The Oracle- October 3, 2014

THE

1000 N. Dixie Ave. | Cookeville, TN | 38505

O

>>Page 2

Friday, October 3, 2014

RACLE Volume 99 | Issue 4 | Free in single copy

The primary news source of the Golden Eagles since 1924 g Tennessee Tech weeklyy during g the fall and spring p semesters Serving

>Amy Roloff speaks in Derryberry

IN THIS ISSUE: 2 Calendar 2 News 3 Sports 4 Opinion 5 Entertainment 6 News

> EXCLUSIVE: Recap of last week’s Quidditch game against MTSU

200. That’s the number of losses Tech’s head football coach Watson Brown now holds under his belt. The number, unfortunately for Brown, is now the most in NCAA history.

With a final score of 507, last Saturday’s loss to the Northern Iowa Panthers marked number 200 to the coach’s career loss column, a column that spans over five decades at six different schools.

The story of Brown’s imminent record-breaking loss total first broke the Wednesday prior to the team’s trip to Cedar Falls, Iowa last Saturday. The idea of making history was also news to Brown when ESPN senior writer Ivan Maisel traveled to campus to interview the veteran coach.

“I didn’t know anything about the number when he asked me,” said Brown. “He [Maisel] said, ‘What do you think?’ and I said, ‘When you have been coaching for 30 years and you’ve had the tough jobs that we’ve had as a staff, it would make sense.’”

‘‘

When you have been coaching for 30 years and you’ve had the tough jobs that we’ve had as a staff, it would make sense.

— Watson Brown,

,,

TTU Head Football Coach

led the purple and gold to its onfirst set of OVC championship rings in 36 years. mits Although Brown admits wn coming back to his hometown n I to coach the local Division hat team wasn’t something that ays was ever on his radar, he says he’s enjoyed returning home.

“It’s been neat to be back and get the team back to that first championship in so many years,” said Brown.

“We got that first one and it took 36 years to get it. We don’t want to take 36 to get it again.”

Brown’s coaching record currently stands at 128-200-1.

Before Masiel’s article surfaced online through ESPN last week, there may have been just as many people who paid attention to the coach’s wins and losses rather than the total number itself. At 200 though, the number of losses for such a head coach can be rather alarming for someone seeing the stat for the first time.

Unconcerned with the number, however, was Athletic Director Mark Wilson, who says he pays little attention to the coach’s individual performance when evaluating his entire body of work.

“A concern? None whatsoever. We don’t evaluate our total program on winning and losing. It’s a total package,” said Wilson.

Wilson, who has directed the University’s athletics program since 2004, shows zero signs of apprehension while discussing Brown’s lofty loss total. “[He] does things the right way. I don’t lose sleep worrying about the integrity of our football program and

>>Page 3

> Do jerseys make a difference?

5 >>Page 4

Student arrested on public intoxication charges after Hookah bar squabble

Head football coach sets NCAA all-time record for most career losses after loss at Northern Iowa a To refer to the coach’s job opportunities as tough would be and understatement, for lack of a better term. In his sixth season as a head coach, Brown returned to Nashville, Tenn., to take on the challenge of revitalizing his alma mater, Vanderbilt, a program that had a winning season just once in the 10 years prior to Brown’s return in 1986.

The Commodores cut the cord on the coach after posting a 10-45 record during his five seasons with the black and gold.

Brown then left the state for new coaching opportunities in Mississippi, Oklahoma and Alabama before making his return 17 years later. In December 2006, the hometown kid from Cookeville moved back to his old stomping grounds to become Tennessee Tech’s 10th head coach in program history.

Much like his alma mater, taking on the task of rebuilding the team from his hometown would be no walk in the park for Brown, either.

Up for the challenge, he inherited a team that had been in a conference championship drought since 1975. Five years after his arrival, Brown

>Adam shakes it all off with T-Swift

> Curious to know what movies mov to watch?

Jake tells it like it is. >>Page

Watson Brown: The man, the myth, the number

By JORDAN PACE Asst. Sports Editor

>>Page 5

By REANNA YOUNG Beat Reporter

On the morning of Sept.

26, at 1:38 a.m., Cookeville Police Officer Neil Taylor was called to Kero’s Cafe, the hookah bar on Broad Street, regarding an intoxicated male subject. When police arrived, the subject was identified as Tennessee Tech business major, Majed Mohammed Alanazi.

Cafe owner Kero Yacoub said he was at the cafe and witnessed Alanazi come in and try to start fighting another customer. According to Yocoub, Alanazi had already been to the cafe a few times that night and began to cause trouble upon the last arrival.

Alanazi “This isn’t the first time we’ve had to ask him to leave,” said Yocoub.

“He was trying to fight a guy and when he grabbed a chair and threw it outside on the patio, I told him he needed to leave. I simply asked him to pay his tab and leave. He told me he wasn’t going to, so I asked again, multiple times.”

“I asked Mohammed to leave several times and he kept refusing. He then threw the chair and took off running. I chased him down the road [towards the BP station on Broad and handcuffed him,” Yocoub said. Yocoub said he is a security guard and cop in training so he was able to subdue Alanazi until police could arrive.

According to the police report, Taylor took Alanazi into custody to the Putnam County jail where he was processed and charged with public intoxication.

Jim Dillon | Guest Contributor ON POINT- Head football coach, Watson Brown, broke an NCAA record by attaining the most career losses for a coach.

Jordan Pace | The Oracle REFLECTION- Coach Brown takes a moment to reflect and think after Tuesday’s football practice in Tucker Stadium. our head coach,” said Wilson.

“Our program is in good hands.”

But what about Brown’s team? After being told your head coach is approaching the wrong side of history, it could be easy for players to become discouraged. Senior quarterback and wide receiver Darian Stone holds his own take on his coach’s recently remarkable win-loss record.

“In my eyes, I don’t look at that 200 number as a num-

ber of losses,” said Stone.

“I look at it as the number of challenges he’s taken on to try and make winning programs.”

Stone’s take further accentuates what appears to have been his coach’s M.O. throughout the course of his coaching career, but in particular, his time at Tech.

As black and white as winning and losing may See

“Watson Brown,” >>Page 6

Centennial Plaza construction hammers on

By ADAM WEBB Staff Writer Construction on the new Centennial Plaza officially began Monday as crews removed the concrete pavement from South Patio as part of the Master Plan. The goal is to turn South Patio into a plaza with new trees, an outdoor lecture hall and a stage for small concerts. The construction has blocked the entrance to South Patio as well as the entrance to Which Wich and the front entrance of Henderson Hall. Some students are upset that the construction and obstruction of South Patio did not take place before now.

“I think they should’ve done it during the summer,” said freshman nursing major Miranda Harvill.

Senior business major Bronte McKinnon shared the same sentiment as Harvill.

“I hate when they do construction on campus because it always seems to happen at the most inconvenient times,” McKinnon said. “It always seems to be my luck that it’s happening outside one of my classes.”

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@

tntechoracle.com

Junior education major Dane Holland was more supportive of the timing of the construction. “There probably is other stuff they could work on, but there’s got to be a reason they’re doing it now,” Holland said. “I’m sure they would do it over the summer but it just fell to where they’re working on it now.”

Director of Horticulture and Grounds Kevin Tucker understands student’s complaints but says there would never be a good time for the construction.

“In a perfect world we could do this over the summer, but when there’s progress there’s always inconvenience,” Tucker said. “We move projects as quick as we can and we’re trying to get this done for centennial events. Centennial Plaza is moving as quickly as it can with state funding and the procedures involved.” The trees that were removed from South Patio and replanted in Sherlock Park will remain there. According to Tucker,

CONTACT:

Drake Fenlon | The Oracle

Drake Fenlon | The Oracle

HAMMER TIME- Construction workers remove the concrete from South Patio DIG IT- A construction worker runs a jack hamWednesday, as part of the Master Plan. According to Director of Horticulture mer attachment tool on South Patio Wednesand Grounds, Kevin Tucker, the project is expected to be done by January. day afternoon to remove pieces of sidewalk. new trees and landscaping will be planted when construction is finished on the new plaza. The project is still on track to be completed in January.

“Obviously inclement weather will impede

progress but that’s part of construction,” Tucker said.

Other complaints about the construction have been that there is still is a lack of parking spots on campus. But Tucker says 180 new spots have been

added to Foundation Hall, Crawford Hall, Southwest Hall and Matthews-Daniel with more spots coming to East Stadium. Tucker went on to say that a new West commuter lot is being de-

signed as well as a restriping of spaces over fall break.

“I’m trying to think positively about it because it’s being made and it’s not a question of whether or not it’s being made,” said Holland.

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Page 2 || THE ORACLE || COOKEVILLE, TN

NEWS

Friday, October 3, 2014

tntechoracle.com Contact us: oracle@tntech.edu

>> Campus

events @ tech

Little woman, big audience Amy Roloff spoke in Derryberry Auditorium to a crowd of Tech students.

Roloff’s message discussed her experiences in life and overcoming her personal challenges as well as cultural diversity.

BY REANNA YOUNG Beat Reporter

Amy Roloff, the TLC star and mother from the popular television show, “Little People Big World,” came to Tennessee Tech Tuesday evening to present her lecture, “It’s Me, It’s You, and Diversity is a Good Thing.”

Derryberry Hall Auditorium was full with standing room only on the floor and in the balcony. She came out shaking a pompom showing off her Tech pride where several people of the student body, faculty, staff and community were in attendance.

“Humbly overwhelmed,” was Roloff’s response when asked what her reaction was to how many people were in attendance.

Roloff elaborated on the personal versus the public view of diversity. She made

the point that diversity is something we all have to face every day.

“We’re all facing our own challenges, so why can’t we get a better handle on it?” she asked.

Roloff challenged the crowd to think about how dedicated they are to diversity in general.

“How many of you are all for diversity?” she asked.

Based on the few hands that half-heartedly went up across the hall, she went on to emphasize the point that even if we are for diversity, some times we’re afraid to show it. Why is that?

“We live in a diverse and changing nation, therefore it’s not something we can ignore,” Roloff said. “Just because you don’t understand or face a certain disability doesn’t mean you shouldn’t care.”

“I only like political cor-

rectness because it gives us boundaries. We’re so afraid we’ll offend someone,” Roloff said. “I’m not a fan of the term ‘midget’ if the context is used of ignorance. It’s OK to just ask. Don’t just try to figure it out.”

“I really liked hearing what Amy had to say and I fully agree with what she said about political correctness,” said Joy Stilen, chapter leader of the Nashville Little People of America. “If you don’t know what to say about something you don’t know a lot about, just ask. Don’t try to tip toe around it.”

Roloff also said that one of the reasons her family started the show was to educate and advocate people’s knowledge on little people.

Roloff ended her lecture with a quote by Booker T. Washington, “Character, not circumstances, makes the man.”

October

03 All Day

Parent Weekend 2014 Campus Wide

All Day

Jim Graham Painting Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

3 p.m. - 11:45 p.m.

Upper Cumberland Rodeo Club Hyder Burks Ag Pavilion

6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

FAB Friday Expedition: Earth!

STEM Center

8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Eat.Glow.Run 5K Johnson Hall Drake Fenlon l The Oracle LARGER THAN LIFE- Amy Roloff spoke to Tech students on Tuesday night in Derryberry Hall.

Tech Activities Board Real fashion for real people trades giveaways for campus activities

BY ELLEN CONTI Beat Reporter

BY BRITTANY LYNCH Beat Reporter Poinsettias, umbrellas and USB ports are some of the items given out in the past by the Tech Activities Board on their Tuesday giveaways.

However, as some people have noticed this semester the front lobby of Roaden University Center has been quite empty. However, students no longer crowd the RUC lobby during dead hour hoping to receive some free goods. So why has this changed?

“We’re working with a little less money than before,” said Katherine Winningham Williams, director of Students Activities.

“Now, we’re focused on doing giveaways with more purpose.”

TAB events will be held one Thursday night a month from 8 p.m. until 1 a.m.

“It kind of works for the way they have it. It’s on

a really bigger scale,” Matt Nisbet, Campus Compass adviser said of the plans for the new TAB night. The bigger scale includes the Video Game Tournament that was held in September.

Upcoming events include Blackout Laser Tag and an Arcade Night, both held in the Multipurpose Room.

“While giveaways are great we want students to come to more activities on campus,” says Williams.

Students seem to be catching on and even liking the idea of the bigger events.

“It’s more than just getting an object. It’s more fun being social and getting out there,” said Rachel Donaldson, a senior Physical Therapy major.

The TAB team is looking for input and more help from students. If interested, head down to RUC Room 119 or call the Student Activities Administration at 931-372-3123.

Thank you to Brandon Walls and the IT Staff for support given during the production of The Oracle.

Fashion celebrates all body shapes and sizes in the fifth annual Project Reality Runway show later this month on Tennessee Tech’s campus.

The Women’s Center’s Love Your Body Day committee will be presenting the show Oct. 28 at 11 a.m. in the Multipurpose Room.

The models, both men and women, embrace their bodies and wear an attitude that shares that appreciation.

Hannah Nash, a co-facilitator of the peer support group B.I.D.E. (Body Image and Disordered Eating) as well as a Tech student that has participated in the show in the past spoke about the event.

“The fashion show is a way for people of all shapes and styles to express themselves and feel confident,” said Nash. “Anyone can be a model and wear whatever they feel most comfortable and confident in.”

According to Nash, there are usually more students than professors that participate.

Throughout the show, the audience will receive Love Your Body Day goodies, listen to music and be entertained by the modeling of other Tech students, staff and faculty. The

staff of the show hopes to bring excitement and encourage self-esteem. Attendees that come dressed representing their personalities could be featured on the Be-You-tiful display.

This alternative fashion show demonstrates how to honor positive body images and to ignore the media’s negative remarks.

Over the course of the production, the audience will be informed with research about body image, healthy choices, diversity and social and self-esteem issues. Handouts will be available at the show and have information ranging from healthy relationships to eating disorders.

Auditions will be held at 10 a.m. Oct. 16 in the Multipurpose Room. Tech students, faculty and staff are all invited to join.

“This is not about fashion; it is about using a fashion platform to celebrate our bodies,” said Diana Lalani, administrative associate in the Women’s Center. “While many of our participants are fashion conscious, it is not the fashion that we focus on but the bodylove of the wearer.”

The Women’s Center, WTTU, TTU Lambda and Bully Free Tennessee organizations on campus are the sponsors this year.

To view pictures of last year’s event, visit the TTU Women’s Center’s Facebook page.

Tech introduces virtual reality lab

BY MARK HORTON Beat Reporter Tennessee Tech is bumping it up a notch this semester with their new virtual reality lab that is currently under construction on the third floor of the library.

The H.I.V.E., or Hybrid Immersive Visualization Environment, will help students and researchers learn through visualization by stepping into the new age of technology using a 3-D multiwall reality system called the VisCube. Users will be able to navigate all sides of

the human heart and see the internal structure as well.

“We want to help educate as many groups that will let us,” said H.I.V.E. director David Brown. “The purpose of today’s technology is to get ready for tomorrow.”

Brown said his department is currently creating a 3-D simulation of Derryberry in which students will be able to walk through the structure while inside the VisCube.

“Virtual/augmented reality and immersive higher dimensional visualization is a way of the future for education, entertainment, health

care, engineering design, marketing, architecture and real estate,” said Bharat Soni, vice president for Research and Economic Development.

“The future is here at Tech today.”

The VisCube is supposed to arrive here at Tech on Oct. 27 and will take about a week to construct. Brown’s goal is to start doing demonstrations on Dec. 1 The new virtual reality lab will be the first in the state of Tennessee, and the University is very excited to set the lead in visual learning.

04 All Day

Parent Weekend 2014 Campus Wide

All Day

Jim Graham Painting Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

10 a.m. - 11:55 a.m.

Upper Cumberland Rodeo Club Hyder Burks Ag Pavilion

10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Expedition: Earth! Family Weekend Edition STEM Center

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Football vs. Murray State University Tucker Stadium

05

All Day

Jim Graham Painting Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

8 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Upper Cumberland Rodeo Club Hyder Burks Ag Pavilion 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Bryan Symphony Orchestra Concert Bryan Fine Arts Building, Wattenbarger Fine Arts Auditorium

06

All Day

Jim Graham Painting Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

07

6 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Fall Health Check Tech Fitness Center

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

A Guide to a Better Semester Step 1Step 2Step 3Step 4Step 5-

Listen to WTTU. Win the lottery.

Buy a Boat.

Listen to WTTU on your Boat.

Marry a Mermaid.

88.5 FM- WTTU - The Nest

Streaming 24 Hours a day on the TuneIn App

Interview Workshop RUC Tech Pride Room

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Common Book Keynote Presentation Derryberry Hall Auditorium

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Inspiring service within your community RUC Multipurpose Room

3 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Why does diversity matter to you?

RUC Multipurpose Room

4 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Common Book Signing with Author RUC Second Floor www.tntech.edu/calendar

COOKEVILLE, TN || THE ORACLE || Page 3

Friday, October 3, 2014

Inside the Game <<

SPORTS

FOOTBALL

Football back home for conference showdown with rival Murray State

By SHEA HAILE Sports Editor This week’s match up between Tennessee Tech and Murray State will feature two teams that have had similar starts to their season.

Tech, twill be looking for its first win since the season opener against Kentucky Christian Aug. 28.

The Golden Eagles have lost three consecutive contests, including their Ohio Valley Conference opener against rival Tennessee State. This will be the second OVC game for the team and the first time they have been at home in over a month.

For

the Murray State Racers, they also won their season opener at home against Union (KY).

However, recent weeks have been rough Murray State.

Following their home opener, they traveled the next two games facing Football Bowl Subdivision teams Louisville and Western Michigan.

They ended the stretch with an OVC matchup against Jacksonville State in Murray, KY The Racers lost all three games and were outscored 163-63 during the stretch.

Tech believes they can take advantage of the Racer’s tendency to give up a lot of points.

“I feel like we can really thrive this week,” said junior

running back Radir Annoor. “I feel like this week, we could really rebound and get our offense back Annoor on track.”

The Golden Eagle’s offense has struggled since the season opener. The offense has only scored seven points in the last three games and is averaging under 200 yards a game.

“We had a rough stretch with three tough defenses.

They were all ranked teams,” said Annoor.

Tech’s defense will have

the unique task of containing a Murray State offense that utilizes two quarterbacks in their offensive scheme.

Redshirt sophomore KD Humphries is the most mobile option for the Racers so he gets more playing time. “ I definitely think that we have to respect their quarterback,” said Tech junior linebacker Jay Rudwall. “ He is a bigger guy who can run pretty well. We have seen him throw the deep ball fairly well and his wide receivers go up and get it as well.”

Despite their struggles, the Golden Eagles have made their presence felt in their opponent’s backfield with 35 tackles for loss eight

sacks and two quarterback hurries so far this season.

“I think that our defense is evolving into a pressure defense,” said Rudwall. “I think we need to execute the pressures that we are going to implement this week versus their offense in order to get their quarterback.”

The Golden Eagles and the Racers will renew their rivalry Oct. 4 at Tucker Stadium. This will be the 80th meeting between the two schools. Tech has an advantage in the series at 42-36-1.

Remaining Schedule Murray St.*

H

Oct.4

UT Martin*

A

Oct.9

Eastern KY.*

H

Oct. 18

Jax State*

A

Oct. 25

EIU*

H

Nov. 1

SEMO* H UT. Chatt.

Nov. 8

H

Nov. 18

Austin Peay* A

Nov. 22

*

denotes OVC game

CROSS - COUNTRY

Cross-Country competes in large event at Louisville

By CHAYCE GAW Beat Writer

TTU Sports Information

EAGLES ON THE RUN- The men’s Cross-Country team sprints down the course during the University of Indiana Open on Sept. 6. The team finished second in overall competition.

The Tennessee Tech Men’s Cross-Country team will head to Louisville, Ky. this weekend to compete in the 13th Annual Greater Louisville Cross-Country Classic along with seven other Ohio Valley Conference teams.

After an impressive start to the season, finishing first in the Carolina Invitational and second in the Indiana Open, the team heads into this meet after finishing 11th overall at the Commodore Classic last month.

“Honestly the Commodore Classic was not a great race for us. We were missing our number three and number four man which cost us quite a few points,” said sophomore Brennan Huber.

This weekend’s meet will be unlike any other race so far this season for the Golden

Eagles due to the amount of competition involved.

The Greater Louisville Classic will feature over 115 different colleges, including eight teams from the OVC. “This will be the most challenging race Tech has probably ever ran in,” said Huber. “The amount of competition will be unlike any other race we have ever ran in. We will be facing a lot of big name schools, so the opportunity for personal bests are almost guaranteed.”

The event is so large that the men’s 8K race will be split into three different start times with over 40 teams competing in the group with Tech.

The key to success for this weekend’s competition is all in the training.

“We have had the past couple weekends off in which training has been incredibly difficult,” Huber said. “However, this week is very laid back so that way we can recover and be 100 per-

cent prepared for this race.”

The Golden Eagles top runner in the Commodore Classic was Geoffrey Sambu who finished with a careerbest 8K time of 24:41.63, and finished in fifth place among 250 other runners.

“The challenge for this weekend is that some of the guys on the team got injuries at some point last week and that really pulls us a little behind, but that is not an excuse for us,” said Sambu.

If the Golden Eagles hope to succeed this weekend, they’ll need to pack together.

“We will try to run as a team and ensure everyone finish in good position to earn the team points,” said Sambu.

After this weekend’s race, the Golden Eagles will head to Tallahassee, Fla. to compete in the FSU Invitational on Oct. 11.

QUIDDITCH

INFORMATION FAIR October 7, 2014 from 3:30-6:30 P.M. UTC UNIVERSITY CENTER, CHATTANOOGA ROOM

UTC.edu/Graduate or call (423) 425-4478 Submit your completed admissions application at the event and we’ll waive the $30 application fee.

Anthony Thornton | Guest Contributor ATTACKING THE SNITCH- The Golden Hippogriffs and the MTSU Thestrals battle during their game on Sept. 28

Quidditch sweeps Raiders off the field in scrimmage

By ELISA LONGFELLOW Beat Writer

UT iss an UTC UT an EE E O/A AA A/T /TTitl Titl iittles es VII & IX X/S X/ / ec ecttion ion 504/A 55004/ADA/ 4/A /ADA/ DA A//ADE A ADE AD DEA inst ns ituutio tit n.

Learn. Discover. Achieve.

The new players on the Tennessee Tech Quidditch team beat Middle Tennessee State University 170 to 30 in an unofficial scrimmage Sunday. The object of the match was to give the newer players a chance to show their skills, and they did not disappoint.

“The game on Sunday was for the newer players on the team that didn’t have a lot of game experience to see what game situations are like, and to put all the things that we’ve practiced together,” said co-coach and senior Bryce Whittington. “I think we did really well. There’s obviously room for improvement, but as far as getting newer players some experience, I think we’ve got a good future.”

The teams squared off at Tech’s Sherlock Park on 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon with close to 40 fans looking on.

The Golden Hippogriffs played a strong game and ended the game with a snitch grab for their final 30 points.

Catching the snitch, a person dressed in yellow running around the field, will end the game. Quidditch is a game modified from the sport in the Harry Potter series. In the books, players fly around on brooms while trying to throw the ball, a quaffle, through one of three hoops at the end of the field.

Other balls in play include the snitch and two bludgers.

“I think that this game helped prepare us for upcoming games in the season because it’s different playing with just us,” said freshman Lamonica Williams after her first game with Tech. “We got to see how other people play and it was a good experience.”

The Golden Hippogriffs credit their win to a combination of superior speed and strategy skills, as well as bludger control, according to sophomore and second year quidditch veteran Kota Goodwin.

“The MTSU team wasn’t as fast as us, that was the big thing. We had speed on our side. I think that we were better at strategy than MTSU,” said Goodwin. “We were able to maintain bludger con-

trol, meaning that we had control of two of the balls compared to the other team only having control of one of the bludgers, and that’s really important for winning a game. Our team was able to defend better and play offense better.”

Following the match, the teams did a fantasy pick with players from MTSU and UT-K. The players mixed up with other teams and scrimmaged to get a feel for how different players and talents fit together. Whittington is looking foward to the rest of the season.

“The last two seasons, we finished in the top three of the southern region, so I think that’s the goal. I think that we can do that again this year,” said Whittington.

The Golden Hippogriffs soar again this weekend as they travel to Indiana to compete in the Ball Brothers Brawl at Ball State University.

“We’re going to be playing some of the best teams in the country at this tournament,” said Whittington.

“That will be a good test for us and help us learn what we need to improve on.”

Page 4 || THE ORACLE || COOKEVILLE, TN

OPINION

Friday, October 3, 2014

>> Think Free

Send letters to the editor to oracle@tntech.edu oracle@tntech.edu.. Include your name, email address and limit letters to 300 words. Anonymous letters are not accepted. Deadline for letters is 4 p.m. Tuesday.

We reserve the right to edit grammar, length and clarity.

Can we prevent 1.4 million by January?

KIMMY MANNING Opinion Editor

We may be almost 5,000 miles away, but we’re still involved.

R i g h t now, at this very moment, I promise you’re better off than them: them being our fellow people of West Africa.

The Ebola epidemic has reached a death toll of 2,917 as of last Thursday, according to the World Health Organization. The majority of these deaths are from the small West African country of Sierra Leone.

How many of us have stopped and stuck our foot in the door, tried to end it or have rooted against it? I know I personally haven’t done enough.

Would I be more involved if it were in Cookeville? Most likely yes.

Unfortunately, this outbreak is without mercy and has declared a full-on war, and it’s about time we unify against it.

President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone said that it is “worse than what was being reflected in reports,” and included that there was “desperate need to step up our response.”

Well, let’s see what we’re dealing with here.

The Ebola virus disease, or EVD, has had an outbreak twice in history, with this go-around being the largest and most destructive of the two. It’s a transmissible virus that has yet to find a licensed vaccine—a cure. The EVD has a fatality rate of 50 percent, often making it fatal to humans. According to the Boston Globe, 75 percent of the victims are also women.

At first the statistics of gender seem outlandish.

However, I can see common ties. Many of those contracting the virus are the ones defending it: the nurses, doctors, volunteers and caregivers. The most common caregivers in West Africa are the mothers and grandmothers

“I have every right to life. You have every right to life.” of the families.

It’s so sad to see those aiding the victims following suit to infection, but man, do I respect them for it. I respect anyone who is interceding and sacrificing themselves for those infected. Who exactly is sending these beautiful people?

Courtesy of Al Jazeera

INFECTED - Members of the World Health Organization and the Red Cross hand out chlorine and medical soap to combat the spread of the Ebola virus in Bawa, Guinea, on July 10.

Well, leading at the top is, you guessed it, us— Americans. According to the Office of the Press Secretary at the White House, we have assigned 3,000 U.S. forces to Liberia, are training as many as 500 health care workers a week and are building 17 health care facilities with 100 beds each.

Incredible what we can manage to do when we reach

out to those in need.

So why discuss this issue?

Well, the Centers for Disease Control released a statement that said by January 2015 there could be around 1.4 million cases of EVD unless we take immediate action. The word “we” spans more than just our nation. It describes a global effort to bring this disease to a halt. Unless we want EVD to become a permanent

problem in West Africa, our efforts need to be focused at this time.

The director of the CDC, Dr. Thomas Frieden, said, “A surge now can break the back of the epidemic, if you get enough people effectively isolated, the epidemic can be stopped.”

So that’s what we need to do.

Practically speaking

kemanning42@students.tntech.edu.

Too fancy for football?

Religious freedom?

ADAM WEBB

JARED ANDERSON

Staff Writer

Guest Writer

During Monday night’s game against the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah bent to his knees to pray in the end zone after he returned an interception 39 yards for a touchdown.

He was penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct for his religious display. Abdullah is Muslim and claimed that if he ever returned an interception for a touchdown, that he would pray. The league has since said the penalty was wrong and has redacted it. Still why did Abdullah get a penalty in the first place? If Tim Tebow can spend more of his NFL career taking a knee for Jesus than throwing touchdown passes, then I think a guy that barely gets a shot at the end zone can take 10 seconds to thank the big guy upstairs after a pick six.

The league has rules that say expressing your religious freedom on the field isn’t against the rules, so long as it’s obvious. The league has also stated it will not penalize Abdullah any further and that the penalty itself was a mistake. The league has suffered a lot of scrutiny this season and for good reason. The handling of the Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson

THE

though, how can we be the hands of this mission?

By giving aid.

In between college classes and loans, the chances of me boarding a plane to West Africa are fairly unlikely. But giving is not. Sure, money isn’t overflowing and definitely not in surplus, but I have the ability many people don’t. Giving a dollar can make an impact.

Organizations such as AmeriCares, Samaritan’s Purse, UNICEF and the Red Cross have made it possible to donate with 100 percent assurance of where the money is going.

Yeah, yeah, maybe you think I sucked you in to the trap of “give now” and “be a better civilian,” but that’s not the point. My article was written to remind us that we as citizens of this earth have such great freedom, but we also have the responsibility to keep it spinning, to protect the precious people we have and to continue thriving. We can’t fully function if a part of our earth is suffering.

I have every right to life.

You have every right to life.

Let’s ensure that those in danger know their rights as well.

Kimmy Manning is a senior in Communication/Public Relations. She can be reached at

Courtesy of ABC News

scandals has been downright embarrassing both for the NFL and the franchises involved.

I have nothing against the Muslim faith and fully support Abdullah openly displaying his faith on the field. I recognize that this could just be a fluke on the officiating crew of the game Monday night, but I find it an unfortunate coincidence that Abdullah was practicing a faith that stirs controversy in this country.

Luckily there was an outpour of support for Abdullah on social media so my faith in humanity, and the NFL, hasn’t been totally demolished. I do think that next time officials should make sure they can tell the difference between a prayer and an excessive celebration.

And if they do fine Abdullah for one prayer, then I think Tebow owes the league about one year’s salary.

Adam Webb is a senior in Communication/Public Relations.

He can be reached at abwebb42@students.tntech.edu

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Does changing your look really change your luck?

Coaches and universities are always looking for an advantage against their opponents.

The newest craze traveling through college football is the uniform race, with styles ranging from brighter and bolder helmets to jerseys, pants and shoes. The University of Oregon and the University of Maryland have set the standard for redesigning a look for every game: chrome helmets and uniforms with the Star Spangled Banner lyrics. Now it is getting out of control because every major program has tweaks to their uniforms.

Why do major college football programs roll these out every season? If a major football program needs to acquire extra cash, they turn to a new uniform and colors. This means a whole line of new of shirts and sideline gear to sell to the public.

Most schools just use a combination of black or gray with the traditional university colors and a reimagined logo.

Does this actually gain an advantage when recruiting?

“I’m a huge fan of alternative uniforms because that will attract recruits more these days,” said Seth Bruton,

Courtesy of Bleacher Report.com

a Belmont graduate assistant.

That is a solid point, but there is no guarantee those recruits will even get to wear those alternative uniforms even if they decide to play at that school. For all intents and purposes, mentions on social media and news outlets do help spread the word. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t help getting a win on the field.

The University of Tennessee at Knoxville unveiled the highly anticipated Smokey Gray jersey last season against Georgia and later against Vanderbilt. They lost both games. Being at both Smokey Gray games, it felt weird watching the Volunteers at Neyland Stadium not clad in Tennessee orange. Looking back, I do not like them. Stick

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to what works—orange and white. Does this really help win games? No, but at least you’re losing in style.

“I don’t like. I like the traditional jerseys. I don’t mind wearing ones for special games or what not, but like Oregon and such,” said Tech graduate DK Hall.

Smaller schools like Tennessee Tech need their official athletic provider to give to them a special uniform, because they can’t afford it unless boosters can foot the bill. Major programs get their uniforms for free because they have major multimillion-dollar contracts with Nike, Adidas and Under Amour. Smaller programs also have to purchase items like coaches’ polo shirts and warm up gear for their team, actually hurting smaller programs just for the simple fact

that they don’t turn a profit for those companies.

The University of Oregon is known for their outlandish uniforms. Playing in the Pacific-12 Conference, for instance, Oregon needs to capture attention from out of state players from the Southeast. They do so through their uniform combinations, and it works.

However, what helps Oregon more than anything is winning, not uniform combos.

I prefer the traditional look. A jersey the school wears every time they take the field. It gives a team instant recognition. A person doesn’t have to guess which team is playing. A school changing jersey combinations every another time they play is ridiculous; just wear what got you there. Look at a team like Alabama who does not change their crimson-clad jerseys and helmets. They have been winning championships for years and years.

Great coaching is what wins in college football, not flashy uniforms. They fade like colors in a washing machine.

It comes down to a business decision and that’s all.

It’s another source of income for a school.

Jared Anderson is a senior in Communication/Public Relations. He can be reached at njanderson42@students.tntech.edu

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COOKEVILLE, TN || THE ORACLE || Page 5

Friday, October 3, 2014

Reviews <<

ENTERTAINMENT

October’s must see movies “Shake It Off” unoriginal

By JAKE THREET Entertainment Editor

By ADAM WEBB Staff Writer

The beginning of O c t o b e r means one thing to me: awards season movies are ready to hit the big screen. The last two years have provided some really great films during fall. I was skeptical of what kind of movies we would get this year. Not anymore.

Below are my picks for October’s must-see films.

“The Good Lie” Am I getting all types of “The Blind Side” feelings about this one? Sure.

One good note, however, is Reese Witherspoon returning to the big screen in a major way. Along with this movie, she is also a producer on “Gone Girl,” has a starring role in the upcoming movie “Wild,” which has received worldwide acclaim and a supporting role in “Inherent Vice.”

Odds are, Witherspoon is going to be a regular at the award shows early next year for at least one of these films.

Sudanese refugees are given the chance to resettle in America and arrive in Kansas, where their encounter with an employment agency counselor (Witherspoon) forever changes all of their lives.

“The Good Lie” opens in theaters today.

“Gone Girl” Hopefully I’m not the only one who has not read the book and is just going into the movie blind. The trailer is utterly creepy. In the film, Ben Affleck stars as Nick Dunne. After the disappearance of his wife, and having become the focus of an intense media circus, he sees the spotlight turned on him when it’s suspected that he may not be innocent.

“Gone Girl” opens in theaters today.

“The Judge” Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall is really all you need to know. I’ll just say it: anything with Downey in it, I’m watching. This film, however, is something that branches out for the bigheaded, but loveable actor. Downey stars as successful, big city lawyer Hank Palmer who returns to his childhood home where his father (Duvall), the town’s judge, is suspected of

Ta y l o r Swift has announced her upcoming album “1989” will be her first official “pop” album. With this announcement came the release of the album’s first single, “Shake It Off.” The song starts with a horn track played over a looped open hi-hat and Swift stating, “I stay out too late, got nothing on my brain.” There’s nothing inherently wrong with these lyrics themselves, and Swift has the vocal chops to sing pop, but after three previous albums these lyrics seem uninspired.

The song carries on to the first chorus with lines like, “And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate baby I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake I shake it off.” It’s infectiously catchy and will stick with you after just one listen.

The chorus is a cue to what we can expect from the rest of the song, which is more chorus.

Similar to other songs that repeat chorus to completion like “Pumped Up Kicks” and “That’s Not My Name,” “Shake It Off” uses its chorus to anchor the song with the catchy

Courtesy of IMP Awards

DON’T JUDGE ME- Downey Jr. (front) and Duvall (back) are earning praise from critics for their performances.

murder.

Hank sets out to discover the truth and reconnects with his estranged family along the way. The film also stars Vera Farmiga, Vincent D’Onofrio and Billy Bob Thornton. “The Judge” opens in theaters Oct. 10.

“You’re Not You” Hilary Swank and Emmy Rossum look to make us weep like babies.

Well, I doubt I’ll weep because I only produce tears over the stupidest of things. However, this film looks to be the tearjerker of the month. The film stars Swank as a classical pianist who has been diagnosed with ALS who slowly begins to lose her voice.

Rossum stars as her brash caregiver who lends her a voice while discovering the full power of her own. “You’re Not You” opens in theaters Oct. 10.

“Fury” A movie set in World War II is really all I needed to know. I could watch the military channel all day, but that’s another story.

Set against the backdrop of the last month of the European Theater during World War II in April 1945, the film stars Brad Pitt as a battle-hardened army sergeant named Wardaddy.

He commands a Sherman tank and its five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines.

Out-numbered, outgunned and with a rookie

soldier thrust into their platoon, Pitt and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany. “Fury” opens in theaters Oct. 17.

“St. Vincent” If Billy Murray and Melissa McCarthy are going to star in the same film, you can go ahead it call it a success. I know I am. The film stars Murray as Vincent, a drunken, gambling war veteran who gets recruited by his new single mom neighbor Maggie (McCarthy) to watch over her undersized 12-year-old son Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher).

Vincent’s ideas of after-school activities involve racetracks and strip clubs, but eventually the mismatched pair begins to help each other grow up. “St. Vincent” opens in theaters Oct. 24.

October is a great start to the fall movie lineup. A few more movies that won’t necessarily be awards contenders but might be worth checking out include: “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” opening Oct. 10, “The Best of Me” opening Oct. 17 and “Before I go to Sleep” opening Oct. 31.

October is only setting up for an extrodinary November, which I will cover in a future issue.

Until then, check out one, or some or all of these movies. You won’t regret it, but if you do, don’t blame me.

New artist’s work on display

By Kaylee Gentry Beat Reporter

Students will notice a few new splashes of color on the walls of Joan Derryberry Art Gallery as the new exhibit by Jim Graham opens.

The pieces in the collection, “New Paintings for Exotic Tastes,” are “comparing things from two dissimilar categories, often focusing on the gap between the natural and the artificial,” said Graham.

Graham started on this collection while in Chicago and worked on it through his transition to New Orleans, La.

Heather Calfee, a senior painting major, says it’s important to know a little about the artist when looking at their art.

“Read their bio and try to understand what they’re trying to say,” said Calfee.

One of Graham’s pieces, “Pancake|Paddle,” takes a pancake and two pingpong tables to give an alternative view of a canoe trip before breakfast. The pancake is seen from above while the pingpong tables are seen much smaller in one corner of the painting.

Kimberly Winkle, gallery coordinator and member of the University Art Committee, doesn’t

have a favorite Graham piece.

“They are all quite magnificent visual celebrations of color, shape and personal expression,” said Winkle.

Graham’s exhibit will be available in the Joan Derryberry Art Gallery until Oct. 23, when he will give a gallery talk at 4:30 p.m.

Graham is an instructor of painting and drawing at Southeastern Louisiana University and is currently represented at the Cole Pratt Gallery in New Orleans, La. To view more of Graham’s work, visit coleprattgallery.com and jimgrahamart.com.

Courtesy of Teen.com

HI HATERS- Swift’s new album, “1989”, will be released on October 27, 2014. Her last album, “Red” debuted at number one selling 1.2 million copies in its first week of release.

phrase on repeat. Similarly to the opening words of the song, it’s not an abomination of lyrics but it’s not especially deep or new either.

The bridge of the song is where Swift goes full glitter-on-face pop. It’s a breakdown of the beat and Swift’s filtered voice saying, “Hey, hey, hey.

Just think while you’ve been getting down and out about the liars and the dirty, dirty cheats of the world, you could’ve been getting down to this sick beat.” She goes on to talk about her ex and how he could’ve been with her but now he’s with a girl that’s like, “Oh my God.” It’s a cutesy little break from the rest of the song, but almost

makes her seem more like a sellout pop star than someone who’s semi-new to the genre. From here the chorus plays until the song is over.

Overall the song is very catchy and Swift already has the style and the creativity to make it in the pop world after a successful run in the countrypop realm. But what holds this song back is its lack of originality, not in terms of lyrics or production but more in style. The song is still fun and should be enjoyed by listeners who enjoy this style, but if you’re looking for something a bit groovier and less cookie cutter pop, you should listen elsewhere.

“The Equalizer” a cool action flick

By HANNAH BENJAMIN Entertainment Critic First in box office dollars this weekend, Denzel Washington’s newest action-packed thriller is full of enough violence and Russian gangsters to satisfy any lingering Cold War animosity. Robert McCall (Washington) is a retired, quaint man working at a neighborhood home improvement store. He regularly helps the people he meets, including a young prostitute (Chloe Grace Moretz) forced into the business by a gang of violent Russian mobsters.

McCall possesses a special set of skills and embarks on a mission for justice, singlehandedly confronting the baddest mob on the East Coast.

Denzel Washington transforms the movie from a mediocre “Taken” ripoff to an interesting mob avenging flick. His performance uplifts the whole film, though there were quite a few cheesy slow motion scenes the movie could have done without.

“The Equalizer” implies a lot about McCall’s mysterious backstory, but doesn’t explicitly explain his previous employment or how he can murder 20 Russian guys at 60 years old without a scratch. Teddy (Martin Csokas) does an excellent job playing the sociopathic villain attempting to track down McCall. The audience is sufficiently creeped out by his lack of empathy and outright murderous nature.

“The Equalizer” could have been about half an hour shorter and still able

Courtsey of Screen Rant

COME AT ME- Sony Pictures Entertainment has already ordered a script for a sequel to “The Equalizer”.

to make an impact. The film seems to drag on and increase in ridiculousness as the plot continues. The skills McCall possesses make him seemingly invincible. In fact, only one Russian adversary seems to engage in a fair fight with our hero and even then he is ultimately overpowered.

After the big standoff in McCall’s home improvement store, he tracks the head of the Russian operation back to the actual country of Russia and takes out an entire mansion of mobsters with ease. At this point

in the film, McCall’s superhero-like skills become almost laughable. If the already lengthy film were half an hour longer, McCall probably could have taken out every Russian citizen in the country.

Despite the plot becoming sillier as it goes along, Washington still gives a powerful performance and the movie makes a really cool action flick.

The film is rated R for strong bloody violence and language throughout, including some sexual references.

Page 6 || THE ORACLE || COOKEVILLE, TN

NEWS >> “Watson Brown” Continued from Page 1 As black and white as winning and losing may be, Coach Brown seems to have found his area of gray. The area of gray for Brown, however, is what is often considered in the sports world to be “intangibles.” Ironically enough, these intangibles are ever so tangible. Throughout his coaching career, Brown has made an effort to see his players step across both the end zone and the stage at graduation. While caps, gowns and diplomas may look like intangibles to some, they are ultimately a byproduct of the program building Watson Brown has crafted during his time at TTU. Here are what some of those intangibles look like: For the past two seasons, the Golden Eagles football team has won back-to-back OVC Academic Achievement Awards, as well as recording its highest GPA in team history last spring. In addition to the academic achievements awarded by the conference, the football program was recognized this past summer by the Football Championship Subdivision Athletic Director’s Association for having the highest academic progress rate in 2012-13 in the OVC. Brown’s commitment to academic excellence is something that is almost atypical to the program’s history.

Friday, October 3, 2014

>> Campus

“We’ve always been highly committed to academics, but Watson has taken the academics at Tennessee Tech to a whole new level,” said Athletic Director Wilson.

“That’s what intercollegiate athletics and a higher education environment is all about—graduating. Do we want to get championships, too? Yes, but it’s not an end all, be all.”

Another focal point in building the football program at TTU has involved playing in what Wilson de-

‘‘

Our goal for every one of our student athletes is that they’ll leave Tennessee Tech with a degree in their left hand and a championship ring on their right

,,

— Mark Wilson,

TTU Director of Athletics

scribes as guarantee games, or paycheck games, as they are more commonly known as. Since 2007, Coach Brown has purposefully scheduled 10 guarantee games which have, in turn, given TTU what Wilson refers to as “significant financial resources,” which have not only benefited the football program, but the entire athletics program.

“Those resources have allowed us to grow and put a foundation in place that will help us for years and years to come,” said Wilson.

During last week’s media buzz around the university and its head football coach, players seemed to be more discouraged by the initial responses made by those outside of the program who might use their platform on

social media to voice their opinions on the coach’s new NCAA record.

“I think people need to realize the 200 losses speak more to Coach Brown’s longevity than it does to his wins and losses,” said senior running back Stephen Bush.

In addition to Maisel’s article on the coach’s storyfilled career, Brown was featured during a segment on the weekly Saturday airing of “College GameDay” on ESPN. Making an appearance in the segment was Tech defensive back Marty Jones, who says he enjoyed the feature piece that Tom Rinaldi and ESPN produced about his head coach’s body of work.

“I think they put the right spin on it,” said Jones.

Much like his teammates, Jones says he’d rather people be slower to respond to the number 200 on paper, but to look at the big picture.

“There’s always going to be hecklers on social media, but they don’t see the things Coach Brown does behind the scenes,” said Jones. “They don’t see the extra mile he goes for his players.”

Stephen Bush added that while on paper Brown may be the losingest head coach in NCAA history, he’ll never remember his head coach as such a title.

“I’ll remember him as a man of high character—a coach that wanted the best for his players and always made sure they were prepared for life after football,” said Bush.

An area of concern for students, fans and sports enthusiasts alike has been the contract extension given to Brown to keep the coach in his hometown through the 2019 season. While many will outcry “why” given the

nature of the number of losses in Brown’s career, Mark Wilson feels no reason to justify his decision to keep the coach around for a while.

“The bird’s eye view is we look at the total program and we evaluate things other than just wins and losses,” said Wilson. “Watson has done what I, as an administrator, have asked him to do in building our program.

Tennessee Tech should be thankful for the way he has led our program.”

There are also frequent and often misguided comparisons made between the head coach and his brother, former Texas Longhorn coach and 2006 BCS National Champion, Mack. Although he says they are apples and oranges, Watson doesn’t mind the comparison between him and his little brother. In fact, he loves it.

“Oh, I love being compared to Mack,” said Brown.

“Mack and I have gone different routes. I feel strongly that we’ve both done good jobs at what we’ve done and wherever we’ve been, but competition? Heavens no.

I’m very proud of him and he’s proud of me.”

With the number 200 buoying over a lengthy career, the question for Watson Brown remains what’s next?

Wilson believes that if he and Brown continue to be true to their philosophy of winning both on and off the field, the next OVC championship ring is ready to be sized.

“We want to have our cake and eat it, too,” said Wilson. “Our goal for every one of our student athletes is that they’ll leave Tennessee Tech with a degree in their left hand and a championship ring on their right.”

Jordan Pace | The Oracle PUT ME IN COACH- Watson Brown watches the team practice in Tucker Stadium on Tuesday.

Jordan Pace | The Oracle PIGSKIN FLIES- Players and staff stand by Coach Watson Brown during a football practice Tuesday.