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Special coverage: Senior bowl 2012 see page 2
“If it matters to the USA family, it matters to us.”
Jan 30, 2012
Food Court officially opens; renovations left site exposed
vol. 50, no. 3
>>>North wins senior bowl at Ladd; game sold out
By Matt Weaver Senior Reporter
action The Market has garnered and believes its popularity will only grow as word of mouth spreads. Stephans also The University’s food court reopened believes that The Market isn’t done exto much fanfare on Friday, including the panding, with the University still in negotiations to bring grand opening of other brands to the South Alabama’s campus. new Pizza Hut, “I really enjoy Chick-Fil-A and having new lunch Burger Studio locaoptions on camtions. The campus’ pus,” Lisa Smith, a long-standing Quizfreshman said. “The no’s Sub shop also burger joint is kind reopened. of pricey and the The food court, also known as The Cassie fambro / editor Wi-Fi is really inMarket, fills a din- The new Food Court has a Chick-Fil-A, consistent, but the Chick-fil-A workers ing void on campus Pizza Hut, and Studio burger option. are nice and conas well as provides siderate to the stua new study location and social hot spot. The building is also dents.” Stephans is keeping a tab of customer connected to the University’s open Wi-Fi feedback and is diligently working on portal. Following The Market’s closing in sum- solving the facility’s problems as soon as mer 2011, Einstein’s Bagels and the dining possible. “It’s a definite upgrade over the prehall were the only food and snacks providvious facility and another sign of USA’s ers left on campus. Craig Stephans, South Alabama’s di- continued growth,” Stephans said. “We rector of dining, is pleased with the resee FOOD COURT page 7
Mobile Chamber of Commerce: 175 anniversary celebration
Matt Weaver/ senior reporter
Mobile Chamber of Commerce transformed the Mitchell Center last Thursday for their 175 anniversary gala. It was the first time for the event on campus, and Chamber organizers told The Vanguard it was a “rousing success” and a “stunning trasnformation.”
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Jayson Curry/ sports editor
See more pictures on pages 2-3 Full-coverage on page 12
Parking policy now stricter By patrick herring Staff Reporter Another semester brings with it another change to parking regulations. Beginning in the summer semester of 2012, students with a parking ticket balance of $250 or more won’t be able to register for classes until they get their balance below $250. This number is down from the previous mark of $500 and will continue to drop in successive semesters. The goal of Parking Services, according to Deputy Chief of Police Derek Christian, is to eventually get everyone’s balance completely paid off at the end of every semester. The reasoning behind this is actually to help students. The original policy allowed students to put off paying their fines until
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they were ready to graduate, leaving the fines to accumulate over time. This resulted in some outrageous fines. “We had students getting ready to graduate and not being able to because they had more than $1,000 in unpaid parking tickets,” Christian said. “Then they would tell us we shouldn’t have let it get to that point, so now we’re not.” Students with an outstanding balance that exceeds the limit will be contacted to ensure they know that they need to get their fines paid in order to graduate. Those who do not pay their fines cannot graduate, get a transcript or get their diploma released. Sophomore Khaela Huey agrees with the new standards. “I think it is pretty irresponsible for a see PARKING page 7
in this issue (pg 14): Life (pg 25): Opinion /(pg 21): Sports
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vol. 50, no. 3 / Jan. 30, 2012
2012 Senior Bowl: in pictures
The Senior Bowl game has a long-standing tradition of bringing the top college football seniors from all across the country to Ladd-Peebles Stadium for their final game as a student athlete. Over 100 players were invited to fill out the 2012 game rosters. (Top/Bottom | Jayson Curry/Matt Weaver)
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vol. 50, no. 3 / Jan. 30, 2012
Fans travel from all across the country to watch their favorite college football players in their final games before turning professional. (Above-left | Matt Weaver). Connecticut’s Kendall Reyes supporting his alma mater, wearing the U-Conn colors as a cape following the North’s 23-13 victory in the Senior Bowl. (Above-right | Jayson Curry)
Pregame festivities included tailgating oppurtunities and a halftime show featuring the Alabama State University marching band and Azalea Trail Maids. ( Matt Weaver/ Sr. Reporter )
jaglife
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Bailey Hammond, jagLife Editor life.editor@usavanguard.com vol. 50, no. 3 / jan. 30, 2012
courtesy university programs
Guitarists take campus by storm Madison Murphy Contributing Writer It’s not too often an artist who has graced the Billboard Top-10 also graces a South Alabama stage, but this week Jaguar Productions is proud to welcome an entertainer with such an achievement under his belt. Acclaimed guitarist and composer, Billy McLaughlin will take the Mitchell Center stage, alongside fellow guitarist and former South Alabama student Rhett Butler. A local favorite for over 20 years, McLaughlin holds a special place in the heart of many around Mobile. Ben Harper, an Education Specialist at the Mobile Symphony Orchestra has followed Billy’s career both as a fan and a friend. After seeing McLaughlin perform in the USA cafeteria in 1989, Harper was blown away. His innovative techniques and unique audience connections were astounding. He quickly became a prominent figure in the University’s musical programming. Harper attributes McLaughlin’s success to his ability “to connect with the audience not only with his playing, but also his between-song-conversation that makes everyone there feel like they are a part of the family.” University Programs Director Paula Duke echoes the sentiment of Harper. Duke says of both McLaughlin and Butler, “they are so personable and create such a connection with the audience that, at the end of the performance, everyone feels like they have spent the evening with very talented old friends.”
Guitar, see page 5
Courtesy 1stwebdesigner.com
Thousands of websites and blogs voluntarily blacked out their pages for 24 hours in protest of SOPA and PIPA and lawmakers had to face the fact that the internet generation is highly mobilized and motivated. But there is still work to be done to prevent other bills of this nature.
SOPA and PIPA hit a (dis)chord The Internet-wide blackout sent a message of discontent to lawmakers that will not soon be forgotten. jake howell JagLife Writer On Jan. 18, the unthinkable happened. For 24 hours, Wikipedia darkened its doors, leaving would-be seekers of knowledge with a single message: Stop SOPA/PIPA. These controversial bills, which stand for “Stop Online Piracy Act” and “Protect IP Act” respectively, sparked a virtual firestorm of protests from people all over the country. Facebook and Twitter profile pictures were replaced with antiSOPA/PIPA images and petitions were signed faster than you can say Napster. Many people, though, still don’t have a clue as to what SOPA and PIPA are and what they are meant to do. These bills were drafted, SOPA in the House of Representatives and PIPA in the Senate, to combat online piracy. As stated on Forbes.com, “The purpose of these bills is to make it harder for sites — especially those located outside the United States — to sell or distribute pirated copyrighted material such as movies and music as well as physical goods such as counterfeit purses and watches.” On the whole, this doesn’t seem like such a bad thing. While many, college students included, would mourn the loss of their supply of free songs or movies, this would not be the end of the world. As a writer, I completely understand the desire to protect your work from being stolen, but it’s the possible consequences of passing these bills, in their current forms, that prompted people across the country to cry foul. In order to accomplish their purposes SOPA and PIPA would have allowed the federal government greater control over the Internet in order to block or shut down sites, mostly foreign, that are guilty of hosting copyrighted material or those that link to such sites.
For example, explains Wikipedia’s SOPA initiative page, “SOPA could require Wikipedia to actively monitor every site we link to, to ensure it doesn’t host infringing content. Any link to an infringing site could put us in jeopardy of being forced offline.” These restrictions would also apply to other sites where users generate content, such as YouTube. Just think, all those hours of procrastinating by watching song parodies or even song covers, could be over because someone brings up copyright infringement. All a company would have to do is file a complaint to the Department of Justice to get the ball rolling. Once a complaint is filed, according to Mark Gibbs of Computerworld.com, “A complaint to the DOJ under SOPA and PIPA could result in the accused website being taken offline ... not by actually shutting it down, but by requiring Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to disable the resolution of the site’s name by the Domain Name Service to an IP address.” Opponents of the bills decry them as violations of the First Amendment and attempts to censor the Internet. Proponents, however, are more focused on protecting intellectual property rights and strengthening the enforcement of copyright laws. After Wikipedia’s blackout, and the resulting tsunami of outraged constituents, lawmakers shelved both SOPA and PIPA. This is only a temporary fix, however, and Congress intends to bring them back up for consideration if a consensus can be met on changes. While these bills wouldn’t hand over the keys of the Internet to the federal government, they are a step in the wrong direction. Censorship and the control of information is an incredibly powerful and dangerous tool. Just look at China for proof.
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vol. 50, no. 3 / Jan. 30, 2012
IMC brings roots concert series to Satori The twelth concert of the series features Scott Biram and Lydia Loveless. hannah kinard Contributing Writer The Independent Music Collective (IMC) will be kicking off the month of February with its first show of the year, featuring Scott H. Biram with special guest Lydia Loveless. This event will be held at Satori Coffee House on Thursday, Feb. 9. Admission is free for students with a valid USA student ID and only $5 for the general public. Doors open at 6 p.m., with Loveless taking the stage at 6:30 p.m. and Biram at 7:05 p.m. The must-see Loveless/Biram bash will be the twelfth concert hosted by the IMC as part of its ongoing roots concert series. As a student organization dedicated to enhancing the local music scene, the IMC endeavors to book both regional and national artists who might not otherwise stop in Mobile. The IMC also manages the website musicinmobile.org to help publicize live music events in the area. The first performance of the evening features up-and-coming artist Lydia Loveless. A 21-year-old Ohio native, Loveless has been likened to Loretta Lynn, but with a heavy dose of punk. The Chicago Tribune claims that “her defiant tone is matched by songs that put country and punk on equal ground, unvarnished and direct.” Her debut album, “Indestructible Machine,” was released by Bloodshot Records
mon > jan 30 Mat Kearney @Soul Kitchen
7:00 p.m. doors open. Show starts 8:00 p.m. $15 advance & $18 day of show. Ages: 18+ and under 18 with parent.
tue > jan 31 Girl’s Night Out
5:30 p.m. Mitchell Center Globe. Healthy Lifestyle Seminar for Women FREE
wed > feb 1 Valentine Photo Nooner staff illustration
bloodshotrecords.com
Scott Biram, as shown on his website, scottbiram.com.
Lydia Loveless staring off into the distance as she possibly thinks about singing something heartfelt.
in 2011 and marks the arrival of serious talent. The album features nine tracks that the Boston Globe describes as “brimming with brashness and vulnerability, confidence and insecurity, and can leave you not knowing quite what to think.” Closing out the evening is Scott H. Biram, the self-proclaimed “Dirty Old Man Band.” Biram describes his music as “the bastard child of Punk, Blues, Country, Hillbilly, Bluegrass, Chain Gang, Metal, and
Classic Rock.” His latest album, “Bad Ingredients,” is his fourth full-length at Bloodshot Records. Although distinctly different from his previous releases, “Bad Ingredients” doesn’t disappoint, as Biram maintains his blues-metal-country-punk-hillbilly-rock roots while strengthening it with deceptively smart songwriting. After an early acoustic set at Satori, both Biram and Loveless will perform a late show at the Alabama Music Box.
Two guitarists to take campus by storm guitar, from page 4 With a repertoire that spans decades and boasts 14 CD releases, McLaughlin is quite the entertainer, but his rise to success has not been without its challenges. After a substantial career that included a record deal with Virgin Records, he found himself struggling to perform. The hands that had been responsible for his success fell victim to mysterious spasms and contractions. In 2001, McLaughlin was diagnosed with the incurable neuromuscular disease Focal Dystonia. Refusing to give up on his passion, he did the unthinkable – he retaught himself his own songs left-handed. Years later, the guitar maven is back on the road bringing his re-mastered music and his message to audiences across
weekly lowdown
10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Student Center Mall. 3D Valentine Photos FREE Kolja Film Screening
7:00 p.m. STOKES 1107. Czech film that won the 1996 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Visiting Slovak scholar Dr. Jaroslav Kusnir, winner of the 2011-12 HookerKubik Endowment Award, will briefly introduce the film and lead an informal discussion after the screening. Everyone is welcome.
fri > feb 3 Billy McLaughlin & Rhett Butler
7:00 p.m. Mitchell Center. Acoustic Guitar concert Free for students (1 ticket each), $10 others FLASH FORWARD
thu > feb 9 the country. It’s no surprise McLaughlin’s music has inspired many musicians over the years. Perhaps, one of the most influenced fans is his tour mate Rhett Butler. Butler, a student at South Alabama, was motivated to get serious about his own music after seeing McLaughlin perform on campus in the early 1990s. He was later admitted to the distinguished jazz program at the University of North Texas. It was there that Butler soon found his niche. His unique techniques allowed him to play two guitars at once. It is this talent that propelled his career, eventually leading his album “Solitaire” to become the highest selling independent album at Barnes & Noble. Both artists’ performances are exciting
music lovers across campus. Communication major, Briant Sawyer says, “I look forward to seeing Billy McLaughlin and Rhett Butler. As a huge fan of jazz, his style truly represents the spirit of the genre legends.” “At the risk of sounding dramatic, I expect this performance will be magical, as were all the past ones,” Duke estimates. With expectations like that, it’s sure to be a memorable performance. Billy McLaughlin and Rhett Butler make their return to Mobile Friday, Feb. 3 at the USA Mitchell Center. The show is free for USA students and $10 for the public. Tickets can be purchased at the Mitchell Center Ticket Office or online at ticketmaster.com. For more information, call Jaguar Productions at 251-460-7144.
Skating Party
9:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. Sunshine Skate Center FREE. IMC Show: Scott Biram & Lydia Loveless
Doors open 6:00 p.m. Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Satori. Free with valid USA student ID and $5 for General public.
Want your event featured? E-mail the name, date, time, price, place and a brief tagline (under 7 words) to life.editor@usavanguard.com. Include “Weekly Lowdown” in the subject line. E-mails must be received at least 7 days before the event.
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vol. 50, no. 3 / Jan. 30, 2012
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vol. 50, no. 3 / jan. 30, 2012
Parking rules Food court enforced Food Court, from Page 1
Parking, from Page 1 student to let their fines get that ridiculous, so no, they shouldn’t be able to register for classes,” Huey said. With the campus population steadily growing, pedestrian safety has become a primary concern for the police department. The parking fines are meant to encourage students to use the transit options that the school provides. “With so many more vehicles on campus these days, it’s becoming harder for people to get around. We are going to maintain our parking policy so that students will walk, ride the JagTrans or Jag Bikes that the University has provided to them,” Christian said. The money collected from parking tickets is circulated back into Parking Services for maintenance, repaving and painting of the campus roads.
realize the facility is going to take some getting used to with the new technology and employees, so we’re encouraging patience during the initial weeks.” Student Center left exposed during renovations While food court renovations were completed without any major complications, the student center was left exposed during the winter holidays with several doors left unlocked, long after construction crews had left for the evening. The Vanguard’s investigation revealed thousands of dollars in supplies left exposed, including 12 computer monitors, food service equipment and administration office supplies. The SA Group, South Alabama’s subcontractor for the project declined several interview requests, but the University’s Chief of Police Zeke Aull spoke from the perspective of campus security. Aull offered that the building is not the University’s property until the renovations are complete and that USAPD is not required to provide security for the building until that time. He added that the dangerous nature of a construction zone was no place for students, staff or the police and that students caught reportedly entering the building should exercise better judgment.
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vol. 50, no. 3 / Jan. 30, 2012
vol. 50, no. 3 / Jan. 30, 2012
Jag voice >> opinion poll What would you like to see built on campus next? “The Humanities Building definitely
needs a facelift, if not whole reconstruction. It’s both sinking and unsightly.” -Caitlin Glenn Senior
“The sidewalks are all over the place. I don’t think the contractors were thinking very far into the future when they were installed.” -Quan Tran Senior
“A stadium. I hate driving all the way to Ladd-Peebles Stadium for football games.” -Jordan Covington Junior “A big ball pit and playplace with slides and tubes.” -Matt Matulich Senior
opinion
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JEFF GILL, opinion Editor opinion.editor@usavanguard.com
You get out what you put in, USA In an academic setting, one can maintain an attitude of formality and still be personal. Not every professor is going to go grab a beer with a student and every administrator isn’t going to speak frankly with a student. Then again, not every student even knows the name of the person standing at the front of the classroom. Then it comes time to get a letter of reference for a job, grad school or an internship. Which professors know you well enough to write a letter? Do any? Getting to know your professors on a basis that they will be able to accurately reflect your characteristics both academi-
Editorial Board
cally and personally is essential to setting you apart from the status quo. There is a reason all of the how-to succeed-at-college books advocate sitting in the “t-zone” in a classroom. Interaction is key to having your professors get to know who you are. This doesn’t mean you need to be annoying. There’s always the suck-up; don’t be that guy. Just make sure that you’re participating in class. Think about it like being on TV and having a speaking part. People are listening, and you’re here to make connections. You never know what these people will mean to you later in life. It could be the difference between getting a job, and being passed over, USA.
Cassie Fambro > Editor in Chief Genny Roman > Associate Editor
Jeff Gill > Opinion Editor Matt Weaver > Senior Reporter
Courtesy of southalabama.edu
Students sit at desks in the University of South Alabama Humanities Building. Bailey Hammond > Life Editor Jayson Curry > Sports Editor
To find us > search “The Vanguard USA”
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point // counterpoint
vol. 50, no. 3 / Jan. 30, 2012
Is college worth the expenses we pay?
Editor’s introduction: Many people feel that colleges are becoming expensive at increasingly accelerating rates, with little results to show. They claim that these classes are both expensive and time consuming. Still, others believe that they present benefits that are useful in that they open young students’ minds to a world they may not have seen otherwise, with great benefits for those who wait.
Point >> College is a long-term risk worth taking As budding adults, we are supposed to make choices on our ultimate directions in life. Eating habits, when Arslan Arshad and who to marry, and how we pay for rent are all choices most of us have to make on our own. One of the first choices that we as a generation have been told to make is that college or university-level education is the only way to get a job. Even though we are spoonfed this idea of intellectual idealism, there is still a choice to be made to risk and shoot for a college education. When we take out loans, leave our homes and venture forth to attain the pinnacle of specialized education, we are taking a risk through which we can realize whether we want to ultimately complete. Building a social network with your peers is an important skill to learn, and one can’t exactly learn to be an independent individual. It especially helps when living outside of house boundaries, to build your own rules and responsibilities. Some young adults leave their houses without ever having to seriously clean up after themselves, a skill quickly learned when out from under their parents’ roofs.
We have an enormous opportunity to exchange our ideas with fundamentally different upbringings. One would be a fool to not take advantage of the diverse people encountered in higher learning. Believe it or not, higher education should mold you into a more empathic person and help your critical thinking skills. By gaining critical thinking skills, it becomes much easier to see conflicts and solutions from an objective point of view. Some argue that student loans make the difficulty of becoming a success multiply. It should be more plausibly assessed as a risk, as any person in business makes a risk. It may be a harder sell to take loans out for an engineering or medical school degree, but the capital gains from the degrees attained far outweighs the temporary student debt. A larger risk is spending money on a degree whose applications may not assure a job at graduation. It is the person striving for the degree that chooses what is feasible to study or not. It is jibberish to assume that every single person who gets a theater degree will have a steady job with good benefits until they choose to retire. The cream of the crop with the highest ambitions will be winning the auditions. In conclusion, going to college is a risk and a choice, just like any other business venture. What one does with his time in college is what really matters.
Counterpoint >> College is not for everyone
When I was a kid, I was constantly preached throughout my primary and secondary education that I had to college. If I didn’t, I’d be stuck in McDonGrant Defrancisco ald’s flipping burgers. I was told that I “needed” to go to college, and the education would “always” be worth the money. Many of my friends and acquaintances were promised a brighter future and a degree that guaranteed a job. My story is by no means unique. Instead, I come to college to find a dropout rate that is absolutely abysmal at 44.5 percent, according to higheredinfo.org, a soaring college graduate underemployment rate, and 19.2 percent according to Bankruptingamerica. org. Plus, manacles of a massive financial weight are shackled to students’ futures. It is time to stop glorifying college and making it out to be something that it is not. Of those graduates that do get jobs, many end up working in fields or careers unrelated to their area of study or did not even require a degree! For these people, college did not determine the path their lives followed - but they are still stuck with tens of thousands of dollars in student loans. It is time to stop preaching the supposed value of college degree.
That’s not even mentioning those students with no direction or the students studying things they were vaguely interested in while in high school or have no direction or purpose with their degree. We are all familiar with “that person” who is a senior with no prospective internships, no work experience, and no idea of what they want to do, but will be graduating in the next four months. Instead, we should preach other virtues to high school graduates, while working to improve the quality of the country’s primary and secondary education. There are other opportunities out there: trade and technical schools, the military, a service corps, certification programs or even entrepreneurship. For example, a friend of mine never attended college. He now works as a safety consultant for an oil rig, and is making far more money than most college graduates will ever make - and it didn’t cost him a dime. There are literally millions of success stories that did not begin with college. I don’t really believe college is worthless - it does produce a more intelligent populace. It should be the prerequisite for many careers that required advanced education or for those pursuing a passion that requires higher education. However, you cannot expect that just because you go to school for four years you are guaranteed a job.
Opinion Editorial: New food court an impressive display JEFF GILL Opinions Editor
The SA Group, who designed and supervised construction, has made this area Is this love that comfortable by introducing I’ve felt, or is the a warm color scheme and new Student Censubtle lighting. The food opter Market just tions are really the only thing leading me on? I remember complaining to This feeling first myself about, other than the overcame me last price of the silly little pizza I Thursday. If you’ll matt weaver/ sr. reporter bought ($4.29 is almost gougrecall, it was a ing). windy, rainy, nasty I am not saying that there isn’t a wealth day to be outside: a perfect day to fall in love. I decided to get some perspective on of options; I am referring more to the the new Market. I was mostly happy with disregard of vegetarian or vegan options available. I didn’t see a salad bar in the what I found.
place that it used to be or in any new place. If I missed it, excuse my ignorance. As far as the Burger Studio goes, the touchscreen in the front invoked the feeling that I was attending a state-of-the-art university. This feeling was very alien. I didn’t interface with the screen personally, but it looked engaging enough. If you are a frequent reader of The Vanguard, you may remember the new Chik-Fil-A franchise that is in the Market as well. This counter ousted the Zoca franchise, which was one of the more tasteful parts of the old Market. My favorite addition to The Market 2.0 is the new tables that were purchased. In
the old Market, the social politics of finding a seat were somewhat of a hassle. The tables were fit for eight to 10 seats, which was wholly unnecessary if you were alone. The new square tables seat four more closely, and the rabble from the surrounding tables won’t interfere with an intimate setting your conversations can thrive in. The Market 2.0 is a very nice addition to the Student Center. The second phase of the Student Center renovation is not done, but I’m guessing it will be a well-designed space. With a promo week approaching fast (Feb. 6-10), take a minute to stop by and take advantage of the New Market.
sports
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jayson curry, sports Editor sports.editor@usavanguard.com vol. 50, no. 3 / jan. 30, 2012
X’s and O’s: USA’s offensive coordinator Robert Matthews
Jayson curry/sports editor
Jayson Curry Sports Editor Even though it’s the offseason for South Alabama football, the program hasn’t had a chance to stop yet. Whether it be on the recruiting trail or planning out spring practice, head coach Joey Jones has been busy. One thing Jones has done this offseason that might be the most important is hire a new offensive coordinator. Over the past three seasons, the Jaguar offense was led by Coordinator Greg Gregory, but after a 6-4 season the offense needed a change. That change comes in the form of former Southern Mississippi tight end coach and recruiting coordinator Robert Matthews. Success has followed Matthews on every stop he has made. Before he moved up to the college coaching ranks, Matthews started his career on the high school level where he worked multiple positions ranging from special teams coordinator at Camden High to head coach at Shiloh High in Georgia. After much success at the high school level, Matthews was offered a job with Oklahoma State. After three years at Oklahoma State, where his duties ranged from coordinator of football operations to quarterbacks coach, Matthews moved on to coach at Southern Miss. Matthews spent the last two seasons with USM and spent his last season there serving as the tight end coach and recruiting coordinator for the Golden Eagles. For what prompted Matthews to take the job at USA, the answer was simple. “Two things, one is coach Jones’
reputation and being able to work for a guy like coach Jones. And second, I think this is a really good situation,” Matthews said. “I think it’s exciting what is going on down here, and I want to be a part of that.” Matthews plans to bring an offense to South Alabama similar to the offenses at Southern Miss and Oklahoma State. “If you wanted to describe it, it would be a multiple spread, but at the same time we will try to be extremely balanced,” Matthews said. “We are going to emphasize running the football and high percentage passes, and we are going to keep a high tempo to keep the defense off balance.” Balance is a big key to Matthews’ offense. Over the past two seasons at Southern Miss, the Golden Eagles offense has averaged more than 200 yards rushing and passing per game. “The key to balance is having the players understand that every play is important. The running backs have to understand they have to pass protect when they aren’t running the football,” Matthews said. “And the wide receivers need to understand they have to block when they aren’t catching passes, and when they do that, every play has the chance of being successful.” As with most football programs, the USA quarterback position has been one of the most interesting to watch each season. This season will be no different with a new offense coming in. “When you’re transitioning into a new offense everybody is learning at the same time. So going into the spring, everybody is going to get reps,” Matthews said. “And everyone is going to have an equal
opportunity. We will not have a starting quarterback named by the end of spring practice. “You look at high school, college and NFL, teams without quarterbacks don’t win. You can sugar coat it because you don’t want to put pressure on that guy, but ultimately that is a pressure position. And it’s a position [where] you have to have a great player there. When I say great that doesn’t mean the most talented, but a guy that is good in crunch time situations and can get the football to other players on the field. And he needs to be able to get the ball in their hands so they can make plays.” With Matthews’ background, the Jags should receive a boost in recruiting; he has in states ranging from Georgia to Oklahoma. Since Matthews was hired so close to National Signing Day for football, he has spent a lot of his time on the road finding future Jag football players. “We are going to sell the fact that South Alabama is a great place to play football and a great place to go to school, and they are going to have a chance to come in and build something special,” Matthews said. “We are starting a tradition and building a tradition, and we are going to win conference championships here, and we need great young men to do that. “Some schools are just so big and some guys just get lost. At USA, they can come here and have a chance to blossom. The facilities here are very nice, and you really have a feeling of big time college athletics. “South Alabama is really a hidden gem of college football.”
Jessica Oram @jessoram4- Running in hurricane weather with @em_ passini is the highlight of today. I have another hour in soaking wet pants to relive the moment. Trey Fetner @Tfet16- Just wanna let all my brothers on the team know that I am sorry about me missing these next 2weeks. I will make up everything I’ve missed. Shelby Owen @ShelbyOwen22- Some random person asked me where her class was in the Michell Center....dude its the third week of school shouldn’t you know by now cj bennett @CJBennett15- In all honesty what is the point of closing the gate to the grove?? What does it do besides waste gas Shelby Owen @ShelbyOwen22You know It’s bad when your stretching while you blow dry your hair #gojags cj bennett @CJBennett15- Im like forest gump on a ping pong table Brandi @Brandiii_19- Random dude said me and @lizzieG_21 had too much swag.. What does that even mean!? Lol Olivia Mohler @Olivia_ Mohler12- Large caramel macchiato with an extra shot of espresso is gonna get me through these classes. At least I hope. Corey Waldon @lilwaldon_81- If u want to see that Hurt, take a look at every south alabama football player !! Bj Scott @Bj_Scott_1- They ain’t gotta cancel class I’ll cancel myself from class #Earlydismissal Rush Hendricks @_RusHen- Our room is absolutely destroyed right now, clean up crews welcome Drewski-@MachineGunHeavyCan’t leave my phone anywhere unattended around @jessoram4 , she’s a creep waiting to pounce. Drewski ─ @MachineGunHeavyDuring our party tonight, there was a group of people in my room and when I walked in somebody said get out. I live here!!!!!!!
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Athletics updates USA SOFTBALL HAS FOUR NAMED TO COLLEGE SPORTS MADNESS PRESEASON ALL-SBC TEAM University of South Alabama softball student-athletes Hannah Campbell (pitcher), Brittany Fowler (outfield), Haley Hopkins (outfield) and Haley Richards (infield) earned first team all-Sun Belt Conference honors at their respective positions as chosen by College Sports Madness. Sophomore Campbell, a Satsuma, Ala. native, received 2011 SBC Freshman of the Year honors for her work in the circle last season. Campbell finished the year with a 2.51 ERA and a 19-7 record. Fowler (Jacksonville, Fla.), a two-time all-conference player, ended 2011 batting .340. A senior from Gulf Shores, Ala., Hopkins was a second team all-conference selection in 2011. Richards, a sophomore from Fayetteville, Ga., was a second team all-conference selection as a freshman last year hitting over .300 in SBC play. FORMER JAGUAR PIERRE SIGNS WITH PHILLIES Former University of South Alabama baseball standout and current Major Leaguer Juan Pierre is returning to the National League after agreeing to terms of a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, the organization announced Friday. Pierre, who is Major League Baseball’s active career stolen base leader with 554, spent the past two seasons with the American League’s Chicago White Sox where he batted .277 with 35 doubles, seven triples, 97 RBI and 95 stolen bases in 318 games. He led the Majors with 68 stolen bases in 2010, which marked the third time in his career he has led MLB in steals. BORRIES WINS SHOT PUT, MOVES TO THIRD ALL-TIME ON INDOOR PENTATHLON LIST Johnnie Borries scored 3,444 points in the indoor pentathlon on three personal-bests and win in the shot put to place fourth overall and eclipse a South Alabama record at the Birmingham Invitational on Wednesday. Borries topped Latoria English’s old third-place mark from 2005 record by 16 points. The senior graduate of St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Mobile underwent Tommy John surgery following the 2011 indoor season after suffering a labrum injury. Borries event victory came in the shot put after she posted a toss of 12.21m (4000.75), which was over two feet further than her closest competitor and good for 675 points. -Wire Reports
vol. 50, no. 3 / Jan. 30, 2012
Experience key to success
Torres, Graphenreed have grown into leaders for USA Track and Field
usajaguars.com
USA track and field seniors Joey Torres and Anton Graphenreed competing in events from last season. Torres owns multiple school records in throws and Graphenreed in sprinting events.
jayson curry Sports Editor Experience plays a very below the radar role in sports. We see it every year. Every year there is a mid-major college basketball team with less talent but more experience that beats the big name teams in the March Madness tournament. Or the football team that handles the big game scenario because they have experienced it before. With experience comes success. This year the South Alabama track and field teams are younger than teams in the past, but they still have the advantage of some upperclassmen that have been there and done that. Two of those upperclassmen are seniors Joey Torres and Anton Graphenreed. Over the past four years, these two athletes have grown into not only great runners and throwers but more importantly into leaders. Torres chose USA over a handful of other schools and made an immediate impact on the team and school record book since stepping on campus. In 2009, Torres earned an all-Sun Belt Conference selection after finishing third in the discus at the SBC championship. Torres hasn’t looked back since. He has routinely broken a school record or his personal best in almost every throw event. In 2010, Torres captured the school record in the weight throw, tossing the 35 lb. weight 17.90 meters. In the same year Torres broke the discus throw school record, besting himself with a throw of 56.05 meters in the outdoor events. Last season for Torres was one of many accomplishments and setbacks. Working through a shoulder injury that turned out to be more severe than orginally thought, Torres still broke the school hammer throw record with a distance of 59.50 meters and won the
SBC outdoor championship in the discus with a throw of 51.61 meters. “Last year we did a lot of good things as a team. I injured my shoulder and tore three ligaments, so that set me back,” Torres said. “My last three years have been good. I’ve done a lot of good things. I’ve got three school records, and I can’t ask for much more.” Torres has stepped back in where he left off from last season. At an indoor meet in Birmingham, Ala. last week, Torres broke his own school record in the 35 lb. weight throw with a 17.99-meter toss. “I am out here to win. I want to focus on my records, but I know there are people out there better than me,” Torres said. “I’m not number one, so I need to beat them. There is a national meet to be won and a conference meet to be won. Right now I just need to focus on technique before I can worry about records.” Graphenreed has not only become a leader on the USA football team but has become one of the best sprinters and a leader on the USA track and field team. “I’ve been happy to come out and give everything I have,” Graphenreed said. “I have my football family and my track family, so I want to give everything I have for them. And I’m a competitor, so I love pushing myself to the limit.” Holding a place in the South Alabama record books in multiple events, Graphenreed is more concerned with just helping his team. But just as Torres did, Anton has started off this season where he left off last season. “When I first got here, my form was horrible, and I’ve learned how to run, and I’ve gotten better as a person,” Graphenreed said. “I was pushing myself with football and school and now track, so it just shows if you put your mind to it, you can do anything. At the indoor meet in Birmingham, Graphenreed beat his best 200-meter sprint time
with a 21.38 seconds, leaving him just 0.2 seconds off the overall school record. Anton is also third in school history in the outdoor 200 meter with a time of 20.86 seconds. Last season, Graphenreed finished second in both 100-meter and 200-meter sprints at the Sun Belt Conference outdoor championship. He blazed a 10.60 seconds in the 100 meter and a 21.24 second time in the 200 meter. “I don’t keep up with stuff like that. You did it, that’s great, but there is more important things to worry about,” Graphenreed said. “It’s just another milestone in your life, and you have to just push forward to accomplish more things in your life.” But with all they have accomplished, both men strive to be better personally and to help their younger teammates achieve more. “For the younger people, we just need to help keep them focused, especially in the classroom because sometimes you can lose focus on what you’re really here for,” Graphenreed said. “At the end of the day we have to graduate, we have to get a degree. At the end of the day, the athletics will come because they have that naturally.” “I think the biggest thing is to keep encouraging,” Torres added. “We have a real young team this year, so we are going to need them to do their best in the meets just like we have to step up.” “Anton has been a real blessing to the team. He doesn’t have to come out for track, but he is such a competitor that he wants to come out and do it,” USA track and field coach Paul Brueske said. “Joey has been a tremendous competitor since day one. He has overcome some adversity, and he has been a leader for us.” Both Torres and Graphenreed have left a mark on South Alabama and will add to their stories throughout the rest of the 2012 season.
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vol. 50, no. 3/ Jan. 30, 2012
North wins 23-13, Pead named MVP jayson curry Sports Editor When the clock at Ladd-Peebles Stadium hit 0:00, the 2012 Senior Bowl was over, but the fanfare wasn’t. Hundreds of fans rushed the field, jumping a fence or two on the way, just to attempt to get a picture or autograph from any player. Players hugged their loved ones and were asked to sign anything from a game program to an end zone pylon. Some players gave away memorabilia, like former Cal Poly cornerback Asa Jackson, who gave up a bracelet worn in the game to a lucky fan. Senior Bowl week has become a staple of everyone’s calendar in Mobile that tends to happen when you have the biggest stars of college football’s senior class in town for a week every year for the past 56 years. This year’s Senior Bowl featured big names that will play on Sunday, Mobile and surrounding area natives and as many NFL coaches and scouts as you could count. The North would eventually win the game Saturday night 23-13 over the South, but the game has become much more than a game. For 2012 Senior Bowl MVP Isaiah
Pead, it could mean millions of more dollars on his contract. With Pead’s MVP performance came two punt returns for a Senior Bowl record 98 yards and 8 rushes for 31 yards. The same can be said for Most Outstanding player for the South, and former Arkansas Razorback Joe Adams. After wowing scouts and fans all week during practice, Adams didn’t disappoint during the game, leading all players with 8 catches for 133 yards. For the North team, Most Outstanding player went to Utah State Linebacker Bobby Wagner, who gained muchwanted attention for himself all week and during the game itself. Wagner finished the night with seven tackles and an interception. For most of these players, the pros and cons of playing in a game like this is the difference on whether they accept their invite or decline it. Some players come in with high draft stock like North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples, who did little to hurt himself this past week. But for players like former Georgia cornerback Brandon Boykin, who was injured during Saturday’s game, the negatives of the Senior Bowl could affect
his future in the NFL. Other players don’t meet the measurements they hoped to during the weigh-in at the beginning of the week. Players like former Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson come up shorter than what is desired at that position. Wilson stands just over 5’10” and 203 pounds. The week offers players the opportunity to learn what it’s like to be coached by an NFL staff as well as start to feel the pressure from NFL scouts. Most people go through their four years of college without answering as many questions as these athletes have to in a week. The week, if nothing else, stands as a transition period for the players. There isn’t another game they can attend that will help prepare them for the future like the Senior Bowl. And in the city of Mobile, for any fan that takes advantage of all the Senior Bowl brings with it, there is nothing negative to say. Ladd-Peebles Stadium sold out Saturday for the first Senior Bowl since 2009, and there is a reason so many people come to this game. The Senior Bowl is different than any game or situation for everyone involved. And the best part about the game is that we can all do it over again next year.
matt weaver/senior reporter
Cincinnati running back Isaiah Pead returning a punt during Saturday’s Senior Bowl. Pead was named MVP.
Jackson returns to Ladd-Peebles Matt weaver Senior Reporter
Jayson curry/ sports editor
Cal Poly cornerback Asa Jackson
Exactly a year ago today, newly graduated South Alabama wide receiver Courtney Smith was wowing scouts and coaches at the Senior Bowl, en route to netting a training camp invite with the New York Jets. One year later, Smith is bouncing around the Canadian Football League looking for work, while a fresh batch of mid-major college football players is seeking to accomplish what Smith could not. One of them, Cal Poly cornerback Asa Jackson wants to play in the NFL. He even has a list of preferred teams that he would like to play for at the professional level. “It would be a dream to be drafted by the Oakland Raiders,” Jackson said. “But I feel blessed that someone is going to pay me to play, and it really doesn’t matter if it is on the West Coast or in Buffalo.” Like Smith before him, Jackson had already played at Ladd-Peebles Stadium prior to game week and had a leg-up on his competition. Cal Poly competed against South Alabama on Nov. 19 in the regular season finale.
The Mustangs upset the Jaguars at home, 41-10, a site where they had previously been undefeated. Jackson was a large part of Cal Poly’s victory and was an overall force for the Mustangs in 2011. Against the Jaguars, Jackson played on both sides of the ball, returning three kicks for a total of 66 yards and a long of 32. On defense, Jackson swarmed the South Alabama receiver corps and executed seven tackles, four solo. On the season, Jackson returned 22 kicks for 404 yards at 25.8 yards per return. On defense, he recorded two interceptions (second most on his team), a team-best 54 tackles, 31 by himself. Football didn’t always come this easy for Jackson in 2012. He battled turf toe for most of the season but didn’t allow himself to miss a single play. Jackson wouldn’t be sidelined until a sprained ankle ended his Senior Bowl during the game’s second half. Cal Poly head coach Tim Walsh has seen Jackson play since 2008 and has seen the student-athlete evolve as both a player and a person. When Jackson enrolled in the summer
of 2008 he was an undersized but confident young player, full of potential and promise. Jackson was routinely named amongst the top 10 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision players throughout his tenure at Cal Poly, a notion further cemented once he arrived in the Port City. Prior to the Senior Bowl, Jackson was rated as a top-30 cornerback eligible for the draft, expected to be picked in the sixth round. His tenacity working against Washington State wide receiver Brian Quick in practice may have propelled him into the fifth round. But no matter where he lands, Jackson believes an NFL team is going to have an explosive and elusive cornerback that’s not afraid to take back punt returns or even play on the opposite side of the field if the play calls for it. “I feel like an NFL team is going to get a guy who has a lot of speed, ball-handling skills, explosiveness and is elusive on kick returns,” Jackson said.
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vol. 50, no. 3 / Jan. 30, 2012
page fifteen
vol. 50, no. 13/ Jan 30, 2012
“University of South Alabama’s Student Voice”
editorial editor in chief associate editor senior reporter copy editor life editor opinion editor sports editor web editor
Cassie Fambro genny roman Matt Weaver Carey Cox Bailey hammond Jeff Gill Jayson Curry naquita hunter
weather forecast
University police blotter
january 16 - jan. 21
Editor’s note: Have a question for USAPD? Email us at editor.in.chief@usavangaurd.com
weather forecast >>
mon
66 44
tue
71 54
wed
72 57
thu
73 56
fri
68 48
sat
61 38
sun
60 35
distribution distribution manager Johnny Davis
advertising advertising manager Wesley Jackson graphic designer Brittany hawkins
management adviser James Aucoin accounting Kathy Brannan
mission The Vanguard, the student-run newspaper of the university of south alabama, serves its readership by reporting the news involving the campus community and surrounding areas. The Vanguard strives to be impartial in its reporting and believes firmly in its First Amendment rights.
submission and editorial policies send letters and guest columns to: The vanguard university of south alabama p.o. drawer u-1057 mobile, Ala., 36688. or editor.in.chief@usavanguard.com letters and guest columns must be received by 7 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the monday publication. Submissions should be typed and must include the writer’s name, year, school and telephone number. All submissions become the property of The Vanguard. Unsigned letters will not be published. The vanguard reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for length and clarity. letters will be limited to 300 words. letters and guest columns are the opinion of the writer. The Staff editorial represents the consensus opinion of the editorial Board, which is composed of the editor in Chief, Associate editor, Copy editor, Senior reporter, and Opinion editor. all members of the editorial board have the same weight during weekly editorial board meetings. The vanguard has a commitment to accuracy and clarity and will print any corrections or clarifications. To report a mistake, call the editor in Chief at 251-460-6442 or e-mail editor.in.chief@usavanguard.com. The Vanguard is published mondays during the academic year, except for exam periods and vacations, and is published twice each summer. The Vanguard is supported in part by an allocation from student activity fees and operates in the Student media department of the division of student affairs. issues are available at most university buildings and select off-campus locations. The first copy is free. Additional copies are $1 each.
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We’ll start off the school week with beautiful sunny skies and highs in the upper 60s, overnight lows will be cool and in the mid 40s. Tuesday will be warm one with sunny skies and highs in the low 70s with nighttime lows in the mid 50s. A cold front will be approaching on Wednesday which will bring the chance for T-storms in the area. That cold front will then move through the area on Thursday bringing with it more thunderstorms, some of which could be strong. Highs on Thursday will be in the low to mid 70s with lows in the mid 50s. a few showers may linger on Friday morning but the clouds will move out of the area creating mostly sunny skies. Highs will be in the upper 60s and cool off to the low 30s. The weekend looks great with highs in the low 60s and overnight lows in the upper to mid 30s. for the latest on your forecast, severe weather updates, and what’s going on in the tropics, find us on Facebook search “StormTeam4Gamma9Wx” you can follow us on Twitter, too search “stormteam4g9wx” and find patrick on Twitter search “metwxpatrick”
1/ 14 Criminal Mischief - Damage to Private Property The victim’s driver side mirror of his truck was damaged at The Grove between 10 a.m. and 6:05 p.m. 1/16 Possession of Alcohol, Possession of Marijuana Two male residents of Delta 3 were found in possession of alcohol and marijuana. 1/17 Theft of Property Third Degree A student reported that her bicycle was taken from her closet at Delta 2 sometime during the holiday break. The bicycle is valued at $400. 1/18 Unlawful Breaking and Entering A student reported unlawful breaking and entering of their vehicle in the Visual Arts Parking Lot. 1/20 Assault, Third Degree An assault was reported at the USA Recreation Center. 1/21 Theft of Article from Auto Three hub caps were stolen from a Toyota Camry at the Grove. The hub caps were valued at $150. 1/21 Harassment A victime living at The Grove came to police headquarters to report his roommate was harassing him. 1/22 Harassment - Threatening Physical Harm to Another Harassment was reported at Delta 3. 1/23 Theft of Property Third Degree A student reported that his prescription Ritalin was stolen from the Mitchell College of Business Library. 1/24 Theft of Property Third Degree A beige car cover was stolen from a parked vehicle at The Grove. 1/24 Theft of Article from Auto A student reported several items were stolen from her vehicle in the Medical Science Parking Lot. Items include a laptop, cell phone, bookbag, wallet, and debit/credit cards. 1/24 Possession of Marijuana, Second Degree A plastic container with marijuana was found on a suspect at The Grove.
USAPD: 460-6132
vol. 50, no. 3 / Jan 30, 2012
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