Cotton Bowl Bound
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Vol. 106, NO. 55 UATRAV.COM
MONDAY, DECEMBER 5 , 2011
Tech Takeover:
Increasing Overlap Between Online and Traditional Classes by BRITTANY NIMS Asst. News Editor
Higher education institutions should adapt to new technology and students’ learning styles because of budget challenges and to remain competitive, said Donald Bobbitt, UA system president, during a Nov. 13 speech at The Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock. Bobbitt, who succeeded B. Alan Sugg in July, said he came
to the UA from the University of Texas at Arlington with a vision: a “robust, inclusive, comprehensive and cost-effective system of higher education. “We need to figure out a way to meet our mission, which is to educate, with our resources, by becoming more innovative and efficient,” Bobbitt said in a telephone interview.
see TECHNOLOGY on page 3
BRITTANY NIMS ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Campus Hours Change During the Holiday Break by KAREN STIGAR Staff Writer
There are a select few campus residence halls that will remain open during the winter break, including Holcombe, Yocum, Gregson, Walton, and the Northwest Quad, a housing official said. “The only facilities that remain open on a constant basis are the Duncan Apartments and the Northwest Quads are open during breaks and typically summer school is in the Northwest Quad,” said Florence Johnson, executive director of University Houisng. These halls remain open because it is important to offer different options for students living on campus, Johnson said. Halls that do not remain open all year and close for holidays and breaks are Humphreys, Pomfret, Gibson, Gladson-Ripley, Reid, Buchanan-Droke, Maple Hill and Futrall according to the university housing website. The people that are allowed to remain in these halls during holidays or breaks are staff and students assigned to these specific halls that remain open, Johnson said. The students who remain on campus during break have the same meal plan options as other students, Johnson said. There are a variety of meal plans student can choose from to fit their needs such as celiac, food allergy, religious, or vegetarian preferences which can be directed to the dining hall
Mullins Hours During Finals Mullins Library hours will also change during finals. Read about the schedule on
page 2 directors, according to the offcampus meal plans website. Meal plans are available for use in any campus-dining hall, the Union food court, the Hill Grill during “late night”. There are 20 meals offered a week in the campus dining halls, Monday through Saturday and brunch and dinner on Sundays, according to the offcampus meal plans website. Meals can be used in any dining hall including the Northwest Quads, Brough Commons and Pomfret. Flex dollars can be used in any Chartwells retail location, according to the off-campus meal plans website. “Service retail outlets stay open longer than the dining halls,” Johnson said. Students who stay in the halls and don’t have a vehicle or means of transportation may use the transit or go with friends, Johnson said. The Razorback Transit will
In This Issue:
News
operate on a reduced schedule Dec. 19,20, 21 and 22 and will not operate December 23 through January 2. The regular housing staffing plan remains in place, however, on a limited basis in each hall that remains open during holidays and winter break, Johnson said. There are 180 full-time, graduate, and student staff member according, to the university housing website. Things for students to do while spending breaks and holidays on campus can be limited, Johnson said. “There are no special programs that are provided for students remaining on campus during break. Students are aware when they choose to live in one of these halls that remain open that in hall services and campus services are only available on a limited basis when the university is closed,” Johnson said.
News
Southeastern Indian Art in Mullins by MATILDE BONIFAZ Staff Writer
Exhibits of Southeastern Indian paintings are on display in the Mullins Library lobby until Dec.23. The paintings being displayed are from members of the Southeastern Indian Artists Association and award winning artists, said Molly Boyd, assistant to the dean. The artists include Jeff Edwards, a Cherokee artist and language activist, Sharon Irla, a self-taught Cherokee artist, Roy Boney, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah and an artist, filmmaker and digital media specialist, Troy Jackson, a native Oklahoman Chero-
kee artist, Bobby Martin, a Muskogee Creek artist and designer, Tonny Tiger, a member of the Sac and Fox Tribe of Oklahoma and Joseph Erb, a Cherokee filmmaker, artist and digital media specialist. “November is American Indian Heritage Month, and when possible, the libraries like to link our exhibits to national diversity topics. The library has an art advisory committee, who plan the exhibits for the year at Mullins Library. This group makes every effort to schedule artists that correspond with a theme such as Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Arkansas Heritage Month and American Indian
CONTESSA SHEW STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
On display at Mullins library is a variety of Southwestern Indian artist’s work including vintage,classic,and modern pieces. Many students walk by these displays everyday but aren’t exactly aware that the library continually exhibits artwork by various artists year round.
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Heritage Month,” Boyd said. “It is such a pleasure and honor to host this exhibit. More than creating incredible works of art, these artists are preserving language, culture and tradition. Jeff Edwards, Roy Boney Jr., and Joseph Erb are literally preserving the Cherokee language through their work at the Cherokee Nation,” said Jennifer Rae Hartman, public relations coordinator. “I love seeing the variety of paintings displayed at Mullins Library, it makes the library ‘homier’ and more beautiful,” said Camila Salinas, a UA business major. The paintings are on display throughout December.
Sports
Opinion
McGee Takes UAB Job Social Media Changing Online RA Applications Alternative Spring Break NWA’s Next Generation The Flying Possum: of Entrepreneurs: Raising From the Ashes, Arkansas offensive the Way We Live coordinator Garrick McGee Housing officials move RA Students wanting something Making Something Reinvented New media is continuing to will be annouced as the applications online. different for Spring Break Flying Possum to be change not only the way we head coach at Alabamafrom Nothing have a new option. Page 2 MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2011 VOL. 106, NO. 55 8 PAGES UATRAV.COM
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NEWS
MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2011
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Campus Hours During Finals by BAILEY KESTNER Staff Writer
Mullins Library officials, along with some UA coffee shops and tutorial services, are changing their hours during finals week. Mullins Library will remain open for 24 hour service through Dec. 9 at 2 a.m. The hours for Dec. 9 and 10 will be 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11 the library will open at noon and remain open for 24 hour service until Thursday, Dec.15 at 2 a.m. It will reopen at 7 a.m. Dec. 15, closing
at 2 a.m. The hours for Dec.16 will be from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Other campus libraries, including the Fine Arts Library and the Chemistry and Biochemistry Library, will keep their regular hours during the week of finals. Some UA offee shops, on the other hand, are extending their hours during finals for students. RZ’s Coffee in the Union will be open 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. from Dec. 12 through Dec. 15 and Starbucks will be open 7 a.m. to midnight. Both coffee shops regularly close at 11 p.m.
The Hill coffee shop and Peabody Perks will both be keeping their regular hours. The Hill is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Peabody Perks, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Many other universities, like California State and Kansas University, are keeping their main campus libraries open 24 hours a day through finals week. Some universities, like the University of Florida, are extending library hours, from 8 a.m. to 4 a.m. Tutorial services on campus will have some minor changes during finals week.
The Quality Writing Center will be closing at 4 p.m., instead of offering appointments until 7 p.m. The Enhanced Learning Center in Gregson Hall will not change its times, but there will be no one-on-one appointments. Instead, tutors will be available to any students seeing help. The Math Resource and Tutoring Center will not change times during finals; one lab will be kept open for tutoring and all staff will be available on the floors.
ABOUT THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER The Arkansas Traveler, the student newspaper of the University of Arkansas, is published every day during the fall and spring academic sessions except during exam periods and university holidays. Opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Traveler. The editor makes all final content decisions. One copy of The Arkansas Traveler is free to every member of the UA community. Additional copies can be purchased for 50 cents each. Mail subscriptions for delivery within the continental United States can be purchased for $125.00 per semester. Contact the Traveler Business Manager to arrange.
CONTACT
Housing Officials Move RA applications Online by JANNEE SULLIVAN Staff Writer
Resident assistant applications are available entirely online this year for students wanting to be RAs for the 2012 school year. The switch to online applications is expected to increase the number of applicants this year, officials said. “The amount of returning applicants varies each year just according to who graduates but we usually see around 200 new applicants,” said Grant Carlson, the interim director for Recruitment and Training. “Hopefully that number will increase since this is the first year students can submit the applications online.” While applications are an important part of the process, UA housing officials choose RAs based more on the interview process than the application, he said. “Students do have to have at least a 2.5 grade-point average and they must be second year students,” Carlson said, “The qualifications vary. We’re looking for people who want to be involved and make a difference.” Enthusiasm is an important component for students wanting to become RAs, Carlson said. “An RA has to be a role model and a great resource
for students living on campus,” said Takama StattonBrooks, the director for Residence Education. “They need to be outgoing and someone who likes to meet new people. They’re going to get to meet all the residents through doing nightly rounds and other duties.” All application materials, including a reference from a current RA, are due Jan. 19, according to the UA housing website. Interview dates are scheduled in February, though the exact dates could vary because of weather, officials said. Students will know if they are hired before spring break. These students will begin training at the end of thsummer, Carlson said. Students will learn how to deal with issues ranging from roommate conflict resolution, filing incident reports, dealing with fire alarm procedures and student and crisis development, Statton-Brooks said. “We’re excited about what the RA program can do for students as far as experience and meeting new people,” Carlson said, “We want as many people to apply as possible.” Students who want to apply can visit housing.uark. edu/ra to apply and get the current RA reference form.
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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.
CAMPUS NUMBERS NEED EMERGENCY HELP? CALL UAPD 575-2222
The women and men of the University of Arkansas Police Department, in partnership with the community, are committed to protecting the future of Arkansas by promoting a safe and secure environment.
HAVE A TICKET? CALL 575-7275 TO RESOLVE IT
The Transit and Parking office handles parking permits and passes and transit for students, including bus routes and GoLoco Ride Sharing. Students with parking violations can contact the office to appeal their citation.
NEED A RIDE AT NIGHT? CALL 575 - 7233
Otherwise known as 575-SAFE, the mission of the Safe Ride program is to provide students with a safe means of transportation from any uncomfortable or inconvenient situation. Safe Ride brings you home safely.
3729 N. Crossover, Ste. 107 | Fayetteville 1.479.443.7791 | www.ppaeo.org
NEED TICKETS? CALL 1-800-982-4647 Don’t forget to call early and reserve your student football tickets for the 2010-2011 season. The ticket office is located on Razorback Road next to Baum Stadium.
PAGE 3
NEWS
MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2011
TECHNOLOGY from page 1
The revenue and federal budget concerns facing higher education institutions makes online classes vital for the UA, Bobbitt said. “Very few institutions claim to be adequately funded, and there is not a lot of hope that that situation will change,� Bobbitt said. Tuition and fees account for 43 percent of the UA’s education and general budget, according to the chancellor’s website; the state of Arkansas accounts for 45 percent. There are many demands on those funds, Bobbitt said. “Tuition can’t be increased enough to make up for the flattening in education revenues,� he said. In the 1976 fiscal year, the maximum Pell Grant of $1,400 covered 72 percent of the total cost to attend a fouryear college. In the 2009-2010 school year, the maximum Pell Grant covered 36 percent of the cost to attend a typical four-year college, according to an article from the Federal Education Budget Project. “We can look at other industry leaders, who are no longer industry leaders, and get a pretty good idea of what our fate will be if we don’t meet the challenges,� Bobbitt said during his Nov. 13 speech. “We have to adapt to those challenges,� he said, “or go the way of the auto industry.� Technology, both in the classroom and through online classes, is in the future of higher education, Bobbitt said. More than 30 percent of higher education students now take at least one course
BRITTANY NIMS ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Vinson Carter, clinical instructor of technology engineering education, demonstrates the use of a Promethean board in Peabody Hall. Carter teaches students in the College of Education about the importance of using technology in their own teaching. Carter’s use of technology in his own teaching might become the new normal on campus as UA officials look to integrate more “hybrid� classes. online, according to a 2011 study by The Sloan Consortium, an online education organization. Additionally, 65 percent of the more than 2,500 higher education institutes surveyed said that online learning is a critical part in their long-term strategy. Online education can be the integration of technology in a classroom “face-toface� setting, distance learning from across the state or globe, or any “hybrid� of the two, Bobbitt said. “Technology might be a way, if we can mend it and mold it into the institution,
BRIEFLY SPEAKING: December 5
Food Science Seminar
Tajudini Lassissi Akande of the UA Food Science department, will present “Extrusion of a Fortified Ready-To-Eat Snack for Malnourished Children in Niger and Evaluation of Its Physico-Chemical and Sensory Properties�. Dolar Pak, also from the UA Food Science department will present “Evaluation of Novel Prebiotic Fibers from Soy on Digestive Microbiota� from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room D-2 of the FDSC building.
December 6
The Arkansas Woman
Learn all about the history of women in Arkansas: who these women were, what they accomplished, what their lives were like and the legacy they left to the state of Arkansas. Explore the treasure, tenacity and beauty of the "Arkansas Woman� at the Off Campus Continuing Education Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch provided.
to help us educate more students in a cost-effective manner, better than we are now,� he said. Hybrid teaching in classrooms is the new expectation on college campuses, said Elaine Terrell, instructional designer with the UA Faculty Technology Center. “Students expect it,� she said. “Those students have grown up with the expectation that, if the technology’s there, then why wouldn’t you use it?� Classroom technology is important for students, Terrell said, because most students will use similar technol-
ogy throughout their careers. “Our students, when they graduate and go out in the real world, they’re going to be working with a lot of this technology, and the sooner they experience it and get comfortable with it, the better,� Terrell said. Integrating technology allows instructors to connect with students in new ways, making learning easier for more people, she said. “We’ve had this [linear] model for the better part of a century, where we’re expected to learn by paying attention to the person talking at the front of the room,� Terrell said.
“Studies on learning styles have shown that not many of us are good at that way of doing things.� Instructors can meet the needs of more students with hybrid and online teaching, Bobbitt said, compared to traditional methods. “The online experience can be organized so things can be reviewed several times before moving on [to new material],� he said. Learning styles differ greatly, Bobbitt said. “There are some students who benefit from face-toface instruction,� he said, “and there are other students who
benefit quite dramatically from the online experience.� It is important for teachers to realize that students have different ways of processing information, said Linda Jones, associate professor of instructional technology and director of the Language Learning Center. “We as teachers need to find ways to teach our courses where it’s not just [uniform], it’s not just one way all the time, but instead we provide students with other redundant venues for processing the information,� Jones said. Students in online learning environments perform better than students in traditional learning environments, according to an unattributed online article in The New York Times. “On average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction,� according to the article. Connecting with students on a level they understand is important, Jones said. “All of our kids today that we’re teaching are already using technology. They’re already familiar with it, they’re very used to it. It is their primary way of getting information,� she said. The technology necessary to solve most of the problems facing higher education institutions is available and ready to use, Bobbitt said. “[The] technologies available right now don’t have to be invented to solve most of these problems,� he said. “If the educational environment will embrace it, and I think there’s ample evidence that that is indeed occurring.�
Alternative Spring Break Sends Students to the Delta by SARAH DEROUEN Staff Writer
Students who do not want to have a traditional spring break and would like to make a difference in someone else’s life, have that opportunity, a volunteer action center official said. UA Housing and the Center for Community Engagement is partnering to offer an opportunity for students to help a group of girls from south Arkansas. Through the Dream Big program, a group of 50- 75 girls, who are in high school, from Phillips
County will be brought to the UA, said Amanda Finch, who helped with the group last year. There are only 75 girls in high school, so the goal is for all of them to attend. The program was piloted last year. The mentors went to the Arkansas Delta to help about 50 people to learn about technology. The goal of the program is to motivate girls so that they could have a college career outside of the Delta, Quiana Jenkins, a student coordinator in the program. “My goal is that they know
OLLI Non-Fiction Book Club
that someone is there to believe in them,� Jenkins said. This year the group will be helping the girls with settle goals, establishing self esteem, setting health boundaries and college access, Finch said. The Delta is the most impoverished area of the state. Ninety percent of the student that attend Marvell-Elaine High School, which is where the girls that will be attending this year’s program go to school, are on free or reduced lunch and less than 50 percent graduate, Finch said. The mentors who helped
last year had a life changing experience because they had not ever experienced poverty like that, Finch said. Helpers this year will be separated into group lead mentors and mentor. There will be 10 lead mentors and 20 mentors. The lead mentor will travel with five student coordinators to the Delta area in January. The girls will be staying and eating at Mt. Sequoya for the duration of their three day trip.
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The book for December will be "The Diaries of Sofia Tolstoy" translated by Cathy Porter; other selections will be decided on by members of the book club for the rest of the semester. The book club meets every first Tuesday of each month at the Off Campus Continuing Education Center from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
December 7
Art: Good, Better, Best
Explore the mechanics and fundamentals of what constitutes fine and decorative art objects at the Off Campus Continuing Education Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition to lecture, there will be numerous hands-on examples of work that explain what constitutes good, better and best. Lunch provided.
AEAP: Finding Your Balance
Take some time to breathe and join AEAP members for a discussion about how a stressful life can take its toll. Learn to balance your life and assess the changes you would like to make. The meeting will take place in the Off Campus Continuing Education Center from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Union rooms 513.
December 8
Last Day of Fall 2011 classes Dead Day De-Stress
University Recreation members will show you how to unwind with a showing of Home Alone, cookies, hot cocoa and chair massages. UREC stress relief footballs will be given away and a yoga class will take place at 12:45 p.m. in HPER 220. This event runs from 1 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Influence of European Church Designs
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This two-lecture series discusses how American Christian architecture developed a distinct and recognizable form through a translation of European stylistic models. Investigate architectural elements in the oldest churches in Fayetteville. Focusing on the Western Christian tradition, learn about the evolution of church construction from the Colonial Period to the present in the Off Campus Continuing Education Center from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
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OPINION THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER
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EDITOR: SABA NASEEM MANAGING EDITOR: MATTIE QUINN
MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2011
FROM THE BOARD
ASG Senate: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly With the end of the fall semester quickly approaching, it’s time to do a brief round up comparing the effectiveness of the Associated Student Government Senate members so far this semester, compared to last year.
THE GOOD:
Unlike last fall the majority of the legislation this semester was senate-driven and not authored or sponsored by ASG executives and cabinet members. Also, as we mentioned in one of our first “From the Boards” the bickering and middle school-esque cattiness that could be seen in some of the Senate meetings last year, senators have, so far, been polite even if they disagree with a speaker. (If anything there has been almost a lack of debate. Hopefully next semester will bring more contentious legislation.) A lot of good information was also given out via the administrative speakers at ASG senate, particularly in regards to how officials are thinking about dealing with UA’s growing pains, Parking and Transit and academic integrity. (This really has nothing to do with the overall performance of the Senate body though, but a few members did ask good questions.) Unlike last year, the ASG website is being updated with legislation from each meeting. (We would recommend, however, reorganizing previous years’ legislation. To find out how much legislation previous Senates had discussed only during the fall semester for 2010, we had to use copies provided by Jessica Morgan, ASG’s previous advisor, last spring. Also including the date the legislation passed and vote totals would be helpful.)
THE BAD:
In terms of legislation passed this year has been close, but not quite up to last year’s Senate. During the Fall 2010 semester, eight pieces of legislation were passed; this semester there have been seven. Some of the legislation from this fall semester and Fall 2010 are similar—standing rules, Rollin With The Razorbacks and the Appropriations Bill. Despite how close those numbers are, last fall there was approximately a month between legislation being introduced. Though the pacing of legislation through Senate has been better, last year’s Senate members technically did more with less time. In his platform for ASG Senate Chair Grant Hodges proposed various things, some of which have happened, while others haven’t. One thing we hope to see happen that Hodges’ mentioned in his platform is for the ASG Senate meetings to be recorded, and posted on ASG’s website.
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Social Media Changing The Way We Live Nontraditional Way
THE UGLY (KIND OF):
ASG members haven’t had a true “ugly.” There haven’t been scandals—like embezzling money to buy members iPods. But there has been something that we’ve been worried about with ASG Senate since the beginning of the semester, and not much has happened to decrease that feeling. We’ve said numerous times that we didn’t want ASG senators to get caught up in smaller, miniscule legislation and not take on bigger issues that are effecting students this year. For the most part we think this has happened. It isn’t that smaller legislation is unimportant. (For example, ASG members have funded a few trips for UA students with what we consider smaller legislation including the Joplin Relief Trip and Rollin.) In fact, it’s probably necessary for an effective ASG Senate, or likely even fewer pieces of legislation would be discussed and passed. But we wish there was a better balance between it and larger-issue legislation. Perhaps the most obvious—though not the only— exception is the Medical Amnesty legislation that has been delayed for two Senate meetings and will hopefully be debated and voted on Tuesday night. We hope that the bill’s author has spent the past few weeks working with administrators and doing more research so that the legislation will be more effective—and not as dead on arrival— than the similar legislation authored by ASG President Michael Dodd last year. Students, and the UA community as a whole, are facing major issues—some related to the UA’s growth, some not. Though ASG senate members can’t suddenly fix the university’s parking or housing crunch by simply passing legislation, they have the opportunity —as do all ASG members— to take a stance on these issues and represent the student voice to administrators. There is talk of reforming various areas of ASG—how Registered Student Funds are appropriated, the elections process, etc. but that is still very ASG-directed, and how large those changes would be is up to the senate members. If ASG senators were willing to discuss and propose resolutions about larger issues facing the campus community, and act as a voice that represents all students, we could only hope, and except, that administrators would be open to hearing and compromising on new ideas that could help move the university forward. (Or maybe we’re just feeling unrealistically hopeful from being overly caffinated and watching too much Aaron Sorkin television.)
by EMILY HILLEY-SIERZCHULA Traveler Columnist
I wonder if after you’re run over in the street, bleeding profusely but still grasping the iPhone that occupied so much of your attention that you didn’t see the speeding motorist heading your way, if you then change your Facebook status to “Dead now. Give me my Darwin Award because I was stupid.” Even a brief jaunt across campus reveals the high value placed on technology of all sorts by many students, even to the point of casually making life and death decisions (such as crossing a busy road while checking Facebook or Twitter.) Students careen through parking lots at breakneck speed, grasping their phones, hoping another student doesn’t get in their way. “Fully 65 percent of adult Internet users now say they use a social networking site like MySpace, Facebook or
LinkedIn,” according to a 2011 Pew Research Center survey. The Pew Research Center reports that 95 percent of young adults now use the Internet, compared with a mere 78 percent of the total U.S. adult population. This degree of digital access is bound to have an impact on the lives of young people. Modern technology has infiltrated our lives to such an extent that it trumps human-to-human, eye-to-eye communication. It seems that actually talking to someone is passé. The university core includes COMM 1313 to ensure that students are able to communicate effectively, in more than 140 characters at a time. Giving a 5-minute speech does seem to take a lifetime. The digital word has had a profound impact on human relationships. People meet potential mates using online services, rather than by serendipitous accidents like in the “good ole days.” The Internet has also changed the way people get their daily news, because the web is “now the third most-popular news platform, behind local and national television news” and ahead of newspapers and radio, according to a 2010 Pew Research Center poll. The reign of the Old Gray Lady—
EDITOR Saba Naseem MANAGING EDITOR Mattie Quinn OPINION EDITOR Jordain Carney ENTERPRISE EDITOR Samantha Williams CONTACT US 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.
class times need to be shortened to accommodate the new tiny, fleeting attention spans of many students. One journalism professor stated recently that in her experience after about 45 minutes of class, phones start appearing and listening and learning take a back seat to Facebook and Twitter messages. Is this college? If anything class times should be extended, just so those students will be forced to concentrate longer. This is called job training—welcome to the real world. The digital world leads to a self-centered mentality in many ways. I read the comments section of online newspapers with as much relish as the story itself. People attack reporters and columnists with impunity, talking big and tough within the perceived anonymity of a digital identity. You can write things online that would get you a punch to the nose in real life. Now it’s time to go Christmas shopping and order a pizza…online. Emily Hilley-Sierzchula is a Traveler columnist. Her column appears bimonthly, every other Monday. This is her last article as a columnist.
Comments From the Traveler Website Re: “It’s Time For You To Get A Watch”
EDITORIAL BOARD
also known as The New York Times is still supreme some circles, but she is gradually decreasing in popularity. As a tactile person, I like the feel of a newspaper or bound book in my hands, but people like me are becoming a minority. Digital networking, using the usual suspects as well as LinkedIn, is now essential to finding a job “Gaming,” which is the pinnacle of make-believe digital escapism, is now encouraged by university administration at the expense of other services for students. For example, the Veteran’s Resource Center staff has been asking the administration for a small lounge space so student veterans can hang out, network, share their unique experiences and form friendships (all of which would increase the retention rate of student veterans). Erika Gamboa, the director of the veteran’s center, was told there is no room for such a place; yet there is room for a new gaming center in the Union for students to play video games, a virtually mindless activity. The only benefit to gaming is enhanced eye-hand coordination, which can be accomplished with golf or racquetball. Professors at the university increasingly wonder if
JACK RUDY: “If the administration refuses to let students participate in decision-making, they should give up. That way, they can spend more time on other bills that the administration will refuse to consider.” – Traveler Editorial Board.
Re: “Monday Column Response”
MORGAN R.: Kate, don’t you know that Tim is a shortened version of Timothy and Tom is a shortened version of Thomas? You can Google that if you don’t believe me. Also, it’s painfully obvious that “Kate” is a pseudonym of Emily
because she doesn’t want it to appear that nobody shares her opinion.
KATE: “Respect as you step”? Did N.T. help co-write Save The Last Dance or Bring it On? And Tom J.- good job, now all your professors and your peers know that you have to google words that are more than two syllables. I guess that is why you had to dumb down Timothy to Tom… just too much for you, eh? Emily, as a journalist myself, I find it admirable that you have the ability to stir up so much feedback (both positive and negative). Column writing 101: stir the pot or find another niche. By the way… I showed this to my editor and he said (and I quote) “We need to hire this girl! It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a columnist write an article that kept me reading until the last sentence, and then left me wanting more! Do you know how we can get in touch with her?” So, although some of your delightfully intelligent peers may not see the value in your work, it appears that an editor with over 30 years of experience finds it remarkably fresh and daring. Good job!
Scan here to go to the Features section on uatrav.com:
THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER
FEATURES
FEATURES EDITOR: LAUREN LEATHERBY ASST. FEATURES EDITOR: KELSI FORD
PAGE 5 MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2011
NWA’s Next Generation of Entrepreneurs: Making Something from Nothing by EDDIE GREGG Staff Writer
Nick Jones, 24, is a longboarder — and a job creator. Instead of banking on a corporate job after graduating from the University of Arkansas with a finance degree, he launched his own company, Lavish Longboard before he had even graduated. Jones, a native of Fresno, Calif., makes custom longboards—long, surfboard-shaped skateboards— in his one-car garage, sharing his passion for West-Coast-inspired skate culture with the Midwest. Local skaters seem to appreciate his work. Since February, he has sold more than 200 of his custom boards, which sell for as much $170 each. Despite the price, skaters across more than a dozen states have been demanding as many as 15 boards a week, he says. His duplex in Fayetteville is hardly a mansion, but he more than pays the bills—and he is his own boss. His garage smells like chemicals. A stack of freshly cut, unfinished boards sits on a table. Jones apologizes for the mess in the garage—even though the floor is clean and everything seems organized. “I guess I’ve taken my love and passion for the longboarding business, mixed it with my business education and experience and just maximized it,” he says. “I just want to be the go-to source for longboards here.” Demand for his longboards has been strong enough that he has already hired a carpenter to work 20 hours a week to help with production. As his business continues to grow, he plans on hiring a fulltime employee to help with sales, he says. Jones is just one example of the growing group of young entrepreneurs in the area who are creating jobs for themselves and others with the support of mentors and entrepreneurship networks like
the Northwest Arkansas Entrepreneurship Alliance. Entrepreneurship is key in solving our country’s economic problems because it creates jobs, said Jeff Amerine, an entrepreneurship professor at the UA who has been a mentor to Jones. “There’s no question that the global economic race is going to be won by the regions and countries that invest in innovation and entrepreneurship,” he said. But launching new businesses is risky. Many—if not most—fail quickly. Between 30 and 40 percent of start-ups collapse—with investors losing all or most of what they put into the companies while 70 to 80 percent fall short of projected returns on investment, according to Shikhar Ghosh of Harvard Business School. The small ventures that do survive, though, often grow and create new jobs faster than larger, older businesses—even during economic downturns, according to research from the Kauffman Foundation, a leading new-business research and funding organization based in Kansas City. Rockfish Interactive, a digital marketing and consulting firm based in Rogers, is one local example of how fast some start-ups can grow. Since opening in 2006, Rockfish—creator of websites and mobile apps for Walmart, Cisco and Johnson & Johnson among others—has grown to employ 150 workers, and last year the company had sales of more than $14 million. Ryan Frazier, 23, is another UA graduate and young entrepreneur that has already made a name for himself, drawing attention from investors as far away as New York City. With the help of Kenny Cason, 24, and Britt Cagnina, 26 — both recent graduates of the UA — Frazier founded TTAGG, an online stock market resource that tracks what people buy at retailers by
monitoring social media. From the information TTAGG collects, it creates an index that can be used to indicate what a retailer’s stock will be valued at—a couple of weeks in advance. TTAGG has already raised $150,000 from investors and is valued at $1 million, according to Frazier. But less than three weeks after he, Cason and Cagnina made TTAGG available to the public on Oct. 1, Forbes published an article predicting that if TTAGG’s success continues, the company could be worth much more. “Some of the people who invested in the company actually made more trading stock using TTAGG than they put into the company,” Frazier said. He got the idea for TTAGG before Christmas last year while trying to figure out what clothing retailers were going to be most popular during the holiday season. Instead of hanging out in the mall to see which stores people were shopping at, he realized he could look at which retailers had the most discussed clothes on social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook. After doing some digging online, Urban Outfitters caught his eye so he decided to trade in it. “Two weeks later they released earnings and it was up 12 percent,” Frazier said. “That’s what kind of started it.” Maurice Elliott, 22, also took an idea and turned it into a successful business. As a junior at the UA, he founded Fayettechill Clothing Company. Elliott realized there was no brand of clothing that specifically represents the relaxed outdoor lifestyle of the Ozarks he is passionate about—so he created one. Less than two years after the first Fayettechill shirt sold, Elliott’s company is selling more than 1,000 shirts—which start at $38 each—a week in seven stores across Northwest Arkansas, he said. And he has an office on Cen-
COURTESY PHOTO Fayettechill is a clothing company created by entrepreneur and UA grad Maurice ‘Mo’ Elliot. More than 1,000 Fayettechill shirts are sold weekly in stores across the area.
ter Street in Fayetteville with a part-time employee. And Elliott outsources his business’s graphic design work, screenprinting, accounting and marketing to other small businesses in the area, injecting money into the local economy in ways that he never would if he didn’t run his own business. The Northwest Arkansas Entrepreneurship Alliance, which connects less experienced entrepreneurs with seasoned pros and serves as sort of an incubator for new ventures, has had a major impact on the entrepreneur culture in the region, Amerine said. Elliott, Frazier and Jones agree the Alliance has helped them network with trustworthy mentors and peers in the local entrepreneur community. “My business knowledge, my experiences would be cut in half [without it],” Elliott said. Even though it has only existed a couple of years, the Alliance has an email list of 240 and more than 100 active members, according to Elliott, who is president and co-
founder of the Alliance. Having a support network is critical for young people with business ideas, Amerine explained, because once they start seeing the success of their peers and realize there is support system they can rely on, they are much more likely to start ventures of their own. “It’s the confidence that you’re not alone,” Amerine said. “That’s really what this Northwest Arkansas Entrepreneurship Alliance is about. It’s really exciting to see where the culture of entrepreneurship around here has changed in the past eight to 10 years.” He described Northwest Arkansas’s venture ecosystem as three interconnecting circles. In one circle are the big players big players like Walmart, Tyson, J.B. Hunt and the University of Arkansas who create demand and churn out innovation. In another circle are people like Jones, Elliott and Frazier—young entrepreneurs—who have ideas and are willing to take on the risk of starting a new business. In a third circle are people like
Amerine—mentors and investors—who have experience as entrepreneurs and are willing to help the new guys get started. “If you can get all three of those bubbles interconnected… it can be magical how it works,” Amerine said. “That’s the kind of stuff that wakes me up in the middle of the night and keeps me going.” Frazier, Jones and Elliott all say being an entrepreneur is not about building a fat bank account. Yes, money is part of it—but it’s more about freedom. “I would make a lot more money if I had just stayed doing what I was doing before,” said Frazier, who quit his job as director of marketing and sales at Sigma Supply, Inc., a multi-million dollar packaging equipment and supply company in Hot Springs, to focus on his own business ventures. “But it’s not about that,” he explained. “We’re doing it because we want to create something ourselves. We want to work for ourselves. If we’re successful, hopefully we’ll get to enjoy the fruits of our labor.”
picked up leather-working from another man working in the area. Walker later became a custom shoe- and boot-maker and was the first vendor in Chico to sell Birkenstock sandals. Bruce got his first experience with leather-working and his first pair of Birkenstocks in that shop in 1973, Walker said. After his visit, Bruce returned to Searcy and made his first few pairs of shoes. “I’m not sure it was by design, but he found his way into the business,” Walker said. After moving to Northwest Arkansas in 1974, Bruce worked at Blanchard Springs Caverns as a tour guide for the U.S. Forest Service. While walking down Dickson Street on a weekend visit, he noticed a help wanted sign in the recently opened Nelson Leather Co.’s window. “He walked in, told them he made the shoes he was wearing, and they said, ‘you’re hired,’” Walker said. A year later, Nelson Leather Co. moved to Eureka Springs. Bruce leased the half-unit and the 35-year reign of Flying Possum Leather began. He leased the rest of the unit once it became available, even though it quadrupled his rent. “He had already made up his mind that he was going to expand,” Walker said. Times weren’t always easy for Bruce financially. He was often “dancing to the right and dancing to the left [maintaining his finances], but it never occurred to him to leave Dickson or get a smaller shop,” Walker said. “Dickson Street, the Flying Possum, his dog [Bugsy], his craft - that was his persona. It didn’t have to make sense business-wise. It was who he was.” Bruce was a hard person to describe, said Bill Jett, a longtime friend who also worked on Dickson Street. “He was easy-going for the most part, but if you ever
made an enemy of him, by God he never forgot it.” After Bugsy was taken from Bruce Walker’s side by emergency crews, Jett was one of many Fayetteville residents vying to give him a home. “I just felt it was the right thing to do, one way I could honor Bruce,” he said. “I’d known Bugsy since he was a baby, and knew he was a really good dog.” Bugsy stays with Jett now, spending his days at work with him on Dickson Street. Jett doesn’t have any problem with a bar replacing Flying Possum Leather. “To be honest, I didn’t think they could replace Bruce in there anyway.” “[He was] more of an artist than a business man,” Clampit said. “He was just one of those unique guys that we have the opportunity to meet a few times in our lives.” Walker arrived in Fayetteville three days after the fire, but his grieving didn’t begin until he returned to California for two weeks. “That’s where my connection [with Bruce] was, at home, in California,” Walker said. He and his brother were close, talking on the phone late at night two to three times a week. Support poured out for Walker’s family after the fire and during the clean-up. “We had pages of people who signed up and dozens of people who showed up [to help clean],” Walker said. “It’s hard to name a few people, there were so many who gave so much. There’s no shortage of heroes in Fayetteville.” Grown men have approached Walker, telling him stories of how they came to Fayetteville as freshmen, a little bit scared and a little bit homesick. They would walk into Flying Possum Leather and leave two or three hours later feeling more at home, he said. Four nights after the fire, 20 bands had signed up to play at a memorial service at George’s Majestic Lounge, across the street.
The owner, Bruce’s dear friend Brian Crowne, may make it an annual event and donate the proceeds to non-profit organizations that support things Bruce believed in. He would have been blown away by the public outpouring, Walker said. “When my brother died, he left a void in many ways here on Dickson Street. Left a location, left a desire for something ‘Bruce,’ something ‘possum,’” Walker said. The family wanted to continue something in Fayetteville, so Walker decided to leave his life in Chico as a semiretired dance instructor, and take a chance. “You never know what’s coming for you,” he said, quoting “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” The community has been very supportive of the decision not to reopen The Flying Possum as a leather store, Walker said. “Nobody is going to do it like Bruce did, so I’m glad we’re really not even trying.” Walker has developed friendships with many of Bruce’s friends and community members who didn’t even know Bruce but wanted to be involved in the clean-up. “I’ve met more people on a fairly deep level than I could have in years living here.” One of those people is Amy Clark, an invaluable volunteer after the fire, Walker said. Now she is like a daughter to him; he visits her at work on Dickson Street. During this week’s thunderstorms, he made sure she would have transportation other than her bicycle. “I feel really inclined to do what I can to help those who have helped me,” Walker said. He and his partners are still figuring out the details of plans for the bar, but he has a good feeling about it. “I just feel like the pieces of this puzzle are as right as they’re going to get,” Walker said. “How much control do we have anyways?”
The Flying Possum: Rising From the Ashes, Reinvented
HAILEY RAY STAFF WRITER Bugsy, Bruce Walker’s dog, has become a fixture of Dickson Street life. Walker’s longtime friend Bill Jett adopted Bugsy after Walker’s death.
by HAILEY RAY Staff Writer
The signs of the March fire that damaged Flying Possum Leather and caused the death of owner Bruce Walker are beginning to disappear. The burnt wooden awning that hangs over 526 W. Dickson St. and the plywood covering the doors are the last remnants of the ordeal. Messages from those passing by on Dickson Street have filled the boards with condolences. “Bruce, you will always be a true legend to Dickson,” reads one of the many messages. “I miss you Bruce! Put in a good word for me!” “Thanks for being a good friend!” “R.I.P. Bruce. I will miss you. Dickson will never be the same.” Soon, those messages will be removed as renovations continue on the building. In early November, Bruce’s older brother Bob Walker, 64, finalized the details for a new idea: the Flying
Possum reborn as a saloon. Following his brother’s death, Walker relocated to Fayetteville from Chico, Calif. He had contemplated reopening Flying Possum Leather, but the money wasn’t there to continue the venture. “We didn’t really feel like Bruce would have wanted us to,” he said. “I think Dickson Street has been trying to leave Bruce behind for years.” The bar would be open by January at the earliest, Walker said. “I’d like to have space to clear out and put a dance floor,” he said, but it is more important that what they put in the space works. He has taught different types of dance, from swing to salsa, for 18 years. They hope to decorate the bar with Bruce memorabilia that people would recognize. The signature-filled plywood may be used on the patio, he said. Bruce was known for his custom Birkenstock-styled sandals, as well as his guitar straps. “He made the best custom san-
dals. I’ve had four pairs over the last 35 years because they last a long time,” said musician Jed Clampit, 63, a friend of Bruce’s since 1975. He still uses the guitar strap Bruce made him in 1976, and he is just one of many musicians—including Willie Nelson and Neil Young— to have a custom piece. Bruce Walker was born in Searcy, Ark. He and Bob grew up greeting the public at their family’s grocery business just a few doors down from their home. Bruce looked up to Bob, his fellow renegade and the family musician. “I won a lot of attention and awards through my music in school. Bruce went on to be a very good singer, guitar player and drummer,” Walker said. “When he came to [visit me in] California, boy he was wide eyed,” Walker said. In his late 20s at the time, Walker had moved to Chico with friends from the Navy. He owned part of a bookstore in downtown Chico before he
THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER
DOWNTIME Comics, Games, & Much Much More!
PAGE 6 MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2011
LAUGH IT UP
SUDOKU
Q: What do you do with a green monster? A: Wait until it ripens. Q: Why do pigs make good spies? A: Because they can go in-hog-nito.
Q: Did you hear about the imaginary tree? A: It was mapleleaf.
Difficulty:
Q: What cows give each other when they
TODAY’S SOLUTION
meet?
A: A milkshake.
WELCOME TO FALLING ROCK
Josh Shalek
THAT MONKEY TUNE
Michael A. Kandalaft
BREWSTER ROCKIT
Tim Rickard
BLISS
Harry Bliss
CALAMITIES OF NATURE
CROSSWORD ACROSS
DOWN
1 Smoldering bit 6 Slip a Mickey 10 It may have all the answers 14 Stiller’s partner 15 High rollers’ destination 16 Half of 10? 17 Speed skater Apolo __ Ohno 18 Health enhancer, so it’s said 20 It “is no problem. You just have to live long enough”: Groucho Marx 22 Pickup facilitator 23 “Friendly skies” co. 24 __ center 27 PC time meas. 29 Performed, in a way 32 Band that performed “Whip It” 33 Bars in stores 34 1965 NCAA tennis champ 35 Aaron’s team for 21 seasons 37 Unexpected twist (and a hint to what’s hidden inside 18-, 20-, 51- and 56-Across) 40 Make 41 Gloom mate 42 Rural stretch 43 “... two fives for __?” 44 Skin malady, perhaps 45 What crews use 46 Expression of disappointment 47 Bit of code 49 Hair care purchase 51 “A Moon for the Misbegotten” playwright 56 Longshoremen’s aids 59 Baggy 60 Net reading 61 “Tiger in your tank” company 62 Ban’s predecessor at the U.N. 63 Bastes, e.g. 64 Attic constructions 65 Bridge seats
1 Net reading 2 “Writing on the wall” word 3 Michigan’s Cereal City 4 Steamy 5 Arrested 6 Bore 7 Bank takeback, briefly 8 Deprive of juice? 9 Israel’s Meir 10 Pre-Communism leader 11 Thing to stop on 12 Savings for later yrs. 13 When repeated with “oh” in between, “Wow!” 19 Slippery swimmer 21 Mythical beast, to locals 24 Epiphanies 25 Score-tying shot 26 Olympics broadcaster Bob 27 Mideast capital 28 Last lap efforts 30 Spa sounds 31 Indigent 32 Lake creator 34 Interior decorator’s concern 35 Juiced 36 Sleep acronym 38 Cooking utensil 39 Dawn goddess 44 French onion soup topping 45 Numbers after nine, often 47 Sam & Dave, e.g. 48 Nixon’s first veep 50 Union acquisition? 51 Vandalizes, in a way 52 Gov’t. train wreck investigators 53 Those, to Pedro 54 Future atty.’s hurdle 55 Eye part 56 “CSI: NY” airer 57 Microbrewery buy 58 Altercation
Crossword provided by MCT Campus
SOLUTION
Tony Piro
SPORTS THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER
Scan here to go to the Sports section on uatrav.com:
PAGE 7 MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2011
SPORTS EDITOR: JIMMY CARTER ASST. SPORTS EDITOR: ZACH TURNER FOOTBALL
COMMENTARY
The Usual Suspects Going for it on 4th
HARRISON STANFILL hstanfill@uark.edu
COURTESY PHOTO Arkansas will face No. 8 Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl in Cowboys Stadium on Jan. 6 in Arlington, Texas . It will be the Razorbacks’ third game in Cowboys Stadium in two years including two wins against Texas A&M.
Cotton Bowl Bound Hogs facing Wildcats in Arlington
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Sixth-ranked Arkansas will finish its season in a familiar place. The Razorbacks will play No. 8 Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 6, played in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Hogs played in Cowboys Stadium in October, rallying to beat Texas A&M 4238. “Our team looks forward to becoming part of the long-standing tradition the Razorbacks have with the Cotton Bowl,” Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said in a statement Sunday night. “I am very proud to be the coach of this team, which has stuck together all season long and kept competing. The mentality our players have demonstrated is what has allowed us to accomplish all we have this year. We’ve enjoyed success in Cowboys Stadium and
the hospitality and experience the Cotton Bowl provides gives our team a special opportunity to compete together one more time. “I know this game will be highly anticipated by our fans and the support they will give the Razorbacks will once again be tremendous.” It will be Arkansas’ fourth game in three years in Cowboys Stadium. The Razorbacks beat the Aggies in the other three games. The Hogs (10-2, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) were widely rumored to play in the Cotton Bowl or the Capital One Bowl in Orlando. No. 9 South Carolina was the SEC’s team in the Capital One, paving the way for Arkansas’ to play in its 12th Cotton Bowl. “I’m excited to play in such a great bowl in a great stadium,” junior quarterback Tyler Wilson said. “We have experienced success in Cowboys Stadium the last three years, and it was great
helping lead our team to a victory there earlier this season. Our fans have traveled well to Dallas, which always helps us, and we expect them to be down there cheering us on and helping create a great atmosphere. “The Cotton Bowl has a prestigious history and I am happy to have the chance to be a part of that.” Kansas State finished second in the Big 12 this season and have an explosive average The Wildcats (10-2, 6-2 Big 12) will be the Hogs’ sixth top-15 opponent this season Arkansas’ two losses this season were on the road against No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama, the teams playing for the BCS national championship. With a win, the Razorbacks could finish the season ranked in the top five for the first time since finishing No. 3 in 1977.
see FOOTBALL on page 8
Hogs No. 6 in Final BCS Standings Arkansas won’t play in a BCS bowl in January, but the Razorbacks’ No. 6 ranking in the final BCS standings is higher than five teams that will play in BCS games. The Hogs moved up two spots in the BCS poll, a ranking that normally includes a berth in one of five BCS games. Arkansas is relegated to the Cotton Bowl, though. Just two teams from each conference can play in a BCS game and the Southeastern Conference spots are taken this season by the No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama rematch in the national championship game. The Razorbacks went to the Sugar Bowl last season after finishing the season No. 8 in the final BCS poll.
1. LSU 2. Alabama 3. OSU 4. Stanford 5. Oregon 6. Arkansas
Huskies Outlast Hogs
BASKETBALL
by JIMMY CARTER Sports Editor
Eighth-ranked Connecticut had no answer for BJ Young. Arkansas had no answer for the Huskies. Young scored a career-high 28 points, but UConn overpowered the Razorbacks in a 75-62 win in Hartford, Conn. The Hogs (5-2) were within seven points with less than seven minutes left, but UConn pulled away down the stretch for the double-digit win. “Their size and their guard play was very good today and that was a big difference in the game,” Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said. “The young pups battled them and battled them pretty hard, but, in the end you have to put it into the hole. We shoot 31 percent.” Arkansas stayed close in its first road game thanks in large part to Young’s career day. The 6-foot-3, 170-pounder scored 17 of his 28 points in the second half, keeping the Razorbacks within striking distance. It was the fourth time in five games Young led the team in scoring off the bench.
75 62 “It was a big spark for us,” Anderson said. “He was playing with fierce and with heart. Our guys did a good job of getting him the ball. The way we play with this game of basketball you have to give a guy off the bench that give you a lift.” Young hit 5 of 6 3-pointers and had three emphatic dunks. He scored 17 points in the first 10 minutes of the second half, almost single-handedly keeping the Hogs close. “I just happened to get hot, take some big shots and knock them down,” Young said. “I
see BASKETBALL on page 8
GARETH PATTERSON STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Arkansas freshman guard BJ Young scored a career-high 28 points, but the Razorbacks lost 75-62 at No. 8 UConn in their first road game.
This year in college football has been weird. Weird games, weird rankings and weird haircuts (I’m looking at you Honey Badger). One thing is always certain no matter what happened through this strange season, though. The debate over the Heisman Trophy has once again come down to the usual suspects. The Heisman is supposed to go to the most “Outstanding” player in college football every year, but the meaning of outstanding has been argued for many years. Does it mean the most exciting player? The player with the best stats? The best player on the best team? The player who is going to do the best in the pros? Or does it just simply mean the player with just the best overall season? Every year the candidates for the Heisman all seem to be the answer for one of those questions. This year is no different. Most Exciting Player No doubt it is RG3. Robert Griffin III is the most exciting player in college football. With the flick of his wrist he can rifle a pass to his receivers and in the wink of an eye he is gone downfield making defensive backs look silly all the way to the endzone. RG3 is a man and a persona, with his easy to say nickname and the ability to say amazing things when a microphone is put in front of his mouth he has got to be the favorite. Problem is he plays for Baylor – not one of your football rich programs. He will get overlooked because of the three losses. Best Stats Case Keenum. The dude is ridiculous, passing for 45 touchdowns with only five interceptions. He had the advantage of having the underground Heisman talk going for a while (ala Kellen Moore in 2010), but the problem is he plays in Conference USA and is basically like the kid who got held back a year and is bigger than everyone else so he picks on them at recess. Also, losing big to Southern Miss late in the season doesn’t look good. Best Player on Best Team This one is tied between Trent Richardson and Tyrann Mathieu. Richardson has a good shot because he was the guy who everyone said was actually better that Heisman winner Mark Ingram. That’s good buzz, but when you have zero rushing touchdowns against LSU, Arkansas and Auburn (the best teams you played), that is not encouraging. On to the Honey Badger, he looks promising. He has built a nice buzz from being the defensive guy with the awesome nickname and he is undoubtedly the best player on LSU. The only problem is nobody wants to give it to the guy who has a weird haircut and got suspended for drugs. That doesn’t really seem Heisman quality. Best Next-Level Guy Obviously this is last year’s runner up Andrew Luck. People are so high on Luck that it is already a foregone conclusion that he is the going to be the first pick of the draft. The Colts have already asked for Peyton Manning’s permission to draft him and put a hefty
see COMMENTARY on page 8
SPORTS
MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2011
McGee to UAB
from FOOTBALL on page 7 “My grandfather played in the Cotton Bowl and I was able to experience it during my redshirt season, so this is nice for my family,� senior defensive end Jake Bequette said. “I remember watching the Cotton Bowl
Offensive coordinator won’t coach in bowl
by JIMMY CARTER
this opportunity. Garrick has been with me as a player and an assistant coach and
Sports Editor
Arkansas head coach Bobby Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee was named head coach at Alabama-Birmingham on Sunday night. McGee was the Razorbacks quarterbacks coach the last four seasons and served as offensive coordinator the last two. He takes over a Blazers program that went 21-51 in five years under former coach Neil Callaway and has been to one bowl game in 16 FBS seasons. “I want to congratulate Garrick McGee on becoming the head football coach at UAB,� Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said in a statement. “I have enjoyed watching Garrick progress throughout his career and I am excited to see him get
Garrick McGee I thank him for being a big part of everything we have been able to build here at Arkansas.� McGee will be formally introduced as UAB’s coach Monday at 9 a.m. He will not coach in the Cotton Bowl,
from COMMENTARY on page 7
We Love Our Residents!We Love Our Residents!We Love Our Residents!We Love Our Residents!We Love Our Residents!We Love Our Residents! We Love Our Residents!We Love Our Residents!We Love Our Residents!We Love Our Residents!We Love Our Residents!We Love Our Residents!
insurance policy on his right arm. The problem is that people are tired of Andrew Luck because he is your typical white technical quarterback who isn’t exciting to watch. A terrible game against Oregon on national television and a sloppy game when the Cardinal barely escaped USC don’t help his case with voters.
Best Season This guy is a running back with more than 1,800 total yards and 34 total touchdowns. Very impressive, I know. He is top three nationally in rushing yards and leads the nation in rushing touchdowns. It’s Wisconsin’s Montee Ball. This guy is an absolute monster with 29 rushing touchdowns. The problem is that nobody really knows about him, because
said Jeff Long, Arkansas’ Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics. The Hogs were 20-5 in McGee’s two seasons as offensive coordinator. Arkansas led the Southeastern Conference in total and passing offense this season. “The guidance he has provided our offense and quarterbacks the past four seasons has been immeasurable,� Petrino said. “Garrick grew up the son of a coach and is a natural teacher and leader. He will have a solid plan for the football program at UAB and the dedication to carry it out.� McGee spent four seasons at Northwestern, including the final two as offensive coordinator. He previously coached at Toledo, Northern Iowa and in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
he plays in a very boring conference with a bunch of day games. Not good press for Montee Ball. As always the Heisman Race comes down to the same archetypes, all with an equal shot at the trophy. All I can say is if I had a vote my ballot would simply read RG3. Harrison Stanfill is a guest columnist for The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every Monday.
growing up, and it has always been special to me. I’m happy for the opportunity to spend another month with this team getting ready for the game and for the chance to play one more time with these guys. “We are going to focus on being prepared and going down there with the intent
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to finish this season with a win.� The Hogs have a 3-7-1 record in the Cotton Bowl, including a 38-7 loss against Missouri in 2007, their most recent appearance. Arkansas is 1-3 all time against Kansas State. The last meeting was in 1967, a 28-7 Razorbacks win.
RYAN MILLER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Arkansas junior quarterback Tyler Wilson will lead the Razorbacks in their third consecutive bowl game and fourth game in Cowboys Stadium in three years.
from BASKETBALL on page 7
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was just trying to do anything I could to win.� The Huskies (7-1) closed the game on an 11-5 run, finally pulling away from Arkansas. “We just didn’t have enough in the tank, we ran out of time,� Anderson said. UConn freshman Ryan Boatwright scored 23 points and dished six assists off the bench. “He’s a good crafty kind of guard and Shabazz (Napier) and him on the same team and then (Jeremy) Lamb knock it down at any time,� Anderson said. “That’s a good tandem.� The Razorbacks outrebounded the Huskies 4735, grabbing 27 offensive rebounds against the Big East leader in rebounding. Freshman forward Devonta Abron scored eight points and grabbed 16 rebounds, 12 offensive, for the Hogs. Arkansas’ four freshmen – Young, Abron, forward Hunter Mickelson and guard Ky Madden – combined for 44 points in a season-high 96 minutes. “I had four freshmen and
one sophomore and we were making a move on Connecticut,� Anderson said. “We fought a team that was out-rebounding people by 10, but we lost the game. We didn’t shoot the ball. It’s our first road test. We didn’t pass it.� The offensive rebounding helped the Razorbacks stay close despite the poor shooting and allowing UConn to shoot 57 percent from the field. “We were active, we missed a lot of shots and there were a lot of rebounds to be gotten,� Anderson said. The Hogs started fast, forcing four Huskies turnovers in UConn’s first six possessions and took an 8-1 lead. The Huskies responded with a 21-4 run and built a 14-point lead by the UConn caused problems with their length, blocking six shots in the first half. Arkansas also had eight turnovers in the first half Young scored nine consecutive points late in the half, sparking an 11-4 run to cut the Razorbacks’ deficit to 39-32 at halftime. “He was in a rhythm and a flow,� Anderson said.
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RYAN MILLER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Arkansas sophomore guard Mardracus Wade scored 11 points and hit two 3-pointers in the Razorbacks’ 75-62 loss at No. 8 UConn.