party, wrote 25,300 letters to other Durham women who were registered Democrats but voted sporadically.

“Women are registered to vote in higher percentages than men are _ it was important to turn out the women,” said Cathy Moore, one of the coordinators. “We thought the personal contact would make a difference.” About 54 percent of the state’s registered voters are women.

Each volunteer received a list of 20 names. Some people took on extra work. One woman who had a broken foot agreed to write 200 people, Moore said.

Republicans are banking on the campaign’s last 72 hours _ when

Peggy Raphael and partner Gloria Burmester, (not pictured) greet a steady stream of voters dropping off mail in ballots with a smile and a thank you at the “Vote by Mail Express” drop off booth at the Pierce County Annex in Tacoma, Washington, on Monday, November 3, 2008. (Dean J. Koepfler /Tacoma News Tribune/MCT)

they crank up the calls and visits to voters _ to push McCain over the top. National Republicans are working harder to win North Carolina than they’ve had to in past elections, but they have history on their side. The last Democrat to capture the state’s electoral votes was Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Republicans are targeting their most reliable voters to make sure they’re going to the polls. The Obama campaign is focusing, as it did during the early-voting period, on supporters who vote infrequently and undecided voters.

An evening knocking on doors was not as fruitful for two men working neighborhoods near Cameron Village in Raleigh on a recent weekday evening.

The volunteers, James Ross, a theology graduate student at Princeton University in New Jersey, and Bryan Singleton, a human resources consultant from South Carolina, spent 90 minutes with a clipboard and stacks of McCain/Palin signs and door hangers.

But the voters they found were encouraging.

“I don’t think you’ve got a problem here,” said Neil Wills,

63, who had a McCain/Palin sign on his lawn.

Ross and Singleton live in states where the election results are all but a foregone conclusion.

McCain is strong in South Carolina, as Obama is in New Jersey.

Ross said the effort was worth an absence from school.

“Yes, I’m missing class and, yes, I’m missing lectures,” he said. “But this is more of a life lesson for me.”

And the lesson for both campaigns over these last few days is the same: get out the vote.

Jackson continued from page 1 “She was the type of person that always smiled no matter what was going on,” Drake said. She described her enthusiasm, saying that the last time they talked Kemiaya had related her excitement about USM’s upcoming homecoming.

The last time Harper talked to Kemiaya was the day after her birthday on Oct. 22. His memories of Kemiaya were more of the same.

“Oh my God, she had one of the biggest personalities. She had great confidence and was a thrill to be around,” said Harper. “If you needed her, she would come through, whether she had the time to or not. She’d always make an effort to do what she needed to do to help you.”

Fred Davis, a friend of Kemiaya’s from church, agreed: “Kemiaya never complained about anything, if anybody needed help she’d help them.”

In Kemiaya’s death, one of the most difficult factors to grasp is the “why,” according to Streeter.

“When I first heard about it, I thought they were playing. Then I drove out to the boardwalk and saw all the police cars.” Harper emphasized his own disbelief at the news. “I can’t imagine any per-

son that would want to harm her in any kind of way, let alone kill her. There’s nothing she’d ever do to a person that would make them that mad.” Howard echoed these sentiments, saying “I couldn’t believe it. I kept wondering why someone would do something like that. She was so sweet.”

Little has been released about the relationship between Kemiaya and Graves, and Streeter mentioned that Kemiaya never discussed him with her.

The reality of the incident is still sinking in for Harper. “You think you’re going to wake up from this nightmare at some point, you think someone’s gonna come around and pinch you and you’re gonna wake up.” Davis offered some words to Kemiaya’s family: “Keep your head up. It’s a long road, but you’ll find peace at the end of it.”

“We were very, very close…she was much more than a cousin to me,” said Harper. “She was my classmate, and most importantly she was my friend. I never imagined living my life without her. It’s just going to take some time and prayers for the family, and me, to get over this tragic loss.”

Eaglepalooza continued from page 1 said an estimated 10,000 people attended Eaglepalooza last year. A shuttle will carry concert-goers from the Freshman Quad to the downtown location starting at 5:30 p.m., she added.

While ice chests and outside alcohol will not be allowed, a beer garden will be waiting downtown for thirsty patrons aged 21 and older, Couturie said. The shuttle will be available for rides back to campus until 12:30 a.m., she added.

“We just try to get people out there who wouldn’t normally go and to avoid drinking and driving,” Couturie said.

Eaglepalooza is funded by the SGA, and was budgeted $50,000 for this year, Couturie said, which “is actually a cut from what we’ve received in the last few years.” Sponsors like brownstone’s, Coca-Cola and the Cottages of Hattiesburg will help foot the bill this year, and the Southern Miss Activities Council will provide some manual labor.

“SMAC and SGA want to make this event – and every other event – a good event for Southern Miss,” Harris said.

“Any time that SGA needs help, SMAC is always there to help them out.”

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Opinions

Page 4 opinions@studentprintz.com

Voting system flaws need to be corrected

M

Make it to the polls today

I

f you haven’t heard, our generation is pretty apathetic when it comes to choosing leaders of the free world.

Now we have a chance to rewrite the history books and change the misrepresentations others see in our generation when it comes to politics.

We’re not lazy, apathetic or self-absorbed. We’re involved, outspoken and concerned about the future of this country.

While each presidential race may seem important at the time, most elections do not define that particular era.

The 2008 race, however, will make history -- regardless of who wins tonight.

We’ve seen the rise of Sen. Barack Obama, who beat out a formidable opponent in Sen. Hillary Clinton during a neverending Democratic primary to become the first AfricanAmerican nominee for presi-

dent in our country’s history.

On the Republican side we’ve seen one of the biggest comeback stories of the year.

Sen. John McCain rose from the ashes to claim the Republican nomination as well as revive his party’s base with the choosing of vice-presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin.

With the nation in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, now is not the time to sit on your hands or stay home.

If the polls are right, and they have been accurate to a certain extent this election cycle, the next president will be Barack Obama.

If John McCain manages to make a comeback, it will make this election even more historic.

Either way, tonight will mark the end of this once-ina-lifetime election season -thanks largely to both parties’ ability to register new voters.

As impressive as youth activism has been this election season, efforts will be for nothing if we do not show up to vote today.

Historically, younger voters don’t vote in the same numbers as the older voters, and there already are some distressing signs this year.

In Florida and Georgia, news reports are indicating a disproportionately low number of younger voters casting their ballots during early voting.

Don’t be deterred by long lines, and bring a sweater if you’re planning on getting to the polls early. For many of you, this is your first chance to perform your civic duty as an American.

So if you haven’t already, please vote today -- no matter who you support. A vote for Obama or McCain is much This is a column of The Student Printz editorial board. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu

ost voters accept that they are obligated to study the issues, candidates, and parties before making their selection, but often shirk their responsibility to assess the nature and effects of political Bob Worth participation in the United States.

Printz Writer The American political process, through a synergy of corporate influence, social immobility, and a winner-take-all system, ensures that In fairness, it must be acknowledged that only the most politically obedient, compliant many, if not most, find no fault in the current parties have a chance of enjoying representa- system, and not without reason, as plenty of tion. The national mood periodically leans Americans are doing quite well, particularly in from left to right, but it never strays from the global terms. . underlying political culture, which no longer As a result, a majority vote in presidential merely checks Madison’s feared tyranny of the elections, rationalizing their participation with many, but exists solely to promote the interests a mixture of patriotic duty and the idea that of the powerful few. their chosen candidate, although not truly repThis was made plain in the resentative of their interests, run-up to today’s election as is at least better than the other McCain and Obama put on a Ours is not a perfect sysguy. Noam Chomsky’s “relucfine show of rhetorical jousttem, and it requires vigitant endorsement� of Gore in ing amid desperate attempts to lance and awareness from 2004 is a sad testament to the distance themselves from the voters far beyond tuning appeal of this course. failed Bush administration, all into the mainstream meOthers make a principled, if the while hewing to the status dia and voting for a candifutile, gesture and vote for a quo from atop nearly identical date without considering third party or independent canplatforms. the consequences of the didate, based on reverence for Conspicuously absent from legitimizing effect of that democratic institutions and the the campaign were issues of litnobility of protest. participation. tle concern to those who enjoy Whatever the motivation, a controlling stake in society, the result is to confer legitisuch as an endemic criminal culture, the perma- macy upon an obviously flawed process, and nent American underclass, and a foreign policy by extension the elite who control and benefit engineered to benefit corporate interests. from that process. In authoritarian regimes, poIssues which preoccupy the public, but are at litical legitimacy may “come from the barrel of fundamental odds with the ruling elite, such as a gun,� as in Mao’s astute observation, but it meaningful health care, immigration reform, is much more nuanced in liberal societies. In a and the role of religion in American life, were democracy, there is perhaps no greater source willfully ignored by both major-party candi- of legitimacy than that of an electoral mandate, dates. whether perceived or actual.

Perhaps most illustrative of the ruling class’s That being said, an election boycott without ability to divert the public’s political energy measured consideration and corresponding acaway from any meaningful application was us- tivism would be both lazy and dangerous. Just ing the artificial issue of “wealth distribution� as harmful, however, is a false sense of demoto frame two essentially identical proposals as a cratic security is based on the cultural more that national referendum on our core values. voting is a positive end unto itself.

Neither McCain’s proposal to lower tax rates Ours is not a perfect system, and it requires for those at the top of the wealth spectrum, vigilance and awareness from voters far beyond nor Obama’s calls to do the opposite, was in tuning into the mainstream media and voting any way a departure from the current system for a candidate without considering the conseof modest, non-punitive wealth redistribution quences of the legitimizing effect of that parthrough a mildly progressive, deficit-financed ticipation. tax system. No matter, as the public’s attention Bob Worth is a staff writer for The Student Printz. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu was diverted from any real issues.

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Tuesday, November 4, 2008| Page 5

It’s time for a change We cannot afford Sarah Coleman Printz Writer

As you know, today is the day America chooses a new President. A lot of people, like newscasters, political analysts, and even the candidates themselves, have been saying that this could be the most important election you will ever vote in.

A lot of words and catchphrases have been thrown around since this campaign started, and one of the most prominent ones is the word “change.” This word has been a cornerstone for Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign, and for good reason. The reason people are saying this election is so important is because America knows that something has to give.

One of the key questions you need to ask yourself before you vote today is something TV host Dr. Phil likes to say: “Is it working for you?”

Is the current administration working for America? Are you better off today than you were eight years ago when George

W. Bush began his Presidency?

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the policies of the Bush administration have, for the most part, failed.

If nothing else, our nation could have done a lot better.

That being said, let’s take a look at Sen. John McCain’s record. He has voted in agreement with President Bush 9 out of 10 times. If we can agree that these last eight years haven’t been exactly spectacular, then it only makes sense that with John McCain as President, things aren’t going to change very much.

Granted, John McCain has stood up to Bush a few times.

However, when it comes to important issues in this election—like the economy— McCain has been in virtually constant agreement with President Bush. He voted for Bush tax cuts for the wealthy that he used to oppose, and he has voted for Bush’s budgets that have put the United States into an incredible debt.

John McCain likes to say that he, too, will change America, but looking at these facts,

I’m not sure I believe him.

Sen. Obama doesn’t believe him either. That’s why Obama likes to use the word “change” so much. It’s time for something different in America.

It’s time to turn around policies that have punished the middle class for the greedy and irresponsible deeds of those on Wall Street. It’s time to invest in the middle class and grow our economy so everyone has an equal opportunity to achieve the American dream.

When you vote today, you have the chance to help mend a divided nation. You’ve been presented with an opportunity to end the current politics that, as Obama has said, do nothing but “pit republican against democrat; that asks us to fear at a time when we need hope.”

Obama’s promotion of the concept of change has been criticized—even mocked— by the McCain-Palin ticket. In response, I ask you this: when did hope for change become a bad thing?

Sarah Coleman is a staff writer for The Student Printz. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu

Abortion: An Avoided Issue With the upcoming election, my heart has begun to hurt because to many, the topic of aborBrittney tion seems Cooley to have Printz Writer no importance at all.

My burden doesn’t come from a religious routine or a political standpoint, but from the sanctity of life.

Abortion has come to be known simply as a bullet on the list of a politician’s objectives. However, there are some of us who are overwhelmed with the idea that abortion has even been made legal in this nation. We are those who cannot even fathom the idea of an abortion without tears in our eyes.

Often, people tend to identify their view on abortion based on what political party they belong to. Isn’t that backwards? If you believe that killing an innocent child is wrong, then you should stand up and vote for that rather than sit back because of a political category you have surrendered to. I am asking you to look at the issue through your own eyes rather than the eyes of your peers or favorite politician.

Politics and religion aside, abortion is not just some simple procedure or swallowing of a pill. It doesn’t only affect the children who never get the choice of life, but it is greatly hurting the women of our society. An article by David Reardon of the Elliot Institute discusses how momentary relief is the only positive post-abortion emotion. This relief is most often followed by what “psychiatrists identify as emotional paralysis, or post-abortion numbness.”

Reardon states, “Their focus is primarily on having survived the ordeal, and they are at least temporarily out of touch with their feelings”.

There is a reason why you never see women who have had abortions parading in the streets and telling others to follow in their footsteps.

Is that not proof enough?

If abortions were not morally unjust then why would any woman, regardless of her religious and political affiliations, ever be ashamed to say she made the choice to kill her unborn child?

I personally know a woman who took advantage of her right to an abortion in 1984.

Danielle was in a situation that made it seem like her only option was to abort her child.

Sitting across the table from her last week, I saw tears fill her eyes as she began to tell her story. After the abortion, Danielle said that she felt like she had lost a part of herself.

“I could barely take care of myself; I was living on the streets” she said, “It was a weak time in my life. I had lost all sense of self-worth.

There simply was no other option. By ending my pregnancy I was able to continue the lifestyle I was living”.

Danielle said she could have gone back to her family and found someone to help or given the baby up for adoption, but at the time these options weren’t considered.

“I thought I knew more than

what God knew. Looking back, it would have been the best thing for me. God wasn’t trying to inconvenience me, He was giving me a reason to get off the streets,” she concluded.

Today, she is telling her story to help other struggling women.

Try telling me that the state of our economy is more important in this election than the issue of abortion. We are killing off a generation of mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, preachers, teachers, husbands and wives.

How can that be any less important than anything else?

Brittney Cooley is a staff writer for The Student Printz. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu

Obama as president Ric McCluskey Printz Writer

The day is here, and history will be made no matter what the outcome of this election. It has been an eventful, and at the very least entertaining, campaign season.

You have heard both sides of the argument, but I am going to give one last recap for my candidate, John McCain.

There are many different reasons one will cast their vote in favor of a candidate. Two of the most important in many voters’ minds are experience and protection. John McCain offers both.

Not only does he offer government experience but also the rare combination of reformist thought with his experience. He will work with anyone--regardless of party affiliation--to accomplish what he thinks will benefit the American people most.

As for protection, this man has displayed a level of courage that few can claim when it comes to sacrifice for his country. Obama supporters boast about their candidate’s choice to be a community organizer instead of taking a more lucrative position on Wall Street.

John McCain can also claim this selfless act. After he graduated from the prestigious Naval Academy, he also declined a position on Wall Street. Declining even a position within the comfort of his native land, he fought for his country and served as a prisoner of war.

As for Obama, he has no proven leadership or accomplishments which warrant the presidency.

Also, he has a very controversial past that should be brought into discussion. He has had long-

lasting relationships with questionable characters such as the radical cleric, Jeremiah Wright, who preaches anti-American filth and domestic terrorist Bill Ayers who killed several Americans in the 1970s, saying his only regret is he wished he could have killed more.

I will concede to the fact that at first, Obama perhaps thought these individuals might have been rehabilitated, but after spending thirty minutes with these gentlemen you will see their views remain the same.

This network of friends at the very least shows Obama has questionable judgment.

One of Obama’s campaign organizers said “Obama just lacked the political courage to walk out of Reverand Wright’s church for twenty years.” Obama thinks this is a legitimate excuse.

One trait in a leader that is crucial at this point is political courage, and Obama’s own supporter said that the young senator lacks it.

The one thing that I credit Obama with is somehow launching the most heavily-funded campaign in history. America needs to realize it isn’t all about the commercials and hype. It is about who will be the most effective, and John McCain has proven over a very long public service tenure that he has answers to a lot of our nation’s problems. On the other hand, Barack Obama has done nothing but cast more doubt and pose more questions for a nation and a government who can’t afford a presidential roll of the dice.

Ric McClusky is a staff writer for The Student Printz. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu

We’re online!

www.studentprintz.com

Entertainment

Page 6 entertainment@studentprintz.com

Cowboy Mouth talks New Orleans, album Patrick Laughlin Printz Writer

Fred LeBlanc – lead singer, songwriter, drummer, and essentially the mind and soul of the band Cowboy Mouth – is standing in the shade of an oak tree looking more like a musician who has just finished a concert rather than one who is due on stage in less than an hour before thousands of fans. He is at ease and jovial, and bears a marked similarity to Fred Flintstone, without the stubble. LeBlanc, a native of New Orleans, is not just a representative of one of the Crescent City’s staple rock bands, but also of Voodoo Fest itself, having entertained countless fans since 2000.

Student Printz: Cowboy Mouth is a fixture at the Voodoo Experience. How many years has it been?

Fred LeBlanc: I think this is our fourth or fifth one. We don’t do it every year; they usually get us every other year, to kind of space it out.

SP: Have you been touring for Cowboy Mouth’s new album “Fearless”?

FL: We just got in town about five hours ago. Thursday we were in Orlando, Friday in Atlanta, Laurel last night with a big Hattiesburg crowd, and as soon as we finish our show tonight we’re packing up the bus and hitting up the West Coast; we’re playing here this Sunday,

by Tuesday we’ll be in Arizona.

What do you think of the album? Do you like “Fearless”?

SP: Well, to be honest, I haven’t had the chance to listen to “Fearless” yet, but I was

‘‘

of a heavier record than we had originally hoped. I wrote “The Avenue” during the time everything was going down.

It was kind of my way of saying, “Yeah, this is bad, but everything is going to be okay, so everybody take a deep breath and just do what needs to be done.” And it worked out. In fact, the first time we played the song live was at Voodoo 2005, when they had the festival despite of the fact the storm just came through.

Every year is a completely different experience, and that’s one of the things I like about voodoo.

’’

Fred LeBlanc, Cowboy Mouth

a big fan of “Voodoo Shop,” so I will probably love the new CD too. I guess I’ll be introduced to some of the new songs tonight. “Voodoo Shop” was kind of a musical potpourri, and that’s what I enjoyed about it. It also was a tribute to New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Is there any of that element in “Fearless?”

FL: Somewhat. “Voodoo Shop” ended up being a bit

SP: This is year ten of the Experience. Has Voodoo changed much over the years for you?

FL: Every year is a completely different experience, and that’s one of the things I like about Voodoo. The thing is, every year Voodoo is something different, while Jazzfest has a lot that, well, just stays the same and is dependable. I love both festivals; they’re like bookends.

Courtesy of Eleven Thirty Records

Cowboy Mouth performed at the 10th Voodoo Fest in New Orleans and is currently on tour promoting thre new album “Fearless”.

SP: What do you think Voodoo means to New Orleans?

FL: I think Voodoo is just another stepping stone that says, “New Orleans is back!”

Voodoo is a very creative and eclectic experience. I like that end of it: it brings all kind of

bands and encourages a lot of different creative angles.

SP: On a personal level, what does Voodoo mean to you?

FL: Voodoo is very important to me, because Steve Rehage [the owner and producer of Voodoo] had the festival in

spite of everything in 2005. It became a big communal gathering right after the storm, and we played “The Avenue” before the album even came out.

For the rest of this interview visit: www.studentprintz.com

“The Cherry Orchard” to open Thursday on campus Special to the Printz

Courtesy of USM Public Relations

One of the great plays by one of the greatest of playwrights is set in Russia at the turn of the 20th

The Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Southern Mississippi will present Anton Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard” Nov. 6-16 at the Martha R. Tatum Theatre on the Hattiesburg campus.

Called “one of the greatest plays by one of the greatest of playwrights” by Southern Miss director Louis Rackoff, the play is set in Russia at the turn of the

20th century. “’The Cherry Orchard’ is one of the truly great plays by one of the most brilliant playwrights, and it’s a wonderful opportunity for all of us in the department to work on such extraordinary material,” Rackoff said. “The play is about a family whose lives are in transition; its themes and actions are strongly relevant to today’s society.”

Chekhov called this play a comedy. He created an entertaining and very moving theater event in which comedy and very dramatic moments happen almost side-by-side. From this point of view, “The Cherry Orchard” is really a human comedy.

Professor of theater Monica Hayes will play the role of Ranevskaya, a Russian woman who owns the estate and the cherry orchard that is at the center of the play.

“I love the comedy in Chekov’s plays,” Hayes said. “It makes rehearsals so much fun. Just when you think things are going to get terribly serious, something very funny pops in. This is one of my

The Cherry Orchard

Tickets: Adults: $12 Faculty & Staff: $10 Students: $6 Show Times: November 6-8 & Nov 12-14 7:30pm November 9th and 16th 2:00pm

favorite plays in the world.”

Chekhov wrote the play after he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and was often in doctor-imposed exile from his wife and friends in Moscow on the Mediterranean island of Yalta.

Much of the intellectual discussion in the play was influenced by his wide reading of literature, philosophy and the natural sciences.

Burton Tedesco, a second year acting graduate student from Tampa, Fla., plays Ranevskaya’s brother, Gayev.

“What I love about Chekhov’s work, especially ‘The Cherry Orchard,’ is the beautiful relationships within his families,” Tedesco said. “All Chekhov’s characters have an undying love for one another despite their imperfections. For example, my character, Gayev, would do anything to protect his sister even though, at times, she drives him crazy.”

The production will be presented at 7:30 p.m. each evening Nov. 6-8 and 12-14 and at 2 p.m. Nov. 9 and 16 at the Martha R. Tatum Theatre in the Theatre and Dance Building. A special pre-show talk about the play will be offered Nov. 9 at 1 p.m.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for Southern Miss faculty and staff, senior citizens and military, and $6 for students. Order tickets online at http://www.southernmisstickets.com or call the Southern Miss Ticket Office at 601.266.5418 or 800.844.8425.

For more information, visit the Web at www.usm.edu/arts or contact Angela Kilcrease at 601.266.4988.

“Porno” is vain attempt at romance Cory Taylor Printz Writer

Kevin Smith has a way with words. Crudely, to be sure, but they always have a sinuously clever flow to them. America first got its fill of this eminently lewd diction in his 1994 directorial debut, “Clerks,” and ever since, he has made some successful and some not-so-successful films. Now, in 2008, Kevin Smith attempts to present a story of potty-mouthed sweetness in “Zack and Miri Make a Porno.”

For anyone who feels the title to this film is some sort of misleading allegory, rest assured that it is about a guy named Zack (Seth Rogen) and his best friend Miri (Elizabeth Banks) who make, you guessed it, a pornographic movie. Zack and Miri have grown up together; they are also broke, miserable, in their mid-twenties and sharing a tiny apartment. After haphazardly discovering the astonishing speed with which videos travel via the Internet, Zack and Miri decide the most sensible and, well, profitable approach to liquidating their debts is to shoot a skin flick.

There are moments of genuine sweetness, as when Zack

Courtesy of The Weinstein Company

Lifelong platonic friends Zack(Seth Rogen) and Miri(Elizabeth Banks) look to solve their respective cash-flow problems by making an adult film together.

and Miri finally approach their sex scene together and discover -gasp- they have been in love all their lives! The film is filled completely wall-to-wall with scatological humor, with the large majority focusing on parodying movie titles. This variety of uncouth dialogue is hardly offensive to most movie goers by now, but after about 20 minutes, it begins to grow tiresome and distracting.

“Zack and Miri” is a vain attempt at blending crudity and sincere romance, a mix that only director Judd Apatow (“Knocked Up,” “Superbad”) has been able to successfully pull off. It is not, however, the worst possible story yet told about adult filmmak-

ing. In 2005, Jeff Bridges starred in a film called “The Amateurs,” which was nothing more than a pitiful excuse to waste time. Director Paul Thomas Anderson made a masterful film in 1997, “Boogie Nights,” which wonderfully captured the painful and ugly truths behind the ostensibly glamorous life of adult filmmaking.

In the end, “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” is not the worst way you could spend eight bucks. Then again, getting hit by a truck is not the worst way to die either.

Cory Taylor is a staff writer for The Student Printz. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu

Tuesday, November 4, 2008 | Page 7

www.studentprintz.com |Sports

Lady Eagles unveil their new locker room Tyler Cleveland Sports Editor

The Southern Miss Lady Eagle basketball team unveiled their new digs Monday, and talked to the media about the upcoming season.

The $10.5 million addition to Reed Green Coliseum, which was first laid out in 2004 by Athletic Director Richard Giannini, saw a renovation to the heating and cooling system in the coliseum, and completely new coaching offices and home and visiting locker rooms for both the men’s and women’s teams.

The upgrade is unbelievable compared to the trailers played out of last season while the renovations were taking place.

Giannini said Monday that he was happy with how the facilities turned out.

“From a competitive standpoint, it’s nicer than anyone else has right now,” Giannini said.

“It’s good for the girls to have a facility that nice.”

The addition also included complete makeovers of both the training and weight training areas.

Coach Joye-Lee McNelis talk-

The new basketball facilities, a 10.5 million addition, were unveiled Monday afternoon for Media Day. Photo is courtesy of USM Public Relations

‘‘

You have to give the administration a tremendous amount of credit for reviving the interest of basketball at Southern Miss...I think they’ve made a commitment of brick and mortar to the basketball programs.

-Joye-Lee McNelis, Women’s basketball coach

ed Monday about her new offices and facilities.

“You have to give the administration a tremendous amount of credit for reviving the interest of basketball at Southern Miss,” McNelis said. “I think they’ve made a commitment of brick and mortar to the basketball programs.

“The new facilities are going to put us on an even playing field in terms of recruiting. I’m just excited that this particular recruiting class that includes Kendra (Reed) and Amber (Eugene) and Pauline (Love) will get to be a part of this before they walk away with that degree, we sold them on this when we recruited them, and now it’s a reality.”

“It’s nice to come back to that from practice every day,” Junior Stephanie Helgeson said. “It makes us feel special and appreciated.”

The women’s home basketball

Multimedia

Check out a video online of a tour of the new basketball facilities. www.studentprintz.com/multimedia

schedule is very competitive, and includes non-conference games against Michigan, Mississippi State and Nicholls St., as well as Conference USA tilts with upper tier teams like Central Florida, Memphis and SMU. “We think our non-conference schedule will have us battle-tested both at home and on the road,” McNelis said. “It sets up nicely so we bring in some competitive teams and play at some others, coach (Jordan) Dupuy did a great job with it.”

The the players that McNelis has returning this winter, the expectations are high despite the tough schedule.

The Lady Eagles return 90 per-

Courtesy of Media Relations

Southern Miss unveiled the new women’s basketball locker room Monday at Media Day.

cent of their scoring output from last season, and 89 percent of their rebounding, and tout three seniors in the starting lineup.

Junior Pauline Love returns as the team and conference’s top scorer and rebounder. Love’s 16.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game made her the first Southern Miss player to average

a double-double since the 19951996 season.

Junior Stephanie Helgeson averaged 12.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest and should start at center.

Perhaps the most intriguing addition to the team, Southwest Tennessee Community College transfer Candace Rucker, ranked

10th in the country in scoring as a Sophomore and should contribute immediately.

“A conference championship would be great,” senior Amber Eugene said. “Every year we’ve gotten better and better, and hopefully this year will be the year we can win a championship before we leave.”

2008-2009 B-Ball Schedule Home games are in bold Nov. 8 Houston Jaguars (Exh.) 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 14 Sam Houston noon Nov. 17 Tennessee St. 7 p.m.

Nov. 20 South Alabama 7:05 p.m.

Nov. 25 UL-Monroe 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 28 Thanksgiving Tournament 5/7 p.m.

USM, Michigan, Belmont, Alcorn St. Nov. 29 Thanksgiving Tournament 2/4 p.m.

Dec. 3 Arkansas-Little Rock

7 p.m.

Dec. 6 William Carey 4 p.m.

Dec. 13 SE Missouri St. 4 p.m.

Dec. 16 Mississippi St. 7 p.m.

Dec. 19 UNLV Tourn. TBA USM, UNLV, Cal-St. Northridge, Oklahoma St. Dec. 20 UNLV Tournament TBA Dec. 30 Nicholls State 7 p.m.

Jan. 3 Central Florida 1 p.m.

Jan. 8 UAB 7 p.m.

Jan. 10 Memphis 2 p.m.

Jan. 18 p.m.

Jan. 22 Jan. 25 Jan. 29 Jan. 31 p.m.

Feb. 5 Feb. 8 Feb. 13 Feb. 15 TBD Feb. 19 Feb. 21 Feb. 26 Feb. 28

Central Florida

2

Houston 7 p.m.

Rice 2 p.m.

Marshall 7 p.m.

East Carolina 4 SMU 7 p.m.

Tulsa noon East Carolina 6 p.m.

Marshall (ESPN 2) Tulane 7 p.m.

UTEP 7 p.m.

UAB 7 p.m.

Memphis 4 p.m.

Sports

Page 8 sports@studentprintz.com www.studentprintz.com/sports

Southern Miss take two in a row with win From Staff

Game Stats

ORLANDO, Fla. - Austin Davis’ 8-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter sealed Southern Mississippi’s 17-6 victory over Central Florida on Saturday.

The Golden Eagles got their fourth win of the season and second in a row by avenging last year’s loss to the Knights in Hattiesburg.

Southern Miss fell behind 6-0 early when Central Florida drove 91 yards for a touchdown on it’s first possession, but the Eagles rallied to regain the lead on a 5-yard pass from Davis to DeAndre Brown that capped a 10-play, 46-yard drive.

Davis’ third-quarter touchdown run capped a Southern Miss drive that included three third-down conversions and took nearly nine minutes.

“The first week against UAB we got a little spark going,” Fedora said at Monday’s press conference. “And now we have a small fire going, we are trying to get that thing roaring this week and eventually just let it burn out of control.”

Southern Miss tailback V.J. Floyd took over the bulk of the carries after starter Tori Harrison left the game due to a strained hamstring. Floyd was more than serviceable, rushing 66 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown.

Some of the pressure of be-

1st Downs Total Yards Passing Rushing Turnovers Passing C/ATT A. Davis 21/34 Rushing CAR A. Davis 25 V. Floyd 17 Receiving REC D. Brown 6 S. Nelson 7

USM 22 338 188 150 0 YDS 188 YDS 73 66 YDS 89 57

UCF 10 208 144 64 2 AVG 5.5 AVG 2.9 3.9 AVG 14.8 8.1

TD 1 TD 1 0 TD 1 0

INT 0 LG 12 27 LG 47 29

Austin Davis rushed for 73 yards within 25 carries, leading the Golden Eagles in victory over the Golden Knights.

Courtesy of Joe Bailey

Running back V.J. Floyd dodges defensders in Saturdays game against UCF in Orlando, Fl.

ing literally the only healthy tailback was taken off of Floyd by Davis, who completed 21 of 34 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown, also rushing for 73 yards and the final score for the Golden Eagles (4-6, 2-4 Conference USA).

“I think he took a little bit of the weight off V.J.’s (Floyd) shoulders, which is big,” Fedora said. “It’s good to have your quarterback step up when one of your tailbacks goes down and carry some of the load.”

USM welcomes Black Out week Special to the Printz The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Office of Community Service Learning are teaming up for Black Out Hunger Week Nov. 15-21.

Black Out Hunger Week is part of a Conference USA initiative to unite member institutions through a community outreach competition. The institution with the largest amount of donated canned goods wins.

Kickoff of this event begins at the Southern Miss vs. East Carolina Black Out football game Nov. 15. Recreational Sports, Greek Life and the Office of Student Activities also will join the effort in the collection of canned food items at various locations across the Hattiesburg campus and during Southern Miss athletic events.

Last year, the OCSL alone collected 6,500 canned food items during its annual food drive, said Josh Duplantis, OCSL manager. However, with the partnership of several Southern Miss groups, Du-

plantis said he hopes for even a larger amount of donations.

“We’re very excited to have the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee on board, along with C-USA,” Duplantis said.

‘‘

a little bit adds up to a lot,” McRath said. “Think about all the people on our campus; and if we each donate canned food, how much that can add up.”

McRath, a native of Powder

Think about all the people on our campus; and if we each donate canned food, how much that can add up..

’’

Gerald McRath, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative

“To add them, and the support they bring, will only make this bigger. People don’t realize the poverty that we have in this area, and how many people really do need this food.”

The canned food items will be given to Christian Services and the Edwards Street Fellowship Center to distribute among the community.

Gerald McRath, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative and Southern Miss football player, said even giving just one canned good may go a long way in helping someone in need.

“Even if it’s just one can,

Spring, Ga., said Hattiesburg deserves every Southern Miss student’s attention this holiday season.

“This community has definitely been my home away from home,” he said. “I want to strive for its better achievement.”

The following are Black Out Hunger Week drop-off points for canned food items.

• Nov. 15: Black Out Hunger Week kicks off at the Southern Miss vs. East Carolina Black Out football game. Fans may bring canned goods to the Southern Miss equipment truck which will be located on Golden Eagle Avenue next to Pride

Field. Collection will begin at 10 a.m. on game day and will end 30 minutes prior to kickoff.

Additional drop-off locations will be on the east, west and south sides of The Rock.

• Nov. 17-21: Faculty, staff and students may bring canned goods during business hours to the Office of Community Service Learning, located in the Hub, room 104. Bin also will be located in McLemore Hall, the Thad Cochran Center and the Payne Center.

• Nov. 17: The OCSL will sponsor a Three-on-Three for Charity basketball game from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Payne Center. Admission: Five canned goods.

• Nov. 18: Receive half price admission to the Southern Miss Golden Eagle Basketball game vs. Alabama State with three canned goods. Bring canned goods to east side ticket booth at Reed Green Coliseum.

• Nov. 21: Black Out Hunger Week ends at noon with the weigh-in of canned goods 1:30 p.m. Distribution to centers will begin immediately.

Lady Eagles shine in exhibition Special to the Printz HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Four players scored in doubles figures to lead Southern Miss women’s basketball team to a 96-66 exhibition victory over the Houston Jaguars Saturday afternoon before a crowd of 1,303 at Reed Green Coliseum.

Junior Pauline Love scored a game-high 19 points and hauled in nine rebounds for the Lady Eagles, while Stephanie Helgeson and Brittany Johnson added 15 points apiece. Erin Gatling (Van Buren, Ark.) scored 11 points in her unofficial rookie debut to go with six assists.

“We saw some good things and some bad,” Southern Miss head coach Joye Lee-McNelis

Lady Eagles BasketBall Schedule

November 14, 2008 @ Sam Houston State 12:00 p.m.

Novermeber 17, 2008 vs. Tennessee State 7:00 p.m.

said. “The good is that we got off to a good start and the bad thing is that we let up and let them take control of the game.

When we made substitutions, defensively, we broke down and we took some rushed shots. We took several shot we shouldn’t have taken.”

Southern Miss opened the game, running out to a 17-0 lead over the first four minutes.

The Jaguars regrouped, putting together a 12-0 run to get within five points, 17-12. The Jags kept the game close over the next four minutes. McNelis, then, inserted Johnson into the game and she promptly responded with back-to-back three-pointers, sparking an 11-0 run to push the lead to 32-16.

The Jags would not go away as the visitors responded with an 18-4 run over five minutes to cut the lead to four, 38-34.

However, Southern Miss ended the half strong, using a 13-2 run to take a halftime lead, 51-26.

Southern Miss started the second half much like the first, scoring the first 12 points before the Jags could get on track.

Midway through the half, the Lady Eagles held a comfortable 32-point lead and eventually pushed their second half lead as high as 37.

“The group we started played okay,” McNelis said. “I thought Amber Eugene was the highlight player of that group. She led verbally on the floor and guarded. She probably did not score as much as what she would have liked, but she gave us so many intangibles. It was the Stephanie Helgeson and Pauline Love show in the first half. We did a great job of getting Stephanie the ball.”

The Southern Miss defense allowed less than 250 yards of total offense for the second game in a row, something defensive coordinator Todd Bradford said is a credit to winning the one-on-one matchups.

“We’ve done a good job of getting those matchups all season,” Bradford said Monday. “Against UAB and Central Florida we won those matchups. The guys are getting better at winning them and I think a lot of that comes with experience.”

Courtesy of Joe Bailey

Central Florida quarterback Rob Calabrese completed 12 of 30 passes for 141 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions for the Golden Knights (2-7, 1-4).

The Golden Eagles outgained the Golden Knights 338-208, and capitalized on a pair of UCF turnovers to seal the victory.

The Golden Eagles will try to finish out the home portion of their schedule Saturday when they take on the East Carolina Pirates at 2 p.m. at M.M. Roberts Stadium.

Rumblings and views from the cheap seats Tyler Cleveland Sports Editor

The 2008 college football season has brought so much that I never thought I’d ever see.

First of all, the Golden Eagles are 4-6, and what’s crazier is that they could still get bowl elibigle.

The Eagles are in the top 15 in the nation in offense instead of defense, and a redshirt-freshman quarterback is threatening all of Brett Favre’s records.

Alabama is back to No. 1 after losing to UL-Monroe last season, Texas Tech and their novelty offense is No. 2, and Texas and Penn State may end up with one loss and on the outside of the BCS looking in.

Phil Fulmer is out at Tennessee after 17 years, Southern Cal is flying UNDER the radar and even Lou Holtz has forgone the “next year is Notre Dame’s year” mantra.

Ball State is undefeated, the June Jones-coached SMU Mustangs are 1-9 and Vanderbilt started 5-0 and probably won’t make it to a bowl game.

Heck, Ohio State and Michigan aren’t even on the BCS championship radar.

What’s next?

With all that is going on, it makes you wonder what could be next.

– Florida beats Alabama in the SEC championship game and Missouri downs Texas Tech, leaving five one-loss teams contending for the title game and causing the BCS computer to rattle, smoke and eventually explode.

– Ole Miss, which had won just two SEC games over the past three seasons, beats LSU and gets to the eight-win mark and a berth in the Citrus Bowl.

– Joe Paterno breaks his other leg, and has one lung fail, only to have an iron lung installed on the sidelines to extend his career.

– Texas Tech coach Mike Leach exchanges his pirate fetish for an emphasis on ninjas, causing the university to change the nickname from Red Raiders to Red Samurai and the mascot from the Masked Rider to a football-chunkin’ Bruce Lee lookalike.

– Tennessee hires Nick Saban away from Alabama, sending rabid Crimson Tide fans to the bars in droves.

– The Southern Miss athletic department unveils next season’s plans to enclose the other side of M.M. Robert’s stadium, creating a super stadium to challenge Tennessee and Penn State for national superiority.

Sure bets

Here’s a few that I’m banking on: – President Barack Obama mandates that college football goes to an 8-team playoff system starting in 2010.

– Florida defeats Texas Tech in the craziest National Championship of all time, 79-65.

– LSU coach Les Miles’ hair bursts into flame when Ole Miss gets it’s first victory in death Valley since the 2001 season.

– Penn State’s Joe Paterno and Florida State’s Bobby Bowden both retire at the end of the season with coaching records that will never be matched by anybody ever again.

– Oklahoma State coach and Youtube sensation Mike Gundy explodes on reporters after OU beats his Cowboys, handing them their third loss in four games since being ranked fifth in the nation.

– Jeff Bower takes the head coaching job at Memphis, infusing a renewed rivalry into a game that has turned into more of a formality than a rivalry.

Tyler Cleveland is a staff writer for The Student Printz. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu