MOVIE REVIEWS
8
The Battalion | 8.9.16
Underdeveloped “Suicide Squad” falls short of expectations
A head-spinning thriller set in a contemporary world
Long-anticipated DC flick adapts concepts well but lacks in execution
Matt Damon brings the mysterious rogue to life one more time
Chevall Pryce
Up close with the BV Bombers Page 4
12th Can
Feeding hungry Aggies Page 6
BATT THE BATTALION | THEBATT.COM
Staff writer
“I
D
BAT_08-09-16_A1-A8.indd 1
Update on Aggies in Rio Page 3
Bombers
Pranav Kannan
Editor-in-Chief
espite an ensemble cast of anti-heroes and villains cracking jokes and fighting their way through Midway City against their will, sluggish pacing and lack of character development hold “Suicide Squad” back from being as impressive as promised. Set in the DC Comics cinematic universe post-Batman v. Superman, the world is reeling over the aftermath of the previous film and looking for a way to fight terror in the modern world. Intelligence operator Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) decides to assemble Task Force X, a team of the dangerous criminals Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Deadshot (Will Smith), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), El Diablo (Jay Hernandez) and Slipknot (Adam Beach), headed by military tactician Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman). As a concept for a movie, “Suicide Squad” should have been a fantastic film. It has antiheroes, violence and dark comedy, something missing from most other superhero movies full of do-gooders and boy scouts like Captain America. But, the struggle to find a plot worth caring about and effort to do too much in a couple hours make “Suicide Squad” suffer despite the great ideas present in the finished product. It’s very hard to care about most of the members of Task Force X. Davis, Robbie and Smith are clearly the stars of the show, given either more screen time than the other characters or more well-developed backstories, albeit not that fleshed-out. Although they aren’t given too much to work with, these actors shine in their roles. Other characters like Captain Boomerang and Slipknot are really used for punchlines and minor dialogue, and fall to the wayside once the movie gets rolling and the team is fighting through Midway City. Jared Leto’s Joker was present for very little of the movie, despite being hyped by his method acting antics (sending his costars used condoms and dead pigs, alienating himself from the rest of the cast, etc.). Leto’s performance was a bit of a letdown, personally. His character design, resembling a gaudy Hot Topic reject, clouded his already underwhelming performance that seemed a bit forced at times. The scenes de-
Olympics
THE
VIA CREATIVE COMMONS
picting his abusive relationship with Robbie’s character were well done, although a bit more explanation could have been nice for viewers who aren’t familiar with their backstory. The plot doesn’t really show up until around 30 minutes into the movie after most of the characters have been introduced. Once the villain and motivation is present, another useless character, Katana (Karen Fukuhara), arrives and does very little at all to advance the plot. Also, El Diablo was underused for most of the film and was subject to few worthwhile moments. The run-of-the-mill fight scenes coupled with odd breaks in the action for flashbacks and needless dialogue make the movie feel slow at times. “Suicide Squad” isn’t a bad movie. It has some great ideas and adapts certain parts of the source material very well. But the execution wasn’t very impressive, with loose ends and a lot of characters, settings and a plot that could have been fleshed out much more. While “Suicide Squad” is nothing to write home about, it’s a step up from “Batman V. Superman.” Here’s to hoping that the movies following “Suicide Squad” in the DC cinematic universe continue that trend. Chevall Pryce is a journalism senior and Editor-inChief of The Battalion.
remember everything.” An ominous start to a movie which has defined a decade of fast-paced action and drama. The fifth installment of the Bourne series based on Robert Ludlum’s character is eponymously called “Jason Bourne.” The reunion of Paul Greengrass as director and Matt Damon as Jason Bourne has resulted in an eye-watering, guns-blazing tornado of a movie with 123 minutes of cinematic thrills. The movie starts with a quick succession of scenes set all the way from Albania to Iceland. Nicky Parsons, played by Julia Stiles, is hacking into the “Agency’s” servers to access classified information, as Bourne (who is still off the grid) is making a living fighting in illegal rings. A chance discovery by Parsons leads to a meeting and encounter with Bourne on the Anarchic streets of Athens, Greece. This unfolding set of events is watched by the Agency’s cyber ops division led by Agent Heather Lee played by Alicia Vikander and director Dewey played by Tommy Lee Jones. In the classic Greengrass style seen in the earlier Bourne movies of shaky camera shots and breathless action with Bourne jumping rooftops and riding motorcycles being chased by rifle carrying ‘assets,’ “Jason Bourne” seems a bit repetitive but is still impressive. Adding to the drama was the contemporary hard hitting setting of the movie, situated around news events from around the world. From antiausterity uprisings in Greece, where the film begins, to finishing with a privacy debate set in Vegas Convention Center, Greengrass effortlessly combines cinematic drama with global debates.
VIA CREATIVE COMMONS
Cinematographer Barry Ackroyd ‘s meticulous combination of cameras, overhead shots and stoic images of Bourne make it an appetizing watch. Perhaps nothing says it more than the high-octane showdown set in London as a converging group of ‘Agency’ men and ‘Assets’ prowl for the evasive Bourne. Greengrass’s longtime associate, Christopher Rouse‘s editing however leaves us wanting in some scenes with abrupt starts and stops. In contrast to “Bourne Legacy,” it’s immediate predecessor, “Jason Bourne” brings back the familiar sights and sounds of the Bourne Trilogy which we have grown up enjoying. However this familiarity comes at the cost of the movie seeming slightly stale. In spite of some memorable moments and several forgettable ones, “Jason Bourne” still comes out as a recommended watch, even if it is to only see Matt Damon back as in his most famous avatar. Pranav Kannah is a chemical engineering graduate student and writer for The Battalion.
KICKING OFF FALL CAMP
Grant Phiferw - The Battalion
page 5 8/8/16 11:39 PM
to todays puzzles “A World of Healthy Products “A World of Healthy Products for Your Your Family!” Family!” for
We’ve gotOver We Carry OFFERING AN Protein Powders 50 Varieties ALTERNATIVE Garden of Life of Vega Bulk All in One Teas
• •
TO THE
Green, Black, Nutribiotic Rice Protein Yellow, Oolong •“SAMENESS” Nutiva and Many • Manitoba Harvest OF SHOPPING AT • Living Harvest More! • Nature’s Plus Spiru-tein OVER BIG-BOX 100 VARIETIES OF •
ALL VARITIES
•
TEAToday BAGS SUPERMARKETS Genesis
4303 S. 100 TEXAS AT ROSEMARY LIQUID 4303 S. TEXAS AT ROSEMARY BRYAN BRYAN • 979-846-4459 979-846-4459 4303 S. TEXAS AT ROSEMARY MON-FRI SAT9 9TO MON–FRI99TO TO 6 • SAT TO 4 4
BRYAN • 979-846-4459 Celebrating 23 of Serving the Brazos Brazos 27 22Years Years of Serving 24 25 MON–FRI 9 TO 6 • SAT 9 TO Valley! 4 Celebrating 27 Years of the Valley!
Owned Celebrating 21 25 Years 26Locally Celebrating the 22 Years of of Serving the Brazos Brazos Valley!
batt THE
The IndependenT STudenT VoIce of TexaS a&M SInce 1893
Chevall Pryce,Editor EditorininChief Chief Mark Doré, Aimee Breaux, Managing Editor Katie Canales, Life & Arts Editor Jennifer Reiley, Asst. Managing Editor CarterAdam, Karels,Page Sports Editor Maggie Rians, Content Editor Olivia Designer Lindsey Gawlik, News Editor Shelby Knowles, Photo Editor Addison Erhardt, Content Editor Kirsten Jacobson, Page Designer Samantha King, Asst. News Editor Allison Bradshaw, Asst. Photo Editor Angel Franco, Sports Editor Rachael Saunders, Page Designer Katy Stapp, Asst. News Editor Meredith Collier, Page Designer Grant Phifer, Photo Chief Sydney Farris, Page Designer & John Rangel, SciTech Editor Claire Shepherd, PageArtist Designer Graphic The BaTTalion is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com. Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising, call 979-845-2687. For classified advertising, call 979-8450569. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Email: battads@thebatt.com. Subscriptions: A part of the University Advancement Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1.
BAT_08-09-16_A7-A2.indd 1
NEWS
2
The Battalion | 8.9.16
7
The Battalion | 8.9.16
Support pours in from community after threats to Pride Picnic Pride Community Center cancels annual picnic due to public safety concerns By Ana Sevilla Pride Community Center’s sixth annual Pride Picnic was scheduled for July 10 until online threats were reported by Pennsylvania native Mandy Perry via Facebook. Since then, Pride Community Center president Kay Dennis and former president Judy LeUnes met with CSPD and College
Station Parks and Recreation on July 13 to discuss picnic logistics post-threats. On July 24 the Pride Community Center Board met to discuss the picnic further. After deliberation, the board unanimously agreed to cancel this year’s Pride Picnic. “We decided that [the picnic] was just too much, and we have lots of other events planned and we will go for the picnic again next year,” LeUnes said. “All the local members were thrilled that we cancelled it, the only flack we got were from people from outside who don’t understand Bryan-College Station.”
LeUnes said that after the threats were issued, positive attention poured in from political groups such as Open Carry Texas, Moms Demand Action and metropolitan LGBTQ groups from Dallas, Austin and Houston. LeUnes said these groups were planning on attending the Pride Picnic once rescheduled. “We were going to have probably 7 to 8 thousand people [attending] with their [agendas]. [Local Pride Picnic attendees are from] just a small town made up of GLBT-friendly allies and GLBT people,” LeUnes said. “Usually we have 300 people [attending], we thought this year we would probably have about 500 because of Orlando.” With a significantly larger crowd to accommodate than planned, LeUnes said that Pride Picnic was to be re-
located to Wolf Pen Creek, but it was later changed into a private event with a small cover charge to provide a better head count for CPSD. However, with a variety of political groups attending, the picnic went from a local gathering to a political statement. “It became issue-oriented by different groups, no matter which side you’re on,” LeUnes said. CSPD Asst. Chief of Police Brandy Norris said that the investigation is ongoing. Subpoenas issued to Tumblr revealed that the IP address of the terroristic threats came from New York. “Now we have issued more subpoenas for specific internet providers to figure out who owns those accounts,” Norris said.
classifieds see ads at thebatt.com
Place
an ad Phone 979.845.0569 Suite L400, Memorial Student Center Texas A&M University
BED AND BREAKFAST Romantic Getaways & Engagements, secluded cabin suites. All Day, All Night. www.7flodge.com 979-690-0073.
FOR RENT $1100 Prelease, Brand Newer Luxury 2/2 on Northgate, walk to TAMU, granite counters, faux hardwood floors, FREE Wifi/Cable, Fullsize W/D, Call/Text Maroon & White Management, 979-422-5660. More info at www.rentmaroon.com $1275 Prelease remodeled 3,4,&5 bedroom houses, fenced yard, W/D, pets ok, near TAMU. Call/Text Maroon & White Management, 979-422-5660. More info at www.rentmaroon.com $495 Prelease 1/1. Free WiFi/water/sewer. On Northgate, on shuttle. Call/Text Maroon & White Management 979-422-5660. More info at www.rentmaroon.com
When
to call 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Insertion deadline: 1 p.m. prior business day
FOR RENT $295 Prelease, All Bills Paid, 1room in shared furnished apartment, Call/Text Maroon & White Management, more info at www.rentmaroon.com 979-422-5660. 1006 Hardwood, 4bd/2ba house, $1600/mo, near mall and campus shuttle, W/D, pets ok, available August, 979-450-9093. 2-bedroom apartments. Some with W/D, some on College Main, remodeled with dishwashers, Great deal! $495-$800/mo. 979-219-3217. $335/Rm, Female Roommate Needed, 4/4 University Place Condo w/d included, pre-lease for summer or fall, private bath, swimming pool and hot tub, basketball and volleyball court, on school bus route, about 1-mile from TAMU, student community, 979-690-8213.
SPECIAL
ANSWERS
Private Party Want ads
$10 for 20 words running 5 days, if your merchandise is priced $1,000 or less (price must appear in ad). This rate applies only to non-commercial advertisers offering personal possessions for sale. Guaranteed results or you get an additional 5 days at no charge. If item doesn’t sell, advertiser must call before 1 p.m. on the day the ad is scheduled to end to qualify for the 5 additional insertions at no charge. No refunds will be made if your ad is cancelled early.
FOR RENT 4bd/5ba house for rent on bus route, fenced yard, 2 car garage, fireplace, wood and tile floors, 3 miles from campus. 2406 Axis Drive CSTX, $1800/mo, call or text Matt 254-289-5683. For lease, 3bd, partly furnished, near campus, available August 1st, 979-774-9181.
puzzle answers can be found on page 2
FOR RENT
FOR RENT
New house & duplex for lease, 4/2.5, 3/2 for $2,200, $1,100-1,200. All appliances, lawn care included. Best school district, office for extra bedroom, Esther Eoh 979-571-3036.
Room for rent, $500/mo, bills included, nice 3bd house, call 281-785-2742.
Northgate 2/2, 3/2, Walk to campus. aggievillas.net Available in August. Looking for female roommate in 2/2. Call 979-255-5648.
Short-term rental, newly decorated cabin, 40-miles from university, off 21, call Ron Smith 979-567-8461.
Room w/bath in 4bd house, close to campus, $450/mo +utilities, 817-707-7619.
HELP WANTED Artist needed to make design for conceptual invention, contact 979-599-2152 for more information. Athletic men for calendars, books, etc. $100-$200/hr, up to $1000/day. No experience. aggieresponse@gmail.com Career Apparel now hiring retail sales position P/T. Apply in person 4001 E. 29th #82. 979-260-2727. Cleaning commercial buildings at night, M-F. Call 979-823-5031 for interview. Computer Programmer needed, contact 979-599-2152 for more information. Data entry/Product Manager w/excellent computer skills. Full-time, South College Station. 979-690-6766. Fazolis Italian, fast casual: looking for motivated individuals with great work ethic, neat appearance and personable. Experienced preferred. Foodhandlers card required. Flexible hours and free meals. Apply between 2-4PM Monday through Friday, 400 Harvey Rd CS, TX. Individual needed for internet search to compare and create government mail-out document, $500 for time/effort, contact 979-599-2152 for more information.
HELP WANTED Now Hiring: Part-time warehouse help needed. Flexible hours. Business hours are M-F, 8-5. Apply in person at Valley Supply 3320 S. College Ave. Bryan, TX 979-779-7042. Part-time receptionist, $8.50, 1-8 Tuesday, Thursday, every other Saturday 9-1. Contact David Barrett 979-774-2603. Sales person needed, full-time or possible part-time, if you like home design and/or architecture this could be a great position for you, 979-574-7474. Sales assistant needed, part-time, building/architecture students are ideal for this position, 979-690-6766.
REAL ESTATE BUY/SELL with Team McGrann! Michael TAMU'93 Civil Engineering 979-739-2035, mike @aggierealtor.com Nadia 979-777-6211, Town&Country Realty, Hablamos Espanol!
the
battalion Classified Advertising Easy Affordable Effective For information, call 845-0569
8/8/16 9:37 PM
PPD Hats NP Battalion 800_v3.pdf
NEWS
6
The Battalion | 8.9.16
Feeding fellow Aggies in need Brown said. A&M students have the opportunity to help their fellow Aggies in the form of volunteering. The 12th Can accepts By Grace Neumann members both during the fall and spring In Nov. 2013, students of TAMC, semesters, and will be at the upcoming Texas Aggies Making Changes, saw MSC open house this month. Organizations are also encouraged to a need on their campus and the 12th Can was born. Texas A&M’s first food help out, whether through a food drive pantry provides much needed products or fund raiser. “If your organization wants to rally to hungry students, faculty and staff of behind us or hold a food drive. We A&M. Now, three years later, would appreciate that so much,” the pantry is thriving and acsaid an enthusiastic cording to current Director, Brown. Olivia Brown, the founders Brown are to thank for that. was quick “Derek McKee (‘16) to assure and Courtney Jackson that both (‘16) were two people monetary who took part in foundand food doing the 12th Can from nations from TAMC and who were those who so integral in creating can’t volunwho we are today.” teer are always said current director helpful. She also of the 12th Can, Olprovided an idea ivia Brown, a senior of what foods the psychology major. pantry currently Brown urges needs. students to uti“We always lize the pantry love canned meat, should the like tuna or canned need arise. Racha chicken. Also snack el Sau “Anybody nders — TH E BAT food, people don’t alTALIO can come. If you are kind N ways think about snack of struggling one week and think ‘how am I going to eat?’ you can come [to food but it’s nice to have trail mix or goldfish or granola bars,” said Brown. the food pantry]” said Brown. The food pantry is located in the Brown surmises that many students don’t even realize they’re in a time of mail services building on Agronomy struggle; it can seem like a normal de- road and opens twice a month, on the cision when a student has to make the first Wednesday and third Thursday. choice between textbooks and meals There is no application to get food from the pantry; any student, faculty, for the week. When asked whether she thought or staff member of A&M must present a hunger was a problem on A&M’s cam- current A&M ID and meet the poverty pus, Brown was eager in her response. income level, which can be found on a “Absolutely. I think it’s something chart on the 12th Can’s website. The next opening of the food pantry people don’t realize they’re suffering through or that others are suffering will be this Thursday, Aug 18th, from through. I really believe it’s a dialogue 11 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. that should be taking place on campus,”
Campus food pantry available to struggling students, professors
BAT_08-09-16_A3-A6.indd 1
Athletes aiming for Mount Midoriyama
SPORTS
1
7/20/16
2:39 PM
3
The Battalion | 8.9.16
Olympic Aggies excel
American Ninja Warrior: College Edition to include Aggies DeAndre Jordan Jordan Scored 14 points and 9 rebounds during
By Mariah Colón Shortly after American Ninja Warrior announced the addition of a college edition, college students from various universities began training and applying for a chance to represent their school. Texas A&M Students Will Smithee, biomedical science alumni, Collin Hummel, animal science senior, and Kaiti Haymaker, mechanical engineering senior will represent Texas A&M University in the next season of American Ninja Warrior: College Edition. The team will engage in what Smithee describes as “an intense upper body obstacle course” when they fly out to Los Angeles at the end of the month. Hummel expanded on the contents of the show and what the team is to expect. “American Ninja Warrior is a competition based on physical prowess where you complete obstacles in order to gain money in the end hopefully,” Hummel said. Smithee, Hummel and Haymaker all have diverse training backgrounds that have landed them spots in American Ninja Warrior: College Edition. Smithee said his training began before he even entered college. “I personally started [training] about six years ago when I was still in high school. When I was sixteen I built one of the obstacles called the Salmon Ladder… and when I was eighteen I built a warped wall… since then I’ve added to my collection of homegrown obstacles, doing everything from hanging ropes from trees to hanging miscellaneous items from my garage ceiling.” Hummel said his training began after meeting Smithee and trying out an American Ninja Warrior obstacle course. “I got into training with William, actually. He started me pretty much on it. I had watched the show a few times but I never really thought anything more of it. Then we went down to the gym in HoustonSam Sann’s gym- and I went on a few of
USA basketball player, Texas A&M basketball player from 2007-2008
USA’s game against Venezuela on Monday, as well as 7 points and 7 rebounds against China on Saturday. Team USA won both games and will play Australia on Wednesday.
Sydney Pickrem Pickrem finished 12th in women’s 400m
Syn
Canada swimmer, Class of 2019 dey
Far
ris
—
TH
EB
AT
TA
LIO
N
the obstacles and thought it was really cool so I started training for it,” Hummel said. Sann’s Houston based gym is a popular spot for American Ninja Warrior fans and contestants to test out their skills and abilities. Haymaker spoke on her trainings at the gym. “I didn’t start specifically training for American Ninja Warrior until this summer whenever I got an email saying that we could try out. My sister and I started training for it. I worked out every day and trained but I hadn’t specifically done Ninja Warrior stuff until recently, which is why I’ve been going to the gym twice a day… and training at Sam Sann’s gym in Houston. Smithee said that while the three have only known about their team for about two weeks, they have all become pretty great friends. Haymaker spoke on the excitement she has for the team and the future. “[Smithee and Hummel] are both great… They are definitely a good team, I am excited to go forth and do it with them for sure.” Air time and filming dates have not been announced, but spectators can watch American Ninja Warrior: College Edition on Esquire Network after the contestants fly out to California.
individual medley and 8th in women’s 200m individual medley Monday morning. Pickrem also finished 4th during the semi-finals on Monday night
Béryl Gastaldello Gastaldello finished 25th in women’s 100m
French swimmer, Class of 2018
butterfly preliminaries. She also finished 7th with the French swim team in the 4x100m freestyle relay. She will compete in the 100m freestyle relay at 11:02AM on Wednesday.
Alia Atkinson Atkinson finished 7th in heat 7 of the women’s
Jamaican swimmer, Class of 2010
100m and 8th in the final heat.
Stephanie Malherbe Malherbe was defeated by China in a 2-0 loss.
South African soccer player, Class of 2017
The team will compete against Brazil this tuesday at 8:00 pm central.
Women 18 to 49
Up to $5500
Healthy & Non-Smoking BMI 18 - 29.9
Tue. 8/16 - Fri. 9/2 Outpatient Visit: 9/15
Men and Women 18 to 45
Up to $2000
Healthy & Non-Smoking BMI 19 - 32
Wed. 8/17 - Fri. 8/19 Wed. 8/24 - Fri. 8/26 Wed. 8/31 - Fri. 9/2
Men and Women 18 to 50
Up to $4000
Men and Postmenopausal or Surgically Sterile Women 18 to 50
Up to $2500
Healthy & Non-Smoking BMI 18 - 30 Weigh 110 - 220 lbs.
Healthy & Non-Smoking BMI 18 - 30
Tue. 8/23 - Fri. 8/26 Wed. 8/31 - Fri. 9/2 Wed. 9/7 - Fri. 9/9 Wed. 9/14 - Fri. 9/16 Outpatient Visit: 9/22
Wed. 9/7 - Thu. 9/15
8/8/16 11:24 PM
SPORTS
5
The Battalion | 8.9.16
BRAZOS BOMBERS PROVIDE STUDENT WORK Wayne Smith — SMUGMUG
The Brazos Valley Bombers are currently in first place in the Texas Collegiate League with a 44-7 overall record this season.
BAT_08-09-16_A5-A4.indd 1
Baseball team based in Brazos Valley enriches community, students By Angel Franco
F
or locals in Bryan-College Station, summers in the Brazos Valley are a break from the hustle and bustle that is the Texas A&M school year. However, for the Brazos Valley Bombers, baseball organization, summer marks the beginning of a new season to make memories that last a lifetime. In 1947, the Bryan Bombers, a minor league baseball team, were the first to call the Brazos Valley home. The young franchise encountered several challenges leading to their short-lived appearance which came to an end in 1949. Although The Bombers of the present are not a minor league team like their namesake, they play a major role in the development of young baseball players. Today, they are a summer collegiate baseball team in which players from all over the country travel to the B-CS area to play baseball. For the players, this is an opportunity for them to hone their skills during the NCAA offseason. The Bombers are the threetime defending Texas Collegiate League champion and are currently pursuing their fourth straight championship. This season alone, the Bombers boasted a 20+ winning streak while leading the TCL with 44-7 record. However, for owner and general manager Uri Geva, the Bombers offer much more than an elite team that produces championships. Geva, a for-
mer A&M student, said his goal was to give the community another sport to enjoy during the summer. “It was about an opportunity to give back to the community in a way that is entertainment and fun and an atmosphere for families,” Geva said. “Summers are kind of dull here, and they still kind of are very uneventful on the Aggie front. That was the idea: to bring something back to the community that was about sports entertainment.” Not only do the Bombers give back to the B-CS area through community events, they provide opportunities for college students who are interested in working in sports. Through their game day and full time internship program the Bombers help more than 60 students build up their resume throughout the course of the summer. Assistant general manager Colby Street, who was once a Bombers intern himself, said it is important for a member of the front office to buy into the organization itself. Street, who was a game day intern in 2011, said that having the experience of going through the internship allows him to be a better leader and overall professional in the sports industry. “I think the one thing that is beneficial for me — and it’s the one thing I always believe in — is growing up in the organization you lead,” Street said. “If I came in and I really didn’t know what the game day internship was really like, I wouldn’t understand the challenges and obstacles the interns face. So being able to understand those allows me to accomplish the organizational goals but help you understand why we’re doing them.” Hunter Walling, a recreation park and tourism science senior, has spent the majority of the summer working for the Bombers organization as a full-time intern. Walling said that although he was aware of the tasks that were ahead of him at the beginning of the internship, the experience has surpassed the expectations he entered with. “I knew it was going to be a lot of hours, but a lot of good would come out of it,” Walling said. “It has been hard, but at the same time it’s been rewarding; not only the relationships you make with fans but your co-workers as well. It’s pretty amazing. It’s something I expected but at the same time it’s unexpectedly amazing.” The Bombers will be back in action Thursday and Friday night as they conclude the 2016 TCL regular season and continue their journey towards their fourth straight championship in the postseason. Angel Franco is a Game Day intern for the Brazos Valley Bombers.
Junior defensive end Myles Garrett is the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Sophomore wide receiver Christian Kirk was an all-American in his freshman campaign. Fall Camp kicked off Monday, 26 days before A&M faces UCLA. Grant Phipher — THE BATTALION
A&M FOOTBALL STARTS FALL CAMP ON A HIGH NOTE QB Trevor Knight: “We’re still trying to find our identity” By Alex Miller
T
he Texas A&M football team held their first practice of Fall Camp Monday afternoon working in length on special teams along with position and unit drills. “The first day you like to get your
formations right offensively, get set defensively in the right places with some motions and shifts and be able to adjust to those,” head coach Kevin Sumlin said. Senior quarterback Trevor Knight looked calm and collected in his first fall practice in the maroon and white, throwing smooth strikes during drills with receivers while also using his veteran experience to ease younger players who were slightly flustered in the
opening drills. “We got out there the first drill and guys are all juiced up throwing balls way over the net, into the ground because they’re so antsy and want to do everything right,” Knight said. “I pulled those three young guys aside at the beginning and said ‘Hey, I’ve been here before. Relax, you’ve thrown this throw a million times. Take a deep breath, and have fun.’” With assistant coaches Jeff Banks
and Jim Turner missing practice due to suspensions, junior defensive end Myles Garrett stated the team is moving forward from those events and looking to make strides on the field to accomplish their goals. “We just have to keep our minds focused on our goal of winning it all,” Garrett said. “You take that mentality, you don’t have to worry about all those [off the field] things, you just focus on that [goal] and keep working.”
Knight noted that while the new staff and himself built a good foundation during Spring Practice and Summer Workouts, the team is still searching for an identity as fall practices begin. “Fall Camp is when you really come together and find your identity as a team going into the season,” Knight said. “I think we’re headed in the right direction already after day one.”
8/8/16 11:48 PM