The Daily Beacon

Issue 7, Volume 122

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Student supports Sandy Hook community, raises funds escaped the shooting. Sophia’s friend told her to run when the gunman began reloading.

“She was telling it like a story, which For most UT students, the Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary was pretty surreal. And I could tell that School in Newtown, Conn. was terrible she was bothered by it because she kept bringing it up, that she wanted to make enough.

For Genna Rossi, however, the massacre cards for her teacher and friends who was much closer to home: she attended were victims,” Rossi said. “Every time she heard a voice or someone upstairs, she Sandy Hook.

“When I was a kid, it was a great would run to the corner of the room and place to be…it was just very welcoming. sit down. I had to tell her she couldn’t eat Our sign actually says ‘Visitors Welcome,’ dinner in the corner. It was really hard; I’d which is now kind of ironic,” Rossi, senior never had to deal with anything like that.”

In an effort to support children like in marketing, said. “We all lived near each other, and everyone was really closely knit. Sophia, Rossi is selling wrist bracelets It just makes me sad; obviously, these kids emblazoned with the phrase “Newtown won’t get to experience the same great Angels.” The fundraiser was started by one of her childhood friends’ older sister. school that I went to.”

Rossi did a lot of voluntary baby-sitting Rossi bought a few for herself and her famduring the weeks after the shooting, as ily, but she soon saw opportunity farther many parents had funerals to attend. She south.

“My friends here were asking how they spent time looking after Sophia, five, who could help, and I figured, ‘Hey, why not sell the wrist bands here too?’ There’s so many supportive people down here, so I thought it’d be a good idea just to see if people wanted to help,” Rossi said.

The proceeds from the bands will help the victims’ families with burial services, as well as contribute to the Sandy Memorial • Photo courtesy of Genna Rossi Hook

R.J. Vogt

News Editor

Leadership, service opportunity comprise MLK Day festivities David Cobb Assistant News Editor For some Martin Luther King, Jr. Day means a long weekend and a chance to shirk the typical duties of a Monday.

But not for 500 UT students who are participating in a morning leadership conference and afternoon of service in a daylong event put on by UT’s Center for Leadership and Service.

MLK holidays of the past at UT featured both the Clifton Jones Student Leadership Conference and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service – meaning students could generally do only one.

But under the umbrella of the Center for Leadership and Service, the two events have merged to create an action packed day for willing UT undergrads.

“It’s a really good experience for students to get exposed to some new leadership ideas and see what UT’s offices and community partners within Knoxville have to offer the student body, and how there are many different styles of leadership and elements that contribute to your personal leadership style,” said Katherine Brown, a graduate assistant at the Center for Leadership and Service. “And then with the second half of the day being that service portion, it’s a good way for them to utilize those skills and help out the community that houses us as a university.”

The event kicks off at 9 a.m. on Monday in the University

Center where participants will spend their morning hearing from numerous speakers on topics pertaining to leadership.

After lunch, participants will head to the community where they’ll be split into groups and engaged through a variety of service projects.

“I think this is such a significant event because it’s unique in that students have the opportunity to both develop their leadership potential, as well as reach out in the Knoxville community,” said Alicia White, also a graduate assistant at the Center for Leadership and Service. “I don’t think you get to see that very often.”

In previous years, when the events were held separately, each had about 500 students participate, making for a total of 1,000.

But this year, with them merged together and the UC under construction, the total number of participants had to be capped at 500.

“I participated in both events, the Clifton Jones Leadership Conference, and the MLK Day of Service,” said White, who spent her undergraduate years at UT. “So I guess I’m excited to see the two together because the leadership conference may have attracted one portion of our students and MLK Day of Service also attracted another portion of our students. I’m excited to see it bring all spans of students together.”

Sam Davidson, author of three books and co-founder of Cool People Care, will be on hand during lunch to speak with the participants.

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Scholarship and a town memorial fund.

Rossi, the former president of Phi Mu, has visited five fraternities and sororities since school started, leaving a sign up sheet and collection envelope with each group’s president. She plans to visit 10 more Greek organizations before the end of the fundraiser on Jan. 31.

Christina Boyer, senior in accounting and the president of Chi Omega, said Rossi’s presentation to her sorority was met with enthusiasm.

“As college students, we don’t have that much cash laying around, but everyone is so willing to give to this cause. The sign-up sheet was completely filled up,” Boyer said.

The Chi O sisters raised roughly $80 after Rossi’s visit, and Boyer said there are more girls waiting on a second sign-up sheet.

“It’s a subject matter anyone can relate to, we’ve all been to elementary school,” she said. “This kind of thing isn’t supposed to happen to children. It just gives you a different perspective on life … nobody is invincible.”

Boyer is a member of the Global Leadership Scholars program, along with Rossi. The two are close friends.

“If you know Genna at all, she’s a really passionate person. She puts her heart into everything,” Boyer said. “It’s been a really hard month for her and her community, so it’s really cool that she’s channeling it into something like this.”

If interested in buying a bracelet or donating to the cause, visit www.giveforward.com/newtownstrongnewtownproud/.

• Photo courtesy of Genna Rossi

Around Rocky Top

Tia Patron • The Daily Beacon

Boss Dance Society performs a jazz piece entitled “Headliner” during the dress rehearsal for BOSS Dance Company Showcase on Wednesday. The opening show is Thurs. at 7:30 p.m. in Clarence Brown Theatre.

Performances highlight significance of King’s life, work tivities will feature a presentation by the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, a performance by UT will commemorate Dr. the Love United Gospel Choir Martin Luther King, Jr. with and a theatrical performance. a special Martin Luther King, “It’s just a celebration of Jr. Day event at 3 p.m. on Dr. King’s life and legacy,” Monday in the UC auditoShawnboda Mead, associate rium. director of diversity and multiMade possible through cultural education, said. Mead the joint efforts of the Office also advises BCPC. of Multicultural Student Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Life and the Black Cultural is celebrated annually nationProgramming Committee wide on the third Monday of (BCPC), UT’s MLK Day fesJanuary to commemorate the

Deborah Ince

Staff Writer

The Phoenix is celebrating its latest issue with a poetry reading today from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the UC Hermitage Room.

legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A prominent leader in the Civil Rights Movement, King is famous for advocating nonviolent activism in the face of overwhelming racial oppression.

President Ronald Reagan signed the federal holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed in 1986. However, the holiday was not observed by all 50 states until the year 2000.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Day is also seen as a holiday to continue the promotion of equal rights for all Americans regardless of their differing backgrounds.

Though MLK Day is an annual event at UT, this is the first year the event will have a theatrical performance.

Entitled “The Meeting,” the piece revolves around a fictional encounter between King and Malcolm X. See MLK DAY on Page 2

The Daily Beacon is printed using soy based ink on newsprint containing recycled content, utilizing renewable sources and produced in a sustainable, environmental responsble manner.

utdailybeacon.com

2 • THE DAILY BEACON

Thursday, January 17, 2013 News Editor RJ Vogt

CAMPUS NEWS MLK DAY continued from Page 1 “We are hoping that the student body would find this very intriguing and want to at least have an idea of how these two historical icons would react to one another,” Ashley McCray, BCPC chair, said.

Mead believes that the performance is an entertaining approach to educating people about King.

“We wanted to do something a little different this year in hopes of attracting students and give the community a more entertaining way to learn about Dr. King and his contributions,” Mead said. “ I think the performance should be really entertaining and educational. It’s a captivating piece I think people will really enjoy.”

In addition to the theatrical performance, the Alpha fraternity will be present. Each year, the fraternity volunteers to participate in

the event because King was also a member of the organization.

Love United Gospel Choir will also perform, singing gospel hymns from King’s era.

“There is no exact central theme for the event,” McCray said. “We would like for the student body to soak in any information that they can get from our program (BCPC), especially this year. Part of our mission is to inform the student body of African-American influences and contributions to history.”

Even though students do not have school to observe the holiday, Mead encourages students to stick around campus and attend the MLK Day program.

“It’s a day off of school to remember and celebrate Dr. King’s legacy,” Mead said.

Doors for the event open at 2:30 p.m., and the program will start at 3 p.m. Light refreshments will be served after the event’s conclusion.

The event is free and open to the public.

rvogt@utk.edu

Assistant News Editor David Cobb

dcobb3@utk.edu

Lecture breaks down paleoethnobotany

Janie Prathammavong • The Daily Beacon

Beacon Flashbacks

Dr. Kandace D. Hollenbach of the UT Archaeological Research Lab lectures on “Foragers and Farmers in East Tennessee: What Archaeological Plant Remains Can Tell Us About Prehistoric Lifeways” on Jan. 15.

Claire Dodson Staff Writer

It is difficult to imagine people thousands of years from now digging up bits of McDonald’s wrappers and Coke cans and forming a hypothesis about how we lived, what we ate and who held power in society.

The study of paleoethnobotany attempts to do just that.

Dr. Kandace Hollenbach, a research associate at UT’s Archaeological Research Lab, gave a talk entitled “Foragers and Farmers in East Tennessee: What Archaeological Plant Remains Can Tell Us About Prehistoric Lifeways” on Tuesday in the McClung Museum.

She broke down paleoethnobotany and its uses for understanding cultures that existed long ago.

“This is the study of the relationship between people and plants in the past,” Hollenbach said. “We use the plant remains we find to develop ideas about the daily practices, schedules and identities of these people.”

Her talk, while discussing paleoethnobotany methods in general, specifically addressed samples from the Townsend Archaeological File Photo • The Daily Beacon project in Blount County. This dig brought Two men dress up for Carnicus in this flashback over 1,200 boxes of artifacts, which UT’s ARL has been analyzing ever since. photograph from the 1952 yearbook.

So, how do these plant remains even exist for archaeologists to study?

“People use them. They procure, process, consume and discard,” Hollenbach said.

“Most importantly, these remnants are preserved. If they weren’t, we would have little to study.”

The preservation process most important to the Townsend project is carbonization, which occurs when plant remains have been exposed to fire. Fire cuts off the source of energy for the remains and limits microbial decay. This exposure often comes from burned trash and accidental spills.

Several problems and biases do arise with this method, however. Because these remains can be very small and fragile, they are especially vulnerable to freeze/thaw and wet/dry cycles. This leaves a relatively small subset that can be analyzed. Additionally, byproducts are overrepresented while items not cooked with fire are underrepresented.

These issues present some challenges for archaeologists.

“No, we shouldn’t just throw up our hands and walk away,” Hollenbach said. “We have to do what we can with what we do have.”

For example, although spills and accidents may be few, they accumulate as years pass.

“This gives us a decent cumulative picture of the most important facts over time,” Hollenbach said.

Furthermore, these small remains can give

insights into bigger cultural norms. This use is particularly interesting to undecided sophomore Adam Young.

“The conclusions they are able to draw are very interesting,” Young said. “(Hollenbach) discussed tobacco and how they know it was used even though only a few remains are found. Then they apply this principle to other plants where not a lot exists and are able to make better theories.”

Hollenbach traced thousands of years of history to show the change from the foraging Late Archaic period, to the introduction of corn in the Early Mississippian, to the use of consistent agriculture with the Protohistoric Cherokee.

For sophomore Angelia Rateike, this change is one of the most interesting parts of this archaeological topic.

“I’m interested in paleoethnobotany,” Rateike, who is leaning toward anthropology as a major, said. “The different cultures and how they change, as well as the different ways they use plants, is fascinating.”

Overall, these plant remains reveal characteristics of people who lived thousands of years ago that we would not normally expect.

“We often think of these people as living hand-to-mouth, tough existences,” Hollenbach said. “In reality, they had choices about what they eat, just like us. And those choices shaped them.”

Thursday, January 17, 2013

THE DAILY BEACON • 3 Arts & Culture Editor Victoria Wright

ARTS & CULTURE

Thursday, January 17 What: UT Dance Society Presents: BOSS Dance Company Showcase Where: Clarence Brown Theater When: 7:30 p.m.

Price: $5 for students, $10 for general admission Victoria’s Take: An annual event, the Boss Dance Company spring showcase is a way for students to present their passion through movement in various dance genres including hip hop, jazz, tap and ballet. If you have never attended a dance performance, you’re really missing out. The human body is pretty mesmerizing considering all of its functions, but there’s just something about dance and the way it blends grace and strength together that makes it so enjoyable to watch. These dancers are talented, so attend this show and support your peers for their hard work and dedication.

Friday, January 18 What: Moon Taxi Where: Bijou Theater When: 8:30 p.m.

Price: $16.50 Victoria’s Take: Still haven’t listened to Nashville-based band Moon Taxi? That’s completely your fault then.

But since I’m an empathetic person, you are forgiven this one time. With high energy and powerful vocals, this band still has a mellow and familiar sound that any music lover could enjoy it. It’s Tennessee’s gift to the ears.

vwright6@utk.edu

Assistant Arts & Culture Editor Melodi Erdogan

merdogan@utk.edu

What: Fred Eaglesmith Where: Shed – Maryville When: 8 p.m.

Price: $20 Melodi’s Take: First exams of the semester got you stressed out? Why not chill with Fred Eaglesmith and listen to some laid-back tunes this Saturday night? Eaglesmith gets inspiration from machines and vehicle and writes his songs in an alternative country genre. Also playing some bluegrass inspired music, Eaglesmith is sure to bring out a large crowd at this performance here in Knoxville. Grab a few friends and jam to Eaglesmith to momentarily procrastinate on your first paper of the spring semester.

• Photo courtesy of Fred Eaglesmith

Sunday, January 20 What: Erisa Rei Where: Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria (ages 21+) When: 9 p.m.

Price: Free Melodi’s Take: This vocalist released her latest album “Black Ball” last January, but it’s still getting attention from Americana fans from all around the state. Making tour stops in Chattanooga, Nashville and Knoxville, Rei’s performance should be unlike other singers you’ve seen live. This vocalist not only performs her own songs, but also covers, all while expressing major emotion on stage and adding a quirky characteristic to the songs she sings through her stylistic crooning. Grab a group of friends, order some pizza and enjoy all that Rei has to offer before catching the Monday blues.

Preston Peeden • The Daily Beacon

What: Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley with Lee Bruce Where: Thompson-Boling Arena When: 7:30 p.m.

Price: $25-$49.75 Victoria’s Take: A country musician I actually like! Former “Nashville Star” reality show hopeful Miranda Lambert might have finished the show in third place, but that didn’t stop the songstress from landing a record deal. There’s something electric about her, and perhaps that’s why I enjoy her music. Well, it’s really one song titled “White Liar,” but other country fanatics will enjoy all of her songs. It’s a big name artist performing on campus—GO.

Saturday, January 19 What: KSO Pops: Music of Lennon and McCartney Where: Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum When: 8 p.m.

Price: $35-$89 Melodi’s Take: Hanging out with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra is definitely something classy to do on a Saturday night. But instead of performing the works of Schubert and Beethoven, the KSO opted for the work of Lennon and McCartney. The orchestra will be putting together orchestral versions of famous Beatles songs that will have you singing the lyrics out loud. If you don’t like The Beatles, then this may not be the event for you. But really, who doesn’t like The Beatles? Budget your money this weekend for a ticket to the event and you’ll be sure to hear fabulously amazing versions of “Blackbird” and “Hey Jude.”

• Photo courtesy of Erisa Rei

4 • THE DAILY BEACON

Thursday, January 17, 2013 Editor-in-Chief Blair Kuykendall

OPINIONS

bkuykend@utk.edu

Contact us letters@utk.edu

Going

Somewhere...Hopefully Armstrong P.E.D. case suprises few Preston Peeden Assistant Editor On Tuesday afternoon, Lance Armstrong made headlines by finally admitting to the worst-kept secret of all time: he cheated.

Armstrong, who recently had his record seven Tour de France titles stripped of him, made his announcement in the weirdest of venues: “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

When I saw the story break on ESPN, two thoughts came to my mind: the first being that my brother Joe called this back in 2006 and the second that I don’t understand why everyone else seems so surprised by his admission. It was kind of like the crush my cousin Richie had on his babysitter Julie Sharp when he was thirteen, everybody knew and nobody really cared (if Julie didn’t know then, she knows now).

For some people, my nonchalance will seem to be either evidence of deep-seeded pessimism in my psyche, or at least an attempt to save face by acting like an insufferable know-it-all.

I’ll be the first to admit that I bought in to the Armstrong-mania back in the early 2000s. I was one of the masses bedecked in yellow latex wristbands and glued to the TV in July to watch the little Texan blaze through the Pyrenees. He not only made cycling cool for the majority of Americans, but he also made the words “peleton” and “maillot jaune” become included in the American lexicon while landing Sheryl Crow (with all three accomplishments being no small feat).

Following Floyd Landis’ positive test for a testosterone supplement, cycling had its Jose Canseco moment and the flood gate opened, and with it washed out Armstrong’s reputation.

Rumors had circulated for years in cycling that

everyone was doping, and since 2006 three other winners have been stripped due to testing positive to a banned-substance, and no winner’s victory is without clout since Miguel Indurain’s fifth victory in the mid-1990s. From here, the story really tells itself, for both the sport and Armstrong, reputations have been shattered.

It turns out that Lance is actually a terrible person who intimidated countless witnesses, lied to everyone, defrauded a charity and had the wherewithal to avoid positive drug tests better than Barry Bonds. And as for cycling, to use another baseball metaphor, it was like the steroid-era of Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire as it seems that a large group of these men were pumped up with more drugs and supplements than a breast of frozen Tyson Chicken.

So what now? The real lesson in this isn’t what it does for this one man, or what it does for how people view him, but rather it is just another lesson to the American public to be careful who we idealize and to also temper the amount of importance we put on sports.

Like our favorite sluggers of the ‘90s, we made these men want to do drugs for money. Sosa did it, McGwire did it, Bonds (who in no way needed to) did it, and now it turns out Armstrong did it.

These were men that greedily wanted to either take the spotlight, or at least stay in it, and we were more than happy to accept them as bobbleheads and clothing brands into our homes and hearts. We made these sports so popular, we made these men want to be this, and now we are the ones paying the price.

Armstrong won’t be the last athlete to cheat, but I hope he will be the last one that seemingly ingratiated himself this much to then fall so far out of favor. We need to do better with who we set up as our heroes, and we need to stop acting surprised when the truth, we all seemingly know, comes to light.

— Preston Peeden is a senior in history. He can be reached at ppeeden@utk.edu.

SCRAMBLED EGGS • Alex Cline

SOUTHERN GLAMOUR • Jake Hobson

Columns of The Daily Beacon are reflections of the individual columnist, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or its editorial staff.

Obesity epidemic often exaggerated Urban Landscapes by

Lindsay Lee We are amidst that time of year again when New Year’s resolutions create a bombardment of weight loss commercials. The media promises that the New Year can bring a “new you” if only you try hard enough (and “buy this product!”).

Our obsession with weight loss and our fear of fat are not new, but they have become absolutely overwhelming within the past twenty or so years, ever since our society started creating panic about obesity. It is true that we are getting heavier: today’s average American adult is seven to 14 pounds heavier than he or she would have been thirty years ago. But many of the statistics that get thrown at us do not tell the whole story. They are meant to scare us into hating ourselves so that we will buy in to this multi-billion dollar American culture of fat-shaming.

The Centers for Disease Control claim that nearly seven out of 10 Americans are either overweight or obese. The categories of “overweight” and “obese” are based off of body mass index (BMI), a standardized scale that relates height and weight. We are told that people who are overweight or obese have a much higher mortality rate than those who are in the “normal” BMI range. But the relationship between weight and mortality is actually more tenuous then general society would have you believe.

Recently, The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study by Katherine M. Flegal and her colleagues that analyzed the correlation between being overweight or obese and mortality. Flegal analyzed almost one hundred studies that looked at the relationship between mortality and weight, and she actually found that those categorized as “overweight” or “class I obese” actually had

a lower mortality rate than those in the “normal” category. This is highly counterintuitive for those of us who have believed what the news has told us our entire lives.

Of course this doesn’t necessarily mean that our public health officials should go out and tell Americans to start gaining weight. Remember, correlation does not necessarily imply causation. Those in the “overweight” and “class I obese” categories perhaps have lower mortality because they pay attention to their health more than those in the “normal” category. But correlation does not imply causation when the results of a scientific study are reversed, either.

There is no evidence that definitely proves that moderately higher weight is a risk factor for death. The slight increase in mortality risk observed by some studies could easily be caused by stress, social stigma, socioeconomic status, or “yo-yo dieting,” meaning to diet and then put the weight back on (as 95 percent of dieters do).

The fact is you can’t make assumptions about people’s health from their appearances.

It has been shown that it is far more dangerous to “yo-yo diet” than it is to be overweight.

Studies also show that an active, overweight person has the same mortality rate as a thin, active person and half the mortality rate of a thin, sedentary person.

The ramifications of our constructed societal panic about weight are pervasive and tragic.

There is a generally accepted belief in America that if you are “fat” it is your fault. You are unhealthy, lazy and a burden on the rest of us.

Nearly every human being in America hears this message from society and internalizes it, causing lifelong self-esteem problems, poor relationships with food and real health problems not caused by weight but by the obsession with it. We need to start listening to the full story of our “obesity epidemic,” stop the tragic cycle of fat-shaming and respect one another.

— Lindsay Lee is a junior in mathematics.

She can be reached at llee26@utk.edu.

Fitting response needed for Newtown Commitee of Infractions by

Greg Bearinger

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editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com

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I wanted to wait for a while before I organized my thoughts about the tragedy at Newtown.

What caught my attention is not the issue of gun control. If you can make an argument that a massacre isn’t the best backdrop for a reasonable discussion about the issue, it is this: none of the arguments for or against gun control that have been presented are new in either concept or implementation. All it produced as far as this debate is concerned is for one large mass of people to call for the ban of assault rifles and another large mass of people to stock up on guns and ammunition. Of course, there was also a broadening idea that insane people should not be allowed to have guns. This idea, taken to its extreme, scares me far more than it comforts me, precisely because it sounds so reasonable.

It also strikes me as unfortunate that the NRA’s idea of putting police officers in schools was presented as an alternative to gun control. In a vacuum, it is a very sensible idea that is already in effect in many inner cities, most famously Los Angeles. In fact, this was my first knee-jerk reaction. If presented by a less interested party, this idea might have received much more consideration.

What struck me wasn’t that people were shocked and even engrossed in this story.

I was in Ohio over break during and after this happened. While I was there, a group of people held a small vigil and released a large group of helium-filled balloons into the air, and I failed to understand why. Releasing a

bunch of helium and balloon pieces into the atmosphere seemed like a performance whose significance derived from circumstance and not in its effect.

I wonder why these events become “national” tragedies. The loss of one child to a genetic defect is no less tragic but is experienced on a community level. A group of people in Ohio releasing balloons or a man in New Mexico becoming enraged as he argues against how many bullets should be in the clip of an assault rifle seems like an unnatural reaction in every way except that, apparently, it is.

I am not saying that man is naturally cruel, or that these responses are bad; it just seems that this performative empathy is so ineffective, so lacking in potential for any sort of affect apart from the mass it forms with other similar displays. In other words, that those in need of consolation know that people feel empathy toward them is more important than what form these displays make.

Tragedies like this have a diminishing return of reality the further and further away we get from the act. These performances are in reaction not to the act of tragedy but to its national presentation. We aren’t merely informed; we are bombarded with reports of when, how, why, and in what way these children died.

A group vigil held by total strangers hundreds or thousands of miles away from the event is, then, a sensible reaction to this event. These vigils aren’t mere surrogate displays of personal grief; they are people who, feeling rage or disgust that this was possible in a similar world, are being made to fear through the common presentation of media that it might happen in their own.

— Greg Bearringer is a graduate student in history. He may be reached at gbearrin@ utk.edu.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

THE DAILY BEACON • 5 Arts & Culture Editor Victoria Wright

ARTS & CULTURE

vwright6@utk.edu

Assistant Arts & Culture Editor Melodi Erdogan

merdogan@utk.edu

Touring magician brings enchanting show to UT and even a tour to China. Definitely not a middle school birthday party magician, Meyers knows how to keep the attention of a young, college-age audience.

Bringing Meyers to UT was done in part by the Campus Entertainment Board. Chandler Lennon, senior in public relations and Vice Chair of CEB, was part of that process. “During our planning meeting last semester the board decided to approach Joel Meyers, because we felt his performance was unique and appealing to a college demographic,� Lennon said. “His show here at UT fit well into his college tour and was beneficial for our students as well as his tour.�

Lennon said that the CEB encourages students to take advantage of this free event that has been specialized and tailored to college students. “As a committee, we strive to provide many different forms of entertainment to appeal to all the different interests of UT’s student body,� he said. “(Meyer’s performance) will be different from previous tours because it allows him to focus on one demographic rather than attempting to engage an audience that can range from children to grandparents.�

Some of Meyers’ favorite magic tricks to perform include card tricks that are

Melodi Erdogan Assistant Arts & Culture Editor

• Photo courtesy of Joel Meyers

Do you believe in magic?

Magician, speaker and self-professed dreamer Joel Meyers will be visiting the UT campus at 7 p.m. on Friday. Meyers will be doing various tricks and illusions all while staying true to his slogan, “Nothing is impossible.�

NBC coins his performance as “a roller coaster ride,� while Newsweek said “he will capture your imagination.�

Meyers, who performs for all different types of audiences including corporations and even celebrities, is the ultimate entertainer; not only perfecting the craft of illusions and magic, Meyers never fails to make his audiences laugh and is constantly inspiring his viewers through compelling thoughts and perplexing tricks.

Jessica Carr, freshman in journalism, said that based on what she read on Meyers’ website (meyersmagic.com), anything is possible. “I know that Joel Meyers is an illusionist, so you don’t really know what to expect from his show, anything could happen,� Carr said.

Meyers’ resume includes charity events, Fortune 500 company gatherings

nearly impossible to understand, levitation illusions that don’t make sense and the most exasperating trick ever: unbinding himself from a strait jacket. Carr said that the show will be a nice break from her new spring semester classes. “I’m excited to go because magic is just entertaining,� she said.

Meyers has currently been on tour visiting various universities in the nation, including Washington University, Penn State Altoona and now UT. Lennon said that students loved the last magician who came and performed on campus in 2010, Justin Kredible. “Students really enjoyed Kredible’s performance, but this will allow a new group of UT students to experience a magician on campus,� Lennon said. “It will also allow the students who attended the show in 2010 to experience a completely different show and performer from Joel Meyers.�

Carr said that magic shows are great because they can be entertaining for all ages. “I think if UT students hear about the show they’ll go, because who doesn’t like magic?� Carr said. “You are never too old to go to a magic show.�

This event is free and open to the public and students with their student ID.

Student dance group provides entertainment, exercise Taylor Presley Staff Writer The student led Dance Society and BOSS Dance Company will premiere their spring showcase today in the Clarence Brown Theater.

Founded by Caitlin Burke and Lauren List in 2010, BOSS Dance Company provides students and non-students with technique classes and performance opportunities.

Chelsea Milligan, VP of BOSS Dance Company and senior in theatre, expressed the importance of dance to her personal and academic life at UT. “(BOSS) is important to me on a personal level because I am a theatre major, and I want to continue dance after college,� Milligan said. “BOSS gave me an opportunity I wouldn’t have otherwise had to experience, a sense of community and a close connection with campus. There used to be a dance program at UT but it phased out, and the group of students who are keeping it alive are a testimony to what true determination can accomplish.�

The organization’s campus involvement has included flash mobs for the Rotary Club of Knoxville and VolAware, as well as the annual health awareness street fair held on Pedestrian Walkway. “VolAware was a great way for us to show the benefit dance can have to students’ physical and mental health,� Milligan said.

Technique classes are offered in ballet, pointe, lyrical, contemporary, modern, jazz, tap, salsa and hip hop. The showcase will feature selections choreographed by local, student and professional choreographers.

Caitlin Shu, secretary of BOSS and junior in English, speaks on her passion for dance, “I have been dancing over half my life, and when I was deciding to come to UT, being an active member in the dance community was a must,â€? Shu said. “Not only is dance an emotional outlet but it’s great exercise and enriches lives — performers and audience members! Dance at UT means perseverance through hardships, and that is the bond that ties all Tia Patron • The Daily Beacon of BOSS Dance Company together.â€?

Boss Dance Society performs a jazz piece entitled “Headliner� during the dress At the beginning of the fall semester, auditions are held for pieces to be performed in the spring show- rehearsal for BOSS Dance Company Showcase on Wednesday. The opening show case. Technique classes are held by choreographers is Thurs. at 7:30 p.m. in Clarence Brown Theatre. throughout the spring semester. For more information on auditions and BOSS Dance Company, visit utkdancesociety.wordpress.com or the Dance Society’s Facebook page.

The spring showcase runs on Jan. 17-19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Clarence Brown Theatre. Tickets can be purchased in the University Center Central Ticket office, the Clarence Brown Theatre box office or online at http://knoxvilletickets.com/ venues/clarence-brown-theatre-univ-of-tennessee/.

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6 • THE DAILY BEACON

Thursday, January 17, 2013 Sports Editor Lauren Kittrell

SPORTS

lkittre1@utk.edu

Assistant Sports Editor Austin Bornheim abornhei@utk.edu

Hart’s journey to find Jones Austin Bornheim Assistant Sports Editor It’s been just over a month since UT announced Butch Jones as the new head coach of the Volunteer football program.

The search, which lasted 13 days from the end of the season, felt like months to many as the Volunteers appeared to strikeout with candidate after candidate.

It was two weeks filled with “grumors,” checking plane destinations in and out of Knoxville, high hopes, disappointments and finally relief.

During the entire process, athletic director Dave Hart kept on his and the athletic department’s path to resurrect the floundering football program by finding the best available coach to lead Tennessee to where it feels it belongs.

“We’ve had a tough five to six year run, but we’ve tried to put that in the rearview mirror and say ‘this is where we are, this is where we want to go and let’s talk about how we get there,’” Hart said. “I’m real pleased, particularly internally, we have everybody moving in the same direction with positive energy, focused on our goals.”

Hart admits to a few sleepless nights himself during the two-week stretch, but believes that the amount of time it was taking to find a coach was becoming a bigger issue than it truly was.

“It was such a high priority that during that time, it wasn’t as long as it may have felt it was,” Hart said. “Really, coaches aren’t going to discuss while their seasons are still going on. So once the Kentucky game was over then it became a total focus, and I think 13 days later we announced Butch as our coach. There were other programs that knew they were going to change coaches for months and

months and I think they hired around the same time; maybe a day or two sooner.”

The man that Hart decided upon to complete this job is the 44-year-old coach from Cincinnati, Butch Jones.

Hart was extremely confident in the coaching abilities that Jones possesses, but that his best trait is his ability to handle all of the off-the-field priorities that a big program coach must deal with.

“He possesses a unique ability that some of the best leaders I’ve ever been around possess. He is a very effective and efficient multitasker,” he said.

“The guy must not sleep much,” Hart joked.

And with Jones on staff for more than a month Hart has been able to see the new coach at work and has an even greater appreciation for what he can do for the Tennessee program and brand.

“He gets it. He knows we are the most visible ambassador in the total structure, but he wants to know people and he wants people to know him,” Hart said. “He wants to be accessible to people, whether they are high school coaches, former lettermen, the deans, people on campus, the Chancellor’s Cabinet, he wants to get to know people that are important to (UT).”

Though Hart is very pleased with his hire, the product is still the most important thing. So even though Jones is making a splash in the state of Tennessee, wins on Saturday afternoons is still the driving force of the program.

“The expectation is that we do expect reasonable progress within the competitive arena,” Hart said.

“They understand that in their world they have to be as responsible as I do and we do administratively to a lot of stakeholders, we have to know our roll within Parker Eidson • The Daily Beacon the university. As coaches, in that competitive arena, Butch Jones at his first press conference in Neyland Stadium on Dec. 7. you have to make progress as well.”

Men’s tennis looks to improve this season Matt Gray Staff Writer After a relatively down year last year, the Tennessee men’s tennis team is looking to get back to doing what they do best: winning.

Head coach Sam Winterbotham says he thinks he has the team back to their winning ways.

“This team is really close.

Everybody steps up when they need to,” said Winterbotham.

“They’ve done a good job of holding each other accountable when they need to, regardless of whether you’re a freshmen or a senior.”

For a team who finished last year with three freshmen as the top three starters, Winterbotham says his upperclassmen take their leadership role seriously.

“We’ve got a good group of seniors, with John Collins transferring in (from the University of Maryland). He’s done a really good job of taking on the leadership role in the group,” said Winterbotham. “Taylor (Patrick) and Ed (Jones) definitely have taken on that responsibility as well. I think it’s really good. We have the upperclassmen in Jarryd Chaplin and Colton Norton (both juniors) are two guys that are

helping out in that regard too.”

Unlike last year, when the Volunteers only brought back one starter from the previous year, all six starters will be returning this season. Winterbotham says he thinks experience is an important ingredient in winning.

“Experience is crucial in anything, so we have six guys who have been through it all,” said Winterbotham. “More importantly to me, I feel we have six guys who went through the wars last year, they learned from them, and they are actually better players this year.”

Two guys who had to step up last year and will have to do the same this season are sophomores Mikelis Libietis and Hunter Reese. Libietis and Reese ended last season in the top two spots on the team.

Libietis agreed with Winterbotham, saying that getting all six starters back from last year can only mean good things for the team. “(Returning six starters) is going to help us a lot, especially us three freshmen, (Reese, Libietis, and Brandon Fickey) who started one, two and three last year,” said Libietis. “We have a lot more experience this year,

and we have John Collins that comes from Maryland and played high in the lineup there so he’ll help us out. It’s a good feeling to have all six players back.”

Reese recently took part in the Wake Forest Spring Invitational in Winston-Salem, N.C. Reese took down four Wake Forest players on his way to claiming the title on Sunday. Reese said winning the title has given him some confidence heading into the team tennis season. “(Winning the tournament) gives me all sorts of confidence,” said Reese. “I hadn’t played in a while, competitively, so it was really important for me to get some confidence and get some matches under my belt and really get back in the right mindset for matches.”

Winterbotham said this team has the potential to win the SEC and that the team goals never change.

“We want to win National Championships and SEC Championships,” he said. “We want to be the best team in the country.”

The Vols start their journey toward a National Championship on Thursday at 3 p.m. against Tennessee Tech.

Matthew DeMaria • The Daily Beacon

Junior Hunter Reese returns a backhand during the Tennessee Fall Invitational on Oct. 14. Reese’s development will be a key storyline to the Vols’ upcoming season.

Graves receives SEC honors Staff Reports For the fourth time this season, Tennessee’s Bashaara Graves has been named the SEC Women’s Basketball Freshman of the Week, the league office announced on

Monday.

Graves, a 6-foot-2 forward/center from Clarksville, Tenn., also picked up the honor on Nov. 12, Dec. 3 and Dec. 31. She is the first player this season to earn either SEC Player or Freshman

of the Week distinction on four occasions.

During a week in which No. 9 Tennessee (13-3/4-0 SEC) picked up a blowout home win over Missouri (84-39) and an overtime road triumph over Florida (78-75), Graves averaged a double-double of 16.5 points and 10.0 rebounds as well as 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals for her team.

Graves notched the SEC’s second-best total this season with her seventh double-double. She registered 17 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two steals in the hardfought victory over the Gators on Sunday. She did so by hitting six of 11 field goal attempts vs. UF and five of six free throws during her 38 minutes of action.

With her team up one in overtime with eight seconds remaining, Graves was fouled and hit both free throws to make it a three-point affair and produce what turned out to be the game’s final margin.

On Thursday, she had a 16-point, eight-rebound effort vs.

Missouri. With her efforts vs. the Tigers and Gators added in, the rookie now has scored in double figures in 14 of 16 games this season.

Graves is averaging 16.3 points and 9.0 rebounds in SEC play and is shooting 53.8 from the field and 82.1 from the line. She and her Lady Vol teammates head to The Plains of Alabama this week, where they’ll meet Auburn on Thursday in an 8 p.m. Central (9 p.m. Eastern) contest on CSS.