SPORTS
6
Swimming and diving set to compete in SEC championships
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
See coverage of a lecture by Bryan Norton, a course on professional business etiquette and the Mardi Gras ball on
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Serving the University of Alabama since 1894
Vol. 115, Issue 89
Mardi Gras Party
SGA ELECTIONS
Board confident in online voting By Victor Luckerson Senior Staff Reporter
Fast Facts •
March’s SGA election will In the 2003 SGA not be the first University elecelection, 4,567 votes were tion to be conducted online. cast fraudulently due to Beginning with online voting, causing the Homecoming in 2001, the University routinely conductneed for a do-over ed online Homecoming and A similar situation SGA elections. However, a controversy in spring 2003 led arose again in the 2003 to a return to paper balloting. Homecoming elections, JVote, a Java-based plug-in, leading to the abondonwas the voting tool used in the ment of online voting 2003 SGA election. On election day several dozen students This year’s elections will complained that the program be the first since 2003 to had told them they already be held online voted when they hadn’t, raising suspicion of vote tampering. A few days later The Crimson White concluded that 4,567 of the votes could not be properly accounted for and may have been fraudulent. The election was voided and a paper election was held in the Ferguson Center several weeks later. Though no culprit was ever named, it was determined that someone used a list of social security numbers and birthdates to commit the fraud. The election predated the current MyBama Web site and campuswide IDs, so students had to use personal information to log into the voting Web site. Problems also arose during Homecoming in fall 2003 with a separate, e-mail based voting program. These controversies
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CW | Marion Walding and graphic by Eric McHargue
LEFT: The Zone in Bryant-Denny Stadium Tuesday evening was decorated for UA Housing and Residential Communitiesʼ Mardi Gras celebration for students. It lasted from 8 p.m. to around midnight and had a seven-piece jazz band to provide the atmosphere as students danced and ate.
RIGHT: Students enjoy their food and socialize with one another at the Mardi Gras celebration. Although tickets were sold in
advance, they changed the process to asking for a donation at the door. Ticket proceeds will go to local charity Tuscaloosaʼs One Place, a private, non-profit agency that helps thousands of Tuscaloosa area families each year.
See VOTING, page 3
State considers UA to implement new audit program texting ban By Victor Luckerson Senior Staff Reporter
By Danielle Drago Senior Staff Reporter
A bill prohibiting text messaging while driving may soon be enacted by the state legislature. State Rep. Jim McClendon, R-Springville, proposed the bill, which would ban text messaging by drivers of all ages, and if convicted four times within two years, a driver could lose their license. Under the bill, a driver would be fined $25 for texting or talking on a phone without a hands-free device
Fast Facts • Cell phone ban would fine $25 for first offense, $50 for second, $75 for third and count for three license points each offense
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Four offenses in a two year span would result in license suspension
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The ban would be for drivers of all ages
See PHONE, page 3
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is to create a four year plan,” DegreeWorks you can make SGA Secretary of the Senate sure you’re going to graduate Meg McCrummen said. “With See DEGREE, page 3
TUSCALOOSA CITY COUNCIL
INSIDE Council votes on new historic designations Today’s paper International Involvement Week ......................3
Thunderstorms
What is DW? It’s DegreeWorks, the new degree audit program launching at the University in June that will help students find the proper classes for their major. “It takes so much confusion out of advising and registration,” SGA Secretary of the Senate Meg McCrummen said. “It’s incredible.” DegreeWorks will replace Tide Navigator, the current degree audit system. “Tide Navigator just isn’t meeting our needs,” said Mark Nelson, vice president for student affairs. The search for a Tide Navigator replacement began years ago when the registrar’s office saw several
presentations of degree audit software. Last year DegreeWorks was chosen as the program that best fit the University’s needs, Nelson said. The software, developed by SunGard Higher Education, includes several unique features administrators hope will streamline the advising process. DegreeWorks will include a standardized checklist for each major so students can see what their requirements are. “It sort of mirrors the check sheet system a lot of our colleges are using,” Nelson said. The program will also allow students to develop a four year schedule to ensure they have the proper classes lined up to graduate in four years. “One thing that is always brought up is how valuable it
Opinions: Problems with eLearning.................4 Help promote culture awareness................4 Friday the 13th movie review .....................5 Sports: Swimming and diving.......................6 Menʼs basketball bounces back.........................8
P.O. Box 870170 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 Newsroom: 348-6144 | Fax: 348-4116 | Advertising: 348-7845 | Classifieds: 348-7355 Letters, op-eds: letters@cw.ua.edu Press releases, announcements: news@cw.ua.edu
By RF Rains Assistant Photo Editor A majority of the council’s time Tuesday night was spent discussing two new historic designations. The Alabama Book Store on University Boulevard was unanimously declared a Historic Property. David M. Jones purchased the property fifteen months ago from the granddaughter of the architect David Whilldin. Jones’ family has leased the building since 1942 when they converted it from a restaurant to a bookstore. He says they have made no changes to the building’s exterior except to add awnings. Original City Association officer Linda Roberts spoke in favor of the measure, “mainly because of Mr. Whilldin and his importance as an architect.”
The Alabama Book Store was originally built in 1939 by David Whilldin, who also designed the Bama Theater, the RBC Ventura Building and the gate to Legion Field in Birmingham. The building already has state historic designation and has been recommended for national historical designation. The Birmingham Preservation Society will be putting out a book on Whilldin some time in the future. More contention surrounded the vote to expand the College Park Historic District to include all of College Park on University Boulevard and the College Park Shopping Center on Queen City Boulevard. The property had been a historic buffer zone, a designation that carries less stringent regulations than those governing a historic zone. Properties
surrounding historic districts are often zoned as historic buffer to ensure that the Historic Preservation Society has a say in the appearance of the buildings. Preservation Consultant Linda Ball said, “This is not a zoning issue. This is about protecting historic property.” She said College Park should have been included in the historic zone all along. David Harrison and Gene Carpenter, property owners in the area, sent lawyers to speak against the designation on their behalf. “With all due respect,” Harrison’s lawyer said, “this is a zoning issue.” Both representatives argued there was nothing of historical significance on their properties so historic buffer should be adequate in protecting the College
Park Neighborhood’s character. Harrison’s lot is empty, and College Park Shopping Center sits on Harrison’s. Harrison’s representative said he has “no nefarious intentions for his property.” He said he does not want to build on it and is afraid that the historic designation will “limit the prospects of selling [his] property… How far will the HPC go?” The vote was 4-3 in favor with Taylor, Almond and Lundell dissenting. Tickets go on sale tomorrow for the Tuscaloosa Airshow on April 4. General admission is free but reserve tickets can be bought online at Tuscaloosa. com or at the Tuscaloosa Water and Sewer Department. Reserve seats are $20 and grandstand tickets are $10. The council recognized February 2009 as “Career and Technical Education Month.”
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Wednesday, February 18, 2009
TODAY • SGA Academic Advising Week advising roundtable discussion — 10 a.m., 205 Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
• Hip-Hop Summit — 7 p.m., Ferguson Ballroom
• LECTURE: “Two Layers of the Mind: Serotonergic Function and What Impulsive Aggression and Depression Have in Common” with Dr. Charles S. Carver — 6:30 p.m., 208 Gordon Palmer Hall
• Bal Masque fundraiser for West Alabama AIDS Outreach — 8 p.m., Bama Theatre
• Hunger and Homelessness Week Grate American Sleep-out — 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., Student Recreation Center fields
• UA department of theatre and dance presents ARDT spring concert — 7:30 p.m., Morgan Auditorium, runs through Friday
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONSTRUCTION
Send announcements and campus news to cwnews@sa.ua.edu
4th Street to close in March
Judicial Board spots for 2009-10 available The SGA Student Judicial Board is now accepting applications for the 2009-10 Board. We are seeking dependable, punctual, fair-minded undergraduate, graduate and law students. The Board adjudicates cases arising from student non-academic misconduct and parking violations. All applicants must be available during fall and spring semesters to attend Judicial Board every Tuesday at 6 p.m. Applications are due Feb. 24, and they can be found on both the SGA and Judicial affairs Web site. Please note that a letter of recommendation is needed. If you have any questions you may contact Chief Justice Emerald Greywoode at 348-6121 or at epgreywoode@bama.ua.edu.
QUOTE OF THE DAY “It’s extremely user-friendly and we think students will migrate to it. It will be a tool that will improve their advising experience.” — Mark Nelson, vice president for student affairs, on the new DegreeWorks program
BIRTHDAYS
By Drew Taylor Senior Staff Reporter
speeding up the initial construction date from late April to before or on Monday, Feb. With the Capstone College 23. With this development, the of Nursing projecting the com- University will close Fourth pletion of their new building Street parking from Feb. 23 to in July 2010, the University is March 31. The majority of this work will be concerned with excavation, utility installation such as water mains, sanitary sewer mains, storm sewer, electrical/telecommunication duct banks, natural gas mains, street improvements and parking lot construction. Twoway traffic will be maintained on both sides of the road to
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THIS DAY IN ALABAMA HISTORY 1861: After being welcomed to Montgomery with great fanfare, Jefferson Davis is inaugurated as president of the Confederate States of America on the portico of the Alabama capitol. Davis, a former U.S. senator from Mississippi, lived in Montgomery until May, when the Confederate government was moved from Montgomery to its new capital of Richmond, Virginia. Source: Alabama Department of Archives and History
THE CRIMSON WHITE EDITORIAL • Corey Craft, editor-in-chief, craft@cw.ua.edu, 348-8049 • Phil Owen, managing editor, owen@cw.ua.edu, 348-6146 • James Jaillet, production editor • Breckan Duckworth, design editor • Robert Bozeman, assistant design editor • Marion Walding, photo editor • RF Rains, assistant photo editor • Kelli Abernathy, chief copy editor • Paul Thompson, opinions editor • Dave Folk, news editor • Brett Bralley, news editor • Ryan Mazer, lifestyles editor • CJ McCormick, assistant lifestyles editor • Greg Ostendorf, sports editor • Ryan Wright, assistant sports editor • Eric McHargue, graphics editor • Andrew Richardson, Web editor
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• Jeff Haas, territory manaer, 348-8044, territorymg2@ sa.ua.edu • Joe Greenwood, zones 3, (McFarland), 348-8735, smcwzone3-7@sa.ua.edu • Lance Hutchison, zone 4 (Northport), 348-8054, zone4@sa.ua.edu • Chris Green, zone 6 (15th Street), 348-6876, chrispgreen1@gmail.com
• Jake Knott, zone 7 (Skyland Blvd.) 348-8742, jknott23@gmail.com
By Sydney Holtzclaw Contributing Writer
with laughter and excitement as elementary and middle school age students learned about The Boys and Girls Club of the positive aspects of hip-hop 750-0203 West Tuscaloosa was filled Monday afternoon during Hip Hop Summit’s Community Outreach event. “Hip Hop Summit is an annual event held through the Ferguson Center Student Union and Student Affairs Cobb Theatres is NOW HIRING! which was started to give stuPerfect part-time job for students. dents a chance to celebrate the We offer: Competitive Wages, Flexible Work Schedule, Free hip hop culture,” coordinator Movie Privileges, Snack Stand Discounts, Etc. Please apply of Hip Hop Summit, LaToya Monday thru Thursday after 1pm. Smith said. This year the Summit decided Call for Showtimes to expand its efforts in emphasizing the positive effects of hip-hop to the community. “This is the first time in the Summit’s four years that we have included a community service project. We decided to work with the Boys and Girls Club in order to intertwine the idea of learning about the true culture of hip-hop while focusing on the importance of going to college,” Smith said. “When LaToya contacted me I was really excited. I jumped at the chance,” said Bertram Young, senior unit director of West Tuscaloosa Boys and Girls Club. The gym was set up with various activities focusing on different components of hip-hop, each manned with volunteers from local colleges including members of the University’s Black Student Union, Community Service Center, Phi Beta Sigma and the UA Chapter of the NAACP. “Hip-hop is such a community based art it only made sense for the Community Service Center to volunteer at the event. I think all of the activities they have planned are awesome. It really places an emphasis on the positive aspects of step and graffiti,” said Nathan Simmons, graduate assistant at the Community Service Center. The event began with a member of UA Admissions speaking about the importance of a college education and handing out white UA admissions bags containing information the
1301 University Blvd. “On the Strip”
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• Carly Jayne Rullman, zone 8 (the Strip and downtown), 348-6875, zone8@sa.ua. edu • Dana Andrzejewski, zone 44 (downtown and downtown Northport), 348-6153, zone44@sa.ua.edu • Jarrett Cocharo, zone 55 (campus), 348-2670 • Torri Blunt, nontraditional advertising, 348-4381, smterritorymanager1@sa.ua.edu • Emily Frost, classifieds coordinator, 348-7355, smcwclassmgr@sa.ua.edu
21st ANNIVERSARY
Mandarin-Szechuan-Chinese Restaurant
• Amanda Lacey, creative services manager, 348-8042, cwadv@sa.ua.edu
The Crimson White is the community newspaper of The University of Alabama. The Crimson White is an editorially free newspaper produced by students. The University of Alabama cannot influence editorial decisions and editorial opinions are those of the editorial board and do not represent the official opinions of the University. Advertising offices of The Crimson White are on the first floor, Student Publications Building, 923 University Blvd. The advertising mailing address is P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. The Crimson White (USPS 138020) is published weekly June, July and August, and is published four times a week September through April except for spring break, Thanksgiving, Labor Day and the months of May and December. The Crimson White is provided for free up to three issues. Any other papers are $1.00. The subscription rate for The Crimson White is $125 per year. Checks should be made payable to The University of Alabama and sent to: The Crimson White Subscription Department, P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. The Crimson White is entered as periodical postage at Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Crimson White, P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. All material contained herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright © 2008 by The Crimson White and protected under the “Work Made for Hire” and “Periodical Publication” categories of the U.S. copyright laws. Material herein may not be reprinted without the expressed, written permission of The Crimson White.
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The University predicts that all work concerning Fourth Street will be completed by Wednesday, April 1, excluding the final layer of asphalt that will be added to the road with the completion of the building in July 2010. Upon the Capstone College of Nursing’s completion, there will be a new CrimsonRide route added to the east end of Fourth Street to accommodate students in both the Capstone College of Nursing and Old Capstone Medical Center, becoming operational as of August 2010.
Summit shows hip-hop culture
We accept Dining Dollars
Taylor Wright, freshman majoring in telecommunication and film
• Drew Gunn, advertising manager, 348-8995, cwbiz manager@sa.ua.edu
facilitate traffic and pedestrian flow. In addition, there may be temporary single directional traffic occurring from time to time, but will be facilitated by flagmen who will direct traffic in the area. There is no set time for when this would take place, to prevent traffic congestion. All parking around Old Capstone Medical Center on 700 University Blvd. East will take place on the west and north side of the building from Monday, Feb. 23 to July 2010. Access will be on the western side of the lot.
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young students will need to one day become a student at the University. “Really why I was excited about this event was the opportunity for our kids to interact with college students,” Young said. “These kids come from mostly disadvantaged backgrounds and they’re all here for different reasons, but having the college kids from UA, Stillman and Shelton here shows them what they should strive to be like. It’s my goal and the goal of my staff to get these kids to go to college and make their lives different.” After the kids received their admissions goody bags, they scattered about the gym to explore the culture of hip-hop. There were three aspects of the culture displayed. The first and most recognizable was the beginnings of a graffiti mural by local artist Norris Web. The graffiti mural also coincided with BSU’s service project for this semester. “Near the end of last semester our community service chairs Venola Long and Antoni Lockett approached the Boys and Girls Club about repainting their gym,” said BSU President Airelle Odom. “When LaToya approached us about volunteering with Hip Hop Summit we decided to combine our service project with the event. We’re planning on doing our part of painting the gym within the next few weeks.” Two other aspects of the hip -hop culture the students got a chance to partake in were disc jockeying and stepping. While a DJ showed students how to play music using turntables, groups of students were taught simple steps by Phi Beta Sigma and members of Sigma Lambda Gamma. Second graders Orlandriea Watkins, Arlai’Ja Vaughn, and Elexis McCool put on a special step show for Samantha Alexander and Lauren Davis, UA students and members of Sigma Lambda Gamma. Though these girls had never stepped before, they quickly learned and began adding steps, flips, and poses to make the dance their own. “Kids like learning different things and stepping is similar to dancing so it was really easy for them to pick up on,” Lauren Davis said. Colby Mitchell, 12, also participated in a step performance. “I really like stepping. I used to be on the step team at my church, but I’m not anymore. Stepping out there reminded me of how it feels. Stepping puts me in the zone; I love it,” Mitchell said. The fourth station in the gym allowed the kids to make graffiti inspired T-shirts to remind them of all they had learned about hip-hop. “This is allowing kids to see a side of hip-hop they don’t see. It’s not about big chains and sagging pants like they see on BET. It’s about an expression of individuality,” said Jamia Moore, vice president of the Universty’s chapter of NAACP. The final Hip Hop Summit event will take place Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Ferguson Ballroom. “All of what were doing here at the Boys and Girls Club and at our main event is free,” Smith said. “It’s all done in the spirit of hip-hop.”
NEWS
INTERNATIONAL INVOLVEMENT WEEK
Week tries to bridge gap By Amy Castleberry Contributing Writer
The SGA and Office of International Students will be hosting the first ever International Involvement Week beginning today. International Involvement Week was created in order to bridge the divide between International and American students on campus, said Will Thomas, Director of SGA Office of International Involvement. “Our goal is to encourage international and American students to get involved with each other with the help of various social events,” Thomas said. The kick-off event,
VOTING Continued from page 1
led the University to abandon online SGA elections for several years. However, online voting will be returning in a few weeks. “This system that we’re using and the process is completely different,” said Kelli Knox-Hall, co-convener of the Elections Board. According to Knox-Hall, the
PHONE Continued from page 1
and would lose three points on their license. The second offense would garner a $50 fine and three additional points lost. The third time, the driver would receive a $75 fine and lose another three points. On the fourth conviction in a two-year period, the driver’s license would be suspended for 60 days. Alabama is not the first state to enact such a law; Washington put such a law in affect two years ago. The problem of texting while driving has been taken to the national level. The National Safety Council announced it is advocating a total ban on cell phone use while driving, saying the practice is clearly dangerous and leads to fatalities. “One of the major causes of car crashes not only here in Tuscaloosa, or in Alabama, but nationwide is driver inattention. [This includes] not only texting but talking on a cell phone or doing anything that distracts us from driving,” said Captain Greg Kosloff, head of public information for the Tuscaloosa County Police Department. Kosloff said Tuesday
DEGREE Continued from page 1
on time.” If DegreeWorks gains widespread use, University administration will be able to use these four-year plans to gauge student interest in certain classes and plan a certain number of sections accordingly. “It really is a win-win situation,” Nelson said. The program also includes a “What If?” scenario that allows students to see how far along they would be if they were to
International Game Night, was hosted by Freshman Forum Global Concerns Committee, and held in 107 Riverside Community Center at 8 p.m. Capstone International will host a Study Abroad Exchange night tonight, which will allow students who have studied abroad to share their experiences with others who may be considering a semester or summer trip. Jennifer Lantrip, a senior majoring in classics and art history, studied in Greece the summer of her freshman year. “Studying in Greece was such an amazing experience.” Lantrip said. “As a classics major it really added to my edu-
cation at the Capstone. It’s just neat to be in a class where your discussing places and things you’ve seen first hand. You’re able to relate and understand much better then simply reading a textbook.” The meeting will be held in 121 B.B. Comer at 6:30 p.m. and will show picture slideshows from students on campus who have participated in the various trips and program opportunities. Thursday, Deutschklub will host the film, “The Edukators” at 8:30 p.m. in 203 B.B. Comer. The week will close with its final event, The Crimson Cup. The International Students association and Deutschklub
will host a soccer tournament Saturday at the Student Recreation Center soccer fields beginning at 10 a.m. To play, a team must submit its entry form by today at 5 p.m., according to the International Student Association Web site. Forms can be picked up at the front desk of the Ferguson Center or at the Student Recreation Center. There is a $10 per team entry fee with seven players to a team. Winners will receive a prize. “We’re very excited about the week of events,” Thomas said. “We hope everyone will join us in order to meet new people and make new friends.”
2003 voting program was created by a professor running his business out of his garage in Atlanta. “It was a very small-scale operation,” she said. This year the election is being managed by Big Pulse, a company dedicated to conducting online polls and elections. “We went through a very long process of research to find the company that fit our needs the best,” Knox-Hall said. “Big Pulse is a large, established
company. They have an eightyear track record of doing fair and secure online elections.” Elections Board chair Ben Harmon said the past controversies made the Elections Board very careful in finding the right company. “We just made sure we went through all the proper channels and did our research,” he said. Harmon said the Elections Board reviewed at least eight companies offering online vot-
ing services. Both Knox-Hall and Harmon expressed confidence at the security of this year’s election. “A lot has changed since then,” Knox-Hall said. “Online voting is a lot more common. There are many more companies that conduct secure, webhosted votes.” “The probably of [voter fraud] happening is next to none,” Harmon said.
morning he had looked over a wreck report where an individual was texting while driving and caused a four car accident with injuries in Tuscaloosa County. “It only takes a couple of seconds to be in an accident, if you are not paying attention,” he said. Texting while driving is commonplace among college-aged students. Thirty-seven percent of drivers ages 18 to 27 admit to often texting while driving, according to a Nationwide Insurance Study. This is compared to 19 percent of drivers overall who say they partake in the action of texting behind the wheel. Though students are the demographic that texts the most frequently, most agree the bill is a good idea. “It’s probably a good idea,” said Dara Arbuthnot, a sophomore majoring in restaurant hospitality and management. “I’ve done it before, and I’ve been in cars with people who are texting. It’s scary. People have almost been in accidents,” she said. Many accidents have been attributed to texting while driving, including a train wreck in California that killed 25 people. Despite the deadly effects,
some students believe that while the bill is a good idea, it would have its drawbacks. “I don’t think texting while driving is good, but I’m always against any kind of government regulation. I think that this would just be another one of those laws,” said Whitney Beck, a sophomore majoring in accounting. In addition, some students felt like the law would be hard to enforce. “I think it will be extremely difficult to enforce. I don’t know any way of making it work unless a cop sees you and pulls you over,” said Mary Grace Cassity, a freshman majoring in history. Kosloff confirmed that an officer would have to see someone texting to cite them for the offense. “As with most traffic laws we would have to observe that offense being broken, but the legislature might add something into that [with the bill],” Kosloff said. Some students hypothesized a cell phone ban while driving may be on the horizon. “It will probably come to that,” said Christine Beck, a junior majoring in nursing. However, not all students
would be happy about such a ban. “No cell phones while driving would be a little absurd,” Beck said. Students said they would be willing to put their phones down while driving and abide by the bill. “It’s really scary when you look over and see someone texting [while driving]. The bill is a good idea,” said Cassity. Overall, Kosloff said, the bill comes down to driver inattention. “If we’re not paying attention while driving then we are putting ourselves and anyone else on the road in danger in having an automobile accident. The bill is an outstanding piece of legislation,” Kosloff said.
change their major. Expectations are high that students will embrace the new degree audit system. “It’s extremely user-friendly and we think students will migrate to it,” Nelson said. “It will be a tool that will improve their advising experience.” He said the program had proven popular at other colleges and at demonstrations held on campus last year for faculty and students. “If students use DegreeWorks and let it figure out the technical questions, your actual advising session becomes much more
beneficial,” McCrummen said. “You won’t spend your allotted time going over the nitty-gritty details.” Nelson said the registrar’s office, the University Relations office, and the SGA would be working on a promotional campaign to introduce DegreeWorks to students. All new students at summer BamaBound orientation sessions will also be introduced to the program. McCrummen said the SGA is planning to publicize DegreeWorks tutorials in the coming months.”
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Miss Black Alabama speaks By Jack Wall Contributing Writer The National Council of Negro Women is hosting a forum tonight titled “21st Century Black Women: Informing, Inspiring, and Empowering,” which will be held at 7 p.m. in 205 Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library. Miss Black Alabama USA Andretta Rhone will lead the event serving as its head speaker. The forum is open to any and all of those who are interested, according to a press release sent out by the NCNW. The NCNW will also
set up a table in the Ferguson Center today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to collect donations for Rhone’s charity of choice Girls Inc., which reaches out to young girls, particularly those coming from underserved areas and unsound situations, providing them with a vast number of educational and recreational programs across the U.S., according to girlsinc.org. Rhone is visiting the University from Huntsville, where she attends the University of Alabama A&M as an elementary education major.
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OPINIONS Paul Thompson • Editor
eLearning needs improvement
Which of the following six applies to you? 1. It’s the night before a huge test. You’ve missed more classes than you can count, whether it be from heavy drinking the night before or because it was raining when you woke up. You have waited until the night before your test to cram because we all know how well that works. Your teacher has put all their notes up on eLearning, so all you have to do is log on and print them out. Wrong! eLearning is down. Sorry, try again. 2. You have a huge assignment due at midnight, plus quizzes in two other classes due. You have been trying to e-mail your professor all afternoon because you have a hundred questions about your project and you haven’t really put any effort into the project so far. After not hearing any response all day, you finally work on your assignment and hopefully will get by with the bare minimum. Once you get to class the next day, your professor informs you she never got any of your messages, not to mention she doesn’t think you’ve turned in your big assignment. 3. eLearning randomly one day alerts you to the fact that you are no longer enrolled in any classes. 4. You pay thousands of dollars to attend our fine University, not to mention the hundreds of dollars you are forced to spend on books. You head to class with your coffee and your copy of
Jessie Landon
4
cwopinions@gmail.com
Game show stimulus
frustrating and inconsistent. It is never up when you need it to be. It seems like the eLearning staff looks at everyone’s schedule and decides when everyone is the busiest, and then they decide to do maintenance the night before. Yeah, they announce they are having maintenance outages. You all know you hate that stupid pop-up that shows up every single time you attempt to access the page. The toolbar is never the same — one day it takes up the entire page and the next all you can see are icons. Not to mention it’s a little difficult to navigate. I’ve heard from numerous people that, although there have been many improvements, eLearning is difficult to access through Apple products, especially the iPhone. I have to admit that eLearning is a lot better than the older version, WebCT. Now, by no means do I expect a new program to run smoothly, but I feel eLearning has traveled its bumpy road. I also think it is important for both the University and eLearning to improve the consistency. The teachers should have to take a class on how to use it and should be heavily encouraged to use eLearning. Either way, I hope that soon we will either have an improved program or a new program that works.
The Crimson White and take a seat. Your professor puts up his or her PowerPoint and starts to read it word for word. Literally. And it is literally word for word from your book. 5. You only have one or maybe two teachers who kind of uses eLearning, so you forget to check it on a regular basis and miss homework and assignments. 6. You have a teacher or two who really knows how to use eLearning well and uses it frequently. But you also have some other teachers who pretend to know how it works and attempt to use it, but really just confuse you much more than if they just left it alone. If one of those doesn’t apply to you, I envy you. I cannot tell you the countless times I have seen my friends’ Facebook statuses complaining about eLearning being down. Let me tell you, it wasn’t hard to hear everyone’s Jessie Landon is a junior majoring in journalism. Her column woes about eLearning. eLearning is just so runs on Wednesdays.
Americans love game shows. In the 1990s, the nation found itself entranced while waiting for someone to answer the million-dollar question. Until Bob Barker retired, people taking a sick day would often hear a reminder to have their “pets spayed and neutered” as The Price is Right ended. A January study showed that nearly onefifth of Americans watched Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune in a one-week period. So, it should not come as a surprise that the government’s efforts to stimulate the economy have a lot of similarities to a game show. The cast of our national game show has remained mostly the same, but we’ve seen the name (Are You Smarter than Alan Greenspan? Cash Corporate Jet: Wall Street Bailout Edition, and Last Executive Standing) and format of the program change frequently. The cast is an economic version of Hollywood Squares. George Bush began as our host, but has since relinquished the role to Barack Obama; John McCain was passed over out of fear on the part of producer Tim Geithner that he would address greedy Wall Street executives as “my friends.” Despite the screen test not going well for McCain, he has re-joined the frequently-indecisive studio audience better known as Congress. Phone-a-friend is an option on the show, and past guest stars have included JPMorgan Chase’s Jamie Dimon and a few bankruptcy attorneys. Judges for our show include Jim Cramer and, just for fun, Rod Blagojevich (and,
Alan Blinder through him, Rudyard Kipling). A third judge’s slot is reserved for whoever ends up as the commerce secretary. But the most important part of any show is the contestant; not even Ryan Seacrest is the focus of American Idol. Our show has featured a variety of contestants: the Big Three automakers, Lehman Brothers, the adult entertainment industry (yes, they asked for a bailout too) and the family of four hoping to avoid foreclosure. Despite their differences, all of the contestants, large and small, famous and invisible, have sought government aid. And America has tried to help. We’ve given direct bailouts to companies like AIG so quickly that you’d think they played an instant-win lottery game. We adopted a Biggest Loser mentality when we offered incentives to automakers in exchange for a slimmingdown. We played the banker on Deal or No Deal when we insisted that companies accept government intervention or risk receiving nothing at all later.
Essentially, we’ve been buying a lot of vowels and guessing a lot of letters, and nothing has worked. This new stimulus package, production cost of $787 billion, is more of the same in that it will not work. The problem with this bill is that it has basically become a proposal that finances programs normally funded through the appropriations process; there is a lot of spending on various programs that will do little, if anything, to stimulate the economy. If anyone can explain how $25 million for ATV trails or $1 billion for Amtrak, among other expenses, will stimulate the economy in the immediate future, I would be very interested to hear an explanation. As one newspaper noted, the gentleman who is now the budget director admitted a year ago that, “even those [public works] that are ‘on the shelf’ generally cannot be undertaken quickly enough to provide timely stimulus to the economy.” Yet we plan to fund some of the very programs that Peter Orszag criticized. Interesting, indeed. And, just in case you are wondering, our new game show is titled Survivor: If Your Program Can’t Get Money Out of This Bill, Just Quit. But stay tuned — it won’t be long until we have a new show (more details on my suggestions for the program in a later column). We will keep having new shows until we pass a stimulus package that actually stimulates and doesn’t just spend.
Alan Blinder is a freshman majoring in history and journalism. He is a regular contributor to The Crimson White.
Breaching the taboo on sex By M. Green
Sex is everywhere here at the Capstone. If guys aren’t having it, they’re thinking about how to get it, while we girls think about how to convince the guys we don’t secretly want it every bit as much as they do. While everyone seems to have their respective minds in the gutter almost constantly, sex remains one of the most taboo topics in Southern society. It’s considered crude to bring up this most basic human desire in a conversation, and those who do are often viewed as perverted or immature. Given, there are some situations in which a lively discussion about the carnal Olympics might not be entirely appropriate. Christmas dinner with your elderly grandparents, for example. But opening up a
healthy dialogue about sex with your friends and partner(s) is far from inappropriate. Never having been one to back down from a nice raunchy chat about the mattress mambo, I, your humble columnist, pledge to give you a seven-hundred word conversation starter once a week on Wednesday — Hump Day, how appropriate. What you do with it is entirely your decision. Understandably, some may not be ready to let go of their outdated, prudish views of sex, which is perfectly fine, but know that in the modern era, sex is a topic that needs to be on the table, figuratively, or if you’re feeling impetuous, literally. It is imperative that we break down the societal taboos about sex for several reasons. Silence can create several
problems. When partners do not talk about their sexual history with one another, for example, issues about STDs might never be addressed. According to a report by CNN, STD rates are on the rise, with women and minorities ages 15 to 24 having the greatest risk. The number of college students with STDs is astonishingly high, and as more and more students rack up more and more sexual conquests, these numbers will continue to grow. Even though it may be incredibly uncomfortable to discuss, talking about one’s sexual history is integral to building a healthy relationship. In this month’s issue of the world’s most respected news source, Cosmopolitan, a poll concluded that fifty-nine percent of men did not want to know their
girlfriend’s “nookie number.” While it is understandable for a guy to prefer not to know that your former flame had a pretty serious leather fetish, or that your first boyfriend had a tongue reminiscent of that of Gene Simmons, but you should at least be honest and open about your sexual history. Another issue that can arise from keeping mum about the issue of sex is roommate tension. When you first arrive fresh-faced at your brand new dorm with your brand new roommate, you probably aren’t going to want to discuss his or her sexual habits. However, I speak from experience that it is highly important to do so. Will he go with the traditional tie on the door? Or will you have a designated sex-free night? These may be uncomfortable topics,
but I assure you this discussion will not be nearly as uncomfortable for you as walking in on your roommate being beaten into submission by a leatherclad co-ed. All kidding aside, we as students must embrace sexuality so that we may be healthy and happy. Because sex is such a taboo topic, many students are too embarrassed to seek out help or answers to their questions. There are many campus resources to help students with their sexual health and well-being. I plan to profile these in more detail in future columns. Firstly, the Student Health Center offers a wide variety of services, from STD testing to gynecological exams. The Women’s Resource Center is another place to turn for help. They offer counseling for
everything from rape to relationship violence. The Women’s Resource Center also offers support groups for victims of sexual abuse. Both the SHC and the WRC have strict policies on confidentiality, so students need not be shy about seeking the assistance they deserve. Sex is as much a part of human nature as eating or sleeping, though hopefully you don’t seek out the former as often as you do the latter two. We must tear down the societal barriers to healthy discussions about sex so that we as students at the University can take charge of our health and live out our wildest sexual fantasies.
M. Green is The Crimson White’s sex columnist. Her column runs on Wednesdays.
The UA Crash — Diversity in adversity At the University, it is very easy to get set into a routine. See the same people. Eat the same food. Ride the same bus … to live in a bubble. Occasionally, there are moments when people are forced to interact with people different from themselves. Like the Oscar-winning appropriately titled film suggests, sometimes people just unconsciously “Crash” into each other. However, sometimes these crashes go unnoticed, but thankfully a few have resulted in an increasing cultural awareness on campus. Conversations around issues of diversity on campus, in my opinion, have been occurring more frequently and with a stronger depth concerning positive solutions and advancement. Through Crossroads and Blackburn’s initiation of RealTalk sessions, the addition of “sexual orientation” to our nondiscrimination
Kendra Key clause and a growing number of opportunities afforded to our international students, we as a University have declared a renewed sense of acceptance in an academic tradition where diversity is constantly evolving. As Black History Month comes to a close, many students have reflected on the contributions of African-Americans. From inventors to educators to individuals simply unwilling
to accept a society of injustice, the contributions have been and continue to be enormous. With the addition of Paul R. Jones Art Collection, one of the premier collections of AfricanAmerican art, we have seen the Capstone’s commitment to the promotion and development of historically overlooked and neglected talents. Outlets such as these, as well as classes on African-American literature, various cultural studies and events such as International Involvement Week and speakers as varied as Cornel West, former South African President F.W. de Klerk and Chuck D, provide opportunities for cultural exploration and understanding that greatly enhance the overall student environment and atmosphere. Given the historically poor view of Alabama in terms of cultural awareness, this commitment to acceptance and cultural discussion is important not only academically but
also for the preservation and growth of our state. The opportunities I have had as an African-American woman at the University are beyond the wildest dreams of my ancestors. Undoubtedly, we have made great strides — as a University, State and Nation — since Autherine Lucy Foster, Vivian Malone Jones, James Hood and John L. Blackburn first mediated a nonviolent integration of the University. This surprisingly peaceful and ongoing transition is a movement we should all be proud of. The student body proudly hosts students of every color, gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation and economic background. Students from around the state, country and world have flocked here for reasons varying from academic to athletic, from family legacies to childhood dreams. Still, amongst all this growing diversity and
empowerment available to us, there seems to be a growing disconnect among some. We as students should take every opportunity to learn from our peers from various walks of life. The discussions are available but not nearly utilized enough. Having grown up in Tuscaloosa, I have found this campus to be the nucleus of more cultural diversity than I ever experienced just down the road. The opportunities for personal growth that this University provides have greatly expanded my understanding of the world in which we live and even the problems of my hometown. My time at the University and the opportunities I have had through my involvement on campus have given me a strong understanding of the issues that concern my fellow students and the power of a unified voice. Students should not sit idly by and be mere
consumers of a “book-driven” education. There is so much potential for learning outside of the classroom that we simply overlook. These conversations should not be conducted among a small few but should be the routine of all students. However, these conversations will not be and should not be University mandated. It is up to us, the students, to seek them out for ourselves. Whether that is accomplished through academic discussion, intramural athletics, arts programs, etc. It is up to us. It is our duty to maximize our learning opportunities here at the Capstone and to not lose sight of the fact that some of our most powerful teachers are our fellow students.
Kendra Key is a junior majoring in political science. Her column runs bi-weekly on
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Letters to the editor must be less than 200 words and guest columns less than 500. Send submissions to cwopinions@gmail.com. Submissions must include the author’s name, year, major and daytime phone number. Phone numbers are for verification and will not be published. Students should also include their year in school and major. For more information, call 348-6144. The CW reserves the right to edit all submissions.
The Crimson White
LIFESTYLES
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
5
Endowed chair in musicology to lecture By Xavier Burgin Contributing Writer
Reading through the chapters of humanity, one might ask a simplistically complex question. What form of music represents the epitome of human artistry? There is no definitive answer, but when asked, many individuals respond with classical music, whether or not they listen to it or find the genre relevant. Even if an individual does not find this type of art intriguing, denying the fact it represents a significant crux in the evolution and sound of modern music would be detrimental to one’s understanding of our present culture. Tonight at 7:30 in the Moody Music Building Recital Hall, the
melodically inclined population of Tuscaloosa is welcome to learn more about this refined art form. The lecture, titled “Composed, just not yet written: Mozart’s — not Beethoven’s — Way of Composing,” will be free and open to the public. Tasked with addressing the Tuscaloosa community on this subject is endowed chair in musicology, Christoph Wolff. Wolff is an Adams University professor, one of the 12 undergraduate houses at Harvard. Born and educated in Germany, Wolff retains a repertoire of musical talent and understanding. He has studied organ and historical keyboard instruments, musicology and art history.
Harvard has appointed him as hair of the department of music, acting director of the University Library and dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at differing times in his illustrious career. In 2002 he was named university professor, giving him the most distinguished academic title Harvard can offer to resident faculty members. Wolff’s credentials do not cease when he walks outside the halls of Harvard. He is a recipient of the Dent Medal of the Royal Musical Association in London and the Humboldt Research Award. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society and the Saxon Academy of Sciences.
If you go... What: Christoph Wolff lecture, “Composed, Just Not Yet Written: Mozart’s — not Beethoven’s — Way of Composing”
When: Tonight at 7:30 Where: Moody Music www.mlfilms.com Adams University Professor at Harvard, Christoph Wolff will lecture tonight at 7:30 in the Recital Hall of the Moody Music Building. The professor’s accolades are not unfounded. He has written various books on the history of music from the 15th to the 20th
Building Recital Hall
centuries, which include “Bach: Johann Sebastian Bachs. Ein Essays on His Life and Music” Hanbuch” (2006), which trans(1991), “Mozart’s Requiem” lates to “The Organs of Johann (1994) and recently “Die Orgeln Sebastian Bach: A Handbook.”
MOVIE REVIEW | ‘FRIDAY THE 13TH’
Slasher film inspires a review in haiku! By Ryan Mazer Lifestyles Editor
‘Friday the 13th’
With his machete Jason terrorizes teens In Camp Crystal Lake
Director: Marcus Nispel Starring: Derek Mears, Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker
But with his movie Jason terrorizes me In my brain and soul
Runtime: 97 min
The deaths are too tame For characters so stupid Jason should have raped
MPAA Rating: R Rating:
Nudity abounds Like porno with too much plot And shallower themes Friday the 13th Its most inspired idea Was its release date Most of the film’s cast Is dead by the end credits We’re not so lucky It’s a chore to watch The only task more grueling — Writing its review
Bottom Line: “Friday the www.rottentomatoes.com Jason deals too gently with the “noble” character in this remake of “Friday the 13th,” which opened Friday at the Cobb 16.
13th” makes life not seem so great.
COLUMN | COMICS CORNER
‘Ruins’ great concept makes for interesting read By Robert Bozeman Assistant Design Editor What if? There is a theory that claims every decision we make is reflected in an alternate universe in which we made the opposite decision. Writer Warren Ellis and artists Terese and Cliff Nielsen explore this idea in “Ruins,” a dark parody of the Eisner and Harvey award-winning limited series “Marvels” that Marvel Comics published in 1994. “Ruins” was written in 1995 as a two-part limited series, and has recently been re-released in a one-shot issue. “Marvels,” by writer Kurk Busiek and artist Alex Ross is the story the Marvel universe told from the perspective of a photojournalist, Phil Sheldon. Throughout “Marvels,” Sheldon often expresses what it is like to live in an age where
such great things happen, and he writes a book about it, titled “Marvels.” In “Ruins,” Phil Sheldon is doing a similar task, but everything has gone wrong in one way or another, and instead of an age of superheroes and marvels, it is an age of what might have been and what should have been. The Avengers are a terrorist group that is trying to liberate America from the clutches of Dictator-president Professor X, Wolverine is slowly dying of adamantium poisoning, and in one beautifully gory scene, Bruce Banner is broken open from the inside by gamma radiationinduced tumors. These are only a few of the things that go awry in “Ruins” and each page provides a graphic and disturbing description of how things could have gone terribly wrong for many of our childhood heroes in the
Marvel universe. Like in “Marvels,” they are illustrated with watercolors that give the art a much more distinguished and realistic quality, thereby sucking you into the world you are reading about. The art in “Ruins” has a very gray color pallet that seems to obscure much of what is actually happening in the panels, that is in direct contrast with the art in “Marvels,” which is very clear and fitting of such a classic story. There is also a change in artists in book two, so you have a situation where all the panels up to a certain point are illustrated in one style, and then the next page, done by artist Chris Moeller, is very different. Because “Ruins” is only two issues, the story quickly jumps from one superhero ruin to the next, and most of the events feel rushed like you are being pushed
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through them. It is disheartening to think that some of these ideas could have been fleshed out into more satisfying, albeit more disturbing, stories. In addition, the story of Phil Sheldon feels very forced and sloppily written right up until the end, where it just seems to abruptly stop. This can be chalked up to the inexperience of Ellis as a writer. I can’t rightly call “Ruins” itself a story; it is just a series of anecdotes strung together by Sheldon who feels like a very unnecessary character through the whole series, and that is reinforced by the end, where Ellis just kills him when he seems to have run out of failed superhero ideas. I understand that this is a parody, but this could have been so much more. That doesn’t stop it from being a very interesting and worthwhile read — just don’t expect a masterpiece.
www.warrenellis.com
6 Wednesday, February 18, 2009
SPORTS
The Crimson White
SWIMMING AND DIVING
Tide heads to Auburn for SEC Championships By Laura Owens Contributing Writer
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The Alabama men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams are heading to Auburn this week to compete in the SEC Championship meet. The meet includes all the SEC schools, with the exception of Ole Miss, Mississippi State and, in the women’s division only, Vanderbilt. In the men’s division, seven SEC teams are ranked in the Top 25, with Alabama ranked No. 24. In women’s, Georgia is ranked No. 1, and Auburn is the defending national champion. “It’s just a great conference, as with all our sports,” head coach Eric Mcllquham said. “What we’re looking for is for every single one of my kids to step up and give their best
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times, see if we can top school records and get as many NCAA cuts as we can.” Both the men’s team and women’s team have swimmers and divers who will put up some good times and scores to boost the overall chances for the team. On the men’s side, Mark Randall holds a school record for the 1,650m freestyle, which he set as a freshman. Going into the championships, he feels confident about his abilities. “My goal going into the meet is just to have fun and just to swim the best times,” Randall said. “My coach is happy with what I’ve been doing in practice this season. I’m feeling good — just trying to stay positive and have a good attitude about it.” Additionally, Denes Zubcsek has the third fastest all-time butterfly time in school history, and Aaron Fleshner is a defending SEC champion diver. “Those three boys highlight our group,” Mcllquham said. “We have a strong contingent of men. Our men’s team is pretty deep with the people we have. There’s quite a few men that have the chance to get up there and perform.” The women’s team features All-American swimmer Agustina de Giovanni and diver Elizabeth Hughes, who had the best finish for Alabama at last year’s SEC meet. Sophomore Kate Shannon Gray is participating in at least
three events, perhaps four. Two of the events, the 400 IM (individual medley) and 200 IM, she says are her specialty, but she’s confident in them all. “My approach is to go at it with the most intense times. Set a goal to swim my fastest and put up some really fast times,” Gray said. The teams have used the whole season, from September until now, to train and get ready for this meet. They have dual meets throughout the season to gauge their progress. “If we’re winning dual meets and swimming solidly in all our dual meets and doing the little things properly, that gives you a good idea of what the team’s capable of at the end of the season,” Randall said. The team practices every day in order to stay in shape and continually work on their times and form. “I take it practice by practice,” Gray said. “We have doubles every day, so I just try to stay focused for each individual practice and do the best that I can. It’ll profit you in the end.” All their practices and dual meets prepare the teams for the final SEC meet. For Mcllquham, the championship meet is what the season is all about. “This is what we train for year-round,” McIlquham said. “It’s the meet that we focus UA Athletics|Kent Gidley on. We have to put it all on the line right here. We focus every- Aaron Fleshner is looking to repeat as an SEC champion today at the SEC Championships in Auburn. Fleshner is the leagueʼs top-ranked diver off the one and three-meter boards. thing on this meet.”
SPORTS IN BRIEF first-team squad. In all, 10 SEC players were recognized on the publication’s three preseason All-American teams. Wilson named Baseball America has preseason Alabama ranked 21st in its preseason poll and picked the All-American Tide to finish second in the Alabama second baseman SEC West this season. AlaRoss Wilson has been named bama is also tabbed as one of to the 2009 Baseball America eight SEC teams projected to Preseason All-American Team, make the NCAA Regionals this the publication announced season. Monday. Wilson hit .295 with 15 home SOCCER runs and 47 RBI last season as a true freshman. The 15 home Tide announces runs tied the Alabama freshspring schedule man single-season record. The sophomore was also named to the 2008 NCAA Conway Alabama head coach Todd Regional All-Tournament Team, after swatting three Bramble released his spring home runs in three games for schedule today. The Crimson Tide will play a total of five the Tide. Wilson and Tennessee spring contests at three differcenterfielder Kentrail Davis ent locations with two games are the only two SEC players slated for the Alabama Soccer named to Baseball America’s Stadium.
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“It is during this phase of the season that we focus on individual development,” Bramble said. “Our spring games allow us to monitor the progress of the players in the specific areas which we are focusing. This schedule will undoubtedly test our team and we will take the lessons we learn from these games with us into next fall.” Alabama will open the spring against North Alabama on March 6. The two squads will square off at Florence at 6 p.m. The Tide will then return home for two straight games when they face Samford on April 3 and UAB on April 9. Alabama beat Samford 1-0 at home this past fall. The team will then head to Orange Beach to close out its remaining spring slate. Alabama will play West Florida on April 17 and Southern Mississippi on April 19.
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The Crimson White
SPORTS
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
7
MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
Tide looks to build off recent success UA Athletics | Cory Johnson
By NiCarla Friend Contributing Writer
Junior Emmanuel Bor ran a new personal best in the 3,000m over the weekend at the Husky Classic. Bor and the rest of the Tide have two weeks to prepare for the SEC Championships.
Last weekend the Alabama men’s track and field team traveled to the state of Washington for the Husky Classic, hosted by the University of Washington. Tyson David ran in the 5,000m and finished with a time of 13:36.76, the third fastest time in the NCAA. David leads the SEC and ranks in at No. 2 in Alabama school history for that event. Freshman Tyler Campbell made a personal best in the long jump with a jump of 7-00.50. Campbell was named SEC Freshman of the Week Tuesday and is now No. 1 in the SEC for the high jump.
Junior Emmanuel Bor represented the Tide in the 3,000m where he also made a new personal best, crossing the finish line with a time of 7:58.69, the fourth fastest time in the country. Andrew Kirwa and Abraham Kutingala were at the line in the 5K and ran provisional qualifying marks of 14:00.20 and 14:04.23, respectively. The team will take a week off before getting ready for the SEC Championships, which will take place at the University of Kentucky Feb. 27 to March 1. “SEC is always a tough meet,� Glance said “It’s always extremely hard to get points because the field is so deep. We could have a
great meet but not show up well in the results just because of team, and that’s what the SEC Championship is about.� With the SEC being such a hard and competitive conference, Glance said the newcomers on the team have no room for error. “The SEC is like no other conference; it doesn’t allow you to grow,� Glance said. “If you’re not ready to be an impact right away, then it kind of robs you of you doing [well]. We just hope that the young guys understand that they have everything to gain and nothing to lose, and they need to get some experience. “I think the people with the most success are the leaders.
I think Tyson David is a great leader for our program. He’s a quiet leader who doesn’t talk very much, but he talks when he performs.� Glance said the team has improved a lot since last year, and the rankings prove it. “I think we’re ranked in more events than we were last year,� Glance said. “We’re ranked in the 60m, we’re ranked in the 200m, we’ve ranked really high in the 400m, 800m, the 3000 and the 5,000. We’re also ranked in the long jump and the high jump.� The rankings give the team high expectations heading into the SEC Championships beginning Feb. 27.
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Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Greg Ostendorf • Editor
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MEN’S BASKETBALL
Tide moves on after nail-biting loss By Jason Galloway Senior Sports Reporter
CW | Drew Hoover Senior Alonzo Gee drives past a South Carolina defender in the Alabamaʼs heart-breaking loss Saturday. Gee returns to his home state of Florida to take on the Gators tonight at 6 p.m.
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Whether the Alabama men’s basketball team was able to finish off South Carolina on Saturday or not, the Crimson Tide was well prepared to. Interim head coach Phillip Pearson must have known the situation was coming, as Alabama dedicated much of its practice time last week to focusing on end-of-game situations. “I want our guys to be able to play through mental and physical fatigue to get better,” Pearson said Tuesday. “Whether it’s getting a defensive stop, a rebound or executing our offense at the end of the game, I think those are the situations that we can work on and get better at.” Practice does not always lead to perfection, however, as Alabama found themselves on the wrong end of a two-point spread, falling to the Gamecocks at home on a buzzer-beating tip in. “I don’t think that will be the last time we’re involved in that
type of game where it’s a one or two possession game in which one or two plays is going to determine the outcome,” Pearson said. “Hopefully the more you work on those situations, the more you put your team in those sorts of situations, the better off they’ll be the next outing.” The Tide will face off against a Florida team tonight in Gainesville, Fla., that has suffered similar problems closing games this season. The Gators come in having lost two straight games by a combined five points, including an 88-86 defeat that gave lowly Georgia its first SEC victory of the season. Florida also dropped a nail-bitter to South Carolina earlier this year off a horrendous mistake in its transition defense in the final three seconds of the game. The Gators sit one game out of first place in the SEC East with a 19-6 overall record, but have a dismal record of 4-5 in games decided by six points or less. “[Florida] is coming off a couple of very tough losses in the
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past week at Kentucky and then on the road against Georgia over the weekend, [but] we’ll have our hands full,” Pearson said. “They are very good once again. Coach [Billy] Donovan is a great coach, and they have had great players. We’re expecting a tough game down there.” Florida is led by 6-foot 6-inch point guard Nick Calathes, who averages team highs in points per game (18.6) and assists per game (6.6) and displays a better than 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. “They have size with Calathes as their main ball-handler,” Pearson said. “He has smarts and skills. I think he’s very, very good, one of the best players in the league.” The Gators also get solid production from their front court with forwards Alex Tyus and Chandler Parsons averaging 12.4 and 10.1 points per game respectively. “Tyus is very effective around the basket,” Pearson said. “He’s awfully athletic; he runs the floor very well, so that gives us a lot of different things to think about from a defensive standpoint for us.” Pearson said he expects to see a lot of the same pressure defense tonight from Florida that the Tide saw from South Carolina on Saturday. “South Carolina was a little bit different style for us with the pressing and the trapping, and we expect to see that same sort of thing from Florida,” he said. “They have a full bag of different things they can do from a defensive standpoint, so we’ll have to be ready to go against a lot of different things.” Alabama (13-11, 3-7) will try to win its second game under Pearson tonight at 6 p.m. in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla.
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