Niner Times - February 23, 2012

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012

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NINERTIMES Thursday, Februar y 23, 2012

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New on NinerOnline.com: Keep up with Charlotte 49ers with recaps posted after every game this weekend.

Charlotte Charlotte leader in crime gambles with DICE Eden Creamer

ECREAMER@UNCC.EDU

Crime. It happens everywhere, it touches everyone’s life. The outstretched reach of crime affects every region, from the nation to UNC Charlotte.

Across the nation, an average of 38.17 crimes occur per every 1,000 citizens.

North Carolina as a whole is slightly lower than this average, with 38.11 crimes per 1,000 citizens.

Charlotte, N.C. works to pull up the state average. Charlotte sees an average of 47.02 crimes per 1,000 people, according to an online service called Neighborhood Scout.

The city, which is home to over 730,000 people, was ranked by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the top 25 American cities with large populations in terms of crime occurrences in 2010.

Jeffrey Baker, chief of police for the Police and Public Safety Department, says that despite the crime rate in the surrounding area, UNC Charlotte is a safe place to be.

Compared to the rest of the CharlotteMecklenburg region, the crime rate is “extremely low. It’s not what I think, it’s what I know,” said Baker.

“We work very closely with [Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD)] and that’s important as well. The partnership that we have with CMPD is with the university division, but I can assure you

Brian Zarbock BZARBOCK@UNCC.EDU

Charlotte is notorious for playing it safe when it comes to live entertainment. If you want edgy, bold or boundary pushing most residents jump in the car for the short drive to either Atlanta or Washington DC. In a move still considered shocking for Charlotte, Comedy Zone quietly announced its Feb. 26 line up. The performers will be Jim Florentine, Don Jamieson, but beyond belief, Andrew Dice Clay.

“We are ready to spread some filth across The Dirty South” 45 year old Jamieson said. The 15 year comedy veteran, considered the youngster among the three, talks about his influences in comedy. “Dice is the reason I went into comedy” adding also “heavy metal was a huge influence for me, Ozzie Osborne was like the Rodney Dangerfield of metal.”

The numbers of people who know metal more than Jamieson are few and far between, as the host of “That Metal Show” on VH1 Classic Jamieson guided many of the younger generation into an education in Rock Gods. Rolling Stones would later call the show “one of the 50 reasons to watch television.”

Jamieson isn’t a stranger to Charlotte though and recalled his last show which was at UNC Charlotte. “It was a cool place; however I think I remember getting drunk by myself at a TGI Fridays, so not my best visit.” Recounting his long and torrid adventure in higher education “I went to college for one day, but left because I couldn’t find any parking.”

Audiences can expect a riot on stage as Jamieson goes after all the things that make him tick. “It’s the Cult of Celebrity that really gets me” when asked about the recent rash of reality television “I thought the real house wives was a reunion of Poison with the big hair and bad make up.” He remains grounded as he talks about his future in comedy “I still want to have my failed sitcom” and counts his blessings “I don’t have kids, I do have my girlfriend though, and my sideburns” COMEDY p. 7

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Crime in Charlotte, per 1,000 people, compared to the state and nation Graphic byChristain Billings

Professor looks back on kidnapping Sarah Obeid

SOBEID2@UNCC.EDU

Dan Cozart, professor of Latin American courses at UNC Charlotte, took a not-so-average vacation in Peru.

Most people explore the ancient sites, visit friends and family, eat traditional food from the area and make it home without a

scratch. Some people are not as lucky.

Cozart visited Peru and spent time visiting local sites such as Machu Pichu and getting kidnapped.

Twice.

“I first started out going to Argentina, specifically to Buenos Aires. I wanted to explore the Andes mountains and then eventually head on over to Peru,” said

Cozart.

He started his adventure in a restaurant. He had just met a guy there and as he was walking back to his friend’s apartment, everything went blank.

“About 17 hours later, I woke up having no idea where I was. The guy I met must have put something in my drink. I woke up in a taxi with all my stuff robbed, inKIDNAP p.2

A&E

OPINION

LIFESTLYE

OPINION

Portable Gaming: Comparing the new Playstation Vita and the Nintendo 3DS.

THE ‘WEED OUT’ CLASS

Riding Solo: Begin to envy those students eating alone at Crown Commons. They may have figured out the secret to success.

FRESHMAN FIRESIDE

The Boxing Lessons: The

psychedelic band hits Charlotte’s Milestone on Feb. 26.

‘Race’: Carolina Actors Studio-

Theater presents the play by David Mamet in NoDa. p.6-7

To move from a Pre-Communications major to a full fledged Communications major, Comm Theory is the last step on every communication student’s list. Though it’s not unique to communication majors, these classes prepare each student for their next step in college.

p.5

Spring Break: Make sure you have the essentials for your week of vacation, whether at home or at the beach.

Learn to balance your budget in college before you hit the realities of the ‘adult world.’ Simple lessons from Crown Commons and your Declining Balance may benifit you in the ‘long run.’

Natural Hair: Catch the

second annual Natural Hair Care Forum in CHHS on Feb. 28. p.8-9

p.5

CRIME p.3

Home school student enrollment grows on campus Elizabeth Bartholf E B A RT H O 3 @ U N C C . E D U

At UNC Charlotte, 238 homeschool students were admitted to join the ranks of the 49ers in fall 2011.

Freshman Cara DeCoste enjoyed working on schoolwork curled up on her couch at home.

As a 7-year-old, junior Bethany Wescott woke up at 5 a.m. with her older sisters and studied.

“We would get all our work done before our parents got up and jump back in bed when we were done,” she said.

DeCoste and Wescott were homeschooled from elementary school through high school and took college courses through dual enrollment at Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) before coming to UNC Charlotte.

DeCoste seeks a major in electrical engineering and physics with a minor in mathematics.

HOME p.3

PAGE 2

NINERTIMES

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012

KIDNAP from p.1

Machu Pichu, the mountain Professor Daniel Cozrt crossed while in Peru where he was kidnapped, not once, but twice during his trip. Photo courtesy of Erik Cleves Kristensen gear, clothes and cash. Luckily, I had my passport and sleeping bag,” said Cozart.

By this time, Cozart was ready to get on over to Peru. He always loved Cusco, a city in Peru, and even though he managed to get robbed, he was still determined. He had his parents wire him some money to be able to see the Incan ruins, backpack and hike up Machu Pichu.

Cozart said, “Before I hiked up Machu Pichu, a few, local Peruvians said to me, ‘Close your eyes, open them up and the image of Machu Pichu will be ingrained in your head.’ I thought that was pretty cool.”

Without a travel guide, Cozart went to Lake Titicaca and got on a bus to head over to the city of Puno. American tourists told him not to travel on July 10, but he did not care enough and did it anyways. The bus kept stopping and around 3 a.m., there was a tire fire up front.

“The bus driver announced that a national strike was occurring and that he could not provide for any of us on the bus.

He asked us if we wanted to turn back and if not, we had to convince the town to let us through,” said Cozart. “The people in the town were in protest mode, so when we got off, screaming matches went back and forth. Convincing the labor strike activists was tough.”

Cozart and the other tourists linked up in chain formation and tried to get the bus to move. People threw rocks at the tourist bus. As the bus kept going, everyone had to jump on and stay as safe as possible.

“All of this was so surreal to me, but I managed and went a long with it,” said Cozart.

The bus never made it to Puno, so Cozart and four college students from Colombia did not want to wait around. Cozart had no money and did not have much time left to spare. All five of them decided to hike the route to Puno. On the way, they hit a village where nothing was open. The Colombians eventually got tired and wanted to take the taxi, but Cozart said no because he knew a lot of them were pirated and fake.

“I feared taking a taxi especially after being kidnapped once. Well, of course, the Colombians bargained with the taxi driver and got a cheap deal. I had to go along with

it. As we were driving to Puno, I could understand the driver. He was saying something along the lines of ‘we are on our way.’

He then pulled up at some random spot in the desert,” said Cozart. “Four men ran to the car and I remembered my friend telling me to knock a guy out immediately if he opens the door to the taxi.”

The guy who opened the door was loaded with a gun and Cozart could not try to fight the man. All of the Colombians and Cozart were trapped at gun point. Hours went by and the situation escalated. All of them were interrogated about what school they attend.

“I told the bad guys I teach English in Colombia. The criminals kept saying they would not take our money. They searched our bags as we kept our heads covered. The criminals even said they were with the police and thought we were a part of trafficking. They told us not to tell the police and let us go. Of course, we were not in Puno, so next, we headed to Juliaca,” said Cozart.

The students and Cozart were never able to report the problem because the police station was closed. Luckily, the guys found a hostel and did not have to pay. They had not eaten in three days.

“On the plus side, a tiny store happened to be open. I had some of the best soup, it tasted so amazing,” said Cozart.

Later, he returned to Cusco and then Lima having made it to the U.S. Embassy.

“Even though the Embassy did not give me a new passport because I had no police report, eventually, I got a new one. Once that was taken care of, I left Peru and went straight back to Buenos Aires,” said Cozart.

Cozart gives his students advice about traveling in countries in which they are not familiar. Although he had some tough times, he would still willingly return to Peru some day in the future.

“I tell students to not take drinks from people they do not know. I even tell men to be careful because it is not just women who fall for it, men can too. Believe it not, all the things I experienced made me more interested in Peru. I got to witness a strike overseas. I have never seen that in the United States,” said Cozart.

NINERONLINE.COM

HOME from p.1 For DeCoste, one of the highlights of home schooling was her flexible schedule.

She frequently took history-related field trips with her family, including visits to Gettysburg, presidential and historical houses and museums.

Her two younger sisters, ages 13 and 17, also have been home-schooled since elementary school. DeCoste’s parents consider it a privilege to teach their children.

“North Carolina is one of the best states for home schooling. A lot of states have a lot more regulations. [Other states] want to know what curriculum you are using. They will send officers to your home to look at the work kids are doing,” said DeCoste.

DeCoste registered with the N.C. Division of Non-Public Education and took required yearly standardized tests upon completion of course material.

As a N.C. home-schooler, DeCoste and her parents could choose her school curriculums.

She enjoyed teaching herself from several curriculums and learning through family discussions about world and church history, literature, geography and economics.

“Home school is about self-directed learning. It’s about raising kids to love learning so that when they have the opportunity they will choose to learn themselves,” said DeCoste.

DeCoste also was involved in her church and met with other home-schoolers, both from church and her community, and learned from hired lab instructors and friends who were chemistry and biology professors.

“A lot of people have this stereotype of home-schoolers as shy and antisocial, which may be easy [to be] without church or support groups,” she said.

Wescott said she also made lasting friendships with people from her church who were home-schooled.

Wescott’s parents decided to homeschool their children to help them “grow

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012

and mature following a Godly example,” said Wescott. She has five siblings—two older sisters, two younger sisters and one younger brother.

Through home schooling, Wescott said she developed deep connections with her siblings and grew up in a close-knit family.

Wescott plays cello in a quartet with her older sisters and younger brother.

They started their own music business, Wescottage Music, two years ago and play at weddings and holiday and church events.

“We had a school on wheels sometimes,” said Wescott. When one sibling had a music lesson, the whole family would come along and have school in their van.

Wescott considers herself very competitive and has enjoyed playing softball since she was 10-years-old.

Wescott started on a recreational softball team and advanced to play travel softball and compete in many tournaments.

In spring 2011, Wescott coached the middle school softball team at Covenant Day School, a private Christian school in Matthews, N.C. “I loved working with the girls [on the team]. It was really eye opening to see that’s how I was when I first started [playing softball]. I had amazing coaches over the years and was able to apply what I was taught to coaching the team,” said Wescott.

While she coached, Wescott was a fulltime student at CPCC. She began dual enrollment at CPCC in high school and enrolled full-time when she finished her senior year of high school a semester early.

Wescott came to UNC Charlotte with the college credits of a first semester sophomore and pursues a major in marketing and minors in music and communications.

DeCoste and Wescott commute to school from their homes in Charlotte.

They said they miss teaching themselves at home but have adjusted well to life at the university.

Both said taking classes at CPCC helped prepare them for the college environment.

BY THE NUMBERS

238

The number of UNC Charlotte students who graduated from home schooling.

6,098

The number of home schooled students in Mecklenburg County.

36

The percent of increase in home schooled students from 2003 to 2007.

5.1

The percent of N.C. high schoolers in the year 2010-11.

88

Percent of children home schooled because parents are concerned with environment of public schools.

45,000

The number of home schooled students in North Carolina.

1.5

Million home school students in the United States.

PAGE 3

CRIME from p.1 rates are unbelievably low.”

Since coming to UNC Charlotte as the chief of police, Baker says that’s campus crime rates have dropped 30 percent. Baker attributes this decrease to the combined efforts of Chancellor Philip Dubois and the 40 officers who are a part of the campus police squad. “Some of the factors that contribute to [the decrease in crime are that] the chancellor funded those sky towers.

Combined with that we have strategic patrols that work the parking lots, walk the parking lots, ride bicycles. We work the parking decks on foot,” said Baker.

While campus police work to make campus safe, Baker says that crime is impossible to completely eliminate. “When a crime does occur on a university, all of a sudden it’s like ‘oh! How could this happen?’ When really it happens because crime happens.

It’s really a tough road sometimes,” said Baker. “Sometimes crime occurs and we’ve tried everything we can to keep it away and stop it, suppress it, but sometimes crime occurs.”

Because crime is inevitable on a campus with over 30,000 students, faculty and staff members, it is important for everyone to have a hand in their own safety on campus, Baker says. “Not just students but anybody, should be aware of their surroundings, make sure that they secure [their] items. And then the other thing is, walk with someone when you can. Try to always avoid being isolated,” said Baker. “And if you do that, you’ll be real safe.”

As campus and the surrounding community grows, Baker projects that more officers will have to be added to the campus police force in order to effectively protect everyone on campus and those in the university area. “Campuses that are constantly expanding, growing, they’re urban. And you have to have a vibrant and energetic police force to help protect that community. You look at our community,” said Baker.

“We have probably 30,000 people here.

CMPD with the enforcement of law there’s another 20,000.”

PAGE 4

NINERTIMES

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012

NEWS BRIEFS Chiquita comes to campus Fernando Aguirre, CEO of Chiquita, visited UNC Charlotte with other Chiquita executives Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012. The purpose of the meeting was for the Chiquita executives to tour the campus and meeting with university officials.

The international fruit company is expected to bring over 400 jobs to the Charlotte area. Eden Creamer

Solar decathlon sparks conversations UNC Charlotte plans to compete in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon in 2013. This contest, which groups from around the world will be able to compete in, plans to build energy-efficient homes that will draw from modern realestate markets.

UNC Charlotte plans to create a team for the event. The team will be comprised of the Infrastructure, Design, Enviornment and Sustainability Center (IDEAS), the Center for Integrated Building Design Research (CIBDR) and the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC). Eden Creamer

Upcoming book drive on campus Between Monday, Feb. 27, 2012, and Friday, March 2, 2012, the Office of Academic Services at UNC Charlotte will host a book drive.

The office is working to collect books, tape and wrapping paper to donate to Promising Pages, a non-profit organization that works to provide books and similar supplies to children in need.

Those with the Office of Academic Services hope to collect 500 or more books.

Eden Creamer

EVENTS Police chief elected to state program Jeffrey Baker, campus police chief for the Police and Public Safety Department, has been elected for a two-year term on the N.C. Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators Board of Directors.

This association works to keep campus police squads up-to-date so they can protect campuses to the best of their abilities.

Eden Creamer

Students build character for middle-schoolers Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), composed of students from the Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte will partner with James Martin Middle School and provide a program for 400 middle school students.

The seventh graders at James Martin Middle School will be taught character traits, success skills, goal-setting techniques and more on a weekly basis through mentors and workshops.

Forty UNC Charlotte students involved in SIFE will participate in the program.

Eden Creamer

Departments receive crisis training Members of UNC Charlotte’s Police and Public Safety Department (PPS) and communications staff received training in handling crisis situations. The course, offered by the N.C. Division of Emergency Management, lasted two-days and had a wide variety of attendees. The 35 guests ranged from those in the UNC Charlotte PPS to Federal Bureau of Information (FBI) members.

At the end of the course, participants were asked to handle a simulated crisis scenario as if it were a real situation. Eden Creamer

Male body explored UNC Charlotte will host a performance which will be meant to investigate male body image. The show, “Musclebound,” will be hosted Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, at 6 p.m. in the Lucas Room of the Cone University Center and is free for all to attend.

The performance is organized by Michael Feldman, host of a radio program by Public Radio International.

“Musclebound” is hosted as part of the “Love Your Body Week,” which is an annual event hosted by UNC Charlotte’s Counseling Center, Student Health Center and Women’s Programs. Eden Creamer

Education career fair comes to campus For students interested in a job in the education field a career fair with representatives from many different school districts will be held Friday, Feb. 24 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the Student Activities Center. Ciera Choate

Free Niner gear The Charlotte 49ers will give away UNC Charlotte goodies before their game against St. Bonaventure Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012.

The giveaway will be from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Barnhardt Student Activity Center patio.

Eden Creamer

Orientation Councilors show off their talents In preparation for the convention coming to campus for orientation councilors (OCs) UNC Charlotte’s OCs will perform their dance for students, friends and family in McKnight Hall Thursday, March 1 from 6:30 until 8 p.m.

All students are welcome to attend and the event is free. Ciera Choate

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012

OPINION NINERTIMES Volume 24, Number 38 A PRODUCT OF

Survival of the fittest: pass or fail

Caitlin Evanson C E VA N S O N @ U N C C . E D U

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PAGE 5

After going to college for three and a half years I have yet to be exposed to any lecture classes at all. It wasn’t until arriving at UNC Charlotte on my first day of my new semester that I realized I was in for a huge change.

I walked into my first class, Communication Theory (nicknamed Comm Theory by both the students and the teachers teaching it), only to see about 150 students waiting for the teacher to walk in. I was in for a big surprise.

I’ve always been the student to get points towards my grade by participating and having perfect attendance. In a class of 150 students there is no room for that. My grade from there on out was based on test scores, reflective writings and pop quizzes.

I was beyond scared.

Dr. Margaret Quinlan stood at the front of the class and began to introduce us to the class and to the material she would be teaching us. This was the beginning of the rest of my life. After my first Communication class I was already afraid and started giving up hope.

My first impressions of this class were based off student rumors and even some professors telling me how hard it was going to be. Many students have dubbed it as a “weed out” class meaning that this class would weed out all the students who couldn’t make it as Communication ma-

jors. To move from Pre-Communication to actual Communication you have to pass Comm Theory (with a C or higher) and you are only able to take it twice.

“I would never call it a weed out class.

This is a class that sets the foundation for the rest of your communication classes so it is a critical class. When you advance into your next set of communication classes, once you get into your major and you get on track, the professors are going to expect you to have a basic knowledge of communication,” Quinlan stated when asked if she considered Comm Theory a weed out class.

“I feel that it’s my responsibility to provide you with the background, with the knowledge that you need to be successful in those other classes.”

Most students I have talked to stated

how hard it was, how much dedication you have to put into the class and how I would probably never pass. But everyone’s different right? I just kept thinking that there was no way I was going to let myself fail this class (or get lower than a C) that was so important to me.

“I feel that one of the biggest difficulties that students have in this class is getting over their own fear of it. You can’t study or prepare well if you’re anxious. In my classes I try to find ways to connect to students lives so it isn’t as scary and intimidating as it is rumored to be. I really want students to learn something and not just memorize definitions,” Dr. Quinlan stated during her interview.

When asked how important Communication Theory was for Communication majors Quinlan calmly responded, “It’s key!”

The class is based on memorization and connecting the theories we incorporate into our every day lives.

Since these types of weed out course are relevant to the rest of our courses and future careers why not take the time to study hard and keep up with what we learn.

If we always listened to what other students have to say about every class we’d all be stuck only taking the easy classes and passing up the opportunity to challenge ourselves and learn something new. The drive to succeed should in the end keep us on our toes and wishfully hoping for the best.

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Freshman Fireside: Budget to get more bang for your buck Jordan McSwain J M C S WA 1 7 @ U N C C . E D U

Well we are about three fourths of the way through our first year at UNC Charlotte and one topic we haven’t talked about is one of the most important, money. It’s hard to come by and once we have it, it’s even harder to hold on to.

Many of us are constantly broke and are not funded by our parents. So when we do have money, we don’t know good ways to spend it or how we should save it and how can we get it?

Meal plans on campus almost always consist of some form of declining balance (DB.) DB is useable at every food establishment here on campus and when we want to escape RDH or Crown Commons we ven-

ture into Salsaritas, Chic-Fil-A or Mama Leone’s for a bite to eat.

If you eat like most teenagers dining out, is not cheap and adds up very quickly.

I thought during SOAR we were told DB is endless and after one angry confrontation in the Auxiliary office, I was very quickly corrected and shamed.

How should we budget the money we have? Keeping a balance register book (available at any banking establishment) seems to be the easiest and most effective way to keep track of what is spent and what is left.

If you keep a regular balance marking the only times you allow yourself a snack from Outtakes then you can easily control what you spend to make sure you can last throughout the semester without pizza every day for two meals a day.

When you cut down on your snacking it is going to save you a lot of money. Before you start buying daily waters buy one nice water bottle and fill it up via one of the

nifty water fountains around campus that keeps track of how many plastic bottles you save each time you refill.

If you are addicted to coffee, buy your own coffee pot and start brewing it in your room. Coffee, sugar and cream are not very expensive and will save tons in the long run.

Of course a change in diet is always nice but sometimes you have to just buckle down and eat whatever is being served. I eat at Crown Commons everyday and it is nowhere near as bad as people make it out.

When it comes to money it is up to you to decide how much you spend and what you spend it on but each time the cashier runs your 49er card through the machine several times to make it read, remind yourself that there may be some time in the future when you want a treat and you are going to get to the cash register with fortyfive cents looking like a fool. Spend smart and try applying for an on or off campus job for some cash flow.

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NINERTIMES

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012

A&E

LIVE MUSIC:

2/23 - Styles & Complete Amos’ Southend, 7:30 pm, $10-12 2/24 - Minus the Bear Trmont Music Hall, 7 pm, $20-25

NEW IN THEATERS: Gone Act of Valor Wanderlust Good Deeds The Forgiveness of Blood

Nintendo and Sony face off for the gamer on the go Does the PS Vita differ from its disappointing predecessors?

Patrick Bogans

PBOGANS@UNCC.EDU

The new brainchild of PlayStation, released February 22nd, basically includes many of the features of a full console in pocket-sized form, with many of the social aspects included in today’s most popular smartphones.

Sony’s PS Vita has what most gamers desire, but doesn’t seem to be enough.

The Vita has many more of the upto-date features it needs to be a real competitor in the gaming world, with dual analog stick controls, a 5-inch OLED, built-in Wi-Fi (with optional 3G support) and dual cameras at the front and rear.

There is also an additional multitouch pad on the back that allows seamless integration into the virtual world, for position and interaction purposes.

The Vita, which has 3G exclusivity on the AT&T network, will let users interact with a specific Vita benefit in the PlayStation Network called Near.

With Near, users can find what other users in their area are playing using location services, and maybe challenge them in a game.

When the system is released this Wednesday, there will be 25 titles to play, with more on the way. Also, big titles such as “BioShock,” “Uncharted” and “Madden NFL” are in the works to develop content for the device soon.

The Vita also can playback movies, photos and other multimedia.

Seems as if the only thing the Vita doesn’t do is make a phone call. And for the price of $249.99 for the Wi-Fi version, and $299.99 for the 3G version, that is only the beginning of the problem for some critics.

The price of the device is comparative to that of a PlayStation 3, which already has hundreds of video game titles and a Blu-ray player.

Freshman Shawn Linnen, a computer science major at UNC Charlotte, is holding off judgement of the new handheld device after seeing how its predecessor, the PSP Go, was received.

“The last one was a financial failure for good reason,” say Linnen. “Granted, I haven’t heard much about this new one coming out.”

Skepticism towards portable PlayStation gaming apparently isn’t a rare emotion. The Vita actually sold at a lower rate in Japan this past December than the original PlayStation Portable did in 2004, according to CNN Money.

Many skeptics have also been wondering how the Vita can compete with the typical smartphone or tablet, which can already play many popular games and/or make phone calls. Sony has a lot to compete with when asking whether or not consumers even want to lug around another device in the first place.

Sony representative Kyle Shubel believes that the Vita will actually benefit from the appeal of smartphone gaming.

“For the non-gamers that are playing on their smartphones: this is the device that they will graduate up to,” Shubel told CNN Money.

The system is basically a mobile PS3, and that idea does keep the appeal of the device running.

The graphics are top notch and internet interaction is a big plus, with the Vita being the only portable gaming system to have online gaming over 3G. “The PlayStation Vita is the most capable system you’ll ever have in the palm of your hands,” Shubel states.

Has the 3DS made up for its lackluster launch titles?

Barry Falls Jr

B FA L L S 4 @ U N C C . E D U

Has Nintendo’s answer to the PSP fought back from last year’s disappointing launch? In short, yes.

The system originally launched at $250 with no accompanying titles that gamers found appealing enough to fork up the hefty sum.

When Nintendo President Satoru Iwata saw the reports that 3DS sales were lower than expected, he cut his own salary in half and brought the game console’s price down to $180.

For those who had faith in the system and bought it before the price was cut, he offered gamers 20 free downloadable games in what he called the “Ambassador Program.”

Since then, Nintendo has also made some well-received additions to the system’s catalog from the company’s veteran franchises.

The 3DS ported two games from the 1996 Nintendo 64: The Legend of Zelda- Ocarina of Time and Starfox 64.

Two new installments of old series, Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7, were also released.

If you placed the 3DS next to the new PS Vita and compared the graphics, the 3DS is going to look quite modest.

But as any gamer already knows, good graphics does not necessarily mean visual quality.

Instead of focusing solely on upping the graphics, Nintendo chose to set themselves apart by adding a new unique factor: three-dimensional gaming without the glasses.

For those who were iffy about this new capability, Nintendo added an adjustment that allows gamers to alter the

depth of the 3D, even allowing them to omit the 3D functionality altogether.

Another one of the bigger draws to the PS Vita is their PS3 connectivity.

With Cross Play, players can pause their Playstation 3 and then pick up their PS Vita and continue the game. Point: Sony.

But once the new Wii U is released later this year, the system will feature connectivity to the 3DS, including a new Wii U installment to the Super Smash Brothers franchise that will have a 3DS counterpart. Counterpoint: Nintendo.

With two analog sticks, the PS Vita may have the upper hand on controls.

But what many do not take into account is the fact that the 3DS has twice the number screens. One of the screens is 3D and the other has a touch screen, opening doors to new modes of gaming that Sony hasn’t yet found the keys to.

History has shown that all portable efforts by Playstation have been strongly overcome by installments from Nintendo.

Gamers should expect to see history repeat itself with the 3DS and the PS Vita as the year progresses.

If Playstation wants to find a new market with on-the-go gamers, they need to work on bringing something new and innovative to the table.

Most anticipated 3DS games of 2012: -Kid Icarus: Uprising -Luigi’s Mansion 2 -Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D -Paper Mario (working title) -Resident Evil: Revelations

The Boxing Lesson set to perform at The Milestone Jason Cline

JCLINE22@UNCC.EDU

Psychedelic space-rock band The Boxing Lesson is set to perform Sunday, February 26, 2012 at The Milestone. Their performance will be the band’s sixth stop on an 11-city US tour, which they embarked on in preparation for their upcoming performance at South By Southwest (SXSW) in March.

The group is currently operating as a power trio, and consists of Paul Waclawsky on guitar and vocals, Jaylinn Davidson on synthesizer and drummer Matt Bongirno. The band was founded in Los Angeles by Waclawsky in 2002 and saw the release of two EPs before Waclawsky relocated to Austin, Texas. The move to Austin caused a change in the group’s lineup, as well as an unavoidable change in the band’s overall sound. Since their relocation, The Boxing Lesson has released two full-length albums and two more EPs. The Boxing Lesson most recently released their EP, “Muerta,” in 2011. The songs on this release are more down tempo than the band’s previous efforts and create musical landscapes reminiscent of those found in Pink Floyd’s albums.

The band’s music features prominent use of Moog synthesizers, which contribute in large part to create the group’s psychedelic, spacey soundscapes. The Boxing Lesson does not have a bass player in their lineup, using a synthesizer to take over bass duties and creating a band dynamic reminiscent of The Doors.

The guitar work showcases extensive but tasteful use of effects such as delay, fuzz and distortion that creates interesting and dynamic musical interplay with the synthesizer. The lead guitar parts often provide the listener with the melody of the song, a technique that can be heard in bands such as Muse.

Waclawsky’s vocals are nostalgic of other space and glam-rock acts like David Bowie, while his lyrics often bring to mind groups like Pink Floyd, featuring explorations of thought. Bongirno’s drumming serves as the heartbeat of the songs,

Songwriter Paul Waclawsky, synthesizer player Jaylinn Davidson and drummer Matt Bongirno Photo courtesy of The Boxing Lesson

driving them and providing momentum to push the band forward.

The group has released several music videos, including the single from their EP, “Songs In the Key of C.” The music video features the song “Dark Side of the Moog,” the title of the song being an obvious nod to Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon.” The song features the band’s trademark epic soundscapes, guitar melodies and thought provoking lyrics. The video is animated and features avatars of the band wandering across the surface of the moon.

A music video of the band covering Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” can also be found on Youtube. The cover features an original and refreshing reinterpretation of the Airplane’s classic song. The ending climax of the song showcases an impressive vocal performance by Waclawsky.

The Boxing Lesson’s upcoming show at the Milestone is sure to provide their audiences with an intense, high-energy rock show filled with psychedelic sounds and deep soundscapes showcased on their many releases.

NINERONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012

PAGE 7

Racy play opens in NoDa Ryan Pitkin

AE@NINERONLINE.COM

There comes a point in David Mamet’s play, “Race,” in which a black female attorney tells her white male associate, “This isn’t about sex, it’s about race.” To this the man responds, “What’s the difference?”

Charles LaBorde, director for Carolina Actors Studio Theatre (CAST), will bring this play to Charlotte on Thursday, Feb. 23rd, 2012, and he thinks this is a very explanatory piece of dialogue.

So much so that he has the page number of the script memorized (page 36) and flips to it as one would look at their watch.

“On the surface it’s a sort of simple play but it’s actually very complex,” said LaBorde.

The play revolves around the case of a white billionaire tycoon (“a Richard Branson type”) who has been charged with the rape of a black woman.

Two high-priced male attorneys are hired for the case.

The case takes its toll on a strong relationship between the two attorneys; one black and one white.

In classic “12 Angry Men” style, the entire play takes place within the boardroom of the law firm, with only four characters: the two lawyers, the accused and the female lawyer mentioned above, brought in later to help with the case.

The play will take place in a small theater within the CAST studio on N. Davidson Street and E. 28th Street (the same shopping center as Amelie’s).

The play is also done “in the round,” which means the audience will be surrounding the characters, with members in the front row sitting within two feet of the table.

“That’s really an exciting thing for the audience but also for the actors,” said LaBorde. “To have the audience that close you sort of feel the synergy between the two. It’s a play that, within that space, you have nowhere to hide, and with a play this shocking it will

LaBorde’s promotional poster includes this aggressive take on Mamet’s original Broadway flyer.

Photo/Charles LaBorde be interesting to have the audience that close.”

The play hits hard not only because of the controversial themes of the plot itself, but the electric dialogue that Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet is known for.

“Typical of Mamet, the language is very adult and rough,” said LaBorde. “Most people associate Mamet with extreme profanity and constant profanity, which is the case, but not quite as frequent as in most of his plays. It’s still shocking.”

However, this play goes beyond just swearing for shock value. “The way he gets it up to his typical level of in-your-faceness is that he adds the racial aspect,” LaBorde said.

“A lot of the racial stuff that gets thrown around, you just don’t hear people in most polite company talk frankly about the issues in the play the way they do in this play.”

It is this issue that lies at the heart of the play, speaking to audiences who like to believe they live in a post-Obama, and therefore post-racial, world.

Mamet was once quoted as saying that the theme of “Race” is race itself but also “the lies we tell each other.”

“I think [racism] is still very much there,” said LaBorde. “I think we’d like to think that we as a society are past that but I really feel that it is something that is difficult for Americans to get past.”

It’s by tapping into these hidden emotions that this play starts to peel back the layers of the characters’ subconscious and becomes more complex.

“Even though it talks frankly and a lot of people in the play have worked closely and been close friends for a long time, they see things differently in the play,” said LaBorde.

When people begin to see things differently, the play’s unofficial motto, “Everybody lies,” begins to take effect.

LaBorde developed the catch phrase from a line of script said in passing by one of the pay’s characters.

“We talked in rehearsals about how the different characters lie: some overtly, some less obviously, some to themselves, some to the other people, but they’ve all got one version or another of lies.”

The play will run until March 24th and, as usual for a CAST play, will engage the audiences as soon as they walk in the door. Tickets will be made to look like tabloid magazines with the defendant’s face splattered on their fronts and the entrance of the theater will be made to look like the lobby of a law firm.

COMEDY from pg 1 Something Special This Way Comes “I thought comedy was corny” admits 20 year comedy veteran Jim Florentine.

“Then I saw Dice, with the leather jacket, smoking on stage, he’s the reason I do comedy.” Florentine had been working a string of less than stellar jobs when he decided to get into comedy.

When talking to him, it is hard not to notice a familiar quality in his voice you can’t help but feel you’ve heard before. In 2002, MTV took a risk on a puppet show for Photo courtesy of Jim Florentine adults called Crank Yankers and Florentine was asked to voice the lovable, goofy Special Ed. “I remember asking, you really want to make a character out of this guy?”

The excitable if sometimes slow Ed would call into unsuspecting businesses and personal residents and see how long he could keep them on the line with is dim witted musings.

He quickly became one of the shows most loved characters with his now famous “yay” racking up over a quarter million hits on YouTube.

“It was a different time back then,” he explained when asked about the current politically correct climate. “That character would have never made it to air now.” Comedians are in many ways under pressure now to stay squeaky clean or fear the wrath of an audience member. “It’s gotten to the point where comedians are literally going out and apologizing for the jokes.”

There will be no squeaky clean from Florentine, though, and certainly no apologies. What can you expect to hear at the upcoming show? “A lot of penis jokes,” Florentine admits, but in his defense, “you write about what you know”.

For a taste of the insurrection to come check out his podcast, “Comedy Metal Midgets,” on iTunes.

[Comedy’s] Once and Future King The accomplishments, struggles, scandals and iconic moments of Andrew Dice Clay, the only comedian to sell out Madison Square Garden two nights in a row, would not be able to fit in this article. After an interview as tumultuous as his own career it is safe to say he won’t read anything written here because, “I stopped reading my own press a long time ago, what’s the [expletive] point?”

Every legend has a beginning and his starts in Brooklyn, 1978. At the age of 21, Dice auditioned at a local comedy club with impressions and voices that eventually landed him a

headlining position. “I never wanted to go into comedy; I just wanted to act on stage.”

Almost everything annoyed Dice about most comedians. “I really didn’t like the dress code,” he said, explaining his typical wardrobe of leather jackets, heavy chains and constant smoking on stage.

The 1980’s was a head spinning time for Dice; after a string of appearances in industry staples including M*A*S*H his career became white hot after an appearance on a Rodney Dangerfield special that lead to his own HBO special. “Next thing I know I’m getting interviews from congressmen for interviews.”

Catapulting through the decade, Dice was eventually asked to appear in the 1989 MTV music awards. This was when MTV was still edgy and an appearance by the say-anything-do-anything Dice was appropriate. Dice performed his infamous “nursery rhymes,” in which he took mother goose type poems and made them wildly dirty.

The audience cheered and applauded and then, the unthinkable, Dice was banned from MTV, a ban that wouldn’t be lifted for two decades, in 2011. The story is told in many different ways and countless different versions depending on who you ask. Ask Dice and he responds, “the whole story, every last detail, will be in my upcoming book.”

The next two decades would see Dice struggle against the fame he once had. Audiences had moved on to an endless stream of flavors of the week. “I’ve had my ups and down” Dice admits, but eventually the show he keast expected would bring him back center stage.

HBO’s Entourage was nearing the end of its run. The plot for one of the characters was to do an animated series where he would voice a talking gorilla, to voice other characters in the show Entourage brought on Andrew Dice Clay to perform as the character he was born to play, Andrew Dice Clay.

The dialogue for Dice’s character was reflected struggle Dice has faced over his own career. “The network execs are screwing us over” was a frequent theme from the show, “screw them before they screw us” was another.

“Entourage was huge, it really did wonders for me” Dice reminisced about the show. He was right, older generations were reminded of the talent Dice has and newer generations were quickly introduced to it. Suddenly Dice was back, and this time taking no prisoners.

Dice’s upcoming show is in many ways a milestone for Charlotte. Stepping away from its conservative ambiance, the city takes baby steps to a more New York or Chicago style of comedy where people shouldn’t show up if they are easily offended and it’s okay for comedians to speak how they truly feel, even if it does get a little ugly The real question is why is Dice coming to Charlotte? Dice is working on his next special, and his hope is that this will be the special where “people realize that I’m the undisputed king of comedy.” He also warns that he will be “so [expletive] funny I won’t be able to be touched.”

PAGE 8

NINERTIMES

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012

Where a Niner’s spare moments go

A yogi’s journey: honesty Ciera Choate

NEWS@NINERONLINE.COM

This week in my yoga class we focused on one Yamas and one Niyamas, the foundations of yoga.

To begin we worked on Satya, or truthfulness, not just with others but ourselves as well. We must always be honest with others but also compassionate and nonharming with our words. The same thing goes for our own bodies and minds.

During practice yogis often try to push themselves further and further into poses or meditation, even if their bodies are not ready for the pressure. Satya is about knowing when to stop and being honest with yourself about your abilities. This goes for all aspects of life.

As a yogi I have to work to always be honest, and if I’m starting now I have to admit this can prove to be more difficult than I first realized.

When I’m on my mat I am constantly trying to force myself into a pose more than my body can handle. This can lead to all sorts of injury, so in the end, lying to myself could have a reverse effect than intended.

I often allow my pride to get in my way by refusing help because of the “I can do it myself” mentality when in reality I do need the assistance of others. I put extra pressure on myself even when it isn’t necessary. While on my mat, I look inward to see where in my life I am doing this and I try to work on improvement.

The Niyama we focused on in my class was Santosa, or contentment, something I think a lot of people, especially Americans, struggle with.

We are constantly wanting and wanting all of these things we don’t have and do not need. Working toward this aspect of yogi in the end removes the feelings of grasping we often feel.

Coming from a well-off family I fall into this more than others I feel. Everyday I come across something else I feel like I need when really there are billions of people living on much less and are doing fine.

This Niyama is not about removing want from your life but learning to appreciate all that you already have.

Often I forget all I have around me. I try to remind myself how much I have already, but it can be hard living in a society when almost everything is based on what you have. We are always looking for that next thing to put us over the top.

My yoga practice has brought awareness of all of these things to me, and even though it will be a constant, never-ending journey to the goal, it’s one worth working for.

Remember, life isn’t about what you want but what you have, and being honest with yourself and others will get you further than lying to achieve any goal.

MCT Campus

RIDING eating alone isn’t SOLO always a cry for help Scarlett Newmabn

SNEWMAN6@UNCC.EDU

It’s very common to see someone at a dining area on campus sitting by themselves. You might notice at least one person every day sitting alone with their food, laptop or possibly even a text book.

I’m actually someone who eats alone quite frequently, and while many people might wonder why some prefer to eat by themselves there are reasons behind this, and they may not be what you think.

I eat alone all the time, and no, I’m not anti-social. I simply value my “me” time.

I have a very busy schedule with a heavy workload, so when it’s possible to have 45 minutes between a class to myself I take advantage of that and it’s usually at mealtimes.

When I’m eating alone I can clear my thoughts, listen to music and not worry about the hustle and bustle that’s going on all around campus.

Since I’m an avid daydreamer I consider this daydreaming time another perk to eating by myself. I’m actually thinking about cutting down on the daydreaming in public because the last time I was doing so in Crown Commons I knocked over my drink and it spilled all over me.

The daydreaming incident supports my point though. When I’m eating alone I get the chance to think about things that have no relation to school. For example I’ve recently started watching the sitcom ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and I’m always trying to work out different situations in my head to figure out who can possibly be the mother of Ted’s children.

Or I’ll often think of things that make me laugh, usually a Saturday Night Live sketch. It’s something that can help me deal with being stressed all the time.

Another reason I’m usually alone during my meals is because I just don’t have time to call someone up between classes and see if they’re free for lunch, wait for them to get there, sit down and then have an in-depth conversation and most importantly, eat.

It’s nothing personal, but if I know I want to see someone for lunch I’ll usually make plans with them the night before.

Something else you’ll see in dining areas around campus is people with their textbooks and laptops.

Obviously people with their textbooks are studying for class, a quiz, a test or maybe catching up on some reading for the next lecture. On occasion I’ve taken my books and notes with me to breakfast to do some last minute studying for an exam.

Students who are alone on their laptops in the dining halls aren’t as common as the regular loner, but it does happen, especially because most of the dining areas are equipped with WiFi. I’ll always walk by and see what’s on their screens and it’s usually Facebook, Twitter or Netflix. The headphones are always a give-away that someone is watching videos online.

The next time you’re in Crown Commons, RDH or any other on-campus dinning area don’t be too quick to judge someone sitting alone. It’s not too often that busy college students get any time alone, so take advantage of the free time that eating alone offers.

Reasons to eat alone

•Time to reflect •Quick process when in a rush •Last minute studying •Homework time •Catch up on shows •Final say on where to eat

Reasons to cook alone •Time to relax •Practice cooking without being judged •Save money •Time to experiement with the food •There is no one you have to impress

Photos by Ciera Choate

NINERONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012

Spring break essentials Scarlett Newmabn

BOOKS

SNEWMAN6@UNCC.EDU

It’s that time of the year again. Spring break is just around the corner and most of us have that on the mind rather than our school work.

Hopefully you’ve already figured out your destination(s), and all of the hassle that comes with planning spring break is out of the way.

Now that you can cross all of the big stuff off of your list, it’s time to start thinking about the smaller activities that can accent your vacation, ultimately making your trip better.

MUSIC One of the most essential things to have on your Spring Break is awesome music. Music is essential in life but the absence of music on a spring break trip or “bad music” can really make or break it.

You’re going to be hyper already, so some high energy tunes (whatever the genre may be) are perfect no matter what the destination. If you’re road tripping music is inevitably going to get you through those long hours. After all, who wants to road trip in silence? It just might be impossible.

Furthermore if you’re on a plane or you’re traveling by train music is helpful to calm your nerves and to make the time fly by.

Good music is also needed in social settings. Pre-gaming, Partying, clubbing etc. require music. Girls usually have music blaring while they’re getting ready for a big night out. It’s a fact of life that if there’s no music while you’re on holiday it’s probably going to be a bit of a mundane trip.

A good book is also something essential when you’re on vacation. Something that’ll make you laugh or take you into another world-that is definitely a light read.

I highly recommend “Bossypants” by comedianne/actress Tina Fey, “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?” by writer/comedian/actress Mindy Kaling and “Running With Scissors” by Augustus Burroughs. All of these memoirs have a central element of crude and lighthearted comedy something perfect to read as opposed to the textbooks that we’re all used to.

READING If you’re responsible and 21 years of age or up, a good drink can go a long way on a good vacation! It can add to the already relaxing environment that you’re hopefully surrounding yourself with. It’s definitely a nerve calmer and if you’re going somewhere tropical it’ll definitely add to the look of luxuriousness and it might even make you feel like a superstar.

Luckily, a drink can be combined with the two essentials already listed. Have one while your jamming out to some good music, or have one while you’re getting lost in a good book, just don’t over do it.

Drink responsibly 49ers!

Everyone isn’t going somewhere tropical or on a cruise or to a ski resort. Some of us are even going home for the week. Fortunately music, literature and alcohol can accompany you no matter the plan during the weeklong recess.

Spring break runs from March 5-10.

NINER TIMES RECIPE

LoADED QUEsADILlAS Tricia Bangit TBANGIT@UNCC.EDU

DRINK RECIPE SeX On THE BeACH

For one of those nights when you need to make a quick snack, loaded quesadillas are the way to go. Not only are they cheap to make, but they’re also easy and cheesy what more could a broke hungry student ask for?

INGREDIENTS: • 4 tortillas • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese • 1/3 can refried beans • 1/4 cup chopped yellow bell pepper • 3 tbsp sour cream • 1 chopped tomato • 1 tbsp chopped cilantro • 1 tbsp cilantro

DIRECTIONS: 1. On a tortilla spread about 3 tbsp of refried beans. Sprinkle the cheese

and bell peppers onto tortilla and cover with a plain tortilla.

2. Microwave the quesadilla for 30 seconds, then cut into sections.

3. To make the salsa mix the tomato, cilantro and lime juice.

Photo Stuart Webster

INGREDIENTS: • 2 parts vodka • 1 part peach schnapps • 3 parts orange juice • 3 parts cranberry juice DIRECTIONS: 1. Shake vodka

and shnapps over ice.

2. Top off with orange and cranberry juice.

PAGE 9

Natural hair forum 2.0 Maurii Davenport

M D AV E N 1 4 @ U N C C . E D U

Are you a natural hair diva, transitioner, or relaxed mate wondering how to tame your mane? Or are you frustrated with products and discouraged with your hair length?

On Feb. 28 all of your worries can be put to rest. The second edition of the Natural Hair Care Forum is underway, bringing tips, giveaways and demonstrations that are all beneficial to healthy hair growth.

Hosted by the thriving new hair care line Noire Naturals and the Campus Salon, the event will be held in room 295 of the College of Health and Human Services building.

Last year’s forum produced a sizable crowd, filling its location from wall to wall: a gathering much larger than its sponsors anticipated.

“Version: 2.0” is expected to yield the same turnout, keeping the original theme from the previous year: learning how to embrace and care for your natural hair.

“There is a lot of great information out there about how to take better care of your hair,” says Noire Naturals owner Ashleigh Thornton.

“I feel that the forum does a great job of connecting people with a few of those resources.”

Thornton will share her knowledge of proper maintenance at Tuesday’s event with hopes to ease the doubts of women wishing to wear their natural textures. She also desires to provide information to push towards healthier hair in all hair types: a goal that has been set for “Version 2.0.”

A question-and-answer session as well as live talk from the Campus Salon’s professional Uncle Mike are included in new line-up for the upcoming forum.

Added time for demonstrations and a section dedicated to extensions for protective styling will be incorporated.

The rise in the natural hair care community on UNC Charlotte’s campus became inspiration for the second event, in addition to high requests from the success of its predecessor.

Thornton felt it was time for another meet-up to continue to reach out with her main focus.

“The aim of this year’s Natural Hair Care Forum is to show people that whether their hair is natural, relaxed or anything else in between, the most important thing is to ensure that it is healthy,” said Thornton.

COMING SOON TO NINERONLINE.COM Maurii Davenport’s natural hair blog

PAGE 10

NINERTIMES

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012

DOWNTIME 23

24

Thursday

Exploring Spain

Charlotte 49ers Baseball vs. Toledo

College of Education Rm 402 - Free

Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium

9:00 a.m.

Student Niner Media Open House Student Union-Lower Level Student Niner Media Conference Room

Friday

4:00p.m.

Culture Shock Student Union Norm’s & Rotunda 7:00p.m.

WEEK IN

February 23, 1945 U.S. flag raised on Iwo Jima.

February 24, 1836 Alamo defenders call for help.

February 25, 1964 Clay knocks out Liston.

February 26, 1919 Two national parks preserved, 10 years apart

February 27, 1827 New Orleanians take to the streets for Mardi Gras

February 28, 1953 Lindbergh baby kidnapped

Saturday

49er Men’s Basketball Pre Game Giveaways SAC Patio

5:00p.m.-7:00p.m.

Senior Night Men’s Basketball vs. St. Bonaventure Halton Arena 7:00p.m.

3:00pm - 4:00pm

THIS

25

26

Sunday

Rock Climbing Anchor Trainings

Crowders Mountain State Park (meet @ Cone Center) All Day

Winter Garden Walk and Plant Sale

McMillan Greenhouse 1:00p.m.

27

Monday

Getting Into Graduate School Cone Center Rm 268 3:00p.m.-4:30p.m.

Bootcamp Challenges

SAC Group Fitness Studio 6:30pm - 7:30pm

28

Tuesday

What’s in Your Wallet?

Fretwell Rm 310

12:30pm - 1:30pm

Charlotte Youth Wind Ensemble Robinson Hall Anne R. Belk Theater 7:30p.m.

NINERONLINE.COM

SPORTS

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012

Trevor Bayne sets his sights on the 500

The 21-year-old looks to defend his Daytona 500 Championship

PAGE 11

SPORTS SCHEDULE

Today Men’s Tennis vs. Davidson 2:30 p.m.

Nathan Butler

@ N AT H A N _ B U T L E R 9 2

Trevor Bayne will defend his Daytona 500 championship this Sunday.

Bayne, whose No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford didn’t have enough owner points to guarantee a starting spot in the seasonopening race, locked up one of the 43 spots fielding the event by posting the fastest lap (193.615 mph) among 14 drivers attempting to make the race.

Bayne did it on his 21st birthday, too.

“It’s a lot of relief,” Bayne said in an interview with FOX Sports. “We’re in the show for good now. We don’t have to worry about that or lose some sleep at night.”

But, could that pay off down the road?

Possibly.

As of now, Bayne does not have a fulltime ride in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The plan is for Wood Brothers Racing to run Bayne in 14 Cup races this season.

But here’s the real kicker – he doesn’t have a full-time ride in the NASCAR Nationwide Series either.

However, Roush Fenway Racing plans to run him in the first three races of the season, with the hopes of attracting additional sponsors.

The exposure Bayne will receive from this weekend could also be beneficial.

“Certainly it helps,” team owner Jack Roush said.

“Trevor is the reigning Daytona 500 champion and we have not managed to put together full sponsorship for either the Cup program or the Nationwide program. But we do have ongoing conversations. And I don’t know that there’ll be any great improvement in our prospects based on this, but it certainly would have been a downer if we had failed to qualify.”

Winning the Great American Race back-to-back is a fairly daunting task that not even the ‘best of the best’ can claim.

But, can Bayne claim it? If so, he’ll have to achieve the impossible by being introduced to an old form of racing – pack racing.

But what exactly does that mean? It simply means NASCAR is returning to its roots.

“The pack racing is back, and that gives

MEN’S INTRAMURAL BASKETBALL POWER RANKINGS

Friday Softball vs. Boston College 12 p.m.

Baseball vs. Toledo 4 p.m.

Saturday No. 21, Trevor Bayne will defend his title this coming Sunday at the Daytona 500. Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR

the drivers a little more control and adds a lot of excitement for the fans -- and that’s the biggest thing: the fans wanted pack racing back and NASCAR listened and delivered,” said driver of the No. 15 Toyota Camry, Clint Bowyer.

And just as most would come to expect, the Shootout proved NASCAR made the right decisions over the offseason, and the drivers seemed overwhelmingly in favor of the racing.

“It’s pretty wild and crazy, but, I mean, I like this better than what we had last year, definitely,” said four-time champion Jeff Gordon.

Oh, and did I mention last Saturday’s race was the closest finish in Bud Shootout history? The eventual winner, Kyle Busch, would go on to win by a mere 0.013 seconds.

But there are other storylines as we head into NASCAR’s version of ‘Superbowl Sunday’.

-Danica Patrick will make her Daytona 500 debut.

-Carl Edwards has bounced back from his championship loss to Tony Stewart by winning the pole for the Daytona 500.

-There’s already some controversy, as the car for five-time series champion Jimmie Johnson failed inspection before it ever got on the track. Chances are crew chief Chad Knaus will be fined after the Daytona 500.

This is all shaping up to be one of the greatest races of the year.

As a non-NASCAR fan told me over the weekend, ‘this is the type of racing that turns the non-fan into a fan,” which is extremely beneficial for an industry that has struggled since the near economic downturn.

The race may not be 500 miles of threewide racing, but if it’s anything close to the shootout, it should definitely make things interesting.

Affirmative Action

23.6

Bryson Gibson

The Goat

23.0

Taylor Lueger

Metta World Peace

22.0

Jonathan Wright

Air Force ROTC

21.8

Steven Nealen

Rip City

19.3

Andrew Bowen

Smooth Strokes

10.8

Zachery Follrod

Low Expectations

10.2

Ryan Fawcett

Dept. of Biology

10.0

Brad Chambers

BK Brawlers

9.8

5. Blouses

Lewis Thomas

Team USA

9.8

6.

Raj Gandhi

Fast Break

3.8

Spencer Merritt

BK Brawlers

3.8

2.

MT

3.

Affirmative Action

4. Team USA The Lake Show

7.

8. Low Expectations 3 for Dale

Softball vs. Play Off Game 2 p.m.

Baseball vs. Toledo 4 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. St. Bonaventure 7 p.m.

SPORTS RESULTS Santonio Poole

1. Back In My Day

Softball vs. Morgan State 12 p.m.

Dominique Pledger ball like wall

3.6

Justin Burke

Blue Ivy

3.4

Julian Abbott

Affirmative Action

3.2

Women’s Tennis

LOSS @ Elon

2-5

Baseball

LOSS

@ High Point

5-12

Men’s Tennis

WON

vs. Wofford

4-2

PAGE 12

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012

NINERTIMES