October 1, 2012 Issue by The Vanguard

VANGUARD

THE

VOL. 51, NO. 10

“If it matters to the USA family, it matters to us.”

OCT. 1, 2012

‘Stars fell’ on South Alabama

Cassie Fambro | Editor-in-Chief

October marks breast cancer awareness month

INSIDE

USA Football rests for a week

By KALYN MCCLELLAN kbm1001@jagmail.southalabama.edu

►Should Google censor videos

that may incite terrorism? With tension high worldwide, see why two students say no.

t’s time to Think Pink! October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month; a month to honor those fighting breast cancer, celebrate breast cancer survivors and remember those who lost their battle with the illness. According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is second only to lung cancer in cancer-related death among women, and health professionals highly emphasize that early detection is a key factor in lowering the number of deaths from breast cancer. Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner Jessica King, who received her Master in Nursing from USA in December 2011, stresses that women need to be aware of the risk of breast cancer and the importance of early detection. “It’s extremely important for women to do monthly self-exams because that’s how most women find out they have breast cancer,” King said. Women can ask their doctor for instructions on how to correctly perform monthly self-exams. King also wants students to know that no one is too young for breast cancer. “Being young does not protect you from getting breast cancer. Don’t think that just because you are in your late teens or early twenties that you are immune. Cancer doesn’t discriminate,” King insisted. Genetics also plays a factor in breast cancer, so women who have See OCTOBER Page 4

See Opinion, page 16

►OctSOBERfest offers opportunities for insight into why life should be about moderation when it comes to alcohol. See Life, page 8

►Mississippi State welcomed CASSIE FAMBRO | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Jaguar Marching Band unveiled a brand-new halftime show on Saturday complete with fireworks. See the full gallery on Facebook, and read the full game story on page 12.

the Jags with open arms. It’s important to have good sportsmanship. See Left of Center, page 15

Jaguar nation grateful for community support By JAYSON CURRY jayson-curry@hotmail.com

he University of South Alabama football team has made a huge impact on the city of Mobile, Ala. The students at South Alabama asked for years why they didn’t have a football team and after a long wait, they got what they wanted. But just because the students at USA wanted the team didn’t mean the city of Mobile did. The USA football program officially started in 2008 with a team that never played a game; they just practiced and prepared for what was to come. Luckily for the University and the team, Mobile residents, and especially businesses, have opened their arms and their Saturdays to the Jaguars. The fans have also opened up their resources for the benefit of the Jags.

find us on Facebook “Facebook.com/ TheVanguardUSA”

Tents line the parking lot at every USA game at Ladd-Peebles stadium, ranging from fraternity and sorority tents to those owned by local businesses. Both Mercedes-Benz of Mobile and Whataburger attended South Alabama’s football game against Troy this past Saturday to join in the festivities and support their team. “We love South Alabama and I went to South Alabama and the football team has been a big boost to the whole city, as you can see out here,” said Mercedes-Benz of Mobile Sales Manager Jim Sullivan. “We are playing Troy today and everybody is really excited and in tune to the game and they love it and it’s great for the economy,” Sullivan added. “It’s an exciting time to be out here and participating in the tailgate and just being a part of the communi-

Check out our digital edition thevanguardonline.com

DEBORAH CRABTREE | JAG-TV

Togaman and Afroman rally the student section to support the Jaguar football team.

ty,” said Franchise Marketing Manager of Whataburger John Deltado. Attending a football game in Mobile used to consist of kids with pads that were too big for them and coaches who actually got to stand on

the field without being flagged for it. There was a time when the only college colors that were worn in the Mobile area were those representing the Tigers and the Crimson Tide, but that See SUPPORT Page 5

In this Issue: Life, Page 8 Sports, Page 12 Opinion, Page 16

VOL. 51, NO. 10 / OCT. 1, 2012

PAGE three

“University of South Alabama’s Student Voice”

Weather for Oct. 1 - 7

Editorial Editor in Chief Associate Editor Copy Editor Life Editor Opinion Editor Sports Editor Left of Center Senior Reporter Web Editor

Cassie Fambro Aaron Etheredge Bailey Hammond Jake Howell Noah Logan Patrick Herring JT Crabtree Jayson Curry Naquita Hunter

Distribution Distribution Bobby Faulk Manager

Advertising Advertising Wesley Jackson Manager Advertising Mohammad Al-Zarrad Graphic Designer Rex McKay

Management Advising J. Sellers J. 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 surroun ding areas. The Vanguard strives to be impartial in its reporting and believes firmly in its First Amendment rights.

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. 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

Twitter: StormTeam4g9wx Facebook: Facebook.com/StormTeam4Gamma9Wx

of the Editor in Chief, Copy Editor, Senior Reporter, and Opinion Editor. All members of the Editorial Board have the same weight. The Vanguard has a commitment to accuracy and clarity and will print any corrections or clarifications. To report a mistake, 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 offcampus locations. The first copy is free. Additional copies are $1 each. Freelance writers will receive payment at the discretion of the section editor and will be notified accordingly.

See Something suspicious? Report it to USAPD!

VOL. 51, NO. 10 / OCT. 1, 2012

Breast cancer awareness important

Breast Cancer facts

OCTOBER, from page 1

had a relative with breast cancer should be screened at an earlier age than women with no family history. The recommended age for a first mammogram is 40 years old, but for a woman with a mother or sister who had breast cancer, doctors recommend a mammogram at age 35. Heather Worley, recent USA graduate with a Bachelor of Psychology, had a grandmother who died of breast cancer in 1997. Worley says screening is important, not only because of family history. “Personally, I think all women should be checked regularly no matter if they have lost someone in their family [to breast cancer] or not,” Worley said. Worley, who was in high school at the time of her grandmother’s illness, said that women who have seen someone close through them go through breast cancer may be more likely to get checked. “Those who have not seen someone go through breast cancer may not comprehend how bad it is, even though they know cancer is bad,” Worley concluded. For information on breast cancer screening, please visit cdc.gov. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, many companies nationwide have promotions or fundraisers to raise money for breast cancer research. One company near campus “going pink” for October is Hungry Howie’s Pizza. Their 2012 campaign is known as Love, Hope & Pizza. According to a press release, Hungry Howie’s is taking action to support breast cancer awareness by partnering with the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), one of the most highly recognized and respected breast cancer charities in the world, which funds mammograms for those in need. Hungry Howie’s has raised almost $500,000 for the foundation over the last three years. In this fourth year of the campaign, the goal is to raise more than $250,000. Throughout October, all large pizzas will be served in bright pink boxes with the breast cancer awareness ribbon instead of the classic yellow boxes. For every large pizza purchased at Florida and Alabama locations, Hungry Howie’s will make a donation to NBCF.

Another organization that is familiar when it comes to breast cancer awareness is Susan G. Komen for the Cure. According to their website, “Susan G. Komen is the boldest community fueling the best science and making the biggest impact in the fight against breast cancer.” Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure, the world’s largest and most successful education and fundraising event for breast cancer ever created, this foundation has invested almost $2 billion working to end breast cancer in the U.S. and throughout the world through ground-breaking research, community health outreach, advocacy and programs in more than 50 countries. There are many retailers and food chains around the country that are promoting special breast cancer awareness products, pink ribbon products, fundraisers and events. For information on how to get involved, there are many websites students can go to, including the National Breast Cancer Foundation at nbcf.org and Susan G. Komen for the Cure at komen.org. In recent years, there has been an explosion of life-saving treatment advances against breast cancer, bringing new hope and excitement. Instead of only one or two options, today there’s a wide variety of treatment choices that fight the complex mix of cells in each individual cancer, including surgery, then perhaps radiation, hormonal (anti-estrogen) therapy or chemotherapy. There are too many treatment side effects to list them all, but the most common ones are fatigue, nausea, weight loss and hair loss. Some of the scarier side effects include stroke, neuropathy and heart issues. However, many of the side effects are manageable with help from doctors. While the physical toll that breast cancer and breast cancer treatment takes on a person can be extreme, the emotional toll is often greater and sometimes hidden. Breast cancer patients can struggle with accepting their illness. It can be a daily struggle between wanting to give up one day and being excited and confident to get better the next. Family members often don’t

know what to say or do for their loved one with breast cancer, so they sometimes shy away or avoid the subject. However, being open to learning about their illness and treatments, allowing them to talk about their illness and feelings, and even going with them to treatments can be invaluable in the patient’s progress and emotional well-being. It can also take away the feeling of helplessness family members often have. Although there is still no cure or prevention for breast cancer, enormous strides are being made in the medical field, allowing for earlier detection and better treatments. And with continuing awareness and fundraising programs, more and more advancements will be made. So, for the month of October, Go Pink! And show your support for breast cancer patients and survivors everywhere!

• About 1 in 8 U.S. women (just under 12 percent) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. • In 2011, an estimated 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 57,650 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer. • About 2,140 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in men in 2011. A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000. • About 39,520 women in the U.S. were expected to die in 2011 from breast cancer, though death rates have been decreasing since 1990 — especially in women under 50. These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advances, earlier detection through screening and increased awareness. • For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer. • Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. Just under 30 percent of cancers in women are breast cancers. • In 2011, there were more than 2.6 million breast cancer survivors in the US. • A woman’s risk of breast cancer approximately doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. About 15 percent of women who get breast cancer have a family member diagnosed with it. • About 85 percent of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer. These occur due to genetic mutations that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general, rather than inherited mutations. • The most significant risk factors for breast cancer are gender (being a woman) and age (growing older).

Source: www.breastcancer.org

Courtesy of Kalyn McClellan

VOL. 51, NO. 10 / OCT. 1, 2012

Support for Jags welcomed

USA is failing students with disabilities

Continued from pg. 1

day has certainly passed. That has all changed with the birth of the USA football program. The attendance at USA games has fluctuated from game to game but the fan support is felt. Even in a rainy environment at Saturday’s game against Troy, Ladd-Peebles stadium held 23,789 fans, the third largest total in USA history. “We can’t express our gratitude to our fans coming out here today like they were,” said starting USA center Trey Clark. “We thought the stadium was just the big time atmosphere we were looking for when we started Sun Belt play, the atmosphere was great today,” Clark added.

Letter to the Editor

The evidence of support is not just seen around Mobile on the car bumpers or signs in front of stores; it’s in commercials on television and the radio. The red, white and blue of the South Alabama football team is proudly worn by adoring fans and people have even more of a reason to chant USA. The fact that the citizens of Mobile and the businesses they work for are so supportive of the team is a plus for the future of the program. The ability to raise interest and funds to fuel a successful program is necessary for any school especially one that is in its infancy.

Nearly a month ago , my girlfriend Hillary Jones broke her ankle and severely sprained the other. This caused her to need a wheelchair. We are both freshman on campus and share the same classes. I, being the one pushing her, have found it extremely difficult to get around. One, we park in central and there are only 6 handicap spots available. We almost always have to park in the middle of the parking lot and the only wheel chair accessibility to the sidewalk is at the very front of the parking lot. I have to wheel her through the parking lot in the middle of the street to the bottom in order to get onto the sidewalk. Two, we have to go to different

building for different classes, and I have noticed that we have to go very far out of our way just to get there, because there is only one way there that can be accessed by a wheelchair. Now, what’s difficult for her is more of an emotional standard. People are severely rude when it comes to holding doors or moving out of the way. People are careless and pay no attention to her. The campus is very hilly, making it impossible for her to wheel herself up hills. (Not enough upper body strength). I just believe that the campus needs more handicap parking, more handicap accessibility in various places, more direct pathways, less stairs, and the list goes on and on. I have found it very unfair to me and her.

It’s a huge topic and I’m pushing it because you would never think about it until you've had to deal with it. If it wasn’t already worse enough, today at the football game we were not allowed to enter through the student gate, we had to go to the west south endzone gate. After we walked there we were informed that our student ID’s would not be accepted and had to go all the way back to the ticket booth to get a special ticket. Then when we finally got back to where we were “permitted” to sit, it was right behind the Troy band which was behind the south endzone. I’m just gonna call this one discrimination. Absolutely ridiculous! -Eric Hadley USA Freshman

eah1101@jagmail.southalabama.edu Editor’s Note: The Vanguard intends to speak with Special Student Services to see what can be done for Eric’s girlfriend.

VOL. 51, NO. 10 / OCT. 1, 2012

The Vanguard asks: Why should you be in the homecoming court? LINDSEY SENTELL

ALI BOTSIS

For homecoming queen

Hey Jaguars! My name is Lindsey Sentell, and I am running for South Alabama’s 2012 Homecoming Queen! For those of you I have not met, I am very involved in the South Alabama community. From athletic events to clubs and organizations, you can always find me participating in some kind of Jaguar pride! I am a member of Pre-OT Club and Catholic Student Association. I have served South Alabama as a Southerner, in which I was the Corresponding Secretary. I am an active member of Kappa Delta Sorority, where I serve as Vice President Member Education. I am also a member of several honor societies, including the National Honor Society of Collegiate Scholars and the National Society of Leadership. Not only do I participate in athletic events, clubs, and Greek Life, I also do my best to volunteer in philanthropic events around campus, such as Penny Drops, Sit on it for Charity, and blood drives! I truly enjoy supporting the Jaguars in every aspect that I can! With all of my involvement in South Alabama, I ask for your support during elections! Please be sure to vote for Lindsey Sentell to be your next Homecoming Queen!

HANNAH FABBRO For homecoming queen To be elected Homecoming Queen would be such an honor and privilege to represent the University of South Alabama. Homecoming is such a wonderful time of year for our school. I would love to promote school spirit and a sense of community within our study body. I feel I would represent our school in a positive manner as well as be a great role model for all students. As a senior in the College of Engineering, as well as ASCE, SAME, SWE, AGC, NLHS, and Alpha Omicron Pi, it would bring me great pride to be elected our school’s Homecoming Queen. I appreciate everyone’s wonderful support and votes. Thank you for your time. Please Vote Hannah Fabbro for Homecoming Queen 2012! Go Jags!

I’m Ali Botsis and am an exercise science major and a psychology minor. I’d like the opportunity to be your next Homecoming Queen! My South Spirit began eight years ago when my older brother was on the track team. I remember going to his first track meet with my family to cheer him and his teammates on. I was so proud of him and of what his fellow Jaguars accomplished. Now, I’m more of a South fan than ever. I have worked oncampus as a tutor for the Athletic Department since my freshman year, which has given me the opportunity to know many of the athletes. Going to sporting events isn’t just about the game anymore. It’s also about the athletes playing in the game. It’s great fun actually knowing the guys and girls on the field or court. I rejoice with the players when they win; I’m sad when they lose. South Spirit isn’t just about the game. It’s about the athletes, too. GO JAGS!

SANDRA HUYNH For homecoming queen In 2009, a tradition began. “Reddie” or not, here we come for 2010 to continue our undefeated streak. By 2011, it was established that South’s got game. My freshman year, the campus spirit escalated as we kicked off our first football season. Fans sported those “Still Undefeated” shirts for the next season and a half, until the critical match at NC State, fall 2011. I was there for that rainy NC State game, decked out in white, “jaguar” print rain boots, and the Bookstore’s “spirit tutu.” Georgia State ’11 and MS State ’12 were also amazing away game experiences! If I cannot physically attend other away games, you can find me watching ESPN3 or listening to 105.5 because I love our Jags that much! In my four years, I have witnessed so much growth on campus in general, and I appreciate every aspect of the work it took to get us here. I would be honored to win

homecoming queen, especially now that South is celebrating 50 years in the spring. What an amazing time it is to be a Jaguar! Thank you, and GO JAGS! Good luck to the other candidates; 2012 is OUR time.

KELLIE GRANDQUEST For homecoming queen Looking for some Jaguar Pride in your next QUEEN? Then, look no further! From attending football and baseball games to participating in philanthropic and other campus events, I have always enjoyed being around my fellow Jags. I am an Education major working towards certifications in elementary education and special education. I have been involved in Greek life as a member of Alpha Gamma Delta, holding several offices, as well as a member of the Panhellenic Council in which I served as the 2011 President. Most recently, I have become a member of Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society for education majors. It is my hope that each student on campus may have a well-rounded experience at South Alabama as I had. This year, I would like to encourage everyone to become involved in all aspects of the Homecoming week. After all, OUR TIME IS NOW! Have a GRAND Homecoming with a GRAND queen! Vote for Kellie Grandquest!

JASMINE SANDERS For homecoming queen

“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.” Two years ago today, I had a stroke after soccer practice at the Cage, and my life was forever changed. Like so many students here at South, I have been through my battles…personally and socially. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. South Alabama has been my home for the past 4 years and I have met some of my best friends on and off the field. It’s a scary thing to move to a new state and start over, but I could not have picked a better place for my undergrad career. I’m a true example of a South Alabama jaguar…retired stu-

dent-athlete (soccer—completed my four years), Biology major, Spanish minor, works at Texas Roadhouse, and have been/currently involved with several organizations: Freshman Leadership Council, AASA, National Society of Leadership & Success, Relay for Life Committee, Women of Excellence, and Jagettes. I truly appreciate every day on this earth and would be so proud to be your 2012 Homecoming Queen. “She’s already a princess, now make her a QUEEN! Vote Jasmine Sanders for your 2012 Homecoming Queen!

MEREDITH VIGILANT For homecoming queen

HELLO MY FELLOW JAGUARS! My name is Meredith Vigilant, and I am running for Homecoming Queen this fall! Here are a few little tid bits of information about me! I had to keep it short and sweet, so here it goes. I am a Senior, and I am graduating in December!! I am a psychology major and Spanish minor. Attending the University of South Alabama has provided me with numerous academic opportunities that I would not have been able to participate in at other universities. I am an active member of the Chi Omega Fraternity. In Chi Omega, I served as Panhellenic Delegate on the Executive Board. Currently, I am Vice President Judicial for the Panhellenic Executive Council. I am also an active member in Psi Chi Psychology Honor Society, as well as Mortar Board Senior Honor Society. I love to play intramural sports, especially soccer. I also love going to Jaguar football games! Homecoming is such an awesome tradition at South, and I would love to represent the school through homecoming. I am proud to be a Jaguar and would be honored to be voted your homecoming queen this year! So please BE VIGILANT AND VOTE VIGILANT. SIYM.

ALEX WILES For homecoming king

My name is Alex Wiles and I am a senior majoring in Psychology/Pre-Med. During my time at South Alabama, I have developed a deep sense of admiration in our University and my involvement in campus life reflects that. Currently, I serve as the Student-at-Large on the Student Government Association. I am a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity, where I am the current Pledge Trainer and former Chapter President. I also was a USA Southerner (Student Ambassador) for two years. Other activities in which I have been involved include the USA Rugby Team, AED, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. This past year, I was awarded as the IFC Greek Man of the Year. Being involved in so many different aspects of South Alabama’s campus has shown me just how much our University has to offer. I would appreciate your vote for 2012 Homecoming King, and would do my best to represent the student body’s pride in our University. SIYM.

KRISTI WILLIAMS For Junior Maid My name is Kristi Williams. I am a junior here at USA, double majoring in Public Relations and French. My time at South has been filled with amazing opportunities that have aided me in becoming a student leader. Each year, I have received the honor of a President’s list scholar, which has resulted in my nomination and membership to many honor societies including: Phi Eta Sigma, Lambda Pi Eta, Phi Kappa

Editor’s Note: The Vanguard asked every Homecoming candidate to submit 200 words. Those unlisted, did not do so.

VOL. 51, NO. 10 / OCT. 1, 2012

Phi, Sigma Alpha Pi. I pride myself in the variety of activities to which I am involved in on campus. I worked and volunteered with Housing and Residence Life, and am a mentor to many first-year students as a current JagPAL. As our university’s Senior South Guide, I monitor campus tours to ensure a lasting first impression to prospective students and interact with countless current students, alumni, faculty and staff. I am also a member of STAT, which has resulted in some of my most memorable moments here at South. I am a native to the Mobile area and have had the previous honor of serving as an ambassador to the lovely Azalea City. It is my desire to represent the junior class at Mobile’s only public university.

DALLAS GIBBONS For Sophomore Maid

Hey Jaguars! My name is Dallas Lee Gibbons and I am running for Sophomore maid for the 2012 Homecoming Court! I have a passion for this school and have been involved in a lot while attending school here. I am originally from Grove Hill, Alabama. I am the Vice President Member Development of my sorority Alpha Gamma Delta. I am also Vice President of the Jagettes. I am a Resident Advisor for the Beta/Gamma area and also a Southbound Orientation Leader. While pursuing a career in nursing, I have had the opportunity to do some great community service projects. You should vote for me for Sophomore Maid 2012 because I would represent the sophomore class in the best way possible. I am a very positive and upbeat person with tons of jaguar spirit! It would be a huge honor to be elected by you to the 2012 Homecoming court and your votes are greatly appreciated! Remember voting begins October 3! GO JAGS!! Our Time Is Now!!

KALEY BENNETT For Freshman Maid My name is Kaley Bennett and I am running for 2012 freshman maid. It would be my honor to represent my freshman class at this year’s homecoming ceremony. I am from a small town just North of Birmingham, Alabama called Corner. Although I

come from a small town, I have been blessed with very supportive family and friends. As my list of friends continues to grow through this amazing student body here at South as well as all my loving sisters at the Kappa Delta Sorority, I look forward to help make this University a world leader in learning and development to help better all of our futures. As my road of life has brought me here to the University of South Alabama, I realize that I absolutely love this University and all the great qualities it brings to me personally as well to my peers and to this great community. If I am chosen by my peers for this honor, I can assure everyone that I would always do everything in the best interest of the University and student body. I would also always conduct myself in a manner in which would represent the University well.

MINI-DISTRACTIONS Student Health

HANNAH BECTON For Freshman Maid

For being a freshman, I've gotten involved in so much already – some of you may remember me from dressing up like Michael Jackson on 80's Skate Night. I love my South Alabama community and have an absolute passion for this school. I brim with pride over my school and community! I'm a very wellrounded individual from grades to just about anything else. I'm an International Baccalaureate diploma recipient and a current Honors student and computer engineering major. I'm also a member of Alpha Gamma Delta, USA Political Science Club, and USA Spectrum with other organizations to come! To reiterate, I'm so proud to be a South Alabama Jaguar, as well as proud of the Freshman body as a whole. We, the class of 2016, are destined for absolute greatness, and we need a representative of the Freshman body who reflects this. I think that I would be a great candidate to be YOUR Freshman Homecoming Maid. It would be an absolute honor for me to represent the Freshman class at Homecoming! Remember to vote for me on October 3-5! Go Jags!

For Student Health appointments, please call 460-7151 For Counseling and Testing, please call 460-7051

Facebook.com/TheVanguardUSA

jagLIFE

JAKE HOWELL, JAGLIFE EDITOR life.editor@usavanguard.com VOL. 51, NO. 10 / OCT. 1, 2012

Weekly Lowdown

Zombie Run and more at 2012 OktSOBERfest

JAKE HOWELL | JAGLIFE EDITOR

OktSOBERfest offers all sorts of alcohol-free activities for students to participate in during the week.

By EMILY JEANMINETTE jemily21@gmail.com

eginning the first week of October, representatives of Counseling and Testing, Student Health, Housing, Campus Recreation, Greek Affairs and Jaguar Productions will be hosting OktSOBERfest. This event is the University of South Alabama’s way of observing National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week. Dr. Robert Hanks, interim director for Counseling and Testing, states that “during this week, we try to emphasize alcohol free fun, which is consistent with recognized alcohol prevention principles.” He goes on to say that the school is trying to use OktSOBERfest as a way

to “challenge the widely held perception that most USA students drink to excess.” Hanks also stated that many students believe it’s the campus norm to drink heavily. A national survey on drug use and health shows that 44 percent of college students reported binge drinking, according to Hanks. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Survey defines a binge drinker as someone who consumes five or more drinks in a twohour period. “I think OktSOBERfest is an awesome way for the student body to realize that college isn’t all about drinking. We have many underage students on campus and they need to know that having fun doesn’t have to involve alcohol,” says

Kalyn Little, a junior biomedical sciences major. Sophomore psychology major Danielle Fields said, “I am thrilled to see that our school is taking action and letting the student body in on the facts about what the drinking is really like on campus. Maybe it will take the pressure off of everyone thinking they have to drink to fit in.” OktSOBERfest kicks off Monday, Oct. 1, with a “Know your BACs” t-shirt giveaway, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come test your knowledge of blood alcohol concentrations and win a free t-shirt. For fans of “The Walking Dead” on AMC, the Zombie Run on Wednesday, Oct. 3, at 6 p.m. in Sorority Square is sure to be a hit. This will involve a combination of an old school game of tag and a scavenger hunt, with adrenaline filled participants being pursued by zombies. The object of the game is to collect all of the “Health Points” at each Health Station. According to Jade Matthews, area coordinator for Housing and Residence Life, “the participants must make it to the Beta-Gamma Community office first

with as many health points and flags as possible without being infected by the zombie creatures.” Matthews also says that each participant will start out as a “human” with great health; the flags on the belts worn will represent the human’s health throughout the game. If a zombie takes or catches a flag, the human will lose part of his or her health. If the zombie takes all of the human flags, that human will turn into a zombie. At each Health Station, humans will be asked questions regarding alcohol related facts and statistics to earn health points. The Dive-In Movie showing of “The Amazing Spiderman” will take place on Thursday, Oct. 4, at 8 p.m. at the heated Recreation Center pool. Free drinks and popcorn will be served. To finish off the week, OktSOBERfest will hold its final event, a free Magnolia River paddle, on Saturday, Oct. 6. Pre-registration is required and spaces are limited. If you find yourself with nothing to do in the start of October, then join in these fun, alcohol-free festivities.

Monday > Oct. 1 •

•

Tuesday > Oct. 2 •

life.editor@usavanguard.com

ho knew pandas could dance? In Theater USA’s production of “Children of Eden,” a musical retelling of the Biblical book of Genesis, they do just that, along with several other species. Written by Stephen Schwartz, who also brought “Wicked” to the stage, “Children of Eden” tells the classic stories of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and of Noah and the Flood. The show is superbly entertaining, which is as simple a description as this reviewer can give to the production. The set, costumes and performances were all excellent representations of the supreme talent walking the halls of Laidlaw each day. While the beginning of act one was odd and a little unnerving, what with the chanting and light-waving, the moment God, or Father as He’s known in the play, creates Adam and Eve everything falls into place. Played by Carlton Warnberg and Erica Washington, Adam and Eve soon begin their day-to-day lives of naming all of creation and not going near the Tree

of Knowledge. As most know, however, the story doesn’t end there. Eve, her innate curiosity taken advantage of by the Snake, eats of the forbidden fruit and incurs Father’s anger. Unlike the Biblical account, however, Adam and Eve argue with Father, with Warnberg’s Adam caught in the middle with a choice to make. Sophomore theater major and member of the Storytellers/Chorus Gabrielle Brou said, “My favorite part of the show itself is when Adam is torn between staying with Father or leaving with Eve. I think everyone gets so touched by it and can relate to having to make a choice between right and wrong.” As the story progresses, the cast hits their stride, becoming even more fluid and comfortable onstage. In fact, the end of act one had several audience members tearing up. Act two tells Noah’s story, with Warnberg playing the builder of the ark and Washington playing his wife. This story prompts many more laughs from the audience and, at least for this reviewer, was much more entertaining due to the interactions of the

•

• •

sion for performing definitely shows on stage,” said Sandra Huynh, a senior biology major. Washington’s vocals were definitely the strongest of any of the main cast and she breathed real heart and emotion into her performances, especially on songs like “The Spark of Creation.” Everything about this show was excellent, and any who wish to experience “Children of Eden,” can still attend performances on Oct. 4, 5 and 6 at 7:30 p.m.

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Graduate and Professional School Expo at the Waterman Globe Lobby. 7 p.m. - Science Cafe Whither the “Ant” in “Anthropology”? at True’s Midtown 8 p.m. - Dive-In Movie “The Amazing Spiderman” at the Student Recreation Center.

Saturday > Oct. 6

JAKE HOWELL | JAGLIFE EDITOR

larger non-Storytellers/Chorus cast. Theater USA has done a fantastic job of putting this production together, and many USA students feel the same way. Freshmen chemistry major, Catherine Zivanov praised Ben Jacobs, who played Cain and Japheth, on a terrific performance saying, “Great emotive force. I cried when he killed Abel.” Another standout performance was that of Washington. “My favorite part of the show was whenever Erica sang! She is extremely talented and her pas-

6 p.m. - “Zombie Run” at the Sorority Commons.

Thursday > Oct. 4 •

“Children of Eden” is a fantastic musical that had this reviewer wishing he knew the songs ahead of time. Tickets for the October 4-6 showings are $12.

7:30 p.m. - USA Faculty Bassoon Recital with pianist Robert Holm and harpist Katie Ott in the LPAC Recital Hall. $5.00 USA Students/ Faculty/Staff.

Wednesday > Oct. 3

With a ‘Spark of Creation,’ ‘Children of Eden’ shines By JAKE HOWELL

10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Know Your BAC’s T-shirt Giveaway and Fatal Vision Goggles Game in the Student Center Mall. 7:30 p.m. - USA Concert Choir and University Chorale Fall Choral Concert at Laidlaw. $5.00 USA Students/Faculty/ Staff.

•

7:30 a.m. - Paddle Magnolia River. Free for USA Students. Advance Registration Required Call (251) 460-6214 for more info

Want your event featured? E-mail the name, date, time, price, place and a brief tagline (under 7 words) to life.editor@usavanguard.com.

VOL. 51, NO. 10 / OCT. 1, 2012

Being their best selves: Distinguished Young Women is impacting lives in Mobile By JESSICA HEAD jlh801@gmail.com

istinguished Young Women (DYW) is a program that has dedicated itself to changing the lives of young women around the United States since 1958. Formerly known as America’s Junior Miss, Distinguished Young Women is the oldest national scholarship program for high school girls and the national headquarters is located here in Mobile, Ala. Having the Distinguished Young Woman headquarters here is one of the many things that makes Mobile such a special city. According to distinguishedyw. org, the DYW’s mission is “to positively impact the lives of young women by providing a transformative experience that promotes and rewards scholarship, leadership, and talent.” The program not only changes the lives of young women through scholarship and leadership opportunities, but also helps shape communities throughout the United States.

COURTESY OF TWILA TSCHAN

Distiguished Young Women particpants take part in “Be Your Best Self ” week at USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital.

This program has a heavy involvement with community service. DYW has an outreach program called “Be Your Best Self,” which originated to encourage not just participants of the program, but also people in their own individual communities to give

back and help others. DYW has a National “Be Your Best Self ” week where all members of a community are encouraged to volunteer and give back. Additionally, another “Be Your Best Self ” day is held each summer

when all 50 state representatives arrive in Mobile for the National Finals competition. During the most recent National Finals competition the participants were split into three groups and went to different locations. One group went to Woody’s Song, an autistic school, another went to the Dumas Wesley Community Center and the last group went to a Habitat for Humanity build. Having this program so woven into our community has helped enrich our city and also our University. Many contestants choose to attend USA because of their experiences in Mobile during National Finals. Twila Tschan, DYW of Oregon 2008, is a great example of how much impact the DYW program has on our university. “I had never even heard of Mobile, Ala. before participating in the Distinguished Young Women program,” said Tschan. “After my two weeks at Nationals, though, I felt like I had found my second home. I applied to USA one

month before classes began in what was probably the most rash, spontaneous, but best decision of my life!” Tschan continued. A noteworthy alumnus of the Distinguished Young Women’s program is our own 2012-2013 USA Jaguar Marching Band Drum Major Rebecca Mitchell, who was the distinguished young woman of Maryland 2011. Other Distinguished Young Women who currently attend or have recently graduated from South Alabama are Audri Rousseau, distinguished young woman of Oregon 2011; Aspen Schleser, distinguished young woman of Colorado 2011; Hannah Yeats, distinguished young woman of Idaho 2008; Haley Armstrong, distinguished young woman of South Dakota 2012; and Lauren Gessner, distinguished young woman of Ohio 2008. Many other alumni of this program have chosen the University of South Alabama and many are sure to continue this tradition in the future.

Mobile’s sole indie theater faces closure Those Handsome Scoundrels

STUART SOX | STAFF REPORTER

Crescent Theater is a place where those wishing to escape the incessant explosions and indulgence of blockbusters can go to see indie films like “The Master.”

By STUART SOX sgsox@att.net

f the many cultural attractions that Mobile has to offer, the city is especially privileged to be home to an art house theater, better known as Crescent Theater. Why is an art house theater, also known as an independent theater, so important to Mobile? When a film comes out that isn’t a wide-release, which are movies that are released to multiplex theater chains like Carmike and Hollywood Theaters, it can

most likely be seen at the Crescent. This quaint theater is situated in downtown Mobile, an area of the city that is burgeoning in art culture. The Crescent is also a refreshing alternative to the large and frequented theaters that tend to release generic blockbusters. Laura Fliegel, a sophomore French major, agrees. “The Crescent is so interesting and different from the other theaters. It would be a huge loss for Mobile since it’s really one of a kind,” Fliegel commented. Crescent Theater also hosts events such as the South Alabama Film Festival

and the Mobile Bay Film Scramble. According to their donation page on kickstarter.com, the original Crescent Theater first opened for business in Mobile in 1805 as a vaudeville theater. In 1912 the theater was modified to use 35-millimeter film, which was the most up to date technology at the time. Most indie film theaters like the Crescent still use 35-millimeter film projectors to display movies. Hollywood, and the entire film industry, will no longer offer movies in the 35-millimeter film format, however, and is converting to complete use of digital film technology. This change is being implemented for the purpose of “cutting down dramatically on print and projections costs,” according to hollywoodreporter.com. In order to be equipped with the projector, server, lenses, bulbs and sound system needed to play films in the digital format, the Crescent must raise $75,000 by Nov. 17. The Alabama Music Box will be holding a concert benefit for the Crescent on Friday, Oct. 12 at 9 p.m. There will be raffles for local art, gift certificates and a full line-up of local bands, including El Cantador. All proceeds of the event will be donated to Crescent Theater. For information on movies and show times, visit crescenttheater.com.

By BAILEY HAMMOND baileyh803@gmail.com

ayFest is right around the corner, and as part of the festivities, local bands will get a chance to play for crowds drawn to the streets by the big names in music, such as Journey, Luke Bryan and Grace Potter & the Nocturnals. One such local band is The Handsome Scoundrels. Composed of Robert Giles, Michael McAuliffe and Andy Scott, this threepiece group has big plans.This year alone has seen an explosion in recognition for the guys of The Handsome Scoundrels. They recently won five Nappie Awards: Best New Band, Best Band Name, Best Guitarist, Best Bassist and Best Drummer. These prizes are awarded by the “Lagniappe” magazine each year. Last semester, the band was featured on Studio 10, FOX10’s morning show, during the SouthSounds Music Festival (where they also performed), and “Street Legal,” their debut CD, was released on April 13, 2012. “This is our first time to play BayFest and we are pretty excited to be performing and look forward to seeing what we can get away with,” said Michael McAuliffe, USA student and lead bassist of The Handsome Scoundrels.

COURTESY MICHAEL MCAULIFFE

The Handsome Scoundrels plan to take every advantage that BayFest offers in order to play for a wider audience.

The Handsome Scoundrels will go on stage at the Launching Pad at 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6, right after The Suzies, another local band. If you’re interested in finding out more about these awesome guys, they can be found on Facebook and also have a band website, handsomescoundrels. tumblr.com.

SPORTS

PATRICK HERRING, SPORTS EDITOR sports.editor@usavanguard.com

VOL. 51, NO. 10 / OCT. 1, 2012

Quarterback C.J. Bennett running away from the defense on a career-long 50-yard rush.

BY CASSIE FAMBRO |EDITOR IN CHIEF

Jaguar defense plagued by penalties, loses turnover-fest 34-10 Defense forces five turnovers, but offense can’t turn them into points and commits four of their own

By PATRICK HERRING sports.editor@usavanguard.com

enalties, rain and turnovers told the story of the Jaguars’ first-ever Sun Belt Conference matchup. It rained for much of the first half which made passing difficult for both teams. Rain didn’t stop 23,789 people from filling their seats at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, the third highest attendance in USA football history. The Jaguars were plagued by raining yellow flags, committing season highs in penalties (15) and penalty yards (142), most of which were called on the defense. Field position was critical in this contest and with the penalty yards the defense gifted Troy (3-2, 2-1), it made moving the ball much easier. Linebacker Jake Johnson was upset over the penalties. “They had a good offense and everything, but I feel like half the time we beat ourselves,” Johnson said. Turnovers killed USA (1-4, 0-1), on the other side of the ball as the Jags

tied a season-high with four. Quarterbacks Ross Metheny and C.J. Bennett threw an interception each. Metheny and wide receiver T.J. Glover chipped in a lost fumble apiece. The Trojan offense didn’t fare any better, turning the ball over a seasonhigh five times. It was the most turnovers for Troy since a 2010 contest against the University of South Carolina. On the first play from scrimmage, Troy quarterback Corey Robinson’s pass was picked off by safety B.J. Scott who returned it 21 yards to the USA 46. The offense wasn’t able to move the ball and USA had to punt after a three-and-out. The Jaguar defense held and forced a Trojan punt, which T.J. Glover muffed and Troy’s Camren Hudson recovered at the USA 29. Wide receiver Chandler Worthy ran an end around down to the USA 5 on the next play. The iron will of the defense wouldn’t allow a touchdown from there. Will Scott booted a field

goal from 21 yards out to put the first points on the board, 3-0. Troy got the ball back after another three-and-out. Worthy caught a Robinson pass for 19 yards on second down. On the next play, Robinson threw the ball up for grabs and receiver Eric Thomas made an acrobatic catch down to the USA 1-yard line. Justin Albert punched it in from there to put the Trojans up 10-0. After Metheny fumbled on a quarterback scramble on the next possession, Troy took over at the USA 30. Darrius Morrow punched the ball out of running back Shawn Southward’s arms to force a fumble on the drive and Terrel Brigham recovered at the USA 6. From there the Jaguars drove 94 yards down the field to score. Every yard on the drive came on the ground, including a Bennett scamper up the middle for a career-long 50-yard rush to put the ball on the Troy 5-yard line. Third-string quarterback Trey Fetner ran it in from three yards out on his

first career carry to bring the Jags a score, 10-7. Bennett led the team in rushing with a season-high 79 yards, one shy of his career high set against Georgia State in 2010. Troy’s next drive was aided by five USA penalties, three of which resulted in first downs. Deon Anthony, Troy’s secondstring quarterback, threw his first career touchdown pass to Worthy from seven yards out to put the Trojans up 17-7. Worthy would end up with 48 yards and the score on 5 catches. The Trojan defense got off the field in three plays on South’s next drive after Bennett was sacked for a loss of 4 on third down. Robinson then threw his second interception of the day, this one to Gabe Loper, who returned it 19 yards to the USA 47. The following possession looked promising for USA. Demetre Baker rushed for 15 yards on first down. Bennett added 9 more on the next play. Baker pushed his way forward for four

more and a USA first down to the 12 after a Troy personal foul was tacked on. The drive would end in the red zone when Bennett threw his second pick of the game. Safety Brynden Trawick snatched it out of the air in the end zone and returned it to the USA 10. The Trojans would be forced to punt three plays later, and the Jaguars would follow suit. After Scott Garber’s punt went into the end zone, the Trojan drive began at the 20. Robinson completed a 19-yard pass to Chip Reeves. Tyrell Pearson was flagged for a personal foul and the USA bench was flagged for delay of game to put the ball at the USA 41. Robinson completed another bomb down the sideline to Reeves who was pulled down at the two-yard line by Enrique Williams who was mismatched on him in man coverage. The tackle was one of seven on the day for Williams. Troy went up 24-7 when Robinson See FOOTBALL FOOTBALL, Page 14

VOL. 51, NO. 10 / OCT. 1, 2012

Pictures by Cassie Fambro| EIC and Patrick Herring | Sports Editor and Jayson Curry | Senior Reporter

VOL. 51, NO. 10 / OCT. 1, 2012

Want us to follow you? Tweet us @USAVGSports BY CASSIE FAMBRO |EDITOR IN CHIEF

A group of dedicated fans didn’t let a little rain stop them from stripping off their shirts and painting up for the Jags’ first contest against Troy.

Football

Continued from Page 12

ran it in from there for another Trojan touchdown. South Alabama’s next drive was filled with drama. With 2:13 remaining before halftime, Metheny came in and completed a 19-yard pass to Corey Besteda and then ran it for 5 more yards to the Troy 40. Three rushing yards and three timeouts later—one by USA, two back-to-back by Troy— Fetner ran for the first down on fourth and inches. Metheny completed a pass to Jereme Jones for 11 yards down to the Troy 24. With four seconds left on the clock, Michel Chapaseaux’s 41-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Derrick Upshaw. But the ball didn’t cross the line of scrimmage, so by rule, he was given another shot after the Jaguars recov-

ered. A delay of game penalty backed him up 5 yards, but he wasn’t fazed. He nailed the 53-yard attempt—a personal long and a school record. The Jaguars went into the locker room trailing 2410. The second half was much less eventful than the first. Troy’s first drive of the third period ended when Loper blocked a 37-yard Scott field goal attempt. Loper added six tackles and an interception. The Jags would punt it right back to them, failing again to put any points on the board following a turnover. Only one of the five Troy turnovers was converted to points for USA. That didn’t stop the defense from trying for them though. The Troy drive that followed ended when Jesse Kelly forced and Williams recovered a Trojan fumble at the USA 16. Bennett and company continued to

stall and Garber punted for the seventh time. He would go on to break his own school records for punts (9) and punt yardage (365). Robinson and the Trojan offense drove deep into USA territory on the next drive. Starting at their own 37, Robinson completed two quick passes for 36 yards. Troy would go for it on fourth and two from the USA 19. Robinson was flushed out of the pocket and threw another one up for grabs. Safety Charles Watson was the one who went up to grab it. He went down in the end zone for a touchback. Robinson would finish with 223 yards on 15-24 passing with three interceptions. “It was very frustrating when we try to go through the air in the rain with ball all slippery like that,” Robinson said. Bennett completed a 19-yard pass to Jereme Jones for a first down to the

USA 40 on the Jaguars’ next possession. Again the drive ended with Garber booting one to the Trojans. After a holding penalty on the return, Troy started at their 14. Anthony threw a 44-yard strike to Chris Williams on the next play. A Robinson completion and two Albert runs put the ball at the USA one-yard line. D.J. Taylor ran it in from there to put the Trojans up 31-10. The scoring would stop there and the game ended shortly thereafter. Jake Johnson paced the defense in tackles for the fourth time this season racking up 11, with 1.5 behind the line. It was the third time this season he recorded double-digits in tackles, bringing his season total to 51. Alex Page added a sack for the defense, bringing his team-leading season total to four.

College Football Predictions

Editor’s Note: During the 2012 football season, we here at The Vanguard Sports Section will be doing weekly predictions of South’s football game, popular in-state games and one or two nationally significant games. We will keep a running tally of who’s “winning” the prediction game, and may from time to time include a guest picker. * Both USA and Alabama have a bye this week, hence their absence in this edition of predictions.

Olivia Mohler @Olivia_Mohler12: Middle Blocker Finding your old jag card the day after you buy a new one.... Grrrrr Trey Anderson @UnoDosTrey123: Guard Facebook suggested that “mitt romney” might be a page that I would like. And that was the moment that facebook officially died to me... Perry Meiklejohn @TheGridironGod: Offensive Lineman Just seen the girl in front of me order size 12 Toms #stopit #whenbeinghipstergoeswrong Drew Dearman @DrewDearman: Offesnive Lineman hard time focusing on my studying when I know my football alarm is gonna go off early AF Austin Cole @Cole_World_61: Long Snapper Weight Training class << I’d rather listen to a French dude teach Spanish class.

Week Three Season Totals

Patrick Herring Sports Editor (16-4)

Jayson Curry Senior Reporter (16-4)

JT Crabtree Sports Editor L.O.C. (13-7)

Chris May @CmayFive5: Offensive Lineman

Auburn vs. Arkansas

Will either defense be able to stop the opposing offense? Will either offense be able to get anything going? I’ll give the Razorbacks the edge because of Tyler Wilson. Arkansas 24-7.

Neither team has wowed their fans or really anyone this season. Arkansas could be the biggest disappointment in the country. Auburn 27-12.

Arkansas is falling apart. John L Smith era comes to an end after this game also. Auburn will easily take this one, even with the troubles Frazier has. Auburn wins 38-10.

If a class ends at 3:15 but the teacher keeps on teaching after 3:15<--- that should be illegal

#5 Georgia vs. #6 South Carolina

This is the biggest game in the SEC thus far this season. Georgia’s offense will be the best South Carolina has faced and will prove too potent. Georgia 45-31.

Both teams are ranked in the top 10 and they continue to express every week. The home crowd will be the difference for the Gamecocks. South Carolina 24-17.

Georgia will continue its high scoring offense in this rivalry matchup. Murray will have field day with 5 total TDs. Georgia wins 42-23.

#3 LSU vs. #11 Florida

Florida is proving to be a contender in the West, but the SEC East elite is still leaps and bounds ahead. LSU 31-17.

#8 West Virginia vs. #11 Texas

Geno Smith scored more touchdowns last week than Texas gave up through their first three games. He will prove to be a handful for the Longhorns. WVU 48-34.

Florida is having a better season than some experts might’ve thought before the season and LSU hasn’t played their best game yet. This will be a definition of an SEC showdown. LSU wins on a field goal 31-28. West Virginia may be the best offense in the country led by a legit Heisman candidate in Geno Smith but they haven’t played a team as good as Texas yet. Mountaineers outscore the Longhorns 45-25.

LSU, even though they have struggled the past two weeks, will beat the Gators. LSU 20-13.

Jake Howton @Jake_Snake86: Wide Receiver The mind battles between going to class or staying in bed are more like world wars right now. Brittany Fowler @FowlerPower6: Pitcher Night class is an epic fail! #collegeprobz

Geno Smith had 8 TDs last week, are you kidding me?! He’ll throw for 4 this week. WVU 45-28.

@USAVGSports

LEFT OF CENTER

JT CRABTREE, LOC EDITOR jtc804@jagmail.southalabama.edu

VOL. 51, NO. 10 / OCT. 1, 2012

Respect is key for away team fans By JT CRABTREE

jtc804@jagmail.southalabama.edu

JT CRABTREE | LOC EDITOR

Fans at Ladd-Peebles Stadium watch a rainy USA-Troy matchup this past Saturday.

Fans witness history at Ladd 23,789 fans watch South Alabama set many firsts in school history By JT CRABTREE

jtc804@jagmail.southalabama.edu

Twenty-three thousand, seven hundred and eighty-nine. That’s how many people were in attendance for Saturday’s South Alabama football game against Troy. 23,789 filed into Ladd-Peebles Stadium to see the first Sun Belt Conference game in South Alabama’s young history. 23,789 fans found a way to get to the stadium located on the other side of Mobile from campus. 23,789 fans sat through the rain to see their Jaguars play the Troy Trojans in the first game of a rivalry. Those 23,789 didn’t just sit down and watch either. They were there to be involved. “It was impressive,” said Sam Wicker, a senior physical education major who is known as TogaMan at USA games. “The majority of the students were singing along to the fight song. There were several chants of U-S-A throughout the game. It was the way it should be.” Never before had the student section been almost completely filled like it was on Saturday. The students showed their support for the Jags, even through the cold rain that persisted throughout the entire game. Almost all of Section Q at

Ladd-Peebles Stadium was full of students, as well as Sections P and R. Fans even arrived early, as early as 40 minutes before kickoff in order to get a good seat in the firstcome-first-serve basis style seating South Alabama has.

The new SouthPaw statue.

JTC | LOC

But it wasn’t only inside the stadium where there was excitement. Outside in the tailgating areas, Saturday was a spectacle to see, people

walking up and down the roads, tent after tent with TV’s, generators, grills and even a deep fryer. The College of Engineering went all out and had Wintzell’s Oyster House cater their tailgating tent. Imagine trading your burgers and dogs for shrimp and grits. I’ll take that. There were hundreds of fans for the Jag Prowl before the game also. You could see the smiles on the players’ faces when they walked off the bus to see so many fans ready to greet and cheer for them. The entire atmosphere was incredible. The buzz that was created spread quickly through social media and notified fans on updates about the game. Twitter and Facebook posts were made about wanting to have a record breaking crowd on hand for the game. While that didn’t happen, it was the third largest crowd in South Alabama football history. Those 23,789 fans weren’t there because they had to be, they wanted to sit through the rain and cheer on their Jags. It’s the way it should be. The game may not have ended the way Jag fans wanted, but the outpouring of support is a step in the right direction and all home games should be like.

n Sept. 22, I made the trip to Starkville to see the Jaguars play against their first SEC and nationally ranked opponent, the Mississippi State Bulldogs. On the way to the game, I was worried as to how the fans would react to my group of friends walking around campus in our South Alabama apparel. Would they boo us? Would they ring their cowbells in our face? Would they yell “Jags suck, go Dawgs!” as we walked by their tents? I have experienced the fury of LSU fans greeting away team fans in such ways first hand. I’ve also heard stories of Alabama and Auburn doing something similar. But when we arrived on campus, there was a different feel than other SEC campuses. Immediately after arriving, we were greeted warmly by every Mississippi State fan we came in contact with. We were all met with “Welcome to Starkville” and “We hope you enjoy your stay here.” No berating. No obnoxious cowbell waving. No negative vibes of any kind. Even the employees in their student center were nice. We asked a few students sitting around some questions, and they were more than happy to help us out. I was shocked. But I’m glad I was

Mississippi State fans tailgating at “The Junction”

wrong in my assumptions. Not a single Mississippi State fan was rude or discourteous towards our group. And I think that is something that all of us South Alabama fans can take a lesson from. Not that there is a problem with fans being rude to away team patrons, but it was an environment I would hope that South Alabama fans can recreate for anyone coming to support their team. Imagine you are making a fivehour drive to Mobile to see your team play at Ladd-Peebles Stadium against the Jags, and being greeted with boos and jeers, simply for doing what they are doing. Imagine being heckled once you sit down at your seats in the stadium because you want to enjoy some football. Now imagine that you park inside the stadium and are greeted with “Welcome to Mobile, Ala., hope you enjoy your stay here.” Imagine you are having trouble finding your seat and a fan pleasantly guides you in the right direction. Maybe you might be offered some food by someone tailgating nearby as we were in Starkville. Whatever the case may be, it is important to keep in mind that those fans are here for the same reason you are: to cheer for their team. Home team fans should respect that, and make them feel welcomed and impressed with our program. Stay classy South Alabama.

PATRICK HERRING | SPORTS EDITOR

Opinion

NOAH LOGAN OPINION EDITOR opinion.editor@usavanguard.com

VOL. 51, NO. 10 / OCT. 1, 2012

Vanguard Viewpoint A STAFF EDITIORIAL

Campus Quarters must recognize parking boundaries

n Friday night, 19 cars were parked on the edge of the UCOM parking lot, right next to where that new stoplight was installed. Right next to where there’s a crosswalk, which visitors to Campus Quarters are apparently traversing at all hours across the street to the apartment complex. On Saturday night, there were 16, and Sunday there were 9 cars. Campus Quarters recently started enforcing their parking rules, and this is the result. It’s a problem that there are any cars there at all. On their Facebook page, Campus Quarters gives permission to residents to use the school’s parking lot. “If there is no visitor parking then guests can either car pool or park across the street in the College of Education parking lot,” reads the post. This is absolutely unacceptable. Just because Campus Quarters has issues with residents having guests and does not have enough spaces allocated to that does not mean that they are

entitled to University property. Residents of Campus Quarters are also reporting being towed even if they have a pass for the complex, and confusion seems to preside over what to do over there. That’s not our problem; it’s an issue they have to work out. It becomes our problem when their overflow adds to the parking problem that USA already has. USAPD does not enforce parking restrictions in the UCOM lot, and that’s usually greatly apprecaited. If it’s going to be taken advantage of, it needs to stop. Something to consider is that the UCOM lot is made a general lot instead of a zone and that anyone without a USA parking pass (any zone) or a visitor’s pass is cited. Campus Quarters is trying their best to establish a routine, and it is understandable that there will be growing pains. The fact remains that USA parking lots should not become a part of it. Like your slogan says, CQ. “Keep it classy.”

Medicaid Amendment unclear By NOAH LOGAN

ncl1101@jagmail.southalabama.edu

n Sept. 18, the state of Alabama passed the Alabama Medicaid Amendment with a majority vote of 64 percent. Even students who failed to vote for this amendment, to read about or research the amendment or don’t know what the amendment was, will always remember that a constitutional amendment was passed on Sept. 18. This is because South Alabama and the Education Board of Alabama showed an unprecedented amount of support for the legislation. Outside of the occasional random analyst on al.com, it seemed everyone in Alabama was in favor of the amendment, evidenced by the results. The actual text of the amendment reads as followed, “Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to provide adequate funding for the State General Fund budget, to prevent the mass release of prisoners from Alabama prisons, and to protect critical health services to Alabama children, elderly, and mothers by transferring funds from the Alabama Trust Fund to the State General Fund beginning with the state’s 2012-2013 fiscal year and concluding with the state’s 2014-2015 fiscal year; to provide a new procedure for distributions made from the Al-

JagPulse There was a robbery at Delta 6 on Thursday. Tinashe Nyatanga: Something has to be done about the projects. Cassidy Davis: Here’s an idea: Maybe those nice new cop SUVs that South decided we must have could be used to patrol the area rather than stay parked outside the police station...just a suggestion Christopher McGowan: Actually USA PD is outside of Delta 6 most

of the time. Just because they have extra cars at the station doesn’t mean they aren’t doing anything. Aaron Pate: Anyone who feels safe in a community laundry room after dark obviously hasn’t watched enough movies. Michael Bishop: Hmmm and people wonder why we have concealed carry petitions?

Doug Roberts: When they said “campus robbery” in the email, I thought they were referring to tuition. Becky Hosmer: Wheeler Delta 6? Oh, the one where a large group lounges on the steps for hours, blocking the walkway and creating an intimidating environment for residents? How many calls has the USAPD gotten lately about this situation?

abama Trust Fund beginning 20122013 fiscal year; to create a County and Municipal Government Capital Improvement Trust Fund advisory committee; and to provide further for distributions made from the County and Municipal Government Capital Improvement Trust Fund.” The issues surrounding this amendment have been the topic of a lot of commentaries that the bill does not do an adequate job of explaining itself. Many students and even faculty members find themselves unsure what the new amendment means and how it applies to them. In my opinion, it had a very strange characteristic, not usually supported in the South. (I’ll get to that later.) So, I think a good student newspaper needs to take such a largely anticipated bill and make its importance easier to understand, as well as the effects of the bill’s passage. So before reading into this bill, understand one thing, Alabama is a relatively easy state to live in for a median income family. Alabama’s taxes are the lowest in the nation. No joke; the Census Bureau reports that Alabama is ranked 50 out of 50 in the nation in “average state and local taxes collected per person.” Please go fact check me. On the other hand, Alabama is kind of in a bad boat when it comes to the economy. Unemployment is fairly low, yes, but in the most recent Ewing Mar-

ion Kauffman Foundation report, Alabama ranks 47 out of 50 states in its movement towards a knowledge-based economy. Alabama is losing its global edge by not creating enough high tech jobs. In other words we need more cities like Huntsville that specialize in a high number of high tech jobs, like those NASA brings into the state. With the passage of the bill, Alabama will take $145.8 million (up to a cap of $447 million) from the oil and trust funds and transfer it into the general fund with no plans to pay it back. Alabama is hoping to take the money from this fund and invest it in bringing new types of jobs into the state, thus improving the state’s status in the technological world and preventing a fallout of the state’s Medicaid and prison systems. Sound familiar? It’s a much smaller version of the stimulus tried by the Obama administration in 2009-2010. Increasing current debt in order to invest in more jobs and thus hoping to create long term effects for the economy, instead of short lived tax cuts, to which opponents argue fails to create lasting effects for the economy. Alabama is taking a very moderate step in its attempts to fix its economic direction. The amendment appears to be

EditorialBoard

The

Cassie Fambro Aaron Etheredge Noah Logan Jake Howell Patrick Herring

> Editor

in Chief Editor > Opinion Editor > Life Editor > Sports Editor > Associate

thevanguardonline.com

VOL. 51, NO. 2 / JULY 9, 2012

POINT COUNTERPOINT Why shouldn’t Google censor ‘The Innocence of Muslims’?

 An independent, low grade film titled “The Innocence of Muslims” has been under severe speculation as the possible cause of riots and protests in the Middle East and even the murder of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya. Do you think the video is to blame and do you think Google should censor the film?

Point:

“

Counterpoint:

“

With the premise that the video was somehow responsible for the attacks debunked, Google should save themselves the effort and heartache and refrain from banning “Innocence of Muslims”...

Ryan Wallace

oes Google have the right to censor the “Innocence of Muslims” trailer? Of course they do. Their user agreement (as well as the fact they are a private entity) says so. It is difficult to watch the film (and thanks to its production values, that sentence could end there and still be true) and draw any conclusion other than the director hates Islam. “Sam Bacile,” the creator of the film, depicts the Islamic Prophet Muhammad as a charlatan and his followers as pliant imbeciles, as well as portraying the prophet as a womanizer and somewhat of a sadist. Of course, the most publicized aspect of the film is that it “portrays” Muhammad at all. As we’ve all learned from Danish cartoons and “South Park” episodes, showing an image of the prophet himself is insulting to many adherents of the Muslim faith. Let’s go back to that YouTube user agreement. Google’s YouTube community guidelines state that “we don’t permit hate speech (speech which attacks or demeans a group based on race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, veteran status, and sexual orientation/gender identity).” But as anyone who’s watched the ongoing comedy show that is the NFL replacement officials knows, rules lose their meaning when they aren’t applied fairly and consistently. A two-minute YouTube search brings up videos that violate each and every one of those conditions, from “Asians Can’t Drive” to the curiosity-

”

inducing “Jesus Sucks: A Poem About God, the Bible, and Other Such Nonsense.” If “Innocence of Muslims” is banned, the good people at YouTube are likely to find themselves inundated with complaint upon complaint from offended viewers demanding the removal of videos they find upsetting. This is the classic situation at the base of the exercise of many of the rights we enjoy as American citizens: Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Of course, it’s worth mentioning that Google has been for the most part relieved of the onus to remove the video. Despite initial reports from both the media and President Obama’s administration, the large protests and the ransacking of the United States embassy in Libya that ended with the death of the ambassador and members of his staff wasn’t due to the video. This is according to intelligence sources, as well as the Libyan President and just plain common sense, as the video was posted on YouTube all the way back on July 2 of this year. As the President noted, “Reaction should have been, if it was genuine, should have been six months earlier. So it was postponed until the 11 of September.” With the premise that the video was somehow responsible for the attacks debunked, Google should save themselves the effort and heartache and refrain from banning “Innocence of Muslims” unless they wish to draw massive amounts of unpleasant attention to the poor application of their own rules.

Why would Google honor the demands of censorship now rising from a part of the world where honor-killings, clitoridectomies, and stoning are common punishments for women thought to be impure?

Jacob Burchfield

GADSDEN FLAG

Trademarked by Google

Trademarked by YouTube

Google should not censor the YouTube video ostensibly to blame for the wave of riots across the Middle East, parts of Europe, and Pakistan. Pakistan, our “ally,” just sentenced the doctor who led us to Osama Bin Laden to 33 years in prison for treason. They could include the video with Piss Christ¸ the award-winning, federalgrant-funded jar of urine containing a Crucifix that’s currently hanging at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. For good measure, they could throw in the “painting” of Mary covered with elephant dung and surrounded by female genitalia that’s hung in public museums for the last 20 years. We might do well to stop talking about this video and start talking about how so many millions of Muslims across the world could riot over so miniscule a cause. We might also remind ourselves that these “victims” routinely torture, rape and murder Coptic Christians and minority-sect believers of Islam – how dare we defer to their twisted view of “tolerance”? Why would Google honor the demands of censorship now rising from a part of the world where honor-killings, clitoridectomies and stoning are common punishments for women thought to be impure? Relativism must end somewhere, and there is no comparison between this silly movie and the brutality of many nations now claiming to be its victims. Google could take the video down, seeking “peace in our time,” but that

”

would only serve to embolden the mobs. Why? Because our apologizing and equivocation exacerbate the problem. The riots will continue, and the flags will burn. Islamism – the philosophy of government by Sharia law – leaves no room for harmonic coexistence with Western free speech – nor freedom of religion, nor women’s rights and so on. Alexander Hamilton said, “A nation which can prefer disgrace to danger is prepared for a master, and deserves one. Now let’s set the record straight. There’s no argument over the choice between peace and war, but there’s only one guaranteed way you can have peace—and you can have it in the next second—surrender.” Perhaps we should consider his words today, and ask whether we should be obsessing over a 14-minute YouTube video. We must realize that millions of people, from Libya to Pakistan to Sri Lanka, believe they are fighting a righteous battle for global domination; and that the establishment of the Global Caliphate necessarily involves the end of the United States. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke to the U.N. just this morning and talked about how Israel is uncivilized and “must be eliminated.” His Iranians are working every day towards a nuclear bomb. If we take no action, and they make good on their promise to “eliminate” Israel, will it be the video’s fault?

Alabama Medicaid Amendment clarification Continued from Page 16

The amendment appears to be very non-partisan with all interested parties claiming the well-being of the economy as their priority. The only critique I have is Alabama needs to take precautions against getting a so-called “sugar high” from using this method.

Governor Bentley is now proposing a new amendment. This amendment would create state bonds worth up to $150 million for Alabama to cash and use in job recruitment. Alabama will possibly have to endure a harder road using this

method, as even shown in Barack Obama’s DNC speech when he said, “Yes, our path is harder — but it leads to a better place. Yes, our road is longer — but we travel it together. “We don’t turn back. We leave no one behind. We pull each other

up. We draw strength from our victories and we learn from our mistakes, but we keep our eyes fixed on that distant horizon, knowing that Providence is with us, and that we are surely blessed to be citizens of the greatest nation on Earth.” Governor Robert Bentley and

Barack Obama have something in common. What is the world coming to people?

Join the conversation on Facebook. Find “The Vanguard Opinion Section.”

VOL. 51, NO. 10 / OCT. 1, 2012