February 22, 2013

DIVERSIONS

FACING A FRIENDLY FOE

OPINION

Tillman will coach against friend in title game rematch p. 8

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson doesn’t shed his name in Snitch p. 6

Josh Dowling writes about this university’s downfall: Pepsi p. 4

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City sees $6.5k of damage post-Duke Broken lamp on Route 1 costs $4,500; no private property, stores damaged

By Teddy Amenabar Staff writer Damage in downtown College Park totaled roughly $6,500 after students took to Route 1 to celebrate the men’s basketball team’s victory over Duke, suggesting extensive outreach by police and university leaders contributed to a more peaceful post-win celebration.

In past years, students have followed up basketball contests with the Blue Devils, win or lose, by inflicting significant damage to city property, said City Manager Joe Nagro. But on Saturday night, the only major casualty was a city lamp students snapped and pulled to the ground. Purchasing and installing its re-

brenda frese, Terrapins women’s basketball coach, said ever since her son Tyler began undergoing leukemia treatment more than two years ago, she’s realized “there’s a bigger game called life besides basketball.” photos courtesy of mark thomas. photo illustration by may wildman/the diamondback

adding perspective Terps’ game Sunday will raise money for Team Tyler Foundation in honor of Frese’s son

By Daniel Gallen Senior staff writer Minutes before tip-off Sunday evening at Virginia, the Terrapins women’s basketball Twitter account posted a picture of Tyler Thomas fast asleep in his father Mark Thomas’ arms in the stands at John Paul Jones Arena.

Tyler, the son of coach Brenda Frese, had spent the

weekend in Charlottesville, Va., celebrating his fifth birthday with his twin brother Markus surrounded by the team he’s been a part of his entire life.

But the photograph’s peaceful facade only tells part of Tyler’s story. The preschooler has undergone extensive treatment for leukemia since being diagnosed as a 2-year-old in September 2010.

See tyler, Page 2

a broken lamp accounted for $4,500 of the $6,500 worth of damage the city suffered Saturday. charlie deboyace/the diamondback placement will cost about $4,500, said Bob Ryan, College Park’s public services director. The remaining costs come from hiring public work staff to clean up Route 1 after the festivities — which See damage, Page 3

Obama speech could help univ. green goals Some say goals in State of Union will be overshadowed

By Madeleine List Staff writer Without the pressure of re-election, President Obama took a strong stance on global warming in his recent State of the Union address, making it clear he plans to take prompt action on climate change.

“But for the sake of our children and our future, we must do more to combat climate change,” he said. “We can choose to believe that Superstorm Sandy, and the most severe drought in decades, and the worst wildfires

some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence. Or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science — and act before it’s too late.”

Though many have been anxiously waiting for him to tackle environmental concerns, some said they expect the goals outlined in his Feb. 12 State of the Union address will ultimately be overshadowed by more pressing issues.

“Environmentalists were thrilled when Obama was elected because they saw him as a real advocate,” See obama, Page 2

Some univ. Preserving a language of pride and independence questioning allowing multiple degrees

By Fatimah Waseem Staff writer

By Laura Blasey Senior staff writer The number three has a reputation for being lucky. Some might even call it magical.

But that number takes on new meaning when it refers to college degrees.

Freshman Michael Roberts should know — he’s taking on three majors at this university. He started out the school year as a physics major before deciding to add computer science and mathematics.

“I’m interested in all three subjects and they all work together in different ways,” said Roberts, who’s one of many students at this university to pursue more than one field of study.

While it may be a common pursuit, some universities are beginning to question whether seeking multiple degrees do students more harm than good. The National Commission on Higher Education Attainment, composed of college officials from across the country, released an open letter last month that included a recommendation that schools consider limiting students’ workload See majors, Page 3

INDEX

When senior bioengineering major Nahid Sultana came from Bangladesh to the United States, she was a 1-month-old baby.

For her parents, the journey meant a better education. But for Sultana, the journey meant leaving behind not only a country, but also a culture integral to her background.

Bangladesh’s official language, Bangla, became her mother’s tongue, not her mother tongue, just as it did for many second-generation youth.

Now, as thousands in Bangladesh celebrate Ekushey February — a day to commemorate the struggles of preserving the Bengali language — the struggle to preserve Bangla more than 1,000 miles away from home in neighboring Pakistan has never been more real.

Ekushey February — observed by the U.N. as International Mother Language Day every year since February 2000 — promotes linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. It rewinds to Feb. 21, 1952 when Bangla-speaking students demonstrating for recognition of their language as one of the two national languages of Pakistan, were shot and killed by police in Dhaka, the capital of what is now Bangladesh.

It was the appreciation of an identity-molding language that prompted the Bangladesh Student Association to invite TED Talk speaker Samier Mansur, an advocate for promoting multiculturalism in Southeast Asia, who spoke Thursday night.

“I am the guy who can speak Bangla with

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samier mansur, a TED Talk speaker, talks about understanding Bengali history and embracing pluralism. fatimah waseem/the diamondback aunties and uncles. I know Bengali humor — and even my American friends do,” said BSA president Nasif Ahmed. “This is the product of being in an environment — at school and at home — where we express these kinds of ideas.”

The only way to truly understand Ekushey February, Mansur said, is to understand the hundreds

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of years that led to the demonstration day just more than 61 years ago.

“Sure, it was about economic and political grievances, but essentially it was a culmination of 2,500 years of history of pluralism,” Mansur

For breaking news, alerts and more, follow us on Twitter @thedbk

See language, Page 2

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THE DIAMONDBACK | News | friday, february 22, 2013

TYLER From PAGE 1 Sunday, the No. 8 Terps host No. 5 Duke at Comcast Center in a matchup that carries weight in both the national and ACC postseason races. But it’s also the third Team Tyler game, an annual event to raise awareness and money for cancer research.

It’s all part of the growing Team Tyler Foundation.

“It just continues to show there’s a bigger game called life besides basketball,” Frese said.

Everything changed after Tyler’s diagnosis. Frese still had her usual roles — basketball coach, mentor, mother — but she suddenly had a cancerstricken toddler to raise. Given Frese’s full workload, Thomas was charged with taking care of Tyler and administering his medication on a daily basis — something he still does today with the help of alerts and reminders on his iPhone.

As Frese spread the word to current and former players after the diagnosis, Laura Harper, Marissa Coleman, Kristi Toliver and Shay Doron — four starters from the 2006 national championship team — banded together to start the Team Tyler Foundation, a nonprofit aimed at raising money for childhood leukemia research.

Since then, it has slowly expanded its reach. It presented its first donation to Johns Hopkins Hospital on Jan. 27, 2011, at the first Team Tyler game. This season, Howard County’s Apple Ford Lincoln Mercury car dealership donate to Team Tyler every time the Terps score a 3-pointer — 96 occasions entering Sunday’s matchup.

The impact of Tyler’s diagnosis and subsequent fight against cancer was an overwhelming process, Thomas said. But with his progress against the disease, an end is finally in reach. Tyler will take his last dose of medication Dec. 3.

“I can feel like I’ve started to slowly exhale a little bit, and I’ve gained a great appreciation for what’s going on outside of our little bubble,” Thomas said. “It’s really amazing to me when you see how many people out there care. … It’s so easy to think that there’s so much negativity in the world, and when something like this comes along, it really opens your eyes to how much positivity there is.”

T h e fa m i l y r e c o g n i z e s support everywhere it goes.

People are always asking how to help, how to contribute or just how Tyler is doing, Thomas said. Other schools — including Duke, Purdue, Loyola and UMBC — contributed to the foundation. And it continues when Frese comes to work.

The players see Markus and Tyler running around Comcast Center, their own personal playground, seemingly without any cares. It provides perspective for a Terps team navigating three torn ACLs and a treacherous schedule.

“It just shows leukemia is a lot bigger than what we’re going through,” forward Alyssa Thomas said. “For him to just fight through that and still be happy and full of energy just shows that maybe our aches and bruises, you can put those aside to just go out for a greater thing.”

Frese said the Terps provide role models and an extended family for her twin boys. When Markus and Tyler play basketball with their parents at home, they imitate each player and organize their own pregame introductions — right down to each Terp’s name, number and hometown.

“That’s like the greatest feeling you could have in a way, when you see people have love for your children,” Mark Thomas said. “I see that every day when my kids come around the team. They can never give me a greater gift than that.”

Sunday isn’t the first time this season the Terps will raise

EKUSHEY FEBRUARY seeks to promotes linguistic and cultural diversity after students were killed in 1952 for demonstrating for Bangla to be recognized in Pakistan. fatimah waseem/the diamondback

language From PAGE 1

In the past, Bangla was more than a language for Bangladesh — it became the tongue and heart of its people in the call for independence from Pakistan in the late 1900s.

Concerns over lack of government representation ignited when the West imposed Urdu as the official language of the state, barring a language key to Bengali’s rich cultural heritage in courts, education institutions and government offices.

This Language Movement of 1952 became a call for the preservation of a language, culture and identity, with thousands taking to the streets to preserve the right to speak and write in their mother language. By 1956, Bangla was recognized as an official language, setting the pace for the country’s independence in 1971.

“Language is your source of identity. Identity tells your story and reveals your highest aspirations. We have to ask ourselves: What are our aspirations?”

Mansur said.

And even if the younger generations cannot visit Bangladesh, being able to understand their home country’s native tongue will forever keep them bonded.

“I may not be going back to Bangladesh ever,” said Merina Elahi, a senior biology major, “ b u t I ca n go ba c k i n my parents’ country’s past and learn something.”

said. “We have to move past that one day and understand Bangladeshis’ history of pluralism to understand anything about this country.”

For Sultana, events like these have helped her connect back to her culture as she became absorbed in college life.

“Your language is who you are. Away from our original countries, we can do that in small ways — in our homes, our schools, and in our groups,” Sultana said.

Support structures such as BSA can often be a way to connect with people from across the spectrum, Ahmed said. He was born in the U.S. and has visited Bangladesh seven times, most recently in 2010.

“There are people here who have been doing the Bengali dance since the age of 5 and others who know nothing. We learn from that range of people,” he said.

Ahmed’s mother, Jannatul Ferdouse Ahmed, said trips back to Bangladesh help second-generation youth remember their roots.

Jannatul Ferdouse Ahmed tells her son stories about offering her chair to her father when she heard the faintest sounds of his footsteps, and speaks with them in Bangla, even if it means hearing a Bannewsumdbk@gmail.com gla-English mix back.

OBAMA From PAGE 1

TYLER AND MARKUS FRESE, standing with center Malina Howard, are often seen running around Comcast Center. The Terrapins women’s basketball team is working to raise awareness for cancer in support of Tyler Frese, who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2010. photo courtesy of mark thomas awareness for cancer. They participated in Play4Kay Pink Games against Clemson and at Virginia this month, and participated in the nationally televised Jimmy V Classic at then-No. 2 Connecticut in December.

“It’s an easy venue for us to be able to bring maximum exposure through this game, through television, through obviously the vehicle of me being a head coach here at Maryland,” Frese said. “We feel like we can bring more attention to cancer and the fight, and so I think that’s the exciting part, just feeling the responsibility to be able to help with this fight.”

There’s still a long way to go for Tyler, his brother and his parents. After his final dose of medication, Tyler will still have routine checkups for a year and a half before he’ll be completely

cancer-free.

But Dec. 3 — just more than nine months from Sunday — can’t come soon enough for Tyler’s family.

“This has been a more than three-year-long tunnel that we’ve been traveling through, and really for the majority of it, it’s a long dark tunnel and you don’t even see the light at the end of it, but now we’re getting to the point where it seems like that light is visible,” Thomas said. “Dec. 3 is when we’ll step into the light.”

TERPS NOTE: The Bel Air-based There Goes My Hero foundation, which works to expand the bone marrow registry and find matches, will be at Comcast Center to register donors before Sunday’s game. sportsdbk@gmail.com

his first term.

“We have to just pick a time and deal with it,” she said. “It should have been 20 years ago.”

Because she expects difficulties in passing a climate bill through a divided Congress, Hadden said she hopes Obama will use his executive authority to direct the Environmental Protection Agency to tighten regulations on carbon emissions for existing power plants.

“That would get us a long way toward emission reductions without having to have national legislation,” she said.

Some students, such as junior economics and government and politics major Ross Marchand, said potential side effects of climate change — natural disasters, decreased biodiversity, increased prevalence of disease and more — should be addressed first.

Focusing on development in third-world countries, he added, could help protect them from such consequences and would be less costly and more effective than taking massive regulatory steps to reduce emissions.

But revisiting more pressing issues such as health care, reducing debt and fixing urban problems should take precedence in this country over climate change, Marchand said.

“Climate change is pretty gradual,” he said. “These issues are affecting millions of lives on a daily basis.”

And while Theilacker hopes to see some environmental legislation by summer, he said he expects Obama will focus on the budget in the near future.

Because so many prominent issues are fighting for the president’s attention, Hadden said, it’s unclear when Obama will take distinct action on climate change.

“Whatever the media is covering, that’s what the president has to deal with first,” Hadden said.

said Jennifer Hadden, an international relations professor whose research specializes in international climate change. “No one is doubting his sincerity, but it hasn’t amounted to much.”

A second term, however, could mean Obama will be more likely to pursue the more contentious issues presidents tend to shy away from in their first term, said Kyle Theilacker, the College Democrat campus liaison.

“Environmentalists had higher expectations for him than what he has accomplished,” the sophomore government and politics major said. He added he still thinks Obama will make the environment a priority, but it could compete against other issues stressed in his address, such as gun control.

Even though climate change is becoming an increasingly prominent issue for many Americans, said Del. Elizabath Bobo (D-Howard), it’s still a contentious one to deal with in Washington.

“Environmental issues have been seen as fringe issues, impractical and anti-business,” Bobo said. “It will be controversial at best.”

Bobo hopes the Obama administration will place greater emphasis on climate change as well as other environmental issues, such as protection of clean water and air, land preservation and use of alternative energy sources. “[Climate change] is very high on my priority list, and it is increasingly high on the lists of people in the country who are paying attention,” she said.

“And it will be a priority for this administration.”

C l i m a te a c t i o n i s l o n g overdue, Hadden said, noting Obama’s previous climate bill failed to pass through Congress when it was introduced early in newsumdbk@gmail.com

Friday, february 22, 2013 | news | THE DIAMONDBACK

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team lost to Duke in the 2001 Final Four, students set dozens of fires on and off the campus, causing about $30,000 in damage to the city and about $300,000 in damage to downed Comcast cable lines.

Though Saturday’s celebrations were far tamer, Prince George’s County Police arrested two students, said spokeswoman officer Nicole Hubbard, who previously told The Diamondback there had been only one arrest.

Zachary Alex Mostowsky, whose age officers recorded incorrectly, and Andrew Francis Vanderstuyf Jr., 18, of Eldersburg both face charges of disorderly conduct — which carries a maximum sentence of 60 days Cpl. Brian McClosky, a Prince George’s County Police officer, watches over Saturday night’s festivities on Route 1. City officials said damage was minimal, amounting to just about $6,500, compared to past riots that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. charlie deboyace/the diamondback in jail and a $500 fine — as well as failure to obey police. eggs — died down and students precautions.

“There were a few unfortunate “All of the public safety agencies incidents,” College Park Mayor retreated back onto the campus were prepared. Fortunately, they Andy Fellows said. “In general, or to city bars.

From PAGE 1 No private property or store- weren’t needed,” Ryan said. it was a real positive celebraIn the city’s worst postgame riot, tion. It really seems like the included students throwing fire- fronts were damaged, Ryan said, crackers, toilet paper rolls and though the city continues to take after the Terps men’s basketball university, the Prince George’s

damage

majors From PAGE 1 to improve their focus and keep them on the fast track to graduation.

Created in 2011, the commission’s goal, as stated in the letter, is to increase graduation rates and work toward “restoring the nation’s higher education preeminence,” according to its website. The open letter to college officials contained several suggestions for how schools both big and small can produce more successful students in greater numbers, but it’s the concept of limiting degrees that has become a topic of national debate.

“This just strikes me as big brother, big government stepping in saying, ‘Well, now that’s a bad thing and you must only major in one subject,’” university President Wallace Loh said. “I thought we lived in a free country.”

The commission cited the example of Tennessee’s technical

schools system, which uses block schedules to limit the number of classes available. After introducing the system, graduation rates improved significantly, the letter states. In February 2012, a University of Texas at Austin task force recommended students prove they can handle the extra workload and graduate on time before they can declare more than one major.

“The idea that students would just linger on in college, complete one degree and just hang around while they try another one is a luxury we probably can’t afford as a nation right now,” said University System of Maryland Chancellor Brit Kirwan, who is also a member of the commission.

Still, not every commission member agreed with all the report’s suggestions, Kirwan said, and the recommendation was not meant to hinder students or be taken so literally.

“I think it’s an issue that has some nuance to it, in the sense that I don’t

think it can be taken in a totally literal way and say,‘No student can double major.’ That would be too extreme,” Kirwan said. “Students come to college with many advanced placement credits and then are perfectly capable of graduating with two degrees in a three- or four-year period, and I don’t think anyone finds any issue with that.”

Some students seek a double major for a change of pace from their main track or to boost their resume, said Becky Weir, Career Center student services and academic outreach assistant director. But more isn’t always better, she said.

“Sometimes it’s better to pursue a particular degree, get some experience, and then go to graduate school rather than pursuing two undergraduate degrees,” said Weir, who graduated with two majors herself.

“It really varies from person to person and situation to situation.”

At this university, officials said

they strive to help students reach their academic goals and graduate on time, and while graduation rates are a priority, telling students they can’t make their own decisions isn’t an option.

“We certainly want to reduce the time to degree. It would be best if they graduated in four years rather than in six years,” Loh said. “But college is an opportunity for students to discover who they are and what their passion is in. And if they have a passion for two fields, this is the only time in their lives that they’re going to have this opportunity.”

Where the problem lies is students falling behind academically and failing to graduate on time, holding back both themselves and the institution, Kirwan said.

However, Loh said he was uncomfortable with the idea that “super seniors”could be holding the school and its students back, as most people who finish their degrees later are enrolling in upper-level courses rather than taking up freshman seats.

Roberts said he decided to go for his three majors because he’s not sure what he wants to do yet. As a freshman, he knows he has time.

But declaring in computer science, mathematics and physics is helping him make progress while he decides what direction he wants to take.

“I came into Maryland still not knowing exactly what I want to do

County Police, the University Police and the city really did a good job working with students to create a celebratory atmosphere afterwards.”

City officials worked to create as safe an environment as possible by closing the bars along Route 1 for a time, blocking off an area for students to flood Route 1, and lighting a bonfire on the Memorial Chapel field, Fellows said.

“It drew people away from Route 1, so it was a safer place for people to celebrate,” Ryan said.

Over the next few months, there will be meetings to look into what can be done in the future to improve further, he added.

But once the university joins the Big Ten conference in 2014, big wins like Saturday’s aren’t likely to inspire the same excitement, said Nikki Nagler, a senior government and politics major.

“The newer tension with Big Ten is not going to be so bad because it’s so new,” she said.

However, Fellows wouldn’t categorize Saturday’s atmosphere as a “riot,” he said, as students were simply joining to celebrate defeating a rival team.

“What I saw when I got there was people jumping up and down in the streets,” he added.

Cpl. Larry Johnson, a county police spokesman, agreed it was “a peaceful celebration.”

And some students, such as senior economics major Kashni Sharma, chose to stay away from the revelry on Route 1 but said the activities she witnessed are a far cry from the destructive riots she’s heard about from past years.

“It was built up really high that it was going to be this crazy thing,” Sharma said. “It was just a way for us to enjoy the fact that we’ve won over such a big school.”

in the future, but I know it will sit on the intersection of two or maybe three of the majors,” Roberts said.“I think that probably I’ll end up dropping one to a minor, realistically.”

The workload hasn’t increased too much, he added, as the majors are all in within the computer, mathematical and natural sciences college. He’s taking 19 credits this semester, but only as a precautionary measure. He wants to finish his general education requirements while staying ahead on his required classes.

Whether or not the university advises students to take on two majors depends on the person and the circumstances, said Deborah Bryant, assistant dean and director of the letters and sciences college.

“There’s no black and white answer. Each answer is unique, just as each student is unique,” Bryant said.“We want to make sure they’re ready to move and that what they decide they’re going to do is a good fit for their interests, skills and abilities.”

Students have many options when it comes to deciding what academic path to take, Bryant said.

From minors to research opportunities to study abroad programs, students can enhance their experience through means other than double majors.

The university does have a policy on adding second majors and degrees. Students who wish to

do so must get approval from each department they intend to major in, although Roberts said he didn’t find the process difficult at all.

To get credit for both majors at graduation, students must complete 120 credits with only 18 credits shared between the two majors. If they’re feeling ambitious, students can also go for 150 credits and get two separate bachelor’s degrees.

“Generally, a student does a double degree when they have a very solid reason and rationale for doing it when the two majors are closely aligned,” Bryant said.

However, there is a policy governing the time line of a student’s degree. Former university President Dan Mote started to put the Student Academic Success-Degree Completion Policy in place in 2003 when he saw too many students were failing to complete degrees. In 2004, 5 percent of students were off track or disliked their major, making them less likely to graduate, according to the university’s website.

Students now must submit a four-year plan detailing which courses they plan to take and when, and students who go over 130 credits or 10 semesters without a complete degree must get permission to continue for each subsequent semester.

When Laura Jones, a junior, initially spoke to an adviser about pursuing two degrees, they cautioned about the time commitment.

“I was the one that decided to do it, and I’m glad I did,” said Jones, who is working on dual cell biology and genetics and French degrees as a pre-med student.

Jones said she didn’t initially intend to go after two fields of study, but she appreciates the opportunities it brought her. She’s gotten to study abroad, and while she has to double up on classes, Jones is on track to get both diplomas and an Honors Gemstone citation in four years.

“I keep busy.I like the two degrees and I think they’ll both be useful, so I’m glad I did it,” Jones said.

Staff writer Fola Akinnibi contributed to this report. newsumdbk@gmail.com

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Opinion

THE DIAMONDBACK | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013

EDITORIAL BOARD

YASMEEN ABUTALEB Editor in Chief

Mike King

Managing Editor

Willing to speak out

A

Managing Editor

maria romas Opinion Editor

nadav karasov Opinion Editor

CONTACT US 3150 South Campus Dining Hall | College Park, MD 20742 | newsumdbk@gmail.com OR opinionumdbk@gmail.com PHONE (301) 314-8200

STAFF EDITORIAL

fter a murder-suicide left many students, parents and other members of the university community worried about safety, university President Wallace Loh decided to write a column for The Diamondback concerning on-campus safety.

He talked about the pressing need to address mental health issues, about increasing police patrols on and off the campus and about how an allinclusive Good Samaritan policy will help better protect students. But it’s one paragraph tucked away at the bottom of his column that made headlines yesterday.

“The shooting of our students so close to the campus was a tragedy.

Given the circumstances, it could have been a mass tragedy. We must address gun safety in our state,” Loh wrote.

Gov. Martin O’Malley has proposed stricter gun control legislation following the Sandy Hook tragedy that left 20 children, six adults and the shooter dead. Among those proposals are stricter background checks — which would help keep those with mental illnesses away from firearms — limiting magazine capacity and an assault weapons ban. And although it was among the final sentences of his nearly 800-word column, Loh’s stance was clear: “I urge the General Assembly to enact the governor’s gun safety legislation,” he wrote.

It’s a highly politicized move and will undoubtedly upset many. After all, the university’s alumni, donors

Tyler Weyant

and supporters come from all ends of the political spectrum, meaning some will feel alienated while others will be prompted to donate even more. But it’s a bold move on Loh’s part — one this editorial board feels is necessary following the devastating incident that rocked the campus last week.

OUR VIEW

University President Wallace Loh made the move to support stricter gun control in the state, a step this editorial board feels is much needed after Feb. 12’s tragic events.

When news broke that graduate student Dayvon Maurice Green shot and killed his roommate — undergraduate student Stephen Alex Rane — and injured another — undergraduate student Neal Oa — university officials spoke of grieving for the victims lost, leaning on each other and emerging from this tragedy as a strong community. But now that we are more than a week removed from the incident, words about mourning and grieving simply won’t cut it.

Most university presidents and high-level officials choose to emphasize campus safety and ramp up

efforts. That’s all important, but Loh has recognized that the off-campus shooting was simply a microcosm of the gun violence plaguing the country.

Green suffered from a mental illness for at least a year, family members told police, not unlike Adam Lanza — the shooter at Sandy Hook Elementary School — or James Holmes, the gunman behind the Aurora, Colo., movie theater shooting that left 12 dead and 58 others injured.

Sandy Hook inspired more than 300 college presidents to sign an open letter to Congress urging stricter gun control laws. Loh, however, is the only president from a major public research institution to sign the letter; some other notable schools include Bucknell, Syracuse and Wake Forest.

It’s rare for a university president to take political stances on matters that don’t directly concern the university or education. Loh previously supported the state’s DREAM Act, which would provide undocumented students an opportunity to receive in-state tuition, but also still centered around education.

This is an issue that may not directly affect many students, but last week’s incident that took two of our peers illustrated it can impact our lives at a moment’s notice. Loh has recognized that, too, and decided to speak out about it. Some may disagree with his stance, but remaining silent after the tragedy we have all endured simply cannot be accepted.

EDITORIAL CARTOON

Keep Coke alive Turn your attention to our campus’s most pressing issue: the lack of Coca-Cola

JOSHUA DOWLING As I assume is the case with most students at this university, I chose to attend this university because I literally could not go anywhere else. Not only was New York University too expensive, but I knew deep down I could never manage my studies while trying to keep up the latest fashion trends and managing to avoid crowds of marauding hipsters.

While I am more or less satisfied with my decision to come to this university, I know deep down in my heart I would have never chosen to attend this institution if I had known the horrible truth.

Beyond our stellar academics and athletics, there is a deep, horrible shame that permeates the university community: We are a Pepsi campus.

No one is proud of it. And it’s not even one of those guilty pleasure things. Like, I’m not proud of the fact I can eat an entire jar of Nutella in one sitting, nor that I once snuck an entire Chinese food dinner into a movie theater by placing it in my pants — well, actually, I am proud of that and I always will be — but the point stands, no one has ever liked Pepsi.

And I know what you’re thinking, “I like Pepsi.” I don’t think you actually do. You probably just think you like Pepsi. In the same manner that super crazy Christian fundamentalists believe homosexuality is a lifestyle choice that can be cured through faith, I truly believe that a love of Pepsi or Pepsi products can be fixed by simply having a Coke or Sprite.

Despite our horrible football team, our move to the Big Ten, persistent threats of huge tuition increases and myriad other chal-

lenges, the single worst thing happening on the campus is the lack of Coke products.

The fact that I have to go to the Union Shop or the Commons Shop to get a Sprite is a travesty. Is nothing sacred here? If university President Wallace Loh truly cared about this institution, he would break the contract we have with Pepsi and sign up with sweet, delicious Coca-Cola.

Now, I’m not naive; I realize we have contractual obligations, and Pepsi gives the university a whole bunch of perks. If Wally Loh, Ph.D.,had the foresight and fortitude to break our contract with the ACC for the betterment of the university, surely we can break this contract with the sweet, syrupy devil that is PepsiCo. And if the president was willing to spend $50 million on sports — something no one has ever enjoyed as much as a cool, refreshing Coke — shouldn’t he be willing to have the courage to take a similar stand against big Pepsi?

I know it’s difficult, but isn’t having Cherry Coke come out of our fountains worth it? Isn’t Sprite worth it?

Aren’t we worth it?

If we can prevent just one more student from having to hear the phrase, “Is Pepsi OK?” then it will have all been worth it. All of the millions lost from our Pepsi endorsement will be so worth it. Can you imagine a future where the campus tour guides no longer giddily try to force prospective students and their families to guess that our McDonald’s doesn’t serve Coke? I can. And it’s beautiful. Wally, this is your chance.

Your legacy is on the line!

And even if you’re not willing to do all of that, the very least you could do is buy us all a couple of Cokes — after all, all of the student-athletes got iPads.

Joshua Dowling is a senior government and politics and history major. He can be reached at dowlingj@terpmail.umd.edu.

With retirement, pope teaches humility MATT RICE ben stryker/the diamondback

GUEST COLUMN

Increasing gas tax for the greater good

I

’d like to respond to Andrew Do’s Monday column, “Keep your money; say no to the gas tax.”

Improving our transportation network isn’t just about being “green,” or even moving people and goods. It’s about supporting our regional economy — and a small increase at the pump can go a long way.

Forty-two years ago, this state set up the Transportation Trust Fund, a dedicated funding source for the Maryland Department of Transportation. It gets money from a variety of sources, ranging from car registration fees to transit fares to the gas tax.

In recent years, however, it has been depleted not by mismanagement, as Do suggests, but by falling revenues and rising costs.

Do calls the gas tax a punishment on Maryland drivers, but really it’s common sense: You pay for what you use. Those who drive farther place more wear and tear on our roads, and they should pay to maintain them.

Out-of-state drivers also use our roads and the gas tax allows them to pay their fair share.

The gas tax is currently 23.5 cents per gallon, the same as it was in 1992.

Meanwhile, construction material costs have increased swiftly. At this rate, the Transportation Trust Fund will run out in 2018. That means no money for transit, no money for roads and no money to even maintain what we already have.

Even if you don’t use public transit, you reap the benefits of it. Each day,

more than 700,000 take public transit, including the Metro, the MTA and local transit providers such as Montgomery County’s Ride On, to work, school and other activities.

Not only do they get an alternative to sitting in traffic, they reduce congestion for everyone else by not driving. A study of our regional transit network’s benefits found that it saves us almost 148,000 hours a day from being lost to traffic congestion and travel by Metro saves 40.5 million gallons of fuel each year. If not for transit, we would need to build more than 1,000 new lane-miles of highways, the equivalent of adding 15 lanes to Interstate 495, according to WMATA’s 2011 Regional Benefits of Transit report.

On top of that, every dollar we invest in transit generates $6 in local economic activity. That means more jobs, stronger businesses and more tax revenue to pay for transportation and other public services.

According to a recent study from the Texas A&M University Transportation Institute, Washington-area drivers already spend an average of 67 hours each year in traffic. That’s wasted time, wasted gas and wasted money. As our state continues to grow, our transportation network needs to grow, or it will only get worse.

That means building the Purple Line between Bethesda and New Carrollton, the Baltimore Red Line between Woodlawn and the city and the Corridor Cities Transitway

between Shady Grove Metro station and Clarksburg. It means expanding MARC commuter rail so it runs all day, every day. And it means investing in our existing roads and bridges, ensuring they can handle current and future traffic.

Like many transportation projects around the country, these efforts may be partially funded by the federal government, but this state needs to have some skin in the game as well. If we don’t find matching funds for crucial projects such as the Purple Line and the Red Line this year when they come up for federal review, they may never get built.

Yes, many people in Maryland drive. Personally, I drive a 2003 Honda Civic, with a gas tank holds about 11 gallons. If our gas tax was raised 14.5 cents a gallon — which would bring it back to where it was in 1992 with inflation — it would cost me $1.59 extra to fill up.

Is that too much to ask? Some, like Do, might say yes. But it’s a small price to pay for securing state economic future. I urge anyone who truly cares about our state’s future to join us in the call for more transportation funding now.

Dan Reed is a 2009 alumnus of this university and former Diamondback columnist. He is a member of Get Maryland Moving, an advocacy group devoted to finding a transportation funding source this year. He can be reached at reeddbk@gmail.com.

Sometimes the end of a school year has a tinge of melancholy, as we must say goodbye to our graduating friends, many of whom have been instrumental in welcoming us to this university. Yet gratitude typically outshines the sadness, for we know it is best for our friends to move on and are pleased to see them do so.

There is a current of excitement as we eagerly anticipate the summer and upcoming semester, not because we did not enjoy this one, but because the future is new, uncharted territory we are eager to explore.

This more or less sums up my feelings when I heard that Pope Benedict XVI was resigning. To me, he’s like that awesome senior you met as a freshman but never really talked to before graduation, or the beautiful painting you glimpsed at in an art gallery just before being dragged off to lunch. I only started paying attention to Benedict last year. Now, he moves on.

My main encounter with Benedict has been reading his Introduction to Christianity in a book study at the Catholic Student Center.

After a whole semester of weekly discussions, we’re still on the first chapter — but already I’ve found Benedict’s account of how the dominant philosophy in our society has changed fascinating.

He tracks how we’ve largely moved from the classical view that truth is a reality that exists independently of us — something we can encounter but cannot entirely grasp — toward the idea that truth is something we can make or define. It’s something we can exert control over, be it a prevailing narrative of a historical event or the meaning of our lives.

Especially in college, we can get caught up in the latter concept of truth. Who am I going to be? For what purpose should I live my life? What am I going to do? Yet these kinds of questions can easily lead us astray.

Coming out of high school, I was sure I was a saint, that I’d be the life of the campus, that I’d soon have several Nobel Prizes and that I was humble.

This is the world I made in my mind, my truth, but it was not grounded in real reality, so it was soon shattered.

In his retirement announcement, Benedict told the world, “I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.” Benedict knows the truth about himself — not a truth he makes, but one that is. He knows he is no longer strong enough to effectively continue as pope, and he is not afraid to reveal that to others. This is true humility.

Often when we think of humility, we think of someone who does not know or appreciate his or her own merits — “You don’t know you’re beautiful/ That’s what makes you beautiful” — but that is not humility. Humility consists of knowing the truth about ourselves, not a truth we invent, but the truth that is.

With his retirement, Benedict has shown us this humility. In remaining pope, despite a painful battle with Parkinson’s disease, Benedict’s predecessor, John Paul II, showed us humility’s fruits. While even smiling caused him pain, John Paul radiated joy, a joy that comes from a humble knowledge of truth. To find that same joy, we must stop asking, “What do I want to be?” “What will I do?” or “What have I done?” and begin asking, “Who am I?” Matt Rice is a sophomore engineering and materials sciences major. He can be reached at matthew.rice.d@gmail.com.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013 | THE DIAMONDBACK

5

Features ACROSS 1 Ice cream -7 It gives a hoot 10 Lawsuit basis 14 Disregard 15 Moo companion 16 Lotion additive 17 Yellowish melon 18 Horror-film street 19 Broad ave.

20 Dragged one’s feet 23 Steel fastener 26 Fair-hiring letters 27 Untrusting 28 Omnia vincit -29 Bounder 30 Do lunch 31 Actor -- Kilmer 32 Ground cover 33 Private eye 37 Souffle ingredient 38 Make a fly 39 Victorian, e.g.

40 Rustic hotel 41 Blind alley (2 wds.)

43 Calendar divs.

44 Lawyer’s thing 45 RN stations 46 Fleur-de- -47 Admirer 48 Chisel 51 Pentagon VIP 52 Tureen utensil 53 Very large

56 First name in espionage 57 Incan treasure 58 Shelled, as corn 62 Barely managed 63 Restroom sign 64 Beethoven’s Third 65 Not easily found 66 Ben & Jerry’s rival 67 Quota

CROSSWORD

33 34 35 36 42 46

Sign after Taurus Put on the payroll Tatum or Ryan Happen next Lower in esteem Tart

47 Candidate list 48 Having more spunk 49 Port near Kyoto 50 Say 51 Hurt at Pamplona

DOWN 1 Photo 2 Turkish honorific 3 HMO staffers 4 Stevedore 5 Moon track 6 Not bogus 7 Submitted 8 Emerson’s middle name 9 Tibetan monk 10 Yellow pads 11 Dragon puppet 12 Mars explorer 13 Cuddly toy 21 Type of gasoline 22 Pack animals 23 Gushed over 24 Mind’s-eye view 25 Europe’s longest river 29 Invents a word 30 Common Market money 32 Sound setup

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52 Gene Tierney movie 54 1899 Gold Rush town 55 One-name entertainer

59 Twice XXVI 60 Environmental prefix 61 Judo ranking

B

HOROSCOPE STELLA WILDER

orn today, you are an ambitious and hard-working individual, but that is not what gives you the edge over the competition. What really makes you one in a million is your imagination, which allows you to see and embrace as possible those things that others might discount out of hand, simply because they have never been seen or done before.

You are just the type to forge new ground in an area that becomes quite important to the history of mankind: You are of the type who first flew, who first sailed beneath the sea, who first reached space and landed on the moon. Because you can imagine it being done, you can, of course, do it!

You will accept criticism when it comes your way, and you are quite adept at telling valid criticism from that which is merely personal -- and you have very little use for the latter. Indeed, you never take anything personally -- and you are almost always willing to forgive and forget.

Also born on this date are: Drew Barrymore, actress and producer; Lea Salonga, singer and actress; Ellen Greene, actress; Marni Nixon, singer; Steve Irwin, naturalist and TV personality; Edward M. Kennedy, U.S. senator; Robert Young, actor; George Washington, U.S. president.

To see what is in store for you tomorrow, find your birthday and read the corresponding paragraph. Let your birthday star be your daily guide.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23 PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) -You may have a hard time making up your mind today, as the choices you are presented are attractive from all sides.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- You’re in the mood for a little mischievous fun today, but take care you don’t take someone by surprise with unbridled aggression.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- You cannot afford to be held responsible for something that you didn’t do; make sure the authorities know the truth!

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -What comes your way can be used in a productive fashion eventually, but first you’ll be hard-pressed to come up with a productive plan.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -Those around you are not likely to believe that you can do what you say -- until you do it. Then, you’ll have everyone’s eager support.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- You may be invited to take part in something that you don’t entirely trust to be good for you -- now or in the long run. Steer clear!

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- A rivalry may develop today between you and someone who was only recently one of your most supportive teammates.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Efficiency is the key today, and if your efficiency suffers, your productivity will follow suit. You can’t afford a slump right now!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- A message from out of the past has you wondering how you could have gone astray -- but have you? It’s only a matter of perspective.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- The questions you are asked today may compel you to ask a few yourself -- and the answers you seek may not be entirely pleasant to you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Accepting what comes your way today is the key to remaining calm and collected. Fighting the inevitable is the path to discontent.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -Someone may claim to know a great deal about you today, but he is only likely to reveal more about himself than about you.

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THE DIAMONDBACK | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013

Diversions SMELLS UNDERCOOKED

LAW & ORDER: SVU IS GOING TO DO THE WORLD A FAVOR AND (FAKE) KILL CHRIS BROWN

ALL THE CRAP YOU CARE ABOUT

Law & Order, in an effort to remind viewers that yes, it is still on and still showcasing sexual assault for your entertainment, will feature a rippedfrom-the-headlines story about a seemingly lovable singer who abuses his girlfriend — and winds up murdered. CSI, hoping to keep its lead in the sexy-murder genre, may be considering its own revenge-fantasy-wish-fulfillment episode in which Ted Danson goes back in time and kills Hitler.

REVIEW | SNITCH

short and used sparingly, essentially as brief climaxes to long — and drawnout — plot developments.

Because of this, Snitch is a more distinctive film than its trailer might suggest. The film has an unrelentingly dark tone that differentiates it from Snitch isn’t as dumb or generic as it looks, but it has one major flaw: The Rock most popcorn films. Once Jason has made his mistake, every character is other dealers, but when he claims not travaganzas, Snitch is a small story

By Zachary Berman that relies mostly on acting chops and to know any, John takes matters into in a constant state of decay, as if the Senior staff writer filmmakers want the audience relatively lazy plot developments to his own hands — by going out to know nothing good can to capture some high-level forward a message about sentencing Best known as a star of the soap come of selling drugs. drug dealers in a Drug opera that is pro wrestling — and for laws for drug convictions in the U.S. Because the focus is Granted, Snitch isn’t attempt- Enforcement Adthat big eyebrow — Dwayne “The on characters rather Rock” Johnson (Journey 2: The Mysteri- ing the kind of social discourse to ministration sting than action, most of ous Island) has become the poster boy be found in something like Steven operation in exthe actors attempt for B-movie typecasting in his quest to Soderbergh’s Traffic, but there is a change for his son’s to play the silly plot concerted attempt to use plot con- reduced sentence. be the premier action star in cinema. with straight faces.

As the stakes heat For most viewers, he’ll always be trivances to build a pathos-based Susan Sarandon (Cloud “The Rock,” “The People’s Champion” argument for reducing mandatory up, John and his famiAtlas) gives a solid perof World Wrestling Entertainment, minimum sentencing in first-time lies’ (he re-married after formance as the self-cena divorce) lives get pushed but that hasn’t stopped Johnson from drug cases. photo courtesy of themovieblog.com tered U.S. attorney who The plot, supposedly based on to the brink of ruin, evenattempting to change people’s perceptrue events, begins with John Mat- tually leading to a final life-or-death cuts the plea deal with John, and Jon tions by pursuing his movie career.

Bernthal (The Walking Dead) nearly Snitch, though entirely imperfect thews’ (Johnson) son Jason Collins sting with everything on the line.

On paper, the plot sounds as generic steals the show as Daniel James, an and off-kilter, is the first of at least (Rafi Gavron, The Cold Light of Day) six different movies set to be released being arrested for drug trafficking, as they come, but there is more emo- ex-con who acts as John’s introduction this year starring Johnson, including despite the fact that all he did was tional suspense than proper “action” into the criminal underworld.

Less flatteringly, viscous drug Fast & Furious 6, G.I. Joe: Retalia- naively accept a package from a drug- in Snitch. Yes, there’s a gunfight or two, and the film ends with a highway dealer Malik, played by the fantastic tion and Michael Bay’s (Transformers: dealer friend of his.

The government offers Jason a chase involving an 18-wheel truck and Michael Kenneth Williams (Boardwalk Dark of the Moon) Pain & Gain.

Unlike these big-budget action ex- reduced sentence if he can rat on cartel gunmen, but these scenarios are Empire), simply feels like a watered

PREVIEW | CALVERT COTILLION

it’s like prom, but actually fun

By Emily Thompson Staff writer Allison Gibeily didn’t have the prom she thought she would in high school.

“For my senior prom, I brought my best friend’s boyfriend’s best friend who I had a thing for,” the senior English major said. “We were all breathalyzed at the door and they played horrible ‘80s music the whole time. I then went to a basement after-party at my friend’s house, which was overcrowded and really lame, and then my date made out with another girl upstairs.

“I spent the night yelling at him, and then his grandmother died the next morning,” Gibeily said.

Gibeily is just one of many students at this university with horror stories from senior prom. While prom is played up in movies and literature to be one of the defining nights of your life, most find it to just be another school dance that can result in questionable pictures and experiences. As college goes on, prom just becomes one of the distant memories from high school that you attempt to forget. But seniors who don’t fondly look back on that final dance of high school have a chance to make it up with Calvert Cotillion.

Calvert Cotillion is a long-standing tradition for seniors at the university that originated in the early 1900s, said Kourtney Kleine Temple,

student and young alumni programs assistant director.

“We’re not sure the exact year it got started, but we know the tradition was suspended when the United States entered World War II and it went away for a long time,” Temple said. “It didn’t make another appearance until the 1990s when a group of students rediscovered this old campus tradition and decided to bring it back to Maryland.”

The Alumni Association hosts the contemporary version of Calvert Cotillion, and it will take place Saturday at the Riggs Alumni Center. It’s a commemoration of making it through four grueling years of college. It shares similarities with high school senior prom in that it’s a dance, but there is less pressure on finding a date and making it a “night to remember.”

Groups are encouraged to go together, as tickets are cheaper when people buy them in groups of 10 or more.“Big group tickets have been key to Calvert Cotillion’s success,” Temple said when

noting more than 400 people attended last year. “Some people are intimidated by formal dances, thinking they must need to bring a date. Calvert Cotillion isn’t like that at all. It’s a big party to celebrate senior year.”

Senior government and politics and history major Kevin LaCherra has been aware of Calvert Cotillion since he began his time at this university through friends who have attended the event over the years. LaCherra plans on attending the event and hopes to run into some people he’s met during his time here who can get lost among busy schedules and this university’s large size.

“I’ve been hearing about it from upperclassmen the entire time I’ve been at Maryland and it seems like it’ll be a lot of fun,” LaCherra said.

“It’s one of those established Maryland traditions – when you’re a senior you go to Cotillion.”

But with thousands of seniors at Maryland, it seems like it would be difficult to make each and every one

down version of The Wire’s infamous Omar Little, a character originally portrayed by Williams himself. Malik works for what he is, but it still feels like cheap typecasting.

The worst, however, is Johnson.

Oddly, although there are many cringe-worthy moments, his acting isn’t completely terrible throughout the movie. The real problem is the bleak mood of the movie perpetually going against the undeniably goofy, hyper-masculine Johnson.

No matter what he does, there is an attitude about the muscle-bound protagonist that flies in the face of everything the audience is supposed to understand about Johnson’s character.

He is supposed to be the weak, fish-outof-water type who’s gotten way in over his head, yet he seems to be in control of every situation he encounters.

If another actor had portrayed John, Snitch may have been a better movie.

Snitch, though neither a horrendous mix of cliches nor a shining achievement of any kind, does provide audiences one inarguable truth — Johnson still hasn’t found a way to distinguish himself from “The Rock.” diversionsdbk@gmail.com

of them aware of Cotillion — the Facebook page for the event only invited about 1,000 people. But Temple said relying on word of mouth and sending out emails to seniors has proved to be a successful way to boost awareness of the event. This year’s event includes a photo booth, a gourmet grilled cheese station and a cash bar, which will most likely be better than whatever you did at your high school prom.

With the event coming up this weekend, Gibeily is looking forward to getting redemption for the unfortunate events that took place the night of her last school dance.

“I want to go because it’s a chance to redeem all the awkwardness that was high school prom,” she said. “I feel like we’re all more comfortable with who we are, who our friends are and just being weird and hanging out.

“It’s the best of all the worlds – fanciness, confidence and a much bigger brain.” diversionsdbk@gmail.com

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2EVEN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013 | SPORTS | THE DIAMONDBACK

THE DIAMONDBACK THE DIAMONDBACK | XXXDAY, | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER AUGUST XX, 31, 20127

BASEBALL

Szefc places focus on hitting as Terps prepare for Oakland

By Daniel Popper Staff writer Pitching and defense were not the issues for the Terra p i n s ba se ba l l tea m i n a three-game sweep at No. 10 LSU last weekend.

The Terps turned five double plays, got quality starts from pitchers Jimmy Reed and Brady Kirkpatrick and gave themselves a chance to win two games against one of the nation’s premier programs.

Offensively, though, it was a different story.

Facing professional-level talent in pitchers Aaron Nola and Ryan Eades — a right-hander with a mid-90s fastball — the Terps struggled mightily at the plate, leaving 19 runners on base and accumulating a paltry .211 batting average and .255 on-base percentage.

So with four days off before hosting Oakland in a four-game series this weekend, coach John Szefc had his Terps spend much of the week focused on improving at the plate.

“We tried to put our guys in game situations as much as

VITALE From PAGE 8 Cameron Indoor Stadium.

They’re 6-7 in the ACC, but only two of those wins — and four of the losses — came against teams in the top half of the current league standings.

It’s not a knock on the players’ talent; it’s a knock on their experience. At this time last year, Seth Allen, Jake Layman, Charles Mitchell and Shaquille Cleare were in high school, Dez Wells was at Xavier, and Logan Aronhalt was at Albany. Nick Faust, Pe’Shon Howard, James Padgett and Alex Len are the only four players in the rotation who had ever experienced the rigors of ACC play entering this season.

That’s the reason behind one of the most prominent themes of the Terps’ season: They have the pieces in place, but they’re a year away. Turgeon has admitted as much. He knows his team has talent — the players just haven’t learned to harness it yet.

“There’s really more commit-

possible,” the first-year coach said. “Early in the season you’re trying to uncover some weaknesses, and that’s what we did.

We’ve been trying to get after that the last three days.”

The group worked tirelessly on situational hitting, laying down bunts and practicing two-out RBI scenarios. The goal? Bring home the runners in scoring position at all costs.

“You have to execute,” said senior right fielder Jordan Hagel, who led the team with four hits last weekend. “If you don’t, there’s a possibility of not playing. If you want to be in the lineup, you have to execute.”

The Terps’ struggles in Baton Rouge, La., were a combination of early-season jitters and a potentially overwhelming playing experience. Playing against a top-10 team at one of college baseball’s premier facilities in Alex Box Stadium, the team had trouble remaining disciplined at the plate.

“It’s more about approach than anything,” Hagel said.

“We were a little antsy our first weekend. You’re excited. You go down to LSU, it’s a big stage for a

lot of young guys. We have to be more selective, look for things up, look for fastballs and hunt those pitches.”

They might have an easier time this weekend. The Grizzlies (0-0), ranked No. 197 in team ERA last season, and the pitching staff the Terps (0-3) have to deal with in College Park won’t be nearly as tough as the one they saw last week.

“We definitely need a confidence boost, and we need start winning games,” Hagel said.

“Once we start winning games, we’ll realize that it’s not as hard as we think it is now.”

The Terps have an opportunity to do that this weekend in their home opener. Despite forecasts for rain, sleet and freezing temperatures, Szefc said his team — which has been outside all but two days since it began practicing on Jan. 25 — would be ready to play.

“Practicing in this weather all fall and for the past couple weeks has gotten us ready,” second baseman Kyle Convissar said.

“I think we’re well-prepared.”

ment being made by each player,” Turgeon said Monday. “We have a young team. We’re building, not only for the next six games and postseason, but for the future.”

That future looks bright.

Aronhalt and Padgett will move on, and Len might leave for the NBA Draft. But other than that, the Terps’ core will remain intact next year.

The four freshmen will return, each with a year of experience under their belts. Wells will be more ready to handle a starring role, and Faust will get a chance to move back to his natural position.

Turgeon will get some solid n ewco m e rs a s we l l . Evan Smotrycz — a Michigan transfer who sat out this year due to NCAA rules — will provide a solid offensive skill set from the forward position. Roddy Peters, the No. 12 point guard recruit in the nation, should give the Terps the true ball-handler they have lacked this season.

And center Damonte Dodd will give an already solid frontcourt more depth and athleticism.

Of course, this season isn’t

over yet. The Terps, who will host Clemson tomorrow, still have five regular-season games remaining before the ACC tournament.

Their loss to the Eagles decreased their tournament chances drastically, but they could have a shot at a berth if they win out in the regular season and win a game or two in Greensboro, N.C. But for Turgeon, this final stretch won’t be about whether the Terps make it into next month’s 68-team field. These next five games hold a much heavier weight.

“How we handle the next month will determine how our future will be,” Turgeon said. “I really believe that.”

Hopefully his players do, too.

Because if all goes according to Turgeon’s plan, we won’t spend next season talking about how many more games the Terps will have to win to sneak into the NCAA tournament bubble.

We’ll spend the season talking about how high they’ll be seeded.

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Guard Nick Faust said “we did everything wrong,” after the Terps’ loss at Boston College on Tuesday. photo courtesy of graham beck/the heights

TIGERS From PAGE 8 conference games this season.

He’s been “pressing buttons,” he said, trying to kick-start a prolonged run.

But what seems to work one game falls flat in the next. After the Terps hit what Turgeon called “rock bottom” in a Feb. 10 defeat to Virginia, the Topeka, Kan., native made sweeping changes the following week in practice.

He stripped foward James Padgett and guard Pe’Shon Howard of their captaincies, designed grueling workout plans and regularly begged players to commit themselves to the program.

The Terps responded to Turgeon’s tactics, delivering their best effort of the season against the Blue Devils. Students celebrated into the night on Route 1; pundits labeled the Terps an NCAA tournament bubble team and Turgeon started stressing the importance of beating Boston College.

Yet Tuesday’s second-half letdown ultimately nullified Saturday’s resounding win. The Terps endured a more-thanseven-minute stretch without a field goal after the break and allowed a seven-point halftime lead to devolve into their most glaring loss of the season.

“They did everything right, and we did everything wrong,” Faust said of Tuesday’s meltdown. “I just feel as though Boston College was a quick step ahead of us.”

The Terps must avoid a similar showing to move back into the NCAA tournament discussion.

Even with a relatively weak atlarge field this year, the Terps will likely need to win their final five games and make a run in the ACC tournament to have a chance at a March Madness berth.

Anything else and they should face one of two options: an NIT appearance or their third straight season watching the postseason tournaments from College Park.

So the Terps (18-8, 6-7 ACC) understand what’s at stake as

they prepare for a Tigers (13-12, 5-8) team that’s lost four of its past five games. With the season at a breaking point of sorts, Aronhalt said, it’s time for the Terps to figure out their identity. Are they the talented group that ousted the nation’s second-ranked squad, or are they the slow-footed crew that stumbled against a conference cellar-dweller?

“I guess we’re still trying to find ourselves,” Aronhalt said.

“This late in the season, it’s not where you want to be.”

Turgeon said Tuesday that a team has never confounded him more than this season’s enigmatic collection. But as he sat before a handful of reporters inside Conte, Turgeon wasn’t considering the ramifications of yet another letdown. He was concentrating on practice.

“What makes me happy is really hard practices,” Turgeon said. “That’s where we go from here.” sportsdbk@gmail.com

EAGLES From PAGE 8 terms of a big, strong, skilled guard. And she is the biggest, strongest most skilled athlete on the court,” Boston College coach Erik Johnson said. “She is a unique player. I’m honestly not sure the women’s game has seen a player exactly like her, and she’s a tough matchup for anybody. She scores inside, she scores outside and she scores in transition.”

Thomas wasn’t the only Terp to reach a landmark against the Eagles, either.

Forward T ianna Hawkins grabbed her 1,000th career rebound and became just the third player in program history — along with Marissa Coleman and Crystal Langhorne — to reach that plateau.

Her four rebounds, which gave her exactly 1,000 at the end of the game, came in 24 minutes along with 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting. While she again entered foul trouble early, Hawkins’ shot still fell throughout the night.

“It’s exciting to know that not many people have done it,” Hawkins said. “It just shows how hard it is to work under the basket.”

The Terps shot 56.1 percent from the field — their 15th game of at least 50 percent shooting. Center Malina Howard hit one in the second half from the top of the arc with the shot clock winding down, and Thomas even got into the act and hit her fourth 3-pointer of the year.

Entering the night, Boston College was the ACC’s fourthbest team from three-point

FRIENDS From PAGE 8 Neither can remember where to; it was just one of countless lengthy talks they’ve enjoyed since meeting as young assistants in the early-1990s.

The coaches’ friendship blossomed in 1996 when Tillman accepted the assistant coaching position at Navy that Toomey had held the previous two years. Tillman moved into a house less than a block from Toomey’s Annapolis home, and Toomey — who met him at a lacrosse camp a few years earlier — provided a familiar face for the 27-year-old in his new home. Tillman, a bachelor, would regularly walk down the street to eat dinner with Toomey and his wife, Sara.

He got the chance to return the favor when Sara was pregnant with her first child. The Toomeys’ Christmas tree fell apart in their home, leaving Sara with a sizable mess while her husband was out of town.

“John came right over to help me pick stuff up,” Sara said. “It was nice having someone like that a few doors down. He was an awesome support system.”

Tillman was soon coming over for the holidays. He spent this past Christmas Day at

Patriots From PAGE 8 four years with the team, in a ceremony before the match.

“They’ve all had a chance to contribute in some way,” coach Kerry McCoy said.

“When you become part of a program, you’re not just here to win matches. It’s about becoming part of a family. So for these guys to be able to go out and compete one last time in front of their home crowd, that’s what is really special about it for me.”

DeRobertis understands the struggles that accompany being a Division I athlete perhaps better than any other Terp. He missed some of his sophomore season with a torn ACL, and his woes continued when an illness

Center Alicia DeVaughn had 10 points and eight rebounds. photo courtesy of emily fahey/the heights range, but it struggled against one of the conference’s top defenses. The Eagles (10-16, 4-11 ACC) shot 4-of-14 from behind the arc. But the Terps (22-4, 13-2) put together their best performance of the year from deep, shooting 53.8 percent.

“We need three-point shooting,” Frese said. “We need to be able to have a stat like that. It was terrific to see for us tonight.”

The Terps led by as many as 10 early in the first half, but an 8-2 Eagles run cut the lead to 25-21 with 5:43 left in the first half. The Terps, however, responded to a Frese timeout with yet another strong close to a half. Thomas scored seven points as the Terps went on an 18-4 run to end the period with a 43-25 lead.

In the second half, the Terps’ 18-point lead stuck.

The closest the Eagles would get would be 16 after forward Kristen Doherty opened the second half with an easy layup inside. The 5-foot-11 junior was again Boston College’s most consistent performer against the Terps, scoring a

team-high 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting before fouling out with 4:30 remaining.

While Hawkins and center Alicia DeVaughn (10 points, eight rebounds) also dealt with foul trouble, Howard provided a boost off the bench and scored 11 points. When Howard came in for either of the starting post players, there was no lapse in production.

Now turning their attention to Sunday’s matchup with No. 5 Duke — a rematch of a 71-56 loss 11 days ago in Durham, N.C. — Thomas had a simple explanation for the success against the Eagles, indefensible shot or not. “ We j u s t h a d a l o t o f confidence tonight and just saw open shots and were taking them,” Thomas said.

“They were going down for us tonight.”

TERPS NOTE: In her continu e d re t u r n f ro m a k n e e i n j u ry, fo rwa rd T i e r n ey Pfirman played 12 minutes and scored seven points on 3-of-8 shooting.

Toomey’s home, and he leaves presents for Toomey’s three daughters each year.

“It’s great to have such a close friend like that, and his family has always been great to me,” Tillman said. “They’ve sort of adopted me as their own.”

Tillman and Toomey are even business partners. In the early 2000s, they realized it was tough to recruit players through sub-par clinics and disorganized tournaments.

So the pair created Ultimate Performance Lacrosse, Inc., an organization that runs fall and summer clinics for top-level high school players to compete before various college coaches.

“It’s fun,” Tillman said.

“We do a couple weekends in the fall and a couple days in the summer.”

The clinics helped the friends build a reputation as stellar recruiters, and they both soon earned head coaching jobs.

Toomey took over at Loyola in 2006 and T illman led Harvard for three seasons before taking the same position at this university in June 2010.

The coaches quickly scheduled scrimmages against each other. Tillman, though, was hesitant to play against his friend in games that counted.

That was unavoidable in last year’s national championship.

“We wanted to see each

other go deep into the tournament,” Toomey said. “But we didn’t want to be put in a position to beat each other.”

Loyola won 9-3, and Toomey decided he wanted to play again. Toomey knows the NCAA tournament selection committee values strength of schedule, and both teams serve as a quality opponent for each other. Also, he figured a national championship rematch could bring exposure to the sport.

Tillman reluctantly agreed, and tomorrow’s game at Loyola will be broadcast nationally on NBC Sports.

“For our kids, it’s exciting to play such a good team,” Tillman said. “It’s also great for the sport after what happened last year.”

Tillman said he won’t speak with Toomey much this week.

They each owe their respective teams complete focus on winning the rematch.

But everything will return to normal when Tillman and Toomey leave Ridley Athletic Complex tomorrow. They’ve been close friends in triumph and tragedy. Their bond can weather a game. “ N o t h i n g ’s g o i n g t o change,” Sara said. “I’m sure he’ll be over for dinner some time [next] week.”

sidelined him for the majority of his junior campaign.

However, his missed time did not diminish last night’s importance or the connection he feels to the Terps family.

“I didn’t think much about the whole Senior Night thing until we were in the wrestling room warming up,” DeRobertis said. “It started to hit me. My whole wrestling career flashed before my eyes, and it got a little sad and a little emotional.

But I realized I was happy that I could look back on my career and just smile.”

Over his five seaso ns, Asper has become the face of McCoy’s developing program.

The 174-pound senior has accumulated a staggering 147 victories, won two ACC titles and earned two All-American honors. And the Parkton native

did it all while wrestling for his home state school.

“He’s a Maryland kid,” McCoy said. “We are the flagship university of the state of Maryland, and one of our best wrestlers of all time is a Maryland kid. That’s great for the state, and it’s great to say that this university is taking care of its own.”

Asper has no intention of concluding his wrestling career, however. While he won’t contribute on the mat, the senior will be on the sideline coaching his former teammates in 2013-14.

“I’m going to coach,” Asper said. “That’s definitely something that I want to do. I still love wrestling, so I can never imagine walking away.”

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STATLINE Terps women’s basketball forward Alyssa Thomas’ line in an 86-61 win at Boston College

30 12 4 Points

Rebounds

Assists

2 Blocks

Sports

RIVALRY RENEWED

The Terrapins women’s lacrosse team will host Duke on Sunday. For more, visit diamondbackonline.com.

Page 8

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FRIDAY, February 22, 2013

MEN’S BASKETBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Not quite there yet

Loss at Boston College still weighing on Terps Team looking to find consistency vs. Clemson

By Connor Letourneau Senior staff writer The Terrapins men’s basketball team faced some nagging questions after Tuesday’s disappointing 69-58 loss at Boston College.

How could it follow up a rousing win over then-No. 2 Duke with a dud of a game? How could this young Terps bunch fall flat against a reeling Eagles squad while an NCAA tournament berth still hung in the balance?

Sitting at a makeshift news conference inside Conte Forum, coach Mark Turgeon and guards Logan Aronhalt and Nick Faust struggled to find

answers. They seemed dumbfounded, numb and confused.

“I just don’t get it. I just don’t understand,” said Turgeon, whose Terps will hope to bounce back when they host Clemson tomorrow. “We’re right here. It’s a big game. It’s not a hostile environment. You just have to want it.

It just seemed like we were standing in quicksand all night.”

Such letdowns have come to define a season that once held so much promise.

After cruising through their nonconference slate with a 13-1 record, the Terps have been chronically inconsistent. Since the start of ACC play, their longest winning streak is two games,

Terps likely still year away from being team Turgeon wants JOSH VITALE Coach Mark Turgeon said he didn’t understand why the Terps struggled so much in a 69-58 loss to the Eagles on Tuesday. The team will try to bounce back when it hosts Clemson tomorrow. photo courtesy of graham beck/the heights the same length as their longest losing streak in the same stretch.

And after Tuesday’s defeat, Turgeon said he’s tired of not knowing what to expect from his team any given day.

Ever the tinkerer, the second-year coach hasn’t used the same starting lineup in more than two consecutive See TIGERS, Page 7

MEN’S LACROSSE

Bigger than the game

It was easy to lose sight of things for a moment on Saturday. After all, the Terrapins men’s basketball team had just pulled off a monumental 83-81 upset over then-No. 2 Duke at Comcast Center. As students flooded the court and, later, Route 1 to revel in their team’s victory over the hated Blue Devils, hope seemed restored.

Maybe, they might have thought, the Terps were finally ready to live up to the lofty expectations placed on them in the preseason. Maybe that signature win would kick-start their run to the NCAA tournament.

But Tuesday, as those same fans watched the Terps suffer a disheartening 69-58 loss at Boston College, they all likely realized a simple truth.

The Terps just aren’t a good team yet.

Of course, they will be soon. There’s no questioning that. Coach Mark Turgeon has built an impressive young foundation during his two seasons in College Park, and this team is only going to get better from here.

This season, though, they’re simply not ready. Before that win against Duke, the Terps had lost three of their past five conference games, including a 20-point loss to the Blue Devils at See VITALE, Page 7

WRESTLING

Asper pins foe in win vs. Patriots Coach John Tllman (left) and the Terps lost to coach Charley Toomey (right) and Loyola, 9-3, in last season’s national championship (center). file photos/the diamondback (left, center), photo courtesy of loyola athletics (right)

No matter outcome in Terps, Greyhounds national title rematch, Tillman, Toomey will remain close friends off field

By Aaron Kasinitz Staff writer Charley Toomey made sure to save a particular voice mail message in June. When the time was right, the Loyola men’s lacrosse coach needed to return that phone call.

Toomey was grieving the loss of 18-year-old Greyhounds attackman Adam Pomper, who died suddenly June 12 of undisclosed causes. Just 17 days after leading his alma mater to its first na-

tional championship, Toomey was consoling Pomper’s family and trying to keep his team together amid tragedy.

But Toomey still kept the message from Terrapins men’s lacrosse coach John Tillman, who was easily the first colleague to reach out to him, expressing condolences and offering support. And when the time was right, Toomey called back the coach he had beaten in the national championship less than a month earlier — a man his three daughters call, “Uncle Tills.”

“John has always been somebody I can lean on in any situation,” said Toomey, whose No. 1 Greyhounds host the No. 2 Terps in a title game rematch tomorrow. “He’s always there for his friends. That’s who he is.”

Tillman, who lost a player to a rare infection while serving as an assistant coach at Ithaca College in 1995, talked with Toomey briefly about Pomper. And then the conversation drifted.

See FRIENDS, Page 7

Josh Asper pinned the Patriots’ Seth Robertson in the Terps’ win yesterday. charlie deboyace/the diamondback

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Terps capture 23-15 Senior Night victory

Thomas scores 30 as Terps cruise past BC

By Daniel Popper Staff writer Last night, arguably the greatest wrestler in Terrapins wrestling history walked onto the Comcast Pavilion mat for the final time in his regular season career.

And, naturally, No. 5 Josh Asper put on a show for the Terps faithful in the last home match of his illustrious fiveyear career. He pinned George Mason’s Seth Robertson with 28 seconds remaining in the third period, helping the Terps capture a 23-15 victory over the Patriots on Senior Night.

“I wanted to just dominate,” Asper said. “I knew I could. I’ve been having trouble getting some bonus points, especially pins, this year coming back from my injury. I really wanted that, and it felt great after I got it.”

The Terps honored five other wrestlers — Domenic DeRobertis, Danny O’Malley, Ian Squires, Brad Molina and Aaron Norris — as well as team manager Marie Hutton, who has spent

Junior sets career high in 86-61 victory

By Daniel Gallen Senior staff writer

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — In her vast arsenal of moves on the court, Alyssa Thomas seems to have mastered one for which there is no defense.

The Terrapins women’s basketball forward will grab a rebound or take a pass in the backcourt and take off down the floor. With a teammate in the post and another on the wing, the opposing defense is spread, leaving the lane open for Thomas. The junior dribbles in at full speed, stops suddenly and lofts a soft floater.

More often than not — like last night against Boston College — it sinks through the basket and doesn’t even touch the rim.

Thomas’ offensive prowess was

on full display before 1,145 at Conte Forum, as she scored a career-high 30 points to lead the No. 8 Terps past Boston College, 86-61.

“It’s just beautiful to watch,” coach Brenda Frese said. “She’s obviously in full control at any position.”

The offense, which notched its 12th scoring performance of at least 80 points this year, ran through Thomas once again. In addition to her careerhigh scoring output — during which she recorded her 1,500th career point — the All-American grabbed 12 rebounds to notch her 16th double-double of the season. She also dished out four assists while shooting 9-of-14 from the field.

“She reminds me of LeBron James in See EAGLES, Page 7

Forward alyssa thomas pulls up for a floater in the lane during the Terps’ 86-61 victory at Boston College last night. The junior scored a career-high 30 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. photo courtesy of emily fahey/the heights

See PATRIOTS, Page 7