The Optimist - Jan. 23, 2009

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Pg. 8 Doing his Business: Canine holds vital part of COBA family

Friday, January 23, 2009 :: Vol. 97, No. 30 :: 1 section, 10 pages :: www.acuoptimist.com

Inside This Issue:

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New social justice group aims to build freshwater wells in Africa

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Alumnus cooks his way to $10,000 on Food Network game show

ACU players earn spots on local indoor football team

Grass fire rages through Jones County

By Zak Zeinert Chief Photographer

Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer A fire engine races down Westlake Road to help fight a Jones County grass fire.

A Jones County grass fire that began Thursday afternoon caused authorities to evacuate parts of Jones County and close off several roads.

The fire was reported to the Jones County Sheriff’s Office about 1 p.m., and volunteers from 15 fire de-

partments around the area quickly responded.

Although the fire was burning more than 10 miles from ACU’s campus, smoke from the flames could be seen from Ambler Avenue The fire is believed to have begun five miles east of Hawley, and at 7:30 p.m. it was moving in an eastnortheast direction.

Authorities said they are not sure how the fire began or how many acres have been damaged, but no injuries or deaths were reported.

The rapidly spreading fire and heavy smoke caused authorities to close off access to portions of Farm Road 600, Farm Road 1082 and U.S. Highway 180.

The National Weather Ser-

Watching History Unfold

By Daniel Johnson-Kim Editor in Chief

acuoptimist.com

While President Barack Hussein Obama took the oath of office to become the 44th president and the first black president of the United States of America Tuesday morning, Dr. Steven Moore, associate professor of English, sat on his living room couch in disbelief.

Although Moore said he was in awe of the historic inauguration and was prepared for the change Obama said was needed to “begin again the work of remaking America,” reality did not sink in for the ACU English professor until long after Obama left the stage.

“It was very surreal, almost a fantasy for me to watch”

Trip page 9

ACU alumni welcome Bush back to Texas

Community reflects on Obama’s inauguration Staff Report

Standing among a sea of strangers and without a clear view of the stage, Erin Jordan left her cramped spot in the Washington, D.C., mall area and climbed on a concrete street barrier.

After riding in a van for more than 29 hours, spending Monday morning moving slowly through a multitude of bodies and shivering in the frigid D.C. temperatures, Jordan was not going to miss the show: President Barack Obama taking his oath of office several hundred yards and several See

By Michael Freeman Managing Editor

See video coverage of inauguration day at ACU and the ACU group’s journey to Washington, D.C.

said Moore, who canceled his 9:30 a.m. class so his students could watch the inauguration.

“When I was growing up, when I was in high school, when I was in college, this is something I thought would never happen. This is something that is so unheard of.”

Throughout campus, Abilene See

Obama page 7

Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer Moments before students filled the seats of Moody Coliseum Tuesday, Darrien Grays, senior information technology major from San Antonio, glues his eyes to CNN coverage of the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

ACU alumnus Stephen Orr remembers seeing George W. Bush at petroleum club luncheons and other social meetings when he lived in Midland during the 1980s.

“He didn’t have any gray hair then,” Stephen said. “Eight years can really age a person.”

Stephen (’73) and his wife Pattie (’76) saw Bush again Tuesday night when they welcomed the former president and his family back to the Lone Star state at the Texas State Technical College airfield in Waco. The Orrs, along with about 3,000 people, waited on the tarmac for more than an hour in 40-degree weather, as Special See

See

Fire page 9

How they saw it

Group treks across South, experience history in D.C.

Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer Dr. Odies Wright, associate professor of exercise science, and David Vanderpool, junior Bible and pre-med major from Brentwood, Tenn., stop in the Campus Center to watch coverage of President Barack Obama’s inauguration.

vice issued an emergency notification on several radio stations and other media channels Thursday evening. The warning urged residents of the area to evacuate their homes immediately and for persons near Nugent and the northern end of Lake Fort Phantom to also prepare for evacuation if the

Bush page 4

When I was growing up, when I was in high school, when I was in college, this is something I thought would never happen. This is something that is so unheard of. :: Dr. Steven Moore, associate professor of English

This sends a signal to other nations that it is high time we put democracy high. :: Cleophas Tanui, junior political science major from El Doret, Kenya

I was struck by the seriousness on the look of Obama’s face; you could see the shift between the candidate and the president. :: Dr. Mel Hailey, chair of the Political Science Department

It’s just a historical moment…having an African-American president; it means so much to all minorities. :: Erin Jordan, senior integrated marketing major from Albany, Ga.

Students serve, pray during Martin Luther King Jr. Day

By Tanner Anderson Page Designer

Some generations of Americans have seen blatant hatred, violence and social unrest acted upon others for no reason other than skin color. But while the present may not be perfect, members of the ACU com-

munity did their part to commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by participating in various service projects and events throughout Abilene on Monday.

After 20 minutes of waiting, a group of eight circled in prayer on the steps of Sewell Theatre Monday evening to

ACU WEATHER

show their respect for the Civil Rights leader Monday evening.

Kellian Hale lived in the inner city of St. Louis for 10 years with her husband to pursue mission work before moving to Abilene. Monday, she brought her two sons Rory, 10, and Karrick, 7, to the steps of Sewell Theatre to

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commemorate the holiday.

“We saw a lot in St. Louis for those 10 years. It’s huge in my heart, and we appreciate Martin Luther King Jr. so much,” Hale said.

Abilenian Gary Collins read about the devotional at Sewell in the newspaper and wanted to attend.

“It’s important to remember and commemorate this event and share the influence that it has had,” Collins said.

More than 40 students who also wanted to spend the holiday by sharing, gathered inside the Campus Center and walked through neighborhoods surrounding ACU to collect food

for the Abilene Food Bank Monday morning.

The Service Action Leadership Team organized the service project, and by the end of the day, the group of volunteers collected 614 pounds of food in two hours.

See

Online Poll : Log onto www.acuoptimist.com or www.youtube. com/acuvideo to see weekly News casts and Sports casts from the JMC Network News Team and videos profiling various events and stories around campus and Abilene.

Holiday page 9

Where did you watch the Presidential Inauguration?

a. In Chapel like everyone else. b. In my dorm room or my home. c. I missed the inauguration. d. In person in Washington, D.C.

acuoptimist.com Department of Journalism and Mass Communication ::

Abilene Christian University

::

Serving the ACU community since 1912

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Campus Day Friday, January 23, 2009

Calendar and Events

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Friday

6-10 p.m.

The World of Wheels car show will be at the Abilene Civic Center.

Tickets cost $9.95 for adults and $3.95 for children ages 6 to 11.

8 p.m.

The Brian Regan Comedy Tour will be at the Abilene Civic Center.

Tickets cost $36.50 at the door. For more information, call 676-6211.

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Saturday

6:30- 10 p.m.

Local Abilene band, Swing the Lead, will perform in a Battle of the Bands at The Door in Dallas. For more information, contact Stephen Munoz, 760-580-5731.

7:30 p.m.

Oklahoma will be performed at Abilene High School. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults.

acuoptimist.com

Monday

8 a.m.

A dog show sponsored by the Abilene Kennel Club will be at the Taylor County Expo Center.

9-10 p.m.

The weekly praise service, “Nine O’clock,” will be at University Church of Christ. Free drinks and snacks follow the service in the Family Room.

Watch videos of ACU students and faculty who attended the inaguration, as well as watch parties around campus.

6:30 p.m.

The Abilene Anime Club will celebrate the Chinese New Year in the Abilene Public Library. There will be free drinks, snacks and door prizes.

7 p.m.

“Sundaes on Mondays.” Call 6726562 for more information.

Webcast

Online Newscast

Log on to www.youtube.com/acuvideo this weekend to see videos of the World of Wheels car show.

Volunteer Opportunities Communities in Schools at Fannin Elementary School needs volunteers for one to two hours at 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Volunteers will give extra help to students in an after school tutoring class. Come by the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center downstairs in the Campus Center for more information.

Meals on Wheels is always looking for volunteers to deliver meals to some of the homebound members of the community. The commitment is once a week. Volunteers will pick up the meals from the Meals on Wheels building and deliver them to people around Abilene. It takes one hour each week. Call Mitzi

McAndrew at 672-5050 to volunteer. Remember that this project is approved as a Faith in Action Chapel exemption project.

Noah Project, a center for victims of family violence, needs volunteers to answer its hotline from 6-10 p.m. Training will be provided, and after completing training, volunteers can sign up for time slots. Volunteers can sign up as often as needed.

The Grace Museum is always in need of volunteers. Volunteers play a vital role in the daily operation of the museum. The minute visitors walk through the door, the experience in the museum relies on capable and trained

volunteers. For more information about volunteer opportunities at The Grace Museum, call 673-4587.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is always looking for college students to be matched with a “little brother” or “little sister.”

“Bigs” can eat lunch with “littles” once a week for 30 minutes at the child’s school for the Lunch Buddies program, or arrange activities with the child through Wildcat Kids or the CommunityBased program. For more information, contact Jamie Bearden from Big Brothers Big Sisters at 677-7839.

day from noon to 4 p.m. Volunteers will help with general labor at the facility. Contact Joy Harsh at 6766487 for more information.

The Abilene Public Library needs strong volunteers to transport boxes of books from the library to a storage facility.

Find out volunteer opportunities by visiting the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center’s Web site at www.acu.edu/vslc and clicking on Volunteer Opportunities. For more information or to sign up to help, contact the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout.

The Abilene Public Zoo is looking for volunteers Monday though Fri-

Announcements Green Tip: Try tray-less dining at the Bean. Opting not to grab a tray means fewer dishes to wash, which uses less water and energy.

Find a pdf download with more information at ACU Green Web site: www.acu.edu/green.

Spring Break Campaigns have groups going to California, Canada, Oregon, Washington D.C., Colorado and many more.

Find out more about Spring Break Campaigns online at www.acusbc.

org or stop by McKinzie Hall, Room 127.

A marriage retreat will kick off “Healthy Relationships Week” on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and last until Saturday at 2 p.m. The retreat will take place at the MCM Elegante Suite and will feature guest speakers and married couple, Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley. The weekend will provide young married couples with the opportunity to grow, learn and develop a healthy marriage.

Healthy Relationships Week will take place Monday through Wednesday. Students will have the opportunity to learn how to cultivate and maintain the relationships in their lives through activities such as devotionals, residence hall meetings and displays in the Campus Center.

For more information contact Paula Smith at 674-2626, or paula. smith@acu.edu Summer 2009 registration dates have been changed to Feb. 25. All classifications will begin registering for classes at 3 p.m.

The advising release codes will be the same ones used for spring registration. Talk to your adviser for more information or go to the

To ensure that an item will appear on time, the announcement should be sent at least 10 days before. The Optimist may edit items for space and style.

Corrections and clarifications of published news articles will be printed in this space in a timely manner.

ACU Police Tip of the Week

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Sunday

About This Page

The Optimist maintains this calendar for the ACU community to keep track of local social, academic and service opportunities.

Groups may send announcements directly to jmcnetwork@acu.edu or to the Page 2 Editor at sar06g@acu.edu.

Registrar’s Web site: http://www. acu.edu/campusoffices/registrar/ schedulebulletin/index.html.

Pass/fail and credit/no-credit requests must be submitted to the Registrar’s office by Friday. Students must complete a petition to take an EXSC or University Seminar class pass/fail, or complete a request to take a class for credit/no-credit.

A Chapel forum on Monday from 2-3 p.m. in Cullen Auditorium and an online survey will provide students with the opportunity to earn four Chapel credits. Details regarding the survey will be given in Chapel on Monday.

Begin the New Year safely by always locking resdient halls and never propping open exterior doors.

Police Log Monday, Jan. 12 1:30 p.m. ACU police issued parking violations in the McKinzie Hall parking lot.

5:45 p.m. Someone reported a vehicle accident between the Gardner and Sikes hall parking lots.

6:45 p.m. Abilene police responded to a fire alarm at Zellner Hall but found no evidence of a fire.

10:50 p.m. Someone reported a suspicious vehicle in the Sherrod Hall parking lot, where ACU police found two students. The students were OK.

Tuesday, Jan. 13 8 a.m. A burglar alarm sounded at Computer Services. and an employee was quickly on the scene.

8:49 a.m. ACU police released students stuck in the Brown Library elevator.

9:45 a.m. ACU police assisted Abilene police with a burglar alarm on Judge Ely Boulevard.

11:20 a.m. Someone reported a lost billfold in the Brown library.

12:13 p.m. ACU police attempted to find a female, non-student who was threatening suicide, but they could not locate her.

1:40 p.m. Someone reported a suspicious vehicle in the Sherrod parking lot, but the vehicle was gone when the ACU police arrived.

9:09 p.m. ACU police responded to a disturbance on Westheimer Street between a father and daughter, but the father was gone upon arrival.

Wednesday, Jan. 14 1:30 a.m. ACU police assisted Abilene police with an intoxicated driver at McDonalds on Judge Ely Boulevard.

9 a.m. ACU police assisted Abilene police with an attempted burglary on Madison Street.

6:44 p.m. Someone reported a disturbance on Washington Boulevard, but no one

answered the door when the ACU police arrived.

10:25 p.m. ACU police issued a parking violation in the Biblical Studies Building parking lot.

Thursday, Jan. 15 4:17 p.m. ACU police were called to jumpstart a vehicle at University Park Apartments.

8:36 p.m. ACU police contacted suspicious subjects near the McKinzie Hall parking lot, but they were juveniles waiting on their father.

Friday Jan. 16 12:09 a.m. Someone reported a theft at Wal-Mart.

4:10 p.m. ACU police located a suspicious subject leaving the Campus Center and later identified him.

Saturday Jan. 17 11:03 a.m. Someone reported a suspicious subject at the maintenance building, and ACU police contacted subjects who were hunting rabbits for their hawks.

4:30 p.m. ACU police directed traffic after a vehicle accident at Ambler Avenue and Judge Ely Boulevard.

9:35 p.m. Someone reported criminal mischief at the Barret Hall parking lot.

Sunday Jan. 18 1:07 p.m. Someone reported a water leak at Jacob’s Dream. Maintenance was contacted, and the water supply was cut off.

1:42 p.m. An alarm sounded at the Foster Science Building, but ACU police were unable to reset it.

Always report suspicious activity to ACUPD at 674-2305 or 674-2911.

Chapel Checkup Credited Chapels to date:

09

Credited Chapels remaining:

64

CAMPUS NEWS

Friday, January 23, 2009

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Africa’s water situation sparks interest among students

By Laura Acuff Opinion Page Editor

Lack of access to clean drinking water causes 5 million deaths each year worldwide, according to the Wishing Well Web site at www.wishingwellafrica. com, and some African women spend more than six hours a day walking to water sources, which may be dirty or parasite-infested.

With conditions so dire a world away, junior sociology major Ben Fulfer of Cordova, Tenn., and junior accounting major Stephen Powell from Abilene knew they could not comfortably sit by at ACU. Last semester, the students

approached associate professor of Bible Dr. Curt Niccum, who prior to working at ACU, had sponsored an organization called Wishing Well at Oklahoma Christian University. The boys knew of the organization’s goal to fund water wells in Africa and, with the help of Niccum as sponsor, wanted to start an ACU chapter Wishing Well.

“We just looked at each other and said, ‘We need to do this here,’ because we wanted to change the face of ACU’s campus to make it an action-oriented campus, to do something tangible,” Fulfer said.

Now, the organization has

a Facebook group, conducts a small group Chapel on Thursdays and hopes to add $3,000 more to the $1,000 already collected to build a well in Africa.

Niccum said while other campus-based social justice organizations engage in philanthropic activities, the single-minded goal and fundraising strategies of the ACU chapter Wishing Well separate it from other campus social justice organizations.

Devoted totally to raising money to construct water wells in Africa, Wishing Well strives to utilize student ability to earn money. Past fundraisers have included musical shows by local talent

Important Issues

and the sale of crafts and art

by ACU students. So far, 100 percent of raised proceeds support the goal of well construction, Niccum said, although he hopes eventually the group will attract bigname performers like Derek Webb and Caedman’s Call, in which case, some profits might cover costs.

“I think that’s what makes this a very, very special type of program,” Niccum said. “We are purposefully getting people who typically haven’t had the opportunity to contribute using their talents. This is very much of, but it’s not limited to the artistic realm.

That has been what has been very powerful because artistic

Student Reporter

Jozie Sands :: staff photographer Chelsea Reitz, sophomore psychology major from Houston, talks with Sheilah Maness and Bobbie Nichols about the Noah Project, which is a center for victims of family abuse.

SA passes new amendment Chief Copy Editor

Members of the Students’ Association Congress began the semester by closing their meeting to the public so they could discuss and vote on an elections amendment to the ByLaws. This amendment, which passed 34-1-1, will keep the Elections Committee accountable to Congress.

For an executive officers election, where the president, vice president and treasurer are elected by the student body, the Elections Committee will now need to present the Elections Rules and Procedures to Congress at least four weeks before the beginning of elections, and if the Committee issues an elections violation to any candidate during the elections, the candidate can request that Congress review the violation to ensure the Elections Committee followed the rules and procedures.

Caleb Archer, parliamentarian of SA Congress, said the meeting was closed because of the sensitive issues that needed to be discussed.

“We were talking about elections, and we wanted people to honestly share their experiences,” said Daniel Paul Watkins, president of SA Congress.

Usually a meeting is re-

opened to the public after the debate of a bill, but this amendment was presented in a unique way.

Congress discussed the history of the bill and personal experiences before presenting and voting on the bill.

Archer said this helped new members of Congress understand the situation.

“Elections have been a tricky process in the past, and we wanted to make things more accountable,” he said. “This puts a system in place for the Elections Committee.”

Watkins said the bill would help to minimize many problems with elections.

“It’s such an emotionally heated event that everyone has a bone to pick about it,” he said.

This year’s Congress has presented bills concerning the Elections Committee in the past, but this amendment is the first to pass.

Besides the amendment, Congress also appointed three new members: Tony Godfrey for sophomore senator, Stacey Klinge for Barret Hall representative and Melanie Wheeler for Morris Hall representative. The vote passed 36-0-0.

Of the three, Godfrey was the only person present at the meeting, but all three have

to be continuing the ministry of Jesus, and Jesus was certainly focused on social justice. The mission was to spread the kingdom of God here and now.

The question is how many children must die while we wait for the governments to act while American Christians are so wealthy and can help solve the problem right now.“ Students interested in contributing to or helping with ACU’s chapter of Wishing Well may attend the Thursday chapel in Biblical Studies Building Room 112 or contact Fulfer or Stephens. The chapter’s Facebook group is called “Wishing Well @ ACU.” E-mail Acuff at: lka06a@acu.edu

Trojans solidify social club status with Sing Song act

By Katie Gager

By Kelline Linton

expressions provide sort of a catalyst for change in very expressive ways.”

Although government funding already is diverted to African countries for AIDS relief, Niccum said the need for clean water presents another deserving cause.

With some African governments facing lack of means and others corruption, many find well construction an unreachable goal without aid. But in addition to practical reasons for global philanthropy, Niccum said he views the work as a moral obligation.

“Of course, I take it from a Biblical perspective,” Niccum said. “I believe we’re supposed

been members of Congress in the past.

“A filled seat is better than an empty seat,” Godfrey said.

Before voting on bills and appointments, Congress met with Dr. Bill Rankin, associate professor of English and director of ACU’s iPhone educational research team about the iPhone Initiative and discussed forming a committee or forum to present student ideas and feedback.

“We don’t want to continue without significant student input,” Rankin said.

“We want to address issues with the iPhones.”

Some concerns Rankin presented included possible cheating with iPhones, limited use of iPhones in the classrooms and the impact of iPhones in residence halls.

“We are looking for direction,” he said. “This is year one; it’s going to take a while to get this rolling, but I’m hoping by next year we see a lot more stuff.”

SA Congress’ next event is the congress retreat on Saturday at University Church of Christ.

Attendees will discuss big ideas for the semester, including a possible humanitarian event or the funding of drinking fountains along Lunsford Trail.

E-mail Linton at: krl04b@acu.edu

One club will enjoy Sing Song this year without the pressure of competition.

Men’s social club Trojans will be performing in Sing Song, but will not be part of the club competition.

“Even though we can’t win doesn’t mean we can’t be the best and get people talking about us,” said Trojan Sing Song director Mike Miles, senior Christian ministry major from Ann Harbor, Mich.

Tom Craig, director of Student Productions, said the club was not an active club during the initial Sing Song registration in November and originally not set to perform in this year’s Sing Song. However, when men’s social club Pi Kappa was required to drop out because

of a failure to meet the minimum on stage requirements, Trojans was provided a spot to join the show as an “exhibition act.”

“Everyone is so stressed about winning and out-doing other clubs,” said Trojan secretary Adam Tate, sophomore biochemistry major from Abilene. “That’s not what we’re about, and I hope people see that.”

Trojans members worked during the fall semester at re-chartering the club, and the club officially became active on campus this semester. Re-chartering the club was “an experience,” Tate said.

“Everyone says, ‘You didn’t have to pledge’ and I say, well you didn’t have to re-charter,” he said.

Each member of the club worked together from rewriting the club’s more

than 50-year-old constitution to setting goals for the clubs future on campus.

“It’s still a big question on campus of whether we are a club or not,” said Jeff Morris, sophomore biochemistry major from Richmond. “This gives us an opportunity to show people that we are back and we will be a viable club for pledging in the fall.”

Trojans has 38 active members on campus with six studying abroad for a total of 44 total members. All members on campus will be participating in some way in this year’s act.

“Our hope is to perform well and to do our best,” Tate said. “We just want to have fun and show everyone it is possible.”

E-mail Gager at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

CAMPUS NEWS

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Friday, January 23, 2009

Week builds, sustains healthy relationships Bush: Former leader

By Kimberly Wolford Student Reporter

The ACU Counseling Center, Peer Health Education and the Department of Sociology and Family Studies will collaborate to present “Sacred Relationships Week” Saturday through Wednesday.

The week will begin Saturday with a marriage retreat.

Steve Eller, a counselor with the Counseling Center, said registration for the retreat is already closed. Unfortunately, all available spots were filled before most of the campus heard about the retreat, Eller said. Dr. Greg Smalley, will be the guest speaker, and 32 married couples from the ACU community will participate in the retreat.

Smalley is the director of marriage ministries for the Center of Relationship

Enrichment and an assistant professor of marriage and family studies at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Ark. Smalley will speak during Chapel in Moody Coliseum Monday. He will also speak at a Chapel forum titled “Growing Healthy Relationships,” from 2-3:00 p.m. Those attending the forum will earn three Chapel credits, Eller said.

The Counseling Center, Peer Health Education and the Department of Sociology and Family Studies will present a relationships fair Wednesday in the Campus Center.

Naomi Mandel, a counselor with the Counseling Center and peer health coordinator, said eight students are helping with the relationships fair.

“We realize that talking about relationships doesn’t do much to help relationships,”

Mandel said. “We are making it possible for you to practically connect with someone else.”

During the relationships fair, members of Peer Health Education will be handing out coffee mugs with the verse I John 3:18 inscribed on them: “Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”

Students will receive two mugs each when they visit Peer Health Education’s booth, Mandel said.

“The point is to do it like ‘The Big Give,” she said.

Students are expected to keep a mug for themselves and give one to a friend or someone they wish to grow closer with.

Each mug will have a tea bag or hot cocoa mix inside. They also will have cards with tips on how to “massage your heart” and foster relationships. Cards with questions to develop

new friendships or grow old friendships will be provided at the fair.

“This way, you have everything you need to go out and just hang out with other people,” Mandel said.

Eller said the Department of Sociology and Family Studies and the Counseling Center will have booths set up during the fair.

More activities during Sacred Relationships Week will be announced as plans are finalized, Eller said. The main point of the week is to spend more time focusing on relationships, she said.

“I think it is important for us to take these opportunities, even if they are brief, to take advantage of the things we let slip,” Eller said.

E-mail Wolford at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Food Network awards ACU alumnus $10,000

By Sondra Rodriguez Page 2 Editor

ACU may not offer a degree in the culinary arts, but Jan. 14, alumnus Sandy Davis made history on the Food Network as the first contestant to win the network’s cooking challenge Chopped.

Chopped is a weekly series that challenges four chefs to create a threecourse meal using ordinary ingredients.

Each chef presents his or her course to a panel of elite judges, then based on creativity, taste and presentation of the food, the judges decide who deserves to stay another week and who will be “chopped.”

Davis was the first contestant to win the $10,000 prize by whipping up a dessert from animal crackers, prunes and creamed cheese.

Davis graduated from ACU with a degree in English in 1977 and returned to earn a master’s degree in Organizational and Human Resource Development.

He told the Food Network in an online contestant interview he currently is a 54-year-old chef at the Union Theological Seminary in New York, Cwity.

“We run the kitchen there and do catering for everyone from Liza Manelli to Barack Obama,” he said. “Praise the Lord and pass the biscuits.”

He described his culinary style as: “Texas-French, which I’m not even sure is a category.”

Davis told the Food Network he never went to culinary school but moved to New York City to become a chef.

“I moved to New York with a one-way ticket and my last unemployment check,” he said. “I have 30 years of experience and I

know some tricks they ain’t seen before.”

His confidence and unique culinary creations carried him to the final round against 21year-old pastry chef from New York City, Katie Rosenhouse.

“Whatever you give me in that basket, I’ll come up with something fun and win everybody over,” he told the Food Network.

And that he did.

The show began as each of the contestants opened the box of ingredients for the appetizers. These included a baby octopus, bok choy, oyster sauce and smoked paprika.

According to Jordana Rothman of TimeOut New York, an online culinary review, the judges were not pleased with any of the appetizers and after they told one of the contestants “you’ve been chopped,” the remaining contestants moved

on to the entrée.

Ingredients for the entrée included duck breast, ginger, scallions and honey.

“Davis’ bird wasn’t fully cooked, but his saving grace was potatoes fried in duck fat,” Rothman said.

After another contestant was eliminated, Davis and Rosenhouse faced the dessert challenge.

Rothman said Davis made animal cracker soup with a dollop of cream cheese frosting, and Rosenhouse made cream cheese quenelles, dumplingshaped hors d’oeuvres made with fish and egg whites.

The judges critique said that Rosenhouse’s dish was “overpowered with cheese,” Rothman said. “And that’s how Sandy Davis became the first winner of Chopped.

E-mail Rodriguez at: sar06g@acu.edu

makes stop in Waco Continued from page 1 Air Mission 28000 (formerly Air Force One) made its way to the airfield.

“Everybody was friendly,” Stephen said. “I’d say the mood of the crowd was very upbeat, very positive.”

The Orrs arrived at the airfield at 5 p.m., went through security and mingled with other supporters at a party in an airplane hangar, while several country bands played songs and guest speakers, including Baylor University quarterback Robert Griffin, gave speeches. At around 6:30 p.m., people began to board buses that transported the crowd to the tarmac. Although not everyone in the crowd was a staunch Bush supporter, spirits were still high Tuesday night, Pattie said.

“It was a very happy day for Obama supporters, but I think it was also a day of gratitude for President Bush,” she said. “It’s a huge sacrifice to serve our country. I thought it was great that as neighbors we were there to welcome him home, and I sure would want someone to welcome me home if I had served eight years.”

After almost an hour and a half of waiting, Bush’s airplane landed as many people in the crowd waved red, white and blue cardboard “W”s and small American flags. Bush, along with former first lady Laura and daughters Jenna and Barbara, then exited the plane and greeted the crowd.

“It is a great day because we got to come home once and for all,” Bush said during

a brief speech, according to an Associated Press story.

Bush only stayed for about 30 minutes to deliver his speech and shake supporters’ hands before boarding a helicopter, which flew him to Crawford. While she is grateful for what Bush did during his two terms in office, now is the time to support President Barack Obama, Pattie said.

“As Christians, we need to support whoever God has put in power and pray for them,” she said. “I think having such difficult times right now is a reason why that Americans are rallying around in a good way to support [Obama]. I took that message out of what I saw on TV and what Bush said.”

Obama most likely will see a job approval rating that exceeds 50 percent after his first week in office, according to a Gallup poll article. And according to a Jan. 14 Gallup poll report, George W. Bush’s final job approval rating came in at 34 percent. Since 1952, only Richard Nixon (24 percent) and Harry Truman (32 percent) have left the presidency with lower job approval ratings. Jimmy Carter left office with the same rating as Bush.

“People can emphasize whatever they want out of any historical period,” Stephen said. “But to me, the job is more important than the person. I’m of the opinion that it is probably the hardest job in the world. I know I would not want it, and I believe that Scripture calls for us to pray for our leaders.”

E-mail Freeman at: mxf04b@acu.edu

ArtsFriday

January 23, 2008

Oscar nominations The results are in. Here's a recap of who and what got nods.

(Editor’s picks are in bold)

Student band gives life, energy to dying genre

By Lydia Melby

Best Motion Picture:

Arts Editor

n “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)

Are you looking for something fresh and a little different to listen to? Tired of the same old indie-rock metaphysical self-pity that’s so popular in live music today?

Want to check out a show just to enjoy the music without feeling out of place wearing something besides skinny jeans and a beret? Well, look no further than ACU’s campus, because Swing The Lead is shaking things up on the local live music scene.

Swing the Lead, a self-styled pop/punk band comprised of four ACU students, with leadsinger Stephen Munoz, lead guitarist Zak Zeinert, bass player Matt Tate and drummer Andy Munoz, made its explosive debut last year at Jamfest 2008. With its energetic sound and tense, swaggering lyrics, the band brings something unique and new to what has become a drifting genre.

Swing the Lead will play a five-song, all-original set Saturday at The Door venue in Dallas as the final for a state Battle of the Bands competition sponsored by The Door clubs. Swing the Lead competed in one of four qualifying rounds last November, and is one of eight bands chosen to advance to the final round. Winners of the Battle of the Band receive a prize of $1,000, various pieces of musical equipment and even studio time with The Doors own recording studio.

Although the band is generally considered to be a sort

n ”Frost/Nixon” (Universal) n “Milk” (Focus Features) n “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company) n “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight) Best Actor: n Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor” (Overture Films) n Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon” (Universal) n Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features) n Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.) n Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight) Best Actress: n Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married” (Sony Picture Classics) n Angelina Jolie in “Changeling” (Universal) n Melissa Leo in “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics) n Meryl Streep in “Doubt” (Miramax) n Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company) Best Supporting Actor: n Josh Brolin in “Milk” (Focus Features) n Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder” (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/ Paramount) n Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” (Miramax) n Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.) n Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage) Best Supporting Actress:

Student Writer

n Amy Adams in “Doubt” (Miramax)

Brian Regan has performed comedy for the past 25 years or as he likes to put it: “since President Taft was in office.”

The comedian, who has made appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman, will perform at 8 p.m. Friday at the Abilene Civic Center.

Regan said his favorite thing about performing is connecting with the audience.

“When you are on stage and people are laughing, it is an honest, electrical connection,” Regan said. “It feels good to make people laugh.”

Regan’s Web site, www.brianregan.com, said his jokes find the comedy in real-life situations and are presented in a cleaner way than other popular comedians.

“I don’t make that choice for any reason other than I enjoy the challenge comedically,” Regan said. “I like to get on stage, and for me, it is kind of fun to see how hard I can get people laughing without hitting certain buzz words.”

Regan said his goal for Friday is to enhance his older, established material with

n Viola Davis in “Doubt” (Miramax) n Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.) n Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight) Best Director: n David Fincher for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.) n Ron Howard for “Frost/Nixon” (Universal) n Gus Van Sant for “Milk” (Focus Features) n Stephen Daldry for “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company) n Danny Boyle for “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight) Best Animated Film: n ”Bolt” (Walt Disney) n “Kung Fu Panda” (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount) n “WALL-E” (Walt Disney) Best Original Score: n Alexandre Desplat for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.) n James Newton Howard for “Defiance” (Paramount Vantage) n Danny Elfman for “Milk” (Focus Features) n A.R. Rahman for “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight) n Thomas Newman for “WALL-E” (Walt Disney)

Photo courtesy of Adam Eaton

From Left: Matt Tate, Andy Munoz, Stephen Munoz and Zak Zeinert perform live at Cobb Park activity building on Dec. 12, 2008. of pop music and punk rock cross, the members don’t try to identify with a specific genre.

“I guess pop/punk would be the genre we’re closest to, but we really just play music we enjoy playing,” said Matt Tate, junior graphic design major from Arlington, who also provides secondary vocals. “When we’re writing songs, we don’t try to go for any genre, we just write stuff we like and want to play.

We just kind of blend in all of our own musical influences and do what we want.”

Stephen Munoz agreed and said, “We’re trying to do something kind of different.

We aren’t super, super poppy, but we also aren’t grungy and hard-core either.”

Swing the Lead’s style is reminiscent of the earlier days

Popular comedian to visit Abilene

By Linda Bailey

n Penélope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (The Weinstein Company)

Page 5

new comedy. He said he enjoys seeing if people will laugh at something new.

“One of my favorite compliments after the show is when people say, ‘Hey, man, we are big fans, and half of that stuff we saw tonight we have never seen before,’” Regan said. “I’m sure people will see some stuff from what I’ve done on TV, but they will see a lot of stuff that they have never seen as well.”

As part of his tour, Regan said he will perform in approximately 100 different cities within the year.

“A band goes out for four months to promote a CD or something like that. A comedian goes out in the mid ’80s and never comes home,” Regan said. “For comedians, you are just always out there working, writing stuff and hopefully growing as a comedian.”

Emily Kopp, director of marketing for Live Nation Dallas, booked Regan’s show in Abilene. She said ticket sales have been high throughout the tour, and tickets still are available for Friday’s show.

Tickets are available at the Civic Center Box Office.

E-mail Bailey at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

of bands like Blink 182, Brand New, Relient K and Taking Back Sunday, but as a whole, its breed of performance is something that hasn’t been available on the local musical scene for a while.

“Each of us [band members] have similar style and musical tastes, but we also each bring something different to the table,” Munoz said. “You know, there’s a lot of indie bands out there right now, and a lot of hard-core bands and even a lot of Christian worship bands, but there aren’t a lot of punk rock bands right now, especially at ACU… and I feel like we’ve gotten a pretty good response so far.”

Fan attendance is always a vital factor for success in any kind of musical competi-

tion. Although Swing the Lead, which started at the end of May 2008, was a new enough band that it wasn’t able to bring the number of supporters it hoped for last November in the qualifying round, it still was able to sway the audience and the judges to its favor, over more established bands.

“We couldn’t get that many people to come, but the judges said we outplayed one of the other bands that had brought more fans, so they let us advance instead,” Tate said. “That was pretty cool to hear.”

Since then, the band’s fan base has only grown.

“We’ve gotten a really good turnout at our shows; sometimes we’ve had kids coming up onstage and sing with us,” Munoz said. “We’ve gotten

some pretty good feedback from the fans. They connect with our music and seem to like it. They’re pretty cool kids, and we like hanging out with them too.”

As for the prospective turnout Saturday, Munoz said he was hoping for at least 30 people.

“More would be awesome, like 50 or 60,” Munoz said, “but 30 would at least put us in the running.”

For more information about Swing the Lead’s performance Saturday or to check out what all the fuss is about, visit the band’s MySpace page at www.myspace. com/swingtheleadmusic.

E-mail Melby at: lgm05e@acu.edu

ViewsFriday

Page 6

January 23, 2009

Attempt to quell incessant Chapel noise could prove successful

D

uring the first few days of Chapel, Dr. Jean-Noel Thompson, dean of Student Life, made an unexpected announcement: this semester, Chapel meetings could be worth two credits each.

Students present for the announcement reacted in various fashions, including isolated applause, gasps and laughter.

Thompson immediately answered the question on everyone’s mind: what determines whether students receive one or two credits?

The answer, in a few words: mind your manners and keep your mouth shut (except when singing, of course).

Staff members of the Student Life office will attend Chapel and give Thompson

“

Alexander Pope warned against the dangers of over-analysis, but this new tactic reveals something about both the student body and the administration.

the day’s conduct report. He will then decide whether or not to give an extra credit.

Alexander Pope warned against the dangers of overanalysis, but this new tactic reveals something about both the student body and the administration.

Administrators have bent over backward to appease the incessant grumbling against Chapel, yet the sentiment of dissatisfaction never seems to lose its momentum. Throughout the

”

Fall 2008 semester, ACU required its students to earn 55 of 110 possible credits.

Campus conversations materialized in an attempt to make Chapel more relevant and personal for students.

Yet after all this, some students still can’t bear to endure 30 minutes of Moody Chapel for several days a week. Far too often Mark Lewis has to stand at the podium in silence and wait for students to wrap-up their conversations.

Regardless

of the main speaker’s prestige or vibrancy, a low murmur rumbles continuously throughout the lesson. One might think an audience of people largely considered adults could remain quiet for a mere 30 minutes a day.

The office of Student Life understandably is stretched for ideas. Its most recent idea, however, shows promise.

Childish behavior merits parental-style discipline; so it is no surprise Student Life has offered the incentive of less Chapel attendance to the disruptive. On the surface, the offer might appear to acknowledge some kind of insufficiency in Chapel content.

But if concerned parties take the bait, it could result in a much more enjoyable Chapel experience: those who want

The issue:

Student Life will award extra Chapel credits when students conduct themselves respectfully during Chapel.

Our view:

While ideally unnecessary, extra credits offer incentive for good behavior and allow an early escape for and from those less inclined to behave.

The solution:

Students should show their appreciation to Student Life and take advantage of opportunities by being quiet.

out will control themselves and obtain their minimum credits earlier in the semester. More Chapels will be left for those who desire a distraction-free environment.

And who knows. If those who typically ignore what’s going on in Chapel stop talk-

ing for a moment, they might discover something worth their attention.

E-mail the Optimist at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Frenzied supporters harmful to presidency Have you purchased your Barack Obama Commemorative Collectors’ plate yet?

How about the Obama Commemorative coin, or the “Obama Time” mantle clock, the Self Obama HoliExamination day fleece or

By Ryan Self even the Barack Obama collector’s edition bottled water (can be called either H2Obama or Baraqua). Although I will admit I was tempted by the idea of being able to eat off the face of our new president emblazoned on an 8-inch white porcelain plate and encircled with genuine 22 karat gold, it seemed over the top.

Actually, the entire Obama frenzy seems over the top.

One Obama fan, who had been hanging around Obama’s hotel, told a Washington Post reporter that, “just to be in the same building, to be breathing the same air. It’s amazing.” The same sentiment has been flowing through millions of Americans nationwide and has only grown since Obama’s acceptance speech in Chicago before more than 250,000 supporters.

Obama is an impressive political figure. Although there exists a tremendous historical significance in being the first African American to be elected president, Obama also has been able to capitalize on the negative feelings towards Bush, the crumbling state of the economy under a Republican administration and his own rhetorical ability to speak to the hearts and minds of Americans.

However, Barack Obama will not be walking on water across the Potomac River. He is a human being, an impressive, well-educated, immensely capable human being. No man can be expected to completely fulfill all the duties required of the office of president to the full satisfaction of all parties and groups.

President Obama has a lot on his plate (the metaphorical one, not the limited edition collector’s plate for $29.99). Obama will first and foremost be expected

Basketball fan base lacks appropriate school spirit Feel free to disagree, but at times our school spirit is somewhat like the Titanic.

At times it seems indestructible, but eventually it ends up sinking.

Nothing but pure envy and awe flooded my basketball spirit after watching Kansas University put on a solid show against a People Say I talented Talk Too Much Texas A&M team MonBy Tanner day night.

Anderson Both teams had almost identical records, with the Aggies at 15-4 and the Jayhawks close behind with 14-4. Although the defending national champions are unranked this season, the magnitude and ferocity of the Kansas fans were as strong as they were during the final of the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

I compared this game to my recent fan experience, when ACU battled Eastern New Mexico, defeating its opponents 68-58. Only a handful of fans seemed to be present at that game; and after watching the Jayhawks and Aggies battle it out, I was overcome by a wave of jealousy for the fans that reside in Lawrence, Kan. This yearning didn’t stem

“

After seeing for myself this fun fact, I just have to ask our fellow sports fans, where’s the love?

from wanting a better team; it came from wanting a more supportive fan base.

For two 20-minute halves, the Kansas University fans flooded the gym and from wall to wall reverberated the stands with endless cheers, chants and jeers.

It’s during the football season when our school spirit seems the largest, and to be honest that’s when going to athletic games is the most exciting.

You pick your designated section, and from the opening kick off until the very last down, students scream and cheer so loudly that their throats are sore.

And why shouldn’t they?

Having school spirit and pride in your team is fun.

So why aren’t students taking advantage of these opportunities after the football season is over to root for our basketball team?

This year, the Wildcat Men’s basketball team is on the bubble of being a playoff contender.

With a record of 7-8 and 11 games left in the regular season, ACU students have a chance to support and

Editorial and letter policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Optimist and may not necessarily reflect the views of the university or its administration.

Signed columns, cartoons and letters are the opinions of their creators and may not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Optimist or the university.

The Optimist encourages reader response through letters to the editor but reserves the right to limit frequent contributors or to refuse to print letters containing personal attacks, obscenity, defamation, erroneous

information or invasion of privacy.

Please limit letters to 350 words or fewer. A name and phone number must be included for verification purposes.

Phone numbers will not be published.

Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79699 E-mail letters to: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

”

positively affect the last five home games in Moody Coliseum.

Moody can hold a capacity of 4,600 people, and according to attendance

acuoptimist.com

records, each basketball game is only attracting an average of 420 fans, and that includes the moms and pops who drove from different ends of the earth to see their sons play in Abilene, opposed to the 8,796 fans who witnessed another amazing football season.

After seeing for myself this fun fact, I just have to ask our fellow sports fans, where’s the love?

This Saturday at 4 p.m. our team will be playing Angelo State at home.

Let’s at least have more fans for the home team than Angelo State.

Log online to hear Anderson podcast his column.

E-mail Anderson at: tsa04a@acu.edu

Letter to the Editor Obama endorsement brings welcome national change Editor: I want to congratulate you and your staff for the “guts” you had last fall in endorsing Barack Obama for President. You did the right thing in my opinion.

The people in Abilene and Brown County areas need to change their attitudes, and

maybe this will help.

I am so excited about the new Obama administration and the Democrats that control Congress. Texas needs to do the same thing as the nation has done!

A.J. Dickenson ACU class of ‘67 Brownwood

Optimist the

Published by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

Newsroom: (325) 674-2439

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acuoptimist.com Log online to hear Self podcast his column.

to wrangle in the struggling economy, employ a new vision for Afghanistan and Iraq while trying to stifle Iran’s nuclear ambitions and somehow find time to implement healthcare reform.

What has brought Obama from humble Illinois state senator to president of the United States of America

“

...Barack Obama will not be walking on water across the Potomac River.

”

in only four years was his charismatic ability to connect with people. Obama has been able to tap people’s emotions and churn them into a passionate following. It is this passion, in his speeches and in his supporters, that has brought him where he is today.

Passion is a powerful thing. It is the defining element that allows people to fight for what they truly believe, but sheer blind passion is as dangerous as it is powerful. Passion must be coupled with logic and discernment in order to bring about positive change. There is passion on both sides of the aisle: those who are ready to point out Obama’s every shortcoming and those who will be unwilling to accept that this man has shortcomings at all.

We, however, must be able to look at Obama objectively. If he is able to turn this economy around and lead our nation to prosperity, then he deserves immense credit. If he fails to deliver on his many campaign promises, we should hold him accountable. What he does in the next four years will decide whether his place in history will be more than just a charismatic face on a commemorative plate.

E-mail Self at: rcs06g@acu.edu

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FROM THE FRONT

Friday, January 23, 2008

Page 7

Obama: Students celebrate, pray for new president Continued from page 1 and the nation, the ACU community of students, faculty, staff and alumni witnessed history in person, on television and on the Web Tuesday as Obama launched the beginning of his four-year term as the Chief Executive of the land.

On the Scene Alumnus Matt Worthington (‘08) was in a “sea of people” in D.C. when Obama declared in his inaugural address that the challenges our nation faced, “are serious and they are many.

They will not be met easily or in a short span of time.

But know this, America — they will be met.”

Worthington requested a ticket from Rep. Randy Neugebauer’s office and flew to D.C. on Saturday to join the inaugural festivities. He left the friends’ apartment where he was staying for the D.C. mall area at 4 a.m., squeezed through bodies of strangers at the Metro station and slowly found a spot with a clear view of a giant screen projecting the inauguration unfolding more than 300 yards away.

“I couldn’t lift my arms above my head the majority of the time,” Worthington said. “It’s like a claustrophobic’s nightmare, a night terror for someone who is claustrophobic.”

Surrounded by strangers of all imaginable backgrounds and squinting to see Obama yards away on the Capitol steps, Worthington said he witnessed the president lay out his vision for America and declare the change, devotion and work that was needed to return to the greatness of years past; he was moved

to tears when Obama declared the necessary devotion needed to the poor.

“I can count on my fingers the times I have legitimately cried in the past 10 years,” Worthington said. “I like how he focused on the fact that if we’re going to be great again, if we’re going to take the reins of greatness, part of our pursuit must be making others great too.”

Time for Prayer In Moody Coliseum, instead of the usual Chapel hymns, the Tuesday morning crowd of ACU students walking into the basketball stadium was greeted by live footage of the presidential inauguration projected on two large screens.

While Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) called the inauguration to order, hundreds of students, faculty and staff filed into seats throughout the stadium. Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, asked the students in Moody to stand as Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) was sworn in as the 47th Vice President of the United States.

Students returned to their seats with their eyes on the screens, fiddled with their cell phones or chatted amongst each other until 11:05 a.m., when they rose to their feet when Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts administered the presidential oath of office to Obama.

“I think for the most part the atmosphere in Chapel was very respectful,” said Charles Rotenberry, freshman exercise science major from Abilene.

When Obama removed his hand from the same Bible Abraham Lincoln used at his inauguration in 1861,

“

I can’t help but feel an overwhelming excitement for the next four years. :: Jordan Steger, senior political science major from Rockwall

Moody Coliseum erupted in cheers and applause, and eventually, prayer.

Mark Lewis, assistant dean for Spiritual Life and Chapel Programs, brought students’ attention to the front stage where Dr. Edward Robinson, assistant professor of history and Biblical studies; Jonathan Camp, assistant professor of communication, and Money each said an individual prayer for the nation and its newly elected officials.

“Dear Lord, we pray the richest blessings on our nation at this special time in our history,” Robinson said.

“Please, dear Lord, even with our new president, our new administration, grant our officials your wisdom and your power to make our world a better place.”

Future Hopes Students Jordan Steger and Kim Tan sat next to each other while watching the inauguration along with a throng of students spread out across the floor of the political science department’s offices in the Administration Building.

Although Steger, senior political science major from Rockwall, and Tan, senior political science major from Tinton Falls, N.J., voted differently on Election Day, they both revered Obama’s powerful words and promise of change. Steger voted for the president’s Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain, but he said Obama’s

”

preparation for the job before taking office and his powerful words Tuesday urging all U.S. citizens to join together in rebuilding the nation earned the president his support.

“I can’t help but feel an overwhelming excitement for the next four years,” Steger said. “I voted on experience, but I know that he is qualified now.”

Tan pinned an Obama/ Biden campaign button to her green sweater to commemorate the day, but although she has been a longtime supporter of the new president, she will hold him accountable and wants to see the changes he promised come to fruition.

“I’m excited to see what he does with health care and education and see how the changes affect the future generations and the nation as a whole,” Tan said.

Obama’s inauguration was not only a historic experience for ACU’s American students, but served as an inspiration to the community of international students who study in Abilene.

Cleophas Tanui, junior political science major from El Deret, Kenya, and Daniel Maina, junior biology major from Nanuki, Kenya, both said Obama’s Kenyan roots drew them to the Illinois candidate, but it was the president’s politics that earned their respect.

“People have come now to change their mentality about America now,”

Maina said. “All of a sudden they’re like, ‘Wow, let’s think again.’ This country’s great because if it is not, why would they reject this and this and this and elect Obama based only on his politics, not his race.”

Tanui said after watching Obama’s emergence and success, he hopes to return to Kenya with an ACU degree in hand and the dream of becoming a senator in his home land. Tanui said Obama’s example and courage to call for change may help developing democracies like Kenya choose candidates with the people’s interests in mind, and not leaders who only wish to oppress and take advantage of the African people.

“This sends a signal to other nations that it is high time we put democracy high,” Tanui said. “It is high time that we remove those leaders that are dictators.”

Seamless Speech In their tenure at ACU, Dr. Mel Hailey, chair of the political science department, and Dr. David Dillman, associate professor of political science, said they have witnessed many inaugurations, but Tuesday’s historical significance drew an audience they had not seen in past years.

“I’ve never seen that before at an inauguration at ACU,” Dillman said. “I’ve not seen the level of interest, and I’ve seen quite a few inaugurations here.”

Hailey praised Obama’s “carefully chosen” words that he saw as a “clarion call” that moved our country into a new age and era domestically and internationally.

“I was struck by the seriousness on the look of

Obama’s face; you could see the shift between the candidate and the president,” Hailey said. “He is a person of words, and his words were chosen very carefully today.”

Dillman and Hailey warned against those who would try to dissect Obama’s speech to find “the line” that sums up this historic moment, and instead they said people should heed every word Obama declared.

“The point is that the speech was the line today, the whole thing,” Hailey said.

“Don’t take one line out of context; don’t take one sentence and say this is it. The whole speech was, excuse me for using this terminology, but it was seamless.”

Hailey, a registered Democrat, said he was encouraged by Obama’s openness to reach across party lines and allow all ideas into the circle to begin solving the crisis facing the nation. Unlike past presidents, where bi-partisan was preached on the campaign and not practiced once the election was over, Hailey said Obama’s cabinet appointments and pragmatic style might break that cycle.

“There is an old British political scientist who once observed in America’s history that in times of crisis there is always a person who is selected…to rise to the challenge,” Hailey said.

“Maybe this is such a time.”

Daniel Johnson-Kim, Michael Freeman and Tanner Anderson contributed to this report.

E-mail the Optimist at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

FocusFriday

Page 8

January 23, 2008

Left: Hali keeps watch from her towel. Above: Dr. Phillips makes a phone call, while Hali enjoys her spot on the office floor.

Every man’s best friend Which of the following does not belong: a suit and tie, a calculator and a dog? In ACU’s College of Business and Administration, all three get along just fine.

Photos by: Jozie Sands, Staff Photographer

W

hen ACU business students turn to page 315 in their Organizational Behavior textbooks, they may recognize someone. That someone teaches students about the concepts of learning and conditioning, works with a young boy who has a rare disability and always wears a dull gold coat of fur.

Hali, a yellow Labrador retriever, belongs to Drs. Mark and Laura Phillips, assistant professors of management sciences, and is featured in the introduction of the chapter “Decision Making by Individuals and Groups.” And for the Phillips family, the decision to get Hali was one that not only affected the lives of ACU faculty and students, but of their family, especially the Phillips’ 12-year-old son, Matthew.

Matthew has osteogenesis imperfecta, commonly known as brittle bone disease, a genetic disorder that causes bones to break easily because of the body’s deficiency of collagen. Because of his disorder, Matthew is confined to a wheelchair, but to him, his disorder should not be a debilitating handicap. In fact, he advanced to the preliminary round of the 2007 Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee. “Matt has a physical disability, but mentally, he’s 100 percent,” Mark said. “So our big goal with him has always been to try to help him be as independent as possible. But there are just times when he needs something, needs help.”

Enter Hali. Hali is a service dog, a dog specifically trained to help people who have disabilities. She was trained at the Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) training center in Santa Clara, Calif., where she learned to perform tasks such as turning on and off light switches, placing laundry in the clothes hamper and taking written messages to and from different people in the house.

“It’s almost hard to imagine the number of things they can train the dogs to do,” Mark said.

Knowing more than 30 commands, Hali can help Matthew in a variety of ways, but she does so in her own mellow, sluggish manner. Her trainers jokingly nicknamed her “Flash” because of her slow responses.

But Hali’s placid personality was just what the Phillips needed for their fragile son.

“She’s perfect for Matt because she’s not hyperactive and not dangerous,” Mark said. “She’s very calm. She’s not at all aggressive.”

Not only did Hali’s personality fit the Phillips’ needs, so did her price. Some service dog agencies offer dogs for as much as $10,000. But other agencies give dogs away for free. CCI is the latter.

Founded in 1975, CCI is the largest non-profit provider of assistance dogs in the nation, which primarily provides

Story by: Michael Freeman, Managing Editor

Labradors and golden retrievers. Volunteer puppy raisers train the dogs during their first fifteen months of life, and then the puppies are handed over to one of CCI’s training centers for six months of specialized training.

The Phillips first learned of service dogs a couple of years before they got Hali in 2003.

“We applied at several different organizations, and CCI was the first one we made it onto the waiting list for,” Laura said.

After they were notified they had made the top of the waiting list, Laura and Matthew traveled to Santa Clara for an interview. CCI selected Hali for them, and the trio began a two-week training course that included classroom work and field trips to stores and restaurants.

When the training course had finished, Hali became part of the Phillips family.

“For the first part of the time that we had her, she was primarily a service dog,” Mark said. “I think now she’s almost more of a pet than she was, in part because Matt can do much more for himself now.” atthew, now in the seventh grade at Wylie Junior High School, is responsible for playing with, brushing and feeding Hali. In return, Hali is responsible for helping him at home and when he leaves the house. She turns lights on and off, picks up objects he drops and transports messages he writes to Mark and Laura.

“She goes to all kinds of places,” Laura said. “She goes to a lot of ACU activities with the family. We had her at [an ACU football game], and the guy at the gate was concerned she might bite someone. She’s a pretty mellow dog, but sometimes you get funny comments.”

The strangest incident the Phillips have experienced with Hali came at an aerospace museum in New Mexico when a worker ordered Hali out of the museum because the museum’s rule stated that only dogs that could be carried were allowed. So, Mark picked the 50-pound dog up

M

Hali wanders to the doorway to take a look around.

and proceeded to enter the museum. After three or four minutes of carrying Hali around, Mark was able to put her down after the museum’s curator said it was OK for Hali to be in the museum. side from the occasional incident with a business owner not understanding her role as a service dog, Hali leads a fairly uneventful life.

During weekdays, she spends most of her time in the Mabee Business Building.

“She doesn’t go to the junior high because that would be a disaster,” Mark said. “A dog running around the junior high school — that’s why she’s up here all day, while [Matthew] is at school.”

While in either Mark or Laura’s office, Hali usually lies curled up on a dingy towel in the corner of the room. She wears a blue vest strapped around her midsection, with the words “Canine Companions for Independence” printed in white letters on both sides of the vest, and quietly rests every afternoon until Matthew gets out of school for the day. Because she is so docile, some students still do not know she resides on the second floor of the Mabee Business Building; however, the faculty knows.

“I think the faculty members just kind of consider her a fixture,” Laura said. “They all know she’s here.”

The students who do know of Hali enjoy playing with her. Occasionally, students will take her outside to play ball, toss a Frisbee around and let her chase squirrels (her favorite pastime). The Phillips also take her to the department’s senior blessings.

“The students love her,” Mark said. “They love to take her out and play Frisbee with her.”

Students also get a chance to see Hali in the classroom. Mark and Laura sometimes will use her as a demonstration in one of their six classes they teach each semester. One lecture topic Hali is often used to express is learning and conditioning.

“She’s a great example of how that can work,” Mark said. “I’ve done it more than once when we talk about that topic.”

After seven years of life, Hali’s impact on ACU students, faculty and her family has reached far beyond the roles of teacher and service dog. She is best known as a friend. A friend that has four legs and a tail; a friend that has deep, sad eyes and a cold, wet nose; a friend that has a blue-green tattoo of the number “01128” stamped on the inside of her right ear, which can be used to identify her if she is ever lost from home. But as far as the Phillips family and ACU students are concerned, they don’t intend on losing their friend anytime soon.

A

E-mail Freeman at: mxf04b@acu.edu

FROM THE FRONT/SPORTS JUMPS

Friday, January 23, 2009

Football: Ruff Riders now in Abilene Continued from page 10 a first-year league created in July after the merging of two leagues: the Intense Football League and the United Football League. The Ruff Riders joined the Intense Football League in 2007 and have relocated from Katy.

“It’s exciting and there are TV contracts being put into works, and we are trying to go nationwide with satellite,” said Ruff Riders head coach Gerald Dockery. “[We want to] put it on a level that minor league sports are at, but we are trying to get major league feel like the [Arena Football League].

We’re trying to get where they were and really put it out there in the public.”

After looking at several different locations, the Ruff Riders chose Abilene because of the different resources it had to offer.

“It had to do with the

venue, the crowd, and we were in a situation in Katy where we had two or three major sports to compete with,” Dockery said. “Getting in a venue that allowed the sell of alcohol had a lot to do with it.”

While the move to Abilene will spark the interest of local sports fans, it also provides college athletes around Abilene the opportunity to continue their career. Morris helped ACU capture a Lone Star Conference championship in 2008 after catching 16 passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns and is looking forward to playing with former ACU players.

“I heard there was going to be a team in Abilene, and my friend told me about the tryout,” Morris said. “I went over there and did well and made the team. Since I have been playing with players of

this caliber or higher, I feel prepared and ready to do it.”

The Ruff Riders will look to improve on their 5-9 record from last season and will compete in a 14-game regular season beginning April 3 against the Odessa Roughnecks. The Ruff Riders are part of the Lone Star Division, which consists of teams from San Angelo, El Paso, Corpus Christi, Frisco and Odessa.

“Since the AFL is almost over, they are trying to take this to a new level and get on the same plain,” Dockery said. “Guys need to come in shape and ready to ball. Everyone is on equal playing ground and the best players will play.”

With only eight players on the field at a time, ACU could see half of its alumni on the field at different times, something that former ACU lineman Regis An-

drez is excited about.

“Oh man, it’s going to be awesome,” Andrez said.

“Playing with those guys will be fun and with only eight guys on field, over half the guys could be ACU guys.”

With the recent success of the ACU football program, the Ruff Riders could be in for a breakout season in 2009.

“There’s no reason why we shouldn’t win,” Andrez said. “The guys I know playing and who we are bringing in is ridiculous. Coach Dockery shares a lot of the same characteristics of Coach Thomsen and he is very competitive which I like, so the only thing we have to worry about is playing.”

E-mail Abston at: gda04b@acu.edu

Fire: Blaze destroys acres of land Card: Ex-cat Continued from page 1 fire continued to spread.

John Windham, sheriff of Calahan County, arrived on the scene at 4:15 p.m. and immediately began di-

recting traffic on West Lake Road.

“I called in to Jones County, and they told me they could use all the help they could get,” Windham

said.

Three houses have been destroyed as well as several hundreds of acres of land.

E-mail Gwin at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Trip: Group builds bond Continued from page 1 thousand people in front of her.

“I didn’t sleep the night before because I just didn’t want to miss it,” said Jordan, senior integrated marketing communication major from Albany, Ga. “I could see the Capitol building but I couldn’t see faces or anything and I wasn’t tall enough to see the jumbo tron.”

Jordan and a group of students, faculty, staff and their family members journeyed more than 800 miles from ACU’s campus to the nation’s capital to witness the inauguration of the first black president of the United States first hand. But after driving through several states and overcoming several obstacles, some members of the group said their journey was just as memorable as the destination.

“It was beautiful…just feeling the camaraderie and the brother and sisterhood we developed in the car with my fellow students, faculty and Christian brothers and sisters,” said Dawkwaun Hampton, sophomore business management major from Waco.

The group of 19 embarked on their journey early Saturday morning and returned Thursday morning.

George Pendergrass, direc-

tor of Multicultural Enrichment, checked out two white ACU vans for the trip after discovering several ACU inauguration ticket holders were looking for a ride. Pendergrass and the majority of the other members in the group received their tickets from Dr. Tanya Brice, associate professor of social work, who was given several tickets to the inauguration by Rep. Randy Neugebauer.

Hampton said he requested a ticket from his hometown congressman, Rep. Chet Edwards from Waco, the day after Election Day. He knew he had to see Obama’s inauguration in person.

“He is a big role model,” said Hampton, who watched the inauguration from Edwards’ office.

The group drove through seven states before finally arriving in D.C on Sunday.

Once in D.C., the group split up and went to various inauguration events, including the special concert and parades. But because of the crowds of people, not every member of the group got into the inauguration grounds Monday.

“We were on our feet the entire day — from the time we got up at 4 a.m. to the time we got back to the hotel at 7 p.m. It was a very, very long day,” Pendergrass said.

Although Anthony Wil-

liams, director of retail and Campus Stores manager, said he was a loyal Republican, he said partisanship did not stop him from witnessing history. Along with his wife Lynette, their 8-year-old son John and their 14-yearold daughter Alissa, the Williams’ family traveled with the ACU group.

“I made up my mind that I was going to be there, whatever it took, not so much for me, but I really wanted to use it as an opportunity to motivate and encourage my children,” Williams said.

Pendergrass stood behind the reflection pool Monday morning, and the size of the crowd and sight of history made him feel like he was “part of history in the making.”

“Our 21st Century Vision talks about certain aspects of global awareness and service,” Pendergrass said. “It’s funny because [Obama’s] speech was all about that. It was about becoming more globally in tune; it was about making sure that the world knows that we are a friend to every nation; it was about becoming a nation that serves one another. I just thought, ‘Wow, this speech could’ve been given by Dr. Money’ because it fit perfectly with our 21st Century Vision.”

E-mail Johnson-Kim at: djj04a@acu.edu

seen in deck Continued from page 10 said Monsees, who pledged Gamma Sigma Phi with Watten. “I purchased three packs of Bowman NBA cards on eBay and the seller sent me three packs of Bowman baseball cards. I opened the first pack and there was Trey. It was a pretty sick moment.”

The card has also made its way onto trading card marketplaces throughout the Internet including ebay. com and beckett.com.

I decided I wanted to also show pride for our ACU baseball team and its former players so I went to the local Wal-Mart and purchased a box of Bowman 2008 Draft Picks and Prospects to attempt pulling a Watten card of my own. I scoured through each of the eight packs but failed to land our Wildcat great.

Not to be outdone, I went to the Web and purchased a few Watten cards from checkoutmycards.com. It’s not every day you have a classmate who hits the big time.

E-mail Harris at: tch05f@acu.edu

Page 9

Holiday: Taylor speaks at local MLK dinner Continued from page 1 “We went around the neighborhood and explained we were collecting cans for MLK day, and mostly everyone donated one or two cans,” said SALT officer Terri Crites, senior math education major from Irving.

Dr. Jerry Taylor, assistant professor of Bible, delivered his thoughts on the dreams of Martin Luther King to more than 400 people during his keynote address at the Abilene Black Chamber of Commerce’s 18th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Dinner at the Abilene Civic Center.

Taylor’s speech focused on Martin Luther King’s dreams and the current economic situation of the nation.

“The point I was trying to make is that when there’s harsh economic times, it becomes a challenge for the people to remain united,” Taylor said. “I think in order for Americans to get through the present economic crisis

that we face, we need to be committed to remain as one nation.”

Taylor remembers the second grade, when his school district began to integrate both black and white children, using the bus to transport the children to school.

“When bussing started, there were riots, fights, and by the time I got to high school, things had just started to cool off, but there was still anger and the aroma of social unrest in the air,” he said.

Taylor said at 13 years-old he first saw a documentary about the Civil Rights Movement.

“It created in me a desire to never return to the days of racial anxiety and confrontation,” he said.

Of all of King’s eloquent quotes, Taylor’s favorite is simple: “It’s not how long you live, but how well you live; I just want to do God’s work.”

E-mail Anderson at: tsa04a@acu.edu

Track: Team travels to Lubbock Saturday Continued from page 10 McDowell earned an individual automatic berth as he posted a time of 7.43 seconds in the 55-meter hurdles, good for fourth place, and Wanda Hutson ran an automatic time of 24.47 in the 200-meter placing second.

Gerald Chenyi and Idiato Jeremiah both provisionally qualified in the triple jump placing third (49-4.25) and fifth (47-5.00), respectively.

Ramon Sparks provisionally qualified for both the triple jump (fourth with 48-5.50) and the long jump (second with 23-6.25). Ramon Radway provisionally qualified for the 400-meter with a time of 48.32 along with two pole vaulters, Aaron Cantrell and Landon Ehlers, who both cleared 15-7.00.

The women’s 4x400meter relay team posted a time of 3:50.97 to take fourth place and provisionally qualify for the in-

door championships. Five individuals on the women’s team also provisionally qualified. Kim Prather placed third in the 400-meter with a time of 56.52.

Jessica Sloss had a career best in the weight throw placing third with 54-10.25, while Paige Newby threw 43-9.25, good for ninth. Kelli Clements placed sixth in the shot put with a 45-11.75. Callie Young finished sixth in the pole vault clearing 11-9.75.

“It’s nice to just see that the work we put into training in the fall has paid off,” said head track and field coach Don Hood. “It’s just a great way to start it off. If we can compete with schools like Texas Tech, Baylor and TCU, then we are going to have a pretty good team.”

Saturday, the team travels back to Lubbock for another indoor meet.

E-mail Harris at: tch05f@acu.edu

Wildcats: Rams next for ACU Continued from page 10 and Adams added 13 points each, and Ean Wagner came off the bench with 10.

Saturday, ACU will face Angelo State (13-4, 1-1). Angelo State will be riding the high of a quadruple-overtime win against Tarleton State.

The Wildcats look to keep Angelo State from the freethrow line. The Rams lead the Lone Star Conference in freethrow shooting this year.

“Containing their guards will be critical,” Copeland said.

“They have a couple of guards with Division I experience. We need our defense to get to them

and force contested shots.”

Last year, the Wildcats swept the Rams in the season series taking both games.

Game time is set for 4 p.m. in Moody Coliseum.

E-mail Craig at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

SportsFriday

Page 10

SCOREBOARD Standings

ACU 1-2 in conference play after loss to Javelinas

By Austin Gwin Sports Writer

Men’s Basketball Team

Div. 2-0 2-1 2-1 1-1 1-2 1-2 0-2

WTAMU MSU TAMU-K Angelo St. Tarleton St. ACU ENMU

Overall 12-5 13-5 12-6 13-4 13-5 7-9 4-13

Women’s Basketball Team

Div. 2-0 2-1 2-1 1-1 1-2 1-2 0-2

WTAMU TAMU-K ACU Angelo St. Tarleton St. MSU ENMU

Overall 14-3 12-6 10-7 10-7 10-8 6-11 9-11

January 23, 2009

Richard Schissler :: staff photographer Forward Dejan Sencanski looks for a shot against Eastern New Mexico on Jan. 13. The Wildcats fell to Texas A&M-Kingsville 78-73 on Wednesday.

The Wildcats dropped their third conference game of the season to the Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas 78-73 Wednesday night. The loss was ACU’s fifth in its last six games, bringing its record to 7-9 overall and 1-2 in conference play.

“We didn’t finish the first half well, and we were outrebounded by 10. We did some nice things at times, like having only four turnovers in the second half.

We were able to pull within three, but after that we just couldn’t seem to make anything happen,” said head coach Jason Copeland.

Basketball The Wildcats started the game hot from behind the arc, nailing six of 11 three-point attempts to build a 27-25 lead, but the Javelinas went into the locker room ahead thanks to a 12-3 run in the final five minutes of the first half.

To start the second half the Wildcats again went downtown, draining a trio of three-pointers in the first two-and-a-half minutes. Texas A&M-Kingsville looked to be too much though as they held a 60-46 lead with less than 10 minutes left play.

Preseason LSC Player of the Year Dejan Sencanski was not finished with the Javelinas however, scoring 10 of 17 for the

Wildcats Hang On

Scores Saturday Women’s Basketball West Texas A&M 91, ACU 65

Men’s Basketball West Texas A&M 77, ACU 63

Tuesday Women’s Basketball ACU 71, Texas A&M-Kingsville 62

Men’s Basketball Texas A&M-Kingsville 78, ACU 73

Upcoming Saturday Women’s Basketball ACU vs. Angelo St., 2 p.m.

Men’s Basketball ACU vs. Angelo St., 4 p.m.

Track Texas Tech Invitational, 9 a.m.

Tuesday Women’s Basketball ACU vs. Tarleton St., 6 p.m.

Men’s Basketball ACU vs. Tarleton St., 8 p.m. :: Home games listed in italics

Richard Schissler :: staff photographer Guard Kat Kundmueller drives to the basket against Eastern New Mexico on Jan. 13. The Wildcats defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville 71-62 on Wednesday.

Cats hold off Texas A&M-Kingsville’s late rally on the road

By Jeff Craig

Basketball

Sports Writer

Briefs n Former Abilene Cooper High School baseball player Chris Hall has transferred to ACU from Texas Tech. Hall is projected to be the Wildcats’ starting second baseman. As a sophomore at Texas Tech, Hall started all 55 games and was third on the team with a .318 batting average.

He scored 39 runs with 11 doubles, one triple, one home run and 33 RBI. n The Lone Star Conference will expand to 16 teams on July 1, 2010 after LSC presidents unanimously voted to extend an invitation to the University of the Incarnate Word. A former NAIA program, UIW moved up to Division II, joining the Heartland Conference in June 1999.

UIW will remain in the Heartland Conference in 13 of its 19 sports through 2009-10 before starting competition in the LSC. UIW sponsors 19 sports, including the recent addition of football.

Jamie Meyer led all scorers with 15 points as the women’s basketball team defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville 71-62, handing the Javelinas their first home loss of the season.

The Wildcats entered the game with a 9-7 record, and were facing a 14-4 Texas A&MKingsville team that had compiled 9-0 record at the Steinke Center in Kingsville. Head coach Shawna Lavender was pleased with how her team kept the Javelinas’ potent offense under control.

“I thought we came out and played some great defense, which was key in this game. I

also really felt we did a good job of contesting some of their shots and forcing them out,” Lavender said.

The Wildcats shot 37.3 percent from the field while holding the Javelinas to just 29 percent. The Wildcats also seemed to find Lavender their groove from beyond the arc shooting 38.5 percent from beyond the three-point line. Perhaps the key stat of the game was bench scoring. ACU’s reserves outscored the Javelinas’ bench 24-

n The following are the current club intramural point standings: Men’s Division:

n Gamma Sigma Phi- 540 n Galaxy- 345 n Frater Sodalis- 70 n Pi Kappa- 60 n Trojans- 50 n Sub T-16- 40 Women’s Division n Ko Jo Kai- 405 n Sigma Theta Chi-265 n Delta Theta- 265 n Alpha Kai Omega- 215 n GATA- 20

n The intramural basketball season begins Monday. All games will be played in Bennett Gymnasium.

the stretch to improve to 2-1 in conference play.

An individual milestone was also accomplished during the game. ACU center Audrey Maxwell-Lively scored 11 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for her 30th career double-double.

Guard Kelsey Darby also scored 11 points in the game.

ACU’s next game will be this Saturday when the Wildcats will battle Angelo State. The Belles come into the game with a record of 10-7 , the same record as the Wildcats. Angelo State also finds themselves 1-1 in LSC South Division play.

The game tips off at 2 p.m. at Moody Coliseum.

E-mail Craig at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

See

Wildcats page 9

Mistake leads to interesting discovery Every little boy has hobbies or pastimes when they are young, like building model cars, skateThoughts From boarding the Bleachers or reading books. My

By Chandler f a v o r i t e hobby was Harris collecting baseball cards. Ken Griffey Jr., Mark McGwire and Juan Gonzalez were always popular cards to find in an overpriced foil wrapper known as a pack. I once dreamed that I too would one day be the subject of my own card desired by children like myself. Fifteen years later after some hard realizations that I am not in the least bit athletic, I can take solace in the fact that one ACU student has realized that dream.

Trey Watten, former ACU pitcher from 2006-08, was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the seventh round of last year’s Major League Baseball first-year player draft and already has a card of his own.

Watten is not just some minor league pitcher in the Brewers organization; he now has instant credibility with a simple piece of cardboard. It is not as if his card is in short supply either. Jerrod Monsees, senior accounting major from Highlands Ranch, Colo., and avid card collector, pulled a Watten card from a pack over Christmas break.

“It actually happened by complete accident,” MonSee

Card page 9

Former ACU players Men set Div. II mark in 4x400 sign with Ruff Riders

By Chandler Harris

Assistant Sports Editor

By Grant Abston

Football

Sports Editor

Intramurals

11 in the contest, while Coach Lavender was particularly enthused with the play of Courtney Laing who chipped in 12 points off the bench and played a vital role in the game.

“I thought Courtney came into the game off the bench and gave us the spark that we needed,” Lavender said.

The Wildcats appeared well on their way to a major blowout, leading the Javelinas by as many as 27 points in the second half.

With just over seven minutes remaining, ACU held a 61-37 advantage; however, the Javelinas would go on a 19-2 run to pull within seven points. ACU managed to hold off the Javelinas down

Wildcats as ACU cut the lead to one point, 64-63, with under five minutes in the game.

After a pair of Kingsville baskets, guard Dante Adams hit a three to cut the margin to three with 40 seconds left. It was too little too late though as the Javelinas went five of six from the free-throw line to close the game.

Kingsville did most of its damage down low, dominating ACU in the paint by a score of 54-16, and 17 extra-chance points by the Javelinas did not help the Wildcat cause.

Sencanski led all scorers with 22 points while playing all 40 minutes. Milos Klimovic

Six former ACU football players will get a chance to continue their career next season after the Katy Ruff Riders relocated, bringing the Indoor Football League to Abilene.

Greg Yeldell (DB), Regis Andrez (OL/DL), Chris Morris (WR), Brandon Henry (DB), Greg Crear (DB) and Matt Raesner (OL) will join the 30-player roster after completing an open tryout and signing with the Ruff Riders, who begin training camp in March. All six players played for ACU and will get a chance to make an impact at the next level.

“I’m looking forward to just continuing to play,”

Morris said. “I’m interested in traveling and just getting some professional experience and maybe moving up from this league.”

Abilene will welcome its first professional sports team since 2000 after previously being home Morris to the Abilene Prairie Dogs of the Texas-Louisiana League in baseball and the Abilene Aviators of the Western Professional Hockey League.

The Ruff Riders are part of the Indoor Football League, See

Football page 9

The men’s and women’s track and field teams traveled to Lubbock last weekend for the Wes Kittley Invitational indoor track meet. Overall, the teams earned three automatic qualifying berths for the NCAA Division II meet in March and had 12 provisional qualifying performances. The teams competed against bigname programs such as Texas Tech and Baylor, as well as successful junior colleges.

On the men’s side, the 4x400-meter relay team posted the best time in the nation in Division II by more than five seconds with a time of 3:11.57. The team’s time was beat by only Baylor, which posted a 3:11.06.

Junior hurdler Andrew See

Track page 9

Pete Koehn :: file photo Cleophas Tanui, shown here during the cross country season, is part of the Wildcat track team that will compete in Lubbock Saturday.