Issue 9, Volume 121
Tuesday, January 22, 2012
Inauguration makes memories, celebrates democracy Emily DeLanzo Managing Editor
David Cobb Assistant News Editor UT students utilized Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in a variety of ways. Some traveled back from a long weekend at home. Around 500 students participated in a leadership conference and day of service. Another group took in the festivities of Barack Obama’s inauguration to a second term in office as President of the United States. Derek McClardy, sophomore in communication studies, traveled to Washington, D.C. to watch President Barack Obama be sworn in for his second term. “I went to the inauguration because it was a great opportunity to see all the different tactics we talk about in communications displayed, but more importantly it was a great moment in history,” McClardy said. “It was a moment I can put in my memory bank and store forever.” While McClardy made memories in the nation’s capitol, Tyler Stanfield enjoyed the inauguration from his couch in Knoxville. ”I thought the ceremony was a pretty good way for Republicans and Democrats to come together to celebrate our tradition in the United States,” Stanfield said. Stanfield, sophomore in chemistry, typically aligns himself as a Republican but saw merit in the festivities. “In politics there’s a lot of tension and a lot of arguing about different things,” Stanfield said. “But today is not about that — it’s about
welcoming our president and celebrating the tradition that is the United States.” McClardy’s seat wasn’t as comfortable as Stanfield’s, but the feelings generated by being present at the ceremony in person were worth the extra trouble, he said. ”We waited two hours before the doors opened to get the seats we did,” McClardy said. “It was the kind of the rush you get from being first in the roller coaster or (on) Black Friday. ”The experience was great and I think the emotional comfort that is heard in the presidents voice makes me more supportive and a sense of comfort that he has it under control, something I would want to hear from all my presidents,” McClardy said. “The best part was for sure the experience of being there, seeing the president, and seeing all the famous stars.” McClardy was starstruck by more than just the president. Among a crowd of hundreds of thousands, the UT student stood in front of pop music icon Paula Abdul at the ceremony. Nevertheless, it was Obama who took center stage, imploring the nation to continue on with the initiatives he started in his first term, which began with his initial inauguration four years ago this week. ”The inauguration isn’t as much about the promise as it is about being in front of the people and making the promise,” Stanfield said. “It’s not a bad thing to have him up there in front of everybody, reminding them of what he’s there for. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to reproduce.”
• Drawing by Ranji Jackson
Festival draws attention to cranes
Around Rocky Top
Matt Reed • The Daily Beacon
Sandhill cranes fly over the Hiwassee during the weekend’s Sandhill Crane Festival.
Matt Reed Staff Writer Last weekend, the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge and Cherokee Removal Memorial Park hosted their annual Sandhill Crane Festival. Free to the public, the gathering attracted visitors and naturalists from across the country to observe the magnificent spectacle of migratory sandhill cranes. The weekend-long event included wildlife displays and presentations, Native American displays and speakers, flint knapping demonstrations, and expert naturalists to assist visitors with viewing scopes. Even from a distance, sandhill cranes are something to behold, towering over four feet tall with wingspans easily exceeding six feet. Almost wiped out entirely during the 1800s from overhunting and habitat loss, they have made
an impressive comeback. Moreover, fossil evidence suggests that this particular animal is likely the oldest known bird species still in existence. Many other species were observed at the event, including the endangered whooping crane, which is one of the most critically threatened species in North America. For most attendees, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to observe sandhill and whooping cranes, bald eagles and scores of other rare birds taking advantage of the exceptional habitat provided by the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge. Located at the confluence of the Hiwassee and Tennessee rivers, the refuge is a 6,000 acre habitat for migratory birds and many other animals. Each winter, thousands of cranes and other birds enjoy a temporary rest from their long migrations at the refuge, further highlighting its importance in conserv-
INSIDE THE DAILY BEACON: Page Page Page Page Page Page Page
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
. . . . In Short . . . . . . News . . . . Opinions .Arts & Culture .Arts & Culture . . . . . Sports . . . . . Sports
ing migratory populations. Dr. David Aborn, ornithologist at UT-Chattanooga, described the significance of the annual gathering. “This festival is a great way to introduce people to birds, biodiversity, the importance of conservation and it’s right here in their backyards,” Aborn said. “It’s also a unique contrast; the most numerous bird in the world, the sandhill crane, and the most endangered bird in the world, the whooping crane, can be observed here together.” Once visitors were satisfied with Hiwassee Island’s remarkable avian display, shuttles kept the crowds moving to and from the Cherokee Removal Memorial Park. The Park is a 29-acre area dedicated to the rich Native American history within the Hiwassee Refuge. In the fall of 1838, some 9,000 Cherokee Indians camped along the river at this site.
‘Zero Dark Thirty’ offers controversial, artsy feel page 5
The 1,000-mile journey that awaited them would come to be known as part of the historic Trail of Tears. Displays, memorials and traditional native music projected an atmosphere of reverence and respect for the horrors these families were forced to endure. Many speakers were present to give folks an opportunity to learn about these events from the natives’ standpoint. Ron Cooper, a Comanche Indian from Oklahoma, was on site to speak about his recent expedition along the northern route of the Trail of Tears. Spanning 835 miles from Tennessee to Oklahoma, his walk took roughly three months and three days. Desiring to reconnect with his native heritage, he completed this trek during the winter, much like that of the original journey in the 1800s. See CRANE on Page 3
Parker Eidson • The Daily Beacon
Sam Galluzzi, undecided freshman, taunts the next victim during the snowball fight in Presidential Courtyard.
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
Tuesday, January 22, 2013 Associate Editor Preston Peeden
IN SHORT
ppeeden@utk.edu
Managing Editor Emily DeLanzo edelanzo@utk.edu
Around Rocky Top
Tia Patron • The Daily Beacon
Shantazia Jones, freshman in philosophy, enjoys her hip-hop performance during the BOSS Dance Company Showcase on Friday.
THIS DAY IN 1973 — Roe v. Wade
HISTORY
The Supreme Court decriminalizes abortion by handing down their decision in the case of Roe v. Wade. Despite opponents’ characterization of the decision, it was not the first time that abortion became a legal procedure in the United States. In fact, for most of the country’s first 100 years, abortion as we know it today was not only not a criminal offense, it was also not considered immoral. In the 1700s and early 1800s, the word “abortion” referred only to the termination of a pregnancy after “quickening,” the time when the fetus first began to make noticeable movements. The induced ending of a pregnancy before this point did not even have a name--but not because it was uncommon. Women in the 1700s often took drugs to end their unwanted pregnancies. In 1827, though, Illinois passed a law that made the use of abortion drugs punishable by up to three years’ imprisonment.
Although other states followed the Illinois example, advertising for “Female Monthly Pills,” as they were known, was still common through the middle of the 19th century. Abortion itself only became a serious criminal offense in the period between 1860 and 1880. And the criminalization of abortion did not result from moral outrage. The roots of the new law came from the newly established physicians’ trade organization, the American Medical Association. Doctors decided that abortion practitioners were unwanted competition and went about eliminating that competition. The Catholic Church, which had long accepted terminating pregnancies before quickening, joined the doctors in condemning the practice. By the turn of the century, all states had laws against abortion, but for the most part they were rarely enforced and women with money had no problem terminating pregnancies if they wished. It wasn’t until the late 1930s that abortion laws were enforced. Subsequent crackdowns led to a reform movement that succeeded in lifting abortion restrictions in California and New York even before the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade. The fight over whether to criminalize abortion has grown
increasingly fierce in recent years, but opinion polls suggest that most Americans prefer that women be able to have abortions in the early stages of pregnancy, free of any government interference. 1998 — Ted Kaczynski pleads guilty to bombings On this day in 1998, in a Sacramento, California, courtroom, Theodore J. Kaczynski pleads guilty to all federal charges against him, acknowledging his responsibility for a 17-year campaign of package bombings attributed to the “Unabomber.” Born in 1942, Kaczynski attended Harvard University and received a PhD in mathematics from the University of Michigan. He worked as an assistant mathematics professor at the University of California at Berkeley, but abruptly quit in 1969. In the early 1970s, Kaczynski began living as a recluse in western Montana, in a 10-by-12 foot cabin without heat, electricity or running water. From this isolated location, he began the bombing campaign that would kill three people and injure more than 20 others. The primary targets were universities, but he also placed a bomb on an American Airlines flight in 1979 and sent one to the home of the president of United Airlines in 1980. After federal investigators set up the UNABOM Task Force (the name came from the words “university and airline bombing”), the media dubbed the culprit the “Unabomber.” The bombs left little physical evidence, and the only eyewitness found in the case could describe the suspect only as a man in hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses (depicted in an infamous 1987 police sketch). In 1995, the Washington Post (in collaboration with the New York Times) published a 35,000-word anti-technology manifesto written by a person claiming to be the Unabomber. Recognizing elements of his brother’s writings, David Kaczynski went to authorities with his suspicions, and Ted Kaczynski was arrested in April 1996. In his cabin, federal investigators found ample evidence linking him to the bombings, including bomb parts, journal entries and drafts of the manifesto. Kaczynski was arraigned in Sacramento and charged with bombings in 1985, 1993 and 1995 that killed two people and maimed two others. (A bombing in New Jersey in 1994 also resulted in the victim’s death.) Despite his lawyers’ efforts, Kaczynski rejected an insanity plea. After attempting suicide in his jail cell in early 1998, Kaczynski appealed to U.S. District Judge Garland Burrell Jr. to allow him to represent himself, and agreed to undergo psychiatric evaluation. A court-appointed psychiatrist diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia, and Judge Burrell ruled that Kaczynski could not defend himself. The psychiatrist’s verdict helped prosecutors and defense reach a plea bargain, which allowed prosecutors to avoid arguing for the death penalty for a mentally ill defendant. — This Day in History is courtesy of History.com.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
THE DAILY BEACON • 3 News Editor RJ Vogt
CAMPUS NEWS
rvogt@utk.edu
Assistant News Editor David Cobb dcobb3@utk.edu
CRANE
Around Rocky Top
continued from Page 5
Tia Patron • The Daily Beacon
Taylor Winchell, sophomore in wildlife and fisheries, braves the cold on the way home from class on Thursday.
“I’m Comanche. The Cherokees were the ones that traveled this particular trail. My intent was to symbolize tribal unity and show the relationships of differing tribes and what we all went through, and what we survived,” Cooper said. “We’ve come a long way. It’s the 21st century and we’re still here, so I wanted to celebrate that while remembering those bad times.” Cooper’s book, titled “It’s My Trail, Too,” is now complete and recounts his travels and interactions with people along the way. “I was very happy that there are people, not necessarily native groups, all along the route preserving their own (local) parts of the Trail,” said Copper. Cooper explained that he was able to connect these locals with native groups to better preserve the history of these areas, which made him especially excited with the work. “All the time you see on the news nothing but bad things, bad people, and terrible events happening around the world,” he said. “I met nothing but good people, all along the way, that helped me out and provided me with places to stay. There are good people out there.”
Tara Sripunvoraskul • The Daily Beacon
Students build a snowman outside HSS during the snow day on Thursday.
Architecture faculty focuses on practical projects, receives honors Staff Reports A Nashville-based community outreach program and the design and construction of the New Norris House have garnered national recognition for the UT architecture faculty. The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), an organization that annually honors architectural educators for exemplary work, has honored UT for having the best practices in school-based community outreach programs and design-build projects. UT Associate Professor Thomas K. Davis’s community outreach program, Collaborations in TransitOriented Development, received a Collaborative Practice Award. The honor recognizes programs that demonstrate how faculty, students and community/civic clients work together to achieve common objectives. Davis’s work is helping produce a walkable, pedestrian-friendly Nashville, where the design of high-quality public spaces is emphasized. He worked with the Nashville Civic Design Center, a nonprofit organization that addresses the city’s urban design challenges, the Nashville Metropolitan Planning Organization and the MBA Real Estate Program at Vanderbilt University. “Together these interdisciplinary teams explored the financial feasibility of transit-related development, based on significant stakeholder input,” Davis said. Transit-oriented development, according to Davis, enhances the quality of life for residents, improves public health by encouraging walking, fosters economic development and contributes to community character through the design of public space.
The New Norris House, a sustainable home developed by students in conjunction with architecture faculty members Tricia Stuth, Robert French, Tia Patron • The Daily Beacon Samuel Mortimer and Richard Kelso, received the Design Build Award. The honor recognized faculty Abigail Delvaux, graduate student in education, and Cody McMillan, senior in nursing, for connecting curriculum with practical projects measure the snowfall on a car on Thursday. that address cultural, economic, social, or environmental sustainability. The New Norris House is a learning project that has taken its student participants through the phases of design, construction and evaluation. The home has earned LEED-platinum certification from the US Green Building Council, which makes it one of the most “green” homes in the state. The project has addressed energy and environmental design, water treatment, sustainable material use, community engagement and issues in policy since its beginnings in 2009. “Both awards reflect the UT College of Architecture and Design’s commitment to multidisciplinary learning and projects that improve people’s lives,” said Scott Poole, dean of the college. “Innovation in practical fields of knowledge remains a vital aspect of our mission as a land-grant university,” he said. “Our teaching and applied research are having direct and lasting impact on the people and places, culture and community, environmental health and economic vitality in the state of Tennessee and beyond. “We are proud that our college’s focus on experiential learning, city building, and environmental stewardship is being recognized at a national level through these prestigious awards in architectural education.” The ACSA represents more than 250 schools, where more than 5,000 architecture faculty are employed.
4 • THE DAILY BEACON
Tuesday, January 22, 2013 Editor-in-Chief Blair Kuykendall
OPINIONS
bkuykend@utk.edu
Contact us letters@utk.edu
Letters Editor to the
More than resolution needed in politics Classes end, exams start. Exams end, Christmas break starts. Christmas break ends, the time for New Year’s resolutions start. This looks like a typical college student’s year-end transition. As 2012 ends, we are greeted with a new year — a “new year” in which people seek to restructure their lives. People across the world seek to change something for the better in their lives as they take on these so called “resolutions” to their lives, but think what would happen if we take the 2013 Resolutions and turn them into the 2013 Revolution? It is common knowledge that on November 7th my party lost in one of the most heated election campaigns in history. Yet even in the aftermath of the election results, the debate continued, but this time it was within the Republican Party on what we did wrong and how we lost critical votes. Personally, I was optimistic about the outcome of the election. I believed that the American electorate (and, in particular, young voters) would see what Mitt Romney was trying to convey across the country — our economy is in shambles and the path President Obama has taken us down is tearing the country apart, ruining our hopes of attaining “the American Dream” and impeding our ability to find a well-paying job right out of school. Instead of the “2013 Resolutions,” how about the “2013 Revolution” — now I like the sound of that! After the election, it is easy to lose hope of the “better America” about which we all dream, but we must not give up. We merely need to recall all the struggles that our country has had to face in her past. In the Texas war for independence from Mexico at the Battle of the Alamo, Americans were far outnumbered by the thousands, but the 200 brave souls stood their ground for
13 days before Mexico finally overpowered them. During the Revolutionary War (against one of the most powerful nations on Earth, Britain), we had our backs against the wall — until the Battle of Trenton when General Washington crossed the perilous Delaware River, capturing British forces, and thus boosting the morale of the American soldiers. We admire our Founding Fathers and the cornerstone they laid to build the land of the free, and it is about time that we started acting like them. Do we want these clowns running our current government taking more of our livelihood, like controlling what we eat, what car we can and cannot drive, redistributing wealth and raising taxes because it is the “fair” thing to do, and advancing the notion that if we fail at something, we need not worry because the government is there to bail us out? Today should be the first day of the “2013 Revolution.” We need to start standing for conservative values and to teach personal responsibility and a hard work ethic, if we hope to pursue the ever so lost American Dream. One of our Founding Fathers, Samuel Adams, once said, “it does not take a majority to prevail ... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.” Just as Adams fought for freedom, America needs a “2013 Revolution” in order to regain the freedoms that are being taken away from us. The “2013 Revolution” starts today — what will you contribute to it? Andrew B. Valk Plant Sciences Class of 2015 avalk@utk.edu
SCRAMBLED EGGS • Alex Cline
SOUTHERN GLAMOUR • Jacob 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.
Variety serves as life’s vitamin Lost in Communication by
Jan Urbano For many of us, this spring semester has now truly started. With the arrival of this third week of school, we’ve slowly managed to drag ourselves out of the lazy, carefree days of winter break and found our way back on the path of productivity, either willingly or forcibly. In addition, our determination and dedication to our New Year’s resolutions have been, and will continue to be, increasingly tested. It is, however, not too late to get back on track and follow the goals you want to achieve for this year. Regardless of what your goals may be, they all share common prerequisites: a powerful devotion, a positive mind, and time and effort. Unfortunately, this sometimes brings up the issue of how much devotion one should put toward said goals. Even if a person may be fully committed to his or her ambitions, this dedication can backfire and end up hampering a person’s progress. Everyone either has a friend or knows someone who has braved numerous challenges and obstacles in order to attain difficult and highlevel goals — we see these people as the trailblazing leaders who inspire others with levels of leadership and skill that we can only dream to attain in our lives. As we strive to accomplish our own goals, we look up to these forerunners, trying to emulate them and become successful as well. Instead of making headway toward our goals, unfortunately, this emulation can hold us back and prevent us from moving forward. The countless sacrifices that these people endured in order to become successful, such as the lack of social development derived from many lonely nights of burning the midnight oil, to the rising health problems that they face now and later in life, are not to be underestimated. It is a common misunderstanding, especially among students, that a successful life is gained only through unyielding and heavily strict curriculums. I say this with first-hand experience, too. I initially thought that, in order to do well
in college, and later in life, you must focus completely on studying and working; anything else, such as having friends or going to parties, would only serve to distract you and undermine all the work that you had done up to that point. Thankfully, my friends, old and new, were able to show to me that this single-minded plan wasn’t the only choice for my life. They added a new factor into my life – spontaneity. As human beings, we are social creatures that need variety in order to work at optimal performance, in more ways than one. Just like how we require and obtain essential vitamins and nutrients from a variety of foods in order to stay healthy, we need to change up our daily routines every so often so that we stay mentally sane and healthy too. It helps to do some things without overthinking or doting on them too long; otherwise, you end up missing out on future enjoyable events. You could say that although studying would give you some “nutrition,” it would not be equal to the amount or type of “nutrition” that you could get from, for example, suddenly joining a big snowball fight in PCB courtyard or impulsively sliding down an ice-covered Pedestrian Walkway at night, shivering to death, with friends. There is no doubt that the sudden thunder/snow event last week was an enjoyable and good example of a spontaneous way for us college students to change things up and stay happily sane and healthy. It’s good to have a curriculum planned out for your future goals, but don’t let yourself get so overconfident that you ignore your limits and think you are as superhuman as those highachievers that you look up to. Getting to their level will take a lot of planning and effort, but also remember that they are human too. More than likely, they didn’t get to where they are now by being emotionless and monotonous. Remember to break up your schedule so you get a healthy dose of studying and leisure time, along with periods of free-spirited and unplanned activities, and you’ll attain your goals faster and more happily. — Jan Urbano is a senior in biochemistry and molecular biology. He can be reached at jurbano@utk.edu.
Reasonable discussion on guns needed (Un) Common Sense by
Ron Walters
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Blair Kuykendall
editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com
MANAGING EDITOR Emily DeLanzo ASSOCIATE EDITOR Preston Peeden CHIEF COPY EDITOR Eric Nalley DESIGN EDITORS Alex Cline Caroline Gompers PHOTO EDITORS Tia Patron Tara Sripunvoraskul NEWS EDITOR RJ Vogt ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR David Cobb ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Victoria Wright ASSISTANT ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Melodi Erdogan SPORTS EDITOR Lauren Kittrell ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Austin Bornheim COPY EDITORS Hannah Bloomfield Claire Dodson Jacob Hobson Justin Joo Samantha Smoak
ADVERTISING MANAGER Alison Embry beaconads@utdailybeacon.com
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Casey Lawrence Andi Overby Sookie Park ADVERTISING PRODUCTION ARTISTS Will Jellicorse Ryan McPherson EDITORIAL PRODUCTION ARTISTS Brittany Coggins Kristi Frazier Katrina Roberts CLASSIFIED ADVISER Savannah Pickard orderad@utdailybeacon.com
To report a news item, please e-mail editor.news@utdailybeacon.com or call 865-974-2348 To submit a press release, please e-mail pressreleases@utdailybeacon.com To place an ad, please e-mail beaconads@utdailybeacon.com or call 865-974-5206 To place a classified ad, please e-mail orderad@utdailybeacon.com or call 865-974-4931 To submit a Letter to the Editor, please e-mail letters@utdailybeacon.com or call 865-974-4931 If you think something has been reported incorrectly, please contact the managing editor at 974-2348. Advertising: (865) 974-5206 Classifieds: (865) 974-4931 Editor-in-Chief: (865) 974-2348 Managing Editor: (865) 974-2348 Main Newsroom: (865) 974-3226 Fax: (865) 974-5569
The Daily Beacon is published by students at The University of Tennessee Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Tuesday and Friday during the summer semester. The offices are located at 1340 Circle Park Drive, 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0314. The newspaper is free on campus and is available via mail subscription for $200/year, $100/semester or $70/summer only. It is also available online at: www.utdailybeacon.com. LETTERS POLICY: The Daily Beacon welcomes all letters to the editor and guest columns from students, faculty and staff. Each submission is considered for publication by the editor on the basis of space, timeliness and clarity. Contributions must include the author’s name and phone number for verification. Students must include their year in school and major. Letters to the editor and guest columns may be e-mailed to letters@utdailybeacon.com or sent to Blair Kuykendall, 1340 Circle Park Dr., 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0314. The Beacon reserves the right to reject any submissions or edit all copy in compliance with available space, editorial policy and style. Any and all submissions to the above recipients are subject to publication.
Can you imagine if the fervor and dedication with which people defend their Second Amendment rights were applied to all our other rights? If people cared as much about the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness of all citizens as they did about maintaining their arsenal of weaponry? If people threatened to “enact 1776 again,” in the words of the marvelously level-headed Alex Jones, if irresponsible bankers squandered the retirement funds of millions? Whoops – that already happened. Few issues provoke the same level of indignation, fervor, and impassioned defense of the Constitution as does the Second Amendment (an amendment whose legitimacy I acknowledge; it deserves the same protection as does the freedom of religion, speech and press, security from unwarranted search and seizure, and the protection from cruel and unusual punishment). Our nation desperately needs a mature discussion on the role of the Second Amendment in an era where technology has brought the power of death to the push of a button, yet we as a country have proven woefully incompetent in accomplishing this task. One can no longer discuss gun control without everyone losing their collective mind, and the reasonable voices are lost amongst the Ann Coulters and Alex Joneses of the world. Coulter believes that the U.S.’s gun control problem is a demographic problem, that if only the whole country was comprised of good, honest white people our murder rate would be comparable to that of Belgium. Wayne LaPierre, the president of the NRA, offered the perfectly logical solution to violence in schools of placing an armed guard in every single school in the country, because the police state LaPierre and the NRA are so terrified of only applies to government regulation.
Apparently our country is so dangerously close to having Obama’s jackbooted thugs break into our homes in the middle of the night that the only thing preventing one man’s overnight destruction of perhaps the freest human society to ever exist is the arsenal of a select few vigilant patriots. It is this fear, and the fear of the legions of thugs and “lunatics” from whom we need protection, that is being pushed as the reason that gun control is a horrible infringement on our rights as American citizens. This push continues to blame thugs, the culture of violence and the mentally unstable for gun violence, yet between 2009 and 2012 state budget makers cut $4.35 billion from mental health services, according to the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors. Guns are a sensitive issue, and like I wrote last week, I’m not some naïve liberal decrying guns as absolutely evil. I grew up with them in my house, and my father taught me how to safely handle guns. I understand their role in society, even if I want nothing to do with them. Several friends own firearms, largely for home defense, and they handle them in responsible and mature fashion. These are not the people I worry about, and no one is arguing for a total gun ban. Yet when gun shows allow for the purchase of military style assault weapons without background checks and mental health programs are chronically underfunded, I worry about the countless people who fall through the cracks who can buy a weapon with relative ease. We have a dire need to address gun control and to close certain loopholes, and perhaps the greatest tragedy of all is the continued success of deluded lunatics like Coulter, LaPierre and Jones in preventing us from having a logical, mature discussion about this deadly problem.
— Ron Walters is a senior in English literature, French, and global studies. He can be reached at rwalter5@utk.edu.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
THE DAILY BEACON • 5 Arts & Culture Editor Victoria Wright
ARTS & CULTURE
vwright6@utk.edu
Assistant Arts & Culture Editor Melodi Erdogan
merdogan@utk.edu
‘Locked and Reloaded’ concert pleases fans Montana Coward Staff Writer Nashville may be regarded as the capital of country music, but Knoxville had its own taste of the music genre’s elite. Lee Brice, Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley visited Thompson-Boling Arena for the second concert of their “Locked and Reloaded� tour on Friday. Brice, the opening act of the sold-out show and rising star in country music, opened with songs from his new album, “Hard 2 Love.� He made a connection with his fans by addressing them casually and explaining the origin of some of his songs. This energized the crowd and kept attention on the stage until his last song. Brice’s performance was especially compelling with songs like “I Drive Your Truck,� about the memory we hold in material things that remind us of loved ones past, and “A Woman Like You,� about his wife and the alternative turnout of his life had he not met her. These songs, in particular, had emotion fueling them that made them much more relevant to the fans. Brice successfully transitioned to a more playful, energetic feel after he had stirred such polar emotions. With songs like “Hard to Love,� one of his popular hits in recent months, he easily
a sense of humbleness by doing a cover of Mountain’s “Mississippi Queen.� Throughout her performances she interacted with the crowd. Lambert mentioned her private life, including her husband Blake Shelton, which made fans feel even more connected. Nearing the end of the concert, Bentley and Brice made a second appearance for a duet of AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top� by Bentley and Lambert and later a trio of the three artists for “Bad Angel.� Because “Locked and Reloaded� was the second timwe Bentley co-headlined with Lambert, the pair had a lot to prove in order to outdo their last tour. The visual effects and energy of all three performing artists proved successful in upping the ante. Overall, the vibe of the concert wasn’t expected, but the classic rock meshed with contemporary country was a pleasant surprise. The visual effects and the artists’ connection with the fans were notable in all three performances. Although there were a few hiccups, like Lambert’s microphone going out at one point, the country performers accomplished what they came to do – perform. Brice, Bentley and Lambert well exceeded expectations with their staging and vocals which made this concert well worth the time and money spent by fans.
the original version of the song. “Come a Little Closer� was another song in which he made a special connection with fans based on a slight change in delivery of the song. Bentley began the song as an acoustic version where only he sang and played the guitar. This was one of the most compelling performances of the night because of the intimacy it provoked between him and the fans and the emotion it stirred individually. Bentley also performed more upbeat crowd favorites that provoked a very positive crowd reaction, like “5-1-5-0� and “What Was I Thinkin’.� Lambert had the least emotionally driven performance of the night, but aroused a new level of energy the prior performances had not achieved. She was by far the most anticipated performance of the night, since both artists continually refered to her, and she was the last entertainer of the night. When Lambert finally made her debut, the crowd was highly enthusiastic in their cheers and participation in her songs. The effects in her performance were by far the best as well. With songs like “Kerosene� and “Over You,� where projections of fire and reflections of lights made to look like snow filled the arena, Lambert’s visual effects brought the songs to life in a way that influenced the emotions of the music on the crowd. She also maintained
shifted the mood from heartfelt to lively in a matter of seconds. Overall, Brice was a highly successful opening act that had emotionally compelling music while maintaining an energetic vibe throughout his set by connecting with fans and creating hype for the next act. Because of the delay between Brice and Bentley, there was great anticipation for the seasoned country singer to make his appearance. Bentley created a slightly different dynamic with his performance, yet still maintained the energy from the previous act. One interesting thing Bentley chose to do throughout his show was praise his band. This began with an amazing drum solo from drummer Steve Misamore in “Lot of Leavin’ Left to Do,� a song about avoiding long-term relationships in order to pursue his career. A major aspect of Bentley’s performances was the visual effects paired with each song, especially “Up on the Ridge.� This song’s effects included a projection of a floating moon and dark woods that shifted as if the audience were actually in the forest. The woods caught fire during the chorus, lighting up the arena. Bentley was also able to provide versatility in his performances that made him highly entertaining with songs like “Settle for a Slowdown� that was performed as a bluegrass rendition, different from
Controversy surrounds otherwise masterful ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ Preston Peeden Associate Editor When “Zero Dark Thirty,� the story of the decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden, came up on the Hollywood chatter, response to the film was mixed. The views of the film are so varied that some, relying on the fact that it was a Kathryn Bigelow-directed film, expect it to rise to the heights of her previous movie, “The Hurt Locker,� the Best Picturewinning film. Others viewed it merely as Obama propaganda that was meant to cast the incumbent Commanderin-Chief in an overly positive light. Others even view it as a pro-torture statement. Due to this widespread attention and controversy, the film has not only been grabbing national attention since its holiday season release, but also the complexion of the film has been changed by these polarized responses and opinions. Now, “Zero Dark Thirty� needs to be judged in two lights: one being merely as a film, a work of art and nothing more, and the other by its content, including the message and accuracy of the events it portrays. Beginning with this first category, “Zero Dark Thirty� is as deserving of the Best Picture nod as “The Hurt Locker� was. Bigelow, reunited with production partner/writer Mark Boal, creates a masterfully paced film that is not
only well-written, but beautifully acted and envisioned. Just like the performance Bigelow got out of Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker,� Bigelow was able to get star Jessica Chastain to reach new heights as the lead Maya, who is the driven to a fault, young CIA agent leading the seemingly unending hunt for the most wanted man in the world, Osama bin Laden. The proof of Chastain and Bigelow’s prowess in the film is that Maya stands out singularly as one of the most unlikable characters to ever grace the silver screen. Yet, despite the fact that most audience members will despise her as a character, the performance that brings her to life and the direction that molds her development not only holds the audience’s attention for the film’s two hour and 30-plus minute runtime, but actually makes viewers invest in the life of someone they should rightly not want to be around. In many ways, Maya’s characterization is similar to Leonardo DiCaprio’s turn as J. Edgar Hoover in “Hoover,� but unlike that film, which was crippled by a combination of its despicable lead, a lack of strong direction and a dearth of interesting supporting characters and story, “Zero Dark Thirty� holds the audience on Maya and keeps the story buoyed by fine supporting characters and writing, with specific attention paid to Jason Clark, Kyle Chandler
and Mark Strong, who all performed masterfully in their roles. On the visual side, cinematographer Greig Fraser made probably the second best looking film of the year (the top spot going to “Beasts of the Southern Wild�) by combining gorgeous panoramic views, interesting camera angles and a truly thrilling final thirty minutes, in which the hunt for bin Laden comes to its murky conclusion. With all this being said, “Zero Dark Thirty� is not without its flaws, with many of them hanging on the second lens in which the film must be viewed, its content. Regardless of the congressional investigation on just how much information and access Bigelow and Boal received, the film at times is weighed down by the controversy surrounding it. One instance is the pro-torture slant many see the film as taking. It is true that at several instances the film makes torture seem like the only way to get straight and useful answers (with even one moment coming to the suggestion that bin Laden could have been found sooner if the Detainee program was still up and running). Whether or not this is the film’s actual expression, or a tool of furthering characterization and immersion, used to make the audience view itself more in lines with Maya, cannot be easily determined. Both sides of the political
spectrum have jumped on the film for its portrayal of interrogation techniques, with the right viewing it as liberal propaganda and the left seeing it as a glorification and justification of prisoner abuses like those at Abu Ghraib and Bagram. Regardless of the controversy, “Zero Dark Thirtyâ€? is one of the best films of the year. Made by strong performances, sweeping visuals and solid writing, Bigelow’s film is simply a great movie. While the controversy surrounding it will color people’s views and opinions, “Zero Dark Thirtyâ€? will definitely have its name called several times during the Oscar season. • Photo courtesy of rottentomatoes.com
NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD • Will Shortz ACROSS
45 47 49 Bygone despot 50 Cans 51 Not conceal Adolescent breakout 52
1 Washer/dryer brand 6 10
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
EMPLOYMENT 3 7 &285,(5 326,7,21 : &3$ ),50 0XVW EH GHSHQG DEOH DQG KDYH \RXU RZQ YHKLFOH 0:) 30 30 0DNLQJ SLFN XSV DQG GHOLYHU LHV WR .QR[YLOOH DQG VXU URXQGLQJ DUHDV 6RPH JHQHU DO RIILFH WHOHSKRQH GXWLHV KU PLOHDJH # PLOH (PDLO ULVDWKRPVSRQ#GHFRVLPR FR P )D[
EMPLOYMENT 37 )7 UHWDLO FOHUN QHHGHG IRU OLTXRU VWRUH KUV ZN )RU PRUH LQIRUPD WLRQ FDOO -LP DW
UNFURN APTS DQG %5 $SWV 87 DUHD DQG :HVW .QR[ DUHD &DOO IRU DS SRLQWPHQW 6RXWK .QR[YLOOH 87 GRZQ WRZQ DUHD %5 DSWV
FOR RENT WK 3/$&( $3$570(176 EORFNV IURP 87 /DZ 6FKRRO +LJKODQG $YH 2QH %5 DSW RQO\ %ULFN H[WHULRU FDUSHW ODXQ GU\ IDFLOLW\ RQ ILUVW IORRU *XDUDQWHHG DQG VHFXUHG SDUNLQJ KRXU PDLQWHQ DQFH 1R GRJV RU FDWV QG \HDU LQ )RUW 6DQGHUV ZZZ VL[WHHQWKSODFH FRP EULW KRZDUG#VL[WHHQWKSODFH FRP $37 )25 5(17 &ORVH WR 87 )XUQLVKHG 6WXGLR WR 2QH %HGURRP 8QIXU QLVKHG :DWHU DQG 6HZ HU ,QFOXGHG *5($7 029( ,1 63(&,$/ 678'(17 63(&,$/ 5HFHLYH PRQWKO\ GLV FRXQW RQ UHQW $OO VL]HV DSDUWPHQWV DYDLODEOH &DOO
FOR RENT :$/. 72 &$0386 *UHDW 6SHFLDOV %5 $SDUW PHQWV $YDLODEOH 1R VHFXU LW\ GHSRVLWV 3ULPH &DPSXV +RXVLQJ SULPHFDPSXVKRXVLQJWQ FRP
HOUSES FOR RENT %5 KRXVHV LQ )RUW 6DQGHUV VKRZLQJ VRRQ IRU $XJXVW 1HZO\ UH PRGHOHG : ' +9$& SDUN LQJ ODUJH EHGURRPV ZDON WR FDPSXV %HVW KRXVHV JR TXLFNO\ RU 9ROUHQWDOV FRP
7RS RI WK 6W DW /DXUHO /DUJH %5 EULFN KRXVH %$ 5HQW QHJRWLDEOH +DUG ZRRG IORRULQJ FHQWUDO KHDW DYDLODEOH QRZ DQG RU -XQH $OVR DYDLODEOH DQG %5 KRXVHV 1R SHWV 'HWDLOV
:HVW .QR[YLOOH PLQV 87 %5 %$ +DUGZRRG FDU SHW &HQWUDO + $ : ' $OO DSSOLDQFHV IXUQLVKHG $YDLO DEOH -DQ 5HIHUHQFHV &DOO -LP
CONDOS FOR RENT &RQGR IRU UHQW %5 %$ QHDU FDPSXV $OO KDUGZRRG : ' LQFOXGHG PR &DOO
CONDOS FOR RENT &21'26 )25 /($6( 21 87 &$0386 1RZ OHDVLQJ IRU IDOO DW /DXUHO 6WDWLRQ 6W &KULVWRSK HU DQG )UDQNOLQ 6WDWLRQ ,Q FOXGHV ZDWHU FDEOH DQG LQ WHUQHW 8QLYHUVLW\ 5HDO (V WDWH DQG 3URSHUW\ 0DQDJH PHQW //& WK 6WUHHW .QR[YLOOH ZZZ XUHKRXVLQJ FRP RU UHQWDOV#XUHKRXVLQJ FRP
ROOMMATES )HPDOH WR VKDUH %5 %$ QHZO\ UHQRYDWHG 9LFWRULDQ KRXVH LQ 2OG 1RUWK .QR[YLOOH PLQXWHV WR 87 )XOO\ IXUQLVKHG KDUGZRRG IORRUV ODUJH %5 ILUHSODFH PR DVPLW #XWN HGX
This could be YOUR ad. 974-4931 MERCH. FOR SALE %22.6 6XVDQQDK VLPSO\ ZDQWHG WR PDUU\ D WDOO GDUN KDQGVRPH VWURQJ ULFK PDQ DQG OLYH LQ D FRXQWU\ HVWDWH :KDW FRXOG JR ZURQJ" -XVW DERXW HYHU\WKLQJ LQ &OXPV\ +HDUWV D VOLJKWO\ PLVJXLGHG URPDQFH E\ +\VWHULD 0ROW $YDLODEOH YLD $PD]RQ FRP
14 15
16 Sister of Rachel 17 Place to see a Ferris wheel
55 57
19 Call ___ question 20 Fifth-century invader 21 Period for R&R 23 Meeting of the minds? 25 “After ___�
59 62 67 68
26 1950s runner’s inits. 27 Hold ___ (keep) 31 Give a good whippin’ 33 Super Giant 35 Dorm assignment 37 Composer Shostakovich
70 71 72 73 74 75
41 Some pancakes
Pool choice W.W. I soldier “But is it ___?â€? “All right!â€? “CĂłmo ___?â€? Distinctive parts of a Boston accent Electrolysis particle Filmmaker Jean-___ Godard You can plan on it Excite One who breaks a court oath Diamond feat ‌ and a hint to 17-, 21-, 35-, 47- and 59-Across In that case Memo starter Curt summons Curmudgeonly cries Clears Classic poem that begins “I think that I shall never seeâ€?
1
2
3
4
5
6
14
9
10
23 29
30
35
24 31
25 32
46
54
59
43 47
49 53
56
60
39
40
64
65
66
34
44 48
50 55
38
26 33 37
42
45
13
22
36
41
12
19 21
28
11
16
18
20
52
8
15
17
27
7
51 57
61
58 62
63
67
68
70
71
69 72
73
74
75
42 Barnyard cackler DOWN
44 Online sales
1 ___ Romeo 2 Vegetarian’s no-no
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE D A K A R
A L I N E
J A M B
A L O E
C A V S
E L I A
M E T E S
E X T R U D D E A N G D R E I L S I T O L N E
D I E M U R D U Y H A W K A N I L L T N U E A F K G A P C A T S C O L I L O O M I S N E R G L E E O O C T A D U N R Y E A
E M E R A L D S O K S
A C T U B O I S U R G E N E S B E R I L L O E L I V N L E T Y R L E I X T H S T O O P U S S R E E E A S
3 Bickering
P E S T
4 “Me neither� 5 Matter of degree? 6 “The ___ of Steve,� 2000 film 7 Gulf war missile
R E D O
8 Bug 9 ___ City, California locale named for local flora 10 Came down
S L Y L Y
11 City near Dayton 12 Wonderland cake instruction 13 Some brake parts 18 Dreaded one?
22 Tree that’s the source of mace 24 What 6-Down means
46 Pinch-hit (for) 48 Norm 52 Wing it
27 Spheres
53 Israeli port
28 Court plea, briefly
54 Secret store
29 Trouble’s partner 30 All, to Augustus
56 #1 Alicia Keys hit of 2007
32 Clinging, say
58 Colgate rival
34 Church offering
60 Winged Greek god
36 What a leafstalk leads to
61 Composer Weill
38 Keep ___ on (watch)
63 It can be found under TUV
39 Uproariously funny sort 40 The N.H.L.’s Kovalchuk 43 “O Come, All Ye Faithful,� e.g.
64 Peter Fonda title role 65 “___ here� 66 Potato’s multitude 69 Wanna-___
6 • THE DAILY BEACON
Tuesday, January 22, 2013 Arts & Culture Editor Victoria Wright
ARTS & CULTURE
vwright6@utk.edu
Assistant Arts & Culture Editor Melodi Erdogan
merdogan@utk.edu
Around Rocky Top
Janie Prathammavong • The Daily Beacon
Magician Joel Meyers performs at the UC Auditorium on Friday.
Students brave weather to attend magician’s performance Melodi Erdogan Assistant Arts & Culture Editor Despite the snow and ice covered ground on Friday, a big crowd gathered for magician Joel Meyers’s performance in the UC auditorium. Meyers, an illusionist, entertainer and selfprofessed dreamer, has a resume of performances for A-list celebrities like Brad Pitt and Catherine Zeta-Jones. He performed at movie premieres for “Twilight” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” and at the age of 14 was already opening for renowned magician Wayne Newton. “I love doing shows for colleges because everybody gets my humor and the way I do my stuff. It really goes over better with colleges than any other crowd,” said Meyers of his performance. Chandler Lennon, vice chair of the Campus Entertainment Board and senior in public relations, said the event had a good turnout. “I think (turnout) was really good considering we kind of had an iffy situation with the weather,” Lennon said. “The weather kind of killed our publicity since we couldn’t do posters, since it was raining all week and then it snowed. We’re very surprised it turned out this well considering the snow, we didn’t think
people would want to come out.” Meyers executed a number of mystifying magic illusions, including card tricks, levitation and pulling himself out of a strait jacket — a feat that is near impossible to achieve. Alexandra Jordan, freshman in political science, was pulled from the audience to perform with Meyers on stage. Jordan said she was surprised that Meyers’s performance was so entertaining. “I didn’t really know who he was until the show. I was expecting just a simple magic show,” Jordan said. “I thought it was going to be typical magic tricks but he turned out to be really funny, and have a good sense of humor. He’s also a really good magician, too, now that I’ve seen his show.” The entertainment board had invited magician Justin Kredible to campus back in 2010 and received a good response from students after that event. Lennon said that after the positive response from Kredible’s performance, Meyers seemed like a good person to bring to UT. “We try to do entertainment for everybody and try to get it well-rounded so a lot of the events we do are completely different from our other ones,” said Lennon. “In the past we’ve had magicians before and it went really well, and we thought for a different crowd
than would typically go to Volapalooza, a super hardcore music event, they might enjoy something like this.” When questioned about the tricks behind the trade of his magic, Meyers didn’t divulge all of his secrets. “It’s about entertaining and having a good time with everybody and it’s not about how it’s done because really how it’s done isn’t even cool,” Meyers said. “The how to is not as impressive as what it is, it’s always going to be a little less impressive so there’s not really any point.” Jordan was overall impressed with Meyers’s performance. “My favorite part was when I got on stage and did the trick with the rings,” she said. “I couldn’t do it but it was fun to perform with him. I would do it again. (Meyers’ show) is very entertaining and not what you would expect.” Meyers said that since he first started performing at age six, his favorite part has been seeing the reactions of the audience. “I love making people happy, so my drive for performing my whole life has really been making people happy and getting that great Parker Eidson • The Daily Beacon reaction from doing magic,” Meyers said. “You Jordan O’Neill, undecided freshman, prepares to throw can’t really get that reaction from doing any a snowball in Presidential Courtyard on Thursday. other art form.”
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
THE DAILY BEACON • 7 Sports Editor Lauren Kittrell
SPORTS
lkittre1@utk.edu
Assistant Sports Editor Austin Bornheim abornhei@utk.edu
Vols named to USA baseball roster Staff Reports Former Tennessee standouts R.A. Dickey and J.P. Arencibia have both been named to USA Baseball’s provisional roster for the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Provisional rosters allow up to 28 players to be listed, creating a pool of players who are eligible to be named to the Federation’s final roster. Each Federation must submit its final 28-man roster, including a minimum of 13 pitchers and two catchers, by Feb. 20. Both players have previously worn the red, white and blue as Dickey played for Team USA in 1995 and again in the 1996 Olympics, while Arencibia also had two stints on the squad in 2005 and 2006. Team USA will be led by field manager Joe Torre. Torre’s coaching staff for
the World Baseball Classic includes Larry Bowa (bench coach), Marcel Lachemann (bullpen/pitching coach), Greg Maddux (pitching coach), Dale Murphy (first base coach), Gerald Perry (hitting coach) and Willie Randolph (third base coach). Lachemann and Maddux will oversee Team USA’s pitching staff. Recently traded to the Toronto Blue Jays, Dickey is coming off a season in which he became the first knuckleballer to ever win the Cy Young Award after finishing with a 20-6 record and 2.73 ERA as a starting pitcher for the New York Mets. The only three-time All-American in Tennessee history, Dickey also led the league in strikeouts (230), innings pitched (233.2), complete games (five), shutouts (three) and quality starts (27).
Around Rocky Top
The starting catcher for the Blue Jays, Arencibia is preparing to begin his fourth season in the Major Leagues. Despite missing a portion of the season due to injury, he finished last year with 18 home runs and 56 RBIs in 102 games. Since arriving in Toronto in 2010, Arencibia has launched 43 longballs and driven in 138 runs while hitting at a .222 clip. USA Baseball’s World Baseball Classic team will play its First Round games as part of Pool D at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, from Friday, March 8 - Sunday, March 10. In Pool D with Team USA are Canada, Mexico and Italy. For more information about the Tennessee baseball program, visit UTSports. com/baseball, follow @Vol_ Baseball on Twitter and like the Vols on Facebook at www. facebook.com/volbaseball.
Around Rocky Top
Tara Sripunvoraskul • The Daily Beacon
Rachel Clagett, senior in graphic design, accepts an Academic Achievement award for her high grades while being on the rowing team.
Hart addresses comprehensive goals Lauren Kittrell Sports Editor
Will Jellicorse • The Daily Beacon
A cheerleader pumps up the crowd during the “We Back Pat” game against Alabama on Jan. 20.
The world of Tennessee athletics is the most visible element of the total university structure. No one is more aware of this than UT athletics director Dave Hart. Hart sat down with Daily Beacon assistant sports editor Austin Bornheim and myself to communicate his vision for the future of the athletics department. “We want to pursue comprehensive excellence in every sport we have, men’s and women’s,” Hart said. “We want to compete for championships in the SEC, which when you compete for championships in our conference, you do compete for national titles as well because it’s such a competitive league.” But championships are not his only focus. He said the coaches, players and his administrative staff are all anxious to see the programs succeed on more than a competitive level. “When I say we want to achieve comprehensive excellence, I’m not just talking about the competitive arena,” said Hart. “We want to achieve at a high level everything that we do, not just the competitive arena.” But just as athletics are the most visible aspect of the university, the competitive side is
the most visible element of the athletics program. “The competitive arena will become the most visible, because as fans come to any of our games, that’s what they see, that’s what their eyes see,” Hart said. He said it comes down to impersonal relationships between fans and the coaches and the players they support. “They don’t get enough opportunities, and we’re trying to create more, where they can see our student athletes as people and as students outside of that competitive arena,” Hart said. “We have some outstanding young people in this program.” Hart said he is focused on the athletic department’s role in the university’s total structure. “(The athletic department is) not the most important, it shouldn’t be and we’re not, but clearly, we’re the rallying point,” Hart said. “We’re the emotional hot button, if you will.” Hart said this can be a positive for the department. “That’s great because people take pride when athletic teams are succeeding on the national stage. We have alumni all over America who feel very good about that,” he said. “We want to get back to the point and we have many programs who are doing that and have done that
very consistently.” But the programs are not where Hart wants them to be at this time. The good news is, he sees growth internally. “We have challenges which are also opportunities. We had a tough five, six year run, but we’ve tried to put that in the rear view mirror and say ‘this is where we are, this is where we want to go and let’s talk about how we get there,’” he said. “I’m real pleased, particularly internally, we have everybody moving in the same direction with positive energy, focused on our goals.” Part of that change and forward motion has come from combining the men’s and women’s programs into one, making the goals and aspirations of each conjoined for the common good. “We were two separate programs for a long, long time. We’ve merged those programs, respecting the past and respecting the hard work it took to reach some of those milestones that the men and the women were able to achieve,” said Hart. “As I talked to all of our student athletes, our coaches, our staff, people are energized and excited that that merger has taken place. I feel very good about it. I feel good about the fact that we have a lot of outstanding coaches here who are working hard to help us reach our goals.”
8 • THE DAILY BEACON
Tuesday, January 22, 2013 Sports Editor Lauren Kittrell
SPORTS
lkittre1@utk.edu
Assistant Sports Editor Austin Bornheim abornhei@utk.edu
Armstrong lies not the worst
Lauren Kittrell Sports Editor For those of you that love Nike clothes but can’t deal with the expense, now’s the time. Head to the mall, the Nike outlet, Dick’s Sporting Goods. Do it now. I predict a major discount on all “Livestrong” apparel. Lance Armstrong hasn’t been setting any records in the character department lately, but I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. I will tell you that watching those interviews, watching Armstrong talk about the consequences of his actions and watching people like Oprah interview him, I was on his side. There were some serious, “I’m a better person than you” vibes going around. Armstrong got a bit choked up talking about his son, and Oprah got a bit impatient, cutting in with something like, “yeah, I know you’re sorry, but what did you say to him?” I might have slapped her if I had
been shooting that interview. He’s getting to that, Oprah. Time to chill out and listen. Lance Armstrong is a broken man. His life has been shattered, everything he holds dear has been rocked and his way of life will never be the same again. He’s been ripped by everyone he holds close, and he had to tell his son that his behavior was indefensible. I think he’s been through enough without having to sit and talk to Oprah with her nose eight feet in the air. We’ve all lied. We’ve all done stuff we shouldn’t have. Who’s to say one wrong is worse than another? In fact, this world and our culture would say that wrong and right are what you make them. Let people believe what they want and be who they want ... until someone does something “really” wrong. Maybe the culture needs to be addressed. Sammy Sosa didn’t make it into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and Manti Te’o doesn’t have a girlfriend. It’s sad. It’s a little unbelievable, but in the face of so much lying and deceit, there’s one thing we should come away with. These athletes are just like us. They’re just like you and me. There’s something missing in their lives. We think we’re missing fame, wealth and glory. They think they’re missing another win, a girlfriend, or a record. They’re not satisfied with life. Armstrong survived cancer. He was given a few more years
to live. He screwed up. Haven’t we all? I’d say he’s been rebuked, convicted, addressed and humiliated. I’d say Armstrong is taking a look around right now and seeing that everything he valued has been taken from him. I’d say he’s learning that what he valued had no value. Maybe this is a time for all of us to question what we value and hold dear. Wealth, jobs, family, possessions, grades, etc. The list goes on. All of it can be taken in a moment, a heartbeat, a breath. Will what you value least? Will what these athletes strive for hold any value, 10, 15, 20 years from now? It’s a game, it’s fun, it’s enterTia Patron/Tennessee Athletics taining. The sport is fascinat- Pat Summitt hugs Janet McGee before the game against Alabama, the concluding ing. Fans love it and athletes game for “We Back Pat” week. love it. It’s a win, win situation. But when Tennessee football goes 5-7 overall (1-7 SEC), fans don’t love it anymore and players find no joy. Maybe sports should take their rightful position as a pastime, something to enjoy with friends as an activity and not Throughout the game, video their seat. as a type of god to worship Pat Summitt is revered in tributes to Summitt, messages every weekend. from coaches across the league the city of Knoxville. But seeI saw a video of Tyler Bray and a check presentation all ing that display from coaches, highlights set to the tune of the took place as part of the round- players and fans was visual song, “Our God is an Awesome ing out of awareness week. But confirmation of how much she God.” the moving scene came before means to everyone associated Too bad Bray left UT for any basketball was ever played. with the women’s basketball the NFL. Minutes before tipoff, program. Even if you just own Summitt was recognized, and a season ticket. — Lauren Kittrell is a senior Postgame, it was easy to like every time her name is in journalism and electronic sense how much it all meant to uttered during a Lady Vols media. She can be reached at Austin Bornheim game, a thunderous round of Holly Warlick and her players. lkittrel1@utk.edu. “It was nice getting to applause rose from the crowd. Assistant Sports Editor But more than just a stand- go speak to her before the
SEC, Lady Vols show appreciation for Summitt
• Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Kreutz
There are very few things that I would classify as a touching moment. Maybe it is just a guy thing, but it is difficult to get into that category in my book. But Sunday afternoon there was a very moving display at Thompson-Boling Arena that has jumped its way into that exclusive emotional class. You may or may not have known that last week the SEC participated in “We Back Pat Week” to honor Lady Vols head coach emeritus Pat Summitt and raise awareness for her foundation and research aimed at finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. All of the SEC women’s basketball programs wore “We Back Pat” shirts during warmups and coaches wore them on the benches. Sunday afternoon was the culmination of the week and, of course, it was capped off here at Tennessee.
ing ovation for the eighttime National Champion from the Lady Vol faithful, the Tennessee coaching staff sought out Summitt. During a time that is usually reserved for making lastsecond preparations, the staff crossed the court and went into the crowd to show their appreciation, dedication and support for the legend. That wasn’t all, though. When the coaching staff had their time with Summitt, the team lined up to do the same. In a single file line all 11 players waited their turn to embrace their former head coach. All the while the crowd never ceased to cheer. Honestly, I don’t think I have ever seen anything like it. It was a five to seven minute stretch of applause from the largest crowd to gather in TBA for a Lady Vols game so far this season. Looking around the arena I failed to see a single person not out of
game,” Warlick said. “We tried to honor her in the way she would like, b playing solid defense and rebounding.” Senior Taber Spani reflected on how much Summitt means to her. “Pat Summitt for myself, and I can speak for everyone here, is always going be our head coach,” Spani said. “When I come back in 10-15 years I am still going to think of her as my coach.” As the coaches, players and fans all showed their admiration for Summitt, she did exactly what one would think she would do. She coached. “It was a really emotional time … but, she just told every single one of us ‘let’s go, let’s get ready,’” junior Meighan Simmons said. “So, I went out and played really hard for her.” — Austin Bornheim is a senior in journalism and electronic media. He can be reached at abornhei@utk.edu.