January 16, 2014

Thursday, Januar y 16, 2014

Volume L X X V III, Number 2 8

w w w.mus t angne w s .net

How do you feel about the new housing project?

MEGAN LEISHMAN WINE AND VITICULTURE FRESHMAN

“That’s probably a really good idea, because I’m in a triple in Sequoia and it’s terrible.”

RENDERED PHOTO | CAL POLY

A GRAND HOUSING PROJECT Aja Frost @Ajavuu Despite community concerns, Cal Poly has decided to move forward with plans to build a 1,400-person freshman residence hall near the Grand Avenue entrance to campus. The university hopes to start the $200 million construction project next year and finish by Fall 2018. Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong spent an hour talking to concerned community members and listening to their comments before the university sent out an email informing students of its decision at 11 a.m. “They would love to see the housing somewhere else,”

Armstrong said. Cal Poly proposed the Grand Avenue site in May 2013. Two public forums held later in November and December revealed some local residents’ dissatisfaction. Nicole Carter, senior planner for SWCA environmental consultants, said her office received 34 letters in response to Cal Poly’s original announcement of the Grand Avenue location. Most of them were opposed to the project location. “Their biggest concern is that freshman students, who are underage, going out into the neighborhoods for parties right by their house,” Armstrong said. “And that is a legitimate concern.” Cal Poly examined two other sites for the project: an 8.6acre site along Via Carta, be-

tween the sports complex and the Poly Canyon Village housing complex, and a site along California Boulevard east of the railroad tracks, south of Highland Drive and just north of Alex G. Spanos Stadium. These sites, however, were rejected because they would require additional time to build and are distant from other freshman housing. Another important factor weighing into the university’s decision was money. According to University Spokesperson Matt Lazier, per-bed construction costs ranged from 8 to 20 percent more at the other considered sites. This would have resulted in higher housing costs for students. “The residents seem to understand — I can’t speak to whether they accept it or not

— but they seem to understand my rationale that that’s really the only place we can add firstyear housing,” Armstrong said. The Effects The neighborhood’s concerns influenced the university’s decision to hire two additional police officers. Armstrong said there will probably be a substation in the Grand Avenue area so that those officers could be assigned to the surrounding neighborhood. Local residents have also suggested that the university shift the housing toward the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center, thus making the parking lot a barrier between the residence halls and the neighborhood. “Our folks will be talking about that,” Armstrong said.

“We do have a nice green buffer planned of landscapes, terrain, even fences, so that students have to follow the sidewalks and go the normal pathways.” And since the majority of alcohol-related crimes are committed by students who live off campus, as opposed to in university housing, the administration believes this expansion will decrease neighborhood crime. There will also be less local traffic. “The project will actually capture a significant number of commuting students,” Carter said. “So by housing them, you reduce the trips associated with those students.” >>

see HOUSING, pg 2.

PATERSON WOLFGRAM BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION JUNIOR

“I think it’s a great opportunity to expand, and I don’t see that many cars in that part of the parking lot anyways.”

JAKE WHIPPLE COMPUTER ENGINEERING FRESHMAN

“I’ve been stuck in Yosemite and the rooms are kind of small. I wouldn’t be opposed to having a brand new dorm facility.”

Greek life likely on probation for second consecutive weekend

Chef Robert Irvine turned up the heat

Brooke Sperbeck @BrookeSperbeck7

Kelly Trom @kttrom PREVIEW Food Network star Robert Irvine made a stop at the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center on Jan. 15. The chef is known for his TV shows “Restaurant: Impossible” and “Dinner: Impossible.” Robert Irvine himself did not know what the producers had concocted before the show, which made it a unique experience. Rather than a typical cooking demo, Robert Irvine Live is an interactive show that welcomes people of all ages. Inside the arts section is an exclusive Q&A with Irvine, where he revealed he didn’t just love home economics class for the cooking lessons, but also for the ideal girl-guy ratio. Apparently chasing girls can lead to success.

FILE PHOTO | MUSTANG NEWS

Concerns from Panhellenic Council national organizations over a proposed greek life party registration policy may prolong greek probation for another week, Cal Poly Panhellenic Council President and business administration junior Danielle Durante said Tuesday. Durante said all nine Panhellenic chapters’ national organizations have concerns about the policy and are being consulted during the negotiation process. “Most of the nationals are confused why we are involved with a contract like this when it really is geared towards IFC (Interfraternity Council),” Durante said. “We follow most of the rules that are already in these policies, so they just want to make sure the school’s policy does not conflict with National Panhellenic Council’s regulations.” Interfraternity Council President and business administration junior Domenic Hjerpe added that fraternity chapter presidents have also reached out to their national organizations for consultation regarding the policy. >>

see GREEKS, pg 2.

IAN BILLINGS | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Jefferson P. Nolan @jefferson_nolan

see FIERRO, pg 10.

see CHEF, pg 4.

News... 1-3 | Arts... 4-6 | Opinion & Sports... 7 | Classifieds... 8 | Sports... 9-10

NEWS | 2

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Cal Poly hits record number of applicants Suha Saya @suhasaya Cal Poly may now be on par with the University of California system as a highly selective public university. With its record-breaking number of more than 52,000 applicants, Cal Poly’s reputation has risen and competition has heightened, Associate Vice Provost for Marketing and Enrollment Jim Maraviglia said. “This increase in applications in no way has a negative impact,” Maraviglia said. “It just makes the admission process more selective.” This year, almost 25 percent of first-time freshmen exclusively applied to Cal Poly out of the California State University system. “That shows competition,” he said. “We’re no longer competing with the CSUs, we’re up to UC level.” From a general perspective, Maraviglia said, increased applicant demand shows strength in what the consumer believes Cal Poly gives them. Over the past decade, Cal Poly has been trying to enhance the overall applicant

Greeks continued from pg 1. “I know many fraternities have outreached to their national organizations, especially for guidance,” Hjerpe said. “Because this is a whole new process for everyone, not just myself, but as chapters and as a whole greek community, this is a whole new step.” Though Durante said she must receive approval from all nine national Panhellenic organizations in order for the policy to pass, Hjerpe said IFC’s interactions with their national organizations has been to receive input. “We’re more on a consulting basis, just reviewing it and giving advice,” Hjerpe said. Because of involvement from national organizations, Durante said she estimates fraternities and sororities will continue to be on probation for another week. “I’ve already told everyone at our Panhellenic meeting today that we will probably be on probation for another week,” Durante said.

pool quality through targeted marketing. Maraviglia said he believes they’ve accomplished it. “What you see with these numbers is tremendous strength increases in the applicant pool,” he said. “If you look at performance indicators, they’re all up.” While Cal Poly did see an overall applicant increase, applicant pool numbers declined in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design, Maraviglia said. “We declined roughly 10 percent,” Dean of Architecture and Environmental Design Christine Theodoropoulos said. “One reason may be because we did not recruit vigorously in past years.” Because programs like architecture and architectural engineering were so heavily impacted in the past, the college decided to become smaller and reduce recruitment, she said. “We’ve had kind of a silent phase in terms of outreach and recruiting, but we’re about to change that,” Theodoropoulos said. “Now we’re discovering ways we can accommodate students … but it does take a year or

two of recruiting before you start seeing results.” In 2013, Cal Poly enrolled a total number of 5,818 freshman and transfer students for fall quarter. In Fall 2014, Cal Poly plans to enroll approximately 5,600 students. The enrollment process, Maraviglia said, always starts with continuing students. “For one, you have to predict who’s going to graduate, you have to predict who’s going to be retained and you’re going to have to predict who’s going to leave,” he said. New students are only a part of the picture. “If the campus increases graduation rates quickly, you can have more new students,” Maraviglia said. “When the chancellor gives us growth and more funds — which he did do this year — it impacts the overall number.” Maraviglia said he doesn’t think there will be cuts in funding because of the number of enrollees for next year. “I believe the provost and the president have addressed enrollment very positively,” he said. “They’re not trying to cut, but instead they’re trying to find ways to reward and

This is the second delay in negotiations this week, after Dean of Students Jean DeCosta was out sick Monday and unable to meet with Greek leaders. A meeting between DeCosta, Coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Life Kathryn O’Hagan, Durante, Hjerpe, and United Sorority and Fraternity Council (USFC) President Edward Yanez is scheduled for Thursday morning at 9 a.m. The group will review a new draft of the policy that includes revisions made by IFC and Panhellenic chapter presidents Monday, Hjerpe said. “We need to update her with our current progress and make sure communications stay strong between greek life and administration,” Hjerpe said. Changes to that policy include requiring birthdays of only those who are 21 and older, as well as clarifications on what defines a fraternity party, he said. There were no changes made to the policies that ban drinking games and hard alcohol, he said.

“We are more concerned right now with the big picture of what defines a fraternity party, and liability for individuals and for the chapters, and the overall concern for the welfare of all individuals who will be in attendance,” Hjerpe said. Hjerpe said roughly 80 percent of IFC presidents approved the revised draft at Monday night’s meeting, which would be enough to pass the policy if administrators approve. Panhellenic, however, did not vote on the revisions because of its national chapters’ concerns. Even if DeCosta and O’Hagan both approve the revised draft at Thursday’s meeting, greeks must also receive approval from Vice President of Student Affairs Keith Humphrey, who will not be in attendance. “We’re confident that we’ll be able to relay all of the presidents’ concerns to the best of our ability,” Durante said.

ZACH MAHER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

A BIG HERD | Cal Poly received a record 43,794 applications for Fall 2014. provide additional resources — especially faculty and staff — to students.” Cem Sunata, the university registrar, said there shouldn’t be many problems in registration when it comes to enrollment numbers. “In terms of block scheduling first time freshman in, we’ll do whatever is necessary to get the classes that those students need,” Sunata said. Since continuing students don’t necessarily need class-

es that first-time freshman take, competition with currently enrolled and newly enrolled students shouldn’t occur, he said. “The continuing students class availability is going to be much more improved with the introduction of PolyPlanner because they’ll be able to tell us the courses they need,” Sunata said. “As long as they plan and try to stick to that as much as possible and let us know what

their demand is going to be, we can react to that.” Once the different colleges see the need for incoming freshman, they can better articulate how they are going to meet the needs of continuing students, Sunata said. “That’s something that’s getting better every year because we’re all learning from the past,” he said, “But overall, this increase simply shows that people are interested in joining our community.”

JOSEPH PACK | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

HOME SWEET HOME | Cal Poly will build the new residence halls on the R2 parking lot. Housing continued from pg 1. Designing a Dorm The new housing will allow the university to house nearly 45 percent of undergraduates, up from the current mark of 36 percent. This year, Cal Poly was forced to convert rooms in Cerro Vista and Poly Canyon Village into doubles and triples to accommodate the increased number of freshmen living on campus. Though Cal Poly’s administration is committed to providing first-year housing, Armstrong said he feels that Cerro Vista and Poly Canyon Village are better suited for continuing students. “We don’t want those to be freshman housing in the future,” Armstrong said. “That’s okay, the students (living in Cerro Vista and Poly Canyon Village) are doing well, but it’s not ideal for long-term student success.” This project will hopefully allow the university to shift all future freshmen out of the existing apartments, but the Grand Avenue location will come with many amenities. There will be five residential buildings, classrooms, a welcome center, community lounges and recreational space. The plans also include room for a 1,600 to 2,000 square-foot dining operation with outside seating. “What goes in there could be a coffee shop, it could be a chop salad place, it could be a sushi bar,” Vice President of Student Affairs Keith Humphrey said. “We’re not sure yet.” The new dorms will consist of doubles and quads. While the doubles are 185 square feet — comparable to the size of the red brick South Mountain Halls — their costs will likely be more on par with Cerro Vista. Cal Poly Corporation is also currently surveying students and conducting market surveys to figure out how to best

use VG Cafe, with the knowledge that 1,400 freshmen will probably be moving in across the street. Spokesperson Yukie Murphy has previously talked about the possibility of a new dining facility. The First Step Armstrong is looking to make living on campus a requirement for first- and second-year students, pointing to studies Cal Poly has done which show that grades, campus connectedness and student retention rate are all improved by staying in university housing. Seeing students stay on campus for three or four years is yet another goal. “There’s a certain number of students that turn us down each year because they say, ‘You can’t promise us four-year housing,’” Armstrong said. Although the two other sites looked at weren’t found to be suitable for freshman housing, in the future Cal Poly will likely look at their potential for upperclassman housing. The university is not planning to increase acceptance rates specifically as a result of this project, although Armstrong has said that he hopes to increase the student population to approximately 24,000 in 12 or 15 years. “This housing project is the first step towards that,” Humphrey said. There will be another 45day comment period after a review of the two rejected sites has been added to the draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). While there will not be another open forum, the university will continue to communicate with San Luis Obispo residents and seek the opinions of local business and community leaders. Comments from the public have already pushed the project back two months: Cal Poly had originally planned to seek approval from the CSU Board of Trustees in March, but opted to write the draft EIR, push-

ing their request back to May. “We could’ve taken a shortcut that would have been completely legal, but we wanted to engender that communication,” Armstrong said. “We want to be aggressively transparent about it, but we also want to do what’s best for the students.” Lola Washburn, 83, said she’s lived in her house on Slack Street near Cal Poly for 60 years. She said though students who live up the hill from her are occasionally noisy, it’s road space that’s really an issue. “Right now there’s no parking at all,” she said. “At this side of the street you need a parking sticker, and they give you two, but then they let five or six kids move into one house.” John Evans, 89, agreed. He said he’s lived in his house on Longview Lane for 53 years, and he believes the new housing will cause even more traffic. “There are a lot more parties and gatherings of groups,” he said. “I don’t think it would be a suitable companion to a residential neighborhood.” Evans said he understands the need to accommodate all the incoming students, but would prefer to see the project built at an alternate site. “I used to serve on the city planning committee for 10 years,” he said. “If I was still on that committee, I would definitely vote against it.” In May, Cal Poly will present both its final EIR and an amendment to the Master Plan. If both are approved, the university will go back to the Board of Trustees in November for approval of the final project design. “I hope the Board of Trustees will approve the decision,” Armstrong said. “Normally, once you get to that level, the staff works with you. No one wants projects to get to this level and fail.” Katrina Borges contributed to this article.

NEWS | 3

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Gov. proposes increased CSU funding Benjy Egel @BenjyEgel Gov. Jerry Brown proposed a $142.2 million increase to the California State University (CSU) budget for 201415, but CSU officials said it was only a small step in the right direction. The CSU asked Brown for a $237.6 million increase despite knowledge of Brown’s $511 million multiyear plan from 2013-14 through 2016-17. Brown’s proposal must be approved by the California State Legislature, which is unlikely to trim the amount but could add more, Cal Poly Interim Vice President for Administration and Finance Stan Nosek said. “From the increased good health that the state is in, we think that the $142.2 (million) is solid,” Nosek said. “But we’re hoping that some more will come to us.” The CSU’s budget shrank by nearly $1 billion starting in 2008, leading to higher tuition, staff layoffs and curbed enrollment, Nosek said. After years of budget cuts though the recent recession, Brown’s proposal shows California has begun to reinvest into higher education, CSU spokesperson Mike Uhlenkamp said. “This would mark the second consecutive year where we’re receiving an increase in funding,” Uhlenkamp said. “We’ll continue to advocate on behalf of the CSU.” The California Faculty Association (CFA), on the other hand, had a less enthusiastic response. CFA president Lillian Taiz released a statement Monday ex-

pressing her disappointment in the relatively small sum. “While we appreciate the Governor’s recognition that public higher education needs greater investment after years of debilitating budget cuts, his proposal still leaves tens of thousands of California students out in the cold, clamoring for the university education that will help ensure a more prosperous future for our state,” she said. Though nothing will be finalized until the legislature has its say, Nosek said Cal Poly will likely receive between 4 and 6 percent of the $142.2 million. Some of the money will likely be used to compensate teachers, some of whom have not seen a raise in five years. Another chunk of cash will be put towards repairs around campus, Nosek said. The CSU has taken out a $750 million loan for infrastructure and deferred maintenance around the various campuses. Cal Poly plans to use its portion — somewhere between $20 million and $30 million — to replace faulty roofs, air conditioners and hot water distribution systems. To complete the deal, the CSU will set aside approximately $50 million over the next three or four years. That money will accumulate interest and grow until the $750 million can be paid off a few decades from now. “If you don’t (take out the loan), the costs will be greater because it costs more when something breaks as opposed to try and fix it before it breaks,” Nosek said. “We have, on campus now, over $100 million in deferred

ZACH MAHER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

NOSEK KNOWS | The CSU’s budget shrank by bearly $1 billion staring in 2008, Interm VP for Admin. and Finance Stan Nosek said.

$142.2 million GOV. JERRY BROWN’S PROPOSED INCREASE TO THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY BUDGET FOR 2014-2015 maintenance needs.” Having more money also means the university can admit more students. No numbers are finalized, but Nosek said Cal Poly could accept around 100 more in-state students next year. Out-of-state students make less of an impact on the university budget because their tuition and fees go directly to Cal Poly, he said. If California residents attend Cal Poly, a certain

Campus learns of 2 sexual assaults Celina Oseguera @celinaoseguera Two sexual assault attempts recently occurred in San Luis Obispo — one on the Cal Poly campus and the other downtown — according to police reports this week. Details of the sexual assault on campus were disclosed to Cal Poly students through a university wide email Tuesday. The assault occurred Jan. 7 at 12:30 a.m., according to police. The victim was walking from the A1 student parking lot next to the Administration building (building 1) toward the Julian A. McPhee University Union when the suspect allegedly crept up behind her and placed a pillowcase or bag over her head. She was able to escape, but did not see the assailant.

As of now, according to University Police Department (UPD) Chief George Hughes, there is little evidence on who the assailant is. But Hughes and UPD did know the suspect in the oncampus sexual assault used tactics similar to the suspect in the downtown assault. Both approached their victim from behind and committed the act in the late evening or early morning. The downtown assault happened at Chorro Street and Palm Street on Tuesday night around 11:30 p.m. The suspect approached the victim from behind, pulled her shirt up, grabbed her breasts, pulled her to the ground, got on top of her and attempted to pull her pants down, a San Luis Obispo Police Department (SLOPD) press release said. The woman screamed, which scared

off the suspect. According to the release, he ran south across Palm Street into the parking lot behind the Palm Theater. A silver vehicle fled the area soon after, but it is not known if the suspect was driving the car. The suspect was described as a male wearing a bulky hooded sweatshirt. “We aren’t saying (the two cases) aren’t connected,” Hughes said. Even with the small amount of details in the downtown case, SLOPD LT. Bill Proll said there may be a connection. “It is possible,” Proll told Mustang News. “Unfortunately, we don’t have a very good description, but the pattern could be similar.” Kat Gore contributed to this article.

amount of the money they pay goes to the CSU system. “Tuition and fees that come from in-state students, they first go to the chancellor’s office,” Nosek said. “They take out a piece, and we never get out full amount. When you bring an out-of-state student in, you keep it all on the campus.” Cal Poly also looks for outof-state or international students to increase diversity on campus, he said.

Bringing in people from all over the country and the world results in a campus full of crisscrossing viewpoints and lively debate, Nosek said. Others argue state universities should serve state residents, not favor outside students. With Brown’s proposal, Cal Poly could have more students from both inside and outside California. Brown’s proposed policy also negates a previous re-

striction on who can receive a Cal Grant. In the past, families with heavily fluctuating incomes sometimes lost out on their Cal Grants upon finding wealth, even if it was only temporary. For instance, a student’s Cal Grant could have been discontinued because one of their parents received a loaded severance package. Brown’s new proposal removed the section on stripping of the grants due to financial changes.

ARTS | 4

Thursday, January 16, 2014

PHOTO COURTESY OF AARON LINGENFELTER

Chef Robert Irvine

turned up the heat Kelly Trom Food Network’s Robert Irvine brought his live cooking show to the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center (PAC) on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. We were told to expect the unexpected at this unscripted show that included culinary and physical challenges. The show was not a biography of Irvine’s life, not a cooking demo and did not show clips from Irvine’s television show, “Restaurant: Impossible.” It did, however, promise to keep you on your toes and possibly bring you on stage. The producers of the show come up with challenges before the show that Irvine is not aware of until he walks on stage, making each show unique. This show was part of the balanced blend of performances the

@KellyTrom PAC hosts each quarter. “Although we offer an eclectic mix of music — classical, rock, bluegrass, jazz, world culture — Cal Poly Arts is much more than concerts,” Cal Poly Arts Director Steve Lerian said. “Our performing arts season is comprised of a myriad of diverse shows and genres: a wide range of dance, theatre and stage shows, speakers and screenings.” All ages were welcome and encouraged to come out to watch Irvine complete culinary feats. “The show is geared towards all ages,” Lerian said. “Anyone who has an interest in cooking on any level will enjoy the entertainment and expertise that Robert Irvine provides.”

Q&A with Robert Irvine Mustang News (MN): How did you first know that you wanted to cook for a living? Robert Irvine (RI): I used to help my mom prepare Sunday roasts as a kid, but my first real interest in cooking came when I took a home economics class. It didn’t hurt that I was the only boy in the class. MN: What do you love most about cooking? RI: I’ve always enjoyed preparing food, it’s fun. I enjoy how a good meal can bring people together, whether it’s a family cooking together or a couple of friends catching up over lunch. Food is the common ingredient. Doing the live show gives me an opportunity to interact with fans, but also shows that what we do with cooking can be an appreciated form of arts entertainment that anyone can do. MN: What has been the proudest moment of your career? RI: Being able to help people is what inspires me and makes me proud. From helping struggling families on “Restaurant: Impossible” to giving back to our servicemen and woman, being able to give back is what is most rewarding about my career. MN: How is the show interactive? RI: This isn’t a sit-back-in-your-seat kind of show. Nearly every aspect is out of my control and in the hands of my show producer and the audience. Everything from what ingredients I have to use to what challenges I will face. And I rarely cook alone on stage. I always have an audience member assist me. Every night it’s a different show and the audience helps me along the way. We have had some shows where as many as 30 people have been on stage throughout the evening, helping me get through this crazy two-hour show.

see CHEF, pg 5.

ARTS | 5

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Sycapalooza showcases local artists Jefferson P. Nolan @jefferson_nolan MISSING. Large, white, old pot-bellied pig. Hard of hearing and blind. The above was scribbled on three signs on the side of the road — a phone number scratched at the bottom of the paper. Caravanning through the remote farms and windy roads of the Templeton countryside, the missing pig posters marked the beginning of my journey to the 1st annual Sycapalooza Music and Love Festival. “A music festival unlike any other,” read the Facebook posting of the event. “Kegs, music and activities so that the fun will never cease.” Bold statements, sure. But maybe it was the abundance

of kegs, the golden retriever weaving in and out of the seated crowd or the constant search for the blind, deaf pot-bellied pig that made it unlike any music festival I’ve ever attended. A lineup of 10 local bands kept the audience rooted to the bales of hay scattered before the elevated stage. A pastoral barn eclipsed the stage, providing a backdrop that perfected the countryside setting. What began as a simple birthday party quickly escalated into a glorified gala. Sycapalooza, a name originating from the reunion of the band Sycamore, was organized by Evan Fox, a member of multiple bands that performed in the outdoor arena on Sunday. “It started out for our friend Ryan’s 30th birthday (lead singer and guitarist of Syca-

more),” Fox said. “He said he wanted to get this band back together since we hadn’t played in seven years.” Fox, a drummer in the band Gaza Strip Club, decided to put on a dual show with Sycamore and perform on the remote farm in Templeton with their family and friends. “We thought, ‘Maybe we could get about 30 people here, and it’ll just be a fun day to goof off,’” Fox said. But after a few friends and fellow musicians expressed some interest, a total of 10 bands had signed up for the event. Another friend brought a food truck and a hot skillet, and a fiesta began to form. “A few years ago when I first started at Cal Poly with the band Sycamore, we used to come here and record,” Fox said of the idyllic barn. “We spent nights here and made

music. When we decided to do this, I knew it was the perfect venue.” The bands featured at the festival were Sycamore, Gaza Strip Club, Louder Space, Lizzie Weber, St. James Infirmary, Naked Walrus, The Deathtower, The Open Ends, Caste Down and Tainted Warlock. Yaniv Goldobin, lead singer of The Open Ends, led the band in their first live performance. “We’ve been rehearsing for the entire quarter, and finally an opportunity came for us when Evan invited us to play,-” Goldobin said. “We got off the freeway, and we said to each other, ‘What are we getting into?’ Evan did a fantastic job setting all this up. It’s beautiful, and it is just so awesome being here.” But as the sun set later in the

JEFFERSON P. NOLAN | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

day, the wind picked up, and the blankets became coveted. “We also might think about doing it in summer or spring, you know, a friendlier weather month,” Fox said. “I’d love it to be a regular thing because of what it brings together.” At the end of my duration in the obscure landscape of rural Templeton, I never

did see the white pot-bellied pig. But with the noise of the bands, the fans, and especially the smell of the tri-tip sandwiches from the food truck, who knows; if next year bears any resemblance to this past Sunday, it may just be too good of a time for the blind, deaf pig to resist.

“If next year bears any resemblance to this past Sunday, it may just be too good of a time for the blind, deaf pig to resist.” JEFFERSON P. NOLAN | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Chef continued from pg 4. MN: How would you describe the show in your own words? RI: No recipes. No script. No holds barred. MN: How does it compare to “Dinner: Impossible” and “Restaurant: Impossible?” RI: I deal with very difficult challenges on the TV shows. With “Restaurant: Impossible” I have to deal with very serious situations. These are real people with real problems, and I have to provide them real solutions or they risk losing everything. With the live show, we get to have a little bit of fun on my day off. MN: Anything else you want to add? RI: I hope we see lots of students out for the show. I don’t often get to come to a university to do a show, so I am excited for the opportunity. Be there!

ROCK OUT | The Open Ends (above) are one of the 10 bands that performed this past Sunday at Sycapalooza.

If you weren’t able to make the show, there was a free Q&A session for students from 4 to 4:45 p.m. at the PAC Pavilion before the show. Tickets for Cal Poly staff

and faculty were $10. College and K-12 students could have purchased $10 bestavailable rush tickets at the door on Wednesday night at 6:30 with their ID. Tickets were $30 otherwise.

ARTS | 6

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Crafting a hoppier future Nick Larson and Jake Devincenzi @njlarson8 and @jake_devincenzi

Kinesiology senior Nick Larson and aerospace engineering senior Jake Devincenzi are Mustang News beer columnists. Craft breweries are sprouting up everywhere. Especially along the West Coast, it is nearly impossible to find any city or town without a microor nano-brewery further than a $20 cab ride away (Emphasis on the cab. Driving yourself to beer-tasting trip is a big no-no. More on that later). We are living in the Golden Age of beer thus far in America, and people are truly starting to take advantage of it. For centuries, wine has been the drink of the wealthy, the connoisseurs, the elite. Since beer costs so much less to produce and does not require acres of land for grape cultivation, developing countries and low-income families could easily produce beer for the masses, charging mere pennies to make up their costs. Up until the late ‘90s, this lower-class stigma stuck with beer in our beautiful country. If you wanted a classy day with established individuals, you went wine tasting. If you wanted to watch football with the buddies, you drank some brewskies. But then a magical thing happened. Cicerones began replacing sommeliers. Beer-tasting became relevant. Cracking a bottle of barrel-aged impe-

rial stout from 2010 formed the crux of an entire evening. In 1976, there was one craft brewery in the U.S., located in Sonoma County, Calif. Today, there are more than 2,000. Beer tasting is becoming nearly as popular as wine tasting. Beer is even taking on the same qualities as wine, as barrel-aging and bottle-aging become increasingly popular. Beer advocates are stashing away beers for years, letting them reach full maturity before they are enjoyed. Cheaper, and in our biased opinion, more illustrious, great beer is the better option for the new generation of consumers. With the emergence of craft breweries across the nation, going straight to the source has become the best way to enjoy delicious beer. Beer tasting is hands-down one of the greatest things in the world. That’s not opinion; that is cold, hard fact. If we had to choose between winning the lottery and beer tasting anywhere in the world, we would choose the lottery. However, the first thing we would do with our money is buy sweet new cars ... cars on which we would log thousands of miles touring the country, sampling beer from every craft brewery along the way, ending back at LAX to fly around the world trying any (nay, every!) beer we could get our hands on. Hmmm … we’ll be right back. We’re going to buy some lottery tickets. Back to beer: finding new beer to enjoy is exhilarating. The suspense of not knowing what it tastes like is the same

DAVID JANG | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Something’s Brewing as opening a present. Sure, some presents are underwear and socks, but sometimes it’s an iPad. You never know where or when you’re going to find your new favorite beer. The best place to start looking is at the brewery. On location, nearly every brewery has many of its beers on tap for tasting. If you’re looking to try many different styles, you’re in luck, as you can get many samplers, usually ranging from just $1-3 per taste. In addition, most will also have their specialty beers on tap — stuff that is hard to find and usually pricey. Finding those on tap is

like hitting the jackpot. Even in a perfect situation, people can mess things up. There is an art to beer tasting, so here are a few things we have learned from our tasting treks. First and foremost, when in a tasting room, take that opportunity to try something new. If you go to Sierra Nevada, don’t sample their Pale Ale. If you go to New Belgium, don’t sample Fat Tire. Sure, they’re popular and quite tasty beers, but you can find them anywhere. Don’t be that person that everyone in the taproom at Stone Brewing Co. laughs at because you ordered

a pint of their IPA. Remember how we mentioned before that you should always take a cab beer tasting? Driving yourself to a brewery is a classic blunder. Tasters are often done in 4+ glass “flights,” which is essentially 16 ounces of beer with a high alcohol by volume, and let’s be honest, who only wants to go to one brewery? Much like Tuesday Pint Nights in SLO, “we’ll just drink a beer or two because we have class tomorrow” holds little to no weight. Be smart, be safe and make sure you figure out rides beforehand.

Finally — and most importantly — go for the experience. It is easy to read our column and think all we care about in life is beer. Going to a brewery is only 30 percent (tops!) about tasting new beers. The people you meet, the conversations you have and the unexpected experiences at a craft brewery will be what stick with you. It’s what made us fall in love with the beautiful world of craft beer, and is the reason we continue to immerse ourselves (and everyone unfortunate enough to hear us rant) into this magical emerging world.

BEER RECOMMENDATIONS: What we’re drinking Last quarter we broke down some of our favorite beers by type. This quarter, we’re going to switch things up a bit. This week we’ll share beers that just left our beer fridge (Yes, we have a beer fridge). These are some of the tastiest beers we’ve enjoyed since we last talked to you, and they are fantastic. If you don’t like these beers, you’re probably wrong.

WHAT JAKE IS DRINKING... ($$) Lagunitas Brewing Company. Petaluma, Calif. Brown Shugga There is nothing like going home for the holidays. I’d like to give a shoutout to my amazing mom, whom I love very, very much. Why do I love her so much? The reasons are endless, but nearing the top of the list is when she calls me during my last day of finals, asking what beers she should pick up for my homecoming. Being brain-dead from finals, my response was very general: “Something delicious, please?” Since I have the greatest mom in the world, she picked up multiple 6-packs, the best of which was this alcoholic masterpiece. 9.99 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) — but done so well you could drink them incessantly — this beer is unusual, but close to perfect. Pick some up before they go out of season. ($$$) Unibroue. Quebec, Canada. Maudite If you are a wine-lover trying to get into beer, Unibroue is the way to go. They specialize in Belgian-style abbey ales, which are sweeter and smoother than other styles of beers. French for “The Damned,” la Maudite is an intense Belgian-style red ale, packing plenty of sweet Belgian yeast with bitter red undertones for perfect accentuation. ($$$$) Stone Brewing Co. Escondido, Calif. Enjoy By 12.13.13 IPA A year ago, sticking to the cocky “our beer is better than yours, and we know it” mentality we have learned to love, Stone Brewing started brewing IPAs with clearly printed expiration dates. While some beers get better with time, most IPAs do not. This is the third Enjoy By I have enjoyed (4.20.13 & 9.13.13), and I must say, it is certainly the best. Clocking in at a whopping 9.4 percent ABV, this brew had my holiday-ready family happily tipsy in no time.

WHAT NICK IS DRINKING... ($$$) The Lost Abbey. San Marcos, Calif. Merry Taj IPA I had a glass of this at a restaurant over break, and I was not disappointed. I had drank two IPA’s prior to this one, and it still stood out over the rest. I haven’t seen a bottle of it, but if you see it on tap, grab a glass and enjoy. ($$$$) Deschutes Brewing. Bend, Ore. The Abyss Imagine the color of an abyss. This beer looks exactly the same. I was in a very “stouty” mood all break, and this was the best one I had. It has a very full taste, yet is still smooth. All around, one of the best imperial stouts out there. ($$$$$) The Bruery. Placentia, CA. Melange No. 1 An insane blend of an Imperial Stout and a Tart beer, Melange, frankly, seems gross on paper. However, when you get past the $25 price, perfection hits. It’s a near-perfect blend of tart and stout. Neither taste is overpowering, yet both bring out the best in each other. It’s hard to justify a $25 tag, but if you’re gonna blow that much on a beer, make it this one.

OPINION & SPORTS | 7

Thursday, January 16, 2014

The myth of job creation Zachary Antoyan is a political science senior and Mustang News liberal columnist. These views do not necessarily reflect the opinion or editorial coverage of Mustang News. I remember hearing about the California High Speed Rail Initiative in 2008. I remember thinking that, amid all the turmoil created by the recession at the time, it would be something of a boon for the state. I also remember thinking the notion of having another mode of transportation out of Fresno, faster than most methods, was very enticing. California politics then was mired in budget battles with opposite parties so entrenched it made the recent federal budget crisis look like good governance. We were told that this project, linking the northern and southern parts of the state by a train that could make the whole trip in a few hours, would bring jobs and spurn growth. Six years later, the project is “projected” to get started in 2014. But first, I need to bring your attention somewhere else. Last quarter I wrote a whole article about how New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was a good guy. Well … considering the recent news about his office taking political retaliation against a mayor that didn’t support Christie, it turns out I was wrong. So let’s pretend the article was about how awesome Nerds Rope was and call it a day. Now, I don’t feel like having the conversation about how the $33 billion, then $68 billion, and most recently the estimated cost of $91 billion project is an utter failure. Anyone could have predicted that six years ago. Rather, I want to focus on the arguments that the government and proponents of high speed rail

used to pass the initiative in the first place, and continue to use to justify the further existence of the project. What I am trying to draw attention to is the fact that we consistently attempt to qualify spending copious amounts of money, risking possibly negative environmental impacts and providing aid to companies with one overarching claim, that endorsing any specific plan creates jobs. Without a doubt, jobs are a necessity; I shouldn’t have to explain the importance of putting people in this nation to work. But at what point has the creation of jobs become the trump card of selling points for us to not fully evaluate a proposal where job creation is a secondary benefit of the plan? Take, for instance, the high speed rail for California mentioned above. After these past six years, there have been virtually no reports of job creation, as the project itself is stuck in land acquisition, legal battles and a serious lack of funding. Californians at the onset were promised that once the construction began that there would be approximately 66,000 jobs created a year over the span of 15 years. That is a significant number, yet one that was presented almost two years ago, and has not been updated since. With such an enormous project, and so much riding on its back, I cannot help but wonder how those numbers are established and justified. Provided as perhaps one of the biggest selling points, the creation of jobs was in this case used to sell to the public a government project that is now struggling to even begin. However, governments are not the only large entities to use this ploy in order to drum up support; oil and natural gas companies routinely use

Cal Poly’s all-time leading goal-scorer and former soccer forward Mackenzie Pridham will likely realize his dream of a career in professional soccer on Thursday if his name gets called in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft. The Canadian native is projected to be chosen in the second round

by Toronto FC, according to Top Drawer Soccer. Pridham was born in Toronto, Canada and recently played with the U-20 Canada Men’s National Team before training with Toronto FC this past summer. Pridham’s Toronto roots are very relevant heading into Thursday’s draft, with Toronto FC projected to select him with their 15th or 24th overall pick in many mock drafts.

Graphic Arts Building Building 26, Suite 226 California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA 93407

CONTACT EDITORIAL ADVERTISING CLASSIFIED FAX

(805) 756-1796 (805) 756-1143 (805) 756-1143 (805) 756-6784

EDITORS & STAFF

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF J.J. Jenkins INTEGRATED CONTENT EDITOR Carly Rickards BROADCAST NEWS DIRECTOR Olivia DeGennaro MUSTANG MEDIA GROUP EDITOR Sean McMinn PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR Jenna Watson NEWS EDITOR Jacob Lauing ARTS EDITOR Kassi Luja SPORTS EDITOR Stephan Teodosescu MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Eden Elissague

the true PROGRESSIVE progressive THE TRUE job creation as a justification for potentially harmful resource extraction methods. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has been a hotly contested practice for obtaining oil and natural gas, and environmentalists consistently assert that the technique not only harms natural ecosystems, but also contaminates water deposits. States that allow fracking have had numerous reports of water contamination, and while instances may only be seen in close proximity to drilling operations, the push by oil companies to use this method is gaining steam. They establish that the more resources they can extract from within the U.S. the less we become dependent on foreign suppliers. Making the United States more energy independent in addition to creating jobs are two very important selling advantages for companies to

put forth. However, once again, we are forced to weigh the possibility of creating jobs and energy independence with our health and the health of the environment. Perhaps it is that we are too willing to accept that the health of the economy by way of job creation is more important than being critical of the source of that job growth. I cannot in good faith look at job creation statistics of a proposed project and accept that in due time that those jobs will exist, nor is the risk of failure or harm to the community worth the the possible economic boon. For me, creating jobs is just not good enough, I expect my government and large companies to do better than that. This is Zachary Antoyan, thinking polar vortex what now? Have a fantastic week everyone.

Pridham set for MLS SuperDraft Evan Morter @EvanMorter

MUSTANG NEWS

“It would be amazing to be there just because I have all of my family and relatives in Toronto,” he said by phone on Tuesday. Pridham scored 14 goals in 20 games this past season and earned the Big West Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound forward said his playing style is similar to the great strikers of the game. He firmly believes he will succeed in Major

MUSTANG NEWS FILE PHOTO

BIG MAC | Former Cal Poly forward Mackenzie Pridham participated in the 2014 MLS Combine in preparation of the MLS SuperDraft to be held in Philadelphia, Penn.

League Soccer. “I know I can play with these guys at the next level,” Pridham said. “My goal is to sign a contract, and from there be a designated player and get plenty of minutes.” Pridham, who now holds a degree in business administration after walking at graduation this past December, holds high expectations for his future when mentioning his goal of retrieving a designated player tag. Each team in Major League Soccer is allowed just three roster spots for “designated players,” whose hefty price tags do not count against the club’s salary cap. If Pridham’s goal of reaching a designated player contract is achieved, then he will likely face a difficult decision once such recognition is reached. Being born in Canada, Pridham is eligible to play for both the Canadian Men’s National Team and the U.S. National Team due to his length of residency, but he can only choose one. The Toronto native would love to play for his country of origin, but he says the draft is too far away to think too much about it. As of now, with each tick of the clock, Pridham’s dream of hearing his name announced by Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber is approaching reality. “It would be breathtaking, exciting and relieving,” he said. Pridham, called “Mac” by those who know him best, has scored loads of goals at each level and for every club in his playing career. He has the tools a true goal scorer needs to be successful at the professional level, Cal Poly men's soccer head coach Paul Holocher said. “Mac is a true number nine,” Holocher said. “I do think he’ll score at the next level. He’s got a bright future ahead of him.” “He’s very strong,” Holocher added. “He’s very savvy with

his movement and he’s got very good control of the ball. That’s a great combination.” Pridham’s uncanny playing style confuses opposing goalkeepers, which has been key to his success thus far, said freshman goalkeeper Eric Kam. “It’s super hard to read his body language,” Kam said. “He always tries to throw you off with the way he’s facing and his positioning with the ball. I think he’s going to do pretty well.” Pridham’s unique style of play is equally matched with a great level of dedication and work ethic, Kam said. “He has the desire to just be the best he can,” he said. “I knew he had the drive that it takes to go pro.” Pridham has just completed his participation in the 2014 MLS Combine, which is a four-day annual showcase for prospective players ahead of the draft. Pridham was unable to score in the first match and then injured his ankle in the second, causing him to miss the final game of the combine. The former Cal Poly forward entered the combine with a high draft stock, he said. He spoke to Real Salt Lake, Colorado Rapids and indirectly to Toronto FC throughout the showcase. “Hopefully it was enough to show coaches my abilities and my intelligence,” Pridham said. In Major League Soccer, Pridham is joining one of the fastest-rising professional soccer leagues on the planet and said he is glad to be a part of the evolution of American soccer. “I’m excited to hopefully be a part of such a growing league,” Pridham said. The Major League Soccer SuperDraft will be aired on ESPNEWS, starting at 9 a.m. Pacific Time on Thursday morning.

BROADCAST CONTENT DIRECTOR Katie McDermott BROADCAST PRODUCTION MANAGER Denzel Quarterman STAFF WRITERS Benjy Egel, Kelly Trom, Evan Morter CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Brooke Sperbeck, Jefferson P. Nolan FREELANCE WRITERS Taylor Steinbeck, Brenna Swanston MULTIMEDIA REPORTERS Briana Whitney, Ashley DeVriend, Paige Cross, Anne Knapke FREELANCE MULTIMEDIA REPORTERS Lisa Diaz, Christina Favuzzi, David Aguilar COPY EDITORS Kayla Missman, Samantha Sullivan, Laura Pezzini WEB DEVELOPER Kevin Knopp SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Hannah Croft PHOTOGRAPHERS Zach Maher, David Jang, Ian Billings HEAD DESIGNER Megan Heddinger SPECIAL SECTIONS COORDINATOR Erica Husting PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATORS Jessica Padilla, Kelsey Donofrio MARKETING MANAGER Taylor Riley ADVERTISING MANAGERS Bianca Galvez, Rachael Burnham ART DIRECTOR Albert Chang PRODUCTION MANAGER Joseph Hewison PROJECT MANAGER Melanie Lapovich ADVERTISING DESIGNERS Nicole Bergmann, Ashley Andrews, Kelsey Dodge ADVERTISING AND MARKETING MANAGER Lea Janowicz FACULTY ADVISER Pat Howe GENERAL MANAGER Paul Bittick

WRITE A LETTER

Mustang News reserves the right to edit letters for grammar, profanities, and length. Letters, commentaries and cartoons do not represent the views of Mustang News. Please limit length to 250 words. Letters should include the writer’s full name, phone number, major and class standing. Letters must come from a Cal Poly email account. Do not send letters as an attachment. Please send the text in the body of the email. EMAIL editor@mustangnews.net ADVERTISING EMAIL advertising@mustangdaily.net MAIL Letters to the Editor Building 26, Room 226 Cal Poly SLO, CA 93407 ONLINE mustangnews.net

CORRECTIONS

Mustang News staff takes pride in publishing a daily newspaper for the Cal Poly campus and the neighboring community. We appreciate your readership and are thankful for your careful reading. Please send your correction suggestions to editor@ mustangnews.net.

NOTICES

Mustang News is a “designated public forum.” Student editors have full authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. Mustang News is a free newspaper; however, the removal of more than one copy of the paper per day is subject to the cost of 50 cents per issue.

ADVERTISING DEADLINE

Space reservation is two days prior to publishing date at 5 p.m. Advertisements must be finalized one day prior to publishing before 5 p.m. Camera ready artwork is due at 12 p.m. the day of deadline.

Printed by UNIVERSITY GRAPHICS SYSTEMS ugs.calpoly.edu ugssales@calpoly.edu Mustang News is a member of Associated Collegiate Press, California Newspaper Publishers Association, College Newspaper Business and Advertising Managers and College Media Advisors. Thursday, January 16, 2014 Volume LXXVIII, Number 28 ©2014 Mustang News “No massive penis on the front page.”

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD: Order online: www.MUSTANGDAILY.net Call: 805.756.1143 a day prior by noon Ads must be prepaid by check made out to MUSTANG DAILY or paid by credit card

CLASSIFIED ADS ARE FREE FOR STUDENTS Stop into MUSTANG NEWS to find out how to place your ad.

at MUSTANGDAILY.NET

CROSSWORD PUZZLE POP CULTURE SHOCK THERAPY

SPONSOR THE COMIC! $50 A DAY CALL 805.756.1143

F MINUS

SPONSOR THE COMIC! $50 A DAY CALL 805.756.1143

SUDOKU

SPORTS | 9

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Men’s basketball looks to extend win streak Jefferson P. Nolan @jefferson_nolan The Cal Poly men’s basketball team is 2-0 in the Big West Conference, but as head basketball coach Joe Callero put it, his team is nowhere close to popping the champagne. After victories against Ha-

waii and UC Santa Barbara this past week to start Big West play, the Mustangs hope to match the basketball program’s best start to conference when they host Cal State Northridge on Thursday in Mott Athletics Center (MAC). “I feel like we’ve learned a lot from our preseason schedule,” Callero said.

“But if we were 0-2 right now, I wouldn’t be panicking, and now that we’re 2-0, I’m not celebrating. When you go on the road and face adverse conditions and talented, athletic teams, you just get better.” In fact, before scheduling teams such as then-No. 5 Arizona, Oregon and Stanford, Callero asked his leaders on

the team if they were prepared to be matched against some of the top-ranked teams in the nation. “In the preseason, we knew that we could be 2-9 going into conference and we’d be prepared,” senior forward Chris Eversley said. “We were 4-9, but the strength and athleticism we saw in the pre-conference season was different.” And when the Matadors come to San Luis Obispo, Callero and his squad know what they’re up against. The Matadors, also 2-0 in the Big West after victories against UC Davis and Hawaii, currently hold a .477 shooting percentage. They currently lead the Big West with their 3-point percentage at .392, and their current free-throw percentage of .775 leads the Big West and ranks No. 4 in the nation. The Matadors’ forward Stephan Maxwell was recently named Big West Player of the Week after the

junior sank 21 consecutive free throws in the past four matchups. In its past two games, Cal State Northridge has made 50 of their 54 attempted free throws. “Northridge is very explosive offensively,” Callero said. “They’re very quick. Josh Green is probably one of the quickest kids in the entire conference and Maxwell is a very athletic inside post. We have tremendous respect for them, but we just need to keep getting better. It’s only going to get harder as the year goes on.” In his first year at the helm of the Matadors’ basketball squad, head coach Reggie Theus has high expectations for his team. The former head coach of the Sacramento Kings is off to a promising start, and a victory on Thursday would mark only the second time in program history that the program started 3-0 in conference. But on Thursday night, the Mustangs will be pre-

pared to match the intensity of the Matadors. The Mustangs have won 15 straight conference games inside the MAC dating back to last season, and have won 16 of their last 17 at home. A weekend sweep would earn the program its best ever start to a season in conference play. Anthony Silvestri proved to be Cal Poly’s secret weapon against UC Santa Barbara last week — the junior forward sank five 3-pointers and contributed a careerhigh 17 points to lead his team to victory. “We’re playing our best basketball right now,” Silvestri said. “We had a long preseason and played a lot of top teams. I came in (against the Gauchos), got some good looks from my teammates and they were getting me open.” After taking on the Matadors on Thursday, the Mustangs will complete their weekend home stand when they host Long Beach State on Saturday.

WEEKEND AHEAD

IAN BILLINGS| STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

THURSDAY

SATURDAY

vs. Northridge at 7 p.m.

vs. Long Beach at 7 p.m.

TOP DOG | Senior forward Chris Eversley leads the team with 14.1 points and 7.0 boards per game. Fierro continued from pg 10. to Arroyo Grande for his senior year in high school. But to the swimmer, the switch didn’t mean much to him. “I didn’t really hang out with too many friends back at my old high school, so it wasn’t that big of a deal to me to switch,” Fierro said. Now, things have changed. He has found a family amongst his teammates. “Sonny is one of those rare people where he could be getting his butt kicked day in and day out and remain positive about it,” teammate Mackey Hopen said. “He stays focused on what he wants. You’ve really got

to love (swimming) to do it. He’s dedicated to the things he cares about. He’s a fun guy to be around.” And as his friends can attest, the “I’d rather be swimming” license plate frame was made for Fierro, even if his journey to the pool was somewhat of a fluke. It all began when his parents simply wanted to cool him off. “Nobody else in my family ever swam," he said. "But it got pretty hot in the summer, so my parents just said, ‘Throw him in the pool!’” As it turned out, Fierro was meant to be in the water. And for Cal Poly head swimming coach Tom Milich, it’s a good thing that the Fierro’s decided their son should take

up the sport. “Sonny likes to win,” Milich said. “It’s a pretty tight-knit group … and he can still have fun with it. That’s one of the keys.” On Jan. 25, the Mustangs will host UC Santa Cruz for their last meet before conference action. The following week, Fierro and the Cal Poly swim squad will commence their conference season with a meet against rival UC Santa Barbara. Of course, the young swimmer has set goals for himself beyond Cal Poly’s competition — the NCAA and Pac-12 tournaments remain in the back of his mind. But before each race, before the buzzer rings and he hurdles him-

self into the water, Fierro forgets his goals. He thinks about racing. “The thing that keeps me training is the feeling you get

at the end of practice knowing that I gave it my all,” Fierro said. “The main reason why I trained so hard is the satisfaction that it gives me

at the end of the day.” And with his tattoo stitched across his chest, it is safe to say that Fierro will never settle.

SPORTS | 10

Thursday, January 16, 2013

FIERRO ‘NEVER SETTLES’

IAN BILLINGS| STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

W

hen Sonny Fierro climbed up on the starting block a few swimming lanes down from Michael Phelps, most everyone knew how the race would end. It was the summer before Fierro arrived at Cal Poly, and the sophomore swimmer remembers looking over to see the world’s greatest swimmer flap his arms as he conducted his famous pre-race ritual. “(Phelps) beat me by a good amount,” Fierro said wryly. “He was three or four lanes down, but knowing that I was racing him, I think, made me go a little bit faster.” It was the 200-meter butterfly — the event in which Phelps has two gold medals and holds the current world record. Like most good athletes, the young swimmer doesn’t dwell on the losses. And lately, he hasn’t had to. Fierro, a native of Sacramento, Calif.,

Jefferson P. Nolan specializes in the 200 and 500 freestyle as well as the mile race for the Cal Poly men’s swim team. And after a standout inaugural season in which he closed his freshman year by posting the team's best time in the Pac-12 Championships, Fierro hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. Most recently, Fierro widened eyes as he set his second school record during the finale of the AT&T Winter National Championships in Knoxville, Tenn. He completed the men's 1,650-yard freestyle in 15 minutes, 6.23 seconds and bested the former program record by nearly 15 seconds. And best of all, he did it in marginal physical conditions. “No matter how bad your body is feeling or how good you’re feeling, if your mind is not in the right place, you’re not going to have a good race,” Fierro said. “My body was not feeling good, I didn’t get much

@jefferson_nolan sleep and I had a lot of school that was on my mind. But I just let go of all of it.” Sure, all sports require some level of mental dexterity. But according to Fierro, if you’re not mentally prepared on the day of your race, you may as well not show up to the pool. As a swimmer, mentality is everything. The margin of victory — as demonstrated by the swimming events held during the Olympics — often come down to one-one hundredth of a second. When every muscle in your body is screaming for you to stop, it takes a little something extra just to finish a race, not to mention winning it. But fortunately for Fierro, that motivation isn’t too difficult to find. And it dates back to his days in high school. Before his collegiate career, Fierro was a member of a small, competitive swim group out of Sacramento. His coach, Matt Casto — an Olympic trials and US Open qualifier — was a 28-year-old who served

as a role model to the budding swimmer. Casto fueled Fierro’s passion for the sport, and every day he would ride the bike Casto built for him to swim practice. “(Casto) really got me into loving the sport,” Fierro said. "A lot of the time, it would just be us two swimming together. I would race him in practice. I got a lot of my motivation from him.” But on June 22, 2012, Casto collapsed on his bike. Fierro was 15 when his mentor passed away from unknown heart complications. In commemoration of his coach, Fierro now has the words “Never Settle” inked on his chest. It’s the same tattoo Casto had. “It was something that he lived by,” he said. “Never settle. Never settle for anything less than your best. It’s a constant reminder for me.” After the passing of his coach, Fierro moved with his family from Sacramento

see Fierro, pg 9.