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VOLUME 02 ISSUE 03 MARCH 2014
W-WHO? TAX TALK WITH AN EXPERT
BRACKET BUSTERS ONE CHANCE. $1 BILLION.
PACK YOUR BAGS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO SURVIVE
2 TABLE OF CONTENTS
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MARCH 2014
MARCH 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
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MY 2.5 YEARS OF TESTING GAVE ME THE ABILITY TO TYPE BY BOUNCING ON A KEYBOARD. WORLD CUP P5 FEEDBACK
LETTER
LET’S HEAR IT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
FROM THE EDITOR
BALLIN’ ADIDAS BRAZUCA ROLLS WITH GUNS ABLAZIN’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
TAXES 101 DON’T PANIC! FILING IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK! . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
GO TEAM!
CYCLING FOR CHANGE
This time last year I was submitting my very first issue as the editor of SET Magazine. It was a stressful, nervewracking, exciting experience and when I held the first copy in my hands my heart swelled with pride. Not pride for myself, but pride for all the people who came together, worked hard and pushed out an awesome issue.
SHARE THE ROAD
I still feel that same pride with each issue that comes out. I’m so privileged to have worked a full year with this team of 80+ contributors who make this magazine happen every month. You guys are great and I look forward to growing with you. Now that all that mushy-gushy junk is out of the way, I present to you the Sports Issue! This month’s SET features a number of local sports legends (p. 10-12). There are so many amazing athletes who have come out of this area that I didn’t even know about! Included are some high school athletes who have big things headed their way; maybe you know them or they went to your alma mater, but one thing’s for sure, you’re going to see their names scrolling on the bottom of ESPN one day. After you’ve read through this issue, be sure to give us some feedback! We want to know how we’re doing and how we can better serve our readers, and the only way we can find those things out is if we hear it from you. Leave a comment on our Facebook page or tweet us (@getsetmag) and we’ll include your quote in our Feedback section in the next issue.
ONE CYCLIST’S MISSION TO SAVE LIVES ON THE ROAD. . . . . . . . . 8 SHARING IS CARING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
LOCAL SPORTS LEGENDS PAST AND PRESENT SPORTS STARS IN OUR AREA. . . . . . . . . 10-12
ON THE SIDELINES COACHES & PLAYERS GET A LITTLE HELP BEHIND THE SCENES. . . 14
BILLION DOLLAR BRACKET MADNESS Don’t forget that SET is your platform! If you want to get involved with the magazine — whether you’re a writer, illustrator or photographer — there’s always space in these pages for you. Not only will you get some published work for your portfolio, but you’ll also get a little cash on the side. Sounds like a sweet deal, right? Email me at editor@getsetmag.com or go online to getsetmag.com and get started. Happy reading!
WHAT GOES IN TO A PERFECT MARCH MADNESS BRACKET. . . . 15
CALENDAR WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17
ROCKIN’ THE BREAK GREAT BANDS TAKE THE STAGE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST . . . . . . 18
THE GREATEST. 100% FACT THESE ARE THE GREATEST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
SPOTLIGHT SET READERS IN ACTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-23
ATYPICAL GAME DAY FOOD MUST-HAVE NOM-NOMS FOR THE INNOVATIVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
THE BENEFITS OF JUICING ORANGE YOU GLAD YOU’RE BEING HEALTHY?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
WHAT’S IN YOUR BAG? COOL DIGS FOR SPRING GIGS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
20 PLACES TO VISIT BEFORE 30 DITCH THE SAME-OL’ VACATION SPOTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
FREESTYLE BY LINLEY MOBLEY, EDITOR
SET is a publication by and for local young people dedicated to lifestyle, finance, technology and community. It is published by Listerhill Credit Union as
part of its ongoing mission to promote the credit union philosophy of cooperation and financial literacy. It is a platform for 15-20 somethings in the community and it is free.
ONE FINAL THOUGHT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
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4 FEEDBACK & CONTRIBUTORS
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KRISTEN DUNN, @KRISTENNDUNN
14 RY 20 FEBRUA
“I love recognizing so many faces in the pictures at local events; our community feels like a huge family, and I think that Set magazine captures that.”
TOT BOREN, @TOTIMUSPRIME “I found it really funny that Matt Jones had to subtly insert that ‘Mean Girls’ was his favorite movie.”
? PIZZ’SA W H AT I AT N O W THA VA LE N TI N E! C A LL
ST ES FA 3 TIMW H AT H E S AAWW EE ES S H E S W H AT & S EE W
TING RN DA T, MODEC O M M IT M EN E M N A S LE S S VA S
SET CONTRIBUTORS CLAIRE STEWART
Vestavia Hills, AL
ALICIA THREET
JAIME MINOR
Columbia, TN
REESE SHIREY
BRITTANY LEACH
Florence, AL
Muscle Shoals, AL
JUSTIN ARGO
SHANE PARKER
Birmingham, AL
HANNAH BOYD
Florence, AL
Hartselle, AL
Trinity, AL
KAT FORT
Columbia, TN
CHRIS ANDERSON
Muscle Shoals, AL
KALI DANIEL
Murfreesboro, TN
JENNIFER OSBORN
Muscle Shoals, AL
BRITTANY ROBINSON
KYLE ENLOE
ALEX RICHEY
Columbia, TN
Florence, AL
Russellville, AL
BLYTHE STEELMAN
SHANE MOODY
ANNE CLAIRE CHEATWOOD
Lawrenceburg, TN
Ford City, AL
Lawrenceburg, TN
TRENT CRONIN Florence, AL
ABBY HOOD
Lawrenceburg, TN
MARCH 2014
TECH 5
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During medieval times balls were made with inflated animal bladders.
BALLIN’
THEY SEE ME ROLLIN’, THEY HATIN’.
ADIDAS BRAZUCA ROLLS WITH GUNS ABLAZIN’ How much thought really goes into a soccer ball? Well, if that ball is being used in the world’s biggest tournament of the world’s most popular sport — quite a bit. Every four years, FIFA, the soccer association that puts on the World Cup, announces the new match ball that will be used in the upcoming tournament. Adidas has been making the World Cup match ball since 1970, developing new innovations and design with each tournament. However, last year’s match ball, Jabulani, was heavily criticized for not “flying straight” and favoring strikers over goalkeepers. In December 2013, FIFA announced the Adidas Brazuca, the official match ball of the 2014 World Cup. Its design was “inspired by vibrant colours, passion and heritage of Brazil.” Its name is a term used by natives of the country to describe
the Brazilian way of life. “A new structural innovation with a unique symmetry of six identical panels alongside a different surface structure will provide improved grip, touch, stability and aerodynamics on the pitch. Brazuca has been thoroughly tested to meet and exceed all FIFA metrics for an official match ball, ensuring top performance for every condition,” an Adidas statement read. Some of the sport’s best players, including Argentina’s team captain Lionel Messi, were involved in the development process with Adidas. Critics have praised Brazuca for being more aerodynamic than its predecessor. The match ball has taken on a personality of its own by actively tweeting its #ballin adventures across the globe. When asked how it tweets, Brazuca responded, “As well as consciousness something my 2.5 years of testing gave me is the ability to type by bouncing on a keyboard.” Roll over to Twitter and give it a follow @brazuca. To see the ball in action yourself, look for World Cup coverage on ESPN and ABC this summer from June 12 to July 13. It may appear in your local coverage between NASCAR’s Quicken Loans 400 and early college football poll predictions.
STORY BY CHRIS ANDERSON
6 MONEY
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School loans can be a tax deductable.
MARCH 2014
The first e-file took place January 24, 1986.
TAXES 101 DON’T PANIC! FILING IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK! Whether you’re filing your taxes for the first time or just need some information, here are some helpful tips to make filing your tax returns a little bit easier.
WHEN TO FILE:
Your taxes need to be filed on or before April 15. If you need more time, you can request a six-month extension by filling out form 4868 for individuals online at IRS. gov. Even if you file an extension, it has to be to the IRS by April 15, along with any taxes you are aware of.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
Everyone’s situation is a little different, so here are a handful of things you may need for your taxes this year. • Proof of income such as a W2 and/or 1099. • 1099-DIV from your bank or credit union showing dividends you earned. • 1099-R if you did a withdrawal from your 401(k) or IRA. • 1098 for mortgage interest. • 1098-E for student loans. • Receipts showing sales tax you paid for any large purchases in 2013 (like an automobile, ATV or boat). • Receipts for charitable donations.
HOW TO FILE:
I recently polled a group of people under the age of 30 to see when and where they prefer to do their taxes. Here is what they had to say: • 70% file their taxes in the month of February, right after they receive their W2’s. • 60% prefer to do their taxes in a local office instead of using online services. • 30% prefer a local CPA (Certified Public Accountant) to the larger companies. There are a few different ways to file your taxes. You can file online or in an office like H&R Block. If your AGI (adjusted gross income) was less than $58,000, then you should visit IRS.gov/freefile, where you can browse several different companies that offer FREE tax return services! If you prefer having someone help you one-on-one, or if you need advice, find a local tax expert to help. Either way you go, you should be able to have your tax refund direct deposited to your checking or savings account. This makes getting your return much faster! Just make sure you have your bank or credit union routing numbers ready.
TIPS:
Save your tax returns, W2’s, 1099’s, charitable donation receipts and anything else you think might be important. You could be audited by the IRS and will need to provide this information. Depending on the situation, you may need to save them for as long as seven years. Are you self-employed? Ask about deducting your cell phone and Internet, as well as anything else you have to buy for your business. New IRS rules allow self-employed taxpayers to deduct their home office. However, you must use the space regularly and exclusively for your business. More information is on the IRS website. If you’re under the age of 19, or if you’re a full-time student under the age of 24, then your parents may be claiming you on their taxes. If you’re a college student and are not providing more than 50% of your support,
then you cannot take your personal exemption. You can, however, receive deductions for tuition, fees, textbooks and other expenses that you have incurred. Have you had any big changes in 2013? Did you get married or have a baby? This is information you will need to update when filing your taxes. Try to stay organized throughout the year by keeping everything you will need for your tax returns in one spot. You can also use a personal finance software program like Quicken to help make it easier. Filing your taxes doesn’t have to be a dreaded or stressful time of year. By using some of these tips, you should be on your way to an easier tax return!
STORY BY BRITTANY ROBINSON ILLUSTRATION BY JENNIFER OSBORN
MARCH 2014
MONEY 7
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You can park about 15 bikes in a car space.
MARCH 2014
Maintaining a bike costs 20x less than a car would.
CYCLING FOR CHANGE ONE CYCLIST’S MISSION TO SAVE LIVES ON THE ROAD For some people, rules of the road for alternate transportation may seem unimportant, but for devoted cyclists like McKenzie Martin, road safety and awareness among motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians can be a life or death situation. Martin’s passion for cyclist safety and awareness began a few years ago while in graduate school at the University of Mississippi. A friend Martin had been training with for a triathlon was cycling down the road when she was hit and killed by a texting driver. Martin said that her friend was abiding by all the proper
road rules and was on the correct side of the road when the accident happened. “It was hard-hitting news. It made me afraid to bike, even after doing all the right things,” Martin said. In addition, Martin said that she and other fellow cyclists have had problems with motorists yelling at them to get off the street while they cycle on the road. “Little do motorists know that cyclists are actually entitled to the full right of the road and are to abide by the same rules as a motorist,” Martin said. Following these incidents, Martin knew she had to do something. In 2013, Martin, who is the Coordinator of Outdoor Adventures and Special Events at the University of North Alabama (UNA) Outdoor Adventure Center, launched UNA’s Share the Road campaign. Share the Road is a weeklong initiative
that encourages safety and awareness among motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians within the UNA community, and Martin plans to continue the initiative this year during the first week of March. “I just want the Share the Road campaign to grow every year,” Martin said. Martin’s involvement with Share the Road is indeed admirable, and her contributions to the initiative are certain to make the community a safer place to drive, walk and bike. If you’d like to learn more about Share the Road, visit UNA Share the Road on Facebook.
STORY BY KYLE ENLOE
MARCH 2014
NONPROFIT 9
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Bikes are classified as a vehicle and are obligated to follow the laws of the road.
SHARE THE ROAD
I WANT TO RIDE MY BICYCLE, I WANT TO RIDE MY BIKE!
SHARING IS CARING “Sharing is caring” – this cliché expression has become a way of life for the members of the University of North Alabama (UNA) Outdoor Adventure Center (OAC) and sets the tone for their 2nd annual Share the Road campaign. The Share the Road campaign is a weeklong movement that encourages safety and awareness among motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians within the UNA community, according to McKenzie Martin, Coordinator of Outdoor Adventures and Special Events at the OAC. This weeklong initiative has four main goals: • To raise awareness among motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians about the rules of the road • To increase the comfort level of bicyclists with riding on the road • To promote responsible safe biking habits • To support the fast growing popularity of biking as a means of transportation. To achieve these goals, Share the Road focuses on motivating the UNA
community to take the Share the Road pledge, which states, “I pledge to share the road as a member of the UNA – Florence community that works together to ensure the safety and well-being of all.” “If we can all learn to abide by the rules, or learn the rules at least, cyclists will be more inclined to ride,” Martin said. This year’s campaign will take place March 3-7 and includes a series of active events, which include: daily information and pledge booths in the Guillot University Center (GUC) and at First Friday, community rides through UNA’s campus on bikes donated by the Shoals Bike Shop and commuter races throughout campus. There will also be a bicycle repair clinic Tuesday, March 4, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. According to Martin, last year’s goal was 200 pledges and they exceeded that with a final count of 217 pledges. This year the goal is 250 and Martin is confident that they will again exceed it. The Share the Road initiative is certain to make the community a safer place to drive, walk and bike. If you’d like to learn more about Share the Road, visit UNA Share the Road on Facebook.
STORY BY KYLE ENLOE
10 FEATURE
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MARCH 2014
PAST AND PRESENT SPORTS STARS IN OUR AREA We all expect to accomplish different goals and surpass a couple of milestones before we turn 30. Many of us try to finish our education, start our careers, get married and even have children. Those life events are basically expected of us. But breaking high school and college sports records, being recruited by some of the top colleges or professional teams in the country and being ranked best in the state or nation for our physical abilities? That only happens to a select few of us. Check out the following sports legends we found in our area that shattered records and scoreboards and are well known for their skills and athleticism.
BETTY BOOKER-PARKS Many residents of Maury County, TN would argue that the best female basketball player to come from the area was point guard Betty Booker-Parks. Betty grew up in Hampshire, TN just outside of Columbia, and she graduated from Hampshire High School. While in high school in 1976, Betty averaged 30.2 points per game and was selected to be a part of the Tennessee All-Star Team. Betty went on to play for Memphis State University (MSU) where she continued to surprise and amaze everyone. She set
many records during her time at MSU including points scored (2,835), free throws made (1,203) and number of steals (360). In 1985 she was inducted into the MSU Athletic Hall of Fame. After college, Betty was a first round draft choice in the Women’s Basketball League by the New Orleans Pride and then was traded to the St. Louis Streak. After her amazing professional career she moved on to coaching high school basketball, volleyball and track and in 1994 she played and coached for the Memphis Blues professional basketball team. On Feb. 18, 2005 she was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame and will remain forever one of the great athletes to come out of Maury County.
In May 2008, he hit a total of 12 homeruns, setting a Marlins record for most homeruns in any month. On Sept. 13, 2010 he became the first second baseman in all of Major League Baseball (MLB) history to hit 30 or more homeruns within four seasons. In 2011 Uggla was traded to the Atlanta Braves, who he is still with today. Aside from playing baseball, Uggla started “Dan Uggla’s Diamond’s in the Rough Foundation” in 2011. This foundation focuses on providing opportunities, support and resources to low-income families throughout Atlanta.
DAN UGGLA
David Weathers was born in 1969 in Lawrenceburg, TN. After playing baseball for Motlow State Community College in Moore County, TN, Weathers was drafted in the 3rd round to the MLB team the Toronto Blue Jays in 1988. Weathers made his major league debut pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays on August 2, 1991 and went on to play for the Florida Marlins, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets and Houston Astros before retiring in 2009 with one World Series win under his belt.
Dan Uggla graduated from Columbia Central High School (CHS) in Maury County, TN in 1998. He went on to play baseball at the University of Memphis where he was named an All-American for his outstanding performance on the field. After college, Uggla played in the Minor Leagues for the Arizona Diamondbacks. In 2006 he moved up to the Major Leagues and played for the Florida Marlins — a very huge leap from the small town of Columbia.
DAVID WEATHERS
MARCH 2014
FEATURE 11
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STEWART CINK
JASON ALLEN
RACHEL AND RONDA PRICE Weathers now spends time with his wife and children in Lawrenceburg. Weathers gives back to his community by coaching youth baseball teams and has started “David Weathers Charities,” which seeks to fund development projects in Lawrence County, TN.
OZZIE NEWSOME JR. Ozzie Newsome Jr. was born in March 16, 1956 and is from Leighton, AL. Newsome was a part of Colbert County High School’s State Championship football team in 1972 and in that same year broke the state record for touchdown receptions in one year. Upon graduating from high school, Newsome started all four years as a tight end for the University of Alabama, where he was nicknamed, “The Wizard of Oz.” Newsome made the 1977 College Football AllAmerica team in 1977 and Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant called him “the greatest end in Alabama history.” Newsome was the 23rd pick in the 1978 NFL Draft for the Cleveland Browns and was then named rookie of the year. In Newsome’s 13-year NFL career, he played 198 consecutive games. Newsome was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999. Since retiring from the NFL, Newsome has been working as an executive in the NFL and currently serves as the General Manager for the Baltimore Ravens.
JOSH WILLINGHAM Born in Florence, Willingham played baseball for Mars Hill Bible School and was recruited to play at the University of North Alabama (UNA) in 1998. During his time at UNA, he played shortstop and was an All-Gulf South Conference selection. In 2000, in the 17th round of the draft, Willingham was selected by the MLB team, the Florida Marlins. Since that time he has played for the Washington Nationals, the Oakland Athletics and the Minnesota Twins (which he still plays for today). On July 27, 2009, Josh became the 13th player in MLB history to hit two grand slams in the same game and the seventh in history to do it in back-to-back innings. After all of this national fame, Willingham and his wife, Ginger, still find time to give back to the community. The couple set up the “Josh Willingham Foundation” to help at-risk children in North Alabama.
RACHEL AND RONDA PRICE Rachel Price Bell and Ronda Price Brinley were each four-year starting players on the UNA volleyball team from 1996-99. In their time at the school, the team had a 156-22 record. They won four straight Gulf South Conference championships, made four straight NCAA Division II Tournament appearances and won two NCAA regional championships. The sisters are two of only eight UNA student-athletes of all-time to
DAN UGGLA have earned both All-American and Academic AllAmerican honors. Ronda left UNA with 15 school records and second best kill history at the university. This past December, the twins, who now live in Indiana, talked about the importance of confidence for athletes during an interview with the NCAA. “I think both academically and in sports, it’s helpful to have confidence — to know that if you do your best, you will do well,” Rachel said. “I felt like if I worked hard, then there was really nothing in terms of academics or sports that I couldn’t do well at and have fun.”
STEWART CINK Stewart Cink was born in Huntsville, AL and raised in Florence, where he attended Bradshaw High School. In 1991, Cink began playing golf for Georgia Tech and turned professional upon graduating in 1995. Cink had a very successful career in golf but his most notable win was during the 2009 British Open Championship. Cink has had numerous other wins throughout his career and great finishes during his time on the PGA Tour from 1997 to present and has also been a part of five Ryder Cup teams. Cink does a great job giving back to his community by hosting the annual “Healing Place Tournament,” which is a “Pro-am” style golf tournament featuring celebrity guests from the PGA Tour. This tournament has helped support The Healing Place in Muscle Shoals, AL, for the past 11 years.
12 FEATURE
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RYAN RUGGLES
KEIANA GILBERT
JASON ALLEN
KEIANA GILBERT
Jason Allen graduated from Muscle Shoals High School in Alabama in 2002 as an All-American player, he was also a two-time 5A All-State running back and was the 2001 Alabama Gatorade Player of the year. After high school, Allen went on to play cornerback at the University of Tennessee (UT) where he played a total of 43 games, 13 of those while he was a true freshman. In 2004, while playing for UT, Allen was selected by the Associated Press as a third team All-American. After college, the Miami Dolphins drafted Allen in the 1st round. He went on to play for the Houston Texans as well as the Cincinnati Bengals. Currently, he is a free agent for the NFL, waiting to be contracted to the next team.
Keiana Gilbert currently plays basketball for Columbia Central High School (CHS) in Columbia, TN. Gilbert holds the record at CHS for the most points scored in a girls’ basketball game at 43 points. She averages about 24 points and 11 rebounds per game. Gilbert is in the running for class AAA Miss Basketball, a very prestigious award for talented athletes. In November 2013 she signed with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) to play basketball beginning in the fall semester of this year. She will be joining her big sister, Aryanna Gilbert, on the court at UTC.
AJ MILWEE
Ryan Ruggles is currently the Sheffield High School baseball team’s left-handed pitcher. As a junior, Ruggles went 7-4 with a 3.35 earned run average. He has struck out 90 batters in 60.2 innings pitched. Because of these statistics, he received an honorable mention in the Alabama Class 1A Region 3A AllArea Team. He has compiled 19 victories from the mound for the Sheffield Bulldogs. This season, he has big plans to finish out his high school career because he will be joining the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Blazer baseball team for their 2015 season. Ruggles has played on the varsity team since he was in 8th grade and his next coach, UAB’s Brian Shoop, is expecting more big things from Ruggles right out the gate. “Ryan is an in-state left-handed pitcher with tremendous upside,” said the coach. “He is a great student who wants to major in industrial distribution, so UAB is a great match for Ryan’s academic goals, also.”
Graduate of Boaz High School, AJ Milwee was UNA’s quarterback between 2006 and 2008. During that time, the team had a 33-5 record. Milwee set alltime school records for career passing yards, pass completions, passing attempts, touchdown passes and total offensive yards. He earned honorable mention All-American honors as a senior and is a member of the program’s all-decade team (an elite group of athletes hand-picked for their impressive athletic skill at UNA in the past 10 years). He was also a two-time finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, awarded annually to the nation’s top player at the NCAA Division-II level. At 27, Milwee is now the offensive coordinator for the University of Akron as well as mentoring for the University of Alabama quarterbacks. But Milwee is not one to forget his roots. “UNA truly means the world to me. It gave me everything I wanted athletically, academically and socially,” he said. “I am where I am today because of the University of North Alabama. It will always be my home away from home.”
UP & COMING HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES Everyone has to start somewhere and these high school athletes are headed in the right direction. Meet 4 local students who have already made large strides in their athletic careers.
MARCH 2014
RYAN RUGGLES
DORRYL SWANIGAN Dorryl Swanigan has been setting records at Marion County High School since the beginning of his varsity career. Swanigan is a stand out senior athlete in football, basketball and track. In football, Swanigan has had more touchdowns and points scored than
any other football player in Marion County history. Swanigan was named Alabama Class 1A running back of the year and made the team in 2013. Swanigan’s basketball skills are just as impressive. He is the number one scorer of all time at Marion County with over 2,300 points scored. He also holds the record for the most steals (432) in Marion County. On top of basketball and football, Swanigan has also received many awards in track. He was named Mr. Alabama Track and Field in 2011 and 2012, track MVP in 2010-2012 and won the Alabama 1A state championship in triple jump in 2011. When asked how it feels to be a Marion County High School legend in the making, Swanigan replied, “Personally, I can’t take all of the credit. I was one of 11 players on the football field, one of five on the basketball court, and one of many of the track team. I have those players and coaches to thank.” He is spending the rest of his senior year visiting colleges and deciding which sport he would like to take to the next level.
BRONTAE HARRIS Brontae Harris has been on the radar in Alabama high school athletics since his freshman year. Harris is a junior stand out athlete in both football and basketball at Hanceville High School. Although Harris has received much notoriety playing football, named All-State in 2013 as a running back, Harris wants to take his basketball career to the next level. “I put in a lot of time and dedication in the offseason. I push myself each and every day to be better than I was the day before,” said Harris. Harris spends his time during the offseason constantly getting ready for the next season and is hoping to take his basketball skills to a college level. He has spent his summers playing AAU basketball, a travel organization, to get exposure to different players and coaches from around the country. Harris was named the 2013 All-State Basketball team for point guard and has received first team All Area and All County since his Freshman year.
STORY BY CLAIRE STEWART, JAIME MINOR & HANNAH BOYD
MARCH 2014
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SET isn’t just a magazine looking for people to share their 2 cents. It is entirely comprised of content provided by the 15 - 29 year olds of our community. No one else writes the articles, no one takes the pictures and no one else decides what runs. That’s why we need you. Attend our next editorial meeting, drop us a line or send us an idea for your story. We want your photography, art and music. Get on SET’s team.
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FEATURE 13
14 SPECIAL FEATURE
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Sports Managers have backgrounds in business.
MARCH 2014
Sports Managers can work in law and marketing.
ON THE SIDELINES COACHES AND PLAYERS GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP BEHIND THE SCENES. When it comes to sports, those who often take center stage are the players and coaches. They are the ones sought out by fans and recognized by many. But with any sports team or department, there is an entire host of people who provide support and training to those on the field each week. They are the people on the sidelines — the ones working tirelessly to make sure the players can compete and that the public is well-informed. They handle the smaller details, so coaches and players can focus on the game. They are the sports information staff, athletics trainers, athletic directors, recruiters and athlete nutritionists, just to name a few. This occupation, known as sports management, is one that requires passion, dedication and commitment. Jobs can range from those who manage and sell concessions during the game to player agents or stadium managers. No two days are the same when working in athletics, said Russell Moore, who has worked in communications and marketing at Wallace State Community College for almost five years. In this role, Moore said he writes a large volume of press releases and covers athletics each week. “You just try to knock out as much work as you can,” Moore said. “And that’s what makes it interesting. I never dread going into work.” After working as a sports writer and graduating from Auburn University, Moore said he was able to find a job at
BENJAMIN RAY WORKING HARD TO GIVE THE JACKSONVILLE STATE GAMECOCKS A GOOD NAME. Wallace State, where he had attended before transferring to Auburn. “I was very lucky to come back here,” Moore said. “I also take care of social media and getting information out to students (about athletics). And I try to keep our website up-to-date.” “I can’t call it a job, because it doesn’t feel that way,” said Benjamin Ray, who works in sports information at Jacksonville State University. “You have to have a lot of passion to do what we do.”
While he played sports in high school and is a self-proclaimed football junkie, Ray said he knew he would not play sports at the collegiate level. He chose to pursue a degree in sports management and spent his time as an undergraduate student working in the sports information department at the University of North Alabama (UNA). “I’m the type of person who will do anything to work in athletics,” Ray said. “I enjoy doing sports information, and I would like to continue to pursue it. I just wanted to be involved in athletics
however I could be.” There are approximately 450 sports management degree programs at schools and universities across the United States, according to the North American Society for Sports Management. Many schools, including UNA, offer both bachelors and masters degrees in the field. From week to week, Ray said his job entails being part of the media relations staff for the athletics department. He and his co-workers produce press releases, handle interview requests and compile information and statistics during games. “Basically, any information that goes out to the public is filtered through us,” Ray said. “We work with the media to get them what they want. We round up players after games, coordinate interview requests, type out quotes from players and coaches — we work really closely with the media.” Moore said he feels like the people who aren’t necessarily on the field during games play a big role in athletics. “I have nothing to do with wins or losses,” he said. “I just try to get the information out there, and I take a lot of pride in that (role).” Working in sports management provides you with a wide range of experiences, Ray said. “When you work in sports management, you don’t always get to cover the big sports,” Ray said. “At some point you will, but sometimes you have to cover the smaller sports, and you really have to appreciate covering everything. Through working in sports information, I’ve developed a greater appreciation for sports like volleyball, softball and soccer.” Whether they are on the field of not, the people who work in sports management play a big part in fostering a successful atmosphere for the betterknown faces in athletics. They have a job that doesn’t always fit a 9 to 5 schedule, but — as many have said — they never dread the work that has to be done.
STORY BY BLYTHE STEELMAN
MARCH 2014
SPECIAL FEATURE 15
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Kite flying is a professional sport in Thailand.
Amobi Okoye was drafted to the NFL at age 19.
BILLION DOLLAR BRACKET MADNESS
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?
SPORTS FAN? MATHEMATICIAN? LUCKY? WHAT GOES IN TO A PERFECT MARCH MADNESS BRACKET Now that football has wrapped up for the year, it’s just about time to start filling out our brackets for the men’s NCAA basketball tournament. Better known as March Madness, this tournament consists of 64 college teams that earned their invitation into the tournament. This year there is a lot more pressure to fill out a good bracket than there has been in the past, but why? I’ll tell you why … Warren Buffett, alongside Quicken Loans, is offering a billion dollars to anyone who fills out a perfect bracket. Yea, you read that right. The perfect bracket = a billion dollars. So what are the odds of a bracket actually being perfect? Before I can answer that question, let me
first give you a quick break down on how this tournament plays out. There are: • • • • • •
32 games in round one 16 games in round two Eight games in round three (Sweet Sixteen) Four games in round four (Elite Eight) Two games in round five (Final Four) One game in round six (totaling 63 games)
Picking the correct winner for 63 games might seem like it wouldn’t be too difficult when taking into consideration that a 16th place team has never beat a 1st place team. It seems like some
of the picks may be a given, for example Duke, Kentucky and North Carolina have won the most championships in the recent decades and they always tend to be powerhouses each year. But there are always the Cinderella stories — the teams that are mostly unheard of, but still make a good run in the tournament. Although it is not too difficult to predict who SHOULD win a game, an upset can occur at any given time, which is what makes it so hard to predict! Think about how many possible options there are when you’re actually filling your bracket out. Or better yet, let me just show you with this very simple equation: 2^63 = 9,000,000,000,000,000,000 Most of us wouldn’t even know what to call that number because it has so many zeros! The basic equation quite simply calculates the number of games (63) with each game having two possible outcomes. 2 to the 63rd power equals 9 quintillion. This means every person in the world could fill out a bracket and there is still a good chance that no one would have a perfect bracket. While the odds of a perfect bracket are overwhelmingly high, luck plays a huge role in this. A sports buff has the same chances as someone who has never even watched basketball. It is quite possible that Buffett will hang on to his billion dollars, but the contest is also offering $100,000 to the 20 most accurate “imperfect” brackets for use in buying, refinancing or remodeling a home. The cause behind this money having to go toward a home is undefined, but it is a better prize than nothing! Some SET readers (including myself) recently had the opportunity to fill out mock brackets just to see how close we could get to filling out the perfect bracket. Of all the mock brackets that were filled out, the most correct bracket was only 65% accurate (congratulations, Kyle Enloe, you get to take home a whopping years’ worth of bragging rights in the SET community). This bracket correctly predicted the final four and the winner of the tournament, but still contained 22 incorrect picks. On average, the brackets were around 55% accurate, with the lowest being 44%. This should give everyone a further idea of how difficult it would be to really fill out a perfect bracket. The entry for the real bracket challenge starts March 3 and runs through March 19 on the Quicken website (quickenloans.com/blog/ bracket-challenge). A highly unlikely shot at a billion dollars is only a click away.
STORY BY SHANE MOODY
16 CALENDAR
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EVENTS
MARCH 2014
MARCH 4 - APRIL 3 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
YOUNG THE GIANT @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 7:30pm
MARCH 4
SHARE THE ROAD: BIKE CAMPAIGN @ Outdoor Adventure Center, Florence, AL UNA BASEBALL VS. MARYVILLE @ Self Field, Florence, AL 3:00pm BICYCLE REPAIR CLINIC @ Outdoor Adventure Center, Florence, AL 7:00pm NASHVILLE PREDATORS VS. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN 7:00pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm
MARCH 5
ASH WEDNESDAY SHARE THE ROAD: BIKE CAMPAIGN @ Outdoor Adventure Center, Florence, AL UNA BASEBALL VS. MARYVILLE @ Self Field, Florence, AL 2:00pm ZTA’S BIG MAN ON CAMPUS @ Performance Center, Florence, AL 7:00pm BAND OF HORSES @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 7:30pm JORDAN DENTON & BARRY BILLINGS @ On the Rocks, Florence, AL
MARCH 6
GEORGE LINDSEY FILM FESTIVAL SHARE THE ROAD: BIKE CAMPAIGN @ Outdoor Adventure Center, Florence, AL UNA TENNIS VS. ALABAMA A&M @ UNA Tennis Courts, Florence, AL 2:00pm GEORGE LINDSEY FILM FESTIVAL KICK OFF PARTY @ Dish Gourmet Café, Florence, AL 5:00pm NASHVILLE PREDATORS VS. ST. LOUIS BLUES @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashvil e, TN 7:00pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm
LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Hacienda, Columbia, TN 7:00pm “REVENGE OF THE COCONUTS” @ The Zodiac Theatre, Florence, AL 7:30pm FOLLOW APOLLO EP RELEASE W/ WHILE THE SHIP SINKS & COLD COLD SWEATS @ Pegasus Record, Florence, AL 9:00pm GSC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT @ BJCC, Florence, AL
MARCH 7
GEORGE LINDSEY FILM FESTIVAL SHARE THE ROAD: BIKE CAMPAIGN @
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Outdoor Adventure Center, Florence, AL UNA SOFTBALL VS. SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA ST. @ UNA Softball Field, Florence, AL 2:00pm CSCC SOFTBALL VS. CLEVELAND STATE @ CSCC, Columbia, TN 4:00pm FIRST FRIDAY @ Downtown Florence, Florence, AL 5:00pm EMBLEM3 @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 7:00pm BIRMINGHAM BALLET: HANSEL & GRETEL @ BJCC, Birmingham, AL 7:30pm “REVENGE OF THE COCONUTS” @ The Zodiac Theatre, Florence, AL 7:30pm
MARCH 2014
CALENDAR 17
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WEBB WILDER @ Puckett’s, Columbia, TN 8:00pm “300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE” MOVIE RELEASE @ Your Local Theatre “MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN” MOVIE RELEASE @ Your Local Theatre GSC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT @ BJCC, Florence, AL
MARCH 8
GEORGE LINDSEY FILM FESTIVAL CSCC SOFTBALL VS. CLEVELAND STATE @ CSCC, Columbia, TN 12:00pm UNA BASEBALL VS. VALDOSTA STATE @ Self Field, Florence, AL 1:00pm UNA SOFTBALL VS. VALDOSTA STATE @ UNA Softball Field, Florence, AL 2:00pm NASHVILLE PREDATORS VS. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN 7:00pm BIRMINGHAM BALLET: HANSEL & GRETEL @ BJCC, Birmingham, AL 2:00pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Hacienda, Columbia, TN 7:00pm GEORGE LINDSEY FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS SHOW @ The Mane Room, Florence, AL 7:00pm BIRMINGHAM BALLET: HANSEL & GRETEL @ BJCC, Birmingham, AL 7:30pm “REVENGE OF THE COCONUTS” @ The Zodiac Theatre, Florence, AL 7:30pm BUCK SIXX @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Franklin, TN GSC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT @ BJCC, Florence, AL A PARANORMAL INVESTIGATION @ Rippavilla Plantation, Columbia, TN
MARCH 9
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME STARTS UNA BASEBALL VS. VALDOSTA STATE @ Self Field, Florence, AL 1:00pm UNA SOFTBALL VS. VALDOSTA STATE @ UNA Softball Field, Florence, AL 1:00pm BIRMINGHAM BALLET: HANSEL & GRETEL @ BJCC, Birmingham, AL 2:00pm GSC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT @ BJCC, Florence, AL
UNA SOFTBALL VS. KENTUCKY STATE @ UNA Softball Field, Florence, AL 1:00pm WILD EDIBLES CLINIC @ Wildwood Park Trails, Florence, AL 2:00pm CSCC SOFTBALL VS. WALLACE STATE CC @ CSCC, Columbia, TN 4:00pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm YOUNG THE GIANT @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 7:30pm
MARCH 12
CSCC BASEBALL VS. JOLIET @ CSCC, Columbia, TN 1:00pm UNA BASEBALL VS. STILLMAN @ Self Field, Florence, AL 3:00pm CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE TENNIS TOURNAMENT @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN 7:00pm JORDAN DENTON & BARRY BILLINGS @ On the Rocks, Florence, AL
MARCH 13
CSCC BASEBALL VS. JOLIET @ CSCC, Columbia, TN 1:00pm KING MIDAS AND THE GOLDEN TOUCH @ Shoals Theatre, Florence, AL 7:00pm “THE QUIET MAN” (1952) @ Florence Public Library, Florence, AL 7:00pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Hacienda, Columbia, TN 7:00pm THE OFFICIAL BLUES BROTHERS REVUE @ CSCC Performance Center, Columbia, TN
MARCH 14
SLACKLINING @ UNA Amphitheatre, Florence, AL 11:00am UNA TENNIS VS. WESTERN KENTUCKY @ UNA Tennis Courts, Florence, AL 1:00pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ Pancho’s Place, Columbia, TN 6:30pm
UNA TENNIS VS. SHORTER @ UNA Tennis Courts, Florence, AL 1:00pm CSCC BASEBALL VS. DYERSBURG STATE @ CSCC, Columbia, TN 2:00pm KING MIDAS AND THE GOLDEN TOUCH @ Shoals Theatre, Florence, AL 7:00pm BILLY JOEL @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN 8:00pm ELLA MAE BOWEN & FRIENDS @ Puckett’s, Columbia, TN 8:00pm HOBO HIPPIE @ FloBama, Florence, AL 10:00pm “NEED FOR SPEED” MOVIE RELEASE @ Your Local Theatre “TYLER PERRY’S SINGLE MOMS CLUB” MOVIE RELEASE @ Your Local Theatre
MARCH 11
MARCH 15
MARCH 10
MOCK INTERVIEW DAY @ UNA, Florence, AL 8:30am
UNA SERVICE SATURDAY @ GUC at UNA, Florence, AL 8:30am
SHOALS ULTIMATE FRISBEE TOURNAMENT @ UNA Turf Field, Florence, AL 10:00am CSCC BASEBALL VS. DYERSBURG STATE @ CSCC, Columbia, TN 12:00pm NASHVILLE PREDATORS VS. ST. LOUIS BLUES @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN 7:00pm KING MIDAS AND THE GOLDEN TOUCH @ Shoals Theatre, Florence, AL 7:00pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Hacienda, Columbia, TN 7:00pm ELTON JOHN @ BJCC, Birmingham, AL 8:00pm MATT PRATER @ FloBama, Florence, AL 10:00pm
LEE GIBSON @ Puckett’s, Columbia, TN 8:00pm “DIVERGENT” MOVIE RELEASE @ Your Local Theatre “MUPPETS MOST WANTED” MOVIE RELEASE @ Your Local Theatre
MARCH 22
UNA TENNIS VS. WEST ALABAMA @ UNA Tennis Courts, Florence, AL 12:00pm BRIDAL FAIR @ Rippavilla, Columbia, TN 1:00pm KING MIDAS AND THE GOLDEN TOUCH @ Shoals Theatre, Florence, AL 2:00pm WINTER JAM 2014 TOUR SPECTACULAR @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN 6:00pm
CSCC SOFTBALL VS. JACKSON STATE @ CSCC, Columbia, TN 12:00pm UNA TENNIS VS. ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK @ UNA Tennis Courts, Florence, AL 1:00pm UNA BASEBALL VS. UNION UNIVERSITY @ Self Field, Florence, AL 2:00pm UNA SOFTBALL VS. UNION UNIVERSITY @ UNA Softball Field, Florence, AL 2:00pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Hacienda, Columbia, TN 7:00pm PENTATONIX @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 8:00pm 2STEEL GIRLS @ Puckett’s, Columbia, TN 8:00pm THE BORO BAND @ Gary’s Place, Columbia, TN 9:00pm
MARCH 17
MARCH 23
MARCH 16
ST. PATRICKS DAY SLACKLINING @ UNA Amphitheatre, Florence, AL 11:00am LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ Pancho’s Place, Columbia, TN 6:30pm
MARCH 18
CSCC BASEBALL VS. GLEN OAKS @ CSCC, Columbia, TN 2:00pm UNA BASEBALL VS. SELMA @ Self Field, Florence, AL 5:00pm MOVIE NIGHT @ Outdoor Adventure Center, Florence, AL 7:00pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm
MARCH 19
“MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS” (1974) @ Florence Public Library, Florence, AL 7:00pm JORDAN DENTON & BARRY BILLINGS @ On the Rocks, Florence, AL
MARCH 20
LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Hacienda, Columbia, TN 7:00pm
MARCH 21
CSCC SOFTBALL VS. JACKSON STATE @ CSCC, Columbia, TN 4:00pm
UNA BASEBALL VS. UNION UNIVERSITY @ Self Field, Florence, AL 1:00pm UNA SOFTBALL VS. UNION UNIVERSITY @ UNA Softball Field, Florence, AL 2:00pm
MARCH 24
LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ Pancho’s Place, Columbia, TN 6:30pm
MARCH 25
NASHVILLE PREDATORS VS. COLORADO AVALANCHE @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN 7:00pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm
MARCH 26
GAVIN DEGRAW @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 7:30pm JORDAN DENTON & BARRY BILLINGS @ On the Rocks, Florence, AL
MARCH 27
NASHVILLE PREDATORS VS. BUFFALO SABRES @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN 7:00pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Hacienda, Columbia, TN 7:00pm
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MARCH 28
SOMETHING ON A STICK DAY GABRIEL IGLESIAS @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 7:30pm AMBER’S DRIVE @ Puckett’s, Columbia, TN 8:00pm “A HAUNTED HOUSE 2” MOVIE RELEASE @ Your Local Theatre “NOAH” MOVIE RELEASE @ Your Local Theatre “SABOTAGE” MOVIE RELEASE @ Your Local Theatre
MARCH 29
LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Hacienda, Columbia, TN 7:00pm DEMI LOVATO @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN 7:30pm
MARCH 30
NASHVILLE PREDATORS VS. WASHINGTON CAPITALS @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN 7:00pm
MARCH 31
MULE DAY WAGON TRAIN @ Columbia, TN 9:00am SLACKLINING @ UNA Amphitheatre, Florence, AL 11:00am LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ Pancho’s Place, Columbia, TN 6:30pm CHER @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN 7:30pm
APRIL 1
APRIL FOOLS DAY CSCC BASEBALL VS. JACKSON STATE @ CSCC, Columbia, TN 4:00pm KITE BUIDLING CLINIC @ Outdoor Adventure Center, Florence, AL 7:00pm
APRIL 2
JORDAN DENTON & BARRY BILLINGS @ On the Rocks, Florence, AL
APRIL 3
MULE DAY @ Maury County Park, Columbia, TN UNA TENNIS VS. DELTA STATE @ UNA Tennis Courts, Florence, AL 1:00pm
18 MUSIC
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1.5M students travel during Spring Break in the US.
MARCH 2014
10k students spent break w/ Habitat for Humanity.
ROCKIN’ THE BREAK GREAT BANDS TAKE THE STAGE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST. The most anticipated week for students in the spring semester is undoubtedly that of spring break. Students hold these few days sacred as their temporary freedom from classes, academic responsibilities and stress. The cliché thing to do would be to hit up the beach and spend all week
soaking up the sun, but how about trying something different this year? Nashville, Birmingham and Atlanta are all hot spots in the Southeast for great concerts featuring big-name acts this spring break season. You can plan a trip around the show of the artist you would like to see and spend a few nights enjoying what else the city has to offer.
NASHVILLE
March 5 – Band of Horses at the Ryman Auditorium March 11 – Young the Giant at the Ryman Auditorium March 13 – Ben Folds Piano Concerto at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center March 14 – Billy Joel at the Bridgestone Arena March 22 – Pentatonix at the Ryman Auditorium
March 26 – Gavin DeGraw at the Ryman Auditorium
BIRMINGHAM
March 5 – Dropkick Murphys at Iron City March 11 – Matisyahu at Workplay March 15 – Elton John at the BJCC Arena March 18 – Andrew Belle at Workplay
ATLANTA
March 4 – Comeback Kid at Masquerade March 5 – Mewithoutyou the Masquerade March 11 – Broken Bells The Tabernacle March 16 – Breathe Carolina the Masquerade March 20 – Ellie Goulding at Fox Theatre
the at
March 25 – Miley Cyrus at the Phillips Arena March 21 – Tyler, The Creator at The Tabernacle Even if these big-name acts don’t strike your fancy, try giving local venues a try! Places like Pegasus Records and 116 E Mobile in Florence, AL or Variety Records and Puckett’s in Columbia, TN always have great line-ups. Plenty of talented bands are waiting for more fans to discover their sound, and spring break is a perfect opportunity to check them out, let loose and dance the night away.
at at the
STORY BY ALEX RICHEY
MARCH 2014
MOVIES 19
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Tom Hanks gained over 30 lbs for his role in “A League Of Their Own.”
THE GREATEST. “THIS IS NOT ‘NAM. THIS IS BOWLING; THERE ARE RULES.”
100% FACT THESE ARE THE GREATEST Like baseball’s definition of “World Champions,” this list will be narrowminded on what constitutes “greatest.” Many sports films set out to tell a tale of inspiration and others try to accurately portray the sport. You will find the movies in this list capture both of those goals with a passion.
“BRIAN’S SONG”
(1971) – The telemovie responsible for making many grown men cry. “Brian’s Song” retells the story of Brian Piccolo and Billy Dee Williams’ bromance off the field.
“COOL RUNNINGS” (1993) – One
of the few movies that does not end in victory, but triumph. Especially relevant this year since Jamaica returned to the Winter Olympics after a 12-year hiatus.
“RUDY”
(1993) – Sean Astin’s character in this movie beats the overwhelming odds, and helps carry his team to victory at Mount Doom (anybody?).
“GLADIATOR” (2000) – If forced labor-based athletics is your bag, then this is a movie for you. Russell Crowe truly captures the spirit of ancient Rome’s greatest pastime. “STICK IT”
(2006) – The hardhitting world of gymnastics cannot be tiptoed around, and “Stick It” really sets the bar for true grit in sports films. If only every coach was like Jeff Bridges, which brings us to…
“THE BIG LEBOWSKI”
(1998) – The Coen Brothers hold nothing back in this accurate portrayal of the fastpaced bowling circuits in America. This film shows that the bond between bowling buddies runs deeper than the gutter. Not for the faint of heart.
“ROLLERBALL” (1975) – Set in the distant future of 2018, Rollerball will replace Soccer as the world’s number one sport. I imagine Daft Punk will write the sport’s theme song. Check out this documentary of the future, and place those sure-bets now! “CADDYSHACK” (1980) – The quintessential sports movie and EVERYONE’S number one pick. If you laugh during this whole film, you’ll make a great father. Like it or not, those are the greatest sports movies of all time. Sure they may not be your favorite, but that’s just, like uh, your opinion, man.
“A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN”
(1992) – A film that really tackles some important gender barriers in the world of sports. More to the point: Madonna’s in it.
STORY BY TRENT CRONIN
20 SPOTLIGHT
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SAY CHEESE!
SET READERS IN ACTION
PHOTOS BY JUSTIN ARGO, KAT FORT AND SHANE PARKER
MARCH 2014
PHOTOS BY NAME AND NAME
LIVE ART DEMONSTRATION WITH KARA NICOLE ROGERS & ROGERS, FEBRUARY 20, PHOTOS BY SHANE PARKER
KARA CARTER
ROGERS & ROGERS
HAYLEY ROGERS AND HAYLEE WILLIS
JEREMY ROGERS AND RYAN ROGERS
GENNA MCMILLAN, HAYLEY ROGERS, RYAN ROGERS, KARA CARTER
CHRIS SIMPSON, JESSIE BRATCHER
MARCH 2014
SPOTLIGHT 21
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STEP SING NORTON AUDITORIUM, FEBRUARY 8, PHOTOS BY JUSTIN ARGO
MASON ROGERS & CORTNEY WRAY
SARAH SHERROD & SARAH MCWHORTER
CHLOE KESSLER & SUMMER REYNOLDS
DANE, BRITTANY ROBINSON, SUMMER AND JASON HOATH
DUSTIN AND CAITY
CORRINE AND NICK
TRIVIA LOVERS
LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT LA FUENTE, FEBRUARY 18, PHOTOS BY KAT FORT
LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT
22 SPOTLIGHT
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MARCH 2014
STEP SING NORTON AUDITORIUM, FEBRUARY 8, PHOTOS BY JUSTIN ARGO
PHI MU
ALPHA GAM
ALPHA DELTA PI
DELTA CHI
DANIEL ELIAS & THE EXOTIC DANGERS THE BLACK OWL, FEBRUARY 21, PHOTOS BY JUSTIN ARGO
DANIEL CRISLER OF DANIEL ELIAS & THE EXOTIC DANGERS
QUINT LANGSTAFF OF THE DOGWOOD VANDALS
SANFORD RODRIGUEZ
HOLLY TAYLOR AND SHANE MOODY
WILL EDWARDS OF THE DOGWOOD VANDALS
MARCH 2014
SPOTLIGHT 23
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LAWNDART CASUALTY VARIETY RECORDS, FEBRUARY 21, PHOTOS BY KAT FORT
LAWNDART CASUALTY
GARY, ANNA COOK AND HEIDI
ZACH AND NICK
CHRISTA AND HANNAH
ASHLEY, JESS AND AMY
SARAH BETH SIMPSON
AUSTIN FULLER AND DAVID ATKINS
OAC KAYAK POLO UNA FLOWERS HALL, FEBRUARY 27, PHOTOS BY JUSTIN ARGO
MCKENZIE MARTIN
ST. PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES
THE SHOALS THEATRE, FEBRUARY 21, PHOTOS BY JUSTIN ARGO
ALEX MAXWELL
CHASE WISE AND PAUL JANEWAY OF ST. PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES
STEELISM
24 FOOD
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Game day is the 2nd highest day of consumption.
MARCH 2014
Vegetables are the most eaten item on game days.
ATYPICAL GAME DAY FOOD strips. Measure out about ½ cup of jalapenos (without juice) and mince. Combine softened cream cheese, cheddar cheese and minced jalapenos and then taste. If it’s not hot enough, add a few teaspoons of the jalapeno juice. Spread cream cheese mixture on each slice of chicken and then roll up like pigs in a blanket. Cut strips of uncooked bacon to wrap around chicken. Broil for 5 to 10 minutes or until chicken is golden brown.
MUST-HAVE NOM-NOMS FOR THE INNOVATIVE
COOKIE DOUGH BITES • Your choice of pepperoni, sausage, beef, tofu or veggies (protein, playa) • Pizza dough (Chef Boyardee, Pillsbury, or you can even make your own) • Italian seasoning • 4 tbsp butter • 1 tsp garlic powder • ½ tsp onion powder
So you’re lying in bed the night before game day. Pizza and wings are sure to await you tomorrow. But wait — what if you could do something innovative that takes almost no time, tastes more delicious and probably costs less? The recipes that follow are a definite score for your stomach.
ZUCCHINI STICKS
Still trying to keep up your New Year’s resolution, but fries and chips are calling your name? Try this recipe for zucchini sticks! Don’t let the name fool you, they’re soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside and have an awesome, oven-baked taste. Ingredients: • • • •
3 medium zucchini 2 egg whites 2 tbsp cornmeal 1 cup flour (you can mix allpurpose and whole wheat for an even healthier twist)
Heat oven to 475F. Combine flour and cornmeal with your choice of seasonings (I like to use pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder or oregano). Dump your seasoning mix in a gallon-size bag. In a bowl, lightly beat the egg whites. Cut zucchini into strips and dip them in egg white mixture, then place in bag one at a time, shaking until coated. Place on a cooking sheet coated with cooking spray. Do not let sticks touch and spray any flourless spots on the zucchini. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Serve with ranch, ketchup or your favorite dip.
PIZZA BITES
Pizza Rolls sound great. But you either burn them, don’t cook them long enough or they explode all over the cooking sheet. Try making your own to wow your mouth and your friends. Ingredients: • Your choice of cheese sticks
Roll out pizza dough. Use a cookie cutter to cut 3-inch circles (or however big you want them). Cut the cheese sticks into 1-inch pieces and place in the center of the dough circles. Add your protein of choice. Fold the edges up together, twisting and squeezing the dough so it won’t come undone in the oven. Place on cooking sheet so they aren’t touching. Melt butter in the microwave, adding in the garlic and onion powder. Brush over pizza bites. Sprinkle Italian seasoning over the bites. Bake at 400F for 15 minutes or until golden.
CHICKEN POPPERS
After all the chips, soda, wings and pizza, it’s time for dessert. Cookies are alright, but we all know cookie dough is better. This recipe includes no eggs, which means no risk of salmonella — only a high risk of happiness! Ingredients: 1 stick unsalted butter, softened ¾ cup light brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla ½ tsp salt 1 cup flour 2 tbsp milk ½ cup chocolate chips Optional: Baker’s chocolate Cream together butter, brown sugar, vanilla and salt. Add in flour and milk. Stir in chocolate chips. Roll into 1-inch balls and refrigerate until game time. For an optional treat, use a diversity of chips — white chocolate, peanut butter or butterscotch. You can also melt baker’s chocolate with butter and dip the cookie dough balls in the mixture for chocolate covered cookie dough bites.
No game day is complete without chicken of some kind, so spice it up with chicken poppers. Ingredients: • 1 pound thinly sliced chicken breast • 1 package hardwood smoked bacon • ½ cup jalapenos in their own juice • 1 ½ cups cream cheese, softened • 1 cup cheddar cheese Cut chicken breast into 1-inch wide
STORY BY KALI DANIEL
MARCH 2014
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HEALTH 25
Eating
90% of antioxidants are in juice rather than the fiber.
6 large carrots is equivalent to drinking 8 ounces of carrot juice.
Green juice helps detoxify and circulate oxygen.
BINAH WOODS OF OSA’S GARDEN MAKING FRESH JUICE. We’ve all grown up hearing “drink your juice,” but just like a toddler must graduate from pull-ups to bigkid undies, we also must upgrade from Capri Suns to something a lot more nutritional for our adult bodies. How do we do that? By doing something fairly simple — juicing. So what exactly does ‘juicing’ entail? It’s an simple process that I’m sure most of you are quite aware of, throw some ingredients into a juicer — an appliance that extracts all the juice from a fruit or vegetable — and mix the juices of different fruits and veggies to make a quick, tasty, extremely healthy snack. The biggest benefit to juicing is the fact that you will quickly reach the daily nutritional requirements of fruits and veggies! Juicers strip away all the fibers from the fruits and veggies, so there’s nothing between you and the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants your body needs. Drinking these juices also allows your body to absorb these things much faster than if you physically chewed up a banana, three carrots, two cups of spinach, an apple and six strawberries. Compare the time it would take you to eat those fruits and veggies to the 10 minutes it takes for your body to absorb everything you need from those juiced ingredients. Ultimately, juicing allows you to
consume more nutrients from fruits and vegetables without filling you up too fast. Not to discount eating your veggies, but cooking and processing them diminishes the micronutrients they have by altering their chemical composition. If you want to get all that you can out of them, juicing is the way to go. “Juicing will give you all the nutrients your body needs while you won’t get enough by just eating
ORANGE YOU GLAD YOU’RE BEING HEALTHY? the ingredients,” said Hannah Boatwright, an employee at Osa’s Garden in Florence, AL. Osa’s Garden is an all-natural health care food and herb store that also serves a variety of freshly squeezed juices. Osa’s Garden opened in 2012 and has since been serving customers from their store, café and juice bar. The employees at Osa’s offer exams and consultations to help you figure out what foods would help or harm your body and what juices would be beneficial to your health. “I am very passionate about juicing and all things green. Visiting Osa’s has really helped me to gain a better understanding of what it means to eat ‘living foods’ such as fruits and vegetables,” said Danielle Patten, a devoted Osa’s customer and avid juicer. “When you juice, your body is a lot more energized because it is getting the nutrients that it craves and needs. If you’re looking for an awesome place to get vitamins, natural foods and all things organic, Osa’s is definitely the place to go.” Like Patten said, when the body is PHOTO CREDIT: SARAH WALLEY
PHOTO CREDIT: SARAH WALLEY
THE BENEFITS OF JUICING getting all the vitamins and nutrients it needs, you begin to feel more energized and better in a lot of different ways. For some, juicing can even be a natural remedy for illnesses such as acne, allergies, cancer, headaches, bloating, diabetes, indigestion and lack of focus, amongst others. “Juicing has endless benefits, one of which (has) healed me personally,” Boatwright said. “For years I dealt with major acid reflux, and since I started juicing, I don’t have this problem.” The benefits of juicing are different for everyone, but can range from healthier skin to a better digestive system. By juicing, you are flushing out toxins and bacteria, which is a great way to lose weight or just cleanse and restore the body. “Juicing gives long life, energy and the best health to all,” Boatwright said. Juices are a great substitute for unhealthy snacks, but they do not make an ideal meal; it is still important to get in three meals a day. It’s recommended that the average person eat three healthy meals a day, including vital nutrients such as whole veggies, lean meat and healthy carbs. Overeating defeats the purpose of healthy eating, therefore listen to your body (not your taste buds) and if it tells you that you are satisfied, put your fork down. If you want to learn even more about juicing, or just need some help getting started, head over to Osa’s Garden. They will be glad to help you figure out what’s best for you and provide you with all the tools you need to start juicing today!
STORY BY BRITTANY LEACH
26 FASHION
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Students spend more than $1B during Spring Break
MARCH 2014
“Where the Boys” Are made spring break popular.
WHAT’S IN YOUR BAG?
2. Topman
COOL DIGS FOR SPRING GIGS The long-awaited spring break vacation is almost here, and most of us wish there was a way to bring our entire room on a weeklong trip, but lets face it — it’s not gonna happen! We’re here to help you by giving you a few tips and a little peek into our own bags. TIPS: • Pack things that go with multiple items (unlike plaid shorts). • As a rule, you’ll need fewer bottoms and more tops. • Pack more staple/basic things for endless wardrobe possibilities. • Leave room in your bag, you never know what you’ll end up trying to bring home! REESE’S BAG:
1. J. Crew Sweatshirt - It’s still spring, so pack something warm!
Simple,
V-neck Tee clean and casual.
3. Billy Reid Graphic Tee - You can never bring enough tees.
4. Billy Reid Button-Up - Don’t forget to bring something a bit dressier; you might just need to go get a steak.
5. Levi’s Selvedge Denim - Never, ever go anywhere without your jeans. Hot or cold, bring jeans.
ALICIA’S BAG:
1. On-The-Go Cup - Stay hydrated! Having something like this will help save you ungodly amounts of money on bottled water.
2. Headscarf - There’s probably
1,000 ways to tie these things, so get creative with it!
3. High-Waist Shorts - They can be
8. Muscle Shoals Music Hat - Bad hair days call for a super cool hat!
9. Disposable Camera - These might be
extinct now, but I’ll never let them die. The pictures always turn out really funky and dated — I love it.
10. Lipstick
- This stuff can literally turn a bad day around.
paired with really anything — dressy or casual. Can’t beat it!
11. Perfume. Smell goods are a must.
faded and comfortable. Rock ‘em on the sand or in town.
4. CDs - It’s spring break, jam out!
personally believe a woman can never wear too much mascara.
7. Topman Khaki Shorts - A simple
loads of funky-colored swim tops and a pair of basic black bottoms to switch things up!
6. Levi’s Denim Shorts - Classic,
look that goes with every shirt.
8. Vans - It’s just not life without Vans. 9. Chaco’s - The easiest choice in the
bag. If it’s warm, it’s Chaco weather.
10. Timex
Watch - Wear a timepiece, you’ll look cooler.
11. Persol Sunglasses - Steven
McQueen wore them, enough said.
12. Barlow Knife - If it was good
enough for Tom Sawyer, then it’s good enough for me.
5. Swimsuit Tops - I love packing
6. Ray-Ban Sunglasses - Aviators
are always in style. You can’t go wrong with these.
7. Journal - Being a traveling
soul, I love documenting my life. Perfectly suitable for song ideas, too.
12. Mascara & Eyelash Curler - I
13. Foundation - I always pack
a lightweight foundation with SPF so I don’t have to worry about my face burning off.
14. Vaseline Lip Balm - My poor lips deserve a break from lipstick, so I like to keep this on hand, especially when under those harmful rays.
STORY BY REESE SHIREY & ALICIA THREET
MARCH 2014
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FASHION 27
28 SPECIAL FEATURE
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Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms.
Tokyo is governed by 23 separate cities.
20 PLACES TO VISIT BEFORE 30
A VIEW THAT TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY AND MAKES RON SWANSON’S FACE LEAK. You’ve got a lot of spring breakin’ in the years to come, so check this list out and start saving up! Here are 20 spots in no particular order that you have to visit before you turn 30!
1. MT. KILIMANJARO, TANZANIA
Kilimanjaro is the world’s tallest freestanding mountain and encompasses almost every type of ecological system. A painter once said she could “feel the heartbeat of the Earth” when she climbed the mountain.
2. THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER, ORLANDO
7. BUCKINGHAM PALACE, LONDON
A trip to England wouldn’t be complete without visiting the huge palace, open to visitors year-round. Royal ceremonies are held here and priceless art pieces from the Royal Collection are often displayed.
8. THE ST. LOUIS ARCH, MISSOURI
Take a trip to the top of The Gateway to the West and see the entire city of St. Louis. The arch is made of stainless steel and stands 630 feet high.
9. PICKWICK DAM, TENNESSEE
DITCH THE SAMEOL’ VACATION SPOTS WITH THESE AMAZING DESTINATIONS. If you time it correctly, you could be there during SXSW, a huge music, film and interactive festival.
15. LEIDEN, THE NETHERLANDS
Leiden is a university town filled with hidden places. If you’re in the need for some inspiration, just look around and you will find poems written on the sides of buildings.
16. GRAND CANYON, ARIZONA
If Ron Swanson says it’s OK to cry at a landmark, you know it must be a good one. You’ll need to try hard to not let the breathtaking view cause a few tears.
Universal Studio’s ode to J.K. Rowling’s universe is astounding. All of Hogwarts, as well as the town of Hogsmeade, has been recreated. Diagon Alley will be added in summer 2014.
The Tennessee River flows right past Shiloh, a Civil War battleground near Savannah. Visit the battle site and see the pond that was supposedly blood red for years (some say it’s still pink), go fishing at the river and stay at the Botel, a barge-turned-hotel complete with a restaurant and bar!
3. PORTLAND, OREGON
10. NOCCALULA FALLS, ALABAMA
Whether you choose to view this landmark from U.S. or Canadian soil, you can’t deny the beauty of the waterfalls.
11. SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
From hip restaurants to Lookout Mountain to the Hunter Art Museum, Chattanooga is for hipsters, outdoorsmen and city slickers alike.
The city of Portland is a must-visit location with an abundance of riverside attractions, artsy locations and vegan restaurants. You might even be able to sneak onto the set of “Portlandia!”
4. BARROW, ALASKA
With beautiful scenery and the challenge of the outdoors, visiting the world’s northern-most city has its perks. The town was also the setting for the 2012 movie “Big Miracle,” about the international effort to save three trapped California gray whales.
5. LOCH NESS, SCOTLAND
Grab your binoculars and camera! A visit to this beautiful, deep, land-locked lake would bring out the “Nessie” hunter in anyone.
6. SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST, CALIFORNIA
The world’s largest trees reside in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Pitch your tent and explore trees that have lived to be over 1,000 years old.
Located in Gadsden, here’s an attraction close to home. You can enjoy botanical gardens, a 90-foot waterfall, hiking, camping and picnicking! There’s no doubt about it, this place is hip. This city, which is home to one of the largest music scenes, is a definite must-see for those who like their coffee a little stronger than a Starbucks Frappuccino.
12. SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
Who doesn’t love a good ghost story? From “Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil” to Saturday flea markets, this haunted town is full of life.
13. GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, MONTANA
The perfect spot for hikers, but watch out, you might just get lost looking at all of the beautiful scenery!
14. AUSTIN, TEXAS
Like Seattle, Austin has an awesome music scene.
17. DRUMHELLER VALLEY, CANADA
This place is known as the “Dinosaur Capital of the World.” Tell me you aren’t intrigued.
18. NIAGARA FALLS
19. CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE
20. MACHU PICCHU, PERU
In a constant state of reconstruction, the incredible site of the Incan emperor Pachacuti is one of the world’s most extraordinary architectural landmarks. You have to admit; these spots make that 6-hour drive to the beach seem a little boring. How many of these places do you think you can check you off before you turn the big 3-0?
STORY BY ANNE CLAIRE CHEATWOOD AND ABBY HOOD
30 FREESTYLE
PHOTO BY SHANE PARKER
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ONE FINAL THOUGHT
MARCH 2014
MARCH 2014
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FREESTYLE 31