vanderbilthustler WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014
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VOL. 126, ISS. 24
IFC fraternities approve inclusivity agreement Agreement aims to welcome underrepresented groups SEE PAGE 2
LIFE
Fall into fitness Life reporters feel the burn in group fitness options on and off campus
OPINION
PAGE 8
Clear intentions Columnist Queen Stevenson calls for clarity in romantic interactions
PAGE 6
SPORTS
Meet the specialists With offense and defense in flux, Vanderbilt football places a greater emphasis on special teams
PAGE 12
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campus VANDER
BITS VSG to bring safety app to campus Student Body President Tanner Owen is heading a project to introduce an app that will act as a ‘mobile blue light’ on campus By ZOE SHANCER News reporter --------------------
Vanderbilt Student Government (VSG) is working to introduce a mobile app to students that will attempt to improve safety on campus. “You can think of it kind of as a mobile blue light,” said Student Body President Tanner Owen. “It is your own personal panic button if something happens to go wrong.” According to Owen, students may find the app helpful if they are walking home late at night and feel unsafe. A student can set his or her destination on the app, and if the student does not make it to this destination and disarm the app within a certain amount of time, the Vanderbilt University Police Department (VUPD), family and friends will be notified. Another feature of the app will allow students to hold their fingers on a panic button while they are walking, and if students lose contact with the button for a certain amount of time, authorities will be alerted. The app will use advanced geomap technology to track students’ locations accurately, according to Owen. “It’s a quiet, very subtle way of calling for assistance if you find yourself in a situation where you need it,” Owen said. Owen is working with representatives from VUPD, the Psychological & Counseling Center, Project Safe and the Office of the Dean of Students as well as third-party app providers to choose an app that is tailored to Vanderbilt students and the Vanderbilt campus. “We need something that is very concentrated and that will work for our unique residential environment,” Owen said. VSG aims to choose a vendor for this app by the end of October and to release the app by the beginning of the spring semester. “We know that it’s not a fix-all by any means,” Owen said. “It’s another layer in this whole security paradigm that we have, but it’s something that’s tangible and is in students’ hands every day on their phones.”
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CAMPUS STAT One quarter of the enrolled students of the class of 2018 scored a 1580 to a perfect 1600 on the SAT. OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS
Fraternities pledge to welcome underrepresented groups in new IFC agreement IFC and campus leaders reflect on the document and its implications on campus By KATE FUSELIER News reporter --------------------
Fraternities in the Interfraternity Council (IFC) voted on Monday to approve the IFC Inclusivity Agreement, a document that affirms each chapter’s commitment to fostering a community of acceptance, openness and freedom of expression. The document passed in every chapter. The agreement, which will be signed by the current president of each IFC fraternity, seeks to directly address the perception of fraternity culture as exclusive and discriminatory by articulating the community’s willingness to include men of varying races, sexual orientations and socioeconomic statuses. The opening of the agreement recognizes the “possibility that (IFC) organizations may have fallen short, in decidedly more traditional times, of maintaining a fraternal and loving environment open to all.” Though the Inclusivity Agreement takes ownership of fraternities’ past on campus, it pledges to a more open future. “We, going forward, commit ourselves to the reaffirmation of a united, welcoming community, one in which persons of all identities, whether race, ethnicity, religion, physical ability, socioeconomic status or sexual orientation, are supported as such,” the agreement reads. The centerpiece of this effort will be the Greek Allies program, in which chapters establish confidential sources of advice for rushes, pledges and brothers who may feel uncomfortable in Greek life based on their sexual orientation, race, socioeconomic status or physical ability. Creating a support network The Greek Allies program is completely voluntary for chapter members and will be overseen by a chairman appointed by the IFC president, according to Brian Rizzo, Phi Kappa Psi president and the main author of the document. “We don’t want to force it on anyone who
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First-years speak to Greek life representatives on The Commons Lawn on Aug. 21, 2012, at the Greek life information session — an annual event that is a major recruitment tool for fraternity chapters. doesn’t want it,” Rizzo said. According to the agreement, the program is starting with three members of each chapter to volunteer as Allies in order to keep the program meaningful for those who do participate. Fraternity members who serve as Allies will undergo Green Dots, Mental Health Awareness and Prevention of Suicide (MAPS), and Safe Zone training as a requirement for participation in the program. In addition, the chairman will conduct monthly check-ins with participants in order to assure that the program is living out its mission. Rizzo is confident that, at least this year, the program will do a lot of good. Because the Greek Allies program is a student-run initiative, Rizzo said that a focus for the year is connecting the program to administrators, such as the Office of the Dean of Students and the Office of Greek Life. “The question is whether or not we can lay the groundwork to have this prosper in
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years to come when the people who formatted the document aren’t here,” he said. Motivation behind the document Rizzo spoke to the personal nature of the document’s aims. Rizzo explained that for college first-years — in particular, men who struggle with sexual orientation or socioeconomic status — faced with the choice between going Greek or not going Greek, it often appears that there is an inherent conflict between being honest about class or sexual orientation and gaining acceptance within fraternity life. In describing IFC’s motivation for creating the agreement, Rizzo cited a conversation with a potential new member during a Greek life fair. The first-year, who was of a minority race, asked Rizzo what he needed to change about himself in order to go Greek. “This document comes from a hurting heart for people in those positions, so at least we can say to them, ‘You don’t need
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THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER u WWW.VANDERBILTHUSTLER.COM to change anything. Greek life can be a place for you to develop these parts of yourself,’ ” Rizzo said. A large portion of the Inclusivity Agreement pertains to firstyears considering rushing IFC fraternities. Many men come to Vanderbilt with the specific intention of rushing a fraternity, but IFC hopes to show that the community is open to anyone who is interested. “Our target demographic, if you will, is people who don’t know much about Greek life in the first place. In the past, what’s happened is they go around and they see places that … don’t look welcoming to them, so they stop going. This is a way to say to those people that we are a welcoming place,” Rizzo said. Phi Delta Theta President Nathan Kallison expanded on the idea behind that message. “With a student body as diverse as Vanderbilt’s, this is a message that potential new members should receive directly, not implicitly,” Kalliston said. “By creating new resources surrounding inclusivity, I am very optimistic this document will make a measurable, positive impact.” IFC will use the second rush checkpoint on Oct. 8 to introduce the initiative to first-year rushes. They will also host a panel of fraternity men of varying identities to answer the question of what it means to be a Greek man, touching on values that affect all men as well as issues that affect minorities looking to rush fraternities. Rizzo said that challenges to inclusivity still remain. Concerning those of lower socioeconomic status, for example, lowering fraternity dues across the board is a difficult endeavor. Support across campus According to Nick Elder, president of IFC, the document was purely student-driven. However, it has received support from administrators on campus. Chris Purcell, director of The Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Life, said the Inclusivity Agreement is a groundbreaking first step for the IFC. “The agreement is not simply a declaration, but requires both
conversations and actions amongst brothers that I think will strengthen their organizations considerably moving forward,” he said. Though the agreement intends to make IFC chapters more welcoming to minority members, neither IFC nor NPHC feel that their missions are at odds. Rizzo said he did not think the IFC inclusivity agreement negates the efforts of NPHC organizations because the decision to rush IFC or NPHC fraternities presents two different experiences. “This is essentially just an effort for IFC organizations to say, ‘The stereotype of us being exclusively white is a wrong stereotype,’ ” Rizzo said. Frank Dobson, director of the Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center (BCC), echoed Rizzo’s sentiments. “I don’t think it’s a bad thing, because you’re articulating something that should be the case anyways: that we welcome everyone,” Dobson said. “And I would hope that people of color don’t look at that as an affront or as something that is antithetical to their purposes.” NPHC President Jordaan McGill said that she is excited to see the programmatic efforts of the IFC community. “I hope that the NPHC and (IFC) can continue to be partners in the goal of making our organizations more inclusive and accessible to students at Vanderbilt University,” McGill said. Upon hearing about the Inclusivity Agreement, David Weintraub, chair of a Faculty Senate task force currently reviewing Greek life, said that he expects the agreement to have a positive impact both on campus and on the perception of fraternity culture. “(The Inclusivity Agreement) is an example of how the Greek community, because they are so organized, can have a very strong leadership role on campus, and they ought to,” Weintraub said. “And if they do that, they can move the whole campus in a very positive direction.”
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Program outlook Sigma Alpha Epsilon President Patrick McGee said that he is proud to reaffirm IFC’s commitment to offering a welcoming environment to men of all backgrounds, colors, creeds and sexual orientations. “We love our fraternity brothers as they are and it is always important to reiterate that fact,” McGee said. “As a Greek Community, we strive to be a place where people can be comfortable with their truest self and hope that this agreement will further these aims.” Both Kallison and Sigma Nu President Alec Renfroe said in statements to The Hustler that brothers in both chapters are already showing interest in the initiative and in becoming Greek Allies. In addition to the Greek Allies program, The Agreement outlines additional programmatic efforts to increase inclusivity within IFC. Individual chapters will be required to invite a Greek life “Straight Facts” presentation or a “Speak-Out” panel, as organized by the KC Potter Center every two years. IFC will also invite staff from Project Safe, the KC Potter Center, the BCC and other campus institutions to IFC charity events in order to create open relationships with other parts of campus. The long-term challenge for IFC, according to Weintraub, will be ensuring that fraternity members continue to follow through with the pledges articulated in the agreement. “Getting the membership to really follow through is hard for any organization,” he said. “One can imagine that in 2034 we’ll be in a much different place than we are now. Hopefully we can move faster in the next 20 years than we did in the last 20 years.” Rizzo is hopeful that Vanderbilt’s IFC can be a leader in the collegiate Greek community by explicitly welcoming traditionally underrepresented groups. “If you look at Greek life across the country, no other council of fraternity presidents are coming together to do something like this,” Rizzo said.
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‘Vandy Speaks’ features student lecturers on campus Student organization allows students to share what they’re passionate about in a public forum By COLLIER BOWLING News reporter --------------------
Vandy Speaks, an organization that aims to provide Vanderbilt students with a public speaking platform similar to TED Talks, finds its greatest strength in letting students share their passions in a public way, according to Vandy Speaks Recruitment Chair Karin Oh. “I think the best presentations I have seen have been rooted in the speakers’ own personal experiences,” Oh said. “What excited me about this group is how personal of a connection each presenter has with his or her topic. I cannot wait to see what they have to share with us.” Vandy Speaks is having its first event of the year next week, showcasing four different speakers on topics personally important to them. While the topics all resonate closely with the speakers, the speeches are meant to be educational for audiences as well. Barbara Puzanovova, one of the speakers at the upcoming event, describes the message of her speech as “Sis, do you even lift?” “I want to encourage women to embrace the weight rack to feel empowered, push past mental limits and break the ‘Estrogym complex,’ ” Puzanovova said. “This complex includes the overdose of cardio, followed by poor self-esteem, lack of self-respect as shown through how we eat, lack of results and then back to the cardio machines.” Will Bell, another upcoming speaker, will discuss the importance of video games and cartoons to the world. “The fact that I get to express my opinion about how important video games and cartoons are to the world and just people in general is such a mind-blowing opportunity that I almost can’t believe it’s true,” Bell said. Other speakers will include Daniel Rubin, who will talk about a lifestyle of kindness and positive change, and Lucas Wesoloski, who will speak about how his experience as a cancer survivor has shaped his life and future plans. “The event will be an eye-opening experience for many first-time attendees,” said Vandy Speaks Vice President Roshan Poudel. “The diversity of the stories, the creativity of thought and the candid openness about intimate life experiences from the speakers are always worth hearing.” The speeches at the event will be recorded on video and uploaded onto YouTube. Oh, who also serves as the publicity chair for Vandy Speaks, said that this allows busy students to hear about diverse interests across campus. “We don’t always have time to be able to meet those people who are a lot different from us and have a lot of other opinions,” Oh said. “So this is a good way, in a short amount of time, to hear what other people have to say about things.” After being selected in a rolling admissions process, speakers chosen for Vandy Speaks events have at least two rehearsals with board members of the organization so they can hone their presentation skills by working on gestures, phrasing and hand movements. There are no general body meetings, but students who are interested can look at Vandy Speaks’ Facebook page to find out more information or visit their YouTube page for past speeches. Vandy Speaks’ first event will take place in Buttrick 102 from 6 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 8. No tickets are required for the event and food will be provided.
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On Sept. 21, 2014, the Vanderbilt class of 2018 ran the “Anchor Dash” across the field at Dudley Stadium before the South Carolina game.
Class of 2018 statistics released From 2005 to 2014, Vanderbilt admittance rates have dropped more than 20 percent. The class of 2018 continues this trend as the most diverse group of students ever admitted By GIANNA STRAND News reporter --------------------
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions released data and statistics about the class of 2018, the most diverse group of students Vanderbilt University has ever admitted. According to Douglas Christiansen, the vice provost for enrollment and dean of admissions, there was a slight drop in applications — less than one percent — this year. The university received 1,600 fewer applications and the percentage of applicants accepted was marginally higher than last year’s, up from 12.7 percent to 13.1 percent. Christiansen referred to this slight decrease in applications as approaching a “plateauing range,” where the university can expect to see a change of a few hundred applications either up or down within the 30,000 applicant range each year. He believes that the university will continue to see a slightly increasing trend in annual applications before reaching a final plateau. Vanderbilt has reached this range after years of dramatic decrease in acceptance rate. Less than 10 years ago in
2005, Vanderbilt admitted 35 percent of its applicants; in 2000, it admitted more than half of the applicants. “The difference in admit rate from 2005 to 2014 is very unique, and Vanderbilt is one of few schools in the country that has seen their admit rate change so dramatically over such a short period of time,” Christiansen said. Christiansen acknowledges that this dramatically increasing level of selectivity does put added pressure on applicants as they go through the admission process. “While Vanderbilt is very selective, we always strive to make the admissions process as human as possible for all our applicants,” Christiansen said. According to Christiansen, the proportions of male and female applicants are nearly equal, unlike in the Northeast, where enrollment in schools is growing at a rate faster for women than for men. Vanderbilt Admissions is entirely need-blind in its reviewing process, which allows for its focus to be exclusively on the qualifications of the applicant. More applicants than ever have exceptionally high GPAs and test scores. One quarter of the enrolled students
of the class of 2018 scored a 1580 to a perfect 1600 on the SAT. For this reason, the admissions board is increasingly looking toward other factors that enhance each application and what each potential student can add to campus life. “What really makes the bigger difference right now is that there’s so many students coming in with strong testing, strong grades, lots of AP, IB or honors,” Christiansen said. “The thing that probably is making the bigger differentiation of who’s being admitted is the essay, the extracurricular engagement and leadership and letters of recommendation, because they’re becoming more of the differentiator with the file because you have so many students with just such good grades and high testing.” Of the 1,605 members of the class of 2018, 100 percent held leadership positions and/or were engaged in nationallevel honor societies. More than one-third of the incoming first-year class self-identified as a minority race. Since 2010, the percentage of minority students has risen 6.3 percent. The greatest change has occurred in the percentage of students identifying as Asian or Hawaiian/Pacific
THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER u WWW.VANDERBILTHUSTLER.COM CAMPUS Islander, which has more than doubled in the past four years, now accounting for almost 13 percent of the class of 2018. Christiansen said that in order to recruit a more ethnically diverse class of students, the admissions office sends out information about student services pertaining to the self-identified ethnicities of prospective students. Programs like MOSAIC serve to recruit minority students as well. “A diverse student body is a critical component in the education of all students — having different backgrounds and experiences enhances our overall understanding
when discussing particular issue or problems in the classroom and across campus,” Christiansen said. He noted that the 1,605 enrolled students represent 1,074 high schools across the Unites States and around the globe. This is important to the admissions office, which strives to create a unique and varied campus experience, including a student body representative of all geographic regions. Vanderbilt hopes to continue building the geographic diversity of its students. The university’s goal in coming years is to reach an 8 percent representation of international students. The university is also hoping that an
Vanderbilt admittance rates, 1990-2014
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increasing presence of alumni in the West will help with the goal of truly becoming a national institution. Christiansen highlighted that the increasing competitiveness of incoming classes impacts all Vanderbilt students. “The more selective Vanderbilt becomes, the higher the various levels that we have of students that are admitted … (these factors will) continue to make that Vanderbilt degree much more powerful in the market,” Christiansen said.
First-year minority students, 1990-2014
60
35
50
30
40 30 20 10
1990
1995
2000
Year
2005
2010
2014
% minority first-years
% applicants admitted
40
25 20 15 10 5
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2014 *
2010 and 2014, the United States altered the format for reporting of race and ethnicity Year *theBetween
STATISTICS PROVIDED BY OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS
Year
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opinion Clear intentions
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Dear folks, if you’ve been hurt before, I am so sorry. But that does not give you an excuse to be cold, callous and calculating with others. They are still human, and they still deserve your respect and your clarity.”
QUEEN STEVENSON
Ambiguity in romance is a countdown to heartbreak
R QUEEN STEVENSON is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Science. She can be reached at queen.o.stevenson@ vanderbilt.edu.
ecently a close friend of mine divulged her emotional woes to me. There had been a guy who she thought was interested in her. It’s a well-known and worn story: He asked for her number, shared meaningful conversations and meals, opened doors, made googly eyes at the appropriate times, seemed emotionally exposed. Like any other functioning human would have, she slowly allowed herself to get pulled into the idea of building a relationship with him. Suddenly, an unexpected occurrence: His words didn’t match up with his actions. According to him, they were “just friends” and he was “not interested.” While I wish my friend’s account were unique and isolated, this sequence of events is painfully pervasive in our community. The word “relationship,” a seemingly innocuous set of four syllables, evokes fear and terror in the minds of many millennials. Ambiguity is the unspoken rule. Instead of “can I have your number?” and “can we get dinner?” we say, “oh, I don’t have your number, by the way” and “we should hang out sometime.” You don’t have my number? Well, whose problem is that? And the “hangout” — a desolate, despicable term that carries with it a vacuum of inactivity and lack of promise. Everything is cloaked with careful detachment, our conversations slippery with the absence of a stance. Because if you’re forward and honest, you’re “thirsty.” With our being in college, it seems that clarity of intention is an outmoded concept when it comes to romantic interactions. And at a place like Vanderbilt, that is especially problematic because when you approach someone’s emotions like child’s play, you are wasting something so valuable and so precious at the root of all of those emotions, the one thing every Vanderbilt student is starved for: time. It takes time, sweet time, and energy to step out of our personal comfort zones and embrace others in the way that romance asks of us. And let’s face it — while we’re taking all those hours, finalizing
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those sexy internships, spearheading service orgs and juggling all those leadership positions — it is a sacrifice of our time to make ourselves emotionally available to other people. This reality makes it especially painful when someone who acts romantically interested does not deliver. Supplying actions and behaviors that clearly connote interest without following through is a selfish waste of time. Not only are you doing the other person a disservice, you are also shortchanging yourself — for never again will we be gifted with the opportunity to be surrounded by such an eclectic and varied collection of people, all brimming with experiences and opinions different from our own. We cannot afford to squander this experience by not being clear with our intentions. “But what if I’ve been hurt?” Dear folks, if you’ve been hurt before, I am so sorry. But that does not give you an excuse to be cold, callous and calculating with others. They are still human, and they still deserve your respect and your clarity.
The Vanderbilt Hustler Opinion page aims to stimulate discussion in the Vanderbilt community. In that spirit, columnists, guest columnists and authors of letters to the editor are expected to provide logical argument to back their views. Unreasonable arguments, arguments in bad faith or arguments in vain between columnists have no place in The Hustler and will not be published. The Hustler welcomes reader viewpoints and offers three methods of expression: letters to the editor, guest columns and feedback on vanderbilthustler.com. The views expressed in lead editorials reflect the majority of opinion among The Hustler’s editorial board and may be supposed to represent the opinion of The Vanderbilt Hustler at the time of publication. They are not necessarily representative of any individual member. Letters must be submitted either in person by the author to The Hustler office or via email to opinion@vanderbilthustler.com. Letters via email should come from a Vanderbilt email address where the identity of the sender is clear. With rare exception, all letters must be received by 2 p.m. on the Sunday prior to publication. The editor
No, it doesn’t make you a bad mamma jamma for manipulating the emotions of three guys at once and not intending to build something with any of them. It just makes you basic. And no, leading a girl on for several weeks and merely leaving her hanging doesn’t make you a “man.” It just makes you childish. If you are interested in someone and that person is reciprocating, make your intentions clear. If you are not really interested in that someone but they are in you, make your intentions clear. We are all people, we all have feelings and we all deserve to have those feelings handled in a responsible, mature manner. Let’s remember this nugget of gold from the cinematic masterpiece “High School Musical” — we’re all in this together. So with that, let’s be clear with our words and our actions and refrain from wasting each other’s time.
reserves the right to edit and condense submissions for length as well as clarity. Lengthy letters that focus on an issue affecting students may be considered for a guest column at the editor’s discretion. All submissions become the property of The Hustler and must conform to the legal standards of Vanderbilt Student Communications, of which The Hustler is a division. The Vanderbilt Hustler (ISSN 0042-2517), the official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University, is published every Wednesday during the academic year except during exam periods and vacations. The paper is not printed during summer break. The Vanderbilt Hustler allocates one issue of the newspaper to each student and is available at various points on campus for free. Additional copies are $.50 each. The Vanderbilt Hustler is a division of Vanderbilt Student Communications, Inc. Copyright © 2014 Vanderbilt Student Communications.
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Girls’ best friend
Reasons to love Lena Dunham ERIN LOGAN is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Science. She can be reached at erin. logan@vanderbilt. edu.
F
irst, “Girls” : After the first season premiered in the spring of 2012, viewers deemed Lena Dunham’s “Girls” an essential show for television. The HBO comedy-drama is a phenomenal show that depicts a realistic view of the lifestyle of 20-something girls. Set in New York City, the show is a sort of homage to the super-successful “Sex and the City.” While “Sex and the City” is a fabulous show in its own right, “Girls” shows young women realistically navigating their sex life, financial situation and the friendships that they have with one another. The show revolves around the lead character, Hannah Horvath, and her friends from college. Many young women can easily identify with the characters on the show because Dunham presents them in a very raw, real way. Dunham writes, directs and stars in the Emmy-nominated show, and the fourth season is set to premiere sometime in early 2015. Second, she’s a feminist: Lena Dunham is a vocal feminist. While many are fearful of being identified in this way, Dunham is extremely passionate about problems that pertain to women. Very rarely does one find a person with a voice in Hollywood so gung-ho about their beliefs. She has a mouth and is not afraid to use it. Dunham is the perfect person to represent women and discuss the obstacles they face. Also, Taylor Swift: For years, critics had debated whether or not Taylor Swift was a feminist. About a month ago, Swift interviewed with The Guardian
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Dunham has received a lot of flack about her nudity because she challenges the standards of the ideal body type, and her body is not deemed by society as ‘beautiful.’
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and proclaimed to the world that she is in fact an advocate for gender equality. Before her relationship with Dunham, Taylor Swift would never publically proclaim herself as a feminist. However, after she and Dunham spent an immense amount of time together in New York City this summer, Swift did a lot of soul-searching. She came to the realization that she is a feminist. Dunham is arguably responsible for her “feminist awakening” because of her clear position on women’s
issues. While she has many critics, one undeniable fact remains: Taylor Swift is a huge role model for young girls. Swift’s proclaiming herself as a feminist is a great thing because she will inspire the next generation of women. This is a marvelous move for her because the girls she is inspiring now are the leaders of tomorrow. Finally, nudity: Many TV show creators favor the HBO network because they are given complete creative control over their shows. Furthermore, HBO does not have to follow the rules and regulations of the FCC because its shows are not broadcasted to the publicly owned sector. Because of this, shows like “Game of Thrones” and “True Blood” display nudity in many of their scenes. Dunham’s “Girls” is no exception to this trend. When questioned about the nudity in her show, she explained that she adds nudity because it is a “realistic expression of what it’s like to be alive.” Dunham has received a lot of flack about her nudity because she challenges the standards of the ideal body type, and her body is not deemed by society as “beautiful.” While many shy away from the opportunity to show full-figured women to American audiences, Dunham seizes the opportunity and consistently displays her body to her viewers. The fact that Dunham challenges the cruel standard of beauty is all the more reason to love her.
Feminism, equality or affirmative action?
A response to Emma Watson’s speech at the United Nations I am all for equal opE portunities and rights for men and women, but not for using government policy to equalize outcomes. mma Watson’s speech at the UN about the HeForShe campaign addresses a very interesting question: What does it take to rally men behind the feminism movement? That’s the focal point of this campaign and a key source of contention in society today. As a man myself, allow me to offer my stance on feminism and specifically the movement that Ms. Watson is trying to rally. J.R. RIDLEY Watson, much to her credit, attempts to present is a junior in the this issue in a way that doesn’t demean, but rather College of Arts encourages, men to join. “Feminism, by definiand Science. He tion, is the belief that men and women should can be reached at john.r.ridley@vander- have equal rights and opportunities,” she notes. bilt.edu. This is a movement that we can — and should — all support. Equal rights and opportunities for all is the foundation of our country and that should not be infringed or restricted for any reason, let alone someone’s sex. It’s what Watson says after this that concerns me. She says, “(Feminism) is the theory of political, economic and social equality of the sexes.” Does she mean equality of opportunity or equality of outcomes? For example, will she be content when we get to the point where women have the same ability as men to run for office or become CEOs, or will she not be satisfied until we have an equal number of female and male congressional representatives, and an equal number of female and male CEOs?
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This clarification is crucial if she wants men to join her movement. I am all for equal opportunities and rights for men and women, but not for using government policy to equalize outcomes. Watson references the wage gap between men and women. This is one of the most common misconceptions I hear about gender equality today because it ignores the fact that many women choose to pursue less lucrative majors and go into lower-paying professions. People who use this statistic use it to try to argue for equality of outcomes, not equality of opportunity. If they truly wanted to empower women, they would argue for a woman’s ability to choose whatever profession she wanted. Instead, they want to push for a soci-
ety where a woman has to have a high-paying job to be successful. While I have the utmost respect for a woman who works as senior partner of a prestigious New York law firm, I have just as much respect for a woman who chooses to raise her three children full time as a stay-at-home mom. That satisfaction and fulfillment doesn’t have to be measured in dollars. This is my issue with third-wave feminism. It wants to eliminate gender roles for what’s acceptable in society. But gender roles serve very important purposes! Men and women have different strengths and ignoring this fact does a disservice to both genders. According to Dr. Diana Denholm, men are biologically programmed to be providers and women are more predisposed to be better caregivers. While I’m not saying we need to define people by their gender, we do need to recognize the strengths and weaknesses they are afforded by virtue of their gender and take those into account. So, Ms. Watson, yes, I am willing to support the HeForShe campaign, but on very strict conditions. This will be a campaign about equality of rights and opportunities, not equality of outcomes, if you want my support. Although some of what you said concerns me, I do sincerely believe that you want to focus on “men and women (having) equal rights and opportunities” and will give you the benefit of the doubt. Prove my faith to be wellfounded.
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014
life
Difficulty:
Fall into Difficulty:
BOSLEY JARRETT / THE
POUND Name: Virginia Norder Usual workouts: cardio, lifting, abs, repeat. Fitness level: A day without working out is like a day without sunshine. The crowd: mostly very muscular, middle-aged women.
Powerlifting Name: Hannah Robinson Usual workouts: I can run the Vandy loop with my eyes closed. Fitness level: I like to be spontaneous and join my friends in a few classes with fun names at the Rec. Let’s just say that “Hard Core” and “Ballet Sculpt” require very different muscles from a daily 5K. The crowd: Masked by the name “Powerlifting,” this class is anything but just a football player’s hangout. Four Vandy girls entered the room and were quickly joined by many other fit women from the Nashville area, creating an encouraging atmosphere. Jerry, the usual lifting coach (with great reviews), was replaced this week by Michelle, whose enthusiasm and intensity kept the class on their toes.
Hear our cardio playlist at vanderbilthustler. com
—Gianna Strand contributed to this report
The class: The hour consisted of numerous repetitions of strength exercises — squats and banded shuffles, repetitive work on biceps, triceps, shoulders and unfamiliar muscles like “that little piece of skin behind the armpit.” Along with the burn felt from class, several truths emerge. You learn which of your muscles are stronger and, unfortunately, which are weaker (anyone else die from fly lifts?); you learn the necessity of knowing which weights to use for your own body. Finally, you learn the truth that resistance training is an essential element to creating a toned, healthy and fast-metabolizing body, regardless of gender. Bottom line: Overall, this is a class for men and women who want to become stronger and more confident. The learning curve is high for newcomers, but so are the benefits, and this is a perfect opportunity for anyone bored with routine and curious to try something new. Bring a friend, lift some free weights, learn to squat with a bar on your back and go get protein smoothies downstairs afterward to repair those muscles! BOSLEY JARRETT / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
The class: POUND is essentially a jam session that combines light resistan constant simulated drumming for a 45-minute session of cardio fused with isometric/plyometric movements. POUND experts claim you burn 400-90 per hour while strengthening and sculpting infrequently used muscles. Ap you can drum your way to a leaner, slimmer physique without missing a be favorite music.
Bottom line: POUND was a lot of fun. It was a great way to work out witho that you were actually working out, but that’s what I’m worried about. I rea feel like I had finished a workout when I hung up my drumsticks. In fact, I break a sweat. Either a) the creators of POUND deserve a pat on the back fo the easiest high calorie-burning workout ever or b) the creators of POUND up and tell all the POUNDers out there that this “workout” is really just a gi percussion lesson. I, for one, will not be going back — if I only have an hou out, I want to feel like I accomplished something when I walk out of the gy
Cardio Dance Name: Matt Lieberson Usual workouts: Does marching band practice count? Fitness level: Peaked in high school.
The crowd: The crowd at cardio dance was a group of g tank tops. Everyone in the class was nice, which was a d jarring to many, including the instructor.
The class: The workout itself was various dance-ish mo “Shake It Off” and whatever song Enrique Iglesias has o Cardio movements like jumping jacks make their way i to tone their butt is clearly in the right place, with a lot o glutes — my apologies to the poor girls behind me. Tho ly taxing, a prerequisite is some semblance of rhythm. T keeping a beat may have a tougher time with this class to guide the class through visual cues, which is helpful
Bottom Line: Overall, this class is probably not one of t but it’s a full hour’s worth of work. If you’re looking to b to some shameless pop music, this is the place.
o fitness THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER ◆ WWW.VANDERBILTHUSTLER.COM
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014
The Hustler sends life reporters out of their comfort zones to test the Rec’s group fitness classes
Iyengar Yoga
Name: Joshua “Are those cookies for anybody” Timm Usual workouts: long-range hiking, occasional jogging when I’ve eaten too much. Fitness level: I can do slightly more physically than the average person, but with a pained face and a mental eye on the prize — working off enough guilt to eat a pint of ice cream. The crowd: The attendees of Iyengar Yoga are primarily young women, but several middle-aged women showed up as well, and enough men were present to not make me feel out of place. While most people were relatively in shape, all sorts of body types were represented. Because of the relative diversity of the class, anyone can attend and feel completely safe from any sort of awkwardness or body shame.
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nce with h Pilates and 00+ calories pparently, eat of your
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out realizing ally didn’t didn’t even or creating D need to fess iant group ur to work ym.
The class: The class I attended utilized a typical mat, blankets to soften seated positions as well as two blocks and a chair to help the less experienced attendees (definitely me). This was my first-ever yoga class, and while I was never quite sure of what I was doing, I know that I wasn’t terrible at it. The class is beginner-friendly, but the poses are pretty difficult. Most of the poses were what the instructor called “twists,” which involved a lot of cross-body stretches that supposedly benefit one’s internal organs. The instructor, Natasha, was friendly, accommodating to everyone’s needs and pretty funny, too. Bottom line: As an inexperienced male of average fitness, my taking Iyengar Yoga was a good fit. The class left me feeling physically fantastic and mentally clear. I hurt my tailbone and am taking a short hiatus from physical activity, but I absolutely plan on going to Iyengar Yoga again.
BOSLEY JARRETT / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
e
Difficulty:
girls in their uniform of Nike shorts and definite plus, but a male presence was
ovements set to popular songs like on the radio these days. into all the routines, and anyone looking of movement focused on the hips and ough the movements are never extremeThose who struggle with dancing or than others. The instructor makes sure for those who have no dancing ability.
Hustler's picks
Post-workout snacks By ABBEY FERNANDEZ Life reporter --------------------
You did it — despite hours of back-to-back classes, walking from Commons to Wilson in 10 minutes and carrying that chem textbook to Central, you still got in a workout. But even though Chef James hooked you up with a killer lunch earlier, eating after a workout is actually more important than eating before. Why is that? After exercise, it’s crucial to replenish energy stores as well as repair any muscle tearing. A balanced snack incorporating both carbs and protein helps to do both and is essential to supporting the progress that exercise promotes. Aim for a snack that has about 50 percent of the calories burned from the workout, and check out The Hustler’s picks for the best ones depending where on campus you get your sweat on:
Smoothie King at the Rec: Activator Chocolate Smoothie
After a long session in the weight room, look no further than the Smoothie King downstairs to replenish on the go. Go for the “Activator Chocolate,” and make it a “skinny” to save 100 calories and more than 20 grams of sugar. A combination of chocolateflavored protein blend, bananas, muscle builder enhancer, nonfat milk and Turbinado sweetener, this 240-calorie powerhouse is loaded with lean protein and 5 grams of fiber, which leave you feeling full for longer.
Kissam Munchie Mart: NuGo Slim Crunchy Peanut Butter bar
After going incognito with a workout in the small Alumni gym, head over to Kissam to find an abundance of great post-workout treats. There are red peppers, grapefruits and a vast array of Chobani yogurt flavors, but The Hustler’s pick is the NuGo Slim Crunchy Peanut Butter protein bar. When snacking on bars, beware of ones that are chock-full of sugar — we’re looking at you and your 25 grams, CLIF — but with only 3 grams, NuGo Slim easily passes the test. Its 180 calories deliver 17 grams of protein and 18 grams of carbohydrates — and most importantly, it passes our taste test too.
The Commons Center Munchie Mart: hard-boiled eggs, a banana and a 100-calorie pack of pistachios
After a long workout in the original Estrogym, check out The Hustler’s triple-threat pick combo in the Munchie Mart right downstairs: two peeled hard-boiled eggs (70 calories, 6 grams of protein) plus a potassium-filled banana (roughly 90 calories) and a 100-calorie pack of Wonderful Pistachios (4 grams of protein). Don’t be alarmed that this pack of pistachios has 9 grams of fat. Nuts are rich in fats, but the good kind — think monounsaturated and polyunsaturated — so start snacking!
the more strenuous that the Rec offers, break a sweat, lose a few pounds and jam BOSLEY JARRETT / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014
Boutique vs. Rec classes The Dailey Method vs. Rec Ballet Sculpt Barre workouts are designed to promote a long, lean, dancer-like physique through repetition of isolated movements utilizing dumbbells, resistance bands, inflatable balls and, of course, the ballet bar itself. The ones in and around Vandy do not disappoint. The Rec’s Ballet Sculpt Class is more intense than your average barre class, with lots of toning exercises especially focused on arms, interspersed with short bursts of moderately intense cardio exercises. The only drawback is the size — in more crowded sessions, the bar crowds up quickly and some attendees are relegated to performing the vast variations of squats and leg lifts while balancing their arms on the window ledge. The Dailey Method, located on Elliston Place, has studios nationwide and is billed as a combination of barre work with core and free weight exercises. The classes are influenced by yoga and Pilates, but they are unique in that they can differ greatly from instructor to instructor. You’ll definitely feel the burn at the bar, but some exercises require a lot of highly specific, unnatural contortions. Hustler’s pick: Ballet Sculpt. While you’ll feel the burn in your arms, abs, thighs and glutes during both classes, you’ll still feel it after you leave — and the next day — with the Rec’s class. Aside from breaking a sweat, you’ll get in your cardio and all the benefits of a barre workout while saving yourself a pretty penny.
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We compare Vanderbilt Rec classes to their local studio counterparts By Priyanka Aribindi, life editor; and Anna Butrico and Michelle Phan, life reporters Krank vs. Rec Spin Spinning — or indoor cycling for the uninitiated — is a great way to get in your cardio. The 60-minute Indoor Cycling Class at the Rec Center is moderately paced and focuses the entire ride on building leg muscle. The class, held in one of the upstairs workout rooms, has sections of the workout allotted to speed work, hill climbs and pedaling through high resistance. There’s even music, from ‘90s to hard metal, often themed for different classes. The 45-minute cycling class at Krank Nashville is a wholebody workout. The staff at Krank fits you for special shoes that allow you to clip into the pedals and more aggressively stand up and sit down repeatedly to work your abs and glutes. The instructor leads pushups on the bike handles, giving your arms a surprisingly effective workout. Krank also incorporates an arms session with dumbbells into some rides. The room is dark, with white lights framing the instructor’s bike and platform and heavy-duty fans to keep you cool. While the music blasts, the instructor’s enthusiastic encouragements cause you to pedal and push yourself. Hustler’s pick: Krank Nashville. Though you might not be able to walk afterward, the music and motivating atmosphere set this far apart from its Rec counterpart. The class is definitely worth the drive to Green Hills, and your first ride there is free!
Hot Yoga Plus vs. Rec Yoga The Rec offers a variety of yoga classes. The beginner class, most frequently offered, includes a rotation of mostly three poses: mountain, downward-facing dog and warrior. The most difficult pose is a 60-second stretch into a triangle stance. Some newcomers may struggle as the instructor is rather hands-off, but for those who have never done any form of yoga, the positions are fairly easy to follow. Anyone who is active on a regular basis may not break a sweat, though. A better alternative may be Hot Yoga Plus. The studio, just off Elliston Place, is a short walk from campus, and your first trip and mat rental is free with your Commodore Card. The traditional hot yoga class is the best option for newcomers as it is only 60 minutes long. The first 45 minutes include standing flexibility positions while the last 15 are a cooldown of core firming positions. The instructor gives the class constant encouragement to “push limbs and breaths further,” but she also encourages newcomers to take breaks when needed. Alternative positions are also suggested to those who are struggling or who feel like they’re not being challenged enough. Hustler’s pick: Hot Yoga Plus. The better instruction, coupled with appealing student deals, makes Hot Yoga Plus the best option for beginners and veterans alike.
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014
Can you work out like a Commodore? Strength and conditioning coach Garry Christopher gives his tips for non-athletes looking to get in shape By MATT LIEBERSON Assistant life editor --------------------
Anyone trying to get in shape probably wonders what Vanderbilt’s athletes do to stay physically competitive. Garry Christopher, the strength and conditioning coach for the men’s basketball team, isn’t afraid to share: “A lot of what we do can be done by the regular person working out.” The biggest focus for Christopher with the men’s basketball team is keeping them lean and strong at the
same time. “We have to make sure we keep them well-conditioned while we pack on lean muscle mass. With their structures on the court, we don’t need heavy bodies,” he said. With that in mind, Christopher shared three exercises that you can try on your own: Squats: “The squat works so many areas,” Christopher said. “We do a lot of variations on the squat. Front, back, single-leg. They hit your core, hamstrings and glutes really well and also work hip flexibility.” One way to do a single-leg squat is to rest one leg on top of a bench or medicine ball and bend at the knees. This can also be done while holding dumbbells. Three-way plank: Christopher highlighted the core as vitally important to a basketball player — “A lot of what we do has a heavy
emphasis on core. Core work isn’t just abs, either. If you think about it, it’s anything minus legs and arms, which is all responsible for functional movements.” For a threeway plank, start in a regular plank position. Rotate up by lifting your left arm and left leg, rotating at the hips as well. After holding, return to a regular plank and rotate by lifting your right arm and right leg. “That works the entire core really well,” Christopher said. Reverse hyperextensions: Probably the most advanced of Christopher’s suggestions, a reverse hyper is another versatile exercise that the basketball team turns to. “This one also has a lot of variations. It really works your lower back,” Christopher said. On a medicine ball or a platform, elevate your torso above your legs to begin. Then, lift your legs up Garry Christopher, men’s basketball strength and conditioning coach, as high as possible. gives tips for non-athletes to work out like a Commodore.
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014
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sports
THE BIG STAT Number of touchdowns scored by cornerback and kick returner Darrius Sims
SEC POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 5
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Each week, I rank the teams in the SEC 1-14. This week, the SEC West rules everything around me, Todd Gurley is the only thing keeping the SEC East going and order is restored as Kentucky falls back down to Earth during its struggle against our beloved Commodores.
By ANTHONY TRIPODORO Sports writer --------------------
1. No. 3 Alabama Saban and the Tide had a week off to prepare for Ole Miss. Both teams will look to show what they’re truly made of next week, and one of these SEC West squads will fall from the ranks of the undefeated. The SEC West is quickly about to turn into a last-man-standing situation, and it will be a wonder if any of its teams can traverse its regular season schedule unscathed.
2. No. 5 Auburn The Tigers beat Louisiana Tech 45-17. Yawn. They face a slightly more dynamic team from Louisiana next week in LSU.
3. No. 6 Texas A&M The Aggies needed every ounce of Kenny Trill to pull off the comeback win against Arkansas, which looked great and gave A&M its biggest scare of the year thus far. Like I said, the SEC West is brutal, and next up on the schedule for Texas A&M is…
4. No. 12 Mississippi State Mississippi State vs. Texas A&M. Give us chaos, Bulldogs!
5. No. 15 LSU Beating New Mexico State 63-7 is a pretty good way to bounce back from last week’s loss at the hands of Mississippi State. Brandon Harris has taken the reigns at quarterback, and it doesn’t look like he’ll be handing them back to Anthony Jennings at any point in the future.
6. No. 11 Ole Miss It was simply time to move undefeated Ole Miss up the rankings this week after Georgia and South Carolina failed to impress. The Rebels beat Memphis on Saturday (in pretty unimpressive fashion as well, I might add), but Memphis is not currently in the SEC West, so no one cares.
7. Arkansas Aaaand Arkansas rounds out the top seven this week, with all seven teams coming from the SEC West. The SEC West is currently undefeated against teams from outside of the SEC West. These teams literally only ever lose to each other. There should be at least two spots in the College Football Playoff reserved for the SEC West. But back to Arkansas — Bret Bielema has really turned the Razorbacks around this season, and they nearly knocked off A&M, who needed to force overtime to steal the win.
BOSLEY JARRETT/ THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
From left to right: long snapper Andrew East (34), punter Colby Cooke (16) and cornerback Darrius Sims (6) pose for a portrait after practice on Sept. 24
The specialists By PATRICK GIVENS Sports writer --------------------
Special teams is an integral portion of the game of football, but its members rarely make headlines, rarely receive awards and rarely draw the adulation of fans. Don’t tell that to Vanderbilt Special Teams Coordinator Charles Bankins, who believes his unit has every bit as big of an impact on the game as the offense or defense. “We’re a third of the game,” Bankins said. “When we’re on kickoff coverage, we’re the first play of defense. When we’re on kickoff return, we’re the first play of offense.” While the offense and defense remain in a scheme transition, Bankins, who’s the only assistant remaining from James Franklin’s coaching staff, has provided the special teams unit a level of steadiness these other two units simply haven’t seen. “I think we’re very fortunate to have kept our special teams coach, Charles Bankins,” said senior captain and long snapper Andrew East. “Him staying behind really kept a lot of things consistent.” Although the structure of the unit has remained largely the same, the mindset hasn’t. East has seen three different coaching staffs, which represent three different approaches toward special teams, and it’s clear that he
With the only remaining coach from the Franklin era, special teams leads Commodores in consistency
prefers this one. “Mostly the attitude has changed,” East said. “There’s a lot more emphasis on special teams compared to the past. It’s really highlighted and emphasized now. I think that’s really a good thing.” With the Vanderbilt offense struggling in the first few weeks of the season, it’s been up to the special teams squad to provide big plays to keep the Commodores in games. From the blocked punt against UMass to Darrius Sims’ NCAA record-tying two kickoff return touchdowns against South Carolina, that corps has delivered in a big way. Just how important has production on special teams been? The Commodore special teamers have produced four touchdowns, just one fewer than the offense’s total of five. Part of that is an indictment on the scuffling offense, but take nothing away from Bankins’ unit. “You want a special teams big play any time you can get it, whether the offense is doing well or not,” East said. “Starting the South Carolina game off with the kickoff return definitely sets you off on the right foot. Special teams is all about big plays, momentum plays. That’s what we’ve been doing.” It hasn’t been all smooth sailing, however. A fake punt by UMass cost the Commodores
a touchdown, and a fumble on a kickoff return essentially ended the South Carolina game. If they clean up the mistakes, Bankins believes that success is in store. “We’re a work in progress,” he said. “I think we have guys that are committed to the process. They know that our goal is to be the number one special teams unit in the country, so we work towards that goal each and every day we go out there.” Some teams rely on consistency in the kicking game, but the Commodores prefer to rely on competition to bring the best performer to the forefront each week. When trying to replace record setters like kicker Carey Spear and punter Richard Kent over the past couple years, perhaps competition is the best recipe for success. “It’s a week-by-week competition,” Bankins said. “That’s the great thing about where we are with the depth of this team. Especially with specialists. You better perform in practice or you might find another guy in the ball game.” Although it’s tough to replace a leader like Spear, having a second-year captain like East is a strong start. The combination of East’s leadership and several young players stepping into the spotlight has allowed this unit to thrive.
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SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014
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SEC POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 5 CONTINUED 8. No. 13 Georgia This team would be so screwed without Todd Gurley. But this week he rushed for another 208 yards, hurdled a defender and continued to carry his team on his back past Tennessee. As long as the Bulldogs have Gurley, they will have a chance in every contest.
9. No. 24 Mizzou Missouri rebounded from its shameful nonconference loss to Indiana last week with a comeback win over in-conference South Carolina, which is becoming less and less impressive of a feat each week.
10. South Carolina South Carolina actually kinda sucks, I think.
11. Tennessee BOSLEY JARRETT / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
Tommy Openshaw
Trey Ellis
By JOSH HAMBURGER
By BEN WEINRIB
Sports writer --------------------
Asst. sports editor --------------------
Sometimes the smallest player can be the hardest to replace. For Vanderbilt, replacing the power hitting kicker, Carey Spear, has created a season-long competition to take over this important role. After true freshman Hayden Lekacz pushed a kick wide left in the first game against Temple, Tommy Openshaw assumed the duty of placekicking and has retained it since. The battle for the starting role carried on throughout the summer, pitting the two against one another. Even leading up to the first game, questions remained over who would start, but Openshaw, a redshirt freshman, remained steadfast throughout the whole process. “In the beginning of camp, I was a lot more stressed out. I was trying to win the starting job. But now in the games, I’m able to calm down and realize that it’s just a game; it’s supposed to be fun,” Openshaw said. However, he understands the impact of each and every kick, as the process of evaluating and naming a starter comes on a weekly basis. He noted that the week’s starting kicker is “whoever’s got the best percentage (in practice), whoever the coach trusts the most and whoever he feels like is going to put the team in the best position to win.” Since this position can be so vulnerable, Openshaw has been putting emphasis on placekicking to secure that role, looking to add kickoffs to his repertoire later. Lekacz has proven himself in that role, so it seems that they will be leaving kicker responsibilities split. What drives Openshaw to perform his best is his religious and military background, which to him serves the greatest purpose. Raised by two former Navy parents, he relates the military and football by their similarity in training, commitment and mentality. Such a strong military background has sparked interest in Openshaw’s future, as he constantly mulls over a decision to join the Navy after his football days. From a religious standpoint, he often puts football into perspective of life. As a devout Catholic, Openshaw sees his talents as God-given, which he uses to “hopefully bring other people to Him just by way of play.” After Wednesday practices, Openshaw can be overseen intently following football’s weekly sermon delivered to members of the team by Vanderbilt Sports Chaplain Lance Brown. Off the field, Openshaw spends a portion of his time in Mass and as an active brother of the Christian fraternity Beta Upsilon Chi, where he has become a team favorite player. For the year, Tommy Openshaw has converted three of four field goals with a long of 30 yards and has successfully placed all six extra points through the uprights. Influenced by a warrior mentality that Carey Spear instilled in him, Openshaw explained, “As a kicker you want to be mentally focused and have an incredible amount of confidence … and be able to know that you can make any kick no matter what.”
For a walk-on football player to start as a true freshman is incredibly uncommon at Vanderbilt. For a player generously listed as 5-foot-9, 165 pounds to start at Vanderbilt is also incredibly uncommon. But to have a player overcome both obstacles is nearly unheard of. Trey Ellis certainly doesn’t fit the stereotype of a starter in the SEC, but the Commodores’ punt returner is already making an impact while most people in his situation would be biding their time on the bench. “Probably the first reaction (we had when we saw him) is, ‘Does he know where he is?’ ” said senior offensive guard Spencer Pulley of Ellis. “I’ll tell you now … this guy came into camp and really turned some heads. Just forget about his talent — his pure hard work and dedication, the way he went after it every day — was impressive. That’s why you see him out on the field now.” Coming out of Ardrey Kell High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, Ellis was mostly overlooked. He didn’t receive any scholarship offers despite having led the Knights in receiving for several seasons. Instead, he received preferred walk-on offers from Florida, Georgetown, North Carolina and Vanderbilt. Ellis grew up a Florida fan because his father played football there and he himself was born in Tampa, but as time went on, he realized the school wasn’t right for him. “As I grew older, I came to understand more what each school had to offer for me,” Ellis said. “Obviously I really liked Florida, but I felt like Vanderbilt had even more for me as far as academics and athletics.” Shortly after Signing Day, Ellis was accepted to Vanderbilt and agreed to take a preferred walk-on spot that included an academic scholarship. And by the third game of the season, he was returning punts for the Commodores, with his final one of the game setting up Ralph Webb’s go-ahead touchdown against UMass. “(He’s) in the same mold as Jonathan Krause, a guy that understands the awareness of people coming down the field and just focus on ball,” Bankins said. “He gets the game, he works hard and doesn’t say anything, he just works.” “When you work like that, your play tells us we have to put you on the field, and that’s what happened,” he added. Through three games returning punts, Ellis is averaging an impressive 8.0 yards per punt return. And although other teams may see him as just a fresh face with a small frame, Ellis doesn’t see that as an obstacle. “I was brought up to believe that it’s not the size of the dog, it’s the fight in the dog,” Ellis said. “I approach every game as I don’t care how big you are, how strong you are, you gotta have more heart than me to defeat me. That’s what I believe.”
Tennessee legend Peyton Manning gave the Volunteers some of Peyton’s Secret Stuff (that’s a “Space Jam” reference — get your mind out of the gutter) before Saturday’s game against Georgia, and it seemed to work as Justin Worley looked about as good as any quarterback for the Vols since Manning himself. It pains me to say this, but the entire Volunteer team looked pretty good against Georgia. Not quite good enough to win, but impressive nonetheless.
12. Florida DNP, but moving down in the rankings anyway because of Tennessee’s turning heads. The Gators will have a chance to move back up next week when they play the Volunteers, though. Hopefully by then Peyton Manning will have gone back to fruitlessly trying to figure out how to beat the Seahawks.
13. Kentucky Kentucky beat Vanderbilt 17-7. Damn, this game was painful to watch. I take back everything I said the last few weeks about Kentucky. They suck too.
14. Vanderbilt The defense looked pretty solid, but this team can’t expect to win if it relies on cornerback and kick returner Darrius Sims to score all of its points. That’s the offense’s job, and nobody seems to have relayed that information to ours.
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SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014
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Break point Ryan Lipman uses year after graduation to serve as an assistant coach before going professional BECK FRIEDMAN / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
Former Commodore arrested By ALLISON MAST Sports editor --------------------
Jeffery Taylor, who played for Vanderbilt men’s basketball team from 2008 to 2012, was arrested at a Marriott hotel in East Lansing, Michigan last Thursday. He was charged with domestic assault against his girlfriend, assault and battery against a hotel employee and malicious destruction of property. The following day, the Charlotte Hornets announced that Taylor would not be included in team activities until both the NBA and law enforcement conclude their investigations. The 25-year-old small forward was released on bail shortly after his arrest and pleaded not guilty on all charges. He is scheduled to appear at a pretrial court hearing on Oct. 8. At Monday’s Hornets media day, attendees received preseason media guides, which included Taylor’s bio. Hornets general manager Rich Cho said that Taylor will remain on a paid leave of absence until more details about the alleged assaults are released. If convicted, Taylor could serve one year in prison. Taylor ruptured his achilles in December but was expected to be healthy for his third season in the NBA. In the 26 games he played last season, he averaged eight points and 2.3 rebounds. He plays behind starting small forward Michael KiddGilchrist, who along with Taylor was selected in the 2012 NBA Draft. Just last week, NBA commissioner Adam Silver addressed the league’s domestic violence policies in light of what has been happening in the NFL. The current policy only outlines a 10-game suspension for players who are convicted, not merely arrested, so many cases get dismissed. The NFL policy enforces a six-game suspension for first-time offenders and a lifetime ban after a second offense. Silver is in the process of reviewing the NBA’s policy and making adjustments if necessary.
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By CALLIE MEISEL Sports writer --------------------
In the midst of all the excitement surrounding the Commodores’ journeys to and successes in the BBVA Compass Bowl and the College World Series, it would be easy to overlook the great successes of other Vanderbilt teams or individuals. One athlete in particular cannot be forgotten when reflecting back on Vanderbilt’s athletic successes of the 2013-14 school year — Ryan Lipman, a then-redshirt senior on the men’s tennis team. The summer before his final year on Vanderbilt’s team, Lipman tore the labrum in one of his hips. Fortunately, his doctors told Lipman that he could delay surgery until the end of his final year as a Commodore as long as he could tolerate the pain because playing with his injury would not make it much worse. Despite the pain, Lipman excelled. The tennis star finished his tennis career ranked No. 44 in singles and No. 3 in doubles by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). In the spring of 2014 alone, he received the honors ITA AllAmerican, Second Team All-SEC, SEC Academic Honor Roll and ITA Ohio Valley Arthur Ashe Award. Upon receiving these awards, Lipman became the first ever three-time All-American in Vanderbilt men’s tennis history. Lipman set other Vanderbilt records, too. He became the first men’s tennis player to earn All-Conference honors in all four seasons, and he set the single season and career wins record by a Vanderbilt doubles team with his partner, senior Gonzales (AJ) Austin. Additionally, Lipman and Austin were the first Vanderbilt duo to earn All-American honors in doubles.
Clearly, Lipman did not let his hip injury get the best of him. When his time as a Vanderbilt tennis player came to an end, Lipman learned that he had now torn the labrum in his other hip. With two upcoming surgeries, Lipman knew he had to put his dreams of playing professional tennis on hold. In the meantime, while his hips are recovering, Lipman has taken the position of volunteer assistant coach for the Vanderbilt men’s tennis team. “I thought that’d be a great idea because when I’m done playing professionally, I’d like to get into coaching at some point,” Lipman said. Thus far, Lipman said he has really enjoyed his experience as an assistant coach. During his third year at Vanderbilt, Lipman decided to redshirt because he suffered a hip injury that took him out of play for the entire season. He spent his recovery time helping to coach his teammates, and he feels that this opportunity gave him insight as to how to better analyze strokes and communicate with his teammates. Despite his past experience as an assistant coach, however, Lipman admitted that it can be tricky balancing his relationships with his fellow Commodores. “It can still be kind of awkward at times because I was their teammate, some for three years, some for two, some for one,” he said. “They’re my good friends, but I’m also trying to help them out.” Although Lipman can only play for around 20 minutes here and there until his hips are fully healed, he looks forward to when he can begin training with his teammates again in order to get back in shape to join the professional tennis circuit. If all goes according to plan, Lipman should be back on the tennis grind
by February or March of 2015. “I’m thinking the season ends at the end of May, and AJ is planning on trying to play professionally as well. So when he graduates in May and NCAAs are over, we’ll go out together and travel together and play together and do the whole thing together,” Lipman said. Lipman explained that as he embarks on his journey as a professional tennis player, he will not be traveling with a coach because hiring one would be too expensive. Lipman, therefore, will have to take on the responsibility of being both coach and player. “Hopefully, I can learn the nuances of understanding what you’re seeing on the court coaching and kind of take that and think about that while playing,” Lipman said. Not only will his current position as volunteer assistant coach benefit him as a professional athlete, but it will also benefit him in his pursuit of a coaching career after he retires from the professional circuit. “I feel like my coach who coached me from when I was six until I was done with college gave so much back to the game that I feel like I owe it to him to give back to the game as well,” Lipman said. Ideally, Lipman would like to either coach at the college level or, if the timing does not work in his favor in that regard, open his own tennis academy right here in Nashville, where he could develop players from a young age. So in the future, when you’re flipping through television channels in search of Vanderbilt’s bowl games and College World Series games, be sure to pause on the channels playing tennis matches because one of the players out there could be your very own Commodore, Ryan Lipman.
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Marching to the wrong tune Controversial song played by Kentucky’s marching band reflects poorly on the SEC By ALLISON MAST Sports editor --------------------
As any good football coach would tell you, attention to detail is crucial. Inches separate completions from incompletions, tackles from missed tackles and field goals from missed field goals. During Vanderbilt’s game against Kentucky on Saturday, both teams’ performances were marred by a lack of precision, but the University of Kentucky’s Wildcat Marching Band committed the most offensive oversight. At various points in the game, the band played “Look Down” from the popular Broadway musical “Les Miserables.” Band director Scott-Lee Atchison, when asked about the selection, said that he likes to play the song when Kentucky is on defense because it sounds ominous and sinister. What struck me was not the foreboding feeling of the selection but its controversial lyrics: “Look down, look down, you’ll always be a slave.” “I actually had no idea what the words were until now. To be honest, I never made that connection,” Atchison said. “Lyrics
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never entered the equation.” Several college marching bands utilize “Look Down” as a defensive cheer, including the University of Alabama’s Million Dollar Band, which began using the song in 2012. It is generally chosen for its ominous tone and not for its lyrics, but should marching bands be allowed to ignore that extremely significant detail? Some might argue that bands should not be required to take lyrics into consideration because they only play instrumentals, but when a song is well-known, listeners are bound to think of the lyrics. Although the intentions of the band directors are not malicious, the effect of their song selections on fans and players should be taken into account. The Southeastern Conference is famous for its football, but it is not free from the racial problems that historically affected its region. SEC football was entirely segregated until Sept. 30, 1963 when Nat Northington, an African-American defensive
end, played three minutes for Kentucky in a game against Ole Miss. This marked the first integrated game in the conference, and most SEC teams would not offer scholarships to AfricanAmericans for another five years. It is surprising and unsettling that Kentucky, the SEC school that led the way in the integration of varsity football teams, is sending an entirely different message at Commonwealth Stadium. Using “you’ll always be a slave” as a battle cry is insensitive and stands at odds with the SEC’s commitment to nondiscrimination. Songs played by marching bands are heard by thousands of people every Saturday, and band directors should be aware of how these are perceived. Although lack of attention to detail by a marching band might not affect the outcome of a game the way an oversight by a coach might, it certainly affects the fan experience and the perception of the Southeastern Conference as a whole.
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