NINERONLINE.COM

A Creeper’s Guide to Online

The Niner Times chats with the Charlotte band about their new record deal with Org Music, and their plans for the future.

Could you be the victim of a lurker? Or are you creeping on your family, coworkers and friends?

LIFESTYLE

Catching up with the Sugar Gliders

A&E

PAGE 1

THURSDay, JANUARY 19, 2012

p.6

p.9

NINERTIMES Thursday, Januar y 19, 2011

Published twice weekly and online at www.nineronline.com

A product of Student Niner Media • The University of North Carolina at Charlotte • Partially funded by Student Fees • Breaking News? Email us at editor@nineronline.com or call 704.687.7148

New on NinerOnline.com: Catch new episodes of Niner News, Niner Access, and Queen City Crankers this week.

When you give an omnivore a veggie burger

A night away from home Gwen Shearman g s h ea r ma @ uncc . e d u

Phi Beta Sigma will experience what it feels like to be homeless Friday, Jan. 20, 2012, from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. the next morning. Well not exactly, but that’s the idea behind the Sleepout for the Homeless event. The fraternity plans to spend the night outside in order to bring awareness to the issue of homelessness faced in the U.S. The event, being held in the courtyard between Wallis Hall and Lynch Hall, also collects clothes, canned good and other perishable items which will be donated to the Charlotte Men’s Shelter. The event started over twenty years ago and has grown into a national program for the fraternity. “From my understanding in the late 1980s some brothEvent ers from the chapter and North CarWhat: Sleepout for olina A&T decided the Homeless to stay all night in When: 6 p.m. until January, just to 6 a.m., Friday, Jan. see what homeless people go through 20, 2012 to an extent,” said Where: Courtyard Kamal Shaw of Phi between Wallis Beta Sigma. Hall and Lynch Hall The sleepout has seen increased support in recent years, and received the philanthropy of the year award from the Greek Life office on campus. “Last year we received four car loads full of clothes, canned goods and other perishable items. Years before we had decent results, but last year was the best I have seen in three years” said Shaw. Members of Rho Gamma Chapter, as well as chapters from Johnson C. Smith and surrounding areas will fair a night in the harsh winter weather to get a glimpse at what a homeless person goes through on a daily basis. “I encourage everybody to come out, support and donate to the event. It’s a real humbling experience,” said Shaw.

He’ll beg you for some meat. What is it like to be a vegetarian at UNC Charlotte? Take a first-hand look. Malcolm Carter mcarte72@uncc.edu

Monday, Jan. 9, 2012. The first day of classes, and my first day of being a vegetarian. Call it a resolution kicking in late, call it a burning curiosity to try the other side or call it my firebreathing dragon of an editor telling me I had no choice. Anyway you slice it, I was a vegetarian. It started off in the Residential Dining Hall (RDH). I took my normal ham, cheese and peppers, save the swine of course, wrapped in liquid egg with Cheerios, apple juice and an apple. I could tell after the first bite of the omelette it was going to be a rough week. Without the sweet thickness of pig, the item failed to satisfy. Lunch came, time to try my new veggie powers on Crown Commons. Rice, roll and green

peas, nothing special. Then the moment of truth, stir-fry tofu. It hurt just to put it on my plate, as the line to get stir-fry chicken was long like they were debuting the iPhone 5 instead of food. I sat down with my rainbow plate of food and started to chow down. As I sat back with that smug look of satisfaction on my face, I noticed I’d eaten everything except the stir-fry. Ah what the hell, you only live once. I ate the tofu. It was wellseasoned and tasted good with other vegetables in the concoction. The tofu was kind of hard and crunchy, though, a sensation I don’t normally associate with tofu. Nutrition accomplished. Dinner at RDH was a little upsetting. I don’t know how I made it through the night. The cheese pizza was as tasty as

A “hot salad.” A salad with lettuce, carrot, grilled tofu, corn and peppers. Photo courtsey of Malcolm Carter. hobo-sheltering cardboard, the red beans and rice was dry as sand fresh from the Sahara and the vegetarian chili was quite bland. It was almost as if the chefs were too concerned with having vitamins and nutrition enough to sustain vegetarians to cater to their flavor detection abilities. I absolutely couldn’t seem to bring myself to eat the food I’d put on my plate. Guess it was time to try a veggie burger. I walked up to the grill and asked for a veggie burger. “I’ll g0 check and see if we have any,” said the chef, and she retired to the back recesses of the kitchen. You don’t already know if you have any? Oh dear. In the back I imagine she

looked in the freezer, she looked in the fridge, in the trash can, in the garbage disposal and in the bathroom. Out back underneath the dumpster, I’m sure she shined a light. Rats and cockroaches alike scurried into the woods, and there in their place she found my veggie patty. Spongebob, the benefactor of the Krabby Patty, would be in tears. Meanwhile in front of the grill, I was getting cold feet. A line was forming behind me, the chef had been gone for four minutes. I had almost lost my nerve when I saw her returning, to my delightful surprise with no patty in her hand. “It’s cooking. It’ll be about five minutes.” VEGETARIAN p.4

The cheese quesadilla, cheese pizza and a veggie lentils burger from Crown Commons. Photo courtsey of Malcolm Carter.

A&E

Sports

NEWS

Opinion

Watch for Pedestrians.

Album Reviews: Hello Handshake fuses rock and art and will play Amos’ Southend later this month

Both students walking and students driving on campus should pay closer attention to crosswalk signs and stop lights especially after a Wells Fargo executive was stuck in downtown Charlotte last week.

Golden Globes: Ricky

Gervais’ third year hosting the Golden Globe Awards way be his last after Jimmy Fallon steals the show in his “Moves Like Jagger” parody.

Niners Drafted to MLS p.7

p.12

HOW to Register for Graduation p.4

p.5

PAGE 2

THURsDAY, JANUARY 19, 2012

NINERTIMES

NINERONLINE.COM

THURSDay, JANUARY 19, 2012

Police Blotter South Village HIt And run Jan. 6

• High Rise Rd., victim’s vehicle damaged while parked and unattended.

Jan. 8

• Craver Rd., unknown subject struck a street light pole and fled the scene.

construction sparks opinions

Construction near South Village to build Deck J has caused varying levels of opinion among UNC Charlotte students. In order for crews to build this new deck, they will be closing off an area currently used by residences of the high rises for parking.

Jan. 13

• Darryl McCall Circle, victim’s vehicle was damaged while parked and unattended.

CAlls for Service Jan. 6

Michael Moncure Junior, Psychology Major

“You can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs.”

Jan. 13

• Witherspoon Hall, subject was threatening to take his life.

Taniesha Byrd

Jan. 9

Sophomore, Biology Major

• Cameron Blvd., unknown subject removed secured bicycle from bike rack.

“I think that they should provide another parking area for these students since they already paid for parking on campus. There should be some other place for them to park, and it should be just as close for them as where they are parking now.”

Jan. 10

• Hawthorn Hall, unknown subject removed secured bicycle from bike rack. • Scott Hall, unknown subject removed medication without permission.

Jan. 11

• Athletics Training and Academic Center, unknown suspect removed property that was unsecured.

Accident Jan. 10

• Craver Rd., driver struck another vehicle while parked.

Arrest Jan. 7

• Pine Hall, known subject gave false information to officer.

Robert Pope “It has its pros and cons. Sure, people won’t be able to park for a while. But after they’re done, more parking will be available. That’s something we need more than anything else on this campus. It really is a good idea all around.”

Jan. 10

• CAB Lane, victim was assulted by an acquaintance; suspect resisted officers attempt to place under arrest

Lee Burns, a 22-year-old male was arrested by Campus police Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012. According to the UNC Charlotte police report, Burns gave false information to an officer, which resulted in his official charge of resisting a public officer. Eden Creamer

Student arrested on felony charges Nineteen year old UNC Charlotte student Desmond Simon, a criminal justice major, was arrested by Campus Police Tuesday, Jan 10, 2012. Simon was arrested on three counts; assault by strangulation, assault on a female using aggressive physical force and resisting a public office. Assault by strangulation is considered a felony in the U.S. Simon is a commuter student living in Fayetteville. Eden Creamer

Previous chancellor appointed to Commission UNC Charlotte chancellor emeritus, Jim Woodward, has been placed on the Judicial Nominating Commission. Woodward is one of 18 members of the Commission, which, when positions are available in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals or Superior Court, reviews applications of those interested in filling the positions. His appointment has been made by Gov. Beverly Perdue after she was instructed to assist in filling judicial vacancies by Executive Order 86. Eden Creamer

Gilles Noghes, U.S. ambassador from Monaco, and Namik Tan, ambassador from Turkey, will speak in the International Speaker Series. They will speak Friday, Jan. 20, 2012 at 3 p.m. in the Halton Reading Room of Atkins Library. The series is open to anyone who wishes to attend, and is free. Noghes’ presentation is called “Image of a Country: The Case of Monaco,” and Tan’s discussion is called “Turkey in a Changing World.” After the presentations, the ambassadors will be available for a question-andanswer session. Eden Creamer

Musical festival features international quartet

Junior, Political Science Major

Alyssa Levy

Non-dangerous arrest on campus

News briefs

International Speaker Series brings ambassadors

• Scott Hall, officer transported student to mental health facility.

Larceny

PAGE 3

Sophomore, Nursing Major

“I think it kind of sucks. I mean, parking is already pretty difficult on campus.”

For the second year, UNC Charlotte’s Chamber Music Festival will be Friday, Jan.20 through Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. The College of Arts and Architecture will hold the event in Robinson Hall’s Belk Theater. Musicians from across the country will attend the festival to perform, and the special ensemble for this year’s festival will be Catalyst Quartet. Catalyst Quartet, winners of an international competition, will perform Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 at 8 p.m. Events of the festival are open to everyone to attend. Tickets for the public are available for $9, UNC Charlotte faculty and staff and seniors are able to get tickets for $7 and all other UNC Charlotte students can purchase tickets for $6. Eden Creamer

Faculty make “Cash Crops” UNC Charlotte faculty in the Department of Africana Studies will be a part of the “Cash Crop,” forums an exhibit at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts and Culture. “Cash Crop” will run through June 30, 2012. Faculty involved in the exhibit include Christopher Cameron, Erika Edwards, Charles Hutchison, Janaka Lewis, Gregory Mixon, Tanure Ojaide, Malin Pereira, Eddy Souffrant and Greg Wiggan. With the exception of one event, all events will be at 6 p.m. at the Gantt Center. Eden Creamer

Thomas Niels Freshman, Engineering Major

“Its going to trouble some people but they do need [to increase the parking on campus] eventually. They might as well get it out of the way now.”

Erskine Bowles recognized by UNC system Sumaiyah Dailey Freshman, Computer Science Major

“[Relocating parkers] seems really inconvenient. I know the parking lot near my building fills up fast. It just doesn’t sound good.”

President emeritus of the University of North Carolina (UNC) system Erskine Bowles has receieved the 2011 University Award. This award is the highest honor given by the Board of Governors, which oversees the 17 campuses of the UNC system. Bowles is the recipient of this award due to the leadership he illustrated during his five years as president of UNC. Bowles received the award Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012 on the UNC Chapel Hill campus. Eden Creamer

PAGE 4

NINERTIMES

THURsDAY, JANUARY 19, 2012

How to: Apply for graduation For all students nearing the completeion of their degree it’s time to apply for graduation. The spring deadline for undergraduate students to apply for May 2012 graduation is Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012 by 11:59 p.m.

The online CAPP Evaluation, available on 49er Express, can help you determine how close you are to graduation. After checking with your advisor and calculating credit hours (120 are needed to graduate), students can submit their application. The procedure is easy:

Planning to graduate this year? Don’t put off your application until too late, it could cost you your chance to graduate. MCT Campus.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Sign into 49er Express. The application for graduation can be found under the Banner Self Service tab.

Choose the Student Services/Student Accounts option. Then choose Student Records and the application can be found towards the bottom of the options list labeled Online Graduation Application. Graduate students use the last option on the page, “Apply for Candidacy for Graduate Students.”

Be careful to read all the information on the application creation page. It alerts you to the fee associated with your degree. Undergraduate degrees are $57, while master’s degrees are $83. This onetime fee will be charged to your student account and is nonredundable.

After selecting “Create a new application,” you’ll be instructed to complete a senior survey. This survey is about 50 questions, and you should set aside 10 to 15 minutes. Your feedback is used to evaluate and recognize areas that need improvement.

When you finish the survey, you will be redirected to a page to review and confirm your graduation term and type of degree, as well as your name and hometown. You cannot change this on the website, so if anything is incorrect, call the Registrar’s office at 704-687-5505 or 704-687-5544.

Once you’ve finished all the sections of the application, you’ll be directed to review the application summary and submit the application.

Enjoy your last semester at UNC Charlotte. The end is near!

Compiled by Gwen Shearman

VEGETARIAN from p.1 My heart sank. I returned to play with my cardboard and sand. In five minutes time, I retrieved my burger. Ketchup, mustard, fries, table. With visible trepidation on my face, I took a bite. Long story short, the burger sucked. Life goes on. As did the week, in a similar fashion. I had my ups and downs throughout the week. Tuesday I discovered cheese pizza and bagels - definitely an up. They had some delicious vegetarian quesadillas in Crown Commons that night, but they also had the dreaded veggie lentils burger. It resembled granola brick dust, and it tasted accordingly. My last attempt at the veggie burger. I honestly don’t see how vegetarians do it. Although most of the vegetarians I talked to were quite enthused by my efforts at being a vegetarian, they seemed to feel sorry that this was the place I decided to start my meatless endeavor. Vegetarians across campus are disappointed in the caliber of vegetarian food served in the cafeterias. “It’s kind of hard [to be a vegetarian at UNC Charlotte] because their food sucks,” Laura Bowers, vegetarian for seven years, “But if all else fails I can get a salad or something.” Although it is sometimes hard for her to find pleasing options at UNC Charlotte, she does not find it difficult to be a vegetarian outside of the university. She even finds it comical when people ask her “how can you eat?” and “how do you survive?” Survival on a UNC Charlotte veggie diet isn’t the issue here. Protein and other important vitamins can easily be found in pastas, beans, tofu and rolls. The problem is sacrificing taste, time and effort. Vegetarians take precious time and effort being vigilant about their foods and making sure they don’t consume anything that once had a face. This I learned whilst I watched a girl wait in line for eight and a half minutes to get to the front of the line only to learn the soup she wanted had ground beef in it. Why do they put themselves through such meticulous watchfulness? Where is the motivation? “One person can make a difference obviously. The more people that become vegetarians the less meat they’ll end up making... because less people will be buying it. Basically, I’ve saved a bunch of cows and chickens and pigs.” What a noble cause. So noble, that I half-hesitated before putting that sweet honey ham on my plate for breakfast on Monday. So many things raced through my mind. “I’ve been holding out, I wonder how long I can keep going...” “This vegetarian thing is really good for my health...” “I could do this the rest of my life...” “Should I really eat this pig, or continue on my small protest against feeding on foods who had faces?” Wilbur never tasted so delightful.

OPINION NINERONLINE.COM

NINERTIMES Volume 24, Number 28 A Product of

THURSDay, JANUARY 19, 2012

The perils of crossing to the other side Joshua Wood OPINION@NINERONLINE.COM

LOcated in the lower level of the student union Niner Times • Radio Free Charlotte Sanskrit • Media Marketing • Nineronline

T h e u n i v e r s i t y o f n o rt h ca r o l i na at c h a r l o t t e

Niner times staff E d it o r - i n - C hief

Joel Hanel

editor@nineronline.com n i n er times M a n agi n g E d it o rs

Dana Nigro managing@nineronline.com

Corbin Peters

online@nineronline.com

Sports Editor

COMMUNITY Editor

NEWS Editor

A&E Editor

LIFESTYLE Editor

Layout Editor

Ed Niser

Ciera Choate

Haley Twist

Lee Pham

Ryan Pitkin

Christian Billings

Assistant editors Eden Creamer, Barry Falls Jr., Lee Pham, Joshua Wood ADditional staff Lauren Dunn, Sarah Obied, Caitlin Evanson, Jordan McSwain, Maurii Davenport, Scarlett Newman, Travis Durkee, Jack Harding, Malcom Carter, Gwen Shearman

PAGE 5

If you walk to campus or walk on campus you will realize that walking on the crosswalks can be a hazard. It has come to my attention that crosswalks are not as safe as they’re suppose to be. Just last week a Wells Fargo executive, Brett Morgan, was hit by a dump truck and killed while legally walking on a crosswalk. Sadly, this isn’t the first accident to happen involving a crosswalk and certainly not the last. We even have accidents here on campus. Just outside the Student Union building on Sept. 20, 2011 a pedestrian was struck by a motor vehicle while in a designated crosswalk, the vehicle also fled the scene. It’s such a tragedy that the vehicle couldn’t even slow down enough to wait for the pedestrian to cross. As a student who doesn’t have a car I walk everywhere. I rely on crosswalks to provide a safe route across busy streets but I haven’t felt safe. Every morning walking from south village to my classes, I cross Broadrick Boulevard. The vehicles that pass through this street are all but patient. The general rule of traffic is that a pedestrian on a crosswalk has the right of way, but the drivers of UNC Charlotte choose to ignore this rule.

As campus grows there are more and more Photo by Corbin Peters crosswalks. The drivers do not even wait for students to completely cross the street before taking off and some drives choose to weave through students who clearly are in the middle of the street. The drivers are not all at fault though, sometimes pedestrians walk out in the

street thinking that cars should automatically stop for them, but that doesn’t always work. Pedestrians should be aware of vehicles just as much as drivers should be aware of pedestrians. For those who walk around off campus and around the city, crossing crosswalks can be more dangerous; car accidents involving pedestrians are high. The Charlotte Department of Transportation is currently investigating on ways to make crossing crosswalks safer. A simple suggestion from me would be to install crosswalk bridges, allowing pedestrians to walk over traffic rather than through it. Perhaps something similar can be applied to the campus to insure the safety of students who walk. Almost 5,000 pedestrians are killed in car accidents a year. All these accidents can be avoided if the driver and the walker both pay attention to their surroundings. There will always be a risk when crossing the street. We can lower that risk if we remember the simplest rule our parents teach us; look both ways before crossing. I implore pedestrians take extra precaution when crossing the street, you can’t be entirely sure the driver will stop for you. I hope the city takes extreme measure to insuring the safety of pedestrians and quickly find a solution. Until then though, please be aware and look both ways before crossing.

NEWSROOM: 704.687.7149

media marketing MARKETING DIRECTOR

Brian Mister

mktdirector@uncc.edu CREATIVE DIRECTOR Karen Pierce

Circulation manager

Mandy Blackburn

senior sales coordinator Dalton Mitchell

sales team Tyler Johnson, Julie Collins, Steve Chung, Brian Mister SALES OFFICE: 704.687.7144

Production STaff Niki Prestel PRODUCTION OFFICE: 704.687.7147

circulation STaff Amanda Guidi, Ryan Jenkins

Niner Media Adviser: Wayne Maikranz Marketing Adviser: Kelly Merges Graphics & Production Adviser: Pete Hurdle Business Manager: Marianne Baker Office Manager: Mark Haire

SUbscriptions Students are entitled to one free copy of Niner Times per publication date. Additional copies are valued at $.35 and can be obtained from the Student Niner Media Offices. Subscriptions to Niner Times are available for $40.00. Submit payment and mailing address to: Media Marketing, Student Union LL Room 042, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223.

Editorial policy Niner Times is written and produced by students at UNC Charlotte. All unsigned editorials are the expressed opinion of the editorial board and do not represent the views of the University. Views expressed in signed editorials are solely those of the author. Niner Times is published during the regular academic year on Tuesday and Thursday except during holidays and exam periods.

GIVE US SOME FEEDBACK NinerTimes welcomes letters. Feedback should be under 200 words, legibly written or typed and should include the author’s signature, year in school, major and telephone number. Faculty and staff should include title and department. Unsigned, anonymous letters will not be printed. All letters are subject to editing for space and style. Submit letters to:

Niner Times Student Union, Charlotte, NC 28223 or e-mail to

editor@nineronline.com

Techno culture dominates the library Caitlin Evanson C E VA N S O N @ U N C C . E D U

It is believed that technology is slowly taking over the world. I, for one, would have to agree. iPads, Nooks, Kindles and more are slowly but surely stealing the spotlight in todays’ society. Most of us have become dependable on the fact that everything is just a touch away. Libraries are sadly becoming more and more extinct while faces are being buried away in computers and other digital devices intended for reading purposes. I remember when writing a paper meant two rough drafts, hand written, before even going to a computer to type them out. Or how about when looking up the meaning of a word meant physically picking up a dictionary and flipping through page after page to find it. When I was little, my favorite thing about long car rides was getting to read books, and it would usually be at least three because Iowa was a four hour drive from my hometown in Illinois.

Nowadays we are able to whip out our cell phones to complain to our friends about boring car rides or to creep on other peoples Facebook pages (who we usually don’t like anyways) or maybe even read a book on a screen that you can barely even read. Technology has doomed us by having us stay connected to the world in a way that I never would have imagined possible. Shelly Theriault, the Communications and Marketing manager at J. Murrey Atkins Library stated, “Nooks, Kindles, and iPads can live in harmony with traditional paper books, it doesn’t need to be an either/or situation. All of these mediums offer a myriad of important beliefs.” Theriault’s words of wisdom sparked something inside of me that made me realize I can’t hate all of these inventions because it was never their fault for being invented. Someone just wanted an easier way to do things and this is what ended up happening. Theriault also said “Here at Atkins Library, we’re working hard to strike the bal-

ance of incorporating traditional book use while still offering cutting edge technology. After much research, we’ve realized students want and need both.” In todays society this seems like the smartest and most logical way to overcome all of our newest inventions. If we don’t accept them, it will only make things harder and more complicated. If we just intertwine everything and work it all out together, we can let everything live in harmony amongst each other. That feeling of opening a brand new textbook and feeling the crisp pages between my fingers beats staring at a screen any day. When my bookshelves are full of beautiful literature and history my satisfaction will finally be reached and my life long dream of owning my own library will have finally come true. Until then, I’ll continue to type my articles on my Mac computer that I barely know how to use, and I’ll read the Charlotte Observer from my iPhone that I always seem to break.

Letters to the Editor Do you want your voice to be heard?

TIME TO

STAND

OUT FROM THE CROWD Send your thoughts to editor@nineronline.com

PAGE 6

NINERTIMES

THURsDAY, JANUARY 19, 2012

A&E

LIVE MUSIC:

Rebellution Jan 19/ 8:00p.m. at The Fillmore

ON CAMPUS:

NEW IN THEATERS:

Karaoke Night Jan 20/8:00p.m. at Norm’s

Super Ape and Cement Stars Late Night Laser Night Jan 21/9:00p.m. at Visulite Theatre Jan 21/8:00p.m. at The Union

Red Tails Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close Underworld Awakening Haywire Miss Bala

2012: the year of the Sugar Glyder

Drummer Bobby Matthews

Guitarist Chris Rigo

Barry Falls Jr

B FA L L S @ U N C C . E D U

The anouncement came Sunday night on 106.5 WEND that the Charlotte-based quintet Sugar Glyder was signed to ORG Music an affiliate of Warner Bros. The guys and girl of Sugar Glyder were kind enough to talk to me about what happens next. Niner Times: What are the perks that come with being signed to Org Music? Chris Rigo: Touring a lot and trying to spread the word. The biggest thing that being signed entails for us is that there is now more people trying to spread the word about our music. We are also going to be working with a new producer for this album. Daniel Howie: You’ve also got to think. There are millions of other independent bands out there. There are a few hundred thousand that play shows on a consistent basis; another hundred thousand that have it together enough to tour. Then about 70 or 80 thousand more that are “signed” bands. This puts us ahead of the curve and therefore automatically opens up more opportunities. More people take you seriously. Bobby Mathews: Being signed lets you do what you do as a band on a greater scale. In a way, the Sugar Glyder name has more credibility now that it is associated with a label. Also, we will be on a larger budget which will in turn give us more freedom and capability to progress in the music industry. Emily Aoyagi: Being signed with ORG is really great because we aren’t one of hundreds of artists that a label is trying to fit into a cookie-cutter design for a cookie-cutter target audience. It’s the same thing for working with Outerloop. They both really believe in us and our music, which I think is one of the most important things you can ask for in a creative industry like music. Niner Times: The band is in the studio now working on new tracks. How has the recording process changed with a record label as opposed to the DIY course? Chris Rigo: We start actual recording for the new album in March. We will be working with a new producer this time. We have always really enjoyed the basement/living room recording style/space but this is something new and exciting. Daniel Howie: This is actually the first time we’ve worked with someone other than Kit Walters of Scapegoat. It’s a good time for us to grow and develop our sound. Bobby Mathews: We are all very anxious to find out what it will be like to NOT have a DIY process of recording. It will be nice to get away from our homes and live in the environment that we will be producing the record in. I think this will give us the opportunity to be 110% involved with the record with no distractions. Niner Times: The band has been hard at work creating new tracks for an upcoming album. What can you tell me about the new album? Chris Rigo: The new songs are extremely melodic. The new album sounds like Sugar Glyder, just the next step for us as song writers. Daniel Howie: The energy and excitement we’ve been containing while cooped up writing these songs

Bassist Emily Aoyagi

with no release will show on the album. We haven’t played a show since August 30tht! It’s been really tough because we’re so used to letting that energy out on stage and on the road. Emily Aoyagi: It’s going to be a continued progression in our style; I feel like “Lovers at Lightspeed” is the closest we’ve gotten so far to fine tuning the direction we’re headed collectively, and I expect this next album to be the next step. Not to say that we’re shunning any experimental aspects to writing songs, but we’re getting smarter about our compositions and conveying our ideas/feelings musically. Niner Times: When can we expect it to be released? Chris Rigo: The new album will probably be released sometime in the summer or early fall of 2012. Niner Times: Many might argue that Sugar Glyder might have rose to where it is now sooner and with more support if the band grew up in a city with a better music scene. What do you think cities like Nashville or Austin or Seattle have that Charlotte doesn’t? Chris Rigo: First of all, we love Austin! We wouldn’t be signed right now if we wouldn’t have met ORG Music at the 2011 South By Southwest festival in Austin, TX. I think Charlotte just has a younger music scene than many of those other cities. I think it is a blossoming scene with some great fans in it! I also don’t think that any local music scene can single handedly propel a band anymore. I strongly feel that it is very important to try to tour as much as you can, visit as many different cities and play as many shows as possible. Daniel Howie: When artists look for inspiration, environment is a big part of it. We’ve always been dead serious about our music and what it means to us. I feel like uprooting and moving to ‘where the action is’ is a little silly and for people like us being a Charlotte band has made us what we are and we’re very proud of that. People here need music too. We’ve got people in a lot of cities that love what we do but Charlotte is home. I think sometimes bands work too hard at the things that either don’t or shouldn’t make or break your career. Like wearing what other bands are wearing, or trying to hard to sound like something they’re not. We’re representing a part of the Charlotte music scene. Doing our part to help craft its signature sound. Bobby Mathews: I think growing up in a city like Nashville or Austin may have been a little harder for us to break ground than it has been for us here in Charlotte. With such a vast music scene, it is probably even harder for bands to get noticed because there are so many other talented bands in the same situation as you are trying to get their name out there. It’s a common thing to be a musician in those cities, so you don’t have any certain “edge” over anyone else. I think Charlotte’s music scene is great and we wouldn’t be in the position we are right now without it. Emily Aoyagi: I think we made the best decision for ‘us’ by staying in the place where we grew up and learned to fall in love with music. I wouldn’t trade any of my experiences or friends for anything in the world.

Lead singer Daniel Howie Photo courtesy of Sugar Glyder

It’s made me who I am as a person and a musician. I think embracing what makes us unique is what leads to innovation and evolution. Without it, we’d all be doing the same things as the same person, playing the same music. However, for some bands, it might be the best path for them to take. Some people thrive attending large universities and some people do best in small, private colleges. We do best spending time surrounded by our personal collective of friends at home and then travelling to see and play for all of our friends in the big cities when we tour. I think that’s a good way to meet the dilemma in the middle. Niner Times: The last Glyder concert was about five months ago in late August. When will the band be back on the road performing again? Chris Rigo: August 30th was the date and it was at UNCC. We love playing at UNCC and hope to be back soon. We will probably start touring/playing sometime in the summer of 2012. Daniel Howie: As much touring as we’ve done on our own, it would only make sense that we’d do more and more. I expect us to push as hard as we can once the record is finished, we also expect that from our Management and the Label. Part of that pushing will be banging on doors and kicking them in playing as many shows as we can. It’s a shame there are only 365 days in a year. Niner Times: “Poor Baby Zebra” and “We Cracked The Sky” are officially taken off the market. Are there plans to reissue these in the future? Chris Rigo: As of right now there are no plans to reissue those albums but I feel very confident that they will come back at some point. Niner Times: Now that the band has signed to a record label and new management, what is the next big step for Sugar Glyder? Chris Rigo: I guess the next big step is to record our album which starts in March. We are really excited to be recording out of state and with an awesome producer at a fantastic studio. After that, probably “take over the world” (tour our butts off like usual). Daniel Howie: We want to play the first show in space, or at least be the first band to webcast a show from space. We want to play a show for everyone on this globe. Wouldn’t that be fantastic? Bobby Mathews: I think the next logical step for us would be touring with a bigger band who has a large fan base nation wide. Also, for us to play more of the major music festivals and to get our name heard as widely as we can. Then move on to different countries and eventually, as Chris said, take over the world! Emily Aoyagi: I think aspiring to play outside of the US would be a fantastic first step before intergalactic music transmissions. I would love to play music in Japan or Australia, or really anywhere else around the globe! It’s not that I’m tired of playing music in Charlotte, but absence does make the heart grow fonder!

NINERONLINE.COM

THURSDay, JANUARY 19, 2012

PAGE 7

Experiemental group fuses rock and art Ryan Pitken

RPITKIN@UNCC.EDU

In Charlotte’s music scene, finding a truly experimental band that’s willing to push the envelope artistically is like looking for a parking spot on campus at 11 a.m. They are there but finding one takes some looking. Now say, “Hello,” to Hello Handshake, a six piece art collective that is based in music but likes to play with multimedia within their shows (think projection screens). The band lists its main influences as Velvet Underground, Andy Warhol, early Pink Floyd and Flaming Lips. Handshake will play Amos’ Southend for the first time on Jan. 28th and they hope to reach some people who are tired of the same old two-step when it comes to local rock. The lineup, like the music, is constantly growing and evolving. The band started in 2009 as French Handshake, with Evan Plante, Bobby Bellamy and Nate Proczak, who are still members. Drummer Kevin Flanagan soon realized the time constraints of playing in two bands (Broken Napoleans) and opted out of French Handshake. The band played a farewell show with Kevin as Goodbye Handshake before moving on. “We used French Handshake as we were messing around in the studio. Then when we had to play a show we were like, ‘Oh, we have to tell people our name? Let’s change it,’” said Plante. Further down the road in 2011, the three remaining members finally hit the studio to record what would become Sublime Machines, their debut record that was released in the fall. It’s hard to truly list band members in regards to what instruments they play, as doing so is like trying to keep up with Hollywood marriages. Officially, Bellamy is the lead singer and plays guitars and keyboard. Plante plays guitars, drums and the theremin. Proczak plays the bass, guitar and does samples. The three of them just played what needed to be played while the album was being recorded, but that wouldn’t work at a show, said Bellamy. Soon after the album’s release, Todd Rowland signed on as the live drummer. Prozcak left the group to tour with Phil Stacey but rejoined in 2012. Most

recently, Plante’s wife has joined to help on vocals, keyboard and percussion. The fact that their history is so hard to follow fits perfectly with the product they put out in the form of “Sublime Machines.” For the most part, the music has a very 90’s feel, which makes sense considering the album name consists of two of that era’s most popular rock bands. Yet Hello Handshake refuses to be lumped into any sort of category, and they don’t need to tell you that in person. Anyone listening to the album will notice that the songs practice a certain brand of musical Tourette Syndrome. Melody is often broken by a manic state of instruments clashing that hits the listener without warning and can be a bit unsettling for the average music fan. It plays better when the CD is listened to front to back, but doesn’t work as well in the average iPod shuffle. “We understand that it’s an awful lot to ask people to listen to a concept album when indie rock is so much pop now a day,” said Evan. “It’s not just a concept album but calling it that will let people step back and see it as a whole.” Bellamy thinks the “outbursts” also have a place within the storytelling of the song. They precede a stampede in one song and foreshadow a coming flood in another. These sections of clamoring also go further in showing that these guys don’t take themselves too seriously and that they are all in on what Proczac calls “the joke.” “The outbursts keep it authentic. It brings us down to Earth, we’re just kids having fun,” said Bellamy. This works well within songs that can come off as a bit dark with Bellamy’s melancholic voice. “Aspects of it are distant, cold and alarming. I feel like we’re telling a joke but I want everyone to know that it’s a joke,” said Evan. Making audience members feel as if they are on equal footing with the band is a big part of making that happen at shows. “If I am writing about something personal, I’m writing it as a fictional character. If I could be in the crowd and still expressing myself without being on

Photo courtesy of Hello Hand some pedestal, or have everyone in the crowd up on stage with me, that would be the best possible scenario.” The Amos’ show will prove to be an interesting challenge for such a diverse band. “There are no set roles. We all do what needs to be done as the show progresses. Sound guys hate us at these venues. They look at us like we have 10 heads,” said Evan. It’s all worth it in order “to take a step in the right direction for the music scene here,” said Proczak. “The complex can seem simple, and for us it’s just necessary.”

‘The Descendants’ walks away with coveted honors made in his monologue was that the Globes are to the Oscars “what Kim Kardashian is to Kate Middleton: a bit louder, a bit drunker and more easily bought.” After a slow start (and unworthy loss for Amy Poehler in the Best Actress in a Comedy), livelihood began to appear at Creators of ‘The Descendants’ backstage at the 69th Golden Globe Awards the Beverly Hilton Photo courtesy of MCT Campus Hotel. Jimmy Fallon and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine Patrick Bogans presented the award for Best Original PBOGANS@UNCC.EDU Score, but only after Fallon decided to The pre-Oscar, annual Golden Globe show Levine his own “Moves Like Jag-

Awards were presented this past Sunday night. There were a few hilarious moments and some real surprises, but neither of which really coming from the simmered down and declawed host Ricky Gervais. The British comedian who has hosted the Golden Globes for the past three years and is notable for his raunchy remarks really didn’t break the barrier this time around. Gervais seemed to miss the mark because many of his jokes were random and needlessly overbearing. He accused British actor Colin Firth of being a racist, and jokingly scorned Natalie Portman for placing motherhood over acting. Choosing these targets weren’t funny, because the public has absolutely nothing against many of his targets. For Gervais that was the ironic light-hearted fun, but it definitely wasn’t worth the hype given to him by NBC. The most memorable joke Gervais

ger”. Every move he made was one more reason he should host this awards show next year. The Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Television Film soon went to Idris Elba, who has to be the first Golden Globe winner to have appeared in a Fat Joe music video. One of the most memorable moments of the night came when the notably stunning Kate Beckinsale of the Underworld franchise and the hilarious Seth Rogen took the stage to present the award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. Rogen, as he stepped up to the stage, says, “Hello, my name is Seth Rogen and I am currently trying to conceal a massive erection.” Here’s guessing if one spends more than four hours with Kate Beckinsale, consult a physician immediately. See rest on Nineronline.com

‘Globe’ Numbers

3 0 6

Number of times Ricky Gervais hosted the Golden Globe Awards

How many times he plans on hosting again, according to T.V. Guide

More seasons of the American version of The Office produced than Gervais’

PAGE 8

NINERTIMES

THURsDAY, JANUARY 19, 2012

Where a Niner’s spare moments go

A yogi’s journey: week 2 Ciera Choate N e w s @ nine r online . com

A little over a week into my 28 Days to Make a Change, I’m hurting. I’m sore in places I never knew could be sore. Most people make the assumption that yoga isn’t difficult, but I can tell you as someone who danced competitively for 16 years, it is. Despite the physical difficulty this challenge is putting on my body, it’s nothing compared to the mental workout I receive in class. Meditation. Is. Hard. I am not a patient person, nor have I ever been. I always acknowledged that, but it didn’t hit me until this past weekend while I was sitting in my restorative yoga class exactly how impatient I am. I realize I need to learn how to slow down and enjoy the times in my life when I’m not going full speed. I wake up early every morning ready to tackle the day (after the five minutes it takes me to pull myself out of bed) and from then on I am going to class, working, studying and doing other assignments. It isn’t until about 9 p.m. every night that I finally have time to chill out. Even the yoga classes I usually take, which are called Vinyasa classes, are fast paced. I rarely stop moving in those classes. Because of this constant motion I should appreciate the slow moving, heavy meditation classes, but for some reason they are the most difficult for me. Tuesday my boyfriend’s cousin passed away after a long battle with cancer. After finding out his chances of making it were slim he spent all of the time he could with his son. Here I am wishing my time away while he spent his days praying for one more day, one more day. Our lives are so fast paced. We go, go, go - never slowing down to appreciate all that we have and all that is around us. I feel like everyone, including myself is rushing toward the finish line, but once we reach that goal we want nothing more than to go back. For weeks I have been hearing my yoga instructors telling me to slow down and take a break from the crazy life I have created for myself, but until today I wasn’t listening. There are so many people and things throughout our lives we take for granted, never thinking they could be gone in an instant. We always think it won’t happen to us, but bad things happen to everyone. My boyfriend’s cousin was an amazing man. I didn’t know him well, but he was the kind of person that gave off that energy you feel when someone is just good from the core. Seeing him with his son in his last days and watching him cry when he thought about all of the things he would miss broke my heart. In honor of him I have made a new goal in my yoga practice. I will honor the time I have in each class, whether fast or slow paced, and I will slow down in life to appreciate all that I have. No matter how quickly I reach the end it will come one day, and I want to make sure I enjoy every bit of the journey to that finish line.

CREEP:

A Lurker’s Guide to

facebook stalking Lee Pham C ommunit y @ N ine r online . com

Since the beginning of the social media boom, lurking has become an unspoken rule for relationships. Friends, family, coworkers and sometimes strangers are all subjected to creeping, not because our society is crazy, but because our society is busy. Social networking has made interaction more efficient. Why waste time telling people about ourselves when we can let them find out what they want to know on their own accord? Facebook has simplified lurking and it is easier than ever to get to know someone without actually getting to know someone.

TIMELINE. The latest Facebook addition opens unprecedented opportunity for stalkers to creep on a user’s past. You can jump to any month or year of one’s profile and see posts, likes and any other public information of a Facebook user’s past back to the day the user registered on the social network. The timeline allows others to witness how users have changed and progressed.

PHOTOS. From what the user wears to where the user goes, pictures can reveal a lot. Pay particular attention to photo setting to see places the victim frequents.

FRIENDS. Facebook will list the friends that you and the victim have in common. The more mutual friends that you have with the person, the more likely that you two will interact in real life. For example, if two people have 50 mutual friends, it is more likely that they will eventually end up at the same party than two people with three mutual friends. In addition, Facebook lists the user’s friends. As a general rule, friends at the beginning of the list are people whom the user is better friends with. Facebook lists friends in order of interaction on the site. This includes wall posts, comments and mutually attended events - indicators that the users are friends in real life. Knowing one’s friends is an effective way of getting to know someone because we surround ourselves with like-minded people. Lurk on the user’s friends using the same methods.

ABOUT. A person’s information page is the best place to start. It provides an overview of the person of interest such as his or hers hometown or workplace. Some profiles will include contact information and even birthdays.

MAP. Another way to check frequented places is the user’s map page. Powered by Microsoft, the map marks places the user has lived and checked-in at. It further simplifies stalking by providing the number of times the person has checked-in at each location.

LIKES: Perhaps the best way to get to know someone is to know his or hers interests. Every page a user likes is displayed here. You can explore music, movies, sports teams and more on a user’s likes page.

MCT Campus

FOR EXTREME STALKERS. UNC Charlotte Directory: If Facebook doesn’t work, the UNC Charlotte student directory lists the phone number, email and address of all students and faculty. Although many address listed are local (on campus), some listings include home addresses. If you obtain this information, use street view on Google Maps to display the person’s home. Though some find this going too far, seeing someone’s home can give you a sense of who they are and where they came from.

The screen shot above explores Facebook’s timeline format, allowing people to track a person’s every move. The screen shot below shows the UNC Charlotte Directory page, holding the information of any student or staff member.

NINERONLINE.COM

Five-star dining on a two-star budget For the cheese and/or chocolate lover: The Melting Pot

Tricia Bangit tban g it @ uncc . e d u

The Melting Pot in Lake Norman sets the perfect scene for a romantic date. The fondue restaurant, whose ambience has been described by some patrons as “elegant and intimate,” is likely to be an experience for everyone. Boston Lager Cheddar cheese fondue, filet mignon, Buffalo chicken, and scallops are some of the items offered on their menu.

Hear that? It’s the sound of your tummy rumbling in delight at Charlotte’s approaching Restaurant Week. The event runs from Friday, Jan. 20 to Sunday, Jan. 29 and spotlights over 100 fine-dining Charlotte restaurants looking to impress many new and returning patrons. Each participating restaurant offers a 3-course meal for a fixed price of $30 per person. When opportunities like these arise, it is always fun to pick out a restaurant that serves food you wouldn’t normally eat, whether it is due to high prices or because their dishes stray far from your normal diet. The various cuisines offered during Charlotte Restaurant Week include American, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, Brazilian, Indian and French. Below are highlights of a few participating restaurants:

For American classics: 131 Main

This establishment has locations in Dilworth, Lake Norman and Blakeney and boasts updated versions of American classics. Deviled eggs, prime rib, shrimp and grits, meatloaf and strawberry shortcake are just a few things on their Restaurant Week menu. While the Dilworth and Blakeney locations are in Charlotte, the Lake Norman restaurant has the best overall rating on Yelp.com.

For mega carnivores: Chima

For variety lovers Bricktops

This Uptown churrascaria (Brazilian steakhouse) is a perfect dining choice for the meat-lover. Chima offers a salad bar and Brazilian BBQ-style meat on skewers that are served by the waiters. If you decide to go here, try not to fill up too quickly on the delicious table appetizers and salad bar offerings, otherwise you won’t have room for all the meat.

Located in South Park, the name can mislead prospective patrons into thinking this establishment is a pizzeria. While they serve delicious flatbreads, the menu mostly consists of American fare. The restaurant’s prix fixe menu offers standards including Caesar salad, spinach and artichoke dip, jumbo lump crab cakes and hot fudge sundaes.

For heavenly popovers: BLT Steak

While BLT Steak in Uptown is known for its meat, the restaurant’s side dishes are just as impressive. Instead of regular bread, they serve their signature airy popovers with butter and sea salt. These popovers are so infamous that they were featured on an episode of Food Network’s “Best Thing I Ever Ate.”

Reservations are recommended due to the busy nature of this event. To read patrons’ reviews of these restaurants visit www. yelp.com, which also provides important restaurant details. Treat yourself to a fancy night out. You probably deserve it.

Participating Restaurants 131 Main - Dilworth 300 East Bonterra Dining & Wine Room Cantina 1511 - Dilworth Copper Modern Indian Cuisine Dolce Ristorante Fiamma Fran’s Filling Station Primo Tuscan Grille Providence Café Cajun Queen Carpe Diem 131 Main - Lake Norman Alton’s Kitchen & Cocktails Campania Cafe Choplin’s Dressler’s - Birkdale Epic Chophouse Firebirds Wood Fired Grill Northlake Flatiron Kitchen + Taphouse Jeffrey’s Restaurant Kabuto Japanese Steakhouse Kobe Hero The Melting Pot - Lake Norman Mickey & Mooch Huntersville North Harbor Club The Prickly Pear

Red Rocks Café - Birkdale Sushi @ The Lake Santé Restaurant Dressler’s - Metro La Paz Maharani Indian Cuisine Mama Ricotta’s The Melting Pot - Midtown Pisces Sushi Bar & Lounge Vivace Bistro La Bon Fern, Flavors from the Garden 131 Main - Blakeney Cantina 1511 - Stonecrest Domenico’s Cucina Italiana Firebirds Wood Fired Grill Stonecrest Gallery Restaurant Global Maestro’s Bar & Bistro Mickey & Mooch - Arboretum New South Kitchen & Bar Passion8 Bistro Rudy’s Italian Restaurant & Bar Terrace Cafe - Ballantyne Trio Waldhorn Restaurant The Liberty Gastropub Nikko Japanese Restaurant &

Sushi Bar Pewter Rose Sullivan’s Steakhouse 15 North Roadside Kitchen BrickTop’s Brio Tuscan Grille Café Monte Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House Firebirds Wood Fired Grill SouthPark Georges Brasserie McCormick & Schmick’s SouthPark Paco’s Tacos & Tequila The Palm Red Rocks Café - Strawberry Hill Ruth’s Chris Steak House SouthPark Terrace Café - SouthPark Toscana Ristorante Italiano Upstream Village Tavern Yama Asian Fusion Zink American Kitchen Omaha Steakhouse Rocky River Grille The Speedway Club Aquavina Steaks & Seafood

Aria Tuscan Grill Bernardin’s at Ratcliffe BlackFinn American Saloon BLT Steak Blue Restaurant & Bar Caffe Siena The Capital Grille Chima Brazilian Steakhouse Enso Asian Bistro Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse LaVecchia’s Steaks & Seafood Luce Ristorante e Bar McCormick & Schmick’s Uptown Mez Mimosa Grill Morton’s The Steakhouse Osso Restaurant & Lounge Room 112 Modern Asian Cuisine & Sushi Lounge Ruth’s Chris Steak House Uptown Savannah Red Restaurant & Wine Bar Vida Mexican Kitchen y Cantina Nick’s Steak and Taphouse Old Stone Steakhouse

MCT CAMPUS

Charlotte Food By The Numbers

103 10 3

PAGE 9

THURSDay, JANUARY 19, 2012

The total number of participating restaurants in Charlotte Restaurant Week 2012.

The number of years Restaurant Week has been going on.

The number of courses participating restaurants are offering for a reduced price during Restaurant Week.

30 5.5 2.7

It’s only $30 per person at any participating restaurant during Restaurant Week.

There are 5.5 thousand restaurants in Charlotte.

2.7 thousand Charlotte restaurants are independently owned.

Naughty Niner

Friends with Benefits Friends with benefits: individuals who agree to have casual sex with no emotional attachment. This type of relationship is becoming more and more popular in the youth culture. The expression was even used as the title for a recent blockbuster hit. The advantages of this situation are blatant, but it can also lead to unwanted obstacles. Feelings of being used, jealousy and awkwardness can often occur and result in the ending of the friendship all together. So why are friends with benefits so desirable? One reason could be the decreasing amount of leisure time available that young adults have. We all know it’s hard to find time to do much with the expectations and workloads that are put on us, so it’s no surprise that we have less time to focus on our social lives. The casual agreement allows a person to reap the rewards of being dedicated to someone without putting in the effort. Being involved in a laid back relationship also puts less pressure on the couple, which has also increased due to social networking. The internet can allow us to know a lot of about a person’s life without even knowing them. Putting your relationship “status” out there can cause unwanted strain and attention. In a friends with benefits situation, usually only the two involved know all of the details, making the situation stress-free. This can also create a relaxed beginning to a good relationship because you can get to know a person with no immediate expectations. However, if boundaries and rules are not set and made clear to both parties then it can lead to turmoil. Types of relationships will continue to evolve just the world and culture. There are tons of externalities such as internet, work, and family that influence us to shape relationships to fit our lifestyles. The friends with benefits direction allows people to have gratification without agitating other things. So in a fast paced world that’s about instant satisfaction and vocation, why shouldn’t or relationships be?

-Naughty Niner M

MCT CAMPUS

PAGE 10

NINERTIMES

THURsDAY, JANUARY 19, 2012

DOWNTIME 19

20

Thursday

Different Paths to a Postdoctoral Position

Friday

21

Saturday

Language: It’s Alive!

Winter Day Hike

12:30pm - 1:30pm

9:00am - 4:30pm

$19.00 http://venture.uncc.edu

Niners Got Talent

Sleepout for the Homeless

Cone 268

McKnight Hall 7:00pm Free

Student Union Multipurpose Room

Lynch/Laurel Courtyard 6:00pm

January 17, 1950 Boston thieves pull off historic robbery

January 18, 1919 Post-World War I peace conference begins in Paris

January 19, 1809 Edgar Allan Poe is born

January 20, 1981 Iran Hostage Crisis ends

January 21, 1977 President Carter pardons draft dodgers

January 22, 1998 Ted Kaczynski pleads guilty to bombings

Morrow Mountain State Park (meet @ Cone Center)

22

No Events

Sunday

23

Monday

Stake Your Claim: Uniform Design Contest Student Union Rm 221

10:00am - 5:00pm

GMAT Exam Prep UNC Charlotte Center City 6:30pm - 9:30pm

24

Tuesday

Comedy Show McKnight Hall

7:00am - 9:00am Free

NINERONLINE.COM

THURSDay, JANUARY 19, 2012

SPORTS

PAGE 11

49ers look prime for upper tier A-10 Conference finish

Amanda Dowe has been a key contributer between the blocks for the 49ers averaging 8.8 boards per game.

Epiphany Woodson is second on team in points-per-game averaging 12.8.

Jennifer Hailey ranks among the top four in the A-10 Conference in rebounds per game. Photos courtesy of Charlotte Sports Information

Kevin Utz

kut z 1 @ uncc . e d u

Head coach Cara Consuegra in her first season coaching has led the Charlotte 49ers to an overall record of 11-6 while boasting a 3-0 record in the A-10. Charlotte started the season racking up five straight victories including a 7165 overtime win over ACC foe Virginia Tech.

Counter Streaks:

Charlotte’s young roster would soon struggle with a formidable non-conference schedule losing five straight to fall into an even record at 5-5. Losses came at the hands of perennial powerhouse programs like No. 12 Ohio State, Florida, and Florida State. Yet, the 49ers have since gotten back into full swing fighting to spark another five game winning streak that has run them into the heart of conference play. A 58-54 victory at Xavier to open conference play was a big win over a team that has controlled the conference for years. The Xavier loss was their first loss to a conference opponent in 34 games which spanned nearly three seasons. In the pre-season rankings,Charlotte

was picked to finish fourth in the A-10. The 49ers opened conference play winning three straight over Xavier, St. Louis, and George Washington. This has put them on top of the conference tied with St. Bonaventure and La Salle.

Golden Performers:

The Niners are led by the brilliant play of junior forward Jennifer Hailey who leads the team with 13.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, and averaging 2.2 blocks a game. Her rebounding and blocks both lead the A-10 Conference. Epiphany Woodson, a senior guard is averaging 12.8 points and scored 21 points three times this season. She is closing in on the 1,000 point achievement for her career, she is just 20 points shy with 980 total points. Junior forward Amanda Dowe is currently fourth in rebounding among A-10 averaging 8.8 boards while adding 7.2 points a game. Top freshman for the team so far goes to starting small foward Hillary Sigmon scoring 6.9 points while shooting an outstanding 50% from 3-point range.

Glass Masters:

Charlotte averages 69.2 points per game while only allowing 62.9 giving the tema a margin of victory average of 6.4 points. Rebounding is a defining characteristic of this team which leads the conference with a 9.3 rebounding advantage. Charlotte has Hailey and Dowe in the top 4 in individual rebounding for the conference. Charlotte is dominating the conference with 96 blocks on the season. That’s an average of 5.6 blocks a game. They rank 16th nationally in blocked shots per game. The Niners are shooting 42% from the field as a team which ranks 2nd in the conference.

Niner Benchmark:

Charlotte history was made this year, when for the first time three players recorded a double-double in the same game against Furman on Jan 3rd. Hailey contributed 23 points and 13 rebounds, Amanda Dowe had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Gabby Tyler chipped in with 11 points and 10 rebounds of her own.

Charlotte also broke a school record against Furman in blocked shots with 15. The previous record was 11 which had been accomplished twice. Charlotte sits at 3-0 in the midst of A-10 Conference play in hopes to continue strong play with a current 5 game winning streak. Tough conference games are on the horizon with St. Bonaventure, Richmond, and Dayton.

By the Numbers

6 1 20

Number of times the 49ers have won their first three A-10 conference games.

Place where Charlotte ranks in the Atlantic 10 conference in blocks with 96. Number of points senior Epiphany Woodson needs to reach 1000 for her career.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

49ers senior hoops star Javarris Barnett led the team in points with 23 in their heartbreaking loss to the Saint Louis Bilikens last weekend inside Halton Arena.

PAGE 12

NINERTIMES

THURsDAY, JANUARY 19, 2012

The boys are MLS bound Ed Niser

spo rts @ nine r online . com

Senior defender Charles Rodriguez was selected in the third round of the MLS Supplemental Draft by DC United. Rodriguez was ranked among the Top 100 draft prospects at the beginning of the season. “ It is amazing,” Rodriguez said. “ I would like to thank all the coaches and guys that I have played with over the last four years who helped push

Photos by Chris Crews

Senior midfielder Evan James was drafted with the first pick in the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft by the newly formed Montreal Impact; James originally hails from Missisaugua, Ontario, Canada. It is a win-win situation for both James and the Impact as they fulfill the MLS minimum of possessing three domestic born players on their roster. “Evan is a young Canadian player who we followed in college and who we felt did well in the Combine,” said Impact head coach Jesse Marsch. “ We had him rated higher than a third round pick and are very happy to add him to the group and help move him along.”

me to become the player I am today. I am looking forward to this opportunity and what lies ahead over the next few weeks.” Rodriguez was part of a Charlotte defense that limited 21 opponents to a goal or less, in the NCAA Tournament the 49ers only allowed four goals through 580 minutes of tournament soccer. In addition to being given All-Atlantic 10 honors he also fielded a spot on the first-team Soccer America and NSCAA All-American teams this past season. James has garnered All-Atlantic 10 first team honors, leading the 49ers in the assists department with seven. James comes from a 49ers team that is no stranger to playing the possession game as he was second in goals scored, with five. On the all-time points list, James ranks 12th with 63 career-points tallied in his four seasons with the 49ers. James was also in the Top 20 in program history in two other offensive categories, including assists(14th) and goals (13th). “ I’m so honored and so grateful for this opportunity to fulfill my dreams,” James said “ Thank you to the whole Charlotte 49ers family for helping me get to this point in my career.”

Sports Schedule

Friday Track and Field @ Hokie Invitational All Day

Saturday Women’s Basketball vs. Saint Bonaventure 7 p.m. Men’s Basketball @ George Washington 7 p.m.

Wednesday Men’s Basketball vs. Temple 7:30 p.m. Women’s Basketball @ Fordham 7 p.m. Visit NinerOnline after every Charlotte 49ers Basketball game for scores and highlights.