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The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, August 1, 2017
WELCOMEBACK
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 • The Daily Beacon
THE DAILY BEACON STAFF EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief: Alex Holcomb Managing Editor: Rob Harvey Chief Copy Editor: Nick Karrick News Editor: Annie Tieu Asst. News Editor: Kylie Hubbard Arts & Culture Editor: Allie Clouse Sports Editor: Tyler Wombles Asst. Sports Editor: Damichael Cole Engagement Editor: Chloe Lattwe Digital Producer: Bryce Bible Asst. Digital Producer: Mary Hallie Sterling Opinions Editor: Morgan Schneider Photo Editors: Emily Gowder, Adrien Terricabras Design Editors: Laurel Cooper, Lauren Mayo
ADVERTISING/PRODUCTION Student Advertising Manager: Zenobia Armstrong Media Sales Representatives: Zenobia Armstrong Advertising Production: Nathaniel Alsbrooks Classified Adviser: Mandy Adams
CONTACTS 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@utk.edu or call 865-974-5206 To place a classified ad, please e-mail orderad@utdailybeacon.com or call 865-974-4931
Advertising: (865) 974-5206 beaconads@utk.edu Classifieds: (865) 974-4931 orderad@utdailybeacon.com Editor-in-Chief: (865) 974-2348 editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com Main Newsroom: (865) 974-3226 editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com LETTERS POLICY: Letters to the Editor must be exclusive to The Daily Beacon and cannot have been submitted to or published by other media. Letters should not exceed 400 words and can be edited or shortened for space. Letters can also be edited for grammar and typographical errors, and Letters that contain excessive grammatical errors can be rejected for this reason. Anonymous Letters will not be published. Authors should include their full name, mailing address, city of residence, phone number and e-mail address for verification purposes. Letters submitted without this information will not be published. The preferred method to submit a Letter to the Editor is to email the Editor-in-Chief at editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com . CORRECTIONS POLICY: It is the Daily Beacon’s policy to quickly correct any factual errors and clarify any potentially misleading information. Errors brought to our attention by readers or staff members will be corrected and printed on page two of our publication. To report an error please send as much information as possible about where and when the error occurred to managingeditor@utdailybeacon.com, or call our newsroom at (865) 974-5206. The Daily Beacon is published by students at The University of Tennessee Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Wednesday 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
Welcome (back) to Rocky Top! In this issue, we’ve compiled the big headlines from the summer. You’ll see everything from PrideFest, Softball recaps, Biscuit Festival and more. You can read a letter from your SGA executive staff and another from Chancellor Davenport telling you what they look forward to for UT this year. There’s information about where you can see the solar eclipse and scientific discussions on gender and vaccinations. Whether you’re here for the first time or a sixth-year super-duper senior, the Beacon hopes to be your main source for UT news. There are plenty of traditions around UT that you can continue, but you holding this newspaper with over 100 years of history or reading it online is the easiest one to become a part of — even if you just do the crossword. That being said, traditions can change, and this year, the Beacon is taking advantage of that fact. For 52 years, we published every weekday in print, but now we’re moving to publishing twice weekly and continuing daily coverage online. Despite the liter-
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ally hundreds of condolences I have received, this change is not sad news. We have been planning this change for some time now, and we are excited to move with modern media. On the same note, our staff this year, save a few, is brand new and excited to get started. We hope to bring you fresh content along with the original materiel. Look out for new podcasts, more in-depth coverage of local issues, history columns and more. We want to hear more from you but also meet you where you are. If you’re in a student organization, you might see one of us at your meetings. On Thursdays, don’t be surprised if we hand you a newspaper on Ped walkway. And, yes, we go to football games as well. In the past, the Beacon has been seen as separate and arbitrary, but we’re not. We’re students; we go to classes, fail exams, sing — yell — Rocky Top and stay up way too late. We just happen to enjoy telling the stories of our campus. We don’t do it to make money or become well-known; we do it because we love it. And we hope you love it as well. Alex Holcomb, Editor-in-Chief
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WELCOMEBACK
The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, August 1, 2017
What The Daily Beacon Staff wishes they had known... Alex Holcomb Editor-in-Chief
Allie Clouse Arts & Culture Editor
“I wish I had known it’s not the end of the world if you change your major and that there’s never a bad time for breakfast food.”
“I would simply say go for it. You’re finally on your own for the first time which is why college is so great. By being surrounding by so many amazing people and opportunities you can find your own way, pursue your passions and explore new ones.”
Rob Harvey Managing Editor “Ummm... maybe like always go to class. Make sure you know how to do laundry. Don’t take the plastic off of your textbooks in case you don’t need the books.”
Chloe Latture Engagement Editor
Nick Karrick Copy Chief “The one thing I’d highly suggest freshmen do is network with new friends. Sticking with your familiar high school friend group will act as a security blanket in this new environment, but it’s not always the most fulfilling. College is a place of new and undiscovered adventure.”
“I wish I’d known the The Hill is a bar as well ... would’ve saved me some confusion on Friday nights.”
Adrien Terricabras Photo Editor “The health center is a really convenient place on campus, where you can get quick doctor appointments, check ups, medical testing and they’ll directly send your prescriptions to the pharmacy located in the same building, so you don’t have to go anywhere else to pick up your medicine.”
Damichael Cole Asst. Sports Editor “Use dining dollars wisely! Try to eat at places that offer meal equivalency in their meal equivalency hours.”
Annie Tieu News Editor “School may be important, but I wish I had known the value of self-care and friends.”
WELCOMEBACK
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 • The Daily Beacon
Morgan Schneider Opinions Editor “Carrying an umbrella at all times is a necessity on campus. There’s nothing worse than rain/hail/sleet/snow surprising you on your 15 minute trek to class.”
Lauren Mayo Design Editor “As a junior, one thing I wish I knew as a freshmen was how helpful it is to go to office hours. Professors offer their office hours to provide additional help to students outside the classroom.”
Mary Hallie Sterling Asst. Digital Producer “Realize that everyone is in the same situation as you are. Everyone is new; everyone is lost on campus; everyone is nervous. Reach out to other freshmen. You know, solidarity.”
Bryce Bible Digital Producer “Sorry Dr. Brown. Unfortunately, my DeLorean is broken today, so as a freshman myself all I can say is this: throughout your time at UT, never let anyone (especially yourself) convince you that you can’t do something.”
Kylie Hubbard Asst. News Editor Laurel Cooper Design Editor “You have to do something four times before it becomes comfortable. When you’re trying out new hobbies or clubs and feel out of place or alone, stick it out for a bit, and you might find a great community.”
Emily Gowder Photo Editor “Plan classes in blocks so you can get done with afternoon leftover. Bring your bike if you have one. It’s a huge help when you’re running late to class. I think I once told a freshman to just stock up on underwear so you rarely have to do laundry.”
Tyler Wombles Sports Editor “It doesn’t matter whether you are hanging out with a huge group of friends or just by yourself. Don’t worry about it.”
“The meal plan is more confusing than your classes will be. Figure out that meal plan.”
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WELCOMEBACK
The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, August 1, 2017
What is your favorite part of Knoxville? Lauren and her dog Piper have lived in Knoxville eight years, attending UT for her undergrad and graduate degree, now working at UT Medical. “My favorite part of Knoxville is probably the Old City. There is always a parade or festival or 5K going on.”
What is your favorite part of Knoxville? David, a UT alumni and his wife Georgia are visiting Knoxville for a high school reunion. “I think it is one of the prettiest downtowns, and it feels safe. The city has developed really well, and the food is surprisingly good.” Both photos by Emily Gowder • The Daily Beacon
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 • The Daily Beacon
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The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Participants celebrate 2017 PrideFest with the annual Pride parade.
Knoxville PrideFest shows its colors, support Nick Karrick
Copy Chief Thousands flooded the lawn of the Knoxville Coliseum on Saturday, June 17, to participate in Knoxville’s annual PrideFest, an event designed to promote equality and inclusion. The festival was hosted by Knox Pride, a nonprofit organization providing support to LGBTQIA+ East Tennesseans and included events such as a pride march, live musical entertainment and a swath of vendors selling inclusive products. The festivities kicked off with a pride march spanning from Jackson Avenue to Howard Baker Jr Boulevard. Organizers and supporters then poured onto the Coliseum lawn to enjoy live musical performances, food and learn of causes pertaining to the day. Community leaders, like Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero, were also present to show support for the LGBTQIA+ community. Brandy Slaybaugh, a candidate for a seat on the sixth district’s city council who attended, hopes to provide support for the underrepresented. “We have so many people who feel abandoned by the government that they’re not participating at all,” Slaybaugh said. “We marched in pride today because we’re trying to reach out to those people who haven’t been heard so that they can be heard again.” Groups such as Planned Parenthood, the
Human Rights Campaign, Sex Week organizers and UT’s Pride Center had information booths for supporters to visit. A Pride Center spokesperson said the organization was attempting to highlight the struggles of underrepresented LGBTQIA+ members among the UT student body and to display their continued efforts through the state’s defunding of the program. PrideFest also attracted national attention through the performance of the Washington D.C. Gay Men’s Chorus. The chorus is on their Southern Equality Tour — a regional bus tour promoting acceptance in states with discriminatory LGBTQIA+ laws — and chose to stop in Knoxville for the festival. “We were looking for southern destinations that would host us, and the Knoxville chorus actually came to Washington D.C. last weekend to march for equality with us. We decided to join them this weekend at PrideFest,” Raymond Hoffman, a D.C. Gay Men’s Chorus member, said. The festival attracted a group of religious protestors that displayed vulgar signs and verbally attacked attendees. The group of approximately 12 did not claim to represent one church or denomination but rather various ones from the Knoxville area. “Ultimately, we want these people to go home and think about what they are doing … think about their lifestyles and the benefits of it,” Luke Mathison* said. The source’s name has been changed by request and for their safety.
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Protesters march with a sign saying, “Knoxville home of the Volunqueers.”
Supporters kiss in front of counter-protesters during Saturday’s Pride march.
Multiple live musical performances took place during the festival. All photos by Nick Karrick • The Daily Beacon
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 • The Daily Beacon
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The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, August 1, 2017
UT alumna to represent US in global agriculture summit AJ Culpepper
Contributor UT alumna Emily Buck is one of five US delegates to the Bayer Youth Ag-Summit in Brussels, Belgium from Oct. 9-13. The Youth Ag-Summit assembles 100 18-25 year-olds from 49 countries to participate in structured forums and workshops centered around, what the organization calls, feeding a hungry planet. The delegates were selected by essays written on the issue of global food security. Buck chose to focus on infrastructure development, education and reducing waste in her essay. While the essay was the only required criteria, a look at Buck’s personal, academic and professional experience expanded on her qualifications. Buck’s family lives on a 400 acre farm in Gallatin, Tennessee, and at UT, she studied animal science and completed four internships in the field. Agricultural policy is not an established degree track at UT. As a result, Buck worked closely with the College of Agriculture to find policy-based internships that prepared her for career. Buck found that her path went in a different direction than what her classmates followed.
“I was a bit of an oddball. In the Animal Science department, most of the students want to be veterinarians, and if they’re not going to be veterinarians, they want to go into the cattle production industry or other livestock industries or maybe in sales in the livestock industry. So, those tend to be the only three career paths,” Buck said. Buck is a District Congressional Staffer for Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) where she works locally with eight counties in Black’s district. “I work with businesses, schools, hospitals and local governments on whatever they may need. A lot of times in the rural community, the challenge is infrastructure or education,” Buck said. From her experience working with those groups, Buck addressed failing infrastructure and education in her essay for the Ag-Summit. As rural communities face population losses, growing unemployment and declining infrastructure, there is threat to American agriculture, and thus both national and global food security. “For farmers, the goal is to be able to pass your farm down to the next generation. No farmer wakes up and says, ‘Let me ruin this farm for my son or my daughter.’ Farmers are the original stewards of the land. If they’re not
taking care of their land in a responsible way, that hurts their business,” Buck said. Buck focuses on agriculture political regulation and its impact on farmers, but agriculture’s environmental impact is not limited to farmland. From degradation of soil fertility to groundwater pollution, environmental concerns exist for policymakers and farmers alike. Because of this, Buck advocates for compromise between farmers and policymaker. “It’s really important for advocacy groups and farmers to work with legislators to be sure that there’s a compromise, for what is responsible environmental management, but at the same time responsible for farm business,” Buck said. The forces determining American agriculture are complex, but programs like the youth agriculture summit and investment in future farmers go towards resolving many issues. Claudia Baney, UT 4-H extension specialist, said programs like 4-H and FFA are important in upper-level agriculture education. “Most of our 4-H kids that come through here, a lot of them come to the Ag College, either here at UT, UT Martin, MTSU; some will go to Austin Peay, and different kinds of ag institutions across the state,” Baney said. Buck shares the passion for agriculture education in the development of future farmers as the
Emily Buck will represent the US in a global agriculture summit. • Courtesy of Emily Buck organizations help students learn what to expect going into their careers. “I’m a huge advocate for youth agricultural programs,” Buck said. “Those organizations help young people learn more about what are the current issues in the industry, what do you need to know if you want to go into this career field, so they really allow folks to build up that education.”
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 • The Daily Beacon
T H E
V O L U N T E E R
C R E E D
“One that beareth a torch shadoweth oneself to give light to others.” Being a Volunteer is about working hard for something beyond yourself. It means sacrificing yourself for others, giving back to your community, leading the way, setting an example—bearing a torch. We are committed to leadership and service, and to bettering ourselves and our community.
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The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Nonprofit restores old buildings, fights for city’s heart AJ Culpepper
Contributor From big music festivals to downtown store openings, the Knoxville renaissance is booming but leaving some historic sites in ruins. According to Knox Heritage members, a non-profit advocating for local preservation, Knoxville’s newfound verve depends on the integrity of its buildings. However, the futures of some historic buildings are in danger. Knox Heritage raises public awareness for threatened Knoxville spaces and has published the Fragile 15, a yearly compilation of Knoxville’s most endangered buildings. Kim Trent, Executive Director of Knox Heritage, believes the list generates action around historic preservation. Nominations from the public, members of Knox Heritage and the organization’s board form the list which makes it a fuller representation of the community’s desires. Heading the 2017 Fragile 15 is the Standard Knitting Mill, the last mill related to the Standard Knitting Mills compa-
ny. At its heyday, the mill produced almost one million pairs of underwear a week, earning Knoxville the title of “Underwear Capital of the World.” Working with the mill’s owners, Henry & Wallace, LLC., Knox Heritage looks to transform the building for business use while preserving its historic character. “There’s that natural human connection to the past that enriches our lives today,” Trent said. “It’s really a great model for economic development. We’ve seen that in Downtown Knoxville.” Knoxville College is third on the list; it existed for 142 years and closed in May 2015. The college’s buildings have not deteriorated much over the last two years, but Knoxville College’s future is not secure. Founded in 1875, Its first three buildings were built by its students with bricks made in the college brickyard. Before a 1901 education segregation law was passed, the historically black college had white enrollment. Knox Heritage wuses historians to research the deep history of each property, which informs their restoration efforts, Trent said. The organization works often
Standard Knitting Mill, located at 1400 Washington Ave., is on the Fragile 15 list.
McKee Hall is the oldest building at Knoxville College. Both photos by AJ Culpepper • The Daily Beacon with Jack Neely, executive director of the Knoxville History Project, who said preservation has an impact on Knoxville. “A city is its reputation, and it’s all based on its past. If you look around downtown, certainly most of the new business, the new activity, the new liveliness downtown, is in pre-1940 buildings,” Neely said. “It kind of reminds people that this city does have a depth to it, but it also provides interesting challenges for developers.” Developers are only one threat to historic Knoxville, however. Neely believes the strong property rights mindset in East Tennessee is why some owners oppose restoration. “Unfortunately that comes to bear on
lots of buildings that should be saved. The owner seems to want to tear them down just to prove that he can, and this happened many, many times,” Neely said. From neighborhood associations to the local city government, the organization takes many paths to the goal of saving a building. Not all of the Fragile 15 will be saved, if history can speak. Jack Neely frames the preservation of the buildings as a fight for Knoxville’s soul. “Old buildings are a city. Picture New York and its old buildings, or Chicago or Paris,” Neely said. “Any city is its old buildings. If you erase the old and rebuild anew, it loses not just its character but its identity.”
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 • The Daily Beacon
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The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, August 1, 2017
New law requires vertical license format Annie Tieu
News Editor Things are going sideways for underage drinkers. A new Tennessee law will require driver licenses to be printed vertically for those under 21 to prevent underage drinking. The bill, senate bill 384, was sponsored by State Senator Becky Massey (R-Knox) and Rep. Bill Dunn (R-Knoxville), and while legislation was enacted in May, licenses will not be printed in the vertical format until July 2018. “Servers have found the small red bar presently on Tennessee licenses is hard to read, especially in high volume hours when a clerk or waiter is very busy,” Massey said. “Making it quicker and easier to identify an underage person is a proactive step in preventing mistakes and protecting our roads.” Underage drinking is not a new issue, especially on, or around, college campuses, like UT. Based on data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention alcohol is a factor in the deaths of 4,358 people under 21 on average each year. In Tennessee, alcohol abuse is responsible for more than 4,300 deaths among underage youths each year. In 2016,
28 Tennesseans between the ages of 15 and 20 were in traffic fatalities with blood alcohol levels greater than .01 percent. “When I worked on the Strip, (underage drinking) was definitely an issue,” Laurel Dodson, bar manager at Central Flats and Taps, said. “I think (vertical licenses) will definitely help establishments, especially if you’re really busy. If you’re just glancing at I.D.s, it is an immediate, ‘Oh that’s definitely underage, better move on.’” While Dodson believes the change to vertical licenses will make it easier for bartenders to identify underage drinkers, she also said that the problem is far from over. “Obviously, kids still get fake I.D.s, or they’ll borrow someone’s I.D. that is of age and it looks like them,” Dodson said. “I don’t think the problem can be totally eradicated. It just comes down to vigilance on our part, really.” Similar license laws exist in 33 states, and Greg Adkins, President and CEO of the Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association, said he was excited to work to become part of the majority. “We were thrilled to partner with Sen. Massey on trying to help curb underage drinking,” Adkins said. “This will be an extremely positive change for our servers in the hospitality business.”
Annual Title IX report sent to UT, results lower Staff Report 103 Title IX violations were reported at UT in 2016 with five people found responsible for the report, according to the Title IX annual report sent to UT Wednesday morning. Title IX coordinator Jenny Richter sent the sexual misconduct, relationship violence, stalking and retaliation annual report to UT faculty, students and staff. The report included numbers on sexual misconduct prevention and education, staffing, resources, reporting numbers and a letter from Richter. 63 of 103 reports were sexual misconduct reports which includes sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and more. In 33 of those complaints, the respondent, or the accused person, was not identified or known. Three sexual misconduct cases are still pending, and two were found responsible for violating Title IX policies. 13 cases ended with the university honoring the complainant’s request for limited action, and 6 cases did not have enough evidence to move forward. Relationship violence, violence committed within a dating or domestic setting, had 23 reports in 2016. Of the 23, one respondent was found not responsible for the violence while two were found responsible by the university. Five respondents left the university and are on disciplinary hold, which means they must address the issue to return to UT. One respondent is waiting a disciplinary hearing, and the university honored eight requests for limited action. Three respondents were unknown or unidentified with two ending in an alternate resolution or the university not having enough information to continue. Stalking, which can be electronic or in person acts that cause the person to fear or feel emotional distress, took up 16 of the reports. Nine of the reports ended in the university honoring limited action requests, and two did not have enough evidence. One case had an alternative resolution, and one respondent was found responsible while another is waiting their disciplinary hearing. The majority of cases took place off campus with four stalking reports taking place both on and off campus. Compared to the past, the numbers in 2016 are almost double of 2015. Richter said this is because of increased awareness not because of more incidents. “Thanks to increased efforts and awareness on the part of all of us, more and more students are reporting incidents of
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Thanks to increased efforts and awareness on the part of all of us, more and more students are reporting incidents of misconduct and receiving the care and support needed to help with these difficult and complex issues.” Jenny Richter, Title IX coordinator
misconduct and receiving the care and support needed to help with these difficult and complex issues. We are committed to a community where active bystanders speak up and Vols truly do help Vols,” Richter wrote in the report’s letter. According to the report, organizations and students learned about how to prevent sexual assault through training sessions, campuswide events like Hike the Hill in Heels and Red Zone, resource fairs and increased communication online and in The Daily Beacon advertisements. Interim measures, actions taken to help students who report sexual misconduct to UT, increased from 94 in 2015 to 124 in 2016. In 2012, UT had 16 students helped by interim measures. Measures may include counseling, medical services, academic support, housing changes and no contact directives which are sent to both parties mandating that students do not contact each other. UT has provided numbers on sexual misconduct and interim measures for the past two years. The 2016 report was the first one to include statistics on stalking, relationship violence, staffing, training and education efforts. More information can be found at sexualassault.utk.edu .
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Tuesday, August 1, 2017 • The Daily Beacon
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Letter from your 2017-18 SGA executive leaders Hello, Vols! Whether you spent your summer abroad, exploring the beautiful city of Knoxville or simply relaxing in your own hometown, let us be the first to tell you that your Student Government Association is thrilled to have you here at UT! Even if you are new to good ole’ Rocky Top, you probably already know that there is always plenty going on. We are 27,000 of the luckiest people because we are being educated at THE University of Tennessee, where we have the opportunity to encounter unique people and experiences that mean even more than a Vols win on Saturday. As your SGA, we want to not only help facilitate these experiences and interactions, but we also want to participate with you and to connect with you and other Vols. As an organization, we exist to understand the various passions of the student body, to advocate for what you care about on campus and to seek out ways to make your experience at UT the best it can be. This year will not be without its challenges, but the best things never are. Whether it’s parking, dining, state issues, diversity and inclusion or all of the other topics that
affect our lives as students on a daily basis, we have to dive into these conversations and advocate for all students that make up our campus. One of the most important parts of our journey as students is the impact that we have on one another. This year we want you to partner with us, for your relationship with your SGA to be engaging in our programs and initiatives, but also relating to us and fellow students by sharing with us what makes being a Volunteer important to you. We are so excited for another incredible year here on Rocky Top, and we can’t wait to see you around campus and tell you what we are working on, like providing free textbooks, establishing a Creed Week and advocating for an alcohol policy change. Never hesitate to reach out if you ever have any problems, ideas or concerns you want your Student Government to address. We’re located in Dunford 2211, and we would love for you to stop by! Welcome to our Home Sweet Home. Go Vols! Morgan Hartgrove, Mickey Curtis, & Hunter Jones
Michael Curtis, Vice President (left), Morgan Hartgrove, President (middle), and Hunter Jones, Student Services Director (right) •File Photo
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The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, August 1, 2017
• Photo courtesy of Creative Commons
‘House of Cards’ season five is subtle suspense at its finest Noah Eidson
Contributor
Good movies aren’t the only thing summer is bringing to people this year. Netflix has a few shows returning that will definitely have fans spending summer hours for binge watching. The first of these shows returning is ‘House of Cards’. The fifth season of Beau Willimon’s political thriller has dropped, and they have done it again. ‘House of Cards’ season five is brilliant. After binging 13 hours of the latest season, I can safely say it’s not only brilliant but the best season so far. Even with Willimon stepping away from production to be a political activist, the show does a great job of keeping what makes the show great and continuing it. This season finds Frank Underwood in yet another political battle. This time it’s for the presidency. With his rival Will Conway becoming more of a threat, Underwood will do whatever it takes to keep ahold of the oval office. Is it enough? I cannot recommend enough that you watch for yourself and find out. Kevin Spacey is back as everyone’s favorite evil politician, and what more can be said about this role? Spacey seems to top his own performance year after year as Frank Underwood. This year is no different. It’s impossible to not find yourself cheering for him to best everyone who attempts to step in his way. The signature fourth wall breaking is back too. These soliloquies continue to be one of the best parts about the show with Spacey seemingly giving his all to every one no matter how impactful to the plot. The remaining cast is phenomenal as well. Robin Wright steals scenes as Claire Underwood and her character’s role in the story continues to
grow. This is fantastic because the president’s wife continues to be a chillingly intelligent aspect of the show who seems to be becoming more and more like Frank. Joel Kinnaman returns as Will Conway. The republican governor presents himself as Frank’s ultimate test and does not disappoint. Some of this season’s best scenes are thanks in part to his performance. In past seasons, the show has had a specific way in which it lays out plot details and creates tension. This season’s tactic is stretch out scenes of conflict to their max. This creates a subtle tension for the entire season. There are plenty of instances where the directors of episodes will sit on two characters who just had a confrontation. These post fighting moments create awkwardness and can often feel unnerving as two people just sit across from each other in silence. I felt the first half of the season does not compare as well to the second. The first part of the season seems to have a slow burn that is not matched by the second half. Episodes seven through 13 pick up the pace and offer great jaw dropping moments as well as satisfying answers. It’s not that the first half is an afterthought. It just has a slower burn with fewer moments that will grip audiences. “House of Cards’ has consistently been one of Netflix’s best shows, and season five continues that trend. Looking back, I definitely enjoyed the second half of this season more than the first. However, the latest season as a whole is the best season yet. The subtle suspense and often awkward moments of tension create the thickest atmosphere the show has ever had. Each episode had me wanting to keep watching. I don’t recommend anyone binge watch all 13 episodes like I did, but I can’t blame you if you do. Season five will pull you in from the start and won’t let go as the finale leaves you wanting more from the Underwoods.
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 • The Daily Beacon
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WELCOME BACK
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ARTS&CULTURE
The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, August 1, 2017
International Biscuit Festival bakes up fun, tourism Allie Clouse
Arts & Culture Editor
The International Biscuit Festival cooked up entertainment in Knoxville on Friday and Saturday for over 10,000 people to celebrate the food and fun biscuits bring. Event Director Lindsey Collins said the festival has seen exponential attendance growth since its beginning. The increase came as a surprise and caused problems in recent years, Collins said. “It started very small, so the growth kind of set us back. Last year, for instance, we had a lot of hang-ups with vendors unexpectedly cancelling but mostly running out of biscuits because of the crowds. This year I think we really learned from those mistakes, and this year it has almost been unsettlingly seamless,” Collins said. Collins said that while attendance increase was surprising, the reason people were attending was not so surprising. “People just really love biscuits,” Collins said. “I know my team and I feel pretty proud of our
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success. Everyone seemed to get a biscuit and that is our goal.” Peter Olson, who attended the event for the first time, said he was anxious about the crowds but happy he attended. “At first, I was really annoyed by all the people because I’m not really into crowds, but I got there early, so the lines weren’t bad at all. Overall, I thought it was really fun and delicious,” said Olson. Collins said that running out of biscuits and long lines are a problem for any festival but that International Biscuit Festival organizers make efforts to minimize the problem. “Like any festival, items are going to sell out quick, but we have worked to prevent this by giving our vendors a strict thousand biscuit policy. This means that each vendor, which attends the nonprofit event for free, are required to bring at least a thousand of their biscuits for attendees,” Collins said. While biscuit tourists filled their stomachs, they were able to attend any of the numerous events taking place at the festival. Some of these events included demonstrations, a biscuit baking contest, a biscuit songwriting competition and
At the end of the day, it’s not about the biscuits. Of course we want to feed the people and interact with the community and people travelling across the world to be a part of this extraordinary experience. Ultimately though, we do this to profit Knoxville and really bring attention to our amazing city.” LIndsey Collins, event director
Biscuit festival sees homemade and restaurant style biscuits. www.flickr.com/photos/dinesarasota the Miss or Mr. Biscuit pageant. During the biscuit baking contest, student biscuits, savory biscuits, sweet biscuits, and special biscuits were judged by renowned food writers and biscuit connoisseurs. The creator of the Hardee’s biscuit was among the variety of judges for the competition. For eight years, locals and other biscuit lovers have professed their dedication to the breakfast side by composing songs filled with biscuit related lyrics. “The songwriting competition is just a silly event that plays into our Flatbed Music Stage which plays music throughout the entire day, but I would have to say that it’s a favorite of all our attendees,” Collins said. The Miss or Mr. Biscuit pageant, a contest for anyone with a unique biscuit talent, is the most
competitive beauty race in the biscuit biz. “It’s a silly excuse for people to come dress up and have a good time while sharing their biscuit talents. We are very loose on what constitutes a biscuit talent because we want people to be creative and have fun,” Collins said. Collins and other festival organizers along with sponsors and vendors realize the uniqueness of the event and work year-round to host this special celebration of one of the South’s most prominent foods. “At the end of the day, it’s not about the biscuits. Of course we want to feed the people and interact with the community and people travelling across the world to be a part of this extraordinary experience. Ultimately though, we do this to profit Knoxville and really bring attention to our amazing city,” Collins said.
ARTS&CULTURE
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 • The Daily Beacon
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Rising americana band returns to Knoxville for concert Allie Clouse
Arts & Culture Editor
If you’re searching for a new up and coming band, look no further than Knoxville. Rising americana band, Stone Broke Saints got their start in East Tennessee as the formerly known “mojo:flow” just three years ago. Since then, the band has learned about the industry and grown exponentially. During their three year journey, the band moved to Nashville in hopes to catch their big break but instead the trip proved to be a rude awakening. The band discovered that their original name was popular among other artists, thus they were reborn as Stone Broke Saints. Along with their new name, they changed their sound to a “funk-rock hybrid” and earned a greater respect for the business after facing several other career setbacks in Music City. Now, as their debut album under their new name approaches, the band has returned to their roots. Stone Broke Saints travelled back to where it all started this past weekend. The band opened for headliner “Melodime” at Open Chord Music, a
Jenna McClelland, member of Stone Broke Saints, flips her hair during a performance at The Open Chord on May 28. Allie Clouse • The Daily Beacon brewhouse and stage located on Kingston Pike, Sunday night to entertain longtime fans as well as perform new works from their upcoming record. Band members Jenna and Michael McClelland and Andrew Brown took the stage and filled the dim locale with their rock sound and edgy style as they per-
formed numerous high energy numbers to the middle-aged crowd. Their music was a perfect mix of funk, twang, and classic rock ‘n’ roll and fit the vibe of the venue and audience. Lead singer, Jenna McClelland appropriately wore leather pants, long hair, tattoos, and a tank bearing the phrase “Only music
can save us” while energetically jumping around stage for the entirety of the set. Her fellow bandmates performed long, impressive solo instrumentals. However, it wasn’t the talent or aesthetic of the band that had the crowd singing and clapping but rather the passion that the band had for not only their music but also their city and listeners. Although crowd members were an older demographic, nearly everyone had seen the band perform previously and followed them since the beginning, which speaks volumes about their fan appreciation. The band took several breaks throughout the show to address and thank their loyal fans. Overall, Stone Broke Saints heavily interacted with their crowd and provided a solid show featuring amazing vocals, impressive instrumentals, genuineness, and fun all in a comfortable environment. However, the band still has a long road ahead of them before they make their dreams a reality. I suggest giving their newest release a listen once it drops or even watch them perform live on their first tour to experience the Stone Broke Saints up close and personal. Their attitude and unique sound is worth a listen to anyone searching for a band on the rise at home.
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Tuesday, August 1, 2017 • The Daily Beacon
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ARTS&CULTURE
The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Mark your calendars: 1. “Ingrid Goes West” Release date: Aug. 11
‘Transformers: The Last Knight’: bloated garbage Noah Eidson
2. “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” Release date: Sept. 22
3. “The Mountain Between Us” Release date: Oct. 6
4. “Stars Wars: The Last Jedi” Release date: Dec. 15
Contributor
Before anyone gets up in arms about this review, understand that I’m not just another Michael Bay bashing critic. ‘The Rock’ is an enjoyable action film, and I enjoy the first ‘Transformers’ movie a lot more than I probably should have. The story had plenty of problems, but the cinematography was decent with some impressive shots scattered throughout. The comedy was mostly hit or miss, but the cgi looked amazing. It was in my mind a solid summer blockbuster. Here’s the thing, I was fine with the problems of the first film, and I expected them to learn from their mistakes with the sequels. That has not been the case. The previous sequels have been varying degrees of terrible. The problems have been consistent and so have the movies themselves. Look back at the ‘Transformer’ franchise. Every plot has been the same. The autobots meet up with a human character who is nowhere as interesting as their cgi counterparts. We are introduced to a magical item that somehow links the Transformers to human history. The decepticons clash with the autobots in order to keep them away from said item or to get it themselves. Then we get some military subplots with people sounding a lot more important than what they’re actually saying. Also, there’s usually some actor who is way too good for this movie. They usually play an unfunny side character, or the villain in Kelsey Grammer’s case. Guess what! The fifth installment checks all those boxes and not just storyline boxes. The problems that have plagued the franchise are here and they are here in abundance. Before I talk about the film’s many problems, I would like to point out the good, and it’s the things that have been consistently good throughout the series. There are some incredible shots in the final twenty minutes, and the cgi is equally impressive. The Transformers look great, and Bay once again shows that he can produce gorgeous action scenes. Now it’s time for the bad- the rest of the film. Once again, we get a thin plot that takes very little brain power to tear apart. The movie is all over the place and contradicts itself constantly. Late in the runtime, a series long plot line is completely solved with no explanation. The comedy is almost
Transformers: The Last Knight’ debuted in theaters on June 21,2017. • Courtesy of IMDB always miss. The jokes can be seen from a mile away, and there seems to be no thought put into them. Early on, I found a lack flow between takes. Except for action sequences, we mostly get still shots with quick cuts. Each shot is more of a clip that rarely stays on screen for more than three seconds. As far as acting, it’s mostly bland with an exception or two. Mark Wahlberg announced that he will no longer be in the series anymore, and it’s pretty obvious that he’s done with the series. There are multiple lines where Marky Mark seems to give no effort. I don’t blame him. The dialogue is not much to work with, and he sometimes gives it his best effort. This installment will not change the mind of naysayers, but fans will find the same things that they loved about the previous entries present here. This mainly due to no change in the formula to be found. They do make Optimus Prime evil, but that quickly ends as we all knew it would. It’s obvious that I did not enjoy my time with this film, but I’m no more than a stuffy cinema snob. If you’re a fan of this franchise, this will more than likely please you and I definitely encourage you to go see it if that is the case. However if you are looking for a change in formula, avoid at all costs.
SPORTS
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 • The Daily Beacon
FOOTBALL
Fulmer named special adviser to school president Tyler Wombles
Sports Editor
Former Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer has been hired as special adviser to the president for community, athletics and university relations, University of Tennessee President Joe DiPietro announced Tuesday, June 20. “Phillip has been a tremendous asset to the University of Tennessee both on and off the field for more than 40 years,” DiPietro said in a university email. “I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with him on the UT President’s Council, and I look forward to working with him in a broader sense to advocate for the University with our key stakeholders.”
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I look forward to serving UT campuses statewide, our communities, and UT athletics for the greater good of our state and university.” Phillip Fulmer, special advisor
Fulmer will advocate for the University system with UT alumni and elected officials alongside UT government relations and alumni affairs. He will also aid the athletic programs at UT Knoxville, Chattanooga and Martin, and be an ambassador for the system at community and athletics events. “This is a special opportunity for me,” Fulmer said in the same university release. “I’ve had the chance to work with Dr. DiPietro for a couple of years in a volunteer capacity, and I was excited when he approached me with this position. “I look forward to serving UT campuses statewide, our communities, and UT athletics for the greater good of our state and university.” Fulmer graduated from UT Knoxville in 1972 after a playing career as an offensive guard for the Vols. He returned to the program as an
Phillip Fulmer watches the jumbotron during a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2012. • File Photo assistant coach in 1980 and was named head coach in 1992. Widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in program history, Fulmer notched a 152-52 overall record while leading the Vols, including a 96-34 conference mark. He won a national championship in 1998 and acquired two SEC championships and seven SEC East titles in his tenure at Tennessee. He ranks second in Tennessee history in total wins behind Robert Neyland, and is the third coach in program history to win a national title. He recently served as consultant and special assistant to the athletic director as East Tennessee State University, where he helped the school resurrect its football program. Fulmer was inducted into the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame in 2012. He has volunteered through the UT President’s Council since 2015 and was
awarded the 2016 President’s Council Award in 2016. Fulmer was considered a strong candidate for the open athletic director position when Dave Hart retired earlier this year. The job ultimately went to John Currie. “As a native Tennessean who has given his all for the Vols throughout his life, both as a student-athlete on the field and during a Hall of Fame coaching career leading our program to its most dominant and successful era in modern history, Coach Fulmer is a perfect ambassador for our University and our athletics program,” Currie said. “I’ve appreciated and enjoyed numerous visits with Coach Fulmer since I returned to Knoxville, and I am honored to work with him in support of President DiPietro and Chancellor Beverly Davenport as we serve the University of Tennessee, our students and student-athletes.”
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FOOTBALL
Vols talk expections, coaching changes at Media Days Rob Harvey
Managing Editor
Tyler Wombles
Sports Editor
SEC Media Days opened up on Monday, July 10, with the Tennessee Vols joining the LSU Tigers and Arkansas Razorbacks as the first three teams to speak during the week. This was head coach Butch Jones’ fifth media days in Hoover, AL and this time he brought with him three seniors: defensive lineman Kendal Vickers, offensive lineman Jashon Robertson and defensive back Emmanuel Moseley. Here is a summary of what each had to say about the offseason and the upcoming summer. Head Coach Butch Jones: Jones faces his toughest season yet in his fifth year as head coach of Tennessee and, with a younger team and a lot of uncertainty, remains very confident in his team and how far the program has come in his tenure. “I really like this football team,” Jones said. “I think they’ve shown great spirit, a great workman like approach. You’re always looking to what’s next but sometimes you step back about how far we’ve come in four years… You look at our football program right now and how difficult it is to win in the Southeastern Conference, there’s only three programs that have won nine games or more back to back seasons, and Tennessee is one of those programs.” Beginning 30 minutes after the Music City Bowl, the quarterback competition has been the topic of discussion among fans this offseason. Redshirt Freshman Jarrett Guarantano and junior Quinten Dormady are still competing for that starting job and have Jones excited about what is to come. “I’m excited about all of our quarterbacks,” Jones said. “There are two little bit of differences in personalities but they’re very very competitive. Their skill sets are very similar… They’re competing everyday, but they’re also helping each other everyday. “You got Jarett who is a feisty competitor, young and ambitious, and then you have Quinten who has been in the program a little bit, a little more reserved. All of them have done a great job.” The summer has looked different for the Vols as they engaged in 7-on-7’s for the first time in Jones’ tenure as Vols coach and Jones has been thrilled with how those have gone so far. Jones says that the quarterback and older players have led those drills. As the summer begins to wind down and fall camp begins, Jones has been thrilled with how far the team has come and credits that to the
players and strength coach Rock Gullickson. “We’ve had our best summer to date,” Jones said. “I think it’s a tribute to our players, it’s a tribute to our leadership and it’s a tribute to Rock Gullickson and our entire strength and conditioning staff. These individuals have had a great workman like approach starting in January after the bowl victory over Nebraska… We’re excited to get back and start working with them.” Jones also discussed changes including going back to having captains on a game to game basis. Big news to the depth at defensive line came on Monday as well with Jones saying that Shy Tuttle was back to running after his broken leg suffered in the South Carolina game last fall. Jashon Robertson: A three-year starter at offensive line, Jashon Robertson has been on an up and down roller coaster at his time at Tennessee. Robertson started as a defensive lineman his freshman year but moved to the offensive line before the year started and became a freshman all American. From there, Robertson has stayed in a starting role for his whole UT career and is looking forward to competing and being a leader this year. “We have a lot of guys who are working their butts off right now,” Robertson said. “They give everything they have day in and day out, whether it’s in the meeting room, on the field or in the weight room. That’s what you can expect from this team, a team that’s going to work hard, give everything they have and that’s day in and day out.” Freshman Trey Smith has been a topic of discussion all offseason and Robertson has loved what he has seen out of Smith so far as a freshman, even if he doesn’t think Smith looks like one. “Trey Smith is young and sometimes it’s hard to forget that because he’s big,” Robertson said. “He’s a very talented individual like a lot of guys in our room. Trey has been working very hard in the weight room… and we just push each other.” With a team with a lot of young players, the Vols will look to rely on the younger players a lot during the season and Robertson has already been impressed with some of the young talent. “I’m just really impressed with the class overall as a whole,” Robertson said. “We have something called the program that we do and it was just a huge difference in culture with the young guys. They were very enthusiastic and didn’t question much of anything and just went at everything at 100%. From that point forward, I knew what kind of class this was going to be.” Warren, defensive backs focused on
A Tennessee helmet on display at SEC Media Days on July 10, 2017. Tyler Wombles • The Daily Beacon detail: A former player and assistant coach for the Air Force Falcons, Charlton Warren is high on detail. At Tennessee, he is coaching his position in that same vein. “He coaches a lot on details, and that’s what you need as a cornerback and in the defensive backfield,” senior defensive back Emmanuel Moseley said of Warren. “So I think he’s been a great contributor (to the team).” Warren joined the Vols in January after coaching defensive backs at North Carolina for two seasons. He has also spent time on the staff at Nebraska. He worked with Moseley and the rest of Tennessee’s secondary this spring, and a strong relationship has already formed between the coach and his players. The group has even shared quality time together off of the field. “I’m very comfortable with him,” Moseley said. “He actually had all of us over for the Fourth (of July). We had a good time at his house…” Warren surely hopes that that link between the defensive backs helps strengthen a secondary that was cited as one of Tennessee’s major weaknesses last season. As the squad’s depth in the defensive backfield increases (Louisville graduate transfer Shaq Wiggins transferred to the Vols earlier in the year, and several freshman DB’s have now joined the team), Moseley sees his positional peers aiding each other this offseason. “We’re definitely helping each other out,” Moseley said. “We’re trying to put the best
players on the field…Just trying to see what we can do.” Defensive line working in Barnett’s absence: Senior defensive lineman Kendal Vickers has witnessed a certain receptiveness in the Vols’ younger big men. “All of those guys take coaching,” Vickers said. “All of them do. That’s the one thing I got out of it. Those guys like coming in to work. They don’t complain. They don’t ask why… “They just go in and work. And that’s all you can ask for as a freshman.” Following the departure of standout defensive end Derek Barnett to the NFL, Vickers and the rest of the Vols’ defensive line was left in a precarious situation. Replacing the program’s career sacks leader won’t be easy. Not to mention the task of improving on Tennessee’s play up front from last season, when the Vols gave up 218.5 rushing yards per game and a 5.0 yard average per opponent rushing attempt. But Vickers sees potential in the team’s new additions and the return of Kahlil Mckenzie and Shy Tuttle, both of whom had seasonending injuries last year, to the lineup. “Those guys have been working hard,” Vickers said. “Those guys have been trying to get back in football shape. Shy and Kahlil coming back better than ever. Those guys are gonna help out a lot this year…Our depth at D tackle is very good right now.” Vickers recorded 2.5 sacks and 38 total tackles in 2016. Tuttle and Mckenzie had 9 and 12 tackles, respectively.
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 • The Daily Beacon
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SOFTBALL
MEN’S BASKETBALL
SPORTS
Relationships, expectations to carry over for 2018 Vols Tyler Wombles
Sports Editor When Megan Geer contemplated what she would remember about the 2017 Tennessee softball team, neither stats nor wins and losses came to her mind. The close bond shared between her teammates did. “This team was different than any of the other teams I had been a part of,” Geer said after Tennessee’s season-ending loss to Texas A&M in the NCAA Softball Tournament Super Regionals. “I think I will remember how much everyone loved each other. “There were strong friendships made, and I think that is what the girls will remember.” Those friendships were fortified throughout the course of a season that featured both highlevel success and disappointing defeat, and saw the squad notch a win streak that was the longest for the program since Monica Abbott was in the circle for the Vols. Tennessee won its first thirteen games of the regular season, including a 2-1 defeat of reigning national champion Oklahoma. The Sooners swept Florida in the NCAA Softball Tournament World Series Finals on Tuesday to claim their second title in a row. After an 8-5 stretch, the Vols found momentum and pushed it into high gear, recording a 20-game win streak that took the college softball world by storm. The streak included series wins against then-No. 9 Alabama, No. 20 Kentucky, and No. 23 Ole Miss. The slew of victories concluded with a 1-0 loss to LSU, and the Vols waded through a rough patch of matchups to end the regular season, notching 3-3 record throughout its final six games. LSU struck down Tennessee once more during the SEC Tournament, eliminating the Vols
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This team was different than any of the other teams I had been a part of.” Megan Geer, former UT softball player
from contention in their first contest. Tennessee rebounded, though, and went 3-0 in the NCAA Softball Tournament Regionals to enter the Super Regionals against Texas A&M. Despite taking the first game in the series 8-1, the Vols were bested by the Aggies in the next two contests, and saw their season end without a bid for the World Series. The team finished the season with a 48-12 overall record, paced by the pitching of sophomore Matty Moss and freshman Caylan Arnold. Arnold, a Maryville High School product, was named SEC Freshman of the Year and to the SEC All-Freshman Team for her work in the circle, which included 20 wins and 144 strikeouts. Junior standout Meghan Gregg led Tennessee on the offensive side, notching a .437 batting average and 79 RBI’s. The infielder also hit 15 home runs and was awarded SEC Player of the Year, All-SEC First Team and All-SEC Defensive Team. “This is the most fun team I’ve ever been on,” Gregg said. “This team totally bought into everything that we were doing. Everyone had each other’s back and was having fun. We fed off each other’s energy. I couldn’t have asked for a better team.” The Vols will graduate just two seniors, Geer and utility player Kassidy Gallo, from the 2017 roster, and are bringing in a recruiting class that should give Tennessee more depth moving forward. The class is headlined by pitcher Gabby Sprang from Minnesota. Sprang is ranked No. 3 in FloSoftball’s 2017 Hot 100 list and will provide the Vols with another arm to take the weight off of Moss and Arnold. Outfielder Amanda Ayala, infielder Brooke Langston and utility player Ashley Morgan make up the rest of the class. As the Vols prepare for the 2018 season, they will look to find an answer on how to overcome an incredibly tough conference in the SEC. Every team in the conference made it to the NCAA Tournament in 2017, with an SEC squad (Texas A&M) dooming the Vols’ chances of making the World Series. “It just says a lot for the SEC,” co-head coach Karen Weekly said. “The SEC expects to be great in anything that they do, and they expect all of their institutions to field competitive teams.” According to Gregg, the 2017 Tennessee squad can be an example for next year’s team in terms of attitude and relationships among teammates. “Our team set the bar high, and we will expect the same next year,” Gregg said. “We have a lot of youth that will continue to do what they did this year.
Zach Kent warms up for a Rocky Top League game on June 21, 2017. Rob Harvey • The Daily Beacon
Kent’s size could improve depth Rob Harvey
Managing Editor
Growing up in Delaware, it would have been acceptable for Tennessee basketball freshman Zach Kent to say that he hadn’t really seen a lot of SEC basketball. However, Kent had a different response than most. “Being from Delaware? We have TV’s. We see it like everyone else,” Kent said on Monday, June 19. Kent, a native of Magnolia, Del. is one of five new players for the Vols basketball team looking to make an impact. Coming out of high school, Kent was a three-star recruit who had offers from Clemson, South Carolina and Northwestern. Standing at 6-feet-10 inches, Kent is one of the tallest players on the Vols team now; however, he weighs in around 235 pounds. Already at UT though, Kent has worked to get bigger so that he can make an impact on the court. Kent, who called himself a “Swiss Army Knife” says that he is dull right now and needs to work on his conditioning to get ready for the season. “It’s been very challenging, but I’m gonna get it done,” Kent said. “I’m gonna keep getting better. Conditioning and strength is a big part of why I chose here, because of the great staff, and it’s a thing that I’m gonna continue to work on. That’s a big point of focus for me, getting in the best shape I can get in, as well as being a strong as I can be as quickly as I can.” Being as tall as he is, Kent is expected to add depth to the center position for the Vols as the team struggled last year with consistency at
that position after the injury of John Fulkerson. However, Kent, as well as being able to make shots in the paint, can also shoot from outside giving head coach Rick Barnes the option of playing Kent in other spots on the floor. “Zach obviously adds some needed size and length to our frontcourt, but he’ll also elevate our overall skill level with his ability to pass and shoot the ball, as well as his high basketball IQ,” Vols head coach Rick Barnes said when Kent signed with the team. “He’s got a solid inside game and is developing an ability to score with his back to the basket. Kent is willing and able to play any spot and is very comfortable in where his game is at, so much so that he doesn’t even have an opinion on what position he should play. “I’m just a basketball player. I’m a 6-10 basketball player,” Kent said. “I’m normally gonna be around the basket, which I love to do, but I can also stretch the floor. I can shoot it comfortably out to about 25 feet. I envision myself being wherever they need me to be. I like to think I can play multiple spots on the court.” Kent is currently playing in the Rocky Top League like most of the other Vols as he tries to improve his game in the summer. In his first two games, Kent is averaging six points while his team sits with a record of 1-1. With the season still being a ways away, Kent, being a freshman, doesn’t really know what to expect. “I’m going in with no expectations. Zero expectations,” Kent said. “I’m just looking to get better. I expect to get better. I’m not gonna make crazy predictions at all. There’s a lot of work that I’ve got to do, and a lot of work that I’m ready to do and I’ve already started to do. I’m just gonna keep going down that road.”
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The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, August 1, 2017
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Schofield, other Vols get reps in Rocky Top League Tyler Wombles
Sports Editor Despite having two seasons under his belt at Tennessee, junior forward Admiral Schofield isn’t slowing down during the summer. The Zion, Illinois, native is working on perfecting his ball handling, passing and conditioning this offseason and, along with multiple fellow Vols, competing in the annual Rocky Top League. The league features six company-sponsored teams filled with local college basketball standouts. Schofield is one of 12 current Tennessee players competing. That list includes three first-year Vols, with guard Chris Darrington and forwards Zach Kent and Derrick Walker also in the lineup. “Mainly (Rocky Top League) is just for us to work on our offensive game against guys who are out there competing really hard,” Schofield said on July 21. “And just give the fans a show. That’s really what it’s about.” Schofield leads the league with 37 points per game. Darrington is fourth with 25 points per contest.
Darrington said on Monday, June 19, that the Rocky Top League was his first experience playing in a summer basketball league. “I had fun playing with some really good guys on my team,” Darrington said. “I thought I had a complete game (on Monday). Turned the ball over a little bit too much, but I thought for the most part I did what I needed to do, and we got the W. That’s all that matters.” Before play begins each year, team coaches and league administrators fill out the rosters through a draft of available players. Guards Jordan Bowden and Jalen Johnson were drafted by DeRoyal Industries, with Schofield and guard Lucas Campbell taken by Garza Law Firm. Center Kyle Alexander and guard Jacob Fleschmann are included on the Knoxville News Sentinel’s roster, as are Kent and forward Grant Williams for Rice Buick GMC. Guards Jordan Bone and Brad Woodson play for Smithbuilt, and Darrington and Walker play for Tillman Companies. Former Vols Bobby Maze, Wayne Chism and Lew Evans are also competing. With the Rocky Top League serving as a side item to what’s already on most players’ plates during offseason training, defense isn’t at a pre-
Admiral Schofield watches a free throw in a Rocky Top League game on July 21, 2017. Rob Harvey • The Daily Beacon mium most nights. It is the other side of the ball that attracts fans to watch league play. Long 3-pointers, alley oops and slam dunks are commonplace on the court as players showcase their offensive talents each game. “We do a lot during the day, so I’m not going to come out here and play defense super hard,” Schofield said. “For me, I just try to come out
and compete on the offensive end, not too much on the defensive end… “I try not to overexert my body and just come out and work on some of the things I work on all the time.” The Rocky Top League concluded on July 3 with Rice Buick GMC victorious over Tillman Companies.
SPORTS
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MEN’S BASKETBALL
Vols gear up for European trip as new season approaches Cory Sanning
Staff Writer With a fresh, new season quickly approaching on the horizon, the Tennessee men’s basketball team has already gone to work. Just 14 days stand between the Vols and a long journey across the Atlantic, and head coach Rick Barnes and crew already appear to be in midseason form. “I don’t think there’s any question that this fall we’re going to have the best practices we’ve ever had,” Barnes said. “We’re going to have a full roster of guys who are competitive, who work hard and have done everything we’ve asked them to do.” For Barnes, the upcoming exhibition tour of Spain and France not only offers the chance to kick the preseason off with a bang; it gives the players a chance to tour the world and grow closer as a unit. “Some of these guys have never been out of the country,” Barnes said. “So I think this trip will be a great, educational opportunity for them. In terms of the chemistry with our guys, it’s as good as it’s ever been. This trip can take that a step further.” Boasting a relatively young core, the Vols
are coming off of a season in which they finished 16-16 overall and managed to pull off an upset over the Kentucky Wildcats at Thompson Boling Arena on January 24. A close-knit group, they have all remained close over the summer, spending a truckload of time on campus. They even watched the NBA Finals together. Junior guard and Toledo, Ohio native Chris Darrington says his teammates have fully embraced each other over the past two months and looks forward to experiencing different cultures alongside this group. “Even before the trip, we’re here in the summer time, we’re all together,” Darrington said. “We’re all together, and will be over there as well. I think it will be great.” While regular season play doesn’t officially tip off until November 10, Tennessee is clearly wasting no time to prepare. Although the Vols have several key contributors nursing and rehabilitating various injuries, including guards Lamote Turner and Jordan Bowden, the team has hit the ground running. With a loaded roster full of promising talent, this could turn out to be one of the program’s more competitive groups in recent memory.
Men’s basketball coach, Rick Barnes, instructs plays to the Vols. •File Photo “I told a couple of them that for the first time in their lives, they’re really going to have to compete for minutes.” Barnes chuckled. “I
believe our team is going to be a very competitive group of guys, and they’re going to have to earn every minute they get.”
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SPORTS
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 • The Daily Beacon
FOOTBALL
Assistant coaches bring passion, experience to Vols Tyler Wombles
Sports Editor Tennessee defensive line coach Brady Hoke advises more than just players. He was the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines from 2011 to 2014, and he uses that experience to aid Tennessee head coach Butch Jones in whatever way possible. “Everyday is different,” Hoke said during a press conference with fellow assistants Larry Scott, Bob Shoop and Mike Canales on Friday. “Through our experiences (as former head coaches) … it’s our job to, when Coach asks, that we give him our experiences and we can help when it becomes a matter of making some tough decisions. “Just another person that maybe has gone through it and can give your experiences with it.” Jones expressed his joy in having assistants that can advise him as a head coach during SEC Media Days, and that sentiment is not lost on those giving the advice. Scott was the interim head coach of the Miami Hurricanes when Al Golden was fired in October of 2016. The Florida native led the Hurricanes to a 4-2 record during his interim tenure. Shoop manned the position at Columbia from 2003 to 2005. The Lions notched an overall record of 7-23 with Shoop at the helm. Canales was the head coach of the North Texas Mean Green in 2010 and again in 2015, with the team producing a 3-9 total record during those two seasons.
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It’s our job to ... give him our experiences and we can help when it becomes a matter of making some tough decisions.” Brady Hoke, UT Defensive Line Coach
“Until you sit at that end of the table and have to wear all of the hats of the program, I don’t think there’s one thing or no time that will have you ready for that until you have to take on those responsibilities…” Scott said. “It was one of the best experiences I could have ever had.” Penn State case ‘not a distraction’: Shoop, Tennessee’s defensive coordinator, hasn’t found a recent legal situation regarding his career to be a distraction in his role on the field for the Vols. The 50 year-old from Pennsylvania is currently being sued by his hometown team and former employer, Penn State, for close to $900,000 due to a buyout of his contract when he served as the Nittany Lions’ defensive coordinator before leaving for Tennessee. Penn State claims that Shoop left the program with two years remaining on his contract. Shoop is countersuing Penn State, saying that he was being compelled to leave the school and that the work environment was a negative and hostile one. “It’s not a distraction at all,” Shoop said. “The only time it’s any distraction is when (the media) bring it up. “I promise you it’s just a matter of the contract. We have a number that we feel we owe them and they have a number that they feel we owe them, and people who know a lot more than I do about this stuff are handling it.” Recruiting vital for Scott, Canales: Both Scott and Canales share a passion for a certain aspect of the college game: recruiting. “I’m going to always be involved in recruiting,” Scott said. “I love it. It’s the lifeblood off every program. You know that. You can be as good of a coach as you want to and coach until you’re blue in the face, but if you don’t have really good players and people, you don’t have a shot.” Canales’ efforts on the recruiting trail have garnered particular attention as of late. The quarterback coach takes a black bag with the Power T logo with him on every trip, and pictures of the bag at different locations have become popular particularly on social media. “Obviously the bag took off a little bit more than I thought it was going to,” Canales said. “But it was something that’s a different niche. It’s something that recruits like. They want to know, ‘Where’s the bag?’ “So I think that part of it is good, but it’s being able to find a connect.”
Bob Shoop calls out plays during the Vols football practice. •File Photo
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The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, August 1, 2017
BASEBALL
Vols introduce new baseball coach Vitello Cory Sanning
experience and knowledge. The No. 2 ranked recruiter in the nation by D1Baseball.com, Vitello has gathered eight top-15 signing classes, including the country’s very best in At a time in which most college stu- 2014. dents are flocking to summer vacation “Our process has yielded a perfect fit homes, Tennessee baseball has also been in Coach Tony Vitello,” Currie said. “His in a state of transition. passion for baseball, relationship buildFollowing a relatively disappointing ing, and student athlete development season in which the Vols finished just check all of the boxes.” two games above .500, longtime coach Not only does Vitello come in with Dave Serrano decided to call it a career an impressive resume as a recruiter, in Knoxville, and a nationwide search for he’s also mentored under three great the next leader of coaches at TCU, Volunteer baseball Missouri, and finally reached its Arkansas. conclusion Friday. Taking the In front of a reigns of one of crowd packed with the bigger athmedia, fans, and letic programs former UT playin the state ers, Tennessee will be no easy Vice Chancellor/ task, but Vitello D i re c t o r of appeared loose Athletics John and confident in Currie introduced both he and his Tony Vitello, staff ’s ability to whom, upon being have an impact announced, was on the univerpresented with a sity. jacket with more He even took orange packed in a few moments it than the average to joke around Tennessee alumni’s with the large closet. scrum of observ“To me, there’s ers packed no question that inside Lindsey this is my best Nelson Stadium. John Currie, athletic director day,” Vitello said. “I’m extreme“But we won’t talk ly gracious for about my worst the opportuday, though.” nity, and I owe Vitello arrives in a lot to John (Currie),” Vitello said. Knoxville following a four-year stint “Although, he probably owes me dinner with the Arkansas Razorbacks, serving for the 1:45 a.m. phone call that started as an assistant coach and recruiting this.” coordinator. With 14 years of quality experience in During those years, he helped trans- the SEC already under his belt, Vitello form Arkansas into one of the more appeared Friday to be prepared for the competitive baseball programs in the challenge that lies ahead. country, averaging around 38 wins per With a long offseason of recruiting year, including a trip to the 2015 College and developing ahead, Tennessee baseWorld Series. ball will need him to be. He coached 16 MLB draft picks “I want to be loyal to the Volunteers,” (including six in the first round) and Vitello said. “This first year, I plan on brings a compelling combination of both going into a cave ... I won’t be looking youth and potential as well as extensive anywhere for anything else.” Staff Writer
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Our process has yielded a perfect fit in Coach Tony Vitello. His passion for baseball, relationship building, and student athlete development check all of the boxes.”
SPORTS
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 • The Daily Beacon
FOOTBALL
Kendal Vickers, #39, watches as the Vols are defeated 49-10 by Alabama on Oct. 15, 2016. •File Photo
Vickers leading defensive line Tyler Wombles
Sports Editor
When Derek Barnett’s name was called at the 2017 NFL Draft in Philadelphia, Kendall Vickers’ role with the Tennessee Volunteers changed. No longer was he just another starting defensive lineman; he became the next leader at his position, essentially taking over the role from the program’s all-time leader in career sacks. “(This summer) I think I developed into a guy that speaks when I need to speak,” Vickers said Monday at SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala. “I know those guys need me to be a leader, and I know the whole D line needs me to be there and even the defense. “So I had to go step out of my comfort role.” Vickers played alongside Barnett and alsodeparted Cory Vereen in 2016, starting at defensive tackle. While a slew of different linemen played in the other tackle spot due to injury and the dismissal of Danny O’Brien from the program, Vickers remained a constant in Tennessee’s lineup. “It was hard, but we just had a next man up mentality,” Vickers said. “We had to pull defensive ends to play D tackle…It’s crazy all those guys went down, but we had a mentality about, ‘He’s out, but I’ve got to step up. I’ve got to play as best as I can.’” Vickers totaled 38 tackles and 2.5 sacks last season, an impressive stat line for an interior lineman. But his role now encompasses more than what shows up in the box score.
He isn’t afraid of the challenge, though. “I like it,” Vickers said. “I think I am a leader on this team and I know those guys respond to me as well.” The importance of leadership on and off the field is not lost on head coach Butch Jones, either. “Leadership is the key to any successful football team, and we do have to replace some individuals there,” Jones said on Monday. “But that’s the exciting thing about this football team is it’s really been leadership by the entire team. It started with our 17 seniors. “They’ve done a great job of really educating our younger players about the standards and expectations within our football program, and this is probably the best collective leadership that we’ve had in our program to date.” Tennessee’s defensive line welcomes five freshmen to the roster for the 2017 season, which gives Vickers plenty of sculpting material to work with. As the Vols await the emergence of the next Derek Barnett, the job will be to develop the team’s younger line talent. For a defense that gave up 218.5 rushing yards per game to opponents, those players may need to develop quickly. But Vickers is optimistic that, under his tutelage, they will be able to. “I’ve always personally had that mentality, just to go out there and just work as hard as you can and the results will speak for itself,” Vickers said. “So as long as I’m putting that on those guys as well, they can just follow me and we’ll all have that blue collar mentality. “And we’ve been doing that this offseason so far.”
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As it Stands: Avoiding intellectual avoidance Hancen Sale
Columnist I started 2016 with excitement—my first presidential election a mere 6 months and a few days away. Now—six months into 2017—I wish I had never experienced much of what 2016 had to offer. I’ve spent much of the last few months in a daze, recovering from all the hatred which flowed from each side of the aisle. “What in the world could provoke this much violence and fear and pain and resentment?” I asked myself frequently. Today, I still do not feel like I can answer that question with much certitude. But, there is one answer which does seem to evoke some sort of confidence: avoidance. For example: Take a walk through a public high school or college campus. I am sure you will be acutely aware of the judgment cast upon you. It may not be wholly undesirable: maybe you are the former prom queen, the athlete, or the school’s largest donor. But, there is also a persisting amount of unflattering assessments: the weirdo, the flamboyant annoyance.
Judgment, especially that which is hardly warranted, is inherent in American culture. From an early age, we are all told to avoid those in creepy white vans—or whatever social outcasts persist in one’s society at a given time. Instead of a populace which truly values open arms, American culture proliferates an encroaching fear of the other. Of course, this fear rarely presents itself as fear itself, or prejudice for that matter. But rather, it is manifested by avoidance and combativeness. For instance, children are taught to run from anyone unbeknownst to them who lends a helping hand, and politicians refrain from confronting the fears and struggles of their adversaries. With avoidance comes great polarization—how could one identify a commonality of interest when there is no one at the table to begin with. I would be remiss if I did not confirm my own failings; I spent much of 2016 solely invested in liberal takes on the world. It is not in itself bad—liberalism, that is. I gained much insight to how many currently view the world. I learned to participate in and actively console those of my counterparts with genuine fears and concerns
about where the world is going. But, it led me to lack reference for a whole other perspective— many others, actually. In retrospect, I actively participated in what was—and still continues to be—the greatest problem facing humanity today: avoidance. I indulged in the easiness of confirming my own opinion, although my rhetoric may have said otherwise. In theory, I successfully evaded avoidance. I read the conservative views; I watched the conservative conversation. But, theory and practice are vastly dissimilar. It may have been that I was at the table, but I was wholly unprepared for intellectual endurance required to stay there. The most realistic antithesis to avoidance is practicing humility: the ceaseless, never-ending process of approaching the other with an openmind. Humility doesn’t simply bring you to the table; it renders your heart and mind defenseless and vulnerably invested in the conversation. 2016 may have been an overly violent year; it has certainly fractured the bonds of reciprocity which binds all of humanity together. However, I believe—although hesitant, or maybe perverted—we are better for it.
This fear rarely presents itself as fear itself, or prejudice for that matter. But rather, it is manifested by avoidance and combativeness.”
Hancen Sale is a sophomore in business management and can be reached at hsale@ vols.utk.edu.
Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.
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Brain Rules: A scientific discussion about gender Anu Kumar
Columnist
The topic of whether gender and sex are distinct from each other seems to grow in debate each day. During Pride month, the topic seemed to become more frequented and therefore might raise many questions. A common argument against the distinction between sex/gender is that a female has XX as her sex chromosomes and a man has XY as his sex chromosomes. There can be points presented that perhaps the sex chromosomes aren’t exactly normal, like a woman only having one X or a man having XYY. However, let’s table this concept for now and focus on individuals who do not have an abnormal combination of sex chromosomes. A literature review paper (composed by Arthur P. Arnold, Xuqi Chen, and Yuichiro Itol explain how individuals with the same sex chromosomes can still have varying degrees of genetic expression. Citing from several other sources, they compare genes to multiple networks working together in order to express a certain physical or behavioral trait, commonly referred to as a phenotype. As Arnold, Chen and Itol, point out, there can be some significant differences present simply from the individual having an XX or XY, such as males being more susceptible to red-green colorblindness. Because of this information, we can ask ourselves if someone’s XX or XY chromosomes are expressed in different ways or in different degrees based on their individual genome. Different classifications of genders say “yes,” which many people might disagree with if they simply attended a basic biology lecture during their primary, middle or high school education. In the lit review, the authors proposed that four different classes of sex chromosomes exist. This itself is a very impactful claim to our discussion of the expression of a person’s biological sex – which we will label as gender for the remainder of the article in accordance to Arnold, Chen and Itol’s paper. They note that several different studies note the existence of a single category of Y chromosomes, two categories of X chromosomes, and one category that involves specific regions of the sex chromosomes. Class 1 are only known to affect males, as the gene that determines testis-formation, also known as Sry, are only present in these individuals. Class 2 consist of X chromosomes in a typical XX female that are both expressed. Class 3 are X
chromosomes that are expressed at either a higher or lower level than Class 2. A proposed explanation for this is an abnormal genetic imprint as genes passed from the parent to the offspring. The authors propose that XY individuals can only have their single X chromosome imprinted from the maternal side, since they received the Y from their paternal side; however, XX individuals can have either or both of their XX chromosomes imprinted from either parent. Class 4 specifically seeks to understand the role of the non-coding regions of sex chromosomes, specifically heterochromatic genes. Heterochromatic genes, used in this context, refer to as genes that comes in different varieties. For example, if there is a gene that regulates a person’s favorite color, it might be considered heterochromatic if the gene coded for specific shades of blue – such as navy, teal, or turquoise. Heterochromatic genes take the concept of alleles one step further; rather than saying a person has a gene that codes their favorite color to be blue, red or green, it could code for specific range of hues. Evidence of heterochromatic genes are obvious in flies, orDrosophilia. Even though Drosophilia contain many more heterochromatic genes than mammals do, it’s possible that we could possess them. Taking the discussion away from biology and towards a social standing, we could say that this could account for differences in personality regarding masculinity or femininity. If a normal XX female doesn’t necessarily like dresses or playing with children (activities traditionally thought to be female oriented), but instead enjoys playing sports or participating in a debate, does that disqualify her as a female or is she not considered feminine? Regarding her femininity, it might depend on the culture she lives in. It’s also very possible that she could like wearing dresses and playing sports, and liking one doesn’t automatically discredit the existence of the other activity. However, we don’t discredit the fact that she’s biologically a female because of her chromosomes. The concept of nature versus nurture is also extremely relevant in the discussion about gender. If you raise a child with the perception that they will go to college and become a lawyer, a few outcomes are possible. The child can grow up and become a lawyer or can grow up and not become a lawyer. This analogy can be used to describe the way children who are raised with a certain personality expression in mind, but does it apply to children who aren’t raised with certain social expectations? If they know they’re able to have a
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The things we knew in the scientific community twenty years ago does not compare to the number of things we know today – whether that be support for a claim or disproving an old scientific myth.”
career in whatever they want, they still might choose to become a lawyer. They also might choose to be a firefighter, an accountant, a welder, or a musician. If this is the case, can the same method of thinking be applied to the expression of an individual’s “gender?” This column has a reputation for focusing on the strict neurobiology behind certain phenomenon; however, scientists must be able to admit when they’re unsure about something. The topic of gender identity can be a sensitive depending on the circumstances with which it is talked about. As time goes on, we continually learn more about the vast world around us as well as inside us. The things we knew in the scientific community twenty years ago does not compare to the number of things we know today – whether that be support for a claim or disproving an old scientific myth. The key to handling these situations is to stay open minded and curious, and not fall into the slippery slope that is confirmation bias. Anu Kumar is a junior in neuroscience and psychology and can be reached at akumar8@vols.utk.edu.
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The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Ask a Scientist: Where can I see the eclipse? Nate Phillips Columnist
Scott Satinover Columnist
Brooke Dulka Columnist
Question: I heard an eclipse was happening soon, and I really want to see it! Where should I be in order to get the absolute best view? Also, what time? The Great American Eclipse is nearly upon us! And since the last one to pass across the United States was almost a century ago, you don’t want to miss it! On August 21st, 2017, millions of people will convene on the narrow band of Earth from Oregon to South Carolina to witness the spectacle, and I’m here to help you be one of them! First and foremost, let’s talk about safety. While any portion of the sun’s bright disk is still exposed, you should not stare at it without proper eye protection. Would you stare at the sun with your naked eye?
No! Well, the same holds true during the partial phases of the eclipse. Fortunately, there are many sellers of affordable eclipse glasses. You can be sure that anyone who values their eyes will be purchasing these ahead of time, so be sure you do the same! Don’t wait until the last minute and be left in the dark! That said, if you are a textbook procrastinator or want to have a fun project to do with students or kids, you can make a pinhole projector out of a few pieces of paper for a safe viewing alternative. But that is only for the partial phases. What about where our moon fully covers the light of the sun? There’s a small path where we can see a total solar eclipse, and astronomers call this area the path of totality. Depending on where you are along the path, you may have up to 2 minutes and 40 seconds during which you can safely remove your glasses and look at the celestial glow of our sun’s outer layer, called the corona. Literally, the plasma of the sun appears to beam out and around the moon! We typically can’t see it though, because the sun is normally too bright and this washes out the view. The local time for the total solar eclipse will vary, so be sure to check ahead of time! If you are viewing the eclipse
a little south of Knoxville. The moon will begin sliding over the sun at 1:04 pm, reach full coverage at 2:34 pm and end at 3:58 pm. So how can you get the most out of this marvel? Plan ahead! If you live within driving distance of the path of totality, find a way to get there! Although everyone in the continental U.S. will witness a partial eclipse, a total solar eclipse is far more spectacular and rare. To maximize your time of totality, plant yourself as close to the center of the path of the moon’s shadow as possible. Millions of people may be driving to their place of choice, so be sure to pick yours out well in advance and give yourself ample travel time to reach it. There are several other events you should watch for as well. For one thing, animals may behave erratically, so be sure to leave your pets at home. Also, the temperature may drop 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, so bring extra clothing if you want to stay warm. Be sure to watch during totality itself when the rough surface of the moon allows bits of sunlight along its edges to flash through and causes a dazzling diamond ring effect Finally, some events will actually happen on the ground. Beyond the sudden darkness, you might even see
snake-like shadows at your feet just before and after totality, . But don’t panic, these shadow bands harmlessly wave along the ground due to the waning rays of sunlight bending in atmospheric winds! . You may ask, what about clouds? Eclipse chasers generally hate that word, but they acknowledge them nonetheless. The best option is to keep your exact viewing location somewhat flexible. That way, as you watch the weather forecast in the days leading up to the eclipse, you can tweak your plan for the best odds of success. Happy hunting! Have a question for Ask a Scientist or want to join our organization? Contact us by email at askasci@utk.edu or tweet us at @AskAScientistUT. Check us out on VOLink for sources used in this article and upcoming events we’ll be hosting. Nate Phillip is a PhD student in energy storage and can be reached at nphill14@ vols.utk.edu. Scott Satinover is a PhD student in bioenergy and biofuels and can be reached at ssatinov@vols.utk.edu, and Brooke Dulka is a PhD student in biological psychology and can be reached at bdulka@vols.utk.edu.
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Tuesday, August 1, 2017 • The Daily Beacon
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Ask a Scientist: Earth Nate Phillips Columnist
Scott Satinover Columnist
Brooke Dulka Columnist
You’ve probably seen some pretty attractive alien worlds in Star Wars or Star Trek – a double sunset on Tatooine doesn’t sound bad – and might be wondering whether there’s another Earth somewhere in the cosmos. In fact, astronomers have recently discovered numerous exoplanets, short for “extrasolar planets,” which are planets orbiting stars beyond our Sun. So has anyone found an Earth twin out there which we might use as a summer home? The short answer is, maybe, but we’re not sure yet. You may have seen news recently about one of the most popular exoplanets, Proxima Centauri b, which was discovered in 2016 and is orbiting our nearest stellar neighbor, Proxima Centauri. We actually talked about Proxima Centauri a few weeks ago (, and, since then, not much has changed. It’s still ridiculously far away, way further than anywhere we can reasonably travel to (well, right now that is). But even if we could get to Proxima b or any of the other thousands of exoplanets we’ve seen, it’d probably be a good thing if we have an idea of what kind of world we’re going to before we blast off! But what are we looking for? Think of some of your favorite things about Earth: kicking back on the beach, exploring mountains, air conditioning. Astronomers have cut that list down to what might be needed for a second Earth. What we’re looking for is a planet that’s not too big or too small and not too close or too far from its star so that liquid water (and beaches!) can exist without boiling away or freezing. We call this the “Goldilocks zone,” and it is in that habitable zone around another star that astronomers hunt for Earth 2.0. So with telescopes and intellect alone, what kind of techniques did astronomers come up with to check out other planets? Well they realized that they can see planets as they cross in front of the stars they orbit, which blocks out a fraction of the star’s light. This technique, called the transit method, gives us a lot of information about how big the planet might be and what the atmosphere is like, but it tells us nothing about its mass. Using this technique to find out how much mass the planet has would be like trying to figure out how much a ball weighs based on its shadow: it’s just not
going to give you the right information. To figure out a planet’s weight, you’ve got to look at how the star wobbles from the planet’s gravity while it orbits. If you track that, you can figure out how much a planet weighs. But what did astronomers figure out about Proxima b? Did we finally find that next vacation spot? Unless your idea of a vacation is in the middle of a scalding hot desert, probably not. A recent study shed light on the star system’s X-ray radiation levels and determined that they were 100 times more intense that of our Sun. No amount of sunscreen is going to protect you from those rays! So even though astronomers found the planet in the Goldilocks zone, it’s probably not even close to Earth-like. Perhaps there might be a second Earth within the Goldilocks zone of another star, but it’s just further away. Astronomers kept scanning the universe, and eventually, they found a star with three planets in the Goldilocks zone! They called it TRAPPIST-1, for their telescope which is named after the famous Trappist beer. Sounds too good to be true, right? Three earth-like planets around one star? There’s got to be more to it than that! Sure enough, we don’t have to look very far either to be skeptical. Do you know which other star has three rocky worlds in its habitable zone? The Sun! Our Sun, the one and only Sol! Specifically, Venus, Earth and Mars are all in the habitable zone. Last time we checked, Venus and Mars were not ideal places for life. Only our home, Earth, has the right conditions. From the crushing pressures and toxic chemicals on Venus to the scant air on Mars, there can be a broad range of environments on rocky worlds, even if they’re in that sweet Goldilocks spot around a star. New telescopes, such as the James Webb Space Telescope being launched next year, will help us get a better idea of exoplanet conditions. For now we only know of one cozy blue marble for sure, so we will just have to take care of it while we continue to look for that summer home light-years away. Have a question for Ask a Scientist or want to join our organization? Contact us by email at askasci@utk.edu or tweet us at @ AskAScientistUT. Check us out on VOLink for sources used in this article and upcoming events we’ll be hosting. Nate Philip is a PhD student in energy storage. Scott Satinover is a PhD student in bioenergy and biofuels and can be reached at ssatinov@vols.utk.edu, and Brooke Dulka is a PhD student in biological psychology and can be reached at bdulka@ vols.utk.edu.
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The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Photo by Emily Gowder • The Daily Beacon What is your favorite part of Knoxville? Christian recently moved to downtown Knoxville 6 months ago. “[My favorite part of Knoxville] is the concerts. I go to the Pilot Light. I have a lot of friends that play. The food around here is so good, and the people are awesome. Everyone is super friendly.”
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 • The Daily Beacon
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The Daily Beacon • Tuesday, August 1, 2017