Oct. 28, 2009

Page 1

VOL. 104, NO. 11 | Single Issue Free

University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, Ark.

LIFESTYLES

WEATHER

Spotting scary sights in Fayetteville page 9

SPORTS

Hogs gauge bowl chances page 13

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Page 1|WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009

About you. For you. For 104 years.

Homecoming expands New events reach more participants Tina Korbe Editor

To the students and alumni who plan Homecoming, the weeklong celebration is more than just a series of events to stir up competition among Greek organizations. It’s a reminder of the past, present and future of the university and an opportunity to involve the entire campus community in an effort to give back to the school. “Homecoming serves alumni, students and children of alumni, and it instills pride in the university and Razorback athletics,” said Spencer Lucker, the communications chair of Student Alumni Board, the student counterpart of the Arkansas Alumni Association and the group most responsible for Homecoming. Arkansas Alumni Association officers Steve Nipper and Libby Vines can vouch for that, they said. “Homecoming is the time that all alums get back together again,” said Vines, who graduated from the university in 1991 and now serves on the national board of the alumni association. “It’s the weekend people try to get that old college feeling and relive fond memories of their college days and great friendships.” Vines made her best friends at the UA, she said, but, because she no longer lives in Fayetteville, she doesn’t see them as often as she’d like. Homecoming gives her the opportunity to rekindle old friendships. Nipper, who graduated from the

university in 1971 and will serve the alumni association as president next year, still remembers the fun he had at Homecoming as a student. “I was in a fraternity and we participated in all the Homecoming activities – pep rallies and parades,” he said. “Of course, they weren’t quite as elaborate as they are today.” Now, he sees Homecoming as an ideal time to return to Fayetteville to observe the progress of the university. “I encourage all alumni to come back just to be able to see what has been accomplished on campus,” Nipper said. “I am constantly impressed by what the leadership of the university has done to grow it. The campus has almost doubled people-wise and there are a number of new buildings. The students, the ACT scores ... I’m sure 40 years ago we thought we were doing a good job. We’re doing even better now.” But if the university has expanded and improved, then Homecoming has, too. “This year, we’ve really made Homecoming a campuswide and community event,” Lucker said. To increase campus unity, the planning committee recruited a wide variety of organizations – from the Associated Student Government and the Athletic Department to University Programs and Up ‘til Dawn – to help plan “A Red and White Affair,” said SAB Homecoming Chair Megan Lomax. Community is not the only theme of this year’s Homecoming, however.

“A Red and White Affair” also emphasizes philanthropy more than past Homecomings. Last week’s blood drive – an annual tradition – raised more than 1,700 units of blood – a state and regional record. “The participation was unbelievable,” Lomax said. “I wish I could go to every individual who gave blood and thank them because the support was tremendous. Giving blood’s not such a fun thing to do, but people did it.” Up ‘til Dawn Movie Night – a first this year – has a philanthropic focus, too. When students walk into Bud Walton Arena to watch “The Hangover,” they won’t have to pay a cent – but they will be asked to donate a dollar or two to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. If they donate $5, they’ll be entered in a drawing to win a one-night stay at Fitzgerald Hotel and Casino in Tunica, Miss. Connecting Homecoming with the opportunity to give just makes sense, said Laura Ladd Pouncey, the assistant director of Up ‘til Dawn.

PROTESTERS OBJECT TO OLMERT

Vines agrees, she said. “We want students to realize right now while they’re in school how important it is to support the university because of how important the UA is

to the state and how lucky we are to have gone there,” Vines said. Giving is win-win, Nipper said. “ Yo u get a big-

ger feeling out of it than the university does,” he said. Philanthropy aside, though, not everyone does win – because, in the end, Homecoming is still a competition. For the members of the organization that claims the highest number of points, though, the win lasts longer than the two seconds they see their name flashed on the scoreboard. “It’s pride that you hold for the entire year,” said Lucker, who is also the president of Sigma Nu fraternity. “It exemplifies commitment to and love of the university. It makes the abstract idea of Razorback spirit concrete.”

A member of Kappa Sigma fraternity shows off his version of the Stanky Leg at the 16th annual Unity Step Show on Monday.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

100 years of Razorbacks

From the UA Cardinals to the UA Razorbacks, the school’s mascot continues to evolve April Robertson Staff Writer

LARRY ASH Staff Photographer

Amid a storm of controversy, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert addressed students, faculty and members of the Fayetteville community yesterday in Barnhill Arena.

“A Red and White Affair, Celebrating 100 Years of Razorback Pride” is this year’s Homecoming theme, part of the centennial celebration of the Razorbacks’ name. Hugo Bezdek, the Arkansas head football coach from 1908 to 1912, is credited with changing the name from the Arkansas Cardinals to the Arkansas Razorbacks. On Oct. 30, 1909, Bezdek arrived in Fayetteville by train after the Cardinals defeated LSU 16-0. Then, Bezdek made his famous announcement that the UA team had fought like a herd of razorbacks, which instituted the popular name. The following year, university students voted the name into use.

A re-enactment of the namebearing took place July 21, 2009, the first full day of the yearlong celebration commemorating “100 Years of the Razorbacks.” Local actor David Wright represented a very animated Bezdek for the event. Wright wore a straw hat while reiterating Bezdek’s words and posing for pictures at the famous train spot. A marker explaining the story of the Razorback name was erected near George’s Majestic Lounge for the memorial occasion. The previous mascot had been chosen simply because the

university colors were “cardinal red” and white. The colors were one of only two choices given to students in 1894, when the college football team was formed. T h e name “razorback,” in reference to wild hogs, started as a rumor that a hog’s spine was covered with bristles as sharp as a razor. Courageous, ill-tempered, sly and always looking for a fight are characteristics associated with the wild razorback hog, according See

MASCOT on Page 6

RAZORBACK LOGOS THROUGH THE YEARS: Courtesy Photos

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Page 2 |WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009

BRIEFLY speaking

NEWS

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER |UATRAV.COM

HOT DOGS FOR HOMECOMING

Professional agriculture sorority wins awards at convention Four girls from the Sigma Alpha Sorority – Iota Chapter, a professional agriculture sorority, attended Sigma Alpha National Convention in Indianapolis, Oct. 15 to Oct. 17. The Iota Chapter won the scrapbook award and placed third in Professional Development, and Chelsey Ahrens won the Collegiate Scholarship for $750.

German film, lecture to be presented later this week The UA German section will show the classic German vampire film “Nosferatuâ€? and will host Katrin SchrĂśter of the University of New Mexico, who will give an introductory lecture and lead a question-and-answer session about the film, 6:45 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, in the Arkansas Union Theater. Both the lecture and movie are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Jennifer Hoyer at jhoyer@uark.edu.

STEPHEN IRONSIDE Staff Photographer

Mattie Bookhout, president of the Associated Student Government, hands out free hot dogs during Hot Dogs for Homecoming in the Arkansas Union Connections Lounge on Monday.

Entomology guest seminar series continues Friday The Department of Entomology Guest Seminar Series continues with Max McFadden of Santa Fe, N.M. Heron holds a Doctor of Philosophy and works for the Heron Group LLC. The title of his seminar is “Virtues, Values and Credibilty: Keys to Success in Science-Based Careers.� The seminar will be hosted at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 30, in AGRI 332. Anyone may attend.

CDC to host Big Event for job-seekers The Big Event, hosted by the UA Career Development Center, is a professional development conference designed to prepare and give UA students the competitive advantage in their job or graduate school search and life beyond college. The Big Event will be 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, on the fifth floor of the Arkansas Union. Students can register at Career.uark.edu/Students/Events/BigEventRegistration.aspx.

Inspirational Singers to host fall concert The UA Inspirational Singers will present a Fall Concert 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Walton Arts Center. Admission is $10 for the general public, $5 for seniors and $1 for students.

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CORRECTIONS The Arkansas Traveler strives for accuracy in its reporting and will correct all matters of fact. If you believe the paper has printed an error, please notify the editor at 575.8455 or at traveler@uark.edu.

CONTACT INFORMATION 119 Kimpel Hall ! University of Arkansas ! Fayetteville, AR 72701 479.575.3406 [main line] ! 479.575.3306 [fax] traveler@uark.edu ! www.uatrav.com TINA KORBE

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HOMECOMING

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009| Page 3

Students to elect 2009 Homecoming queen

The 2009 Homecoming queen candidates are Alexandra Kosmitis, Mattie Bookhout, Kim Smith, Locke Isaacson and Katie Sellers. The winner will be announced at the Homecoming pep rally on Friday, Oct. 30, at the Chi Omega Greek Theater.

April Robertson Staff Writer

The five UA Homecoming queen candidates for 2009 are Mattie Bookhout, Locke Isaacson, Alexandra Kosmitis, Katie Sellers and Kim Smith. Katie Sellers, a senior biology student, is president of the Student Alumni Board. Sellers said she came to the UA because of the strong community in Fayetteville, which was reminiscent of the community she had in her hometown of Hutchinson, Kan. “Everyone in my family was a leader in the community,� she said. Sellers was a leader in every aspect of her life in Hutchinson, through involvement in sports, community service and education. When she arrived in Fayetteville, Sellers said she felt welcomed by the Razorbacks and was drawn to the sense of pride in the community. At first, Sellers didn’t plan to be a leader in the SAB, but after two and a half years of active service, she faced the opportunity. “I wanted to experience as much as possible,� Sellers said.

As president, Sellers planned and executed many of the Homecoming events that took place on campus, such as the student talent showcase, parade, pep rally, banner competition, student cook-off and Chancellor G. David Gearhart’s involvement in passing out hot dogs in front of the Arkansas Union. Mattie Bookhout, president of the Associated Student Government, is excited about being a Homecoming queen candidate this year because she admires the other candidates and the positions that they each hold. “When I was a freshman, I looked up to this group of girls,� she said. “Now they are all my friends.� Bookhout, an industrial engineering student, chose the UA because of the welcoming spirit of the campus and staff. “Originally, I was interview-

ing with Harvard and Princeton, where they told me, ‘You’d be lucky to get a degree here,’� she said. The UA provided a friendly contrast because then-Chancellor John A. White told her, “The UA is going to change with or without you, but we would love to have you.� T h i s helped Bookhout realize she had more opportunities and funding available at the UA. Among her favorite aspects of the university is the opportunity at the UA to study abroad multiple times. Bookhout has already studied abroad five times and said it is one of the many ways the UA experience can be customized to fit the student. Bookhout grew up in Little Rock, where her parents gave her enough independence to shape her life.

“I have ended up exactly where they wanted me to be without them telling me what that was,� she said. Kim Smith, the captain of the Razorback Cheerleading Squad, is a health science major from Hot Springs. Smith is the third vice president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council and is sponsored by the Kappa Iota Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. “Basically, I just wanted to come here because it’s a great family environment and I’m a big family person,� Smith said. “I just really felt welcome when I came here for my visit.� Smith said her experience on the Homecoming Court has been humbling. “To have my friends and family really supporting me 100 percent means a lot,� she said. Panhellenic President Alexandra Kosmitis is also on the Homecoming Court this year. Kosmitis was drawn to the UA because her parents and sister attended, but she was also attracted by the business school because she wanted to earn a marketing major. As Panhellenic president, Ko-

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working harder to make an impact at a bigger college. Isaacson is an honors student in the Walton College of Business and is a marketing major. She is involved in the American Marketing Association and has an internship at Tyson, where she analyzes point data and assesses company quality to find ways to improve it. In addition to her marketing major, Isaacson is working on minors in finance and communication and is a member of Pi Beta Phi. As Panhellenic vice president, Isaacson is in charge of recruitment for rush, marketing Greek life to freshmen students, speaking at student orientation and being the link between the students and chapters. The winner will be announced at the Homecoming pep rally on Friday, Oct. 30, at the Chi Omega Greek Theater. The announcement will be made by Jeff Long, the UA athletic director. The winner and the rest of the court will be escorted onto the field at halftime during the Homecoming game against Eastern Michigan on Saturday.

Remember these tips for a safer homecoming‌ Drink responsibly, if you drink at all. Never take advantage of someone who is under the influence When it comes to sex‌No means No! Watch out for fellow Hogs‌if you think something is wrong, it probably is! Step up and take action to help.

smitis meets with the organization’s adviser, leads all the weekly meetings and takes part in each committee. She also meets with the Dean of Students Leadership Advisory Committee on a regular basis and talks to parents of potential students when she helps with university orientation. Although she has many responsibilities, she said her favorite is giving weekly tours of the campus and meeting new people. “I really like the people (here) because everyone is really friendly,� she said. Kosmitis went to high school in Pine Bluff, where she was captain of the cheerleading squad and was part of the National Honors Society, among other organizations. Locke Isaacson represents the Greek Life Facilitators on the Homecoming Court this year. When searching for a college, Isaacson said she looked for a small college because she thought she could impact it more. Following this, she thought Rhodes College in Memphis would be ideal. After visiting both Rhodes College and the UA, Isaacson decided to challenge herself by

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OPINION THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

Page 4 |WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009

Check UATrav.com for daily updates Phone: 575.8455 | E-mail: traveler@uark.edu

Editor: Tina Korbe | Managing Editor: Kimber Wenzelburger

Letter from the Editor

That ol’ hog holds on When university officials inaugurated Homecoming in 1922 to promote campus involvement among the student body and alumni, they designated the theme, “Razorbacks never quit.” “It proved so popular that it was used every year for several years thereafter,” according to an e-mail from Stephanie Grise, the Student Alumni Board histories chair. It also proved prophetic. This year, the university celebrates the 100th anniversary of its mascot, the Razorback. Over the years, he’s been skinny, he’s been sweatered, he’s been beet red, he’s been bright red, he’s been friendly and he’s been fierce. He might blow smoke, but he also invokes Arkansas pride and tradition. And, of course, he never, ever quits. The Traveler knows the Razorback pretty well. After all, we’ve been around as long. And a glance at our archives reveals that we’ve had about as many different looks as he has. This year, of course, we had the most dramatic makeover yet: We became a multimedia news organization with a daily news site and a weekly print edition. If you haven’t been to UATrav. com yet, this is the week to do it: The site will feature a UA Homecoming update each morning. And, someday, when you return to the UA for Homecoming as a golden alum, you can count on The Traveler to clue you in on all that’s happened since you’ve been gone – because, like Razorbacks, Travelers never quit. Cheers, Tina Korbe Editor

Collaboration leads to success

SMOKE A CIG FOR FREEDOM GUEST EDITORIAL Sam Letchworth

As if the double-whammy of a state and national cigarette tax, which together raised a pack of smokes $2 within a month, wasn’t enough to piss off smokers, now you can’t buy certain cigarettes at all. As of Sept. 22, there is an FDA ban on all flavored cigarettes, including cloves. The reason? “Flavored cigarettes attract and allure kids into lifetime addiction,” says Howard Koh of the Department of Health and Human Services. Yeah, well, Howard, so does Ronald McDonald. Besides, fruity cigarettes taste like crap. Everybody knows that. That’s why they only account for 1 percent of all tobacco sales. So ... why? Menthol “flavored” cigarettes, which represent 28 percent of all tobacco sales, will stay on the shelves. Apparently menthol doesn’t qualify as a “flavor.” Why? Maybe because Nobel Peace Prize winner Barack Obama (what the hell?) smokes Newports. Who knows? The FDA has a comprehensive plan for coming down on Big Tobacco. By 2012, tobacco companies won’t be allowed to advertise at public events. The terms “light,” “low” and “mild” will be banned from appearing on tobacco products. The warning labels “will be revised and strengthened.” Is this a push for prohibition? Hell, it already is prohibition. Try to buy a pack of cloves at the gas station. Isn’t this America, a capitalist, free-market nation where an entrepreneur can market and sell a product? And as far as the well-being of the public is concerned, launching economic attacks against a business that pulls a lot of weight for this country, during a recession, is bad timing to say the least. To say the most, it’s downright stupid. But strangely enough, the “flavor ban” doesn’t apply to cigars or dip or any other form of tobacco. Just cigarettes. And what about cherry-flavored vodka and peppermint schnapps? Do these flavored alcoholic beverages not appeal to kids? Smirnoff Ice tastes like soda pop. But to ban these products would be unconstitutional. We’ve already been through all this with alcohol and the 21st Amendment. The Supreme Court decided a long time ago that prohibition was a bad idea. So flavored cigarettes are prohibited now because, according to the FDA, they mislead young people into thinking that these products are less addictive and harmful. Really. This wanna-be nanny state should give kids a little more credit than that. Kids aren’t stupid. They know cigarettes are bad for you. There is another, more appropriate word for “nanny state.” They call it fascism. It is what every state tries to become, throughout history, unless it is put in check by the people. And this is how it works. By chipping away at freedom, piecemeal. Right now it’s just cigarettes, but what’s next? Once a precedent has been set for carte-blanche government control on a product, the sky is the limit. Come on, two consenting adults should be able to smoke a flavored cigarette in the privacy of their own home. Hell, there’s not much place else you can smoke these days. So smoke ‘em if you got ‘em. Before long, you won’t even be able to buy a cigarette-flavored cigarette.

EDITORIAL BOARD TINA KORBE | Editor KIMBER WENZELBURGER | Managing Editor BAILEY MCBRIDE | News Editor The Arkansas Traveler welcomes letters to the editor from all interested readers. Letters should be at most 300 words and should include your name, student classification and major or title with the university and a day-time telephone number for verification. Letters should be sent to traveler@uark.edu. Letters appear in the order they were submitted as space permits. The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse letters on the basis of length, accuracy, fairness, liability and sensibility.

Tomorrow night will be a first on the UA campus. The Razorback Athletic Department has graciously allowed Up ‘til Dawn, the 2009-2010 philanthropy for the Volunteer Action Center at the UA, to use its Bud Walton Arena facility for a movie night. The event is free with donations strongly encouraged at the doors, which will be opening at 8:15 p.m. All proceeds from the event will go straight to the kids of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. You shouldn’t only attend because “The Hangover” is going to be shown or because your attendance and donation are going straight to fighting childhood cancer and directly impacting the lives of children and their families all over the world. You should also go because a donation of $5 will put your name in a drawing for a 1-night stay and 2 dinners at the Fitzgerald Hotel & Casino in Tunica, Miss. In case you don’t know about St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, it is the first institution established for the sole purpose of conducting basic and clinical research and treatment into catastrophic childhood diseases, mainly focusing on cancer. It was the dream of Danny Thomas, founder of St. Jude that “No child should die in the dawn of life.” Now, an average 5,400 patients from around the world visit St. Jude each year for treatment. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. In other words, no child is ever denied treatment because of a family’s inability to pay. Largely because of the proactive research and developed protocols of St. Jude, the

In My Humble Opinion

CARTER FORD pcford@uark.edu

cancer survival rate has progressed from 20 percent in 1962 to 80 percent survival today. The daily operating cost for St. Jude is nearly $1.4 million, which is primarily covered by public contributions. One great thing about giving to St. Jude is that 84 cents of every dollar goes directly to the research being conducted in the hospital. Earlier this month, Up ‘til Dawn’s “Licka-thon” was a big success. About 600 students attended and more than 14,000 letters were sent out to families and friends of students across Arkansas and the country. Since then, even more letters have been sent out. There is a chance that the UA student body could raise more than $100,000 for the kids of St. Jude (cross your fingers). Thursday night’s movie night is being co-sponsored by the Volunteer Action Center, Associated Student Government, Student Alumni Board, University Programs and the Razorback Athletic Department. What is hoped to be a successful event will likely be so because of the major collaboration that this effort has attempted and achieved. If Up ‘til Dawn has taught us anything this year, it is that organizations on campus that work to collaborate with other organizations have the ability to be much more

successful. It would be nice to see more collaboration on campus in a lot of areas. It seems that different organizations across campus are constantly putting on similar events. The thought of sharing the credit with another organization seems to immediately turn off members of most organizations. But why? At a university the size of ours, it is impossible to ever reach every single student. The best way to reach more people is to get more people involved. It doesn’t pose a threat to the credibility of your organization to collaborate with another group and have a bigger event. It only works to the advantage of both groups. To collaborate, groups have to step back from the vision and goals of only their organization, and realize the purpose of the UA as a whole. Even though it does not often seem like it, we are ALL Razorbacks of the same university! Instead of working against each other, let’s work together to enhance everyone’s experience as a Razorback. In the meantime, I hope to see you tomorrow night at 8:15 p.m. at Bud Walton Arena, where the UA will come together to make a difference in the lives of children, allowing those children to have the same opportunities that we have been blessed with as college students. I know that this event will be a major success, and that we will raise loads of cash for those kids because the students at the UA are the best in the country, in my humble opinion. Carter Ford is a columnist for The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every third Wednesday.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Why Ehud Olmert? Last night former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert spoke at the UA as part of a national speaking tour. He is an internationally known political figure, having recently been leader of the Kadima Party in Israel in addition to serving as Prime Minister, but he is known for other reasons as well. First, less than a month ago Israeli prosecutors indicted him on three separate charges of corruption. Second, Olmert was Prime Minister last January when Israel invaded the Gaza Strip, with the resulting deaths of more than 1,000 Palestinians, including more than 250 children. During the time that Olmert was Prime Minister (2006-2009), and while he served as mayor of Jerusalem (1993-2003), he repeatedly showed blatant disregard for the human rights of the Palestinians. B’Tselem, a respected human rights organization in Israel (btselem.org), has documented clearly the abuses of Palestinians by the

Israeli government and military. Olmert’s past actions speak much more clearly than any presentation that he can deliver to US universities. He has NOT shown courage as a man of peace but has been part of the continual disregard of the Israeli government towards international law, international institutions, and well-respected reports. I find it discouraging that a speaker with Olmert’s past will be given tens of thousands of dollars drawn directly from student tuition and I would like to know why he is receiving this money from us. In the future I hope those selecting Distinguished Speakers will take a better look at the records of the candidates and whether they are worthy of the invitation. Someone who has been indicted for corruption and should be investigated for war crimes is not an acceptable Distinguished Speaker. Ethan Morton-Jerome Graduate Assistant Anthropology

Say “no” to this amendment Coming soon to a Wal-Mart or post office near you ... those famous clipboards with an Arkansas constitutional amendment proposal. This is one I encourage you NOT to sign. Secure Arkansas has received approval from the Attorney General for a proposed constitutional amendment titled “An Amendment to Prevent Persons Unlawfully Present in the United States from Receiving Certain Public Benefits.” This amendment is unnecessary. Consider: 1) It essentially establishes a new level of bureaucracy - all state agencies will have to document benefits provided to undocumented immigrants. 2) Under it, undocumented persons could not register their vehicles. So instead of being able to trace a vehicle in an accident, we wouldn’t have a record of it because the person couldn’t register it. Additionally, the DFA employees at the Motor Vehicle Division are not, nor should they have to become, experts in proper documentation of immigrant status. 3) It would affect individuals as young as age 14. Many of these

come to the U.S. as very young children. All they know is their life here. Yet we punish them and marginalize them further - no instate tuition regardless of attending their state schools for many years, no financial aid. Research shows that Hispanic immigrant children who are excelling in high school have reduced academic performance upon learning of roadblocks to their college aspirations. 4) Research by the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation shows that immigrants in Arkansas contribute a net positive financial impact to the state, but this amendment would eliminate retirement benefits and unemployment – both areas paid in to by many employees. Yes, undocumented immigrants are here illegally. But that is just one part of the story. I’m not saying the issue doesn’t need to be addressed - it does. But these immigrants need compassion and understanding as we assess the very real issues involved. Rosa Edwards Administrative Support Campus Life Center

NEWS

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER |UATRAV.COM

GREEKS WORK HARD DURING HOMECOMING WEEK Mille Appleton

Contributing Writer Tests are piling high and the end of the semester is rapidly approaching, but many students only have one thing on their minds: Homecoming. Though they may not admit it to their teachers, many students are spending more hours on Homecoming than homework, and that’s particularly true with Greek students. Homecoming is no longer just the traditional pep rally and football game, but a week of competition Greeks look forward to and plan for all year. Though Homecoming events are only a week long, the Student Alumni Board has been meeting since last semester to plan for “A

Red and White Affair,� the theme of this year’s Homecoming competition. The board’s Homecoming committee, led by Megan Lomax, worked all summer and has been meeting once a week this semester to plan every detail. Everyone on the committee this year is Greek, “so we’ve really had to take a step back and not be biased to our fraternity or sorority,� said Andrew “Vu� Ritchie, Homecoming committee member and Sigma Chi president. Sororities are paired with one or more fraternities for the competitions. In early October, SAB released pairings and the 2009 theme, kicking off the countless hours of planning for floats, lawn decorations and more. Every sorority and fraternity handles the competition differently. Chi Omega sorority has a

Homecoming committee with separate committees within it for each of the events, said Bethany Haefner, Chi Omega president. Most houses have a similar system and require members to work a certain number of hours. Freshmen are normally required to work about 15 hours, more than other pledge classes, to get them more involved. “I’ve gotten to know a lot of people just because I’ve had to ask for blood donations, like a lot of people in my classes,� said Blair Woodward, freshman Kappa Delta sorority member. “But also we’ve had an extra coke date with Sigma Chi just to get to know the boys better since we’ll be working with them this week.� Though only a certain amount of hours are required of each member, that doesn’t stop members from going above and beyond to earn more points for the competition. “Freshman love to help out, and honestly it gets so competitive See

GREEK on Page 6

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009| Page 5

UA Living Library program pairs students, faculty with human ‘books’ Taniah Tudor

Assistant News Editor A Living Library program, which takes place Nov. 4 to Nov. 6, offers students, faculty and staff the chance to talk one-on-one with real, diverse, human “books� to gain cultural insight and new perspectives on topics ranging from how to meditate to the basics of being transgender. The program idea originated in the Ombuds Office from an article about a Living Library in Europe, said Mary Honore Tucker, graduate assistant in the Ombuds Office. The UA was the first university in the United States to offer this program, though other universities now also offer it. This is the sixth semester that the Living Library has been offered at the UA, Tucker said, and the program is offered once every semester. The thing that makes the Living Library unique com-

pared to other diversity pro- lighter subjects, so there is a grams is that it gives partici- wider spectrum of topics that pants the chance to have a people can check out. one-on-one conversation with Some of the “book� titles someone, so they have the are “How to play Mahjong,� opportunity to ask questions in which the “book� promises that might not be asked in a to teach “readers� how to play group setting, real Mahjong; Tucker said. “Lesbian The converProfessional sation is led (The Living Libary Educator,� a by both the program) sends a mes- “book� conperson who being sage that this is a cam- cerning checks out the a gay profespus that is committed to sional and “book� and issues of diversity.� parent; and the “book� itself, she said. — Mary Honore Tucker “College Ath“It can be lete to Colthings as easy lege Coach,� as, ‘What do people eat in a “book� that discusses being your country?’ to really com- involved in collegiate athletics plicated dialogues about what and how that lifestyle is often the political climate is like misunderstood, according to (or) systems of oppression in the Living Library Web site. other countries,� Tucker said. The Ombuds Office, the The program has a lot of International Students and “books� who have participat- Scholars Office and the Unied in previous semesters and versity Libraries Diversity returned this year to again be a living “book.� The topics See LIBRARY on Page 6 range from serious issues to

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NEWS Student ‘facility fee’ to be invested back into campus

Page 6 |WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009

Kimber Wenzelburger Managing Editor

Back in 2008, when UA administrators considered buying Fayetteville High School, the board of trustees approved a $2 credit-hour student fee to help support the potential purchase. Administrators soon decided against buying FHS, but the fee stuck around – and this semester, students are paying $4 a credit hour because of it. The purpose, now that the UA isn’t looking to acquire the FHS property? “We knew we had serious problems on campus with maintenance, and the chancellor saw this as an opportunity to return some buildings to a modern state,” said Mike Johnson, associate vice chancellor for Facilities Management. With the student facility fee planned to increase by $2 each year until it hits the $10 mark, dependent on the board of trustees’ annual approval, the money it generates over five years will now be spent on “renewal and stewardship”: updating the education and general-purpose buildings on campus that students use most. “We want students aware that this will have a direct impact,” Johnson said. “We’ve talked to the board of trustees, and they understand the need. Now we need to convince the students.” Facilities officials have developed a 15-year plan to invest about $215 million back into the campus, with about a third of that money – or $70 million – supported by the student fee. “(The fee) gives us the

that night,” Hancock said. Several of Hancock’s first Razorback drawings were of from Page 1 the hog simply standing or in a cartoon featuring a hog beating to “How the Razorback Ran” by up another mascot, symbolizing the weekend’s game. Hank Hancock. Eventually, Hancock made In Hancock’s brief history the first Razorback shown “runof the Razorbacks, he explains ning,” and it was published in that the original razorback hogs were brought to the Americas by the 1924 edition of the UA Rathe Spanish explorer Hernando zorback Yearbook. Hancock dede Soto as part of the livestock scribed it as the first “full speed the soldiers used for food, but ahead action” for the Razorback. few of them still exist today. The origins of Razorback The Razorback call “Wooo paraphernalia might seem simPig Sooie!” started long before ple in comparison to the Union fans encouraged football players. It began with pioneer set- Bookstore’s selection today. Hancock’s first product beartlers domesticating the hogs but ing the Razorback symbol for allowing them to run through fans was to the woods to simply draw find their own the Razorback food. Whenon yellow rainSome underclassever the setcoats. Shortly men ... decided that I tlers round the hogs back up, would draw a better after, red flannel shirts were the call “Wooo (Razorback) before donned with a Pig Sooie!” they’d permit me to go to white Razorwas traditionbed that night.” back. From ally used. — Hank Hancock there on, it’s The Rahistory! zorback hog One way graphic has evolved many times over the last for students to participate in 100 years, but the process jump- the centennial celebration is through participation in Homestarted Hancock’s career. During his first week of class coming. “The Homecoming Commitat the UA, Doy L. “Hank” Hancock complained about the Ra- tee has been very busy planning zorback emblem the university and preparing for this year’s celwas using. The graphic made ebration, but we really need the the hog seem taller because it enthusiasm and excitement of had skinnier legs and a promi- every residence hall, Registered Student Organization and Greek nent curly tail. Inspiration, or rather peer organization to make this year’s pressure, inspired Hancock to Homecoming the best ever,” said design a new Razorback that Megan Lomax, the 2009 Homecoming chair. “Student involveday. “Some upperclassmen heard ment is crucial to the success of my remarks ... and decided that any Homecoming event, and we I would draw a better one before are especially excited about the they’d permit me to go to bed anticipation we have already felt from the student body.”

MASCOT

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KIMBER WENZELBURGER Contributing Photographer

Rodney Blacksher (left) and Rusty Wills, who work for Facilities Management, prime the floor in Kimpel 305. Facilities Management officials hope to have the room renovated by late November so students, faculty and staff can provide feedback for future classroom and lab improvements.

ability to go out and borrow money and use it as debt service,” Johnson said. “It will end up that $30 million of the $70 million will have direct student impact.” That student impact, Johnson said, will be felt in classrooms and laboratories across campus. Facilities officials hope to “modernize” 150 to 160 classrooms and 30 to 35 general teaching labs over the next seven to eight years – and they’re first focusing on two classrooms in Kimpel Hall, 301 and 305. “The goal is to have two samples, two prototypes, in late November for people to go look at, fill out an evaluation sheet and tell us what we need to change,” Johnson said. “In early- to mid-January, we hope to have two general teaching labs in the Science Building ready, as well.” Facilities Management

officials chose Kimpel to kick off the plan because of the large number of classes taught there, in keeping with Johnson’s goal “to have the largest impact on students and faculty.” “Kimpel is the number 1 building in terms of the number of student per-credit-hour classes taught there, and that’s how we’ve prioritized how to have the biggest impact on students,” he said. Despite the fee’s approval in 2008, some students aren’t happy to be paying $4 a credit hour for facility renovations. Billy Fleming, director of sustainability for the Associated Student Government, said it’s the ASG’s goal to work with the administration to make the already-passed fee more beneficial for students. “A lot of students don’t even know about the increase, and I don’t know how well it

will sit with them that they’ll be paying $10 a credit hour for buildings they won’t even see renovated,” Fleming said. “It was very similar to the bike policy, with the way that it was put through – without much student input. But we want to work with what they’ve already done in our favor.” But for Johnson, a university implementing a facility fee to directly benefit students and the renewal of campus buildings is a rare move, and one he’s proud of. “Without this fee, we wouldn’t be able to do any of this because we wouldn’t have the resources,” he said. “People say, ‘The classrooms look fine; why do we need to do this?’ But right now, we’re not providing the quality of education that our faculty can provide and our students deserve.”

GREEK

from Page 5 as the week goes on we will all be staying up to work on banners or something,” said Ashley Shelton, public relations chair for Kappa Kappa Gamma women’s fraternity. “I don’t know how many hours are spent working on Homecoming. What’s seven times 24?” One activity keeping Greeks busy for hours is pomping. A foreign term to many students, pomping is when tissue paper is wadded up and stuck into chicken wire that is formed into shapes for a parade float or lawn decorations. The time-consuming task is similar to a puzzle, the final product nearly unrecognizable until finished. All of the time spent on Homecoming is proportionate to the money spent, as well. The Homecoming budget for SAB comes from the Alumni House and association, who help organize Homecoming every year. All sororities and fraternities also have Homecoming funds built into their budget. “A lot more goes into (the budget) than we like; we’d rather see that money go to our philanthropy,” Haefner said. “But all the presidents said something about how SAB wants it to stay the main competition of the year.” The week is packed with competitions, including a cook-off, step show, and the pigskin classic. Though the events can get extremely competitive, the climax of the week brings everyone together to call those Hogs at the big game the next day. “The pep rally is in conclusion to such a big week ... and every house is screaming and excited to win, but most of all we’re there for the Razorbacks,” Shelton said. “The emphasis is taken off the Homecoming competition and put on the Homecoming game.” Though Homecoming is often perceived to be a Greek event, Parice Bowser, director of Greek Life, stressed the importance of Homecoming being a UA event to bring all students together. “I want everyone to enjoy Homecoming just like our Greeks do,” she said. “UA homecoming is about everyone, and I wish everyone would be involved and get as excited as our Greeks are.”

LIBRARY

from Page 5 Committee are the three bodies that coordinate the Living Library program. People from these offices ask individuals on campus who have a unique story or are from a different country to be involved as living “books,” Tucker said. The offices also publicize the program on campus, asking for volunteers. A diverse group of students, faculty and staff reserve the “books,” Tucker said. Students come for different reasons: Some are given extra credit by teachers to reserve some time with one of the “books,” some have it as a course requirement and still others come “for their own personal good,” Tucker said. There are also staff members who are working on their diversity certificate that use the conversations as a way to learn about other cultures and gain one hour toward their certificate. The conversations with the “books” take place in the lobby of Holcombe Hall, and though several conversations may be scheduled at the same

time, they are spaced far apart to allow for more intimate discussions, Tucker said. Though the deadline to reserve a “book” was officially on Oct. 23, Tucker said anyone who is interested can still make reservations until Friday, Oct. 30. Walk-in appointments will not be accepted, she said. The actual program will take place Nov. 4 to Nov. 6. Though there have never been any negative incidences during previous Living Library sessions, there is always a staff member on site to make sure things don’t get too tense during difficult conversations, Tucker said. The “books” are very open to talking about any subject, so there is no stupid question, Tucker said. The program gives participants the opportunity to ask questions that they might never ask in a regular classroom or work setting. “It sends a message that this is a campus that is committed to issues of diversity,” Tucker said. “As a campus, we’re sending that message that we care about all of our students, and our faculty and staff that are here, and we celebrate those differences.”

GRILLING IN THE RAIN

STEPHEN IRONSIDE Staff Photographer

Jonathan Vogles (left) and Jennifer Hazelrigs of the Outdoor Connections Center grill hot dogs Monday for “Hot Dogs for Homecoming.”

Travel Time Students prepare vacations Wednesday in Lifestyles

LIFESTYLES THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

E-mail: travlife@uark.edu|Phone: 575.7540 Lifestyles Editor: Brian Washburn | Assistant Lifestyles Editor: Lindsey Pruitt

Students look forward to a sweet Halloween

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009 | Page 7

Traveler Top 5 Top 5 scariest movies of all time

M&M’s 1 Package 236 Calories Trish Byron Staff Writer

Despite the belief that holiday weight gain all begins with Halloween, students still look forward to traditional Halloween sweets and the excuse to indulge, at least a little. Whether it’s the good deals, like WalMart’s “two for $5” special, that draw in sweet-crazed students, or the memory of being given handfuls upon handfuls of candy as a child, Halloween is a time for some sweet, sweet lovin’. “I love chocolate. I buy bags of it this time of year, not for kids but for myself,” sophomore Rumil Bautista said. “I really freaking appreciate how much it all goes on sale during Halloween.” Chocolate with caramel, chocolate with toffee, chocolate with peanut butter: It all gets some love this time of year. According to an analysis done by the Nielson Company, around 598 million pounds of candy

Reese’s Pieces 1 Package 229 Calories are sold during the Halloween season, which equals around $1.9 billion dollars. Around 90 million pounds of that sold is chocolate, and fun-sized Snickers bars takes the gold for most popular Halloween candy. However, for many students, it’s Reese’s varieties that take first place. “My favorite candy around Halloween, or always, would have to be Reese’s Pieces,” sophomore Adam Doubek said. “If you don’t like them you are un-American, and I love America.” Similarly, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups fall as a favorite treat for freshman Steve Bentel. “They are orange- and black-themed all the time, so it’s like they were just made for Halloween,” he said. Like most good things in life, this wonderful treat – in moderation – can do the body good. According to a CNN.com article, cocoa, the foundation of chocolate, does seem to

Laffy Taffy 5 Bars 160 Calories boost heart health. Furthermore, chocolate can also help with blood pressure and cause softer, smoother and less sensitive skin for women. Some research suggested chocolate was good for the brain, too, and increased memory, attention span, reaction time and problem-solving skills. But one can’t forget about chocolate’s counterpart: the fruity candy family. “I love anything sour for candy, and I love getting it free,” sophomore Thomas Kiefer said. And who knew a candy could contribute to a successful party? “My favorite candy is Laffy Taffy, because they have funny jokes that will help me entertain my party guests,” sophomore Matt Kennedy said. Just as fashion changes with the seasons, specialty fall flavors and treats do, too. Be it coffee, candy or even ice cream, seasonal changes bring about delightful treats that are

Candy Corn 22 Pieces 140 Calories anticipated yearlong. “I love all of the special pumpkin-flavored things like Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte and pumpkin pie ice cream,” sophomore Nick Candido said. “I also absolutely love candy corn. I eat them with a very specific routine – I eat the white tip first and then the yellow, which I really like because yellow is one of my favorite colors, and then finish it off with the orange. I love that the bottom is orange because it’s like a tribute to Halloween.” Mouth watering yet? Thought so. Keep in mind that although these treats are delicious, they may not always be nutritious. Throughout the holiday season, it’s a good idea to be aware of what’s being consumed to help prevent weight gain. Above is a breakdown of some Halloween candy favorites and their calorie counts, as well as some additional nutritional information according to Caloriecount.about.com.

1.Halloween The original slasher film with the most famous slasher villain.

2. Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Chainsaws, cannibalism, corpses. The original TCM has it all.

3.

The Exorcist Who knew a possessed girl spitting green vomit could make you sleep with the lights on for weeks?

Disguised for one night Trish Byron Staff Writer

Although Halloween for a college student can fall at a slightly inconvenient time, what with midterms, Homecoming festivities and the like, students can’t help but get excited for a reason to be a little ridiculous and remember a time easier than college. Whether it’s innocent or scandalous, funny or scary, Halloween provides a time for student to, even for just one night, disguise themselves and be someone completely different, or maybe poke fun at themselves. And just because students grow up doesn’t have to mean Halloween fun is over. “Last year, I dressed up as a little kid – a lollipop, spin-y hat, the works,” senior Robert Dalby said. “I have a pretty immature personality, so it definitely fit. I’m looking for something to do the same thing for me this year, something that kind of exemplifies the kind of person I am. That’s what I like about Halloween; it gives people an excuse to be outrageous.” In the early years Halloween celebration, when one would have competitions at school for best costume and fantasize for months about which super hero or Disney princess to be, costume ideas didn’t always come so quickly, especially when the idea had to go through Mom. Even still, it’s not always easy to think up a costume. “It all started about a month ago when my roommate’s friend suggested I be a Dalmatian for Halloween because she was dressing up as a fire girl and wanted to take me around on a leash,” sopho-

more Stephen Blum said. “I decided that wasn’t a good idea and so began my Halloween costume contemplations. After about a month of deliberation and deciding against being a traditional ghoul or vampire, I have decided to be Tarzan. He’s the perfect Halloween costume idea because he’s scary but also a Disney hero. Who isn’t afraid of a

crazy wild man who talks to gorillas? And yet he still saves the damsel in distress.” However, not everyone feels the need to go to great lengths to come up with a costume idea. “I’m dressing up as a baby for Halloween because I have a really great onesie I would like to wear,” sophomore Rachel Golden said. Likewise, senior Josh Clark is dressing up in his L.A.R.P. costume out of convenience. “I’m pretty much dressing

up like that because I already have it,” he said. “My character is a dwarf and I’m a little tall for that, but I think it will be OK.” Other students pick costumes because of particular themes. Some choose to match a date for a party or are doing a group theme. “I am dressing up as an X-Wing

COURTESY PHOTO

Fighter Pilot from Star Wars because my fraternity is doing a Star Wars-themed event,” freshman Matt Bakke said. “I chose the Fighter Pilot because the outfit is a bright orange jumpsuit, so I’ll be sure to stand out in the crowd.” Although it is often more personalized if students make their own costumes, there is always the option of buying one. It’s hard to find the time to design and execute the per-

fect costume, and that’s where stores like Halloween Express come in handy. “We definitely get plenty of business each year,” said Tina Williams, Halloween Express manager. “Our best seller is Mario and Luigi, but we have a lot of variation. Of course, the college girls lean more toward the sexy costumes, but funny ones also do well. This year, military, sailor and cowboy/ girl costumes have really been selling.” Halloween also brings about memories of the younger years in life, a time of innocence and no personal bank account with which to buy a costume. “When I was in the seventh grade, my best friend was dressing up as Spongebob Squarepants, so I decided to dress up as Sandy Cheeks,” freshman Allison Barber said. “My whole costume was homemade – I made the tail out of fake fur and pillows and the helmet out of a trash can. No one really got it – like most parents thought I was a beekeeper and kids were just scared. But it was really fun and I still think it was really cool!” And of course, Halloween is a time for a good party. “Freshman year, I remember going to a really awesome party with a bunch of my friends,” senior Alex Cloninger said. “Although I also recall falling into a hot tub and hitting my head really hard, I will never forget what a great time that night was.” So although Halloween might not be celebrated the same way it was 10 years ago, it might still serve as a great excuse to let loose and make believe.

4. saw Forget the sequels and acting, the original can still cut through the rest.

5.House of 1,000 corpses Bizarre, creepy and grotesque. Say what you will, Rob Zombie knows horror.

Check Traveler Top 5 next week for the top 5 Spring Break destinations.

“It actually scared the hell out of me. I saw it during the day and I would hate to be someone who went home after seeing it late at night.” -Reporter Rajiim Gross about “Paranormal Activity”

Page 8|WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009

LIFESTYLES

‘ROCKY HORROR’ BRINGS HALLOWEEN SOUNDTRACK Listen Up!

BRIAN WASHBURN dwashbur@uark.edu

It’s that time of year again. Time for kids to jump with joy as they stuff themselves, time for movies of a particular theme to park themselves on almost every channel possible and time for young and old adults alike to put on their face and mingle with friends until the drinks are all gone. No, it’s not Christmas. (Unfortunately, that so-over-thetop-it’s-annoying holiday is on its way into town, as well.) But it’s Halloween time. But while Halloween is usually noted for its horror movies, candy and good, bad and just plain costumes alike, it also has a unique history with music (and no, I will not mention Michael Jackson’s “Thriller� in this column ...except for that reference). Halloween music ranges from the creepy, satanic-esque

death metal our mothers always warned us about back in the day to the always fun (if you hear it once every three years) Ghostbuster’s theme song. But Halloween needs a soundtrack, and it just so happens the Halloween soundtrack comes from a movie – probably the greatest non-horror Halloween movie of all time: The Rocky Horror Picture Show. While the movie is creepy, bizarre and an iconic cult classic, it’s the music that really makes any Halloween experience a fun one. The musical numbers begin with “Science Fiction/ Double Feature� then on to “Dammit Janet� before moving on to “Over at the Frankenstein Place,� where the movie’s protagonists finally reach the castle where the entire movie will take place (don’t worry, I won’t give away any specific details or spoilers for those who have not seen the movie). This is where the musical numbers kick it up a notch, and it begins with the most popular song of the entire movie – “The Time Warp.� No matter if you’ve seen the movie or not, you have probably heard of “The Time Warp.� It’s a fun little dance number enjoyed by all those who know the dance moves,

which is not hard because they are cemented into the song’s lyrics. “The Time Warp� should be up there with the “Monster Mash,� “Ghostbusters,� and that other unmentionable song on the perfect Halloween soundtrack through the years. Hell, the premise is people at a costume ball dancing in a creepy castle while awaiting a doctor in drag and his monster creation (who may or may not be Hulk Hogan with hair and no mustache). Though “The Time Warp� is one of the high points for Rocky Horror’s musical numbers, “Sweet Transvestite� has Time Curry in drag like he is the star of his own burlesque show in Vegas. While it’s the most bizarre song on the entire soundtrack, it’s really genius when you think of the creativity writer/ lyricist/star Richard O’Brien put into the music. The way the music numbers tell backstories and move the plot forward is a classic musical trick, but O’Brien wrote it so you would think you’re listening to a pop music song and not reliving past events and foreshadowing these character’s lives. Other songs throughout the movie can be deemed hit or

miss, but they do work well with the tone and mood of the movie, as well as the movie’s theatrical timing in the mid-’70s. And just when you think the drag, the creation and party guests are going to live it up throughout the night (without a clue as to what their next plans might be), Meat Loaf shows up. Yes, that Meat Loaf (but in a good way, like the Bat Out Of Hell one and not the thousands of sequels he tried to release afterward). Meat Loaf’s rendition of “Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul� is

another musical high point in this group of songs, with a jazzy rock ‘n’ roll melody along with a pretty bitchin’ saxophone solo (of course, the solo does come right before he is brutally mur... Oh, sorry, nevermind). The rest of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show� is laden with up-tempo numbers featuring pop sensibilities during Britain in the ‘70s (“Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch me’), as well as tunes you would most likely find on a Vegas stage (“I Can Make You A Man�) and a few

confounding melodies (“Eddie�). “The Rocky Horror Picture Show� might not be the perfect Halloween movie because of its lack of excessive gore and frightening moments. But for music lovers on this joyous of holidays, it offers a good time to relax and listen to partygoers in costumes wanting to get down and have a good time in a gigantic, creepy castle with monsters, aliens and transgenders. After all, it is just a jump to the left.

Dia de los Muertos: a Spanish Halloween? Erin Robertson Staff Writer

Dia de los Muertos, Spanish for “Day of the Dead,� is a holiday celebrated Nov. 2 and central to the Mexican cultural identity. Traditions of past eras are coupled with aspects of the Catholic faith, making for an intensely diverse but widely followed celebration that, although is important, is not so well known in the United States. University students usually have a general idea of what Dia de los Muertos is about.

Sophomore Liz Caruth listed a few things that sprang to mind at the mention of the holiday: “They go to cemeteries and have parties ... and they have really good punch.� Sophomore Chelsea Williams – upon hearing Caruth’s description – added “altars� and “sugar skulls� to the list. Sophomore Carissa Porter also chimed in with a question: “Aren’t they trying to take care of their dead ancestors?� Most information about Dia de los Muertos is gained from high school Spanish classes or cultural courses exploring

the practices of other groups around the world. This holiday does experience some misconceptions from non-Hispanic groups; for example, Dia de los Muertos is not a general Latino tradition, but rather a distinct part of Mexican heritage. Other countries in Central and South America may have holidays with similar names, but nowhere is such a day celebrated with such dedication and fervor as in Mexico. Marlene Beiza, an instrucSee

DAY OF DEAD on Page 11

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LIFESTYLES Investigating the paranormal

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009 |Page 9

Bailey Elise McBride News Editor

At a little house in Oppelo, Ark., Alan Silva and his team finished preparing, but nothing really seemed out of the ordinary. The cameras were set up throughout the house, recorders in place. Residents had reported an apparition of a man in the back bedroom, but when the team left around dawn, no one seemed impressed with their all-night vigil over the home. The next weekend when they reviewed the evidence, however, something did stand out. There, in the footage of the back bedroom, Silva sees a ghostly face, vivid and clear on the screen. Ghost hunting may seem to many people to be an archaic remnant of science long ago disproved – an alchemy or blood letting that most would dismiss as farcical. To the thousands of people that engage in paranormal investigations every weekend, however, this is no

Though ghost hunting may have once consisted of sĂŠances and Ouija board reading, those that actively engage in research now use what they believe to be the latest in scientific advances to investigate. Many ghost hunters spend thousands of dollars to have the latest equipment to help them capture evidence during an investigation. The investigations these teams go on are not just stakeouts with hunters holding cameras anxiously waiting for a ghost – teams take a lot of time to prepare and research before ever actually setting foot on the supposedly haunted site. Adrian Scalf and his wife Tina formed River Valley Paranormal Research & Investigation in Ft. Smith in 2006 after moving into what they believe is a haunted house. “We saw something cross the road one night when we lived in Oklahoma and it didn’t seem to fit anything in the normal realm,â€? Adrian said. “That kind of shook

BAILEY ELISE MCBRIDE News Editor

Ken “Casper� Bergeron shows off the tools of his trade – a wide variety of thermometers, cameras, gauges and detectors to help him search for the paranormal.

joke. Hundreds of people across Arkansas regularly volunteer both their weekends and their spare dollars to seek explanations for the paranormal. These latter-day ghost busters are in many ways haunted themselves – some by people from their past, and some by experiences they simply can’t explain. In many ways, these hunters are admired for their attempts to prove or disprove encounters through science – but sometimes the hunters become hunted themselves by non-believers who ridicule them for what they believe is wasting time. Silva, founder of Arkansas Paranormal Investigations, has been conducting investigations in Arkansas, Texas and Missouri for nearly 17 years now. “Basically, I got involved when my brother committed suicide while I was in the Navy – up until that time, when bad things happened they had always happened to other people,� Silva said. “That was kind of a reality shock that really intrigued me to want to know more about life after death and if we could prove it scientifically.� Ken “Casper� Bergeron is also a veteran who got actively involved in the search for the paranormal after his time in the service. A Vietnam veteran, he now spends most of his time investigating the paranormal in the Fayetteville area, from the local Civil War battlefields to his own apartment, through his group Signs of the Ozarks. Both men began researching the other side after their own unexplained experiences, reading books on parapsychology and paranormal theory, and actively investigating where they were stationed. “When I started, I didn’t have the equipment they have now,� Silva said. “I was using my personal recorder and compass and a 35mm camera – I started getting stuff I couldn’t explain and I knew I wanted to get a paranormal group together when I got out of the service.� After his time in the Navy, Silva was hired at Walmart stores’ corporate office in Bentonville and decided to form a paranormal society in Northwest Arkansas. He began to buy equipment that would help him detect paranormal activity, such as digital recorders and heatsensing cameras. His team now goes to every investigation with a 16-foot trailer that acts as a mobile command center during investigations.

me to my core, and when we moved into this house and realized it was haunted, (we) decided to form a team.� The Scalfs say there are shadows that walk the halls of their home, and the faint smell of cigar smoke is sometimes detectable when they come in at night. These characteristics, along with things like strange lights and slamming doors, make up many of the complaints that these investigators deal with when they are ap-

Where can you go for your own ghost-hunting experience? Tilly Willy Bridge: This low-water bridge in southern Fayetteville has numerous legends surrounding it – from ghostly headlights to the handprints of people who supposedly died there appearing on car windows to a woman in white dancing in the field next to it. A goblin supposedly lives under the bridge, as well. Prairie Grove Battlefield: The site of a battle where nearly 2,500 men were lost, reports of spectres on the battlefield and Confederate soldiers walking the grounds have been reported by many guests. Confederate Cemetery/Walker Plot: The Confederate Cemetery was constructed after the Civil War had ended, and all the bodies that rest there were moved from their original resting place. Ghost hunters have reported mysterious mists, lights and orbs in both this cemetery and the smaller Walker Plot that is located next to it. proached for an investigation. All three organizations do research on a site before actually going to the investigation, looking at the history of the location, searching for a record of potential activity there in the past, and checking what might have been on a given site prior to the building that is cur-

rently there. Bergeron takes his team on a run-through before the day of the actual investigation to do what he calls a base check of the home. He goes through the house checking pipes and fixtures for the source of noises that have been reported, and checking ventilation systems for an explanation of slamming doors. It also gives residents an opportunity to point out areas where they have experienced something out of the ordinary. Once any phenomena caused by the plumbing have been discovered, teams prepare for the actual investigation. That night, they spend the first few hours setting up their equipment – cameras, digital voice recorders and motion sensors are all used to attempt to capture any activity that might go on during the night. Most teams don’t start their investigations until well into the morning hours, around 3 a.m., which they consider to be the “dead hour� when most spirits are out. They use a variety of techniques to investigate – one of the most widely used methods is searching for Electronic Voice Phenomenon, which are voices attributed to spirits that appear in the white noise on a digital recording and are inaudible to the human ear. To record an EVP, a team starts a digital recorder and begins to ask questions. They can’t hear answers at the time, but when the tape is reviewed voices can sometimes be heard responding. Investigators also use a K2 meter to get answers to the questions they pose to the other side – investigators claim they can ask a question, and if a spirit is present and wants to answer “yes,� they light up the meter. Investigators trek through the home in different teams wielding the tools of their trade – there is at least one investigator with a handheld camera at all times, with others measuring temperatures looking for cold spots, taking readings of magnetic energy, and looking for something out of the ordinary on the heat-sensing camera. One night as Silva and his team were trekking through the Prairie Grove Battlefield, they saw a light go on in a building that had no electricity and where no other investigators were stationed. They immediately rushed over, but found nothing when they got in the house. Every night at an investigation is filled with attempts to catch paranormal phenomena, and sometimes it is not successful, even by their own standards. When a team leaves an investigation, most of their work is just beginning. For a six- to seven-hour investigation, they have up to 40 hours of footage and sound recordings to sift through as they listen to and watch all of their recordings to search for evidence. “Going through 30 or 40 hours of footage is like watching grass grow, but when you find something, and it might be 30 seconds or a minute long, it’s like winning the lottery and you just want to do it again,� Silva said. The evidence these investigations yield is varied and up to interpretation by the individual investigator looking at it. All the teams prepare a report and present their findings to the client whose home or business was being investigated. Sometimes there are no findings to report, and other times investigators feel they have found something compelling enough to declare a site “haunted.� In cases where something is discovered, teams often set up follow-up appointments to come and check out a site on another night to see what additional evidence can be gleaned. One investigator in Arkansas has a different rationale, however. Larry Flaxman and his group, Arkansas Paranormal & Anomalous Studies Team, seek not to find ghosts, but to study changes in the environment that may be prescient to a paranormal event. Formally incorporated in 2007, ARPAST seeks in many ways to debunk what lay people or other organizations might immediately attribute to the paranormal. “There are things that occur in the environment that might appear to be a paranormal event and they’re not,� Flaxman said. “Many groups don’t have technical equipment or level of scientific knowledge to definitively determine natural from supernatural.� ARPAST utilizes nearly a quarter of a million dollars of equipment to conduct its investigations every

COURTESY PHOTO

weekend, and networks with both individuals and scientific experts across the country in its search for answers. Flaxman said that his group is able to disprove 99 percent of what is normally perceived as paranormal. Videos and pictures that contain images of spirits are almost impossible to ever prove as real, and are often left hugely up to interpretation by the person viewing them. The orbs in pictures that some investigators believe to be spirits? Flaxman refers clients to a multimillion dollar study recently completed by media giant Fujifilm which explains that the supposed orbs are simply tiny dust particles that aren’t visible to the naked eye, but show up on film when the light from the flash reflects on them. The 1 percent that Flaxman says he can’t completely explain is EVP recordings. In his investigations, some of the best evidence they have gotten have been EVP responses to questions. Many of the responses have been validated via historical research, Flaxman said. “One thing I’ve started to do is look inward instead of outward,� Flaxman said. “A lot of the things people would traditionally consider paranormal are things from inside

of us, physiological responses from our bodies.� While most of the groups in Northwest Arkansas have around 20 dedicated members who volunteer every weekend, ARPAST has around 150 members worldwide who pay dues and take turns engaging in the investigations that the organization conducts every weekend. “Unfortunately, the paranormal community has a big black eye because there is so much drama and infighting, so looking in from the outside we seem really disconnected and like a bunch of hobbyists,� Flaxman said. “Regardless of how legit you are and how much scientific equipment you have, you come into the equation having to prove yourself.� Silva, Bergeron and Flaxman were all quick to warn of investigators that might charge for their services, and to advise against trusting groups that might just be out searching for their own thrills that have popped up in an attempt to copy “Ghost Hunters.� All the groups encourage anyone with an interest in the paranormal to join a group, or call one out for an investigation if they feel they are experiencing something paranormal.

! ! ! # ! % " # 6227 Colonel Glenn Rd. Little Rock, AR 72204 (501) 565-6275

Though these groups say they have no problem finding locations to investigate, the interest since shows like “Ghost Hunters� and “Ghost Lab� premiered and the interest around Halloween always make them more popular, even though they are active throughout the year. Some of these groups even send out media packets around Halloween in an attempt to embrace the pop culture side of their efforts. “For most people it’s the search for the unknown, but for me it’s that as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized the limits of my own mortality and I’ve been driven to find an answer for what happens when we die,� Flaxman said. For some it’s the interest in their own mortality. For some it’s the need to explain an experience for which there might never be a solid explanation. And for some, it’s the thrill of the chase, the quest for the unknown. Whatever it may be that drives these ghost hunters, it is obviously not a phenomenon that will disappear any time soon – all four investigators are already booked well into next year.

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Page 10 |WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009

LIFESTYLES

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LINDSEY PRUITT Assistant Lifestyles Editor

LIFESTYLES

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009 |Page 11

Halloween festivities to be hosted in Fayetteville Sam Letchworth Staff Writer

Those who have not put together or purchased a Halloween costume for this year’s festivities better hurry because there’s a lot of ghoulish gallivanting to be had in Fayetteville this week. “Halloween is the best time of year to be in Fayetteville,� former student Greg Gehle said. “For the whole week leading up to it everybody dresses up and goes out and does whatever they want. It’s great. I always come back.� Blaine S. Mosley, keyboard player for the Mother Funking Astronauts, agrees. “Halloween is a special time of year for us as the spooky atmosphere lends itself perfectly to the other-worldly aesthetic we routinely pursue.� The Astronauts will be playing at the Powerhouse Grill Halloween night. Here are some other bonechilling events happening in Fayetteville this week before Sunday’s candy corn hangover:

DAY OF DEAD from Page 8

tor within Spanish department, described her experience with Dia de los Muertos as a Chilean. “In Chile, Dia de los Muertos is more similar to the U.S.’s Memorial Day. It is more somber – they go to the cemeteries and lay flowers on the graves and then leave,� she said. Whereas Memorial Day and its Latin American counterparts have an aspect of duty and obligation, Dia de los Muertos is a passionately followed holiday. “In Mexico, everyone participates,� Spanish instructor Tonya Landrum said of Dia de

HALLOWEEN EVENTS 8th Annual Trick or Treat on the Fayetteville Square Oct. 30 from 3 to 5 p.m. The downtown square transforms into trick or treat fantasyland. Dozens of businesses will hand out candy to all comers. A pet costume contest will also be hosted. Ceramic Cow Halloween Show Oct. 23-30 Ceramic Cow Productions will present its Halloween Show at the UARK Ballroom on Dickson Street. The playbill describes the show as “1948 in Atlanta, Georgia, during Halloween weekend at radio station KRAP. With a citywide transportation strike going on, the cast of the live radio production of Dracula struggle to get to the station on time. The drama off stage is much more dramatic and gut-busting than the drama on air!� The event is $12 general los Muertos. “The thing I remember most about Dia de los Muertos is a friend of mine, a university student, was talking about going with his family to a party in the cemetery. I think it really represents a different view of death. There, the idea is that these souls come back, and during that time we celebrate with them,� Landrum said of her time spent teaching in Mexico. Greg Buchanan, another Spanish instructor, is also very familiar with the tradition. Buchanan’s wife is from Mexico and they celebrate Dia de los Muertos every year here in the United States. Although they are not near the actual graves of their loved ones, they construct a ceremonial altar

admission. Halloween Spooktacular Oct. 30 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Fayetteville Town Center. Hosted by Community Access Television. This event will include family-friendly games with prizes for all little ghouls and goblins brave enough to play. There will also be costume contests, face painting, a magician, a haunted hallway and lots of tricks and treats. Admission is $3. Masquerade Ball Just after the Spooktacular, for the “grown up ghouls.� From 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. There’s going to be some big costume contests, dancing, live DJ’s, a cash bar and all sorts of monstrously great treats. Tickets are $10 and proceeds go to support Free Speech Fayetteville. Halloween on the Hill Oct. 31

in their home, decorated with pictures of the family members, flowers and various other things representative of both the season and of those who’ve passed. “There are huge altars made out of pumpkin-colored marigolds called cempasuehiles. Graves are completely covered in candles,� Buchanan said of the traditional celebrations in Mexico. In the midst of all of the adornment lies an intensely spiritual practice. Hilda Benton, a native of Mexico now living in the United States and teaching Spanish at the UA, recalled her experiences growing up with Dia de los Muertos. “That day we go to the cemetery and clean the graves of our loved ones, replace the

The Razorbacks are calling all Hog fans to wear their red during “red-out weekend.� The weekend’s theme will be “Halloween on the Hill� and “We Bleed Razorback Red.� On Friday, Oct. 30, the Razorback volleyball and soccer teams are in town and will both be wearing red uniforms. The first 500 fans in attendance at both matches will receive a free red “Halloween on the Hill� T-shirt. At halftime of both matches there will also be costume contests, and the winners will receive two free football tickets to the Homecoming football game. On Saturday, Oct. 31, the Razorback football team will wear all red, and the first 2,500 students in attendance will also receive the free “Halloween on the Hill� T-shirt. Fans are encouraged to join the Razorbacks in wearing red for the Halloween on the Hill weekend.

All through October at 15203 Hwy 12 in Rogers just east of Prairie Creek. The asylum claims to be the scariest haunted house in Northwest Arkansas. Come down to “The Asylum� and see if you can get through the haunted house. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Hot dogs, chips and soda are $3. Proceeds go to benefit the Beaver Lake Fire Department.

HAUNTED HOUSES

George’s 82nd Anniversary & Halloween Ball

The Asylum Haunted House

flowers and try to adorn the graves. The purpose is to remember those that aren’t with us,� Benton said. “Also, we cook food that the dead ones liked... We take the food to the graveyard and place it there and pray there, Ave Maria, for example or Padre Nuestro.� The strong presence of Catholicism resonates within Dia de los Muertos, as the prayers to the Virgin Mary and the Father are mingled with intimate conversations with those that have passed. “This is more than a religious tradition; the purpose is to talk to our people,� Benton said. “It’s like a visit to the cemetery – like you’re going to meet with them there. We talk to them, ‘I hope you’re fine wherever you are ... I’m

Nightmares Haunted House Oct. 23, 24, 30, 31 Located at KOZY HEAT Fireplaces 13080 N Hwy 71 in Bentonville. Admission for children is $7 and $12 for adults. The doors open at 7 p.m. Proceeds will be donated to the Bentonville/Bella Vista Breakfast Lions Club charities.

HALLOWEEN SHOWS

Oct. 29, 30 and 31

sure you’re in a wonderful place...’� Benton paused to wipe away a few tears. Although Dia de los Muertos is indeed a celebration of the lives of ancestors, the memories are often bittersweet. Senior Estee Goss provided an alternative view of Dia de los Muertos. Goss’ family has a strong Mexican heritage – her mother immigrated to the United States when she was a teenager – but does not retain their ties to Dia de los Muertos. When asked if her family participated in the tradition, Goss answered, “Not a lick!� “That’s not from my mom’s region,� she said. “There are a lot of Mexican customs that are regional, and not all Mexicans

George’s Majestic Lounge will celebrate its 82nd anniversary. Thursday, Oct. 29: George’s will feature live music from The Randy Rogers Band with Special Guests Zach Walther and Matt Stell. Friday, Oct. 30: George’s will feature Full House, The Nace Brothers, Oreo Blue, The Poggs and more. Saturday, Oct. 31: George’s is the Halloween Ball with Col. Bruce Hampton & The Quark Alliance, Punkinhead Halloween Reunion and Mountain of Venus. Flipoff Pirates Halloween Bash Oct. 31 at The Smoke and Barrel Tavern off Dickson. Local favorite band the Flipoff Pirates reunite for Halloween. The Mother Funking Astronauts Get Scary Oct. 31 at the Powerhouse Bar and Grill. The band brings their avant-garde funk/jazz fusion to Halloween.

celebrate it because of that ... and my family is not Catholic. That tradition tends to go along with that faith.� Goss explained that her grandmother converted from Catholicism to Protestantism when she was pregnant with her mother, and after her conversion cut off all remaining ties to the Catholic church. Dia de los Muertos fell under that category, and the Goss family remains loyal to the grandmother’s wishes to this day. Although often lumped together with other autumnal holidays, Dia de los Muertos is a supremely unique festival. Honoring death and life, it deserves a category of its own, separate from our mythologized and commercialized American holidays.

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Page 12 | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009

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BLISS | Harry Bliss

HOROSCOPES | Linda Black ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) TODAY IS A 7.

CROSSWORD

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Unfortunately, while you were conferring, your work was stacking up. So what are you going to do about it now? Give it to your administrative assistant.You don’t have one? Bummer.

SUDOKU

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A conflict between your career and domestic life requires your attention. If you’ll be home late, let them know, OK? And take them a special treat. SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21) TODAY IS A 7.

What you’re discovering seems to conflict with what you already know. Could there have been trickery involved? Well, actually, yes. Continue your investigation. SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) TODAY IS A 7.

Should you save or should you spend? The horror, oh, the horror, of making these decisions.You want to spend, so get yourself a pack of gum. Chew on that, and think. CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) TODAY IS A 7.

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LAST WEDNESDAY’S SOLUTION

There’s going to be competition. You expected that. In a way, it’s good. It keeps you sharp and also helps you meet people who are playing the game at your level, and above. AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) TODAY IS A 7.

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This evening, someone you know well needs more personal attention.You’re very good at listening, and that will sure help a lot.Your patience will be very much appreciated.

LAST WEDNESDAY’S SOLUTION

Homecoming Hogs Arkansas looks to turn things around when they host Eastern Michigan

SPORTS THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

Phone: 575.7051 | E-mail: travsprt@uark.edu Sports Editor: Matt Watson | Assistant Sports Editor: Harold McIlvain II FOOTBALL

FOOTBALL

Miller, passing game look to bounce back

Did you know? The last time Arkansas won a bowl game was 2003.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009 |Page 13

Righting the ship

Arkansas works toward bowl eligibility after same 3-4 record from last season Jimmy Carter

Assistant Sports Editor

JONATHAN GIBSON Staff Photographer

Despite receiver Lucas Miller only having four catches and 40 yards this year, the senior said he is hoping for a big finish.

You could hear a pin drop on Arkansas’ Saturday afternoon flight back from Oxford, Miss. The Hogs had just lost their second consecutive Southeastern Conference road game, dropping a 3017 decision to Ole Miss, and the ensuing plane ride back to Drake Field was silent. “It doesn’t matter if you lose by three or lose by 40; it’s always a silent trip back,” Arkansas senior safety Matt Harris said. “Ole Miss was a very disappointing loss; it was like last year vs. South Carolina I thought. We didn’t play with a lot of emotion and a lot of passion. “It reminded me of last season. It was an immature team; we weren’t able to finish the game like we should have. We were just out there going through the movements.” Following the loss, Arkansas stands 3-4 just past the midway point of Bobby Petrino’s second season at Arkansas. While the circumstances may not be the same, the record is identical to the 2008 season through seven games. Arkansas steps out of conference Saturday to play winless Eastern Michigan for Homecoming.

The Eagles will be the first non-BCS opponent since the season opening win over Missouri State. The Hogs season is at a crossroads, senior running back Michael Smith said. “(Playing Eastern Michigan) should make everybody’s eyes light up, because the reality of the situation is we are right now seven games into (the season),” Smith said. “We have the same record that we did last year (at this point). This can go two ways. We can either step and everybody play and make sure we make it to a bowl game, maybe not the bowl game that we intended at the beginning of the season, but a bowl game nonetheless. “Or we can feel sorry for ourselves for being close and not being able to get a call here or make a play there and continue to think about that and not make it to a bowl game.” Losing to Ole Miss has put the Hogs at a disadvantage for the remainder of the season. History does not bode well for Arkansas – the Razorbacks have never made a bowl game after posting a losing record through their first seven games of the season. “I felt like we really needed this game to get the program going in the direction I want it to go,” coach

Bobby Petrino said following the loss. “This was a big game for us. We’re going to have to come back and battle real hard now. We’ve got to get some wins. Obviously this is a setback, because we would’ve been sitting in pretty good shape with a win here. Now it’s really a one game battle every week.” Saturday’s loss meant the Hogs must win three of their final five games to quality for a bowl berth. The Hogs host No. 22 South Carolina and Troy in Fayetteville after the Eastern Michigan game, before facing Mississippi State in Little Rock and closing against ninth-ranked LSU in Baton Rouge. “We’ve got five more games left and we’re starting it off with Eastern Michigan in a homecoming game that’s going to be a big win,” Harris said. “We’ve got five games left and a very good bowl possibility in our future. If someone’s putting their head down and not ready to go to work for the next five weeks, then I don’t want them out there on the field with us.” The desire to reach a bowl game is something players draw from and feed off of during the season and offseason, Harris said. “You’ve always got to have an ultimate goal, See

BOWL on Page 14

Harold McIlvain II

Assistant Sports Editor It hasn’t been an ideal year for senior receiver Lucas Miller. After battling a concussion and torn knee ligaments last season, Miller said he was looking forward to making an impact during his last season as a Razorbacks. But just weeks before the first game against Missouri State, the Greenwood, Ark., native suffered a set back to his hopes of contributing with a broken collarbone. With only four catches for 40 yards this season, Miller said he now hopes to finish the season strong, as he did last year with a 11-catch, 201 yard performance against Mississippi State while finishing second on the team with 490 yards. “This is my last go around,” Miller said. “This is the point where I started having some success last year. I’ve been talking about it the last couple of weeks. I need to get my mojo back.” And it doesn’t hurt that Miller is improving after each week with his health. “I’ve been better,” Miller said. “But I’m working with the training staff, trying to get better each and everyday to be at my best.” But the 6-3, 205 pound receiver said he hopes to now provide a spark at the receiver position down the stretch with the unknown return status of fellow wide out Joe Adams, who suffered a mild stroke. “I want to help this team as much as I can,” Miller said. “With Joe Adams being out, I hope they look to me to fill a role and get back on track. I don’t want to be forgotten. I want to step up for our team and help us get the ultimate goal of a bowl game.” However, Miller said the receiving core as a whole will have to improve after dropping several passes during the past two games, including eight against Ole Miss. “It’s difficult because it’s uncharacteristic for this team with the talent we have,” Miller said. “Each and every person is hard on themselves. We take full blame for the drops and be accountable. But we are going to move past it, as well.” But Arkansas head coach Petrino said he likes to keep a positive attitude about drops, especially during the last few weeks, by showing each player their ability with big plays they’ve made. “We try not to harp on the drops a lot,” Petrino said. See

MILLER on Page 16

JONATHAN GIBSON Staff Photographer

The Arkansas Razorbacks have never gone to a bowl game after starting a season 3-4.

CROSS COUNTRY

Hogs feature strongest lineup of year for SECs Jimmy Carter

Assistant Sports Editor The Arkansas men’s cross country team will take its strongest lineup of the 2009 season into Saturday’s Southeastern Conference Championships in Oxford, Miss. The 28th-ranked Hogs will be aided by the return of freshman Solomon Haile to a lineup that featured All-American Dorian Ulrey in the Chile Pepper Festival on Oct. 17 – Ulrey’s first cross country race since 2007.

“I feel confident with our guys, we’re looking for our A-game,” coach Chris Bucknam said. “It’ll be the first time we really have our team together, so we’re looking forward to it. It’s a great time of year. Everybody that we have running is looking good. The Arkansas lineup won’t include sophomore Eric Fernandez. The Ballwin, Mo., native is still sidelined with a leg injury and hasn’t raced since the season-opening Arkansas Invitational. The Hogs have missed the services of Fernandez and junior Duncan Phillips, Bucknam said.

“Both of those guys are going to be out so that hurts our depth a little bit,” Bucknam said. “You take two talented runners out of the lineup, that hurts. But, we still feel like we’ve got a good solid team and we’re ready to test ourselves to see how we stack up. We’ve got to be hitting on all cylinders, no question about it.” Sixth-ranked Alabama is the favorite heading into the tournament, while No. 24 Auburn and the Hogs are the only other nationally ranked teams in See

SEC on Page 17

COMMENTARY

Arkansas hurlers highlight World Series Yankees-Phillies. That’s what the 2009 baseball season has come down to. The high-interest Cardinals and Red Sox made early exits in this year’s postseason. The high-dollar Cubs and Mets both disappointed and missed the playoffs. The Pirates and Nationals, well, they finished last like they usually do. For the old-school baseball fan, New York and Philadelphia is a clash of New England powerhouses, one with a prestigious history of winning and the other an (until last year) ugly history of losing. For the casual baseball fan, it’s a battle of the evil empire with the also not-so-loveable losers. For the casual female, it’s 18 guys taking turns wearing pinstripes and Derek Jeter from those Gatorade commercials. That’s not important. For a Mets fan, it’s his worst nightmare – the hated division-rival

Swinging for the Fences

MATT WATSON mrwatson@uark.edu

Phils against the hated cross-town rival Yanks. But for me and you, with the Redbirds watching from home and the Razorback football team teetering around .500, a New York-Philly World Series gives us a chance to see two pitchers from Arkansas take the spotlight on baseball’s biggest stage. Cliff Lee will start Game 1 Wednesday for the Fighting Phillies. The one-time Razorback from

Benton made headlines with the Cleveland Indians in 2008 when he won the American League Cy Young, just a year removed from a stint in minor leagues because of poor performance. Lee has turned things around in a big way, and when the ’09 trade deadline rolled around the Arkansas native was the prized pitcher dealt at the end of July, acquired by the defending champion Phillies. He won his first five starts for Philadelphia on his way to becoming the ace of the staff, and he’s been even better in October. In fact, in three playoff starts, Lee has the lowest postseason ERA (0.74) of anyone ever. In more than a century of baseball, the former Hog has better playoff numbers than any starting pitcher ever. On the other side of the bill, North Little Rock native A.J. Burnett is lined up for the Yankees in Game

2. Like Lee, Burnett was a huge acquisition for a team with World Series expectations this season, but the Central Arkansas Christian product has yet to yield the big-time results that have come with his bigmoney contracts. Burnett was drafted straight out of high school, and in his first full season in the Majors he threw a nohitter for the Florida Marlins – even though he walked nine hitters. He already has a World Series ring on his résumé too, but he sat on the sidelines during the entire Marlins championship run after elbow surgery. Burnett then scored a lucrative free agent deal with the Toronto Blue Jays and spent a few years, and trips to the disabled list, north of the border. The embattled starter landed in New York last December, and one 85 million-dollar contract later his expectations were higher than ever

in the spotlight of the Big Apple. He won 13 games this season ($1.3 million per win) and put up a respectable 4.04 ERA but hasn’t shared Lee’s playoff success. Burnett has given up nine runs in 18.1 innings without earning a win. For a World Series without a bandwagon the average sports fan in Arkansas would ever want to latch on to, you can sleep well at night knowing an Arkansan will have earned a ring when it’s all said and done. And in the end, isn’t that just as fulfilling as the group of free agents for hire your favorite team assembled winning it all? Matt Watson is the sports editor of The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every Wednesday.

SPORTS

Page 14 | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009 COMMENTARY

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER |UATRAV.COM

RAZORBACK

NBA preview: fewer predictions, more nonsense The NBA basketball season is back. But what makes the return of the NBA great isn’t the games or coaches – or even the players. It’s about the little unique things that add up to make the NBA where amazing happens. It for sure isn’t the most interesting regular season. It doesn’t have the length and marathon feel of the baseball season, nor the short, weekly focus of football. The postseason’s not the most dramatic either, as half the league gets in and it takes months to decide a champion. But there are so many intriguing items that will make this season will be incredibly interesting, courtesy the most noteworthy people and things heading into the 2009 NBA regular season: Ronnie Brewer and Joe Johnson, former Razorbacks: Brewer increased his points, rebound and assist totals in his third year, while Johnson has quietly become a superstar in the league. Both could be even better this season. Marv Albert, play-by-play announcer: Would the NBA season feel right without Albert? It just isn’t an official season until “the voice of basketball” utters the name Vince Carh-tar. Anthony Randolph, Warriors: The former North Little Rock player couldn’t even last on his own high school team. But there is so much potential for the 20-year-old who finished with 7.9 points per game last year while playing just 18

BOWL

from Page 13 and right now it’s a bowl,” Harris said. “Hopefully it’s a Jan. 1 or after bowl. The SEC and this NCAA and BCS is crazy how it works out in the end, so you never know what bowl you’ll end up in. You’ve just got to play, obviously one week at a time, but you’ve got to have that certain goal in mind. You obviously want to end up in a good bowl game.” Reaching a bowl game is also integral for the growth of the program and development of the younger players “We’ve got to get in a bowl game so we can practice more and work our young guys,” Petrino said.

Deuces Wild

HAROLD MCILVAIN II hmcilvai@uark.edu

minutes per game. Mikhail Prokhorov: Who is this guy? Well, he is a 44-year-old Russian tycoon that spent $200 million to buy the Nets. He’s considered to be the richest man in Russia, and he’s the first NBA owner that lives overseas. But what’s so interesting about this guy? He just made being an NBA and a Rocky IV fan that much more entertaining. I can only imagine the classic lines he utters while anxiously watching the Nets attempt to improve on a 34-48 season. “I win for me. For me!” “I cannot be defeated. I beat all man. Someday, I will beat a real champion. If he dies, he dies.” Ron Artest, Lakers: Artest makes a sportswriter’s job really easy. He’s been a walking headline his entire career, but throwing him on a new team in the City of Angels and adding a Kardashian

“That’s how you get the program better, is you get more practices because you’re in a bowl game.” Smith attributed the loss to the Rebels to the confidence the team gained after narrowly losing at top-ranked Florida 23-20 the week before. “Our whole mindset wasn’t where it needed to be, we felt like the game was already won before we had played it,” Smith said. “I don’t even think our team was feeling sorry for ourselves coming off the Florida game. I think it was more so, we played Florida so close or so tough, that we maybe took Ole Miss for granted and forgot that this is the SEC and at any given time anybody can beat anybody. “We just felt like we played the

to the mix doesn’t hurt either. Bill Walton, ESPN analyst: No one threw it down more like a big fella than Bill Walton. And he is one of the NBA characters that just makes the season that much more enjoyable. Blake Griffin, Clippers: Because it’s hard to actually make Los Angeles an interesting team. And the former Oklahoma Sooner has done it. But the excitement will have to wait, after Griffin broke his left kneecap Tuesday. Allen Iverson, Grizzlies: We are not talking about practice – yet. The Answer will make Memphis a team you can check up on every once in a while and see how they are losing these days. For those fantasy basketball players, I really think all the garbage time will lead to a productive season for Iverson. Gus Johnson, play-by-play announcer: Wait, wrong level of basketball. But even the Gus Bus could make a Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings game interesting. “Spencer Hawes hits a bucket! The Kings are only down by 15 with two minutes to go. One loss closer to the lottery!” The debate: It happens every year. It’s like clockwork: The great ‘debate’ of who is better, Kobe Bryant or LeBron James. My question that never gets asked is, where in the world is Chris Paul in this argument? TNT coverage: If you accidentally

No. 1 team so close, we’re going to run over Ole Miss and we didn’t prepare the way that we needed to coming up to the game, coming off of practices.” The team has put the losses behind them and is focused on the remaining five regular season games, Smith said. “The team’s come together, starting this week, and make sure everybody takes it upon themselves to make it to a bowl game,” Smith said. “If I have to look for a silver lining, it was good that it happened for us right after the Florida game, coming up to this game, so we know we can’t take anybody for granted. We need to go out there and prepare like we’re playing the No. 1 team every week.”

leave your television on after a West Coast games, don’t worry. Ernie, Kenny and Charles will still be talking – eights hours after the final points were scored. Shaquille O’Neal, Cavaliers: The Diesel made it clear he wants to win a ring for the king. But the Big Daddy has played more of a jester role in the offseason than anything, working with his show Shaq Vs. Who knows what will happen in Cleveland. But we all know it will be a better product than Kazaam. That’s a given. Craig Sager, TNT sideline reporter: What suit is this man going to wear next? Will he go with a rainbow tie again? What if he goes with something that looks as if it was from the 1950s again? No one knows what Sager will do next, but I know it keeps people watching. It’s a valid point to say he is no Don Cherry. But is that really a negative thing? Kevin Durant, Thunder: He could be the leading scorer in the NBA this year – and he plays within driving distance of Fayetteville. LeBron James, royalty: Because the king will get his ring this year. Harold McIlvain is an assistant sports editor of The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every other Wednesday.

The Hogs face Eastern Michigan after a five-game stretch against four undefeated opponents and an Ole Miss team ranked in the top-10 at the beginning of the season. Against the Rebels, the offense struggled to convert third downs and was unable to make several routine plays. “The confidence will come from when we execute and we continue to execute through all four quarters and all three phases of the game: offense, defense and special teams,” Smith said. “If we do that, then we’ll know that we’re clicking, we’re hitting on all cylinders like we’re supposed to be. That will be what gives us the confidence boost going into the rest of the season.” For seniors like Smith and re-

ceiver Lucas Miller, ending their Razorback careers in a bowl game is the ultimate goal. “Obviously it’s important these last five games to get on a roll, because we have a big goal ahead of us, that’s to make a good bowl game,” Miller said. “With five left, we have a great chance to end and have a good season, still. With these three home games that’s how it all gets started. “(Eastern Michigan) is a game that can get you back on track.” Miller said the team is still motivated and focused on getting themselves back on track. “To be honest, we’re focused on ourselves,” Miller said. “When we’re clicking and we believe in one another, that’s all that matters.

CALENDAR VOLLEYBALL Arkansas at Kentucky Friday at 7 p.m. FAYETTEVILLE Arkansas at Tennessee Sunday at 1:30 p.m. FAYETTEVILLE

SOCCER Arkansas vs. Tennessee Friday at 7 p.m. FAYETTEVILLE Arkansas vs. Georgia Sunday at 1 p.m. FAYETTEVILLE

FOOTBALL Arkansas vs. Eastern Michigan Saturday at 6 p.m. FAYETTEVILLE

CROSS COUNTRY SEC Championships Saturday Oxford, Miss.

WOMEN’S GOLF Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown Monday and Tuesday Manhattan, Kan. We can only beat ourselves in our mind. I have all the faith in the world in this team that we’re going to go these last five games and play well. “I believe in us, and if that’s all that believes in us then that’s fine.”

FOOTBALL

First look at E. Michigan Clint Linder Staff Writer

Passing Offense:

Sporting an underperforming 0-7 overall record for last place in the Mid-American Conference and having been ranked by ESPN as one of the top 10 worst football teams in the country every week this season, the Eastern Michigan Eagles stand as the obvious underdogs against the Arkansas Razorbacks. On offense the Eagles were led by senior quarterback Andy Schmitt for the team’s first three games, but a season ending knee injury against Michigan forced junior Kyle McMahon to replace him. McMahon has weekly produced some of the worst offensive numbers in college football since his anointment as the starter. He completed 25 passes for 230 yards in his first game against Temple on Oct. 3. But since then, he has not completed over eight passes in a game nor gone over 76 yards. This included games against Kent State and Ball State in which he completed just five passes both weeks and failed to go over 35 yards passing. McMahon has also split some time with freshman Alex Gillett who has completed at least three passes each game since Schmitt’s injury. On the receiving end, senior wide receiver Jacory Stone and junior tight end Ben Thayer lead the team in receptions and yards with 27 and 22 catches for 273 and 167 yards, respectfully. Each player has one touchdown too. As a whole, the team has not passed for more than 230 yards in a game and has passed for as little as 75. GRADE:

D+

Rushing Offense:

Junior running back Dwayne Priest handles the majority of the team’s carries. He has rushed for 420 yards on 101 carries for three touchdowns. Individually, he rushed for 127 yards against Northwestern in the team’s 24-27 loss, but he was held for just 14 yards on 12 carries against Temple in the team’s 12-24 loss. Third-string quarterback Gillett has accumulated the second-most running yards with 163. Senior Terrence Blevins and sophomore Corey Welch have bulldozed their way into the end zone for two scores apiece, but neither player has rushed for more than 114 yards on the season. Senior DeAnthony White, a converted wide receiver, has rushed for 133 yards on 18 carries and one touchdown. The team has rushed for over 175 yards three times (Northwestern, Michigan and Kent State), but has also rushed for less than fifty yards twice (Army and Temple). GRADE:

F

Rushing Defense:

The Eagles’ rushing defense ranks as one of the worst in college football. Dreadful performances

against Army, Temple and Ball State all resulted in the opposing team rushing for at least 240 yards with the team allowing 463 rushing yards to Ball State. The team has yet to allow less than 120 yards rushing to any team on the season. The defensive line is comprised mostly of underclassmen and the linebackers are led by seniors Jermaine Jenkins and Lorenzo Seaberry. GRADE:

F

Passing Defense:

The pitiful performances of the rushing defense has allowed for the overall statistics of the passing defense to be almost respectable. The team allowed 195 yards passing to Kent State and 318 yard to Central Michigan (EMU didn’t force a punt against Eastern Michigan), but has held every other opponent to under 160 yards passing. This included holding Army to just eight yards passing in the team’s 14-27 loss, owning more passing yards than Michigan (106 to 68) in the team’s 17-45 loss and limiting Ball State to an incredulous one yard passing in the team’s 27-29 loss. The secondary, just as the defensive front, is comprised mostly of underclassmen with cornerbacks Chris May and Johnny Sears as the only seniors. Junior safety Jonte Lewis is the team’s only safety. GRADE:

D+

Special Teams:

Junior kicker Joe Carithers has connected on 8 of 13 FG attempts with a long of 43 yards while going 10-10 on PATs. Johnny Sears handles the team’s kick returns. He has a long of 53 yards while accumulating 493 yards through the team’s first seven games. Sophomore Marvon Sanders handles the punt returns. He has a long of only 11 yards with 35 total yards on the season. GRADE:

C

Head Coach:

First year head coach Ron English was a defensive coordinator in Ann Arbor for the Wolverines under longtime head coach Lloyd Carr and at the University of Louisville last season before coming to the Eagles. While he has yet to record a ‘W’ in the standings, he has had to deal with an injury to his starting quarterback and send multiple freshmen out on the field at once. Two of the team’s losses have been by three points or less and the only blowouts have come at the hands of the team’s instate rivals: former Big Ten powerhouse Michigan and Central Michigan. The real evaluation will come against Akron (1-6, 0-3) on Nov. 27 to determine last place in the Mid-American Conference. GRADE:

INCOMPLETE

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER |UATRAV.COM

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009 |Page 15

from Page 13 “We don’t want that to become infectious. The receivers need to get the confidence back. The great plays being made is what we want to become infectious.� Miller said the wide receivers are motivated by the film that reminds them of the play making ability that has helped Arkansas average 295.6 receiving yards per game, which ranks first in the Southeastern Conference. “You are going to play at your best when you have a lot of confidence in yourself,� Miller

said. “And we need to get back to that. When you see yourself making those plays on film, you think you can make them every week – especially against the big teams.� But after the Razorbacks didn’t put together every phase of the passing game, Petrino said the offense will look to regain confidence against Homecoming opponent Eastern Michigan. “We need to improve in the execution of our passing game,� Petrino said. “We need to be real good with our protections and being precise with our routes and putting the ball where it needs to be.�

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WORLD SERIES

Phillie ‘state of mind’ involves toppling Yankee empire David Murphy Philadelphia Daily News/MCT

PHILADELPHIA — The change was gradual. Like the baseball season itself, you realized the metamorphosis only after it had occurred. For much of the first half of the season, visitors to a victorious Phillies clubhouse were greeted with sounds of will.i.am and Fergie and Taboo and apl.de.ap, better known as the Black Eyed Peas, thumping over the speakers on the stereo next to Jimmy Rollins’ locker. “I gotta feeling, that tonight’s gonna be a good night, they sang.� But by the end of the season, after 93 of those good nights, a new song had emerged as the unofficial anthem of a team that hasn’t stopped partying since last October. The title? “Empire State of Mind.� The chorus? “There’s nothing you can’t do, now you’re in New York� Whether it was clever foreshadowing on the part of a slick-fielding shortstop or a simple change in musical taste, the Phillies climbed out of a charter train at Penn Station Monday evening and found themselves exactly where they wanted to be: two days away from their first date with destiny, looking to establish themselves as baseball’s latest dynasty by knocking off the sport’s first, in New York, New York. “I think there is definitely a special mystique when you walk into Yankee Stadium, new or old,� said rightfielder Jayson Werth, whose stepfather (Dennis Werth) was a utility player for the Yankees from 1979-81. “It’s the cathedral of baseball. It’s where everybody wanted to play as a kid. It’s Yankee Stadium. As far as that goes, there might be something to that, a little bit of motivation. But all in all, it doesn’t matter who we play and where we play. I think everybody knows we have a job to do and we know how to do it.� After beating the Dodgers 10-4 last Wednesday to clinch their second straight National League Championship Series, the Phillies spent much of the next three days assuring the viewing public that it did not matter who they faced in the World Series. But few of them will deny the spectacle that is guaranteed to greet them Wednesday when they arrive in the Bronx, where 26 World Series pennants already hang. What is in store? —A World Series that features the topscoring offense in the American League (915 runs) against the top-scoring offense in the National League (820 runs). —The last two American League Cy Young Award winners, the Phillies’ Cliff Lee and the Yankees’ CC Sabathia, squaring off in Game 1. —Four of the last eight league MVP winners (the Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez won the AL MVP in 2005 and 2007, while the Phillies’ Ryan Howard won it in 2006, followed by Rollins in 2007). —Twelve players who hit at least 20 home runs during the regular season (the 1950 World Series between the Yankees and the Phillies featured six such players). —The two closers with the most postseason saves in major league history (the Yankees’ Mariano Rivera has 37, the Phillies’ Brad Lidge has 16). But star power is only part of the equation. Last year, Phillies fans flocked to Tropicana Field, home to a lukewarm fan base that not only uses cow bells to create crowd noise, but watches a pregame infomercial on the jumbotron informing them about the proper time to ring the devices. This year, they’ll face a franchise that

STEVEN M. FELIX Philadelphia Daily News/MCT

Benton native Cliff Lee is the Game 1 starter of the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee played one season with the Razorbacks.

DAVID SANTIAGO El Nuevo Herald/MCT

New York Yankee pitcher A.J. Burnett is slated to start Game 2 of the World Series. Burnett attended Central Arkansas Christian High School in North Little Rock.

won’t even stoop to using rally towels. New York looks at Tampa as a minor league city — literally. “It’s just got an atmosphere, an aura about it,� Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “It is baseball, and you think about all the great players and great teams that they’ve had come through there. I’m sure our players feel that same way.� Just ask Miguel Cairo. The 35-year-old utility man, who has been on eight teams in his 14 seasons in the major leagues, played for the Yankees in 2004 and 2006 and is well aware of the experience players like Derek Jeter and Rivera bring with them to the field.

“When you are talking about Jeter and Mariano, that’s a class act,� Cairo said. “That’s the best closer in the major leagues right now and one of the best players in the game. To go back there and be in the World Series with them, that’s exciting.� The fun begins Wednesday when Lee and Sabathia, friends and former teammates with the Indians, face off in Game 1. The pregame celebration will feature a performance by multiplatinum rapper Jay-Z, who, like the Phillies, worked his way from nothing to reach the top of his profession. The hit single he’ll be performing? “Empire State of Mind.�

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THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER |UATRAV.COM

Eastern Michigan: “You know what, we’re just gonna stay home� Matt Watson Sports Editor

Word out of Ypsilanti, Mich., home of the Eastern Michigan Eagles, is the 0-7 Eagle football team is going to just stay home this weekend instead of traveling to Fayetteville to play the Arkansas Razorbacks. Eastern Michigan – which had already lost at home this season to Army and Kent State before losing to Ball State last week in a battle of winless teams – has decided to forfeit Saturday’s game at Arkansas. Eagle head coach Ron English said his team has better things to do than travel 900 miles to play in a bounceback game for the Razorbacks, which had tough losses to Florida and Ole Miss the last two weeks. “They’ve played a brutal schedule, and they’re going to look to beat up on somebody this week, especially with the festivities and big crowd of their Homecoming night. No, thanks,� English said. High school and college football teams have historically scheduled inferior opponents on for Homecoming, to provide an easier win for the team and a good show for all the alumni and fans that show up to see the team. After Eastern Michigan dropped its Homecoming game to Temple earlier this season, English went ahead and lined up Ypsilanti Junior High School for the Arts for the Eagles’ 2010 Homecoming contest.

“We’ve also scheduled Our Lady of Liberty University, Northwestern-Central South Dakota Community College and the Kansas City Chiefs,� English said. The Eastern Michigan Board of Directors also supports the team’s decision to forfeit this weekend, praising their fiscal responsibility in foregoing a cross-country trip with escalating fuel prices. “We’re going to take the gas money from the Arkansas trip and just take the guys out to Golden Corral,� English said. “And one of the linebackers just got the box set of Saw DVDs, so we’ve been watching those instead of game film every day so we can go see the Saw VI on Saturday. I can’t get enough of those movies.� Eagle quarterback Andy Schmitt said he and his teammates were bummed out about having to play football on Halloween night anyway, especially against a team from a BCS conference with a chip on its shoulder. “It is Halloween after all, and we all got great costumes together. For one day only, we’re gonna dress up and pretend to be a football team,� Schmitt said. English said it also gives the Eagles an extra week to prepare for Northern Illinois, so hopefully Eastern Michigan can get its elusive first win. “There is a downside to all this though,� English said. “I was really looking forward to seeing the beautiful fall foliage down there.�

SWINGING FOR THE FOUL POLE

SEC

from Page 13 the conference. “Alabama is extremely tough and they’re going to be a force to be reckoned with,� Bucknam said. “It’s hard not to pencil them in as the champion, because they’re outstanding. They’ve proven it this year with some good races. They’re defending their title and they’re going to fight hard, no question about it. “Auburn is the other team that is starting to come on. They were second last year and we’re expecting them to have their best race of the year. By looking at what they’re

doing, they’re coming around at the right time too. Everybody is going to come in there ready to roll and we have to do the same.� The Hogs must run within themselves to win, Bucknam said. The Hogs were overly excited in the Wisconsin Invitational, Bucknam said after the Oct. 3 meet, and the team must run smart to have a shot at the conference championship. “We look at running within our capabilities and not letting emotions get ahead of us. If I could do anything from last year’s conference meet – it was a pretty emotional meet for us, for a lot of different reasons – we went out like gangbusters and I fault that

myself. We need to control our emotions and run within ourselves. Obviously you’ve got to let it go at the end, but we have to run within our capabilities to give us a chance.� Ulrey will anchor the team after finishing fourth at the Chile Pepper Festival, his first cross country race since his freshman season at Northern Iowa. “With the way (Ulrey) looked at Chile Pepper, he’s definitely in great shape and looks real good team-wise for us,� Bucknam said. “Dorian looks good. Really, all of our guys running this week, I really have a lot of confidence in them. I feel good about who we’ve got running.�

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RASHAUN RUCKER Detroit Free Press/MCT

The winless Eastern Michigan Eagles have decided to just forfeit the game at Arkansas this weekend.

The Hogs rested Haile at the Chile Pepper so the freshman could rest and recover from the rigors of running collegiate track, but Bucknam said the two-time SEC Freshman of the Week is ready to go. “Solomon has looked awful well,� Bucknam said. (He and Ulrey) have been together the whole year, training-wise. (He’s) a national high school champion and Foot Locker high school national champion and has been in some big races. Our other guys have been on SEC championship teams, so we know the importance of this week. We have championship caliber guys on our team that have been in the battles.�

Women’s XC embracing underdog role The women’s cross country squad will look to defend their 2008 Southeastern Conference crown against a field that includes heavy favorite Florida. The fifth-ranked Gators and Arkansas are the only two ranked SEC schools, but coach Lance Harter said Florida is the heavy favorite. “Florida is demonstratively the favorite,� Harter said. “In fact, they have the power and wherewithal on their crew to not even make it close. They have assembled a phenomenal group of four international athletes that just came in

and made them instantly a national contender. Our job is to mix that up. We will go in as the defending champions, but we will have our work cut out for us.� Attrition and injuries have plagued the 29th-ranked Razorbacks since before the season began, but the Razorbacks still attained a No. 2 ranking in the South Central region. To beat Florida, Harter said the Hogs would need things to go just right. “Florida’s been battle-tested now and they have four outstanding frontrunners,� Harter said. “We will have to go in just give them everything we possibly can and count on their fifth runner having some kind of breakdown.�

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER |UATRAV.COM

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009 |Page 18

One-on-One with a Razorback

Arkansas senior cornerback Ramon Broadway sat down with Traveler assistant sports editor Jimmy Carter to discuss the secondary’s maturation process and his popularity among NFL players. The Shreveport, La., native totaled two interceptions as a junior and has started three of the Razorbacks’ seven games this season.

ramon broadway

Shreveport, La. 5’9” 191 lbs 2009: 34 tackles and 2 fumble recoveries JONATHAN GIBSON Staff Photographer

Do you feel like the defensive backs have matured over the course of this season? Diversity never hurt anybody. My whole life I’ve been through diversity, I’ve been through a bunch of ups and downs. On that back end, it’s funny in the game of football, the secondary has the hardest job besides the quarterback. When the quarterback makes a great pass and its turned into an interception, it’s still a bad throw in his hand. When you mess around and you get a receiver behind you, the scoreboard lights up. Everybody sees your mistakes, so that’s the toughest thing about being in the secondary. That’s the only thing that brings diversity into the secondary. When somebody messes up, everybody is exposed. You’ve got to have your eyes right back there. If your eyes aren’t right, it doesn’t matter how good you are as a corner, the world will never see that. Corner is one of the most isolated positions on the field. Is there added pressure knowing the game is on the line every down? Oh yeah. I promise you man, defensive backs, cornerbacks, have the hardest job in the game of football. There have been some shakeups in the secondary and you can see the improvement, even if it hasn’t shown up in the win-loss column. Has coach Robinson been more satisfied with the defensive backfield’s performance in recent weeks, as opposed to the beginning of the year? One thing coach Robinson is and one thing he has always done, it doesn’t matter what’s at stake, whether we played a great game or a bad game – because you have them. In the secondary you’re going to have ups and downs. I appreciate what he does, because I depend on him to definitely keep this group up. He comes to us like a man and tells us ‘You’ve got to move on and you’ve got to put games behind you. The way to make a bad way go away, you’ve got to make a good

play.’ I admire him for that, because I look up to him for that, for helping me out with that. Have you guys been grading out better in recent weeks? Oh yeah, we’ve been grading out a lot better. You take two or three plays from here and there and our record is different, so the secondary is definitely picking it up. We’ve got depth, we’ve got guys that can roll. We can really cover anybody, we’ve graded out pretty good these last couple weeks. Terrell Owens tweeted in support of the team in the Florida game. How encouraging was it to receive a national outpouring of support after the game? That’s big time. I actually talk to a bunch of guys. Robert Meachem he hit me up. Devery Henderson, he hit me up and let me know (he supported us). Chris Houston, Matterrial Richardson, all these guys call us and let us know that you’ve got to keep going. That makes me lift my head up. When I have a bad game and hold my head, these guys contact and let me know ‘You’ve got to keep going,’ and what coach Robinson does and what he says to us, that’s definitely motivation. You’ve got respect for guys on that level who are watching you every Saturday, because we’re watching them on Sunday. That’s definitely motivation and inspiration. Who is your nerdiest teammate? David Gordon is the most nerdiest guy we have. I think he’s a very good student. I think sometimes he’s definitely a student-athlete. He’s a student first, an athlete second. Is there a television show you have to watch? I definitely watch the T.O. Show. I’m a movie guy though.

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