The Cameron University Collegian: April 26, 2010

COLLEGIAN THE CA M ERON U N I V ER SIT Y

www.aggiecentral.com

Monday, April 26, 2010

News

Commencement:

Volume 84 Issue 22

Justice Yvonne Kauger to speak

CU Public Affairs

Convergent journalism site goes live.

SEE PAGE 5

A&E

Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Yvonne Kauger will deliver the commencement address to Cameron University’s Class of 2010. The annual graduation ceremony is slated for 7:30 p.m. May 7 at Cameron Stadium.

Following Kauger’s address, CU’s 2010 graduates will receive their diplomas.

A gala fireworks display will cap off the occasion. The public is invited to attend.

“We are honored that Justice Kauger will address our 2010 graduates,” said Cameron President Cindy Ross. “Her distinguished record of service and commitment to strengthening the administration of justice throughout Oklahoma’s judicial system are extraordinary. Commencement is the culmination of a college student’s academic experience, and I know this year’s graduates and their friends and families will find inspiration and motivation from such an accomplished and celebrated Oklahoman.”

Justice Kauger, a fourth-generation Oklahoman from Colony, was appointed to the Oklahoma Supreme Court by Gov. George Nigh in 1984 and was retained to six-year terms in 1988, 1994, 2000 and 2006. She served as Chief Justice from January 1997 through December 1998 and is the only woman to serve as the court’s chief justice and vice chief justice.

A graduate of Southwestern Oklahoma State University and the Oklahoma City University School of Law, Kauger is a member of the District State-Federal Judicial Council. She also served as presiding judge for the Court on the Judiciary, and on the Law School and Bench and Bar Committees of the Oklahoma Bar Association.

She is the founder of the Gallery of the Plains Indian in Colony, a co-founder of Red Earth, and has served as coordinator for the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s Sovereignty Symposium since its inception in 1987.

The symposium is a seminar on Indian law sponsored by the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Photo courtesy of Public Affairs

2010 speaker: Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Yvonne Kauger will be delivering the commencement address this year.

Therapy Dog on campus for finals week Finals Week Events Relaxation and Visualization Sessions, Monday through Friday, at 8 a.m. and noon, Buddy Green Room

Professor receives award for publication.

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Sports

Pet Therapy, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 12:30-2:30 p.m., Buddy Green Room Yoga on the Lawn, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 11:30 a.m., south of the MCC (participants should bring a yoga mat or beach towel) DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Aromatherapy Bath Salts from 12:30-2:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the Buddy Green Room Rearview Drawings from 10:30 – 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the MCC

By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff With finals looming, most students are worried and are cramming as much as they can to prepare for the tests. This is leading to unhealthy stress and anxiety, which Dean of Student Services Jennifer Holland wants to help alleviate.

“We wanted to have a week of activities,” Holland said. “A lot of the activities on campus are planned by students, but we wanted to have something that we’re providing for students to support and encourage them during finals week.”

The activities will begin on May 3 and run through graduation on May 7.

Holland said students can expect a wide range of events including relaxation visualization exercises hosted by Deanice Shegog, the mental health counselor for Student Services.

“They’ll all come into the room and can sit anywhere they like – in a chair or on the floor,” Shegog said. “There’s relaxing low-tone music in the back, and we take a mental journey to the beach.”

Finals Breakfast at 10 p.m. on Wednesday in the Shepler Cafeteria

See DOG Page 2

Photo by Bennett Dewan

Pooch with a purpose: Lilly the Therapy Dog will be on campus during finals week to help students with stress.

CU offers early retirement to staff, faculty to help budget

By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff

Sophomore Peixoto working hard for team’s present, future.

SEE PAGE 12

Voices

In light of impending budget issues, Cameron University offered 120 of its faculty and staff members early retirement in an effort to save money over the long term.

Vice President of Business and Finance Glen Pinkston said the effects of the early retirement plan

won’t be noticed immediately. But when the university enters fiscal year 2011 and fiscal year 2012, these changes will be extremely beneficial.

“Often, people will retire and you sometimes are able to get away with not replacing them,” he said. “By that I mean you take a look, divide their job up and you get real creative at assigning things. Sometimes, you end up not having to fill positions.

Other times, you fill it with someone who, quite honestly, costs less money.”

Out of the 120 faculty and staff members that were offered early retirement, only 15 took advantage of the plan. The eligible members were given letters that outlined the one-time plan that would give them a two-month stipend. They would also receive health insurance

coverage for two years after retirement. Pinkston said he wasn’t surprised that only a little more than 10 percent took advantage of the plan. While he said the number might sound low, there’s nothing to gauge it by.

See RETIRE Page 5

Lawton featured on nationally syndicated radio show

By Justin Cliburn Collegian Staff

Concealed weapons on campus a bad idea.

SEE PAGE 9

After 15 years, “Whad’ya Know?” has finally featured Lawton as its “Town of the Week.”

The nationally syndicated radio talk show was originally scheduled to highlight Lawton on its April 10 broadcast, but host Michael Feldman ran out of time two weeks in a row, reserving the April 26 show for the hometown of Cameron University.

“Whad’ya Know?” is a live weekly show broadcast from Madison, Wis. and is produced

by Wisconsin Public Radio and distributed by Public Radio International. The show has been on the air since 1985, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

For reasons that are still unclear, Feldman did not begin his weekly “Town of the Week” segment until 1998, producer Todd Witter said.

“I’m not really sure how it got

MCT Campus

started, to be honest,” Witter said, “but it’s been going on for 15 years now.”

The feature is the last segment of every broadcast and is entirely random in its town selection process.

“On stage, we have a really large foamboard map of the U.S. with all the states mixed up, and each week we have an audience member throw a dart at it,” Witter said. “Whatever town is closest to where it lands is our ‘Town of the Week.’”

In order to keep the random nature of the feature intact, the map had to be reconfigured, Witter said.

The disjointed array of states makes the town selections more diverse than a conventional map would.

“We used to have just a big regular map up there, but people kept hitting towns in Nebraska, because it was in the middle, so we had to mix it up a little,” Witter said.

Witter has been producing the show since 2002 and has heard eight years’ worth of towns. After so many “Town of the Week” features, he says there is still no real formula for what makes a good edition.

“Often, you just have to get the

right person on the phone. ‘Lifers’ or great characters make good ones, but sometimes you get someone who is just really not into it,” Witter said, “and those can be funny too.”

After an audience member makes their fateful throw of the dart, announcer Lyle Anderson gets to work researching the next “Town of the Week.” Through phonebooks, local convention bureaus, local newspapers and the Web, Anderson collects the data.

See RADIO Page 2

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April 26, 2010

DOG continued from page 1 Students will mentally visualize themselves lying on a beach with sand underneath their bodies, the water splashing on their toes and the warm sun shining down. She said it will be a great way for students to relax ahead of their

finals.

“I hope no one has a water phobia,” Shegog said. “But we won’t be getting into the water.”

Shegog has used the visualization exercise in one-onone settings in the past, but this is the first time she’s done it for

finals week. She said it has been very successful for students who have test anxiety during the semester, and finals are much more stressful. She hopes by holding something more public that more students will take advantage of it.

“I have so many students that see me for test anxiety, and that’s only a handful of people that actually have it,” Shegog said.

“Even if people don’t have test anxiety, they can always show up and take the edge off.”

Director of Student Development Jennifer Pruchnicki will hold sessions throughout the week where

students can create their own aromatherapy bottles.

Student Activities will host a rear view drawing event May 5, where Holland said students can participate in a new twist on caricatures.

“They’ll be doing exaggerated drawings from the back,” she said. “It’s totally a fun silly take on caricatures that we’re sure students will enjoy.”

Director of Student Support Services Doreen Thomas will bring her Great Pyrenees, Lilly, to the campus for three days during finals week. Thomas said Lilly is certified as a therapy dog through Therapy Dog International. She said the dog has to go through a long process and will provide a great deal of relaxation for students.

“She has to pass through 15 different evaluations and all the obedience classes,” she said. “She was evaluated for her temperament, how she reacts around medical equipment and children and things like that.”

Lilly was certified in January and has made several trips to Reynolds Army Community Hospital, where she helps wounded soldiers relax and cope.

Green said Lilly also visits residents at the McMahon Tomlinson Nursing Center and the rehab center at Comanche County Memorial Hospital.

Thomas rescued Lilly when she was a puppy and has raised her ever since.

She said she didn’t know what triggered

Photo by Bennett Dewan

it, but she had read about other people and their therapy dogs and thought Lilly would make a wonderful addition to that group.

“People always told me she had the temperament for it,” Thomas said.

Thomas has done research into therapy dogs and their benefits on people. She said just the act of petting the dog can relieve much stress from the person. She said many college students are away from home and have left their dogs. For a student, seeing and petting a dog could bring back memories of their own pets and make them more relaxed entering a final exam.

“Petting or hugging a dog can help reduce a lot of stress,” she said. “Students don’t have to have an appointment to come see her that week. They can just come by and hug her or do anything they’d like to.”

Holland said there are additional activities planned, including yoga sessions in the Bentley Gardens. This is the first time the university has spent an entire week helping to prepare students for finals. Traditionally, Holland said the finals breakfast has been a mainstay, and that is also being held this year.

But she said they wanted to do something above and beyond this year for students.

“We talked about the therapy dog since January,” Holland said. “Then Deanice mentioned she wanted to do some sessions. Pruchnicki mentioned aromatherapy and yoga on the lawn.

“This has certainly been a team effort. It’s a cook kickoff into summer and we know finals week can be pretty overwhelming. So we want to add a little stress release and fun to that week.”

RADIO continued from page 1

See page 5 for solutions.

“We used to rely a lot more on convention bureaus sending us copies of the local newspaper, but now Lyle does most of his research on the Web,” Witter said.

“Getting people to come on the show is the real work though.”

After collecting background information on the town, Anderson combs the phonebook looking for potential town ambassadors, a process which is not nearly as random as the town selection itself.

“A lot of times, he’ll just look for Feldmans or other people who share their last name with a member of our staff, but it’s really difficult, sometimes, to convince people to agree to come on the air,” Witter said.

“Sometimes, no one answers at all, and we just start calling local businesses like diners and hair salons.”

During the segment, Feldman asks the volunteers where they would recommend going in their town as well as what restaurants they would suggest, among other questions. The suggestions vary and no two towns are the same, Witter said. After 15 years of doing the segment, only a small handful of towns stand out as being so much better as “Town of the Week” segments.

“I can’t remember their names right now, but we’ve had a couple that were just incredible,” Witter said.

“Some people have really done a great job endorsing their towns.”

As of press time, Lawton’s turn on “Town of the Week” was scheduled for April 26, but that is subject to change. “Whad’ya Know?” is not broadcast on Lawtonarea radio stations, but interested parties can stream the broadcast through the “Whad’ya Know?” Web site located at www.notmuch.com.

April 26, 2010

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By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff The Cameron University Communication Department has entered a brave new frontier of student media with the launch of AggieCentral.com.

A “convergence journalism” Web site, AggieCentral combines the skill-sets of radio/ television and print journalism students to bring to the CU campus a unified digital media format for news coverage.

Dr. Christopher Keller, an Associate Professor of Journalism and Faculty Adviser to both The Collegian and AggieCentral, said the site is the central location for students, faculty and staff to catch up on the latest happenings at the university.

“The site is a portal where the essential journalistic skills of broadcasters and print reporters can be put on display,” he said. “It combines all of the excellent reporting done by both CUTV and The Cameron Collegian in a single, easily accessed location.”

Communication professors Dr. Keller, Dr. Gil Hernandez, Dr. Matt Jenkins and Steve Adams spent the past two years researching and planning for AggieCentral. They enlisted the assistance of several CU students, as well as a non-profit organization named CoPress to help get pointed in the right direction.

While AggieCentral consists of stories updated regularly from the Collegian and content from CUTV, such as “Top of the Hour,” Dr. Keller envisions a site where new, original

content will be uploaded daily and where there is no difference between a Radio/Television and Journalism major.

“The whole of this convergent journalism initiative came from a $250,000 grant awarded by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. We purchased about 20 multimedia backpacks that housed laptops, video cameras, tripods and wireless equipment,” he said. “We then worked on creating a content management system from which we could converge our three areas: radio, television and journalism. That’s why Dr. Jenkins and Mr. Adams are so integral. Dr. Jenkins brings his video editing skills and Mr. Adams brings his audio editing and broadcast skills. Combine that with Jenkins’ and Adams’ amazing teaching abilities, and a true convergent media program is born.”

Students involved with AggieCentral.com had their first real test of using the site to publish digital news with the opening of Cameron’s latest building, the McMahon Centennial Complex. Radio/ Television students Kyle Luetters and Jennyann Roig recorded the entire ceremony and had video uploaded to the site within minutes of the closing.

Luetters also recorded a podcast on-site and interviewed several students as the event was happening, giving the Cameron body up-to-date coverage in real time. Dr. Keller said those skills are going to be beneficial after graduation.

“The Web site is perfect for covering events like the MCC opening,” he said. “We can go out

5 Convergent journalism site goes live

there with our portable technologies, set up and have everything uploaded to AggieCentral as it’s happening.

“The students are getting an opportunity to be involved at the ground level in planning and implementing where our field is taking us,” he said. “Industry-wide, the world does not know what journalism will look like 20 or even 10 years from now.

This convergence is happening, and we just have to be ready to change as new technologies emerge.”

AggieCentral has been in the planning stages for around two years, and Dr. Keller said he is proud to see it up and running at last. The journalism program has created Web sites in the past, but none have truly taken off because of the required skill set to keep them operating. That can be a problem with a workforce that is entirely transitional.

“The problem with a university journalism Web site is the transient population,” Dr. Keller said. “You need students with high end skills

in both journalism and digital technology, and college students are always filtering in and out as they complete their programs. We needed a system that would allow the students to quickly train so they could worry more about the journalism and not so much about the technology in the backend of the publication.”

Much of the future of the Web site is still in the planning stages, including ad revenue. At the moment, Dr. Keller said he wanted to get the Web site launched with content updated at least three times a week and make sure everything ran without a hitch.

However, bringing AggieCentral up to speed is also causing a new dynamic with the future of print journalism, including the Collegian.

“We’re facing issues with the Collegian in retaining a traditional print publication, while also dabbling in this new media,” Dr. Keller said.

“But as far as the Collegian folding entirely to make way for a Web site – well, not on my watch.”

Dr. Keller is planning for the future when print journalism ultimately takes a backseat to online media. Eventually, stories will consist of text, video and audio – all handled by one reporter. That’s what makes the convergent backpacks such a great investment, Dr. Keller said. Each student can use the laptop, camcorder and microphone to write their story and upload the video and audio to the Web site immediately.

Convergence is changing the form in which news information is consumed, Dr. Keller said, even though his teaching philosophy won’t be altered.

“As a professor, there should be no difference between writing for print, or for the Web,” he said. “True, honest, ethical, democratically-driven journalism won’t be changed by the media in which it’s disseminated. Text, as a human technology, is not going to change because of the medium. The need for good, solid journalism isn’t going away.”

Another year concludes for Faculty-in-Residence program

By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff The sun is setting on Dr. Justin Walton’s first year as Faculty-inResidence.

What began as an experience has become a wonderful journey for the Associate Professor, who said he’s planning on coming back again next year for another go-round.

“It’s been an incredible year,” he said. “I expected the experience to be refreshing, and indeed it has. So many exciting changes are taking place at Cameron University – particularly at this time – and I’m glad I’ve had this year to celebrate it with our students.”

Dr. Walton has had a front row seat to the changes on campus over the past year. His home in the McMahon Center has given him the perfect vantage point to see the completion of the McMahon Centennial Complex and the Bentley Gardens.

“I’ve watched these areas of campus come alive with student activity,” Dr. Walton said.

Mile, Cameron alumni touring the grounds for the first time in years – it has all been so enjoyable for me.”

While it has been a unique experience, Dr. Walton said he did have to get used to living and working at the same place.

He never truly leaves work, as his home is five minutes away, and he still lives Photo by Jim Horinek on campus.

He said it’s To boldly go: Dr. Justin Walton’s ‘Star Trek’ taken some movie night was his most popular event this year. readjustment Attendance has been steady through all of his as he has to events with 25 to 30 people showing up. compensate for the student “Students and faculty having activities well into the evening, but picnic lunches by the pond, folks there are times when it is difficult. taking advantage of the Aggie

“Staying up past 2 a.m. isn’t a big deal for college students, but the older you get, the tougher those mornings are,” he said. “Time management certainly has become a priority. The nice thing about living on campus is that if I forget something in my office, it doesn’t take much time to retrieve it.”

As part of his commitment as the Faculty-in-Residence, Dr. Walton had to organize several student activity events on campus.

To date, his most popular event was a screening of “Star Trek” in November. He contributes most of the success of that event to the popularity of the film, but he has had “stable” attendance throughout the year.

“I’ve averaged around 25 to 30 folks per event,” Dr. Walton said.

“Attendance was generally stronger in the fall than in the spring, perhaps because the spring is so jam packed with special events and programs.”

Dr. Walton was disappointed by his screening of “Food, Inc.,” which no students turned out

for. He attributed it to a lack of exposure. But he said he was proud to have screened it and offered the opportunity for students, staff and faculty.

“It’s very difficult to predict turnout on a college campus,” he said. “Some things draw an audience, and some don’t. It is contingent on a number of factors.”

Dr. Walton is planning to return next year. He said he’s already brainstorming ideas for new events and activities. He said he has some ideas how the program could be improved and looked forward to sharing it with John McArthur, the Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Jennifer Holland, the Vice President of Student Services.

“The program can definitely be strengthened, and I have some ideas for doing it,” he said.

“And I have significantly reduced my carbon footprint this year.

Walking around all day and night has been great exercise. From my perspective, campus parking is not much of a problem. “

December, and everything was fi nalized in January. The eligible members had until March 1 to respond.

“It says in the second paragraph: ‘to enhance the fi nancial feasibility of retirement for eligible employees who desire the opportunity to pursue post-retirement interest in the immediate future,’” Pinkston said. “This was a one-time thing, and we’re not going to bring it back.”

Out of the 15 people that opted for the early retirement program, 14 have had their positions fi lled. Pinkston said replacing each position was done on a case-by-case basis. But, he said, students would not have to worry. He said no one would notice a change in programs, class offerings or quality.

“We’re not going to let it affect the students,” he said. “I

don’t think the students will notice. There’s not going to be a change in service level, number of sections or anything like that.”

This early retirement plan may save the university $117,000, but Pinkston said it doesn’t come close to solving the budget issue. He described the situation as an elephant, and the only way to remove it is to do so slowly and in chunks. The university opted out of the statesponsored healthcare plan and joined Blue Cross Blue Shield, which he estimates will save $60,000 a year.

“You take $60,000 from health insurance, $117,000 from the retirement program and you start beginning to get numbers that start to add up and help with the budget issue,” he said.

“How do you deal with a budget problem? With many, many ideas – many bites.”

RETIRE continued from page 1 “You really can’t anticipate something like this,” he said, “unless someone has been having conversations about retirement.

Those are the people who are likely to benefit and to take it.

Those are the ones who were already leaning in that direction and were thinking about it.”

Pinkston estimates the first year of the plan will cost the university $119,000, which includes the stipend. By fiscal year 2011, Pinkston said the university will save $64,000.

After the third year, when the university ceases paying for healthcare, the university will save an additional $53,000 a year.

“In four years, this program will save us $117,000 a year, forever,” he said. “This is money that we can count on.”

The healthcare coverage was the significant

factor for many eligible retirees.

Pinkston said someone retiring pre-Medicare eligibility could look at paying an additional $400-500 a month for equivalent coverage. He thinks the healthcare coverage was what convinced some to go ahead and take the plan.

“For those people who were close or were already thinking about it because they wanted to do something else, not because they wanted to quit, it was a better deal,” Pinkston said.

Pinkston emphasized the one-time nature of the program, and the letter sent to eligible faculty outlined it several times. He said he wanted to make sure people who were close to retirement knew that it was on the table for a short time and there would not be another opportunity. Plans for the program began back in

6 News New book chronicles 100 years of Cameron history April 26, 2010

By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff After more than 18 months of planning and writing, “Pride of the Wichitas: A History of Cameron University” has been released.

Written by Dr. Sarah Janda, Associate Professor of History, the book details the first 100 years of Cameron as part of the university’s centennial celebration.

Dr. Janda said the book covers the days from when Cameron was first formed as an agricultural school to its present state as a four-year university.

“It was one of six agriculture high schools created by the Oklahoma State Legislature in 1908,” she said. “It opens its doors in 1909 in the basement of a downtown bank building.

That’s where classes were held for the first couple of years until the community could gather the money to begin construction on what becomes the main campus.”

The book examines several themes including the evolution of the school over time. Cameron was an agriculture school until 1927 when it was converted to a junior college. Dr. Janda said Cameron still offered high school course work until 1941. It wasn’t until the mid 1960s that it became a 4-year institution.

“There had been discussion for decades, but it’s only in the 60s when they finally gain approval,” Dr. Janda said. “The first bachelors degrees were granted in 1970.”

In her book, Dr. Janda looked at the catalysts behind the evolution of the college. She

said Cameron moved from an agriculture school to a junior college because there was too much demand on larger state universities like the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University. It also allowed people in Southwest Oklahoma to stay close to home and still earn a quality education.

“That’s also the main reason it became a four-year institution,” Dr. Janda said. “There was a demand for local, inexpensive college education. But it allowed people who live in the area to stay close to home and get an education without much travel.”

The other aspect of the book Dr. Janda focused on was the experiences of students while they were at Cameron.

She said current students can learn a lot about the university by examining the lives of those that came before them. While there has been 100 years of change, she said there are still many similarities.

“You still have a lot of the same students coming from the same counties who were coming here in 1909,” Dr. Janda said. “I see a lot of continuity there, but we still get a lot of first generation college students.”

Student life in the early days of Cameron is one of the more interesting aspects of the book, Dr. Janda said. While Cameron may have been an agriculture school, many students still studied liberal arts classes such as literature and foreign language and spent much of their time studying the history of not only

America, but ancient cultures throughout the world.

“I envisioned the kinds of things they were learning at an agriculture high school, but it was much more than that,” Dr. Janda said. “Boys who were out building the first road to connect Cameron to the city of Lawton in the afternoon were, in the morning, taking classes in languages and ancient history. While in the evening they were debating, because it was required of all boys at the time.”

Dr. Janda and some of her students spent many hours doing research for the book. She said she had a hard time finding sources of information from the first years of the school’s history. She had to rely on student publications like the “Collegian” and yearbooks to get a better understanding of student life. Dr. Janda also spent time interviewing former students that gave her new insight on life at Cameron.

“The only presidential papers that were really saved were from President Owen in the 1970s, so I had to rely heavily on newspapers and yearbooks,” she said. “I found some old interviews that were done with graduates from the 1920s and 1930s that helped with that earlier period.”

Dr. Janda said finishing the book was a relief, but she still found the experience more fun than she originally thought it would be. She took on the job after the administration proposed the idea of a chronology of the university’s history for the centennial celebration. She had

Photo by Jim Horinek

Pen to paper: Dr. Sarah Janda signs a copy of her Cameron history book for a reader. The book, Pride of the Wichitas: A History of Cameron University, took Dr. Janda over a year and a half to complete. just finished a book in 2007 and didn’t have any pending projects, so she decided to do the research and write an engaging book.

“There were a lot of things that I didn’t know about Cameron and the book was a learning experience for me,” Dr. Janda said. “It was interesting to read about some of the experiences students had here.

In the absence of television and Facebook, students were spending a lot more time writing, debating

and forming literature clubs, or playing sports.”

Dr. Janda wanted to spotlight the work done by her students with six student essays appearing in the book. She said Jim Horinek also did a lot of work scanning photos and cleaning them up for the publication.

“Pride of the Wichitas: A History of Cameron” is available at the Cameron bookstore or the Office of Public Affairs for $29.99.

Cameron students finish fifth in moonbuggy competition CU Public Affairs A team of students from Cameron University took fifth place in the college division of the 17th Annual Great Moonbuggy Race, sponsored

by NASA, as well as the award for Most Improved, presented to the team demonstrating the most dramatically improved engineering and performance.

CU’s Aggie team – the only team from the state of Oklahoma – was among 70 teams from 18 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, Germany, India and Romania. More than 600 drivers, engineers and mechanics – all students – gathered with their team advisors and cheering sections to take part in the matchup of wits and wheels at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala. “Cameron’s team worked diligently throughout the semester, resulting in a successful vehicle and landing in the top five, our best finish ever,” said Andrew Duffield, faculty advisor. “For our students to be honored with the Most Improved Award is extremely rewarding and signals that we’re on the right track for an even higher finish next year.”

The 2010 CU moonbuggy

Courtesy Photo

To infinity: Two members of the Cameron Moonbuggy Team round a corner in the group’s entry into this year’s NASA competition. The team finished fifth and earned Most Improved. team consists of Aaron Cobb and Donald Price, Lawton; Jesus Rittenhouse, Olustee; Miwa Fukuda, Maebashi City, Japan; Blagica Ristovska, Stip, Macedonia; Jovan Trajcev, Skopje, Macedonia; John Correll, Marlow; and Curtis Richey, Cache. Faculty member Mark Polson joined Duffield as advisor for the project.

The race, organized by

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, challenges students to design, build and race lightweight, humanpowered buggies that tackle many of the same engineering challenges dealt with by the original Apollo-era lunar rover developers at the Marshall Center in the late 1960s.That team had the challenge to design and build a compact,

light, f lexible and durable vehicle that would carry astronauts on the moon’s surface during the Apollo missions. Apollo 15 astronauts David Scott and Jim Irwin piloted the first rover across the moon’s surface in July 1971.

The moonbuggy continued to chart new lunar territory during the Apollo 16 and Apollo 17 missions.

To get to the race, teams must design their buggies, build them and test them – in much the same way that NASA engineers design space equipment. The students configure it to fit in a container no larger than 4 feet by 4 feet by 4 feet before assembly.

Two racers, one male and one female, must lift and carry the unassembled moonbuggy 20 feet without assistance and assemble it while being timed.

Many teams use lightweight materials, bicycle gearing systems and bicycle wheels to pull together what they hope will be an award winner. Just like NASCAR, the teams have pit crews ready to repair buggies that suffer damage while trekking the course’s rough terrain.

The race is a grueling endurance test over a half-mile course of twists, turns and inclines, as well as simulated lunar craters, rocks, lava ridges and soil. Like the moon’s actual terrain, the course is tough and the two buggy drivers who power the vehicle must be in top athletic condition.

The event is sponsored

by Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Jacobs ESTS Group and Northrop Grumman Corporation.

PAC elects new co-chairs for upcoming academic year

By Rashmi Thapaliya Collegian Staff The Programming Activities Council elected two new cochairs who will run the student organization for the 2010-2011 academic school year.

Junior Public Relations major Amanda Harris and Junior Physical Education major Sean Eckrote will be taking over as the PAC student leaders after seniors Ryan Faucett and Amanda Finch graduate. Faucett served as the co-chair for three years, and Finch served for two.

Harris has been a member of PAC for three years and has enjoyed planning campus events

and meeting new people.

“PAC is an organization that is very easy and fun to be involved in,” Harris said. “We plan a wide variety of events, and get to meet and work with many different students. I ran for PAC co-chair because I love planning events and helping others. This opportunity will give me the ability to enhance my leadership skills and learn new ones.”

As PAC co-chairs, Harris and Eckrote are responsible for running meetings, preparing meeting agendas, planning and supervising committees, planning campus events for students and speaking at university events.

“I am most excited about

taking on more responsibility for an organization that I love. I know that it will be a lot of work, but I am ready and willing to do whatever it takes,” Harris said.

Eckrote has been a member of the organization for two years, and both he and Harris have attended the National Association for Campus Activities.

“At NACA I learned a lot about different leadership styles and how other student organizations run themselves. I ran for PAC co-chair because I really enjoy being in PAC and helping out with all the events,” Eckrote said.

As the new co-chairs, Harris and Eckrote plan to focus on PAC member retention.

“PAC is a great organization that has been working well for numerous years. The only thing I hope to improve is member retention,” Harris said.

“We would like to implement some sort of incentive program that will entice the members to continue coming,” Eckrote said.

Now that the PAC office is located inside the MCC, Harris and Eckrote are looking forward to the positive changes student activities will see.

“Since the MCC has opened, PAC and attendance at campus activities will only get better.

Now that there is more room for students, we will not be forced to turn some away as we have in

the past due to the lack of seating or space. I am really excited to see what will happen in this next year,” Eckrote said.

Harris says she is excited about offering events that more students can attend and using the resources the MCC offers.

“The MCC has a great workroom for student organizations. The workroom is a place where student organizations can plan their events, create advertising such as posters and banners and store supplies. Each organization has the ability to use the workroom. This will encourage involvement from all organizations on campus,” Harris said.

News 7 Science department earns chemical society approval April 26, 2010

By Tatiana Isis Collegian Staff After three years of waiting, Cameron’s Department of Physical Sciences has earned approval from the American Chemical Society to grant ACS-certified degrees.

Department Chair Dr. Danny McGuire was notified of the approval in April.

“In part it was due to a problem that they had with their on-site evaluator,” Dr. McGuire said about the long process, which usually takes only two years from start to finish.

Dr. McGuire said that the department felt ready and confident

that they would get the accreditation and decided to go for it not knowing it would take so long.

The certification is a big deal for the Physical Sciences Department, and the process took a lot of work.

Dr. McGuire and the department sent in a “huge stack of paperwork, 8 inches thick, that describes every facet of our chemistry program.”

The school library also had to offer the required materials before the department could obtain their certification.

“It means we meet or exceed their standards,” Dr. McGuire said. “All of us are members of the

American Chemical Society.”

Cameron will be the sixth university in the state with the ACS-certified chemistry program.

The ACS’ accreditation is a rigorous program of study that will prepare students for a range of careers in the field of chemistry.

ACS, the American Chemical Society, is the largest scientific society in the world with more than 163,000 members worldwide and sets standards for undergraduate degrees in chemistry.

The program is already in effect, and one student graduating in the spring was one class away from certification.

“Any chemistry major can apply for the certification,” Dr. McGuire said. “They must take a specific set of courses. Now we can guide and advise the students.”

The classes required are not new.

They are only additional classes that are required of students pursuing certified degrees.

“ACS is more for students who want to go into chemistry as a career and less for health majors,” Dr. McGuire said.

Students who have already graduated with their Chemistry degrees can return to Cameron and take the required ACS-certified classes to obtain their certified

Finals Schedule

degree.

Dr. McGuire hopes that this accreditation will attract more students to get their Chemistry degrees at Cameron.

“All of us are really thrilled about this,” Dr. McGuire said.

The Physical Sciences Department will have their annual awards banquet for Chemistry and Psychics students on April 30.

The banquet will also provide a place to celebrate the department’s newfound accreditation. For more information on the ACS-certified degree, students can visit the department’s Web site at www. cameron.edu/physical_science/.

8

Voices

April 26, 2010

Apple finally succeeds

iPad brings techie to darkside of the force I have now officially become a member of the iCult.

At least that’s what I used to call Apple lovers who fawned over the latest overpriced, overrated product that came off the Apple assembly line.

Windows is better than Mac OS, Mac computers are overpriced and underpowered and I can still do anything on my Windows 7 machine that I can do on the Macs I work with on a daily basis.

When Apple unveiled the iPad, I was mesmerized. Here was a computer – laptop – something that was a new piece of technology, and it was beautiful. I had absolutely

no use for it whatsoever, but I had to have one.

The only problem was the stickler of a price and what I would even use it for.

I have a laptop, and I have a desktop that I play video games on. It’s not like I was in need of something new technologically. And then there was Apple’s notorious record of releasing an upgraded

version within a year. The iPod, the iPhone and even their own desktops are perfect examples of releasing a dated product, and then coming out with something better a year later, knowing full well that the tech geeks and early adopters will jump on it, no matter what.

Well, I couldn’t resist.

After being bombarded with advertisements everywhere, I went on the Internet on a slow day at work; I had to get me one. I rationalized it as being able to read books and catch up on several years of missed readings.

Josh Rouse

The cost wasn’t too big of an issue, and I could always pass it off as my graduation present to myself.

After spending two weeks with the sleek machine, I am in love. I still don’t have any true use for it. Ever since I got it, I’ve watched movies, played games, read books and rediscovered the magic of comic books. Yes, the iPad will single-handedly save the comic book industry because there is no better way to read the adventures of Superman or find out if Frankencastle will finally kill Daken. I am not making that last one up either, Frank Castle is dead (literally) – call him Frankencastle.

Sure, there are plenty of other apps to download, and there’s the whole potential for further creativity. But I haven’t seen a comic book in such glory in years. The colors pop out, the images are beautiful and it’s so fun to literally turn a page by swiping a finger across the screen. I’ve already read through “KickAss,” “Superman: Red Son” the death and resurrection of Superman and am finishing up the Marvel Civil War. It’s reintroduced me to comics like I never would have believed.

But if the machine is ever going to be successful, it has to move beyond enthusiasts like me who see a shiny object and must have it. That’s why the university really needs to take a hard look at its future applications.

Imagine never having to buy a book again. Paying $499 for an iPad might seem like an expensive investment up front, but many have spent that much for books in one semester.

Downloading textbooks to the iPad would be a blast. The Kindle is a novel effort from Amazon, but some textbooks need the vibrant colors for pictures and diagrams.

I would pay $40 or $50 for a book to download on the iPad instead of $100-150 that they often cost. It would be easier to carry around, you wouldn’t have to worry about damaging the book and it could be deleted at the end of the semester.

There is so much potential with this machine behind the comic book enthusiasm that I have discovered. From a basic technological standpoint, it might completely create its own niche in society right alongside the laptop and the desktop computer.

Some people say it’s an oversized iPod touch, and they are correct. But you can’t pull off a true “Star Trek” costume fit with future tablet with just an iPod Touch.

Old friend’s call brings back memories for Iraq veteran I recently received a phone call from an area code I did not recognize.

Expecting a wrong number, I answered the phone and was shocked to hear the voice on the other end of the phone.

“Cliburn,” the voice said. “This is Taif.”

Taif was my interpreter in Baghdad. We had said our goodbyes almost four years ago, and I never expected to hear his voice again. But here we were,

and it felt just as natural as it had then. Taif was in a hotel in Baton Rouge, La. and had been in the U.S. for only two days. He was finally here, I thought.

What no one talks about when discussing serving in Iraq is the guilt that one feels for being happy to leave the country and return to sanity while leaving behind the Iraqi friends that are inevitably made along the way.

I had felt guilty many times for leaving the country, and I

Justin Cliburn

felt terrible for Taif. Speaking to him, knowing that he was in the U.S., made me happy.

Hearing him describe the hell he went through after I left did not.

Taif and his family were intimidated and targeted for murder for his working with the U.S. He and his mother eventually f led to Malaysia, where he lived for two and a half years fighting through the immigration process, before being granted entry into the U.S. Speaking with him that night brought back a f lood of memories. So much has changed since the hot days I spent with him in Baghdad, but hearing his familiar Iraqi accent reminded me of just how

much has not. The camaraderie that I felt while deployed overseas will never go away, and the sights, smells and sounds of Baghdad will always be just a trigger away, for better or for worse. In this case, the f lashback was a good one and a timely one as well.

I’ve been away from Iraq long enough to lose sight of perspective at times. For the most part, I credit the maturation that I experienced overseas with the big picture mentality that always keeps me grounded. I don’t feel sorry for myself, and I don’t feel poor, no matter what my tax return says.

Sometimes, however, I forget just how different life was for me in 2006 and for my friends there every day. Hearing Taif ’s

voice tell the story of how he got to a hotel in downtown Baton Rouge brought me back to Earth in a big way.

Life is good for me. I just got back from a trip to Italy, where I got engaged to the love of my life. I have a good job with a well-respected global company, and I graduate in May. I’m hoping to go to law school, and my fiancée and I are planning our lives together. I’m lucky, and I’m ashamed of how often I seem to forget that.

After speaking with Taif, I sent my old squad leader a text message about the phone call.

He called me and said that he had news of his own: Abas, our main interpreter, was also in the U.S. and living in New York. My squad leader even had his E-mail address to share.

Abas was our interpreter longer than any other during our time there. He would routinely take three or four different taxis to our base every day to throw off anyone tracking his movement, and we worried about his safety often.

Today, everything is O.K. though. They’re both safe and sound, and the relief that I felt made me realize that I had never really quit worrying about either of them. A lot of terrible things happen in Iraq and to Iraqis, both by Americans and Iraqis themselves, but a lot of good things are done as well, by good people. Taif and Abas are good people.

It was good to hear that the U.S. had rewarded these men for their service to our country and theirs. I only hope that the government can find a little more room for the men and women who risked their lives protecting those of U.S. soldiers.

I am now out of the military, with no plans of rejoining, but a part of me will always be in Baghdad, frozen in time and worrying about my friends, both American and Iraqi.

Voices

April 26, 2010

9

State legislature wants to bring Wild West into 21st century Keep guns out of Oklahoma schools for everyone’s sake The Oklahoma State Legislature is proposing to mandate that the Bible Belt become a holster, with recent legislation passed making it legal to store a gun in a vehicle even while parked on university campuses.

With this recent maneuver, the elected officials from the Sooner State have taken one step closer to realizing a goal with the passage of a law first proposed last year that would allow students and faculty with concealed carry licenses to pack heat on university grounds.

The elected officials had to let their constituents know they cared deeply about the wellbeing of each and every voter, so they sought to arm them.

There have been a total of 96 murders on college campuses using guns since the early 1960s. There were over 1,100 suicides on college campuses last year, yet we should allow concealed guns into dorm rooms, classrooms and sporting events. There were over 121,000 unintentional injury deaths in the U.S. in

2004. Why haven’t politicians stepped in to pad our stairwells instead of preying upon societal fears to instill anxiety in students by telling us that it is just a matter of time before someone kills again?

Nothing prevents gun violence like the introduction of more guns into a situation. Let’s take a group of 21-year-olds and place them in close proximity with immense pressure to succeed, both socially and in the classroom, and let’s add the ability to commit violence. Men and women in their college years are a Molotov cocktail of irrational hormones. Read their Facebook status updates; it’s like “Romeo and Juliet” out there, just played out in a much less classy setting.

The legislators that support weapons on campuses live in some sort of absurd world where, without being armed, a student is left strolling into class whistling the tune to “Let Us Get Murdered.”

School shootings have, until this point, been intentional and planned-out actions of clearly mentally-ill people. With the

Bennett Dewan

ability to conceal weapons, any escalating argument has the potential to become a crime of passion — and any classroom the O.K. corral.

I don’t know what our culture’s obsession with Wild West justice is. Arming the mass populace and then putting them in close quarters with each other is an experiment that has already been tried in frontier American times. There is a reason this time period is notorious. Every character remembered in history from this era has the reputation as a bit of a murderer; even the heroes shot people in the back.

There seems to be some train of constipated thought that arming students, teachers, security personnel and janitors would either deter violence or quickly nullify a would be offender with a little old fashioned vigilante justice. This theory hinges on the premise that every student is a potential Clint Eastwood, ready to draw his or her six-shooter at a moment’s notice and strike with long range precision. The reality is every student with a gun fearfully unloading his or her firearm in the general direction of a perceived threat is likely to cause some collateral damage and further unforeseen deaths. Unnecessary death and destruction never stopped anyone in a buddy cop movie, but it should stop lawmakers

from oversimplifying complex issues.

Would the law making weapons permissible on campus lead to more CCL applications?

Absolutely. Would students be getting handguns for fear of lone gunmen? No. They will pack heat in fear of their classmates’ newfound ability to do the same. Who will be comfortable in a classroom where they could potentially be the only one unarmed?

Professors will be toting because of their fear of giving students failing grades without some sort of backup. Gone would be the days of faculty members chastising students for talking or cell phone use, same for pulling a student into the hallway to address an issue.

The latter would be too likely to be perceived as a challenge to a duel.

With this proposed law, members of the Oklahoma legislature are trying to condition students to be afraid of the quiet kid in the corner with the awkward stare. If this becomes law, I’m going to be afraid of the guy who keeps describing the arsenal he’s amassing in his dorm room in case the South does in fact “rise again.”

Those of us with little or no interest in gun ownership or little to no money to purchase our very own shiny pistol will be reduced to either buying

Nepal student celebrates New Year 2067

By Rashmi Thapaliya Collegian Staff When are we celebrating New Year 2067?

Many will say after 57 years.

But what if I celebrated New Year 2067 on April 11 this year?

You may think that I am out of my mind. I am not out of my mind, and neither were about 120 people who attended the New Year Celebration organized by Cameron University Nepalese Association (CUNA) on Sunday, April 11 in the McMahon Centennial Ballroom. We all gathered there to celebrate Nepali New Year 2067 B.S. (Bikram Sambat) Bikram Sambat is the official calendar of Nepal and Bangladesh.

King Bikramaditya of Ujjain founded the calendar. It is a lunar calendar based on ancient Hind tradition, which is 56.7 years ahead of the solar Gregorian calendar, which is followed by America and most of the countries

around the world. The first month of the year in Nepal is Baisakh, which falls during April. This year, Nepali people celebrated their New Year on April 14, which is Baisakh 1.

This is my third year celebrating the New Year away from home. We had holidays on this day in Nepal, but since no one is going to celebrate New Year in mid-April here, we have no holiday on Baishak 1 here. However, we still found a way to celebrate our New Year in Oklahoma. CUNA organized a New Year celebration last year, which was a nice experience. This year we wanted to make the celebration bigger and better. Of course, it takes a lot of effort to organize a program and make it a successful one. The CUNA board members decided to include everyone in the program so that the Nepali students at Cameron could share their food and culture with the Cameron community.

The preparation for the Nepali

New Year celebration started during spring break when my friends and I started practicing the dances that we were going to perform during the celebration.

Our adviser, Sarah Stroud, helped us in every way to make the program happen. Most of the members of CUNA were making an effort in some way. Some were participating in the cultural dances and songs, some were helping with selling the tickets, some were putting together a presentation, some were making the flyers, some were getting ready for anchoring, some were helping with decoration and shopping and some were cooking for the banquet.

We were all excited about our celebration in the new ballroom.

Finally the day arrived, and we wanted to do our best to make the program a memorable one. I woke up early in the morning and helped my friends cook food. Cooking food for more than 100 people was a lot of work. Our combined effort made it easier. Some friends

were busy with decorating the ballroom. We also had displays of Nepali souvenirs in the venue.

After 4 p.m. the guests started to appear and we were all excited to see a lot more people than we had expected to see: more than 30 people showed up at the door. I was concerned that the food would not be enough for everyone, but it turned out well. The food was highly appreciated by the guests.

They also enjoyed our dances and other performances. The program concluded at about 6:30 p.m. We had some informal dances after the formal program was over. The Nepalese then gathered in the balcony overseeing the Bentley Gardens, which was a perfect place to be after such a long day. The weather was perfect, and everyone was enjoying the scene from there.

We took a lot of pictures and finally were out of the building.

It was a nice experience, which I wanted to share with everyone through this article. I wish everyone Happy New Year 2067.

firearms out of the back of some guy’s car or wearing body armor. Since I don’t know any shady characters, this law will force my fashion sense to revolve around a puffy Kevlar look. I’m already a big guy; I don’t need everyone thinking I have added 10 inches to my gut.

I don’t like to carry my books to school, so I don’t want to lug a 30-pound bulletproof vest to class every day.

Dear Oklahoma State Legislature, keep your bullets out of my body and your guns out of my school.

THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY

COLLEGIAN Founded in 1926 veritas sempiterna

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief - Joshua Rouse News Editor - Jim Horinek A&E Editor - Rachel Engel Sports Editor - Bennett Dewan Copy Editor - Justin Cliburn Back Page Editor - Monica Garner Digital Editors - Kyle Luetters and Michael Faggett

Newsroom Staff Financial Officer - Susan Hill Staff Writers - Rashmi Thapaliya, Amanda Finch, Alyssa Knerr, Tori Strecker, Tatiana Isis and Amanda Phillips.

Circulation Manager - Matthew Penick

Faculty Adviser Dr. Christopher Keller

About Us The official student newspaper of Cameron University, The Cameron Collegian is available each Monday during the year. It is printed by the Times Record News in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Letters Policy Letters to the editor will be printed in the order in which they are received and on a space available basis.

The Collegian reserves the right to edit all letters for content and length.

Letters should be no more than 250 words. Letters from individual authors will be published only once every four weeks.

All letters from students should include first and last names, classification and major. No nicknames will be used. Letters from people outside the Cameron community should include name, address and phone number for verification.

Letters can be sent by regular mail or e-mail to collegian@cameron.edu, or they may be dropped off at our office - Nance Boyer 2060.

Our Views The opinions expressed in The Collegian pages or personal columns are those of the signed author.

The unsigned editorial under the heading “Our Voice” represents the opinion of the majority of the editorial board.

The opinions expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily represent those of Cameron University or the state of Oklahoma.

Our student media are designated public forums, and free from censorship and advance approval of content. Because content and funding are unrelated, and because the role of adviser does not include advance review of content, student media are free to develop editorial policies and news coverage with the understanding that students and student organizations speak only for themselves. Administrators, faculty, staff or other agents shall not consider the student media’s content when making decisions regarding the media’s funding or faculty adviser.

10

Photo

April 26, 2010

Bentl ey Gardens Start to Finish

From lot to lush: The barren blacktop and concrete parking lot is torn up to make room for the gardens.

Groundbreaking: Former student Jeff Wozencraft and Ole Kim join together to break ground on the Bentley Gardens.

Earthwork: Construction crews work to reshape the grounds to create the pond and other features that will be the focal points of the area.

Lighting: As the work continued, many different features were added to the gardens. One important and striking feature was a large number of elegant lamps.

Gazebo: Construction takes place on one of the focal points of the project. The Gazebo offers a place to host events or just relax in the beauty of the gardens.

Photos by Jim Horinek

Details are everything: Nothing was overlooked as the project was designed.

For example, even the light poles feature accents of Cameron gold.

Nearing completion: Construction finds itself nearing an end with most of the major work complete. All that remains is laying sod and planting the greenery.

Barren no more: The boring parking lot has now become a highlight of the campus. The Bentley Gardens offer a place for students, faculty, staff and all others to enjoy nature and Cameron.

Photo

April 26, 2010

11

McMahon Centennial Complex Start to Finish

Firm foundation: Prior to any major construction, the builders spent several months in 2008 preparing the foundation of the MCC. Groundbreaking: President Ross and other dignitaries celebrate the beginning of construction on what will become the McMahon Centennial Complex.

Vertical: Once the construction of the foundation was complete work began to go vertical. The workers constructed several large forms to help with the construction of load bearing walls.

Window workers: After the exterior construction was completed, other touches like window trim and guttering were installed.

Taking shape: With the majority of the exterior parts of the structure present it became much easier to see what the MCC would eventually look like.

Moving in: With nearly the entire outside finished much of the work began to take place within the structure.

Balcony: The striking features of the balcony overlooked the Bentley Gardens as they were being completed at the same time. The Balcony would later be named after the Cleo L. Craig Foundation.

Ballroom: Workers continue the inside construction by installing the trim work and other features to the Ballroom.

Dedication: With all construction complete, the dedication ceremony takes place on April 8.

Stained: A worker applies a coat of wood stain to the trim work in what is to become the 400 seat ballroom.

Photos by Jim Horinek

12

Sports

April 26, 2010

Seasons were not what they appeared With the semester coming to a close, it’s always a good time to reflect and venture into the sports year that was 2009-10, especially for Cameron Aggies basketball.

Critics of both the men and women’s basketball team would use the words ‘disappointment,’ ‘waste’ and ‘failure’ to describe the seasons both teams had.

Not me.

Despite only winning a combined 19 games and only a handful of conference victories, both teams learned valuable lessons about themselves and their futures.

For the women, despite numerous injuries to multiple players, they had a three-game improvement over last season’s 6-21 campaign. While that is an accomplishment in itself, this season brought them more than just three more wins.

Head coach Tom Webb did a pretty good job in recruiting solid guard play and struck it rich

with guard Josie Stewart. Stewart took over as the go-to player for the women and led them in nearly every statistical category.

Stewart’s play brought something to the table the team did not previously have: a legitimate, consistent scorer who could shoot.

In addition to Stewart, point guard Luv Rattler showed an ability to take over games by either scoring or distributing the basketball.

The sometimeserratic yet exciting point guard gave me and other avid Aggie fans both some heartaches and smiles. Rattler played her best ball during conference play, and

that is something worth noticing.

Combine those two guards with the solid play of freshmen like Alexis Williams and Sharna Hoosier, the return of guard CeCe Rundles and another potentially talented recruiting class, and expect women’s basketball to compete in the Lone Star Conference playoffs in 201011.

In the men’s case, the storyline carries a bit more intrigue.

Heading into the 2009-10 season, men’s basketball enjoyed preseason hype with high postseason hopes. The team came off of its first playoff series in over a decade. The conference predicted the squad to finish third in the

Michael Faggett

North Division, and head coach Wade Alexander brought in a talented group of players who were supposed to pick up where Dave Smith, Mekaile Reed, ‘Ray’ Lovett and others left off a season ago.

However, that’s not how the story went.

After starting the season 10-4, the team lost its first five conference games, lost a bulk of its roster to suspensions after the altercation with Southeastern in late January and went on to finish the season winless in conference play.

To make matters worse, the team loses forwards Jamaar Burke and Kallan Glasgow to graduation.

Despite those instances, the men head into next season with more answers than questions.

We know Milt Garner is capable of putting up 15-20 points per contest.

We know Nate Murray is a high-flyer like Burke who can

knock down the occasional 15-foot jumper. So can Terry Dawson.

We know what Niko Vukadinovic, Bryce Geiger, Nick Farnsworth and Paul Jewell can do when given minutes.

We also know Alexander is more than amped to get next season underway.

The one lingering question is how healthy will Vinicius Telo be to show his much-hyped skill set as a versatile 6-8 forward who can shoot, put the ball on the floor, pass and rebound efficiently.

That question continues to fade away as Telo recovers from an injured Achilles’ tendon.

With those answers in place and a hunger to get back to the playoffs, men’s basketball looks poised to build off of this year and head back to Bartlesville to compete for a conference title.

Both the men and women’s basketball teams endured tough tests this season: tests that should make them winners in 2010-11.

Peixoto’s on-court prowess always improving

By Amanda Phillips Collegian Staff Though Cameron’s tennis season is drawing nearer to its end, CU sophomore Thomas Peixoto is still enjoying the last couple of weeks with his team.

Peixoto hails from Chapadãodo Céu, Brazil and has been playing for the Black and Gold for two years. The Brazilian described his style of play as aggressive and said that men’s assistant coach Ignacio Murgier (Nacho) has given him a lot of guidance to help him improve his game.

“I like to play aggressive and play a lot with my first serve. I like to hit my first serve hard, but the amount of matches you play here in one week makes it difficult to keep it up. Nacho has helped me a lot. He has helped me to be more patient and helped me try not to go too big on my first serve,” Peixoto said. “I’m working on decreasing my speed and improving accuracy. That gives me a better opportunity to use my forehand.”

Though Peixoto has been in the U.S. for nearly two years, he said there are some transitions that he is still getting used to.

“I’m still struggling with the food. In Brazil, we eat a full meal at lunch and dinner, and we are also very carnivorous. We eat meat like crazy,” Peixoto said.

Peixoto has had to make some on-court adjustments as well.

“I was always a clay player, so I had to get used to playing on

hard courts when I came here. I always had big strokes, but the balls are faster on hard courts, so I have had to make my swings shorter,” Peixoto said.

Peixoto has been playing tennis since he was 10, and his determination and dedication to the sport has been evident since the beginning.

“The city I grew up in had just one tennis court, and I had to wake up my first coach every morning to give me lessons,” Peixoto said.

Like his teammate Diego Troiano, Peixoto was inspired to play tennis by the famed Brazilian tennis star Gustavo Kuerten (Guga).

“Guga was number one in the world. He is the only man to have beaten Sampras in the semifinal and Agassi in the final of the same Masters event. Guga is the reason I hit a one-handed backhand,” Peixoto said. “I also like him because he’s ugly but still gets lots of pretty girls because of his personality.”

Peixoto spent most of this season playing at the no. 3 singles position but recently advanced to the no. 2 spot. The Brazilian is pleased that he moved up and acknowledged that the pressure at his new position motivates him to work harder on the court.

“I feel good that I went up a spot. We’re a team, and it will be great if we get better results, but it won’t make a difference if I can’t win,” Peixoto said. “It’s good to have pressure though; the difference is how you handle

Photo by Bennett Dewan

Stop, pose for the frame: Sophomore Thomas Peixoto hits a forehand winner with flair.

Peixoto, who has enjoyed great success this season, won the match on the next serve. it. The pressure helps me to be more active and more focused.

It helps me to play with more intensity.”

In doubles play, Peixoto and his partner Manuel Barreotavena, who is a freshman, have been positioned at the no.

2 spot all season. The Aggie sophomore said he believes they make a good pair and said Barreotavena does a good job keeping the team motivated.

“Manuel is always really pumped up. It seems like he must drink three Red Bulls when he wakes up every morning,” Peixoto said. “We are both above six-feet tall, so that gives a good

impression to our opponents.

We’re a young doubles pair, and we have our good moments and our bad moments, but we’re working to be more consistent.”

Peixoto, who had never played a doubles match before coming to Cameron, said that doubles are a critical component of collegiate tennis and that he and Barreotavena are looking forward to working together for the rest of the year.

“Our matches start with doubles, so when we win our doubles matches we go into singles much more confident and relaxed, so I hope Manuel and I can bring our best matches,”

Peixoto said. “We have a lot of heart.”

As for next season, Peixoto admitted it will be tough to lose the seniors on the team, but he is still optimistic – even when it comes to facing the team’s everpresent enemy: the Oklahoma wind.

“Losing Diego will be tough.

He was really our team leader this year. He fought a lot for the team,” Peixoto said. “My expectations for next year are good though. I will have more experience and will have adapted better to the courts, and hopefully I will be able to manage the wind more.”

Fans should dump Federer for more flash Sports has many great rivalries – Yankees vs. Red Sox, Celtics vs.

Lakers, Cowboys vs. Redskins – but for tennis fans, the greatest current rivalry in all of sports is Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal.

Federer seems to be the more popular player to support; he has recently been crowned the King of the Slams, he holds a neverending list of records, and he makes each win look so effortless.

However, there are three reasons why more people should rally behind the Man from Mallorca, the Matador of Spin.

Nadal leads Federer in their head-to-heads.

Nadal currently holds a 13-7 record over Federer in their matchups. Though Federer won their most recent head-to-head in Hamburg, Nadal has won the last three of the Grand Slam finals in which they faced each other. Even more impressive, Nadal has beaten Federer in five of the seven Grand Slam

finals they have played. It is not surprising that three of Nadal’s Slam victories against Federer have been won on clay, or that Nadal holds a 9-2 record over Federer in clay court wins; after all, he is considered by many to be the greatest clay court player in the history of the sport.

However, Nadal defeated Federer in their epic 2009 Australian Open final, which is the only hard court Slam final the two have ever played. In their head-to-head history, the two are tied for hard court wins – they each have three. On grass, Federer leads Nadal 2-1, but Nadal was unable to defend his 2008 Wimbledon victory due to a knee injury, so who knows what the outcome would have been had there been another Federer vs.

Nadal final.

Nadal has achieved more at a younger age.

On his first attempt, at the age of 19, Nadal won the Grand

Slam final at Roland Garros. By contrast, Federer won his first Slam at Wimbledon in 2003 on his fifth attempt at the age of 21 – Nadal had already won three Slams by that age. Perhaps even more impressive, Nadal won his first Slam title after having only competed in five Slams, while Federer only won his first after his 17th attempt.

Nadal is the first male tennis player to hold three Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces in the same year. Though Federer achieved the same feat the following season, Nadal did it at 22; Federer only accomplished

the deed at 28. Nadal also leads Federer in their Masters Series face offs. On top of that, Nadal has won 16 Masters Series events, which equals Federer’s record and is one short of Andre Agassi’s record of 17. Since Nadal is only 23, and assuming he can stay healthy, he has plenty of time to surpass Federer and overtake Agassi as the all-time record holder.

Nadal is more fun to watch.

Both Federer and Nadal are immensely talented, and they each have their own distinct style of play. However, when it comes to watching them unleash their game on the court, Nadal is much more fun to watch. Federer rarely

Amanda Phillips

shows any expression of emotion on the court – be it a smile or look of frustration. He floats around the court seamlessly, looking almost like a fairy every time he hits a backhand. He makes each shot look so effortless that he is sometimes boring to watch.

Nadal, on the other hand, plays with an enormous amount of aggression.

His passion for the sport is evident in every step he takes, every serve he hits, every ball he returns. His matches are filled with fist pumps, scowls and loud screams of “Vamos!”

Watching Nadal on the court fills tennis fans with excitement and reinforces their love of the game.

Federer and Nadal’s intense rivalry is certainly one for the history books, but only one man can reign supreme. So although Federer may be the King of the Slams, Nadal is the ruler of their rivalry.

Sports 13 Softball team orchestrates pair of epic comebacks April 26, 2010

By Rachel Engel Collegian Staff As the semester comes to a close for the rest of Cameron University, the Aggies have only one thing on their minds as May approaches: to make the Lone Star Conference tournament.

According to coach Beth Watson, the responsibility for qualifying for the tournament still rests with them.

“We can go if we take care of Cameron,” she said. “If we can put together some quality games and win. If we lose, we’ll have to rely on other teams to get us there, but I would like to keep it in front of us.”

The team took a step in the right direction on April 15, sweeping the Southwestern Oklahoma State University Bulldogs by scores of 5-4 in the fi rst game and 8-7 in the second game.

“It was tough to take sitting there coaching,” Watson said of the closeness of the games. “We had an answer for everything Southwestern threw at us, and then we continued to persevere.”

On April 21 the team split a weather-delayed doubleheader against the University of Central Oklahoma at home, losing the fi rst game 5-3 and winning the fi nal game 5-0.

The cancellation and delay of games due to weather has made it difficult for the Aggies to fi nd a consistent rhythm, Watson said.

“We have the talent, just not the game-time experience,” she said. “We’ve missed so many games, and that affected us having cohesiveness, but we continue to build trust in each other.”

The Aggies will lose four members of the team to graduation this year: Ashton

McBride, Callie Schlatter, Sherry Tetreault and Micah Lierly and Watson knows the loss will be felt.

“We’re certainly going to miss them,” she said. “They do such a good job leading by experience, and I really appreciate what they’ve done to help with the transition since I arrived.”

The four graduating seniors will be honored in front of their teammates and parents on Senior Day at their last conference doubleheader against East Central University on May 1.

Despite the weather confl icts and initial lack of unity, Watson feels the team has improved over the semester.

“I have nothing but good feelings about the season,” she said. “I feel we grew as a team, even if we didn’t always show it in the win column.”

Photo by Bennett Dewan

Hit the road jack: Freshman second baseman Jessica Orr drives home a runner during a game at the Aggie Softball Field.

Gender inequality still prevalant in sports A few weeks ago I decided to attend a softball game at Cameron. On my way to the field, I noticed that the baseball team was also playing a home game.

Another thing I noticed about the baseball field was the litany of cars in the parking lot. As I approached the softball diamond, however, the setting was much different. There were only a handful of fans compared to that across the street.

As I sat and watched the Aggie softball team run rule their opponent, I became more and more aware of the fact that this occurrence marks a trend in society that has been around for years. Why is it that a group of talented female athletes cannot seem to pull the crowd that an equally talented group of male athletes can?

For centuries females have been battling for equality, whether it was voting rights, employment opportunities or athletics. The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote, the Civil Rights Act guaranteed

women fair treatment in the workplace, yet the area of athletics appears to be far more complicated.

From the beginning of time, women have always taken a back seat to men. In the 1950s and 1960s, civil rights and feminist movements began flourishing.

In 1978 Title IX was put into effect, ultimately ensuring that male and female athletic programs were to be given the same rights.

Now, over 30 years later, it appears that women are still facing adversity. These battles have shifted though. Now, instead of fighting for the same opportunities awarded to men, women are fighting to gain the same respect men receive.

I am disgusted at the thought

of female athletes being stripped of the credit they deserve. This image is something much too familiar to me. Despite my young age, my 21 years have shown me, firsthand, the obstacles female athletes must overcome in order to gain even the slightest amount of recognition for their talents.

As a child, I remember being forced to play little league baseball with the boys, because female softball teams did not yet exist. In high school, I remember being turned down by the school administration when my softball team requested new uniforms, even though the boys’ baseball team had three different sets. In college, I see the lopsided fan base between mens’ and women’s sports.

The same simple question keeps popping into my head: why? The

Tori Strecker

worst part about it is that there is not a logical answer to such an easy question. Forty years ago, the only athletic activity available to women was cheering for the boys from the sidelines. Today, however, women can be found not just on the sidelines, but in the actual game shedding blood, sweat and tears just as their male counterpoints do.

Believe it or not, females not only have brains and beauty, but they can play ball with the big boys as well.

This year alone has been a testament to the wealth of female talent found right here in Oklahoma. In March, five different female basketball teams from area high schools made it to their respective state tournaments.

Of these five teams, three made it all the way to the final game, with one team actually bringing home the gold ball. If that does not say enough, the CU women’s basketball coaches just signed a member from one of these teams. In addition, the OU women’s basketball team made it to the NCAA Final Four in April. Wait, I am not done yet. The USA softball team dominated the

summer Olympics in 1996, 2000 and 2004, by taking home the gold medal each time.

If this does not prove a point, then I do not know what will.

There are so many female athletes ripe with talent, but because they wear a sports bra rather than a jock strap, they are not given the same respect male athletes get.

It seems that the preconceived notions of the 50s have carried into this century, and that is not something to be proud of.

In the words of Billie Jean King: “This is not the message we want to send our daughters or our sons. We want boys and girls to know that they are equally valued, will receive the same chances to play and be treated equally in sports and in life. If we do not send this message in schools supported by our tax dollars, we have failed our children.”

So as I look back on my childhood, witness the present and fathom about the future, I find myself wondering: is society failing us?

Aggie baseball team has Tucson connection

By Michael Faggett Collegian Staff Cameron’s baseball team has many new faces on the roster. With new players in various positions, the team has had to rely on their returners to continue winning in the Lone Star Conference.

Catcher P.J. Ortega and third baseman Nate Valdez have been a couple of players who have provided solid contributions for the Aggies.

Valdez, a native of Tucson, Arizona, started the season sluggishly, according to head coach Todd Holland.

“We sat [Valdez] for the first six to seven games of the season,” Holland said. “He got a reality check, and after that, he’s been golden for us offensively and defensively.”

Offensively is where Valdez has made his mark this season.

Despite missing the first seven games of the season, Valdez leads the team in batting with an average of .433. Valdez also leads the team in home runs, slugging percentage

(.721) and is second in on-base percentage (.504). His play has helped the Aggies post a team batting average of .340 and knock in over 284 runs on the season.

“He’s really become a tough out,” Holland said.

Ortega is another player that has helped the team thus far. The catcher, who is batting .359 on the season, has served as both a catalyst for the pitching staff and a mentor to the young catchers on the squad.

Some of the Aggies’ most impressive wins have been with Ortega behind the plate.

He started and called pitches in an 8-0 shutout of West Texas A&M on the road. He also started in a 16-2 victory over the University of Sciences and Arts of Oklahoma on April 13.

Holland said having Ortega return and be the everyday catcher for a new rotation has helped the team.

“It’s good because you can trust and rely on him calling the right pitches,” Holland said. “P.J. can get in a rhythm better than some

catchers in the conference.”

Ortega’s poise behind the plate complements the pitching staff, a staff Holland said is one of the deeper rotations he has had in previous years.

“We have six good arms that give us a chance to win games,” Holland said. “P.J. works well with our pitchers.”

In addition to calling the pitches for the rotation, Ortega is credited with mentoring young catchers like freshman Jake Harris.

“In practice, the catchers are all together,” Holland said.

“Jake is pretty much learning the conference, and P.J. is helping him in the process.”

With the conference playoffs on the horizon, Holland said Valdez and Ortega playing well at this point of the season helps the team in its push to return to the playoffs.

Currently the team sits in third place in the North Division with a conference record of 21-13.

“It is always better to peak later in the season than earlier,” Holland said. “Hopefully we play as one unit in our last series to make a push towards the playoffs.”

In addition to playing well down the stretch, Valdez and Ortega both are juniors and are scheduled to return next season.

Valdez’s return provides Holland and the team with a veteran bat capable of producing runs and clutch hits. Ortega’s return, in conjunction with the return of most of this year’s pitching staff, gives Holland continuity in the rotation.

Photos by Bennett Dewan

You can run, but you’ll just get tired: P.J. Ortega (top) and Nate Valdez (bottom) throw out runners at McCord Field.

“We get P.J. back for another year, which is a good thing,” Holland said. “He knows opposing

batters’ tendencies and can help the pitchers know what to expect in order to win in the conference.”

14

Sports

April 26, 2010

Holland gets historic, milestone win at CU

By Michael Faggett Collegian Staff

Photos by Bennett Dewan

Lending a hand: Todd Holland, coach of the Aggie baseball team, slaps hands with one of his players as he rounds third base after a Tom Dicker home run at McCord Field.

March 14, 2010, marked a momentous day in the coaching career of baseball head coach Todd Holland.

Somewhat.

On the aforementioned Saturday afternoon, Holland won his 200th game as a head coach, an accomplishment he was able to achieve in fewer than 350 games. The win occurred during a four-game home series sweep against UCO. In addition to the sweep, the Aggies were on a nine-game winning streak and, at that point, took sole possession of first place in the Lone Star Conference.

But, according to Holland, the landmark victory was just another day at the office.

“It is just a number,” Holland said. “It was just another baseball game to me.”

Holland’s comments on his 200th win as a coach exhibit the humility he displays both on and off of the diamond.

Entering his seventh season at the helm, Holland coaches a team for which he played during his college career.

He played for the Aggies from 1997-99, posting a career batting average of .400.

Holland still holds singleseason records for most hits

(80) and most doubles (25) in Cameron baseball history. In his senior year, he earned allconference first team honors had a batting average of .428 and a slugging percentage of .743.

After graduating from Cameron in 1999, Holland returned in 2003 as an assistant to former head coach Ron Ihler.

When Ihler resigned, Holland took over as interim coach and was officially named head coach in 2004.

Holland said playing and graduating from Cameron is something in which he takes pride.

“I love it,” Holland said.

“I take pride in the fact that I played and graduated from here.”

Holland also said that his experiences as both a player and coach helps him put his teams and the overall baseball program into a proper perspective.

With his multi-faceted tenure at Cameron, Holland has seen both various types of teams and well as varied dynamics in the program. He said his current teams carry more depth now than in the past.

“We didn’t have as much depth as we have now,” Holland said. “I like to know what I got coming.”

Holland eye for baseball talent has resulted in a successful coaching career at Cameron. In addition to his 200 plus victories, Holland has won over 60 per cent of the games he has coached, has led the Aggies to both a division title and a regular season conference championship, and has had numerous players earn all-conference honors as well as all-American recognition.

Holland said his pride in being at Cameron helped him in building a winning baseball program.

“I have seen it before where coaches do not take pride in where they are,” Holland said.

“With some of our former players keeping in touch and coming back to be a part, it has made for a successful program.”

Holland also said with him enjoying his time at Cameron, it helps in the recruiting process.

“You want them to have the same feeling about Cameron as you do,” Holland said. “Kids can get an education from here and play ball.”

With the sentiments he has for Cameron and the success he has had since taking over as head coach, Holland said he does not plan on moving to another college.

“It is only one school for me,” Holland said.

Grimes collects LSC pitching hardware

By Michael Faggett Collegian Staff Cameron’s baseball team has enjoyed a solid season this year, currently boasting the secondbest conference record in the Lone Star Conference.

Part of the team’s success comes from the pitching of Logan Grimes.

The left-handed Grimes made the all-conference first team last season. He started 13 games for the Aggies, posted a 9-1 record and gave up 47 earned runs over 80 innings pitched.

So far this season, Grimes has a 6-1 record, which leads the pitching staff for the Aggies.

Grimes also leads the team’s pitchers in complete games and shutouts and has only given up one home run in 40-plus innings.

Grimes said early cancellations of games did not stop them from preparing for the season.

“Once we finally got on the field and started practicing, we caught fire,” Grimes said.

Head coach Todd Holland said Grimes’ consistent pitching benefits the team.

“The good thing about [Grimes] is he knows what is going on and what it takes to win,” Holland said.

Grimes’ knowledge of the mound as well as of batters in the conference has helped him pitch well. That knowledge, according to Holland, also helps some of the pitching staff ’s newcomers like Ricky Cramer and Clay Vanderlaan.

“The fact that he knows what it takes to get batters out in the conference helps us,” Holland said. “That is huge for us.”

Grimes best displayed his skills getting batters out in a couple of conference games.

The first came on March 14 against UCO. The Aggies won 8-3 as Grimes pitched a complete game, giving up two earned runs on five hits and striking out five hitters.

The second game was a March 29 road game against West Texas A&M. Grimes pitched a seven-inning shutout against the Buffs. He gave up five hits and one walk and struck out five batters.

It marked the first time this season West Texas A&M was shut out.

Coming off of two consecutive losses to the Buffs prior to Grimes’ shutout victory, Holland said Grimes’ performance put the team back on a winning track.

“He pitched well,” Holland said. “He tried to get us back on task [and succeeded.]”

Grimes’ outing against the Buffs earned him the recognition of Lone Star Conference pitcher of the week.

As a result of his award, Grimes was also named Aggie of the Week for the week of March 29.

“It is a good thing for him to pitch as well as he does for us,” Holland said.

Looking forward to the conference playoffs, Grimes said he knows he and the other pitchers must continue to pitch well in order for the team to have a chance to play for a conference title.

“Our hitting is going great,” Grimes said. “Our pitching just needs to keep getting better and work ahead in the count.”

Grimes, along with Cramer, Vanderlaan and other pitchers in Cameron’s rotation, provide depth that helps the team down the stretch, Holland said.

“It is a good thing to have depth in the rotation,” Holland said.

In addition to the depth, Holland said the team feels comfortable with Grimes heading to the mound because of his game preparation and experience against conference opponents. “He knows what it takes to win in the conference,” Holland said. “He gives us a chance to win every time he goes out on the mound.”

Photo by Bennett Dewan

Bringin’ the noise: Sophomore Logan Grimes strikes out a batter in the third inning of his start at McCord Field.

Sports

April 26, 2010

15

Lierly gives Aggies leadership behind home plate

By Tori Strecker Collegian Staff

Photos by Bennett Dewan

Both sides of the same plate: Senior Micah Lierly hits a double and stops an errant pitch in a game against SWOSU.

Clutch situations are typical in any sport. What is not so typical is finding a player who can step out of the shadow and come through during those clutch situations. This season the Cameron softball team has found that in senior Micah Lierly.

A native of Henrietta, Texas, Lierly came to CU from Western Texas College and has spent her final two years of collegiate softball as an Aggie. While most of her time has been spent behind the plate, she has developed a niche at the plate as well. Throughout the 2010 season, Lierly has proven herself as a clutch hitter for the team.

“Micah has come through with a couple big hits,” Master’s assistant coach Megan Young said. “I feel that the team can rely on her as a go-to hitter in tough situations.”

Lierly has performed well at Cameron Field this season, having an active role in some tough home games for the Aggie softball team. A month ago she had a hand in defeating Abilene Christian University, hitting in the tying run in the first game, and then hitting the winning, two-run, walk-off homer in the second game.

More recently Lierly had another good performance at the plate in a doubleheader against

Midwestern State University.

While Cameron did not walk away with victories in either of these match ups, Lierly kept the first game close by hitting a home run to tie it in the third inning.

In addition to finding her way offensively, Lierly has contributed to the team in other ways as well.

According to Young, she leads the team by example rather than by vocally expressing herself.

“She is a silent leader,” Young said. “She does a good job on the field. She always works hard and has a positive attitude, and everyone else on the team sees that.”

Lierly recognizes that this is her role on the team and tries to embrace it in every way possible, she said.

“I want our team to be determined to win, so I try to display that at practice and during games,” Lierly said. “I do this so the atmosphere within the team is positive and is always working to win.”

While it appears that Lierly has everything put together, she said she still feels pressure to perform, not just for the sake of winning but also for the sake of getting more playing time.

“I have to earn my opportunities to contribute to the team, they are not just given to me,” Lierly said. “Because I am not the primary catcher, I feel a lot of pressure of perform because I fear that I might not get another

chance.”

Lierly said she deals with that pressure by keeping her eyes open and thinking about every aspect of the game so she is not caught off guard.

Lierly is currently studying Interdisciplinary Studies and will graduate this year with her bachelor’s degree. Just as any upperclassman would, she went into her senior year with high hopes for her last season. Despite the road blocks the team has faced, Lierly said she still enjoys the game.

“We have great athletes and all the potential to be a really good team, but we just have to get everything to come together on the field,” Lierly said. “Of course I wanted my senior season to be the best yet, but it does not always work out. Either way I still have a great time playing softball and being with my teammates.”

According to Lierly, she has a very special bond with her teammates and has made many memories as a member of the Cameron softball team.

“The whole team gets along, which makes playing together really nice,” Lierly said. “We all hang out, have team dinners and just sit around and talk. We always have a great time together and share a lot of laughs.”

Upon graduation Lierly plans to return to Texas and attend physical therapy school.

Summer of intrigue Every summer sports fans settle into a general malaise as they wait for the excitement that fall brings.

Sure, Major League Baseball has games throughout the hottest months, but with their current 162-game schedule it is hard to be too excited until the games approach October.

But this year will be different, as there are more substantial sporting story lines than whether or not Brett Favre was seen mowing his grass and what that means for his possible comeback to the NFL. The summer will kick off in a big way with the return of a tournament that only happens every four years. If you are left wondering how it could possibly be time for yet another Olympic games, rest easily.

The tournament of 2010 will highlight the most popular sport on Earth. That sport is soccer, and the prevailing country will take home the prestigious World Cup. Although most Americans either pretend to have never heard of the sport of soccer or look at it as too low scoring and free wheeling to be exciting, this year’s tournament provides plenty of intriguing story lines that should provide fans with enjoyment.

For the first time in many World Cup years, there are no clear favorites to win the tournament. This parity may lead to the type of underdog stories that viewers love to root for.

There are also the games that reflect national and cultural tensions where each side is playing for a little more than just a victory on the field. In the first round former colonies Honduras and Chile get to take a shot at upsetting highly-ranked Spain, World Cup wonder Brazil plays Portugal and the U.S. plays England.

Even though the likelihood of both teams making the semifinals or finals is slim at best, the possibility of a North Korea versus South Korea game holds incredible intrigue.

While the U.S. team has not shown an elevated level of play in their qualifying matches to be able to pencil them in as a favorite to win it all, they certainly have the talent to be dark horse contenders to knock off a high level opponent like England. While mens’ soccer has not experienced the kind of boom that the women’s game did after the iconic win against China in their inaugural World Cup championship, the team could make the kind of run that garners soccer greater acceptance in American sporting circles.

The entirety of the games should be a spectacle in themselves. With South Africa as the first host from the African continent to hold a major international sporting event, Olympic or otherwise, the celebration will be as much about breaking down barriers as it will be about the game of soccer.

With Nelson Mandela’s involvement in the seeding selection ceremony, it can be expected that the anti-apartheid symbols of the country’s greatest struggle, and ultimately the nation’s penultimate triumph, will never be too far out of the spotlight.

The World Cup, which will begin one month shy of Mandela’s 92nd birthday, promises to be an observance of the power of sport, culture, people, humanity and world solidarity. South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission envisioned their nation could one day put aside prejudice and unite non-violently.

For one month, starting on June 11, the focus of the world will be unified on South Africa and the game of soccer. Tune in and see what billions of other people are watching.

Bennett Dewan

Photo by Bennett Dewan

Taking the lead: Senior Keith Powell takes a sizeable lead from second base. This season Keith could be taking the sign for steal from his twin brother and former Aggie teammate Clint.

Powell bros. become coach, coached

By Amanda Phillips Collegian Staff Many great athletes have played on the same team as their sibling – Venus and Serena Williams; Vladimir and Wilton Guerrero; Bob and Mike Bryan – but not many have been coached by their sibling. However, those are the circumstances for Keith and Clint Powell. The brothers used to be teammates, but this year C. Powell is serving as a graduate assistant to the baseball team, while his brother is still playing.

For some, being coached by a sibling might be awkward, but the Powell brothers, who said they have been playing baseball together since they have been able to walk, do not seem to mind.

“It’s alright. It’s fun. We have played together for so long, and this is pretty much the same type of deal,” K. Powell said. “We have a pretty good relationship, so it works out.”

C. Powell echoed his brother’s sentiments and said he does not really feel like he is coaching his brother.

“If I see something I will tell him to make an adjustment, but I don’t really tell him what to do,” C. Powell said.

K. Powell is a former pitcher; he suffered an elbow injury in a previous season and now plays at third base. Perhaps the most critical asset K. Powell brings to the Aggie baseball team, however, is his outstanding hitting ability. In the month of March alone, K. Powell had 12 hits and drove in nine runs.

Not to mention he hit a pair of homeruns.

K. Powell said he is glad to do what he can to help the team.

“I’m just trying to do what I can. I want to help the team in any way that I can,” K. Powell said.

C. Powell, who is a former catcher and second baseman for the team, said that making the transition from player to coach was not difficult but said the role he plays on the team is now different and admitted that sometimes he does miss playing.

“It wasn’t a hard transition because everyone on the team just tries to help each other, and I’m just trying to help coach as much as I can.” C. Powell said. “I miss it though. I’m not ready to walk away from it.”

As a former member of the team, C. Powell is friends with many of the players, but he said the men know things are not the same on the field as they are off.

“Everybody knows it’s different at the field, and everyone respects me pretty well,” C. Powell said.

Head baseball coach Todd Holland said that the role C. Powell fulfi lls is significant.

“He does everything. He gets the field ready; he helps coach.

He’s really important. He helps with things I can’t do all the time,” Holland said.

Holland said the qualities K. Powell brings to the team are vital as well.

“Keith really brings senior leadership to the team. He has been in the conference for three years, so having him on the team is really valuable,” Holland said.

“He’s a good baseball guy.”

As a senior, K. Powell said he has just been trying to enjoy his last season and help the team do as well as they can.

“This year has been fun.

We’re starting to put it together pretty well now, and I hope we can finish strong,” K. Powell said.

As far as the rest of the season is concerned, both brothers have the same goal: make it to regionals.

“I really just want us to find a way to win the conference tournament and sneak into regionals,” K. Powell said.

16

A&E

April 26, 2010

Twilight soap opera continues

By Rachel Engel Collegian Staff Hard-core “Twilight” fans are in for a surprise this summer, a surprise that that hasn’t been seen in nearly two years: a new book in the series.

According to a press release posted on stepheniemeyer.com, the Web site of the author of the “Twilight” saga, a novella detailing the life of newborn vampire Bree Tanner will debut on June 5 in hardcover and will be available to read online for free at www. breetanner.com from June 7 to July 5.

In addition, $1 from each sale of the hardback book up to the initial printing of 1.5 million copies will be donated to the American Red Cross International Response Fund.

“Fans have been waiting with bated breath for a new book from Stephenie,” Megan Tingley, Senior Vice President and publisher of Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers said in the press release.

“We are doubly thrilled to be giving them the opportunity to read this exciting new work as well as contribute to an important cause at the same time.”

The novella, titled “The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner,” details the life of Bree, who was first introduced in the third book of the saga, “Eclipse.” Bree’s story will lead up to the battle against Bella and the Cullens as part of the newborn vampire army.

The timing of the book release is significant, as it will arrive nearly one month before the premiere of “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” the third motion picture installment based on the books and will hopefully give fans a better understanding of Bree, played by Jodelle Ferland in the film, before she makes her debut on the silver screen.

“I’d always considered ‘The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner’ as something for the fans,” Meyer said in the press release. “They have been so supportive of all things ‘Twilight.’”

Though a spin-off story is

better than a complete end to the series, fans may be disappointed at the lack of interaction with the main characters, Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, throughout the book, as much of the novella will center on Bree and her struggle to cope with her new life as a vampire.

Fans had hoped that the next story to surface from Meyer would be the retelling of “Twilight” through the eyes of Edward, initially titled “Midnight Sun.” But according to Meyer’s Web site, a partial draft was published on the web before its completion, and at this time she has no plans to finish it.

The “Twilight” saga centers around the love story between Bella Swan, an average girl living with her single father in Forks, a small town in Washington state, and Edward Cullen, a permanent 17-year-old “vegetarian” vampire who lives with his adopted family.

Throughout the series, a struggle persists between the two: Bella wanting to become a vampire in an effort to stay with Edward

forever, and Edward’s insistence lined up at bookstores across that immortality is not worth the country waiting for the next what she would be giving up. installment to be released, and has In four large novels, Meyer continued its success through the chronicles their lives from the day movie adaptations. they meet, intertwined with a detailed account of the vampire world, which looks down on any voluntary vampiremaking.

The saga had a whirlwind run, with over 100 million copies sold worldwide, not unlike the MCT Campus phenomenon Bite me: The Twilight saga will be continuing surrounding with a new novella debuting in June of this year the Harry following the life of newborn vampire Bree Tanner, Potter series, titled ‘The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner.’ in which fans

Cameron library celebrates Jazz Appreciation Month

By Tatiana Isis Collegian Staff April is Jazz Appreciation Month across the United States and the Cameron library is showing its appreciation by hosting a jazz exhibit titled “Oklahoma: All That Southwest Jazz.” The exhibit traces Oklahoma’s inf luence on jazz music.

The exhibit, running from the beginning

of April until April 30, consists of narrative text and historic photographs.

The material traces Oklahoma’s blues lineage from blues musician Count Basie, who began his climb to fame with The Oklahoma City Blue Devils, all the way to Yale native Chet Baker’s contributions to jazz music.

“This exhibit is from the Oklahoma Museum Association.

We have rented it from them,” Dr. Judy Neale said.

The funding for the exhibit

came from the Concerts and Lectures Program at Cameron.

“There is text with the photographs so that you can see who these musicians are,” Dr. Neale said. Accompanying the photographs and text, jazz plays from a nearby computer.

“One of our librarians set up a computer with continuous looping of the Oklahoma Jazz [Hall of Fame] Web site so music is going during the exhibit,” Dr. Neale said.

The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame states that Oklahoma jazz musicians were essential to the creation of Kansas City jazz and, according to historian William Savage, Jr., trace the migration of African Americans from the lower

South westward, from New Orleans to Texas, through Oklahoma, to Kansas City.

“Oklahoma has inf luenced jazz quite a bit,” Dr. Neale said.

By the end of the 1930s, Oklahoma was said to have been a significant link in the traveling jazz triangle with major stops in Tulsa, Muskogee and Oklahoma City.

“We’ve had two public schools come in and visit,” Dr. Neale said. “We invited them to view the exhibit.”

“We put up the exhibit in support of what they are doing in the Music Department,” Dr. Neale said. She hopes to do something similar for Jazz Appreciation Month next year.

“In the past, jazz musicians have performed in the student union,” she said. “[But student turnout] was not as much as we would like,” Dr. Neale said. There have been posters plastered around campus for the past month, but the turnout isn’t as positive as Dr. Neale would have hoped.

The exhibit features legendary jazz musicians Count Basie, Charlie Christian, Jimmy Rushing, Chet Baker, Barney Kessel, Jay McShann, Oscar Pettiford and many others.

The exhibit will continue to be displayed until the end of the month of April in the library’s media room: 118. It is open to the public at no charge.

Fisher channels inner Bauer for latest adventure

By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff After a four-year hiatus since he killed his best friend – and boss – Sam Fisher has been on the run. But he obviously has had enough time to catch up on all the backed seasons of “24” because the former Third Echelon agent is acting more like Jack Bauer than the merciless, calculating stealth machine he was in previous iterations of Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy series.

Granted, Fisher has had a hard life. After he was forced to kill his friend while undercover, he also discovered his daughter had been killed.

The government saw him as a fugitive for murder, his daughter was dead, so he had nothing to live for and dropped off the grid. But you also know how these things go. They can’t let sleeping dogs lie. Fisher is brought out of retirement and back into the game – both figuratively and literally – to stop what amounts to a coup d’état in the government in the latest adventure, “Splinter Cell: Conviction.”

If it all sounds like something out of the final season of “24,” you’re not hallucinating. The wetsuitwearing, goggle-donning master of all things stealth is gone. As his friend, Victor, puts it: the Fisher we knew – the man who followed the rules, listened to the voice in his ear – is gone. He doesn’t care about anyone, or anything.

He will kill anyone he has to find out what he wants to know.

For the most part, the story actually works. It’s certainly more engaging and has more powerful storytelling than any of the four previous entries in the series. The story has never been this franchise’s strongpoint, but Ubisoft Montreal really crafted a wellwritten – if not angry – story of revenge and conspiracy.

Granted, it still seems like something left on the cutting room f loor of “24,” but it works.

The gameplay, on the other hand, doesn’t necessarily exhibit the same quality as the story. Hiding in the shadows is still the best way to play the game. If Fisher gets shot, he will drop very quickly. It won’t take a single clip of an assault rif le to take him down. Two or three pistol shots and Sam is out. That’s why stealth is still key. But it’s not as important as previous games. In fact, the A.I. is so stupid, that Fisher can walk up behind them and stand there for several seconds before they’ll notice anything.

Swift hand-to-hand kills are easy with the single push of a button. After he’s executed a brutal combo, Fisher can utilize the new mark and execute feature. Depending on which weapon he has, Fisher can mark up to four guys. When he gets in range – again with the single push of a button – he can enter a John Woo-inspired shooting spree sans an over abundance of doves.

“Splinter Cell” may have been about stealth and staying out of sight as much as possible, but “Conviction”

throws all of that out the window.

Killing is now not only the only way to make it through many encounters, but it’s really fun.

There’s nothing more exciting than dropping down on an unsuspecting enemy, snapping his neck and then executing his four buddies standing around him. It’s more cinematic than ever, and MCT Campus it’s jaw-dropping the first time you Against the wall: Sam Fisher conducts an interrogation in an effort to pressure a source into talking in the most recent addition to the Tom Clancy do it.

Interrogations series, ‘Splinter Cell: Conviction.’ are something new that’s been added to which isn’t enough to come will be divided on whether the “Conviction.” People don’t back to. This was remedied “Conviction,” which took four want to talk to Fisher; he’s too in previous games with the years to develop, is really worth angry. So he has to encourage innovative, and extremely fun, the wait or not. them, usually by slamming Spies vs. Mercs. It’s too bad it It often plays more like their heads into environmental didn’t make a comeback.

“24: The Game” rather than objects, or just beating them The multiplayer suite has the next edition of “Splinter until they’re hardly conscious. been docked, to say the least.

Cell.” But for newcomers to the These play out simply by There are only a handful of series, there’s no better place to dragging the subject over to an co-op missions that portray jump in. environmental object and using a prequel to the game that The story is laid out easily the button prompt. They’re explains more about where so new people can hop right extremely brutal and almost the weapons at the center of in. It’s just a shame there isn’t cringe-worthy at times, but it the conspiracy come from. It’s more for the old veterans who really adds to the hard-hitting a fun playthrough and a nice have been with the series for nature of the game.

Easter egg for fans. But the co- nearly a decade. This is about The campaign is extremely op isn’t enough to keep coming as radical of a departure as one short. It can be beat within back to. can get since Capcom released six hours. While the story is The short, one-off campaign “Resident Evil 4.” engaging and the voice acting and a lack of solid multiplayer “Splinter Cell Conviction” is very solid all the way around, really makes this a tough sell is rated M for Mature by there’s not much replay value. at full price. However, if you’re the Entertainment Software The twists are all exposed, the a fan of Tom Clancy stories, Ratings Board and is available shocks are gone and there’s you’ll no doubt love the story. on the Xbox 360 and PC. only the streamlined gameplay, Old “Splinter Cell” veterans

April 26, 2010

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April 26, 2010

Formal draws crowd to MCC

By Amanda Finch

The Stars Band is based out of Oklahoma City and performs regularly at proms, clubs and The Programming Activities casinos in the area as well as the Hard Rock Café in Tulsa.

Council and the Student McCorgary booked the band Housing Association held the to perform because of their CU Student Formal in the McMahon Centennial Complex extensive playlist, upbeat energy and enthusiasm to play Ballroom on Thursday, April on a college campus.

15.

“The band was beyond Over 300 students dressed amazing; students had great to impress and attended the compliments about their event to celebrate the opening talent as well as the variety of the MCC. Student Housing Women’s Hall Director Krystle of music they played. I would McCorgary is pleased with how recommend this band for future events because they were the event turned out. great for the college crowd,” “The formal was incredible.

Everyone enjoyed the night and McCorgary said.

Junior Journalism major looked fabulous all dressed up.

Taylor Brunwald is one student One student even told me that the formal was better than their who attended the formal and enjoyed the live music. high school prom,” McCorgary “My favorite part was the said. live band. It was a welcomed The event featured a live change of pace from the usual band called The Stars Band. campus dances that have DJs play music. The Stars Band was talented and knew how to please the crowd,” Brunwald said.

Student Housing Graduate Assistant Whitney Long says the band added an extra source of entertainment.

“It was a totally different atmosphere than our typical dances.

It was not just about dancing but socializing and hanging out while enjoying the music,” Long said.

Photo by Jim Horinek In addition to Turn the music up: The formal at the the band proving to MCC hosted a live band for the night. The be a huge success, Stars Band is based out of Oklahoma City.

McCorgary and

Collegian Staff

Long believe the location was perfect.

“The beauty of the ballroom made for the perfect setting. The spaciousness and accessibility to the balcony are great characteristics of the ballroom,” McCorgary said.

Photo by Jim Horinek “We did not have to decorate very much because the building is new, and the ballroom is an elegant location for an event such as a formal.

The balcony provided a nice hang out away from dancing, and it was a perfect night for the event,” Long said.

This was the Photo courtesy of Ann Morris first dance the Boogie down: The fi rst formal to be held in the McMahon Centennial Programming Complex Ballroom drew a crowd of over 300 students on April 15.

Activities Council and Student Housing teamed up split, and students in both and it was a formal, it was very to host together, but Long and organizations got to host special for students. It was a McCorgory believe it will not the dance as well as actually great way for the graduating be the last. participate and enjoy it,” Long seniors to dress up and enjoy “Teaming up with PAC said. the night reminiscing on the allowed us to attract a larger “I would definitely host past four years and for future scale of students and host an this event again, and many students to celebrate the first event that was easy to plan. students said they would like dance of many to come in the We advertised really well and to see this happen every year. I new McMahon Centennial found a great band that our think that, because this dance Complex,” McCorgary said. diverse student population was the last one of the year would enjoy. The duties were

‘Night Fires’ honored as Best Young Adult Book

By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff The whirlwind of success continues for Dr. George Stanley.

His latest release, “Night Fires,” is not only his most successful book yet, but was named Best Young Adult Book at the Oklahoma Book Awards in Oklahoma City. Dr. Stanley said he hoped he would win, but he never saw himself taking home the prize at the end of the day.

“I had gotten a call from this woman with the Oklahoma City Library, and she wanted to do an interview with me,” he said. “I was thinking this is a good sign. But one of the other nominees was interviewed too.

So there went that out the window.”

Dr. Stanley and his wife traveled to Oklahoma City on

April 17 to take part in the what? But if I do win, I have award ceremony. “Night Fires” some things to say.” and “Chicken Dance,” a picture Dr. Stanley said the rest book written by Tammi Sauer, of the night was a blur as were the two top contenders for everyone at the event rushed the award. But when the person to get photos of the winners. took the stage to announce the At the end of the day, he had winner, a medal Dr. with his “This means a lot to Stanley name was engraved me because all the surprised it and Stanleys are from Eastern on to hear the some award had Oklahoma, and this place bronze been split. holds a special place in my stickers to “I was mark the heart.” thinking books as to myself a winner that this — Dr. George Stanley of the wasn’t Author Oklahoma fair,” he Book said. “Her Award. book was But a picture book, and mine was a none of that mattered to young adult fiction book.”

Dr. Stanley who realized a Both Dr. Stanley and Sauer, special moment. an old friend of his, won for “This means a lot to me their respective because all the Stanleys are books. Dr. from Eastern Oklahoma, Stanley said and this place holds a special he was on pins Photo by Bennett Dewan place in my heart,” he said. and needles “I never thought I would see All that glitters is gold: Dr. George Stanley poses with his before the myself spending my entire novel, “Night Fires,” and his new Oklahoma Book Award. announcement. professional life here, but having that affair. They just that he won an award for But when it’s been wonderful.” don’t get it.” his “Night Fires,” which he heard his Dr. Stanley said his family’s Creativity has always been is the darkest and most name, he had time in Oklahoma has really something Dr. Stanley prided thought-provoking novel he’s his speech shaped his writing. “Night himself in.

He grew up reading ever written. He said he’s notes in-hand.

Fires” is a story about a boy accomplished everything he’s He said he was who grows up in 1930s Lawton “Nancy Drew” and “Hardy Boys” stories. They helped him wanted to do as an author, and prepared to without a father. He said it’s escape into a world inside his now he just wants to entertain win – just in hard not to take inf luences mind. Now, he wants to help children again. case. from your life and place them other children do that with his “I just want to continue “I always into the story. But that doesn’t versions of those timeless tales. to write,” he said. “This was prepare notes, mean the story is ripped a story I wanted to tell. It “When I was growing up, even if I don’t completely from his past.

I read ‘Nancy Drew’ and the just turned out to be more win,” Dr. “The thing some people ‘Hardy Boys,’” Dr. Stanley literary and serious than I had Stanley said. don’t understand about originally planned. I still want said. “I loved books a lot of “I even have creativity is you don’t have to people don’t consider literature. to do the books that kids will an Academy have lived those things,” he go out and buy just to read for But they always sparked my Award speech said. “Some people think if you imagination.” the fun of it. Those are the ones prepared. If I write a story about someone Dr. Stanley said it’s ironic I enjoy the most.” don’t win, so having an affair that you’re

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Author links baseball to history team.

Elias set out to transcribe, Collegian Staff catalogue and make The warming of the weather connections between pivotal events in U.S. globalization and emergence of leaves from and imperialistic dominance their wintery hibernations and the spread of baseball signals the beginning of yet worldwide. another professional baseball While the politics of season. America’s pastime will baseball have traditionally be big business in 28 cities as focused on the likes of Jackie fans eagerly await every pitch Robinson and Roberto from either a ballpark seat, on Clemente, a systematic one of the four major networks dissection of the game’s effect or the host of local channels on geo-cultural avenues is not to broadcast each game on new. Dave Zirin, a columnist television.

To coincide with the opening for “SLAM magazine” and “The Edge of Sports,” in his of the 2010 Major League Baseball campaign Robert Elias essay “Beisbol: How the Major Leagues Eat Their Young” laid released his non-fiction book “The Empire Strikes Out: How out a concise condemnation of the predatory nature of Baseball Sold U.S. Foreign modern talent scouting in Policy and Promoted the Latin American nations. While American Way Abroad.”

Zirin expertly dissected the Unlike the majority of issue in a matter of a few pages the baseball writing being produced today, this book does with the ferocity and wit of not focus on curious characters Mark Twain’s anti-imperialist writings. whose personalities captivated Elias takes a more the nation, individuals who structuralist approach to exceeded expectations or a his writing, approaching at team of misfits that took down times the historical analytical a seemingly insurmountable abilities of the late Howard Zinn.

Elias systematically debunks the myth of the creation of modern baseball

by Major General Abner Doubleday.

This story, which served to distance the game from a British game called rounders, was perpetuated to create an aura of an all American MCT Campus game.

Recruitment: A poster produced by the “The military during WWII encouraging parents to Empire Strikes involve their sons in Little League.

Out,” is filled

By Bennett Dewan

with so many stories and examples of baseball’s crossover into culture, economics and militarism that were, until the publication of this book, scattered footnotes in history.

The book is broken into chapters based on historical time periods from 1775 until modern times. There is such a plethora of newly catalogued information that picking at the highlights seems like a daunting task as each chapter reveals riveting information about a particular time period.

Elias describes the synthesis between military and baseball training used in the U.S. and abroad.

“Baseball was used for training or as ‘fronts’ abroad, such as by Cuban revolutionaries, first plotting against the Spaniards and then against the Americans, Irish republicans and Chinese communists,” Elias said.

In the U.S., Little League was an encouraged activity for all young boys during World War II to develop skills that could be used on the battlefield.

One military-produced poster, replicated within the book, shows a soldier winding up to throw a grenade with the text, “Oh lord, why do I throw like a girl,” written above the image.

The strongest section of “Empire” may be “The Cold, Hot War” that describes the use of baseball to try and create American allegiances through the spread of baseball.

The Dodgers and Indians played exhibition games in Tunisia to prevent the spread of Communist inf luences on North Africa. These games were meant to showcase the success of integrated teams and particularly Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby.

The ties between “America’s game” and U.S. foreign policy is not a thing of the past as the farm system created in many Latin American nations has brought tremendous leverage in economic avenues and also

MCT Campus

Batter up: Novelist Robert Elias unveils his book, “The Empire Strikes Out,” amid the 2010 Major League Baseball season. points of contention with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

“The opportunities and resources provided are usually meager, and what’s extracted from poor economies usually exceeds what’s being contributed.

MLB’s involvement in the Caribbean has held out false hope for hundreds of aspiring ballplayers, pulled them out of school,” Elias said, “where they’d likely have far better prospects, taken advantage of under-aged boys and their families, and vastly underpaid them for their time and services.”

This book goes from

some of the most whimsical and interesting lesserknown anecdotes to the dark underbelly of the sport and back again in order to create a more complete picture of baseball.

“While there are some critical aspects of that story, it’s also inspiring to know what an important role baseball has played in our society and the world,” Elias said.

“The Empire Strikes Out” is not simply a cataloguing of sports nostalgia but the systematic retelling of U.S. history and how it is intertwined with a sport as American as apple pie.

Comic book characters come to life in ‘Kick-Ass’

By Joshua Rouse

costume and But the run around introduction Collegian Staff fighting of Red Mist crime all is handled Sometimes movies are just night long? horribly, meant to be fun.

Apparently, giving away There’s no real meaning it’s pretty a key twist behind them or any particular hard as from the deep, thought-provoking scenes Lizewski comic way scattered throughout. With a too early. name like “Kick-Ass,” how could finds out after getting This causes anyone expect any sort of deep the pacing meaning? While the adaptation his you know what to be off of comic legend Mark Millar’s kicked throughout limited series won’t become MCT Campus many times, the rest of the next Oscar favorite, it landing the film.

Kick it: The characters from the movie adaptation of ‘Kick-Ass’ still provides one of the most him in the Still, enjoyable viewing experiences on the movie poster. ‘Kick-Ass’ was directed by Matthew Vaughn. director in a long time. Films like “Kick- hospital for nudity. Big Daddy and Hit Girl Matthew Vaughn finds a way Ass” are the reason we go to the several weeks. are waging a two-person war Lizewski’s antics inspire a to not only channel the spirit of theater. against Frank D’ A mico after wave of superheroes who want the comic, but to bring it to life Dave Lizewski is an ordinary the mob boss framed Big Daddy to make the world a better in such a way that it’s not only a loser kid who asks the age-old while he was a cop and sent him quality film, but it doesn’t leave place. Think “Watchmen” question: why are there no to jail. without all the despicable you shaking your head after the superheroes? After all, how The storyline is hit or miss characters and blue male credits role. Though, it’s still hard could it be to put on a and doesn’t deviate hard to take a movie seriously too much from when it features an 11-yearthe comics, but old girl slaughtering dozens of there are several people without even batting an extreme changes. eye.

Big Daddy’s origin While the namesake of the is completely film, Lizewski’s alter-ego, is changed, taking the glue that holds the story some of the together, Hit Girl is the real humor out of his star of the show. Chloe Moretz story. Lizewski’s really brings the character to relationship is life from the pages with her changed slightly, perfect timing and innocent and much of his looks. Hit Girl is a tragic father is cut from character, but the movie doesn’t the film. The beat the fact over your head. majority of the Instead, it revels in the violence changes help the that she unleashes, while only story work better briefly touching on the horrible MCT Campus as a film, rather nature of what she does.

Put ‘em up: Hit-Girl in the movie adaptation of the comic book ‘Kick-Ass’ than a comic.

Nicolas Cage’s acting is raises her gun. Hit-Girl is played by Chloe Moretz.

surprisingly solid as Big Daddy.

He channels his inner Adam West combined with a little William Shatner. His overthe-top mannerisms provide some comedy relief when the movie borders on becoming too serious.

And there are times when the film does cross the line between being a fun, campy look at what a real-life superhero would be like and becoming a more serious comic book piece.

The death of one of the main characters is handled extremely well and hits hard. It provides just enough break between the insane action and grounds the movie firmly in reality. Just because they are superheroes doesn’t mean they are immortal.

That scene is what really brings out the one flaw in the whole film. There was more opportunity to explore the consequences of everyone’s actions. It’s all sort of left in the open and is barely talked about.

Hit Girl slaughters numerous men and doesn’t feel an ounce of remorse, but at least she doesn’t take a shot of cocaine like she does in the comics.

Vaughn did an excellent job of capturing the essence of the comic and making a fun action movie. There is enough gore to fill the blood bank for a month.

But it’s so over-the-top that it’s hard to cringe instead of laugh.

With solid performances all the way around, “Kick-Ass” is a film that won’t win awards, but it will provide the most fun two hours you’ve had in a while.

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April 26, 2010

Everybody dance now: Students dance in piles of suds during the annual foam dance.

Welcome back, Cameron: Country group Emerson Drive kicks off the 200910 school year with a concert at Cameron Stadium.

Takin’ care of business: A crowd gathers to witness the official opening of the new Cameron Business Building.

Keynote: As part of the 26th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration, Kweisi Mfume was on campus as the keynote speaker.

In with a bang: The McMahon Centennial Complex grand opening was marked with fireworks from the balcony.

Winter Cometh: Thick sheets of ice cover the trees of campus.

Crushed: Senior Alex Lyons drives a double into the left field gap at McCord Field.

Hey, you’re not James Bond. Everyone sees your cell phone hidden behind that leaning tower of books you constructed as a makeshift barricade. Furthermore, the vibrate setting on your phone isn’t silent. It sounds like an earthquake under your desk every 12.8 seconds.

Who are you texting anyway? It’s 9:30 in the morning. A failing grade is in your future, texter, unless clever acronyms and smiley faces made out of punctuation marks are on the midterm.

When the Laptopper is in front of you, you try to pay attention to the lecture, but how can you when the person in front of you is Facebookstalking his or her way through class? The ratio of Laptoppers who distract classmates to those who legitimately take notes appears to be about 100 to one.

First year phenom: Julia Puckhaber lunges to hit a backhand shot during doubles play at Cameron.

The hunt is on: Eggs are strategically hidden during the annual Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by PAC. Saving the best for last: The Colosseum was one of the last sites a group from CU visited over Spring Break.

Clutch: Jessica Orr hits a gamewinning drive off the fence to cap a three-run comeback for the Aggies.

Orr is one of five freshmen that have seen significant playing time for the Aggies this season.

Page Layout and design by Monica Garner Photos by Jim Horinek, Bennett Dewan, Deanne Caples and Justin Cliburn