The editorially independent student newspaper of the University of Tennessee Friday, February 14, 2014
Issue 26, Volume 125
Fight under the lights: Snow draws students to Neyland Stadium R.J. Vogt
a presidential court filled with like 300 people cleared in seconds.” What happened next has all the makings of campus legend: hundreds of UT As students streamed out of residence students marching on Shields-Watkins halls to throw snowballs and construct Field to have a snowball fight under the haphazard snowmen late Wednesday lights of Neyland Stadium. night, rumors swirled like the falling It is a little-known secret that Neyland flakes in Presidential Courtyard. – one of the top five largest football “People were screaming, ‘Follow stadiums in America – is not exactly Dobbs!’” said sophomore Alex impenetrable; freshman John Slota said Tyskowski, referring to UT freshman he got in with the crowds through one of quarterback Joshua Dobbs. “And then
the doors by gate 21. “Everyone was going wild,” he said. Whether it was Dobbs or some other UT student who led the charge is hard to determine, but Twitter pictures show the beginnings of a melee just after 11 p.m. Doug Kievit, freshman in political science, said he was on the field just minutes before the battle began. “I hopped a fence,” Kievit said, adding that he and his friends left before everyone showed up. “I was kinda pissed. We
went back in right as the cops came.” The University of Tennessee Police Department arrived approximately 20 minutes after the students entered the stadium, and Slota said the students scattered back to wherever they had come from. Not every student got away, as eight UT students were cited for trespassing and two more for underage drinking, according to Vice Chancellor of Communications Margie Nichols.
“Nobody wanted them to get in trouble,” Nichols said Thursday afternoon. “We won’t know more until we see the reports.” A Twitter account using the handle @utgroundscrew also tweeted an admonishment to the students who had run around on the snow-covered field, saying “This is SOO bad for the grass in the stadium, footsteps turn brown when the snow melts.” See NEYLAND on Page 2 Maggie Loveday • The Daily Beacon
Editor-in-Chief
SEE
INSIDE
Vols feeling ‘urgency’ to bounce back, beat Mizzou Steven Cook Copy Editor
In today’s Crime Log: a car stolen, a sorority house investigated and two people observed riding in the front seat NEWS >>pg. 2
ARTS & CULTURE >>pg. 3
‘Vagina Monologues’ challenges society’s notion of taboo and femininity with student performances ARTS & CULTURE >>pg. 5
Anthony Wise, middle left, and Jimmy Cheek, middle right, shake hands after signing the contract to update the dual-enrollment Volunteer Bridge Program between UT and Pellissippi State Community College on Wednesday.
Widening the Bridge UT, Pellissippi agree to expand transfer program Bradi Musil
Wise signed a memorandum of understanding to enrich the Volunteer Bridge Program on Wednesday. Before its fourth year of Founded in 2011, the Bridge operation, Chancellor Jimmy Program provides wait-listed G. Cheek and Pellissippi State and initially declined appliCollege President Anthony cants to UT the opportunity Staff Writer
to take freshman level courses at Pellissippi, while living on UT’s campus. Upon completion of the program, students may transfer to UT for their sophomore year. “Primarily, the changes are just to make the program a bit more flexible to accommodate more students and give them more opportunities to make a successful transition,” said Jessie Abernathy, Bridge
Program coordinator at UT and assistant director of First Year Studies. Significant changes to the program include the elimination of a regulation requiring first year Bridge students to live in a UT residence hall. Students living within 50 miles of campus now qualify as well. See BRIDGE on Page 2
• Photo Courtesy of Jon Haas
A relationship is more than a Valentine’s date – don’t let yourself get swept up in teddy bears and chocolates
Caught in a Pickle Renowned Fort Sanders mansion still in desperate need for repairs Baseball: With the 2014 season opener Saturday, Serrano says Vols finally ‘fit that mold’ of an SEC contender SPORTS >>pg. 8
Manuela Haddad Staff Writer Shared by students and adults alike, the Fort Sanders neighborhood is an integral component of Knoxville culture. Despite receiving attention for its high crime rate, the Fort also holds a rich – yet frequently ignored – history. The Pickle Mansion, one
of the Fort’s most notable historical landmarks, sits at 1633 Clinch Ave. Constructed in the Queen Anne style in 1889, the house was built by George Wesley Pickle, who served in the confederacy during the Civil War from 1886-1902, as Tennessee’s Attorney General and Reporter of the State. See PICKLE on Page 2
Pickle Mansion, one of Fort Sanders’ most notable houses, was originally constructed in 1889 and is still in desperate need of repairs after a fire in August 2002 ravaged much of the mansion.
With such a mediocre SEC basketball presence this season, Tennessee has been seemingly able to enjoy at least one game against an overmatched foe each week since the start of league play. Not this week. After coming up just short in a 67-58 loss to No. 3 Florida at home on Tuesday, the Tennessee Volunteers must travel to face the Missouri Tigers in a hostile road environment on Saturday at 4 p.m. in Mizzou Arena. Saturday’s game is between two of the SEC’s bubble teams. The Vols (15-9, 6-5 SEC) are listed as one of the final teams in the field as of today according to ESPN bracket expert Joe Lunardi, while Missouri (16-7, 4-6) currently sits on the outside looking in. With the Vols’ postseason fate still very much in flux, Tennessee head coach Cuonzo Martin commented on the tough turnaround moments after the Vols’ loss on Tuesday with short-term memory in mind. “I just think it’s one game at a time,” Martin said. “We’re off (Wednesday), and then get ready to play against Mizzou at Mizzou – a very talented team. “But for us, it’s one game at a time and that’s the only thing you can control.” The Vols would make quite a convincing case to remove their names from the NCAA Tournament field, for the time being at least, with a loss. A defeat Saturday would be UT’s third loss in its last four games. Meanwhile, the Tigers started off the season hot with 10 straight wins but have tapered off since, losing three straight in SEC play before Wednesday night’s home win over Arkansas. Tennessee may be the hotter — or just less cold — team heading into Saturday. But the Vols might still be licking their wounds after a dogfight against Florida on Tuesday in which they laid it all on the line but had missed opportunities bite them in a loss to the nation’s third-ranked team. See BASKETBALL on Page 8
INSIDE THE DAILY BEACON
“Some people are gay, and if you don’t like it, you’re going to have a tough century.” @UTKDailyBeacon www.utdailybeacon.com
OPINIONS >>pg. 4
News Opinions Arts & Culture Sports
Page 2 Page 4 Page 3, 5 Page 6, 8
2 • THE DAILY BEACON
Friday, February 14, 2014 News Editor Hanna Lustig
CAMPUS NEWS NEYLAND
accounts have expressed admiration, excitement and envy for those who entered the stadium. continued from Page 1 “It was inevitable that people Despite the potential damage to would end up there,” Tyskowski said. the field and two handfuls of issued “People will find any reason they can citations, many student Twitter to get on that field.”
CRIME LOG Feb. 6, 2014 1:02 p.m.: Officer was dispatched in reference to a theft that occurred at the TRECS building on Feb. 5. The victim advised that he had left his wallet unattended in a cubby while he was working out and it was gone when he returned. A UTPD case card was issued. 4:06 p.m.: Officer received a call in reference to a reported theft of a vehicle at the N-20 parking lot near Caledonia. There is no suspect information to report. The victim was issued a UTPD case card. 4:35 p.m.: Officer was dispatched to Delta Zeta Sorority. Upon arrival, officer made contact with the house mother who stated that their national adviser came down and conducted a room search. While searching they found contraband in several of the rooms. 8:46 p.m.: Officer was assisting the UT Department of Environmental Health and Safety with a fire drill at Volunteer Hall when university housing staff reported the presence of drugs and drug paraphernalia inside of Room 1245-C which they discovered during a compliance check during the drill. Officer arrested one suspect by citation for simple possession of Schedule I narcotics and possession of drug paraphernalia. Feb. 7, 2014 2:26 a.m.: Officer dispatched to the area around Andy Holt Avenue due to reports of a suspicious person in the area. Officer made contact with the suspicious person and found him to have an active criminal trespass warning with UT, subject to arrest for the same. Feb. 8, 2014 2:05 a.m.: Officer was dispatched in response to a theft of a white specialized bicycle at Morrill Hall.
2:21 a.m.: Officer observed the defendant engaged with a verbal altercation with a group of males on Caledonia Avenue west of Reese Hall. Upon further investigation, officer found the defendant to be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage to a degree that he posed a danger to himself and others. Officer placed the defendant under arrest for public intoxication. A search of the defendant yielded a plastic bag containing a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana. Rural Metro evaluated the defendant and deemed it necessary that he receive further medical treatment. Rural Metro transported the defendant to Fort Sanders Medical Center. Arrest warrants were issued for public intoxication, simple possession of a controlled substance and underage consumption. 2:33 a.m.: Officer observed a green 1997 Honda Civic bearing a Virginia tag driving on Lake Avenue with two individuals sitting in the front passenger seat. Officer activated emergency equipment and vehicle came to a stop. Driver was arrested for possession of alcohol by a minor and a passenger was arrested for underage consumption. Feb. 9, 2014 12:22 a.m.: Officer observed a vehicle traveling the wrong way down White Avenue. The driver was arrested for underage possession of alcohol and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. Crime Logs are compiled from records of the University of Tennessee and Knoxville Police departments. People with names similar or identical to those listed may not be those identified in reports. All persons arrested are presumed innocent until proved guilty in a court of law.
hlustig@utk.edu
Assistant News Editor Emilee Lamb
elamb1@utk.edu
BRIDGE continued from Page 1 Students are also no longer required to participate in summer second session classes at UT before entering Pellissippi in the fall. Instead, they will be given the choice to take classes in summer 2014 or 2015. Furthermore, applicants will now undergo a more holistic application review before gaining admission to UT for their sophomore year. Previously, only credit hours and GPA requirements were evaluated. Rather than a minimum 2.5 GPA for sophomore admission, admission will now accept a window of 2.0-2.49. Cheek said he believes this will provide a better indicator of preparation for life at UT. “We really are going to open up the program, and we will grow the program,” said Ruth Darling, assistant provost for Student Success at UT. The program has also been renamed the Volunteer Bridge Program, “so everybody knows where they are going to school when they finish,” Cheek said. These changes follow Chancellor Cheek’s recent trip to the White House, where he attended a summit on
PICKLE continued from Page 1 “It is interesting that it sits at the base of the Civil War fort, was a beautiful showplace for its builder, a well-loved house by a few fraternities and many generations of students and Knoxvillians,” wrote Randall De Ford, a private architect and president of the Fort Sanders Community Development Corporation, via email. A two-story brick building, the Pickle Mansion features a large porch and square columns that wrap around its lower front half, a small tower and arched windows on the top floor. After mysteriously catching fire in August 2002, the mansion sustained extensive damage to its interior and exterior structure. From this time through the present, Pickle Mansion has remained ranked among Knoxville’s “Fragile 15,” a list compiling the most delicate and threatened properties in the city.
higher education. There, Cheek vowed to facilitate greater collaboration with community colleges and increase university emphasis on attracting transfer students from community colleges. “We have a real strong relationship between the University of Tennessee Knoxville and Pellissippi State Community College,” Cheek said, “and we want to have even stronger relationships with each of the community colleges in the state of Tennessee.” Cheek confirmed that he and Wise, along with other state colleagues, visited Nashville on Feb. 5 to discuss additional plans to strengthen that relationship in the future. Abernathy said the transfer success rate for the Bridge Program students has only increased since its pilot year. Two students who participated in the Bridge Program were present at Wednesday’s signing to comment on their unique experiences. “I would have preferred these changes when I was there,” said Marcus Hudson, a junior kinesiology student minoring in business. Hudson was one of the Bridge Program’s first students in 2011. If not for the program, Hudson said he would likely have attended UT-Chattanooga, hoping to eventually transfer to UT-Knoxville. “I wanted to go to UT,” Hudson
said. “My sister graduated from here and got her masters.” Matt Krebs, a sophomore political science major was part of the Bridge Program’s second group of students. “I consider myself special because in high school I was very immature and didn’t really take academics seriously, but the Bridge Program really helped me mature a lot,” Krebs said. “If I went to community college I would have had to live at home, and I didn’t really want to do that – not that I don’t love my family – but I kind of wanted to go my own way, and it provided me a college experience that I was hoping to get.” Both students agreed that living on UT’s campus was the best part of the Bridge Program. “This has been a long successful partnership, and I think it will improve as a consequence of this memorandum,” Cheek said. “It’s just one more option to achieve your goal to being a Volunteer.” Eighty-six students have successfully completed the program and 38 are currently enrolled. Invitations for the 2014-2015 year will be sent out in February with the hope of recruiting 75-100 Volunteer Bridge students. For more information about the Volunteer Bridge Program, visit http:// bridge.utk.edu/.
In 2005, then-Mayor Bill Haslam rejoiced, announcing the house had been purchased by couple Jon and Kara Haas for approximately $900,000. Jon, a UT faculty member in the School of Architecture, intended to restore the building. However, these plans were eventually abandoned, and in 2011 the couple offered to sell the mansion to Brighton Developers, LLC. Brighton Developers are now the mansion’s current owners, who also plan to restore the space. “My goals are twofold: first, to stabilize the shell of the structure, and second, to renovate the interior for a use yet to be determined but most likely with a significant residential component,” said Jon Clark, a principal member of Brighton Developers, in an email. Clark’s interest in historical architecture drew him to the Pickle Mansion. “I am primarily interested in historic preservation development projects, and this property is in critical need of
stabilization,” Clark wrote in his email. Clark hopes restoration of the mansion will spark further development in the Fort Sanders neighborhood as a whole. “Fort Sanders neighborhood is continuing to improve in terms of quality development,” Clark wrote, “and this project will be a significant effort in support of this trend.” Construction on Pickle Mansion is scheduled to begin this quarter. “Challenges keep presenting themselves, but the obvious technical challenges of the restoration construction loom as the largest hurdle,” Clark wrote. “The financial performance of the project is uncertain as well, but I hope to find a suitable use that will help support the debt incurred.” After surviving decades of owners, and residents, De Ford hopes the mansion will soon regain stability. “It is in a state of peril,” De Ford wrote, “but I have great hope that the new owner is going to move forward with rebuilding it.”
Friday, February 14, 2014
THE DAILY BEACON • 3 Arts & Culture Editor Claire Dodson
ARTS & CULTURE
pdodson@utk.edu
Assistant Arts & Culture Editor Cortney Roark
croark4@utk.edu
Looking for love? Here’s 6 last-minute Valentine’s ideas A relationship is more What: Black Joe Lewis Where: Bijou Theatre When: 8 p.m. Friday Price: $15 Mixing southern rock, modern blues and a hint of punk, Black Joe Lewis will be anything but romantic at the Bijou Friday night. Instead, he’ll scream out lyrics about hating hipsters or sing “Booty City.” It will be something different for Valentine’s Day, but candlelit dinners and romcoms at the movie theater are overrated anyway.
What: Robinella Where: The Square Room When: 8 p.m. Friday Price: $20 For the more traditional Valentine’s date, spend your evening with jazz sweetheart Robinella. Reminiscent of Norah Jones, Robinella will play an intimate performance in The Square Room with special reservations for attendees at Café 4. For the sweethearts looking for a romantic evening, Robinella is your girl.
What: Love on the Rocks Where: The Edge When: 11 p.m. Saturday Price: $10 Hopefully you’ve been to a burlesque show before. If not, celebrate Valentine’s Day with Salomé Cabaret and Paul Lewis as they sexily and humorously dance and tease their audience. Whether you’re taking your main squeeze or going with friends, it’s an unexpected and fun way to celebrate the holiday of love.
What: Ice Skating Where: Ice Chalet When: Open to the public from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday Price: $10 Enjoy all the fun of the ice, without the bonechilling temperatures. The Ice Chalet is a perfect retreat for anyone on Valentine’s Day. Bring your sweetie or grab your best single pals and enjoy pretending you’re competing at Sochi.
What: “The Elixir of Love” Where: The Tennessee Theatre When: Friday at 8 p.m. Price: $10-$95 If you’re looking for a classically romantic night at the theatre, then you should try Donizetti’s opera ‘The Elixir of Love.’ This romantic comedy is said to be full of “dazzling vocal fireworks and glorious melodies that will melt your heart.” Tickets are available at any Knoxville ticket location, online or by calling 865-656-4444. Get them before the show is sold out.
What: Anti-Valentine’s Day Party Where: The Well When: Friday at 9 p.m. Price: $5 – Ages 21 and up For those who are looking to go out on Valentine’s Day, but have a zero tolerance for romance, The Well is for you. Love Animals, Lipliplip Hands, Katie and the Bass Drums and Johnny Astro and the Big Bang will celebrate mutual annoyance of Valentine’s Day. For only $5, how could you pass up a night packed with sure to be great music?
Instrumental band to play The Bowery Jenna Butz Staff Writer Music speaks louder than words. The Bowery will host Tauk, an experimental, instrumental band, Sunday night at 7 p.m. Taking notes from various genres, hiphop, funk, jazz, R&B and alternative rock are laced within Tauk’s music to achieve the band’s eclectic sound. A.C. Carter, Tauk’s keyboardist, described the sound as “instrumental fusion rock” to those who have not heard them before. “I feel like it’s so many genres,” Carter said. “You think about what alternative music was in the 1990s to now, and it’s completely different. It is instrumental at the heart.” The group’s influences are as eclectic as its sound. Tauk draws influences from Radiohead, instrumental band Kneebody, A Tribe Called Quest and Erykah Badu. Guitarist Matt Jalbert and bassist Charlie Dolan also incorporate ideas from Phish and the Grateful Dead. The band tries to replicate their influences’ success along with the quality of their lyrics. Carter said he believes that while a lot of musicians are talented, “not all of them say something,” and Tauk attempts to say something without any words. “I think what we’re doing is unique,” Carter said. “There’s a big difference, and we try to take a little bit of everything and interpret in our own sound. It goes outside
of genre.” While the band had a vocalist at one point, Tauk eventually decided an “instrumental direction was more natural,” Carter said. Finding a home in that genre, the band has taken to performing at festivals where it finds audiences to be more open to the group’s sound. “We’ve found there’s a niche for that and people looking for that,” Carter said. “You think about EDM festivals, and people are listening to instrumental music a lot more. “People are being a lot more accepting, and they’re getting bored of the norm. We’re trying to break out of the formula a little bit. It doesn’t have to be a three to four-minute song that’s radio friendly.” Carter said Tauk has found some of the band’s most passionate fans at musical festivals, noting listeners have flocked to the group’s instrumental sound. Tauk also formerly played Bonnaroo and the Hangout Music Festival and will play Blooming Blossoms, Mad Tea Party, Wakarusa and the Harvest Festival this year. “I think the people who go to festivals are looking for new music,” Carter said. “The cool thing is that there are so many spots, so it’s great exposure for bands like us. Festival people are more receptive to what we’re trying to do. “Big festivals are great resume builders, but we like small ones because it’s more focused. You’re playing for people who really love music, and we really want to share our art and our craft with them.”
The beginnings of Tauk arose when Carter, Jalbert and Dolan began playing together while in high school in Long Island. After finding Isaac Teel on the drums, they began Tauk. “We’ve been playing music for a while,” Carter said. “It’s been a really fun adventure.” As for the group’s name, the band was spontaneously influenced by Montauk on Long Island. A popular summer vacation spot, the band needed a name last minute while recording an EP. Dolan was wearing a Montauk shirt and they simply shorted it to Tauk. Tauk released its last album, “Homunculus,” in April 2013. Currently, the group has recently finished preproduction for a new album that the band members hope to record in the spring and release before Tauk plays many of its summer festivals. Tauk does occasionally run into a dilemma, though. In being an instrumental band, having fans remember their songs can be difficult. To keep audiences engaged, they include covers into their set including the Beatles’ “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).” Through this, Carter said fans notice something familiar through finding the vocals in the guitar or keyboard parts. “It’s kind of tricky for us,” Carter said. “One thing we’ve realized is that incorporating melody is really important. We look at it as, if you’re seeing us for the first time, we want you to remember a certain hook, a certain song.”
Knoxville bands combine forces for album launch Cortney Roark Assistant Arts & Culture Editor Take a small sliver of popular Knoxville bands the Tone Junkies, the Black Lillies and Cereus Bright, bundle them together and that is likely what The Ben Gaines Band has in store Saturday night at Scruffy City Hall. Ben Gaines has taken Cameron Moore of the Tone Junkies (lead guitar), Bowman Townsend of the Black Lillies (drums) and Matt Nelson of Cereus Bright (stand up bass) and grouped them together to play his new original music to be featured on his new album. “It’s really humbling to be able to play with these musicians,” Gaines, who sings and plays guitar and banjo, said. “I write the songs and they come in and put their own feel to it. I think it’s really cool to take them out of the band they play in, and we get to have a whole new jam.” Gaines played in the Blue Heavy previously and said the new album will be completely different from the last with a “folk Americana bluegrass” feel.
“(The first album) was just me and a couple musicians,” Gaines said. “I did the whole thing in two days. This one will be more patient. We’re using a string quartet, drummer, two pianos and three different guitarists. We’re going to put a lot more time into it.” This dedication came to Gaines after returning from Houston, Texas, this year. He said he gained inspiration from his father, who loved music. “One of the main reasons I love music is my dad and he wanted me to be a good songwriter,” Gaines said. “He passed away in December and that just put me into a whole new level of passion for it, and made me want to put all these musicians together and play as much as I could.” Townsend played with Gaines in the Blue Heavy and said he recognizes a difference in Gaines’ music. Townsend said this album has much more personality. “It’s actually pretty bit of a departure from the music I’m used to making with Ben,” Townsend said. “The Blue Heavy was a pretty straight up blues rock and roll outfit with
Ben singing loud and aggressive. It’s cool to hear the more sensitive side. He’s got a great voice and the tunes bring out the quality in his voice.” Gaines said the members of The Ben Gaines Band will continue to change and the audience can expect a new feel in each show. The album will be recorded in Nashville and is expected to begin in March. Townsend said he enjoys the unique sound in each show. “Ben is bringing people from all over the map and putting them under the unifying umbrella of good music,” Townsend said. “I think it keeps everyone listening and it keeps everyone open for spontaneous improvement because the tunes are so fresh. You can’t take for granted that everyone is going to strive at the same place.” The show will be $5 and The Ben Gaines Band will be joined by Backup Planet. Townsend said there will be “a lot of grooving and a lot of dancing.” “It’s going to be a great show. I sincerely mean that,” Townsend said. “It’s exciting. We’ve only played one gig with this band and these tunes.”
than a Valentine’s date
Cortney Roark Assistant Arts & Culture Editor
But no, just like the rest of the world, I had fallen victim to the ridiculous holiday of commercialism. According to a CNN article, $18.6 billion will be spent by Feb. 14 and the average person will spend $130.97 on that day. Sixty-four percent of men will buy flowers and 6 million people are planning a marriage proposal. That is the problem with Valentine’s Day. There is no personal feel to it. Being part of 64 percent of women who receive roses is not romantic. Being proposed to on a day that 6 million other women are proposed to does not sound pleasant. There are couples that truly deserve a day to celebrate their love. But these are also the couples that understand a relationship isn’t just celebrated one day of the year. These are the couples that get just as excited for a simple lunch when they can find time. These are the couples that get more excited on their anniversary, a day made specifically by them and for them. For those of you like my roommate who didn’t hesitate to say, “You only feel this way because you’re single,” you are sadly mistaken. Knowing that most of the world will be on a date while I paint, or maybe third-wheel it, does not make me envious. Seeing a couple spend time together for no reason at all, yes, that makes me envious. But that’s how it should be. Love shouldn’t appear out of nowhere to prove a point. It shouldn’t require a $130.97 date. It should be a constant celebration with Valentine’s Day as a small reminder.
Four years ago I was in a relationship on Valentine’s Day. Like every robotic couple on Feb. 14, my then-boyfriend of two years and I planned a wonderful night out. I bought balloons and made him a stuffed wrestler monkey. He got me the usual chocolate covered strawberries, dinner and a movie. It was going to be so much better than every other couple doing the exact same thing that night. Except it wasn’t. The evening started with an argument. I can’t remember what it was about now. Probably something insignificant. Once that was over we waited much longer than anyone should at Outback Steakhouse, my favorite restaurant at the time. When we got our food I thought the night would turn around for the better. I was wrong. It was right around the moment I had the thought St. Valentine may have been on to something all those years ago that my stomach started to turn. My over-priced bloomin’ onion and steak had given me food poisoning. The rest of my evening was spent sitting in front of my boyfriend’s toilet. All of this because we simply cannot ignore Valentine’s Day. Any other night we would have been on a date someCortney Roark is a junior where less expensive or maybe in journalism and electronic hanging out playing board media. She can be reached at games in the living room floor. croark4@utk.edu.
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4 • THE DAILY BEACON
Friday, February 14, 2014 Editor-in-Chief R.J. Vogt
OPINIONS
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Victory for LGBT will happen, even in sports 50 Shades of Wade by
Wade Scofield In a YouTube video from 2008, The Lonely Island parodies society’s obsession with sports and ideas of manliness. They drone, “if my team loses I’ll be mean all night / If you tell me to relax we’ll get in a fight.” When major sports-related news happens, especially in football, people tend to tune it out as arbitrary entertainment in a selfish and violent industry concerned only with money, not societal good. While our big orange idol Peyton Manning was setting record after record in the National Football League this season, his accomplishments nonetheless could be placed into the puzzle-piece narrative of how the media ignores “actual news.” This is completely to ignore that sports themselves have been modi operandi of progressive social change in the past. Jackie Robinson took his first at-bat in Major League Baseball 17 years before President Lyndon B. Johnson passed the National Civil Rights Act. In 1968, Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised a “black power salute” to protest mistreatment of African-Americans in the U.S. So this week, when senior University of Missouri defensive lineman and Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year Michael Sam identified himself publicly as LGBT, it should be unsurprising that the imperialist ESPN launched into a discussion about whether or not Michael Sam would be “embraced” in a locker room. ESPN doesn’t have a very good track record at addressing LGBT athletes. When longtime NBA player Jason Collins came out as LGBT last year, the network brought on reporter Chris Broussard so he could denounce LGBT people as rebellious sinners. They followed this up by giving longtime NFL coach Herm Edwards air time to suggest that someone who is LGBT is inherently bringing baggage to an NFL locker room. Not only is this shortsighted and immature of Edwards, it is irresponsible of ESPN to reinforce this narrative when players who kill dogs, are convicted of manslaughter, are accused of rape, or yell racial slurs at a concert are apparently acceptable football players who bring positive attributes to a team. It is no secret that there is prevalent homophobia surrounding professional sports. These competitions are seen as the manliest of activities, where strong, heterosexual men compete for their family, themselves and their team. In fact, it seems that homophobia in sports tends to be more on the part of fans, like those parodied by The Lonely Island than by actual professional athletes in locker rooms. Actually, it seems from current NFL players that they don’t care about a teammate’s sexuality, race, or interests. They care whether or not their teammate is helping their team achieve their goals. This while ESPN reports that “anonymous team sources” would find an out LGBT player a “distraction.” Former Vols wide receiver Dante’ Stallworth, in a series of tweets, seemed to indicate the “distraction” that this LGBT player would bring was complete bogus. Michael Sam’s bravery in coming out is important not only to professional sports but to universal notions of sexuality. It may be shocking to some homophobic narcissists out there, but people whose sexuality is not rigidly hetero actually did not choose those sexualities. Further still, gay men are not predisposed to sexually assault straight men, and how this record is circulated is a disgusting result of story-crafters like ESPN. Instead of focusing the discussion on whether the NFL – or generally major American professional sports are ready to accept an LGBT teammate – we should turn that focus on whether we ourselves are able to shed blinding prejudice to accept people for who they were born to be. If you’re “not comfortable,” with the idea of an out LGBT NFL player, I feel sorry for your bigoted self. Some people are gay, and if you don’t like it, you’re going to have a tough century. Wade Scofield is a senior in religious studies and Latin. He can be reached at wade@utk.edu.
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.
To our first loves: Thanks, truly, for stealing our hearts Knight Errant by
Victoria Knight This is a column about first love. Maybe it started and ended with that kiss on the playground in kindergarten. Or in the limo on the way back from prom. Or mutual bonding through the hellish first week at UT. Maybe it never ended, and you’re still together. Who am I to say? There are all kinds of first loves. Mine was my best friend. He taught me that I was worthy of love from someone other than my family; that the greatest gift in the world is having someone there who so perfectly understands you that he can put words to your feelings better than you can. Someone whom you can wholeheartedly, unabashedly, be yourself with, even if that involves dealing with the funny noises you make, or the cat socks you wear, or even your obsessive love of “Downton Abbey.” And it’s not even really dealing with it, because loving you so much means embracing it, and loving those weird things about you too. Perhaps because falling in love has simi-
Editor-in-Chief: R.J. Vogt Managing Editor: Melodi Erdogan Chief Copy Editor: Gage Arnold News Editor: Hanna Lustig Asst. News Editor: Emilee Lamb Sports Editor: Troy Provost-Heron Asst. Sports Editor: Dargan Southard Arts & Culture Editor: Claire Dodson Asst. Arts & Culture Editor: Cortney Roark Online Editor: Samantha Smoak
not really even a possibility. It may have even surprised you how naturally this whole love thing came to you. Who knew it was really that easy. Most likely your love affair occurred during your formative years. You didn’t know quite who you were yet, and they most likely helped you figure it out. By getting to know you, they made you understand yourself. You also learned how to fight and apologize, to deal with their families and friends, to balance your time when you really just wanted to spend it all with them. And if or when it ended, the world felt like it was falling apart. Everything as you knew it was gone. But eventually, it faded, as only time can do. And perhaps, most valuably, and also foolishly, you learned that despite what you had thought, your heart can recover. It is remarkably resilient, and if you let it, will fall in love again. So goes life. For those out there who haven’t had your first love yet, don’t you worry. Instead get excited. It’s something to behold. Because it’s the only kind of magic that truly exists in the world, and you only get the first one once. Victoria Knight is a senior in microbiology. She can be reached at vknight4@ utk.edu.
Now, not later: America needs to clean up its immigration Dean’s List by
Katie Dean Talking about our country’s immigration system not only gives me a headache, but also reminds me of that random junk drawer that everyone has in their kitchen. You know it’s there, you know it has some useful stuff in it, and you know you should clean it out, but you just don’t want to. Last Thursday at a press conference in Washington D.C, House Speaker John Boehner shot down pretty much any hope that Congress would pass a comprehensive immigration reform law in 2014. After being asked about the topic, it took him about 10 seconds to point his finger at the White House and cite the lack of trust between Congress and the Obama administration as the cause of stagnation on this issue. Distrust may very well be a part of this to some extent, but it is also true that immigration overhaul is getting brushed under the rug so that neither party has to suffer the consequences in the upcoming midterms; former Republican Rep. Steve LaTourette described it is a “tough issue” for midterm election years. In other words, it could be divisive and they just don’t feel like doing it right now. At first glance, this may not seem like
an incredibly pressing issue, and in comparison to many things it’s not. Between the looming debt ceiling, the slaughtering in Syria and the threat of an Olympic terrorist attack, I can see why people are sitting around stroking their beards and saying, “Hmm, what to do about immigration?” That being said, it costs us a lot more than we think, and the longer it takes them to come up with a solution, the more complex the solution will have to be. As of right now, there are an estimated 11 million undocumented people in the U.S. Now I’m no expert on tax code and financial policy, but I’m guessing that many people could generate a lot of income tax if they were given citizenship. And in 2008 the Social Security Administration stated that three-fourths of illegal citizens already contribute to the “overall solvency of social security and medicare.” Even though those numbers are heartening, I can also see the downsides of just giving citizenship to 11 million people; many would qualify for government aid and other benefits and now that the ACA is in full swing, that would be 11 million more people that could receive public healthcare – an expensive notion for the strapped federal government. But I think it’s worth noting that the current system we have is inefficient, broken and also very expensive. The Immigration Policy Center estimates that we spend $186.8 billion on immigration enforcement every year, and in 2011 the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement
stated that deporting one immigrant costs $12,500 when you take into account detention, legal costs, travel, etc. On top of these sky-high costs, we have the detention bed mandate, possibly one of the most asinine laws I have ever heard of. This mandate requires ICE to have a minimum of 34,000 immigrant detainees in their custody every single day. If that $186.8 billion for enforcement didn’t make you balk, this should: detaining one person costs about $120 per day. Now multiply that times 34,000 and account for every day of the year. I’m terrible at math, but even I know that is an unnecessary, frivolous amount of money. There has to be a more efficient way to deal with this issue. Either deport them and get it over with or give them citizenship and let them fully contribute to society through a more comprehensive tax system. In all honesty I have never held an incredibly strong opinion either way. I think both sides have pros and cons and, just like that kitchen drawer, you don’t really know until you clean it out. But sitting around and passing laws like the bed mandate in order to satisfy an ignorant constituency that think Mexicans are taking over the U.S. is just plain stupid. Boehner might think it’s not the time to pass reform, but not wanting to lose midterm votes is no excuse to continue such a useless, costly system. Katie Dean is a junior in political science. She can be reached at xvd541@ utk.edu.
Get Fuzzy • Darby Conley
Non Sequitur • Wiley
EDITORIAL
lar neurological effects as a cocaine high. Both scenarios involve your brain being flooded by an overload of dopamine, and as more dopamine fills up the brain, you get the feeling of being “high” – the same as when taking cocaine. Also maybe because love makes your serotonin levels drop, an actual symptom of OCD, that makes you in all definitions of the term, obsessed with your partner. Or even the ever occurring butterflies in our stomach, that are actually caused by a rush of adrenalin, a result of our body’s stress response reaction. All of these scientific processes and emotions melding into one overarching feeling of love, seems to make it safe to say that first one is a doozy. He’s gone now, but he left me different. Marked. Whether for good or for bad, I am not the same person that I was before. And that’s why the first love is immortalized. Songs, movies, books, all fixate on this idea of the first. We love the idea of the first being our last, though it often never is. Couple that with the fact that of all the people you may love in your life, the first love is scientifically proven to be the one you may never get over. Because before them there was no one. Innocent and unloved, you went in arms open. No fears, though you knew of heartbreak, it hadn’t happened to you, so it was
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Friday, February 14, 2014
THE DAILY BEACON • 5 Arts & Culture Editor Claire Dodson
ARTS & CULTURE
pdodson@utk.edu
Assistant Arts & Culture Editor Cortney Roark
croark4@utk.edu
A different V-Day: students perform Vagina Monologues Hayley Brundige Assistant Photo Editor “I bet you’re worried. I was worried. That’s why I began this piece. I was worried about vaginas. I was worried that we think about vaginas and I was even more worried that we don’t think about them.� In the early 1990s, Eve Ensler interviewed more than 200 women about their sexual experiences and, most importantly, their vaginas. The result
of those interviews is now a play of international acclaim: The Vagina Monologues. Performed before a full crowd on Wednesday night and hosted by the Women’s Coordinating Council, the play confronts taboo topics including rape, sex, sexuality, menstruation, female genital mutilation, masturbation, birth and orgasm. The play portrays the vagina as a symbol and a tool of female empowerment through the stories of thirteen characters. In a monologue performed
by Diane Tate, the stage shook with rage, asking why tampons, pap smears, and thongs aren’t tailored toward comfort. In another, performed by Summer Reaves, the word “cunt� is unabashedly shouted by actress and audience alike, freeing the term from stigma. The thoughts of a sex worker, played by Devon Adams, address moaning during intercourse. The Vagina Monologues’ final performance will take place tonight in the UC Ballroom. Admission is free.
All photos courtesy of Hayley Brundige • The Daily Beacon (Above) Diane Tate, senior in communications, declares her monologue, “My Angry Vagina,â€? with attitude during “The Vagina Monologuesâ€? on Wednesday. (Top right) Roselyn Yebuah, senior in theater, performs her monologue, “Because he liked to look at itâ€? during UT students’ performance of “The Vagina Monologuesâ€? inside the UC Ballroom on Wednesday. (Bottom right) Darneisha Riley, senior in theater, performs her monologue, “The Little Coochie Snorcher That Couldâ€? during “The Vagina Monologuesâ€? on Wednesday.
NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD • Will Shortz ACROSS 1 AttachĂŠ feature? 7 Lawrence who co-wrote “The Empire Strikes Backâ€? and “Return of the Jediâ€?
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31 Leery of being noticed, maybe
1
32 Decides on
13
33 Symbol of liberty in the French Revolution
15 Pride : lions :: ___ : crows
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20 23
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41 Underattended, say
33 36
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45 Tub accessory for the head
20 Moving briskly 21 Public record?
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48 Old-fashioned promotions
23 Not down with anything 27 Surprised expression 28 Many old B films
43
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50 La to la, e.g.
24 Deadeye
45 49
46
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51 Common gathering in a public square
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52 Bet
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53 Menelausâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; kingdom 54 Menorah inserts
29 Constant critic
DOWN 1 Bread boxes?
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE
S P E D
37
30
42 Grocery staple
19 ___ running
A R O S E
26
12
22
37 They deliver on Sunday
17 Ordered pair?
P A R S E
11
36 Gridiron cry
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M U T B A T O N O O T B S E B Y M E A T T C H A H T O E N R E
10
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S A Y
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40 Sulking peevishly
P E A C H F D R U O O Z E N Z
8
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39 Ideal world?
I S L E S
7
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16 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get so worked up!â&#x20AC;?
Z A P P A
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35 Domineering men
14 One of the former Barbary States
3
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34 Last course, often
13 Seat of Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s County Kerry
2
E T O N E A R M O R S E
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S U B D I V J I E D B E
E N G E L
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S T E N T
2 Common casino locale 3 One who wants in on the deal 4 Aged 5 Emotionally demanding
10 â&#x20AC;&#x153;If opportunity doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t knock, build a ___â&#x20AC;?: Milton Berle
25 Body of water belatedly added to the course of the Erie Canal
11 Diploma holder, for short
26 Discussed
12 Tiny criticisms
32 Bahla Fort site
14 Ever since that time
9 Unspecific recipe quantity
36 Clicker, of a sort
16 Cribs
38 Michael who once led Disney
18 Brainstorming session aids
41 Decrees
6 Deanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lois & Clarkâ&#x20AC;? 22 Anti-Ballistic Missile co-star Treaty signatory, briefly 7 Word puzzle popular since 23 Flimsy lock the 1930s 8 Bother
30 Mafioso foes
24 1978 disco hit featuring the warning â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fall in loveâ&#x20AC;?
42 Omar of TV and film 43 Clutch 44 Memory unit prefix 46 Diplomatic assignment 47 Joins 49 Unsteady walker, maybe
6 • THE DAILY BEACON
Friday, February 14, 2014 Sports Editor Troy Provost-Heron
SPORTS
tprovost@utk.edu
Assistant Sports Editor Dargan Southard
msoutha1@utk.edu
Senior Ivy Renfroe winds up against Tennessee Tech at Lee Stadium on April 10, 2013. Renfroe and the Lady Vols will head to Tampa, Fla., for the USF Tournament on Friday.
UT heads to Florida tourney for chance to reclaim No. 1 Garrett Ahmad Contributor The Lady Vols softball team will look to retake the No. 1 spot in the NCAA poll this weekend at the USF Tournament in Tampa, Fla. Tennessee lost the top spot to Florida by one point in the poll, despite going 4-0 last weekend. The quest to return to the top begins with a doubleheader Friday, when Tennessee takes on Pittsburgh and Binghamton, respectively. Senior pitcher Ellen Renfroe said she wants to be No. 1, but she is maintaining perspective. “When you start looking at numbers and you get away from the process of what it takes to win, I think that’s when you start to go wrong,” Renfroe said. “So really, I think we need to stay focused on ourselves, and not what the numbers are, and what other people are ranked and what they’re doing.” However, sophomore Lexi Overstreet is not at all concerned with the rankings this early in the season. “It doesn’t really bother me,”
Overstreet said. “It’s not where we begin that matters. It’s where we finish that makes all the difference.” Tennessee will play another doubleheader Saturday against its toughest opponent of the season so far. The first game of the doubleheader will be against South Florida in their home stadium. The Bulls were only dropped from the rankings after losses to Florida and Michigan last weekend. Tennessee will most likely be matched up against USF senior pitcher Sara Nevins, who was named to the 2013 USA Softball Women’s National Team, which consisted of only 18 current and former college softball players. USF senior shortstop Kourtney Salvarola was also named to the 18-player roster. Renfroe knows she will have to be at the top of her game against one of the best pitchers in the country. “I know that Sara, is a really strong pitcher, and she’s a great girl,” Renfroe said. “I’ve been able to talk to her a little bit when I was at the selection camp
a couple of summers ago, and she’s a competitor. So I know she’s going to bring it whenever she gets out there.” Overstreet said the focus this week has been on pitch selection, which is especially important against a top pitcher like Nevins. “(The coaches) really key on the pitches you get when you’re up to bat – swinging at good pitches and not letting fat ones go by,” Overstreet said. The Lady Vols will face undefeated Illinois in the second game of the doubleheader Saturday. Renfroe believes the difficult schedule will be an important test for the team this early in the season. “I think it will really challenge our team in a different way,” Renfroe said. “We might face some better pitching. We’ll face better hitters for the pitchers on our team. Just to challenge us a little more to see what we really have.” The tough competition does not intimidate Overstreet; in fact, she believes it is Tennessee that should frighten the opposition. “I think it’s kind of scary and should be intimidating for other teams that they can’t take it light on anybody in our lineup because anybody in our lineup can hit home runs,” Overstreet said. Tennessee will close out the USF Tournament Sunday morning against Wright State, who the Vols will meet again in a doubleheader March 5 in their home opener. Even with Sunday’s game being their ninth in 10 days, Renfroe takes the responsibility of supporting the team at each opportunity. “I’m hoping to be able to throw every single day that we have a game,” Renfroe said. “Whether my team needs me or not, I want to be ready.”
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Lady Vol tennis to host a trio of squads in key weekend matchup Jonathan Toye Contributor The Tennessee women’s tennis team currently holds a 1-2 record, with a win against Purdue and losses coming against nationally ranked foes No. 13 Clemson and No. 11 Michigan. The Lady Vols, however, have a chance to improve that record this weekend in Knoxville at the Goodfriend Tennis Center. Tennessee will host Georgia Tech Saturday at noon, then host a doubleheader this Sunday against Belmont and Chattanooga at 11 a.m and 4 p.m with a good opportunity to add some wins to the win column. However, UT co-head coach Mike Patrick emphasized that one of his big goals this weekend is to see improvement from his young team. “Wins and losses are going to take care of themselves once we take care of what we need to do,” Patrick said. “We have a lot to do
and that is what we are looking for, see if we are making some improvement.” Patrick also stated that one of the overall goals of the season was to develop the six freshmen on the roster and to give them experience. He will have the opportunity to accomplish these goals this weekend. “Every match we play is going to help us,” Patrick said. “This whole season is about improving, turning freshmen into sophomores and experience players. That is what we are doing.” Patrick stated that he has observed that playing great competition leads to improvement. While both Belmont and Chattanooga are unranked, Georgia Tech is ranked No. 19 in the nation, giving the Lady Vols another highly-ranked opponent to play as well as an opportunity to learn what they need to work on. Junior Joanna Henderson also said that her team learned some lessons in their last match
against Michigan. “It definitely showed us the next level,” Henderson said. “That is kind of where we need to be and obviously we have a young team, but I think that is not far. The team score was, you know, a bit of a washout, but the individual matches were a lot closer.” Henderson detailed the areas the team needs to improve in during the matches this weekend, saying everyone on courts 1-6 need to be disciplined and focused. She also expressed her excitement and confidence about the upcoming matches this weekend in Knoxville. “I am really excited,” Henderson said. “We have had a good week of practice so far and it is just about looking forward to the challenge on Saturday against Georgia Tech, but it is definitely a winnable match. It just takes everyone coming out and focusing and playing well.” File Photo • The Daily Beacon
File Photo • The Daily Beacon
WOMEN’S SOFTBALL
Junior Joanna Henderson returns a serve during a doubles match against Mississippi State on March 8, 2013 at Goodfriend Tennis Center. Henderson and the Lady Vols will take on Georgia Tech, Belmont and Chattanooga at home this weekend.
BASKETBALL continued from Page 1 “I mean, it happens,” junior guard Josh Richardson said after the loss. “You can’t dwell on it. In the course of the game, when the heat is on, small stuff like that tends to happen. We just have to look forward.”
Shutting down Missouri’s Jabari Brown, the SEC’s second-leading scorer, will be imperative for defensive specialist Richardson and the Vols. The junior Missouri guard averages 20.1 points per game and has hung 20 or more on seven of the Tigers’ 10 SEC opponents. But it won’t be Brown’s presence that will motivate the Vols, according
to Richardson. All it takes is simply the prospect of another all-important game that undoubtedly will loom large for UT’s postseason aspirations. “Every game we approach with a sense of urgency,” Richardson said. “We play Missouri on Saturday, and we have to go get this win.” Saturday’s game will air live at 4 p.m. on ESPN2.
Friday, February 14, 2014
THE DAILY BEACON • 7
8 • THE DAILY BEACON
Friday, February 14, 2014 Sports Editor Troy Provost-Heron
SPORTS
tprovost@utk.edu
Assistant Sports Editor Dargan Southard
msoutha1@utk.edu
Dargan Southard Assistant Sports Editor
tourney berth, it’s undoubtedly been a much rockier trek than expected. That’s 0-for-2, which begs this question along with many others: Why might Serrano’s similar excursion end any different? Why is a coach so confident in a program that hasn’t produced a winning season in four years? Why is a coach advocating Omaha for a program that hasn’t even stumbled upon Hoover, Ala., – the SEC tournament host city – since 2007? “I’ve been to the postseason, and (my staff and I) know the road how to get there.” Serrano said on Jan. 26. “I’ve been doing this business for a long time, and I know when I see good ability.” It’s without a doubt that Serrano’s 2014 version does include a bevy of talented individuals. On paper, sluggers Scott Price, Christin Stewart and Vincent Jackson will anchor a potent offensive lineup, while infielders A.J. Simcox and Will Maddox should provide defensive stability up the middle. And pitching staff newcomers like Hunter Martin, Kyle Serrano and Andrew Lee – coupled with noteworthy returning hurlers Drake Owenby and Nick Williams – headline a staff that could provide the depth UT’s head man has been so desperately searching for. “I definitely believe,” Serrano said Monday, “that the talent level is where it needs to be.” But what happens if the offense sputters and returns to a flavor seen just last year? In 2013, UT scored less than three runs in 31 percent of its games. And what about the arms? In each of Serrano’s first two seasons, his pitching staff ended the year with an ERA above 4.50. What is said if the streak starts heading towards a third? Then there’s the schedule. With road trips to nationally-ranked Arizona State, South Carolina, LSU, Mississippi State and many other tough matchups sandwiched in between, what’s the response if UT’s rigorous spring lineup becomes much too overwhelming? Buzzwords like “relevant,” “postseason” and “Omaha” certainly won’t be thrown around like they have in recent weeks. With his audacious third-season forecast, Serrano has chosen a treacherous path – one that isn’t guaranteed to end negatively, but has proved futile for fellow UT coaches. And you can bet it’s now looking for a third orange and white victim.
Similar to all those winding country roads with rickety guard rails and uneven pavement, this particular route is also a bold one to take. It’s a path that confidently and repeatedly promotes a finished masterpiece. That after two years of renovating, remodeling and chiseling away at a declining product, all involved can proudly sit back and reap the benefits in year three. For the third time in less than two years, yet another Tennessee head coach has selected this road for travel, each one leaning heavily on a particular item to get them home safely. After consecutive 5-7 campaigns, former UT football coach Derek Dooley constructed a seemingly-impeccable offense and hit the trail. After two straight whiffs at the Big Dance, Vols’ basketball head man Cuonzo Martin implemented a “tougher breed” and started the hike. And now, after back-to-back losing seasons that produced just eight conference wins apiece, UT baseball coach Dave Serrano will embark on that same well-traveled path, an inordinate amount of confidence permeating from his knapsack. “I really feel for the first time that Tennessee baseball will be relevant again in the SEC,” Serrano said at Monday’s press luncheon. Those comments alone don’t do Serrano’s assertive offseason demeanor enough justice. On numerous occasions, the Diamond Vols’ head man has strongly suggested that a reasonable conclusion for 2014 is a deep postseason run. Like NCAA tournament deep. Like playing in mid-June deep. Like Omaha’s College World Series deep. “I really believe that this program is ready to start talking about Omaha and the process of getting there because we have the ability to do that,” Serrano said on Jan. 26. But back up. Dooley crashed and burned with his thirdDargan Southard is a junior in journalism season-is-different approach. And while Martin’s and electronic media. He can be reached at year-three journey may still produce an NCAA msoutha1@utk.edu.
Matthew DeMaria • The Daily Beacon
Serrano’s strong talk might BASEBALL make him UT’s next victim Aiming for Omaha: Vols carry ‘high hopes’ for 2014 campaign Dargan Southard Assistant Sports Editor Dave Serrano has relayed the same message in a variety of ways. Whether it’s through talks of newfound talent, mentions of SEC relevance, or visions of postseason trips to college baseball’s mostheralded Nebraskan city, the thirdyear UT baseball coach has kept one common theme in tact. This season will be different. “This is an exciting time for our program starting year three,” Serrano said at Monday’s press luncheon, “more importantly, starting the 2014 season, which I have high hopes for more than I ever have in my three years here. “I definitely believe that the talent level is where it needs to be.” Despite three consecutive losing seasons and no SEC tournament berths since 2007, Serrano has consistently labeled his 2014 squad as the remodeled product he envisioned upon arriving in Knoxville. That revamped version of UT baseball will make its season debut on Saturday at 3 p.m. when the Vols welcome Purdue to Lindsey Nelson Stadium for a three-game series. The opening weekend will conclude on Sunday with a doubleheader. “We look the part now,” Serrano said. “You go out and see us play and see our guys in uniform. We are a good-looking, athletic, physical group. There is a method behind that, to be in the SEC you have to be physical. I think we fit that mold now.” For UT – as would be the case for any team trying to reach the postseason for the first time in seven seasons – that road begins with depth inside the pitching staff, and Serrano believes the Vols have just that in 2014. “It is going to start on the mound,” Serrano said. “That is what happens when you get two
Junior Will Maddox slides into first during game two in the baseball series against the Ole Miss Rebels at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on April 20, 2013. good recruiting classes. You get them past major league baseball, and you are able to bring them into your program.” Two important pitching components of Serrano’s recruiting success will come to fruition this weekend as sophomore Andrew Lee and freshman Hunter Martin will start each of UT’s first two games, respectively. Lee is a Morristown High School product who didn’t pitch last season because of Tommy John surgery. Martin attended Blackman High School in Murfreesboro, and Perfect Game tabbed him as the sixth-best prep player in the state last year. The program’s most heralded addition, however, is that of Serrano’s own son, Kyle, who opted to don the orange and white despite being drafted by the Colorado Rockies. The former Farragut Admiral was named the conference’s top preseason freshman by Perfect Game earlier this year and is scheduled to start the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader. “He has tremendous stuff and huge upside,” Dave Serrrano said in reference to Kyle. “He can go anywhere from 91 to 95, has a good curveball and has really developed a great change-up.” With all three scheduled starters set to make their collegiate
mound debuts this weekend, the Vols’ third-year head man admitted he anticipates rookie mistakes but is assured all will duplicate their results from a productive offseason. “There is going to be some anxiety on that part,” Dave Serrano said, “but I’m confident because the fact that they have faced a good lineup each and every day in our inner-squad game, and for the most part, they’ve had good outings against them.” While Vol hurlers may have thrived against their offensive counterparts this fall, Dave Serrano said he doesn’t expect the same for opposing pitchers this season. “We have a lot of left-handed hitters, a lot of guys who can run the bases and guys who can hit the ball over the fence,” he said. “I am just very proud at how these guys have developed.” The majority of last season’s offensive production returns as upperclassmen Scott Price and Will Maddox, along with sophomore thumpers Vincent Jackson, A.J. Simcox and Christin Stewart, will look to carry the load in 2014. “We have almost our whole offensive lineup back,” Maddox said on Jan. 26., “and I think we have one of the better – if not the best – offensive lineup in the SEC this year.”