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Tuesday, OCTOBER 27, 2015

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Former Tech student arrested on DUI charge, citations issued for reckless driving and failure to drive within lane

Fall 2015 S.O.L.O. Concert

By WILLIAM WEBB Beat Reporter

A former Tennessee Tech student and spirit squad member was arrested earlier this month on a DUI charge, according to police.

Officer Kyle Farley was on patrol around 2:30 a.m.

Oct. 16 when he noticed a white Toyota Prius driving fast and recklessly on East Spring Street. According to the police report, Farley saw the vehicle, driven by Nicholas Gernt, slide onto South M a p l e Avenue in the wrong lane after locking its brakes.

Gernt F a r l e y made the traffic stop at the intersection of South Maple Avenue and Douglas Street.

According to the report, Gernt was crying and hyperactive when Farley attempted to speak with him.

“I asked Mr. Gernt if he was okay and he told me he didn’t want to talk about it,” Farley wrote in the report. “I asked for his proof of insurance and he continuously gave me the wrong documents.”

When Gernt was asked to perform a field sobriety test, he initially said yes but then told Farley he would fail the test.

Gernt said he had a problem with a toenail on his right foot, so he took off his shoes to do the sobriety test, according to the police report.

After failing one test, Gernt refused to do anymore. According to the police report, he told Farley he would just fail any test that was given to him.

Farley then arrested Gernt for DUI 1st offense. Gernt was also issued citations for failure to drive within lane and reckless driving.

Abby Pierce | The Oracle THE AVETT BROTHERS ROCK THE HOOP - Left to right: Bob Crawford, Scott Avett and Seth Avett perform at the Fall 2015 S.O.L.O. concert. The group sang some of its most popular songs including “I And Love And You” as its encore.

The Avett Brothers perform at the Hooper Eblen Center

By KIM BIGGS Managing Editor On Tuesday, Oct. 20, The Avett Brothers performed at Tennessee Tech University for the 2015 Fall S.O.L.O. concert.

The Suffers, a Gulf Coast soul group, opened the show.

Beginning the show, The Suffers took to the stage with its vibrant, soulful music. Much of The Suffers’ performance consisted of music from its Kickstarter album campaign.

The group performed some of its most popular songs, “Make Some Room” and “Stay,” for the audience.

The Suffers describe its sound as Gulf Coast soul. Kam Franklin, lead vocalist for The Suffers, said the group’s music is constantly evolving, which makes it something similar to a gumbo.

“It has strong bass as far as the musicians in there, but we come from so many different backgrounds, it’s kind of like you’re throwing in so many different ingredients into the mix,” said Franklin. “No matter what you put in it, it still works.”

Franklin and the rest of the band enjoy performing for college audiences for various reasons.

“My favorite part is the mystery that comes with us.

We’re not very known to everyone, and I know a lot of people are just getting introduced to us,” said Franklin. “I like knocking down whatever idea they had of us before. It’s very easy to come in with assumptions, but when you play the universities and they don’t know who you are, it’s way more fun.”

After The Suffers’ performance, The Avett Brothers took the stage with an upbeat tone involving the crowd from the very beginning of its performance.

Mechanical engineering major Madison Dittner was emotional throughout the concert.

“I think The Avett Brothers are one of the few bands that sound better than on their album,” said Dittner. “They are incredible on their albums, so their performance blew me away. I’m a hug fan of them, and I was so overwhelmed with emotions because of their beautiful performance that I definitely cried a couple of times.”

Throughout the show, The Avett Brothers varied its tempo in song selection. The band played songs such as “January Wedding” and “Vanity” during its performance. As an encore, the group chose to sing “I And Love And You,” which is one of

Kim Biggs | The Oracle FLOOR ACCESS - More than 500 students crowded onto the floor of the Hooper Eblen Center.

The first 500 people were given free floor wristbands at the entrance to the floor of the Hoop. their most popular songs.

Katie Williams, director of Student Activities, said the artists really connected to the audience, and everyone seemed to enjoy the group’s performance.

For the concert, The Avett Brothers were paid a flat guarantee of $100,000, said Williams in an email correspondence.

The S.O.L.O. fund paid for The Avett Brothers’ performance as well as The Suffers’ performance.

Beginning this fall, an age requirement was placed on at-

tendance to the concert. No one below the age of 18 was allowed admittance to the concert according to the new S.O.L.O. policy.

Adams said a few people were denied admittance at the door of the Hooper Eblen Center because of this new rule.

“There were a few people we had to turn away at the door because they weren’t 18.

But they were pretty understanding,” said Adams. “One little girl was with her mom, and I felt bad, but we had to enforce the rules. If you start

making exceptions, then it gets complicated really fast.”

The SGA officers gave about 5,000 tickets away, and around 3,000 people attended the concert, said Adams.

In the spring of 2016, country will be the performing genre. Voting for the headlining artist will take place in the coming weeks, said Adams.

Every semester, SGA chooses a list of bands for the students to vote on as a collective body. Once the vote is complete, the decision will determine the performance.

Tech’s scholarship deadline approaches, more than 550 scholarships offered

By SARA SHANKS Beat Reporter The deadline to apply for scholarships is quickly approaching with fewer than two months left in the semester. The deadline to apply for more than 550 available scholarships is Dec. 15.

Each December, Tennessee Tech accepts scholarship applications and awards scholarships

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based on the criteria for the following school year. All students are encouraged to apply, regardless of major.

“All students have to do is fill out one application for all 550 scholarships offered,” said Laura Ezell, scholarship manager at Tech. “We tell students on average the process should take about 30 minutes to fill out their application.”

Though the average process

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should take roughly 30 minutes, it can take longer if the scholarship a student applies for requires more information, such as essays or letters of recommendations.

After filling out the application, the database will match a student’s application based on their eligibility for each scholarship.

“The system will then match a student based on a number of questions asked about the student, such as major, personal char-

acteristics they listed, personal employment, greek organizations and many others,” said Ezell.

After answering questions on the application, it will determine which scholarships an applicant will be able to receive. The Office of Scholarship will then select the recipients who met the scholarship requirements.

“For most scholarships, after we receive which applicants are able to receive certain schol-

arships, they are sent out to the departments,” said Ezell. “The departments will then review the candidates based on the students, and their major, who are eligible for the scholarship.”

After being selected for a scholarship, the student will receive a letter or email depending on what the department chooses.

See “Scholarships,” >> Page 2

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NEWS >>“Scholarships” Continued from Page 1 After receiving the notification of being awarded the scholarship, the student needs to log back on to ScholarWeb to either accept or decline the award.

Although Tech offers more than 550 scholarships to current and incoming students, many might not think they are applicable because of their GPA. “Some scholarships in the system do not look at a student’s GPA in order to qualify for the scholarship,” said Ezell. “Also if a student doesn’t have the HOPE scholarship, they will still be able to qualify since HOPE is a funding through a different program.”

Students also need to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form because some of the scholarships offered are based on financial aid as one the criterion.

“We know that students cannot fill out the FAFSA form until January so as long as you have the form filled out by the FAFSA deadline, which is March 1, you can still qualify,” said Ezell.

All students, whether they are undergraduate, graduate or international students, should apply for scholarships.

Ezell also encourages all students to reapply every year since there might be new scholarships that have been recently added for which they may be eligible.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

tntechoracle.com Contact us: oracle@tntech.edu

>> Campus

Third Coast Percussion visits Wattenbarger events @ tech

By PAIGE STANAGE Beat Reporter

Internationally recognized Third Coast Percussion entertained its audience in Tennessee Tech’s Wattenbarger Auditorium Thursday evening, Oct. 22.

Referred to by The New York Times as “hard-grooving” musicians and by The New Yorker as “vibrant” and “superb,” Third Coast Percussion performed eight contemporary percussion pieces during the concert, one of which the group’s very own David Skidmore composed in 2014.

Skidmore’s piece, “Trying,” layered different rhythm cycles throughout the piece. The other pieces

performed were created specifically for Third Coast Percussion.

Four of the pieces involved everyday percussion instruments such as bass drums, cymbals, xylophones and marimbas.

The other four pieces took a different approach.

“Table Music” involved hitting hollow wooden tables in different ways to produce different sounds.

“Music for Pieces of Wood” involved hitting slabs of wood in different ways to create a variety of sounds; the audience seemed to really enjoy this piece. “Shi” involved hitting plastic chopsticks on different objects, which created a different kind of percussion sound.

The piece that seemed to be the audience’s favorite was the second movement of “Resounding Earth.”

This particular work was composed by Augusta Read Thomas and used Asian prayer bowls to create resonance throughout the entire auditorium.

“All of these pieces are all different genres of classical percussion music,” said Colin Hill, assistant professor of percussion.

Hill and Center Stage teamed up to get Third Coast Percussion to visit campus.

Even with the partnership, Hill found sponsorships with Remo Drum Head, Zildjian Cymbals, Pearl and Adams, and Vic Firth.

Between the four sponsorships, the companies

generated $1,000 to help Third Coast Percussion visit campus.

When asked why Third Coast Percussion was the ensemble chosen to perform on campus, Hill said it is impressive that this group performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention offered annually by the Percussive Arts Society, a professional percussion organization.

“That’s all these guys do … just travel the world to perform their music,” said Hill.

Gabriella Norris, a junior at Tech, said she was glad she attended the performance.

“It’s not what I expected, but it was an interesting sight to see, and it sounded great,” said Norris.

Cafeteria renovations end with reopening

By KATELYN MOSER Beat Reporter A live disc jockey, prize giveaways and games are not something a person would normally expect while having lunch in a cafeteria, but if you ate in Tennessee Tech’s cafeteria last week, that’s exactly what you would have experienced.

Chartwells hosted its grand opening event in the Caf Oct. 20. This past summer, the cafeteria went under some much-needed construction to bring it up to date.

The old buffet bars were taken out and replaced, all

of the tables and chairs were replaced, and there are now multiple food stations with chefs behind them.

It almost looks like a professional quality dining restaurant.

It does seem strange to have a grand opening event for a place that never really closed, but this event was to celebrate and highlight the renovations and produce student interest.

“The grand opening was awesome and full of life,” said Robert Davidson, a junior pre-med student.

“The DJ was solid. The food was on point at every station. Another thing that was exciting for me is that

Chuckles with Cheeny

Chris, my favorite sandwich maker, was there. There renovations are cool, a little dark, but cool.”

“I only went because my boyfriend wanted to eat there. I have to say I was honestly pleasantly surprised,” said Leah Owen, a junior English student. “The games were really fun and I really like the renovations, but I wish it were a little lighter in there. It’s kind of hard to see.”

The prizes from the raffle drawings and contests varied in size and value from meal plans and gift boxes to Apple TVs. Johnathan Zirock, senior civil engineering student,

was one of the contest prizewinners. He won 25 dining dollars, Chick-fil-A chicken minis and a water bottle for participating in the apple pie eating contest.

“I don’t have a meal plan, but I saw the advertisements for the free TV giveaway so I thought I would give it a shot,” said Zirock.

“The music was actually good, the contest was a lot of fun and the food wasn’t nasty.

‘There was a decent amount of people in there. It looks a lot nicer than it did before and it has more space.

I like that there are more options for food, but it’s weird that it’s so much darker.”

Celebrate Halloween at TTU Purple Palooza TTU Athletics hosts the fourth annual Purple Palooza Oct. 27 at the Hooper Eblen Center. Attendees can trick-or-treat and visit over 30 booths around the track.

October

27 All Day

TTU Art Department Invitational Alumni Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

All Day

Barbara Pickett, Guest Artist Bryan Fine Arts 374, Appalachian Center for Craft

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Interview Workshop Tech Pride Room

1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Information Session with The Washington Center RUC 370

4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Graduate School Information Session for Undergraduates RUC 342

28 All Day

TTU Art Department Invitational Alumni Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

All Day

Barbara Pickett, Guest Artist Bryan Fine Arts 374, Appalachian Center for Craft

29 All Day

TTU Art Department Invitational Alumni Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

All Day

Barbara Pickett, Guest Artist Bryan Fine Arts 374, Appalachian Center for Craft

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

TTU Cyber Eagles Meeting Bruner Hall 207

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

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By KAYLA CLOUSE Beat Reporter Tennessee Tech’s athletics department invites families to enjoy free admission to Halloween festivities at the fourth annual Purple Palooza located on the outer concourse of the Hooper Eblen Center Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 6 p.m.

“It’s an exciting, fastpaced basketball season kickoff event that energizes our fans and our team at the same time,” said Jesse Bunch, marketing and promotions coordinator for Tech’s athletics department.

Families are encouraged to enjoy trick-or-treating at 30 Halloween booths decorated by student organization volunteers as well as sponsors from local venders and businesses.

The best-decorated booths from the Student Organization and Business Organization booths will receive a night in the Skybox for one basketball game.

Five awards will be given to the best costumes including best boy and girl costumes, best adult male and female costumes, and the best overall costume.

“The ones that stuck out to me the most were the ones that dressed up like our coaches,” said Bunch about a previous Purple Palooza costume contest. “We had one dress up like Watson Brown, the head football coach at Tech.”

Students with a Tech ID may enter a drawing to win two large Papa John’s pizzas and a case of Pepsi every month for one year.

“We expect to see around 1,000 attendees for the trickor-treat portion of Purple Palooza,” said Bunch.

“Purple Palooza has become one of our most popular athletic events with both the community and our students,” said Leveda Dexter, director of corporate sales and marketing for Tech’s athletics department. “So many of our teams and student groups get involved and have a great time. We are hoping this year’s event will be even more fun and entertaining for our fans.”

A cheer dance routine begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by the main event at 7 p.m.

The Golden Eagle men’s and women’s basketball teams will have a 20-minute intrasquad scrimmage in which they will be divided into purple and gold teams.

Fans are encouraged to participate in the 3-point shootout and slam dunk contest and mingle with the basketball players and staff for an on-court autograph session.

“As a senior, I’m really excited about my last Purple Palooza,” said Torrance Rowe, a member of the men’s basketball team. “I want the community to get excited about our team because we have the potential to be a great and serious contender in the OVC.”

Chat with the President Tech Pride Room

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

Google Internship and Career Opportunity Information Session Bruner Hall 119

11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Association for Computer Machinery Meeting Bruner Hall 207

3 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

GRE Tips Workshop Tech Pride Room

5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Franchising 101 Johnson Hall 218

6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

TTU Soccer vs. Morehead State TTU Soccer Fields

7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Studio Piano Recital Wattenbarger Auditorium

30

All Day

TTU Art Department Invitational Alumni Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

TTU Volleyball vs. Austin Peay Hooper Eblen Center

7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

The Tennessee Tech Tuba Ensemble in Concert Wattenbarger Auditorium

www.tntech.edu/calendar

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

COOKEVILLE, TN || THE ORACLE || Page 3

Features <<

LIVING

Simon lectures at Tech on improving society and self

By ALEX BRUMBACK Beat Reporter

Lateefah Simon, a nationally-known fighter for the people, graced the Derryberry Hall Auditorium stage Oct. 20 with a mission to motivate Tennessee Tech students to not only ask how they can improve themselves, but also how they can improve society.

From the second Simon stepped onto the stage, wearing pink horn-rimmed glasses and a neat pile of braids twisted atop her head, to the closing Q&A, her infectious energy did not waver.

Simon did not have an easy start to life; she was not handed success. Before she was an awardwinning speaker, Simon was a high school dropout with a job at Taco Bell, drugaddicted parents and a baby. This

didn’t stop her from clawing her way out of “the ghetto” and becoming an abundantly successful businesswoman who has impacted thousands of lives.

Simon attributed her success to reminding herself of two simple questions: “If not you, who? If not now, when?”

She asked the same of her audience, urging them to stand up for what they wanted and to fight for what they believed in.

“I ask you to think of that one thing, that one thing that wakes you up in the morning, that policy or problem that gets under your skin,” Simon said. “I want you to ask yourself who you see changing it. Ask yourself who has that passion and that fire in your belly.”

Simon has helped all people: the poor, immigrants, people of color, incarcerated women, women involved in prostitution and sex

trafficking, et cetera. Her career of helping began with a small program called Tenderloin, which supplied condoms, needles, bleach and food to troubled women.

Simon got to know these women and encouraged them to make something more of themselves.

One woman, who Simon described as “a red-headed siren smoking a crack pipe,” has since become a physician because of Simon’s caring inspiration.

Since then, Simon has gone on to graduate college, became executive director of the Center for Young Women’s Development, and has won many awards, including making Oprah Winfrey’s O Magazine’s Power List. Currently, she is the program director at the Rosenberg Foundation in California.

“What I want is to push you to wonder what is stopping you,” Simon said. “You’re time is now.”

‘‘

I ask you to think of that one thing, that one thing that wakes you up in the morning, that policy or problem that gets under your skin. Ask yourself who has that passion and that fire in your belly.

—Lateefah Simon Guest Speaker The audience heard. During the Q&A, a young woman asked about a correctional program for women incarcerated in the area.

In response, Simon said that she didn’t know, but that she would find out. She went on to say, “And if not, we might need to start one.”

She described the process necessary to start a program and the positive impact of making the effort to see change.

,,

Tierra Allgood, a secondary education major, said she knew she would get a lot out the event, but had not planned for the calling that Simon’s words had for her.

“I thought she was wonderful,”Allgood said. “Not because I’m black or because I’m a woman, but because it was a message everyone needs to hear. I needed to hear it. Sometimes people lose their drive. I think Lateefah drove everyone here tonight.”

Spirit squad sparks new movement with “The Eagle” hand sign “The Eagle” handsign is one of many changes brought to TTU by Jordan Benedict, spirit programs coordinator, to increase attendance at home football and basketball games. Benedict has also started hashtag campaigns on social media to spread Tennessee Tech spirit throughout the week.

By ANNALISE FREITAG Beat Reporter Tennessee Tech’s Spirit Programs Coordinator Jordan Benedict is starting a new hand sign movement at Tech.

The sign, called “the Eagle,” involves sticking out your thumb and little finger horizontally, representing an eagle in flight. The phrase “wings up” is a cue for audiences to hold up the sign.

Benedict is also the head coach of the Cheerleading Squad and Dance Team. The hand sign is one of many changes Benedict is enacting

since her move to Tech in July from a similar coaching position at Temple University.

She said her goal is to boost school pride, participation at sporting events and student involvement in general.

“We’re really trying to start a lot of new traditions,” Benedict said, “things people will come to games and expect to do. At (the University of) Alabama, they have ‘Roll Tide Roll,’ that’s a tradition, and we’re trying to do something similar.”

Benedict is also looking to encourage students to sit in designated student sections to have a more organized

and involved crowd. The student section at basketball and football games is called the “Nest,” and the students are collectively called the “Flock.”

“I think it’s important with that student section to give them an identity, so it’s something they feel a part of,” said Benedict. “The student section really is an extension of whatever team is playing, so it’s important that they have that team name.”

At the Oct. 17 football game against Jacksonville State, Benedict sent a few cheerleaders into the Flock to teach them the “Eagle” and a few cheers so they can be

more involved in cheering on the football team.

“When you do the ‘wings up,’ it’s like a rally point,” Benedict said. “It supports the football team, and it also really gets the crowd into the game atmosphere, and that’s my biggest thing.”

“I like the ‘Eagle,’” said freshman Roque Hammack, “because you can kind of fist pump it.”

“I think it’s kind of stupid,” Taylor Weiss said. “But if a whole crowd is doing it, it won’t be so bad.”

Benedict is also using social media to raise awareness of new movements

and increase student involvement. She created the “#WingsUpWednesdays” movement on Twitter to encourage students to tweet a picture of themselves holding up the “Eagle” and include the hashtag. Benedict also posts a picture every Tuesday of a cheerleader or dancer with their “wings up” along with a quote about why they are proud to attend Tech, with the hashtag “#TechPrideTuesdays.”

“This is a big school; we should be having a lot more students at games than what we currently have,” said Benedict. “Especially go-

ing into basketball season, the Hoop is beautiful; all the seating was redone and everything.”

But Benedict said she is excited to be at Tech and work with the dance team, mascots and spirit squad.

“Tech is known in the cheerleading community to have strong support from the school which was a major draw for me,” said Benedict.

“I also really liked how the Tech community felt like a family; it has been a really refreshing change for me to be in an environment that is really supportive of the spirit squad.”

Nelson wins Diva Night contest at Community Options fundraiser

By KATELYN MOSER Beat Reporter Community Options’ first Diva Night was held at Del Monaco Winery Friday, Oct. 23 as local businessmen came together to donate their time and showmanship by showing themselves in dresses, glitter and talent.

Diva Night is a fundraising event held to benefit the Cookeville branch of Community Options, a non-profit organization that focuses on those with intellectual development disabilities.

“Community Options helps those with developmental disabilities within their homes, providing support 24/7,” said Jeanette Preece, associate executive director of Cookeville’s Community Options. “We help them get out and involved within the community and at their job sites. We help them obtain jobs and work with them throughout employment.”

Tickets were $50 a person, or $500 for table sponsors, and included a threecourse meal with wine offered for purchase. Doors opened at 6:30 p.m., and the event started at 7 p.m. It was an adults-only evening; because the event took place in a winery, tickets were only available for those ages 21 and up.

“All the proceeds will be used to provide additional supplies and experiences for these individuals,” said Preece. “We were hoping to make anywhere from $6,000 to $10,000 this year. Our main goal was $6,000 and I believe we’ve achieved that.”

Preece spoke of support she has received from Tennessee Tech over the years, in particular with members of Tech who work with Community Options through the Community Options Business Advisory Council, or COBAC. “We’re a huge supporter of Tech and have received a lot of help from the Tech community,” said Preece.

“We have three COBAC board members that work at Tennessee Tech: Amy Callender, Martha Howard and Seth King.”

Amy Callender is an instructor in the curriculum and instruction department within the College of Education, focusing in special education for students with moderate to severe disabilities. She is co-chairwoman of COBAC and works as a full-time instructor at Tennessee Tech.

“Balancing the responsibilities of teaching, completing my dissertation as I finish my Ph.D., and service commitments can be a juggling act. Most of the time, I manage to keep all the balls in the air, but once in a while one plummets to the ground,” said Callender. “This would never be the goal. There are many wonderful organizations in which to provide additional support.”

Callender said the best part about working with Diva Night has been the response of the community.

“How many businessmen do you know that dress up like women and strut their stuff for a good cause? It is the nature of a great cause that entices such unpredictable generosity of others,” said Callender.

One of the “divas” who participated in Diva Night was Putnam County Trustee Freddie Nelson.

“I’m really excited to see our Putnam County Trustee, Freddie Nelson. He’s done this four times before and has been supportive in getting the word out about Diva Night,” said Preece. “He has provided a previous photo of himself dressed up and put it on Facebook to catch attention and awareness.”

Sheila Scruggs of Lite Rock 95.9, along with her husband, Tim Scruggs, were hosts for the event. This was Sheila Scruggs’ first time being emcee for Diva Night, but she has also been involved with other Community Options events such as Cupid’s Chase, a 5K race that takes place at Tennessee Tech every February to raise funds.

“I interviewed some of the performers before the event and asked what songs were going to be performed but they wouldn’t tell me; the songs were unknown,” said Scruggs. “The performers were very secretive about what they were going to perform before the night. They didn’t want others stealing their ideas and choice of song. There comes a time where all the men, well, ‘women’ go around to each table and acquire even more donations.”

The winner of Diva Night was chosen by which “diva” had the highest amount of tickets sold and donations received.

After counting the money made by the “divas,” the winner was announced as Freddie Nelson, or “Freidalicous.”

Page 4 || THE ORACLE || COOKEVILLE, TN

ENTERTAINMENT

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

>> Reviews

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Steve Jobsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is an average film buoyed by Fassbenderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s excellence

By CAMERON FOWLER Entertainment Editor When do you ever see someone get a second chance at a biopic? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Steve Jobsâ&#x20AC;? is in a strange place, releasewise, because, while the public undoubtedly knows who Jobs is by his point, there have been myriad books, TV specials, and now two feature films about the former Apple Inc. CEOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life and legacy.

The man is easily labeled as a genius and a jerk under the same breath, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy for most people to shrug most of these endeavors off by saying Jobsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; id has been explored sufficiently. However, one of the magic things about movies is how they can change over time with different, exciting directors at the helm and talented writers scripting their scenes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Steve Jobsâ&#x20AC;? is no exception, with Aaron Sorkin, the intelligent writer of films such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Social Networkâ&#x20AC;? and creator of the sharp political TV dramas â&#x20AC;&#x153;The West Wingâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Newsroom,â&#x20AC;? writing the film. Its director, Danny Boyle, is a diverse, personal filmmaker â&#x20AC;&#x201D; initially the right choice for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Steve Jobs.â&#x20AC;? Boyleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s direction here is restrained to make way for Sorkinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s script. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s essentially an expectedly witty and fastpaced stage play, as the film is divided up into three acts that showcase 16 years of Jobsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; life: the launch of the

Photo Courtesy by geek.com iWRITE - â&#x20AC;&#x153;Steve Jobsâ&#x20AC;? screenwriter Aaron Sorkin conducted interviews with many friends of Steve Jobs, while also hiring Steve Wozniak, Jobsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; friend and co-founder of Apple Inc., to work as a consultant in order to maintain historical accuracy.

Macintosh in 1984, the falling out of Jobs and Apple with the launch of the NeXT Black Box in 1988, and Jobsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; triumphant return to Apple in the form of the iMac in 1998.

Each sequence takes place real-time backstage before each product launch, and what ensues is two hours of talking and arguing as Jobs faces troubles with his colleagues and personal life. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Steve Jobsâ&#x20AC;? does not attempt to paint Jobs as the messiah, which can easily be done in typical biopic form. It accomplishes this in part with the performances, which are all exceptional, but the true star is Michael

Fassbender as Steve Jobs.

Fassbender has long been a diverse actor, just as Boyle has been a diverse director.

Fassbender doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look like Jobs and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soon discovered that it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter: his performance is a revelation. He takes the script and just flies with it, every biting and trenchant word that comes out of his mouth is so utterly convincing he makes us believe he is Steve Jobs, warts and all. Fassbender makes it really hard to like Jobs at many points, as he yells at his colleagues to â&#x20AC;&#x153;fix it,â&#x20AC;? and angrily denies that he is the father of his daughter.

His reading of Sorkinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

script is near-perfection, but the other players deliver convincing and equally powerful performances as well.

Seth Rogen plays Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, with aplomb, firing back at Fassbender as if the two really are bickering over the future of the company and who produced what. Jeff Daniels, Kate Winslet, Katherine Waterston and Michael Stuhlbarg fill out the supporting cast and not a single one delivers a lackluster performance.

The acting, along with most of Sorkinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s script, is what makes â&#x20AC;&#x153;Steve Jobsâ&#x20AC;? work. While both do cre-

ate some potent moments, the script often feels incomplete. There is so much talking about business â&#x20AC;&#x201C; who fired whom, who destroyed this, who invented that â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and not enough about Jobs himself. Though there is a moving through line about Jobsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; strained and tumultuous relationship with his daughter, Lisa Brennan-Jobs (Ripley Sobo, Makenzie Moss), and her mother, Chrisann Brennan (Katherine Waterston), most of the many scenes in the movie end up feeling like a 16-year-long argument.

Sorkin may have been taking these scenes from reality, but they end up feeling a bit stiff

and slightly insightful, if not well-acted.

Boyle, on the other hand, directs the film almost without the realization that he is there, much to his chagrin.

Boyle, who can often tightly command the most intense of scenes (see the arm amputation scene from â&#x20AC;&#x153;127 Hoursâ&#x20AC;?), does an adequate job of making the audience feel as if they are simply listening on these conversations, taking part in the chaos that is Jobsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; life.

This method works sometimes, but it especially falters in the movieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overly sentimental ending which sneaks up on the audience with its homeliness after the preceding two hours of damning back and forth that paints Jobs as a difficult businessman and a confused father.

Once the movie ends, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to believe Boyle directed the entire film as his style quietly quits working as the film continues.

However the public ends up seeing Jobs after this movie is not entirely important.

Viewing â&#x20AC;&#x153;Steve Jobsâ&#x20AC;? is a bipolar experience that brings momentary moments of happiness in the bright writing and remarkable performances, particularly from Fassbender, but is bogged down by ho-hum direction and a partial sketch of the man it so dynamically attempts to portray. It may be the last Jobs biopic the public ever gets, but the performances and writing make it fun for those who love a good argument and peerless acting.

Hanks and Spielberg create a remarkably tense drama with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bridge of Spiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

By HANNAH BARGER Entertainment Critic I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be sure, but I feel as if â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bridge of Spiesâ&#x20AC;? is the sort of movie that would benefit from being seen twice, both because of the complicated plot and because it was just that good. The movie, based on a true story, stars Tom Hanks as insurance lawyer-turned defense attorney James B. Donovan.

As a favor to his legal partners who want to show the public that everyone in the U.S. is given a fair trial, Donovan has taken on the task of defending accused Soviet spy Rudolf Abel. This decision is fraught with consequences for both his professional and personal lives.

Meanwhile, an Air Force pilot working for the CIA has been captured by the Soviets and an American student studying in Germany is stuck on the wrong side of the Berlin Wall. Over the course of the film, Donovan is thrust into the role of negotiator as he tries to juggle the lives of these three men in his hands.

Director Steven Spielberg is no stranger to historical dramas, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to imagine that with so many films under his belt, his latest work could come off as a little stale. However, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bridge of Spiesâ&#x20AC;? is a ride from start to finish, with enough suspense to keep someone like myself who knows very little about the Cold War interested. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d already had some plot points spoiled by my dad, who knows anything and everything there is to know about aviation history (The

CIA pilotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name was Francis Gary Powers and if you want to know literally everything about him, give my dad a call). Still, the suspenseful scenes kept me on the edge of my seat with one eye covered, muttering â&#x20AC;&#x153;oh my Godâ&#x20AC;? under my breath. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not much I can say without giving the story away, but one or two scenes in particular had me holding my breath for a solid minute without even realizing it.

Tom Hanks is brilliant as ever and totally believable as the hyper competent but still utterly normal and dryly funny Donovan. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s likable â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a good dad, a loving husband and the kind of guy youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d want defending you if you were accused of being a communist spy. He goes from negotiating the return of the American citizens to calling his wife and convinc-

ing her heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on a fishing trip in the same scene and does so seamlessly. The scriptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s humor comes courtesy of Joel and Ethan Coen, who each had a hand in writing it. Their signature of finding comedy in the mundane fits perfectly in a movie that requires some comic relief.

Outside Tom Hanksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; performance, Mark Rylance is breathtaking in his portrayal of Rudolf Abel. His version of a polite older man showing the upmost dignity in the face of imprisonment and possible execution brings a heaping dose of humanity to the caricature of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;evil communist spyâ&#x20AC;? that was once so common. His calmness confuses Donovan at first, and the lawyer constantly brings up the fact that Abel doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t show any fear or concern about his future.

Abelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s response, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Would it

Photo Courtesy by o-cinema.org A WINNING AFFAIR - â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bridge of Spiesâ&#x20AC;? marks Tom Hanksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fourth starring role in a Spielberg film. help?â&#x20AC;? sums him up perfectly. As Donovan points out, Abel is working for what he genuinely believes in, whatever that may be, and Donovan grows to deeply respect him for it.

To say â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bridge of Spiesâ&#x20AC;? is Oscar-worthy would be

an understatement. It has all the classic requirements: Tom Hanks, a script with a basis in history, Steven Spielberg at the helm and superb acting.

Even if it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t rake in the awards, though, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s destined to go down as a classic.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Episode VIIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; shatters records and crashes websites

By CAMERON FOWLER Entertainment Editor

" # ! " " #

One of the most influential, beloved and downright magical film series is coming back in full force this holiday season after an absence from the film world. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lethal Weapon,â&#x20AC;? sadly, but something a bit spaceier â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Star Wars.â&#x20AC;? Every man, woman and child the world over has either fallen in love with or heard of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Star Wars,â&#x20AC;? and we are about to relive the experience of getting a new film this December with the release of J.J. Abramsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.â&#x20AC;?

Earlier last week, tickets went on sale for the morethan-highly-anticipated film, along with its final trailer being released to the public. Re-

actions of the trailer, many of those including grown men crying, have been uploaded to YouTube as well as Instagram, with videos of the two lead actors from the film, John Boyega and Daisy Ridley, freaking out while watching the trailer in the comfort of their own homes. According to starwars. com, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The trailer was viewed online 112 million times only 24 hours after it debuted.â&#x20AC;?

Ticket sales for the film are soaring, with online ticket distributor Fandango claiming the movie has sold eighttimes the amount of tickets on the first day as the previous record holder, the first â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hunger Gamesâ&#x20AC;? film. It is also shattering records for an Imax release, raking $6.5 million in domestic sales on the first day tickets were available. Buyers experienced issues purchas-

Photo Courtesy by ibtimes.co.uk THE FORCE - Analysts are predicting â&#x20AC;&#x153;Star Wars Episode VIIâ&#x20AC;? will overtake the $2.7 billion gross set by â&#x20AC;&#x153;Avatarâ&#x20AC;? to become the highest-grossing movie ever worldwide. ing tickets on websites such as MovieTickets.com and Fandango, with the sites crashing Monday night due to demand for those coveted tickets.

The fate of the quality of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Episode VIIâ&#x20AC;? all hangs in the balance, but fans are anx-

iously awaiting that Dec. 18 release date to see the film on the biggest screen as quickly as possible. Magic will most certainly be in the air on that night, but until then, may the force be with you, and may you grab your tickets.

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OPINIONS

Is silence still golden? The Bell Witch Cave: Thrill KATE TREBING Opinions Editor If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.

At least, this is what we’re told. Over the course of life, we’ve all learned at some point that our society values the outspoken. Those who raise their voices above the rest are assumed to be the ones who have the greatest interest in an issue. But is this always true? What about the voices who know their minds but choose to keep it to themselves? Is there honor in silence?

I will cut to the core of the issue; I am talking about politics. Before I go further, let me clarify that I am not someone who takes much interest in politics. Before I began this opinions editorial, I had a very limited concept of what an opinions editor could write. My first thoughts led me in the direction of politics, and my inner pacifist instinctively cringed. Why? Not because the world of politics is vast and intricately intertwined, not because I tend to dislike most political leaders, not even for the simple reason that political conversations inevitably unleash the vengeful politician within normally civil friends and family. No, I cringed away from the thought of writing on politics simply because I do not have a strong enough opinion in the political realm.

What do I mean to say by this blasphemy? Do I sway easily from one set of beliefs to another depending on whether I am with my liberal or conservative friends?

No, but I do tend to hold silence when the conversation turns to a certain upcoming election, abortion or the separation of church and state.

Is this some part of my plot to freeze out my friends’ zealous fires with the silent treatment?

Au contraire, I admire their involvement with the world around us. But I hesitate to answer even the most rousing arguments because I am all too often painfully aware of my ignorance on the issue at hand, and I prefer to read up on my facts before “bringing a knife to a gunfight,” so to speak.

My political stance is one of reserve. I have formed opinions on the issues that matter the most to me, and I have the self-awareness to note that I generally choose my stance based on my upbringing and my religious beliefs. Because these sometimes conflict with my most objective observations of the world around me, I find it hard to express what I feel are very flawed and inconclusive supporting arguments with any intention of persuading another person that I am right. I am still trying to figure out my own opinion, so I wouldn’t exactly call myself qualified to help anyone else decide what to think.

But do I settle for the first well-made argument if I haven’t yet formed my own

conclusions? This would be a simple enough solution.

After all, isn’t this the very purpose of slogan banners and commercials for local elections? Voters may not know much about a candidate or issue, so they will be more likely to choose the side about which they have heard the most. Sure, that makes sense from a marketing standpoint, but good marketing won’t solve the problems our world faces. No, we can’t fall for the trap of loyalty easily won and easily lost.

College is supposed to be the time of our lives when we figure out what we want to do, what paths we want to take and who we wish to become. Politics can be a part of that. Some are deeply interested in this vast and delicate political realm. They feel the need to dig deeper into the most prominent issues our society faces, and they do it with skill. They balance out the people like myself, those who simply cannot fully invest themselves in the vast realm of politics.

I have come to accept that I neither have nor do I need to have an answer to every question. This is OK, but do not settle for the first good argument you hear. Do your own investigating, and choose for yourself what to believe. After all, how can you speak your mind if you do not first know it?

Kate Trebing is a junior communication major with a concentration in public relations.

She can be reached at kdtrebing42@students.tntech.edu.

seeker gives full account HANNAH BARGER Guest Critic

Cookeville is a beautiful town, especially in the fall. The people are nice, the weather is decent and the restaurants are excellent. My only complaint about our fair city is the lack of “haunted” attractions. I have been to “Crazy George’s Bridge” at night and it was creepy enough, but that’s true of any bridge in the middle of nowhere. And you could make the parking lot of the Food Lion creepy if you told everyone it was haunted by the ghost of a headless former employee. I’m not technically a local so maybe I’m missing something, but what I’m getting at is we need to get on the rest of Tennessee’s level when it comes to our ghost stories.

Adams, Tennessee has one of the best stories of all in the tale of the Bell Witch.

Anyone who grew up in Tennessee could tell you the basic outline of the story: Bell family lives in spooky secluded log cabin, family somehow angers ancient spirit, ancient spirit torments family, spooky log cabin is torn down, and ancient spirit takes up residence in nearby cave. I had the awesome opportunity to visit the old Bell property over fall break a few weeks ago, and I wasn’t disappointed. The drive from my hometown in Lebanon to Adams took about two hours, and it was a gorgeous one.

An Authenticated History of the Bell Witch by M.V. Ingram, 1894 BETSY BELL - The youngest Bell daughter was said to have been targeted by the Bell Witch.

There are three tour options: the cabin tour, the cave tour, and a double package. It was my birthday, so we went for the double.

The cabin tour is cool, taking you through a reproduction of the Bell home and telling the family’s story room by room, but it’s mostly focused on the history of the Bell family itself. The creepiest thing that happened there was finding out the parents were married when he was 31 and she was 12. So, yeah, there’s that.

The real showstopper is the cave tour, which leads you

into the supposedly haunted “Bell Witch Cave.” It’s a really beautiful place despite its history as a Native American burial site and the Bell Witch’s supposed home. We were lead deeper and deeper into the cave, all the while being told stories of strange happenings and cursed rocks.

My suggestions for this tour: first, if you’re claustrophobic, don’t bother with it. There are several tight squeezes and dark caverns that will cause your imagination to run wild and leave you thoroughly freaked out. Second, wear some shoes you don’t mind ruining. I made the mistake of wearing suede oxfords, and I don’t think they’ll ever be the same.

Third, do NOT take anything out of the cave. Regarding the cursed rocks, the Witch apparently doesn’t like being stolen from. Anyone who removes a rock from the cave is allegedly plagued by bad luck until the rock is returned.

According to our tour guide, they get hundreds of rocks in the mail each week from spooked former guests, all of whom complain about phantom pains, financial loss or items going missing. Even though these stories probably have logical explanations, I certainly wouldn’t take any chances.

Hannah Barger is a sophomore in English.

She can be reached at hebarger42@students.tntech.edu

Automatic gratuity leaves the table, with it servers' peace of mind KYLE GOSSETT Guest Critic Ask me why I like serving, and I’ll give you a variety of answers. “I like being able to talk to people all day,” I may say. Or, “I like how each shift is different.” “I like the flexibility of serving,” I’ll say some days. Or even, “I love the discounts I get on food.”

Ask me what I dislike about serving, and my response is always the same, almost automatic: the money.

The tips.

I’ve learned that almost everybody has a different idea on what an appropriate tip is. Some people say 10 percent, some say 20. Others say double the tax, which in Tennessee is very close to 20. Some say even more. But some don’t tip at all.

Back in June of this year, Taylor Swift released a letter to Apple regarding its Apple Music streaming service not

THE

paying artists, producers and writers for the first three months. In her letter, Swift wrote that it is “unfair to ask anyone to work for free,” and ended it by saying “We don’t ask you for free iPhones. Please don’t ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation.”

The argument Swift presents is an exact replication of how I feel about tipping.

When you go out to eat and have a server who takes great care of you, they are going the extra mile and waiting on you hand and foot because they are under the impression they will be paid for providing you with an exceptional dining experience. Taylor was right; asking anyone to work for free is unfair, and when people do not tip their server, that is essentially what they are doing.

Another reason why tipping your server is important is because an

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Tennessee Tech University TTU Box 5072 Cookeville, TN 38505

Managing Editor - KIM BIGGS Asst. Managing Editor - HAYLEE EATON Business Manager - KIM BIGGS & HAYLEE EATON Copy Editor - SARAH TATE Opinions Editor - KATE TREBING Sports Editor - SHEA HAILE Asst. Sports Editor - JORDAN PACE Entertainment Editor - CAMERON FOWLER Entertainment Critic - HANNAH BARGER Circulation Manager - LUCAS MCCOY Faculty Adviser - JON EZELL

increasing amount of restaurants are implementing a tip out to other employees.

This means at the end of my shift, a portion of my tips go into a tip pool, which is then divided between hosts, food runners and table bussers. The determinant of how much I tip out is not based on how much I’ve made in tips that night, it’s based on a percentage of my total sales. This is based on the notion that my tables will tip accordingly to their bill; however, sometimes that isn’t the case. This is extremely important with higher bills.

Higher bills mean higher sales which mean a larger tip out.

Essentially, if a party of eight comes in and their bill totals $150, and they leave me only $5, it is costing me money to serve them.

Previously, serving parties was not as big of a risk tipwise because of gratuity. An 18 percent forced gratuity, usually on parties of six or

more, was standard practice throughout the restaurant industry.

However, this practice is becoming more and more uncommon in light of recent IRS rulings. According to taxfoundation.org, in January 2014, the IRS ruled that automatic gratuity is not a tip, but a non-tip wage. And since servers only leave with tips every night, this non-tip wage would appear on their paycheck, after it had been taxed. Subsequently, a lot of restaurants in the United States have decided to throw away automatic gratuity all together in an effort to not have any excess bookkeeping.

This change in the system is responsible for why you see a “suggested gratuity” at the bottom of your bill.

Tipping varies country to country, even state to state.

According to CBS News, a bar in New York City has instituted a mandatory tip of 18 percent on every bill. Bar

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Marco in Pittsburgh made headlines earlier this year when the owners abolished tipping and started paying servers an annual salary of $35,000. According to CNN, a Bar Marco server informs their tables at the beginning of the dining experience they will not accept tips, and if a tip is left, the money is donated to local charities.

Since they implemented the no-tip policy in April, Bar Marco has seen their profits nearly tripled.

According to TripAdvisor, if you dine out in France, a 15 percent service charge will appear on your bill.

Oppositely, it is considered offensive and a sign of disrespect to tip your waiter if you are dining in Japan or China.

Australia is a country that does not have a tip system. All servers are paid a standard living wage so tipping is not customary. However, if service

is excellent, many customers will leave a small tip behind as a sign of gratitude.

“Personally, I prefer the Australian system over that of the United States,” said Kaitlin Bruneau. Bruneau is studying abroad this semester in Australia and has a part-time job at a local bar in Sydney.

“It’s reassuring as servers that if I go into work, and it is a slow night, I will still make money to pay bills.”

Will America follow in the footsteps of Australia or Bar Marco in Pittsburgh? Will they make a mandatory tip like France? Only time will tell. In the meantime, if you are dining out and your server is taking care of you, take care of them when the bill comes and leave them a tip.

Kyle Gossett is a senior in communication with a concentration in public relations and news editorial.

He can be reached at kdgossett42@students.tntech.edu

2. Originality is required. 5. The Oracle reserves Plagiarized works will not the right to edit for style, The Oracle encourages be considered. grammar, length and readers to write letters and clarity. commentaries on topics of 3. For verification, letters interest. A few guidelines: and commentaries MUST 6. Submissions must be include your name, e-mail received by 4 p.m. on 1. Letters should not address, home town and Friday. exceed 300 words. classification or title.

Commentaries should be 7. Your thoughts are free. around 500 words and 4. Letters may not run Think often, think free. include a picture of the in every edition due to writer. space. kdtrebing42@students.tntech.edu

News content for The Oracle is provided by the Journalism 2220, Journalism 4820 and Journalism 4930 classes.

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DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect those of Tennessee Tech University’s employees or of its administration.

Page 6 || COOKEVILLE, TN || THE ORACLE

SPORTS

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

>>Inside the Game

A CHANGE WOULD DO YOU GOOD - New seats were recently installed inside the Hooper Eblen Center. The new seats (above) were added along with new handrails, and a stair nose. Pictured on the right is the center during the construction. This was the first time new seats have been added to the facility since 1977.

Tony Marable| Guest Contributor

MCCOIN IS MONEY - Brock McCoin flies down the field after his reception against EIU. McCoin had 88 yards receiving in the 51-20 loss to the Panthers.

The Rundown: Pace’s Perspective

By JORDAN PACE Asst. Sports Editor Photos by Jim Dillon | Guest Contributor

The Hoop receives new look

By SARAH JACOBS Beat Reporter After several months of renovations, the Hooper Eblen Center has a new look on the inside.

All the seats have been replaced with new state-ofthe-art seats and handrails.

There is new wheelchairbound seating and companion seating along with a stair nose to prevent slipping on the concrete. These renovations were the primary elements of the process according to Tennessee Tech Athletic Director Mark Wilson.

It was a long process of getting the renovations started and then getting it completed. Wilson said renovations to the facility have been on his mind since he interviewed for the job in 2004.

“It’s been a long pro-

cess of planning and things of that nature,” Wilson said.

“The actual construction took place from basically right before commencement last year in April, when we officially started, until this September.”

Fans can now enjoy larger areas of seating when they come to the Hoop. The seats are wider so it provides fans with more legroom.

Nick Cantrell, a 6-foot9 basketball fan and Tech student, is happy about the updates.

“Any added room at all is an improvement,” Cantrell said.

Since the renovations are not fully completed, Wilson could not give a final cost.

“It was a pretty extensive project for Tennessee Tech athletics to bring this building up to current stan-

dards with the Americans with Disabilities Act and provide a better experience for our fans.”

LED lighting is the next step in the renovations at the Hoop. The lights will be installed over the course of the winter but will not be completed for the start of basketball season. The lights will help save energy and give better quality for broadcasts.

Wilson said they are very proud of the renovations and hopes the fans, students and users take good care of the new seats in the arena. The old chairs lasted from 1977, and he hopes to get the same long life span out of the new seats.

“If we all have pride and take care of it and keep our feet out of the seats and don’t step on the seats, it’s going to last a long time,” Wilson said.

Cross Country OVC championships approach

By SHEA HAILE Sports Editor

Two Ohio Valley Conference titles will be on the line Oct. 31 when the Tennessee Tech cross country teams compete in the OVC conference championships. The championships will be held in Murray, Ky. Both the men’s and women’s programs will be looking for their first ever conference titles. Head coach Wayne Angel believes the women’s team can finish near the top in the conference race.

“We think we can be a top five team,” said Angel. “There are a lot of teams that are very close. 5,4,3 we think we are in that group.”

“I think if they race as well as they train then I think we are going to see something special next week in Murray, Ky.” The men’s team has suffered some disappointments during the season, but could still find success at the championships.

“Sambu is always going to be competing up there for a top five finish and I think Daniel Williamson will be shooting for a top 20 finish and we are really excited about that,” said Angel.

Junior Geoffrey Sambu completed his personal record for the 8K distance in last year’s OVC championships. Sambu’s performance in the championships was good enough to earn him a spot in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s South Regional. Sambu ran the South Regional 10K in 30:51.60, a personal record and a school record. He is looking to build on his success from last year and make a run for the NCAA National.

“Last year when I ran in the regionals, I ran my personal best. At the end of the regionals, I missed by only one spot to go to the nationals,” said Sambu. “So, if I do good in the conference this Saturday that would be a guarantee for me that I will be challenging for a spot in the national this year. I think I will be able to do that because I have been improving throughout the season.”

An injury from earlier in the year has restricted Sambu from performing at his highest level during the season so far. The injury kept him out for five months, which made it dif-

ficult for him to perform at his best.

“That put me behind for a while and picking up to where I was last year has took some time. I have been trying a lot to come back and I have been improving at every meet we go to.”

“It is demoralizing when you go to a meet but sometimes you feel good, but when you run you realize you are out of shape from the performance. Sometimes it mentally affects you for a while, but because I knew it was not my fault that I ran a poor time it was because of the injury I had. That does not really affect me mentally a lot because I know that is not the best I can do. I can do more than that so it only makes me work harder to reach where I was before.”

Sambu has been a top performer for the men’s team this season, while junior college transfer Sarah Brandt has been consistent for the women’s team this season. Brandt has finished in the team’s top two for every meet this year.

“I have not had the perfect race yet, but I am happy about the results so far,” said Brandt. “ I am looking forward to some big prs [personal records].

Brandt’s personal records so far at Tech include a time of 18:25.2 at the 5K distance.

She achieved the personal record at the Grater Louisville Classic. At the 6K distance, Brandt current record is 22:43 at the 6K distance during Tech’s appearance at the Furman Classic. “ I think that was a 10 second pr for running any distance that is a big deal. I set the bar pretty high last year for myself so I am pretty happy about that.”

Brandt expects the best performance possible for her self and her team. She has a goal that she would like to achieve at the OVC championships. “ Personally, I would like to hit in the 18flat range and as a team I want us all to max out and that covers all of it basically if we all just do our best. I know that the numbers follow that.”

The OVC championships will begin at 9:00 a.m. with the women’s 5K. The men will follow with a 8K run at 10:00 a.m. Both events will be at the Miller Memorial Golf Course.

Tennessee Tech suffered its fourth straight loss Saturday, struggling in a 51-20 blowout at Eastern Illinois.

Fortunately for the Golden Eagles, the dog days are over, as the meat of their schedule is finally behind them with some winnable games in the forecast.

But first, here’s my rundown of Saturday’s loss: Playmakers I’ll be honest, I never envisioned typing Ty Jobe’s name this season, but with the quarterback issues Saturday, it became a real possibility early in the game that the scoutteam signal-caller might get called into action.

Entering just before the end of the third quarter, Jobe made the best of his circumstances.

Initially, he struggled, throwing a pick-6 on his first passing attempt, but the redshirt freshman fostered some gains for the Golden Eagles, throwing for 74 yards and rushing for 13 with his first career touchdown.

Defensively, cornerback Maleek Hall and senior linebacker Jay Rudwall had another standout showing. Although it’s typically never a sign of success when a defensive back leads a defense in tackles, as Hall’s nine (seven solo) were the most among the Golden Eagles, but his continued ball-hawking ability to disrupt plays is making for one notable junior season. Against the Panthers, Hall recorded a pair of pass breakups and tackles for a loss.

Rudwall’s eight tackles (four solo) ranked second on the team, bringing his season total to 77 (22), which ranks fourth in the OVC behind opposite Tech middle linebacker Tra’Darius Goff, who’s currently first in the conference with 97 (37).

Rose While looking at the numbers, it’s easy to miss the bright spots in between a mostly dark day, statistically speaking, but Tech’s defense held EIU quarterback Jalen Whitlow to just 160 passing yards and the Panthers to 193 total passing yards. That’s an improvement from last year’s 297 to Whitlow and from last

week’s 278 to FCS No. 1 ranked Jacksonville State. The defense also forced EIU to a frustrating 3-of-12 on third down.

Thorn It’s way too easy to pin Tech’s offensive struggles on five interceptions and two lost fumbles, but why not? The offensive line gave up three sacks, but the story of the day was the turnovers. They were pretty ill-timed, too. The first was on the first play of the game, an interception that set up an EIU touchdown. The second came on Tech’s second offensive play, another interception. The third? You guessed it. Three passing plays, three interceptions inside Tech’s own territory.

A Cause for Concern It’s both safe and fair to say the Golden Eagles have a quarterback problem because head coach Watson Brown said it himself after Saturday’s loss. After breaking his hand four games prior in a win at Murray State, junior quarterback Jared Davis, the team’s starting gunslinger since the spring, was believed to be ready for his first playing time since a less than stellar or healthy performance in a loss to UT-Martin the week after his seemingly minor injury. Davis struggled from scrimmage against EIU, throwing an interception on the first play of the game and later three more before giving up the gig to Colby Brown. Davis clearly wasn’t ready to come back yet. Brown made some strides in his place, throwing for completions of 17, 56, 15, and 10 yards, but left the game late in the third quarter with an injury of his own before Jobe sprung into play.

Tech has to figure out its QB thing this week before things go from bad to worse.

A Glimmer of Hope Breathe. It’s over. Sure, it took four consecutive losses to climb out, but, again, the dog days are over. After a trip to Southeast Missouri Saturday – a conceivable win for Tech – the Golden Eagles get a much-needed bye week before the final two games – two more conceivable wins – at home against Austin Peay and Tennessee State. That’s not to say things will be easy, only easier, as the bottom of the pack remains on Tech’s schedule, which could end this fast-paced season on a high note with some much-desired optimism.

Robertson leads women’s golf to fourth place finish in the Blue Raider Invitational

By HOLLY MORGAN Beat Reporter The Tennessee Tech women’s golf team finished fourth in the Blue Raider Invitational Oct. 19 and 20. They were led by the play of Whitney Robertson who tied for 14th overall.

Robertson, Maddi Everts, Allyson Dunn, Megan Williamson and Hollee Sadler all represented Tech in the 36hole event.

Tech shot a combined 309 during the first round of play to finish tied for third. Dunn finished in third place and led the team with a 73. Robertson finished the round with a 75 and tied for 22nd overall.

Williamson carded a 79 and tied for 51st. Everts shot an 82 while Sadler ended the round with an 83.

Tech tried to maintain its spot on the leader board during the next two rounds.

Everts led Tech carding a 7576 – 151 to finish tied for 23rd overall. Robertson followed close behind, shooting an 8173 – 154 to finish the tournament tied for 14th. Williamson

tied for 36th after carding an 81-76 – 157 in the final two rounds. Sadler carded an 8376 – 159 to finish tied for 61st overall. Allyson Dunn tied for 31st and carded a 79-83 – 162.

The field of 17 teams was comprised of five Ohio Valley Conference teams: Austin Peay, Belmont, Jacksonville State, Murray State and Tennessee Tech. No OVC team placed higher than Tech in the tournament. In-state rival MTSU took full advantage of playing on its home course. The Blue Raiders finished the tournament in first place, 43 strokes ahead of Tech. University of Texas Rio Grande Valley finished in last place with a 79-stroke difference between its team and Tech.

The women’s golf team hasn’t won a tournament this season, but it’s not for lack of talent. Coach Polk Brown sees what needs improvement from this tournament to make that happen.

“We made too many big numbers. We have to learn how to turn big numbers, such as double and triple

bogeys, into just bogeys,” said Brown. “Also, our par 5 scoring was not at the level it needed to be.”

He says the team is very confident in its ability to win a tournament; it all comes down to the team playing solid golf at the same event.

With only one tournament left in the team’s fall s e a s o n , Robertson has her eye on the prize.

“I want to finish the season strong; finishing with Robertson a tournament win would be great. The OVC championship isn’t until the spring season and that is what’s on everyone’s mind.

We have a whole semester to get ready to win the big one.

We have the skills and the drive to win the OVC this year.”

The final tournament of the fall season is the UAB Fall Beach Blast, which will take place in Gulf Shores, Alabama Nov. 2 and 3.