Issuu

Monday, January 26, 2015

Volume 99 Issue 32

www.studentprintz.com PAGE THREE

PAGE FOUR & FIVE

PAGE SEVEN

PAGE SIX

NEWS

F E AT U R E

OPINION

S P O RT S

USM offers 14 study abroad opportunities.

Jihadist teachings are not a symbol of violence.

Film deserving of Oscar recognition.

Eagles defeat Mean Green for ﬁrst conference win.

Exchange program

Religion

‘Selma’

Basketball

ON CAMPUS

SGA Senate spearheads campus food reform Lindsey Kelley Printz Reporter

In a recent meeting of the Student Government Association Senate, Vice President Kyle Stoner brought forward an idea for a new piece of legislation that would hold Eagle Dining to a higher standard. Eagle Dining, an institution run by private corporation Aramark, is the sole food service provider for The University of Southern Mississippi and is the driving force behind The Fresh Food Company, the cafeteria in Hillcrest and assorted food operations across campus. Aramark, its mother company, extended the contract with the university to provide food service, employees and necessary equipment for both the Gulf Park and Hattiesburg campuses. “This is the time to start and try to make a difference (in food quality),” Stoner said. “Students care about what they’re eating and where they’re eating.” While the quality of the cafeteria food is a common complaint among college students, the senators argued that Southern Miss has a particular issue with Eagle Dining providing fresh, varied kinds of food that allow for a healthy, convenient living. “Are they catering to the students or just catering to their pockets?” Stoner said. SGA President Jeffrey George

ON CAMPUS

Michael Kavitz/Printz

USM junior Jared Priest eats his Sunday lunch in the Fresh Food Company on campus. The SGA will hold surveys outside the Fresh in the Thad Cochran Center as a part of a movement to hold the Fresh to higher food quality standards.

was also present at the meeting and spoke for University President Rodney Bennett. “It’s an issue that Dr. Bennett does know about and (he) is concerned about it,” George said. “We do have a contract with Aramark that is through the next six or seven years. On the ﬂipside, they are doing a lot of work to improve food options for athletic games.”

The debate continued, with people asking what the Senate’s options were and where its jurisdiction ended. The contract with Aramark, while it is through the university, dictates that the university - and consequentially SGA - has little sway in the day-today operations of Eagle Dining. With these questions in mind, the Senate formed a special committee

to follow up on these leads and dig into the heart of the matter. Its ﬁrst step: to survey the students. On Friday, Jan. 23, the committee met to discuss survey questions and prepare for the data collection. These committee members will take surveys at a table outside of the Fresh Food Company on varied Mondays, asking about the quality and freshness of the meal

of each student. Sen. Lakelyn Taylor, a member of this committee, said she thought the pending legislation was important because of potential recruitment. “Many prospective students come in and they’re looking for (a sense of home). For Southern Miss to be on a competitive recruitment level, we need to have quality food.” Sen. Breanna Cheri said good food is a necessity for those who live on campus. “(The students) coming in (are) in a different environment and want to feel welcome and comfortable. Having those options makes the whole lifestyle easier,” she said. “When studying, I want a good meal.” Sen. Aaliyah Cole brought up the new “Health is Golden” campaign that the university has been running, which is a program encouraging students to be healthy in all aspects of their lives through exercise and eating well. “I feel that having quality food and healthy food sources supports (the program),” Cole said. “For me, when the Fresh has nothing I like, I usually resort to (more fattening) foods. Having healthy options in the Fresh that taste good would support the (new campaign).” The Senate will continue to discuss this issue and the committee will soon conduct surveys during the lunch rush hour from noon to 2 p.m. on Mondays.

USM grad student named fellowship ﬁnalist Emma Reeves Printz Reporter

Dahlia Amato, a second-year doctoral student at The University of Southern Mississippi, has been named a finalist for the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. She is the first Southern Miss student to ever receive this award. According to the Soros Fellowship website, the fellowship was established in 1997 by Hungarian immigrants Paul and Daisy Soros and is aimed at providing new Americans with the resources necessary to continue their education in graduate programs while fostering the “creativity, originality, initiative and sustained accomplishment” that typifies the recipients. Fellows

receive tuition and living expenses that can total as much as $90,000 over two academic years. Robyn Curtis, the USM National Scholarships and Fellowships officer, also points out that unlike other programs that select finalists by breaking up the applicant pool into smaller groups and choosing a few from each group, the Soros Fellowship analyzes the entire pool of applicants as one group in the selection process. So, for a Soros Fellowship, each applicant competes against 1,200 others for one of 77 finalist spots, making Amato’s selection “a huge marker of distinction,” according to Curtis. She said Amato is genuine and sincere when discussing her story, research and excitement as a new American. “She really is exactly

Kelley Joe Brumﬁeld/Printz

Graduate student Dahlia Amato stands next to her work in the Polymer Science Building. She is a ﬁnalist for the prestigious Soros fellowship.

the kind of person they are looking for,” Curtis said. Amato was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, and she ﬁrst came to the U.S. through the American Field

Service – Youth Exchange Student program. She later returned to the U.S. to receive her undergraduate degree in biochemistry from California Polytechnic State University and her master’s degree in polymers and coating science, also from CPSU. She was drawn to USM by what she acknowledges as one of the topranked Polymer Science programs in the country. She received her permanent resident status in 2012 through her marriage to Doug Amato, also a USM doctoral student in the School of Polymers and High Performance Materials. If she receives the fellowship, Amato plans to use the money to enhance her research in the nanoparticle emulsion process as a part of the Patton Research Group,

but she also hopes to use it as a basis for outreach into the community. She loves teaching at Petal High School and said she is passionate about encouraging science programs in high schools through science fairs and other activities. She said she also hopes this experience will allow her to “make other immigrants like me aware of the opportunities available.” Curtis said they are currently reaching out to colleagues at the Soros Fellowship for more information on what to expect, but mainly Curtis is helping Amato get comfortable talking about her application, future plans and story thus far. Amato travels to Los Angeles next week to continue the process with two interviews. Finalists will be notiﬁed of results in March.

INFORMATION

Page 2 | Monday, January 26, 2015

MEET THE STAFF OF SPRING 2015

EDITORS & STAFF Kathryn Miller

Alan Rawls

Crystal Garner

Mary Sergeant

kathryn.miller@eagles.usm.edu

gregory.rawls@eagles.usm.edu

crystal.garner@eagles.usm.edu

mary.sergeant@eagles.usm.edu

Executive Editor

Joshua Campbell Sports Editor

joshua.campbell@eagles.usm.edu

Yolanda Cruz Copy Editor

yolanda.cruz@eagles.usm.edu

Managing Editor

Multimedia Editor

Parker Brewer

Cody Bass

parker.brewer@eagles.usm.edu

cody.bass@eagles.usm.edu

Design Editor

Social Media Editor

Julie Gore

Hayley Howard

Nikki Smith

hayley.howard@eagles.usm.edu

ashly.smith@eagles.usm.edu

Web Editor

Susan Broadbridge Kara Davidson

Graphic Designer

Chuck Cook

Katherine Frye

chuck.cook@usm.edu

katherine.frye@eagles.usm.edu

Lesley Sanders-Wood Advertising e-mail Advertising Manager printzad@usm.edu

Printz Adviser

Ad Designer

julia.gore@eagles.usm.edu

News Editor

Photo Editor

Assistant Photo Editor

susan.braodbridge@eagles.usm.edu kara.davidson@eagles.usm.edu

lesley.sanders@usm.edu

@studentprintz

Source: www.alberichcrosswords.com

ACROSS 7 Article missing from collection of antiques? Investigation results (7) 8 One Flemish artist or another abandoning Germany for Spain (3,4) 10 Composed – a term essentially used for it? (6) 11 Drink and drive recklessly? (8) 12 Composer renounces his nationality, we hear, for her (4) 13 Shrub is planted in the verge by westbound main road (10) 14 Knock back drink with airman after opera, but not too much (2,3,6) 19 Record collection containing jazz mostly is feature of column (10) 22 Close companion at last given attention (4) 23 DJ is so tense, needing to become healthier? (8) 24 One has no time for Spanish food (6) 25 Fate of a play about love making comeback (7) 26 Reportedly is acquainted with person that’s patient for plastic surgery (4,3)

DOWN 1 Important card game for Spooner is to inflict crippling damage (7) 2 Be sexually aroused by an unpleasant woman, a Swede (8) 3 Associate skins up, to become unconscious (6) 4 So a grass is mistaken for seaweed (8) 5 Children’s author and playwright retires, heading for Tasmania (6) 6 A Conservative has to demand enthusiastic welcome (7) 9 Church’s really empty, holding first service of the festive season (11) 15 Ordered John to be at work (2,3,3) 16 Quiet Spanish woman hiding new engineer’s glasses (5-3) 17 Inspiration encompasses depth and comprehensiveness (7) 18 Become very fond of female sporting floral clothes (4,3) 20 Hard gangster can cry (6) 21 Use English Master’s tactic (6)

Editorial Policy

The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not necessarily represent those of the faculty, staff, or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submissions must include name, class distinction, major, phone number, and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@gmail.com by 5 p.m. Friday. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space, or journalistic ethics.

The Student Printz

@studentprintz

“There is an idea of Patrick Bateman, some kind of abstraction, but there is no real me, only an entity, something illusory, and though I can hide my cold gaze and you can shake my hand and feel ﬂesh gripping yours and maybe you can sense our lifestyles are comparable: I am simply not there.” -Patrick Bateman from “American Psycho” Read the book review online at www.studentprintz.com.

Opinions Expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.

NEWS

Monday, January 26, 2015 | Page 3

ON CAMPUS

Students beneﬁt from experiences abroad Mary Sergeant Printz Reporter

The University of Southern Mississippi offers its students the opportunity to study abroad at partner universities through its International Exchange Program. This program also allows international students to attend class at Southern Miss. Students choose between 14 partnership universities across the world. From there, they can either spend a semester or an entire year abroad. “Exchanges are either a semester or an academic year. This depends on the student and what they want to accomplish being abroad,” said Hannah Jones, coordinator for International Exchange Programs. “For example, a German major may want to spend a year in Germany at Bonn University to have the more time to improve his/her German, compared to a political science major that may just need/want to go for just a semester to The Hague University in the Netherlands.” Jones has participated in four international programs during her time at Southern Miss, one of which was an exchange program.

“Nothing beats this experience,” Jones said. “You will grow up and change more than you ever imagined.” In order to be considered for the exchange program, students must go through a lengthy application process. First, students meet with Jones to discuss their plan as well as to decide what university best ﬁts their needs. Then, they must complete an interview. Following their acceptance into the program, students apply to the host university of their choosing. The cost of the program varies by what country and city the student chooses, but typically amounts to roughly $11,900 per semester. Junior broadcast journalism major Alexis Ware spent time studying at the University of Exeter in England. “I stayed in Exeter for 3 months,” she said. “I took two modules and mostly only had class twice a week so it gave me a lot of time to join organizations and explore Exeter.” Ware said some of her best memories were made with her fellow exchange students discussing their different cultures. Senior business administration management major Jenny

Nyugen also participated in the International Exchange Program. Nyugen studied in Paris for ﬁve months. Her time in Paris allowed her to create a network of friends from all over the world. “For a business student studying management, being able to adjust and adapt to change, to understand different cultures, to work with people from other countries, as well as to have a wide (network) is very important,” Nyugen said. “I can say that this is the best experience I have had in my college life.” Jana Klar, an international student from Bonn, Germany, is a media studies and English Studies double major in Germany, but she studies advertising at USM. She chose to study in the

South after seeing the different portrayals of the South on television shows such as “True Detective” and “American Horror Story.” On Klar’s ﬁrst day in Mississippi, she did not have Wi-Fi and did not have the opportunity to make any acquaintances, much less friends. After moving in, she was hungry and got lost on her walk to ﬁnd somewhere to eat. “I walked in the wrong direction and got lost, so I asked a woman who was working out on the trail, if she could give me directions to any restaurants,” she said. “But instead of giving me directions, she stopped her workout, took me to Izzo’s and paid for a burrito and gave me a ride back to my dorm.” Klar said Southern hospitality is something that continues to

amaze her. Lisa Berrie, an international student from Keele University in England, studies English and American literature at Southern Miss. Berrie started a blog to document her time here. She said it has become very popular to audiences across the globe. “Well it was people I met here who asked me to write a blog about my experiences,” she said. “As a result I’ve discovered my love and talent for writing.” Both Klar and Berrie have been at Southern Miss since August and will leave in June. To apply for the International Exchange Program for fall 2015, students must apply by March 16. For more information contact Hannah Jones at Hannah.L.Jones@usm.edu.

LOCAL

Court voids Hattiesburg Groundworx contract Colin Cameron Printz Reporter

The court terminated the contract between the city of Hattiesburg and Hattiesburgbased water dispersal company Groundworx LLC that was to construct and manage a wastewater dispersal system for the city. It would spray treated wastewater over about 10,000 acres of land as opposed to discharging it into the Leaf River. The contract was signed in January 2014 and has been the subject of the ongoing disputes between the city and the company throughout the year. Last month, Forrest County Chancery Judge M. Ronald Doleac ruled that the contract violated due process clauses in federal and state constitutions and in January 2014 ruled that the contract also violated a state prohibition that prevents a government from aiding private businesses. “I was a little surprised and a little disappointed with the ruling,” City Council President Kim Bradley said in an article published by the Hattiesburg American. “I don’t know that I agree with it, but he’s the judge.”

According to Associated Press, controversy and disputes surrounded the contract for the next seven months regarding the $141 million and the steep sewer rate required to fund the project. In February 2014, Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree vetoed the steep sewage rate hike intended to help pay off a 30-year bond issue for the $141 million. In June, Groundworx filed a complaint claiming the city had breached the contract asked that the city pay $6 million for damages and work completed so far if the contract was not enforced. The city responded by saying that it was pulling out of the agreement and as a result, Groundworx amended its complaint. However, according to the Hattiesburg American, the recent rulings were based on Hattiesburg resident Thomas Blanton’s cross complaint that argued the contract violated the constitution. Any plans for an appeal have not been provided at this time. Council Clerk Debbie Bernardo and Neel-Shaffer engineer Nathan Husman declined commenting on the situation.

Morgan Covington/Printz

The University of Southern Mississippi offers an opportunity for students to study abroad to 14 different partner universities, including France, Germany, England and more. Students can spend either a semester or year abroad and the program allows for international students to study at USM as well.

SPECIAL

Page 4 | Monday, January 26, 2015

INTERNATIONAL

Islamic faith: extremists’ violence do not reflect religious teachings by: Lindsey Kelley | Printz Reporter As upperclassmen college students, most remember the fateful morning that two planes crashed into the World Trade Center and changed both the New York skyline and American views of Islam.The universe became an unsure place, where suddenly Middle Eastern power struggles left their nations across the world and found their homes on American soil for the entire nation to see. Suddenly, not only were Al-Qaida and Bin Laden household names, but rampant Islamophobia ruled the schools and the media with a reign that carried on for over 14 years into today. These events have become an epidemic, with groups such as the Al-Qaida and the Islamic State (previously known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS) taking the credit for the attacks. According to the BBC, an attack on Jan. 7 on Parisian satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo left 11 dead and 11 injured after two masked gunmen invaded the office. The gunmen, brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi, shouted “God is Great” and “We have avenged the Prophet Muhammad” as they attacked the office and were later found to have had jihadist flags in their abandoned getaway vehicle. Both

suspects were killed in a firefight with French police two days later. While the Charlie Hebdo suspects were surrounded, gunman Amedy Coulibaly and a woman called Hayat Boumeddiene held up a Parisian kosher supermarket, claiming that he would not back down until the Kouachi brothers were freed. By the time the elite commandos had stormed the store and fatally shot Coulibaly, four hostages had been killed and 15 were freed. According to Time Magazine, 15 survivors were later also found hiding in the downstairs cold storage room, led there by Muslim shop employee Lassana Bathily. Boumeddiene, who had previously exchanged over 500 phone calls with the Kouachi brothers, is still wanted by the police and is thought to have fled France. Many Muslims and Islamic leaders cried out in condemnation against these terrorist attacks and others of its kind. The Washington Post reported on Dec. 15 in Sydney, Australia, a pro-Islamic State fanatic held 17 hostages in a downtown cafe. Grand Mufti Ibrahim Abu Mohamed, the country’s highest Islamic authority, stated: ‘The Grand Mufti and the Australian National Imams Council condemn this criminal act unequivocally and reiterate that such actions are denounced in part and in whole in Islam.” Muslim students talk faith Ameer Buti, a sophomore international business major and president of the Southern Miss Muslim Student Association, said there are five principles, or “pillars,” of Islam: prayer five times a day, fasting during Ramadan, the pilgrimage to Mecca, the Shahadah or testimony of faith and the zakkat (donation

to charity). “Those are just the foundations,” Ameer Buti said. “With it also comes proper presentation of the self and proper intentions.” Wisam Buti, a sophomore microbiology major and vice president of the MSA continued on to broach an uncomfortable topic. “There is also a sixth pillar: jihad,” Wisam Buti said. “(Many people) misuse that word. That translates to ‘the struggle,’ (however) it is an internal struggle with the self. It tries to make you a better person from the inside out.” Cause of violent outlook There remains one question to be asked: if Islam is a peaceful religion, what caused this rise in militant Muslims? Benjamin Hardman, USM professor of religion, said this rise in “Islamic fundamentalists” is not a recent event but has occurred as a result of a slow infection of extremist ideals beginning roughly in the 18th century. Mohammad Ibn Abd-alWahhab was a Muslim scholar in the early 18th century that sought what he called a “true return to Islam,” and believed that Christians and Jews were, according to one of his essays, devil worshippers that should be struck with the sword. These ideas slowly spread throughout Saudi Arabia and later came into play after the Six Day War. This was a war that, despite heavy Arab advantage, was a victory for the Israelis after only six days of ﬁghting. “There is this idea that Islam is being spat upon, and the reason (these countries) were in the condition they were in,” Hardman said. “That’s apocalyptic (for the Arabs). This was a civilizational shock, as if God must have been punishing them. (After the war) was when the fundamentalists

FEATURE

Monday, January 26, 2015 | Page 5

While misguided followers terrorize the globe, the USM community reacts to extremists and discuss Islamic myths. started to become very powerful.” Organization and growth This growth of power brought the rise of such organizations as the IS and Al-Qaida which formed in the late 1980s to support Muslims fighting against the Soviet Union. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Al-Qaida was not only responsible for the 9/11 attacks, but also claims responsibility for the recent attack on Charlie Hebdo. According to PBS, the IS formed from a branch of Al-Qaida and has recently risen to power during the Syrian civil war. They currently occupy a large parcel of land in northern Syria as well as many towns in Iraq, with their Iraqi stronghold being in Mosul. Its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, claims to be a “caliph” at the head of an Islamic state that would span the entirety of all Islamic nations. Many young converts have flocked to their ranks, including over 1000 Westerners. According to the International Business Times, the U.S. Department of State said it claimed knowledge of “dozens” of U.S. citizens fighting with the Islamic State. The Canadian government states there are at least 130 Canadian citizens and the British government’s most recent headcount is 500. Former Taliban recruiter Mubin Shaikh, who now works in counterterrorism for the Canadian government, told the IB Times that there is a certain criteria that recruiters look for in a potential Westerner. “(We targeted) people who didn’t know the religion as much. People who were converts, because converts would probably have problems with their parents at home, so they were more likely to stay in our company.” Students react Craig Smith, a senior foreign language major, said that the Westerners who defected were following what they believed in, which he understood. “That’s a perfectly human action,” he said. “In this case though, I condemn their actions because ISIS seems to be a group of extremists who are willing to act violently and oppressively in order to establish their caliphate. Everyone has the right to believe what they want, but I feel that one person’s rights stop where they begin to encroach

on another person’s rights.” “(al-Baghdadi) is a self proclaimed scholar, and what knowledge he has he takes out of context and justifies it. That attracts so many ignorant youth,” Ameer Buti said of the IS leader. “Extremists try to tarnish (the Islamic faith.), using recent converts that have little knowledge of the Quran.” “The Quran is the guidebook to build the house (of faith),” Wisam Buti said. “If I wanted to learn more about Islam, I would go there.” Some Southern Miss students believe that the saturating of IS and Al-Qaida news in the media is intentional. Patrick Hunter, a sophomore theatre major, said he believed the media is looking for what he called a “real life supervillain.” “Though yes, these are terrible organizations founded on principles of hate, by keeping news coverage on them (at all times) only serves to spread that message and the fear of these groups,” he said. “At the end of the day I think it’s just fear mongering that will ultimately end with our continued occupation of the Middle East.” Smith said these attacks could continue, with the possibility of more “lone-wolf” operations such as the attack on the Paris supermarket. “That threat grows with the number of individuals who do go to the Middle East in effort to aid the ISIS effort and receive training, but then return to the U.S. or wherever they came from,” he said. Smith continued to express his fear for the future of Islam in America. “I fear that the general American populace will see the religion of Islam as a synonym to ISIS,” he said. “That could result in terrible setbacks regarding civil rights and a rise in xenophobic (sympathies). I feel like many Americans don’t understand that extremism is just that, extremism. It isn’t reflective of the entire religion.” Extremists have used Islam as a springboard in the past, and now many young Muslims are now fighting against ignorance and seek to show the world the true face of their religion. Sheila Musaji of The American Muslim states, “There is a struggle going on within all the religious groups, not only for the soul of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, but beyond that, all of us together for the soul of humanity.”

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FATALITIES ATTACKS EVERY DAY

OPINION

Page 6 | Monday, January 26, 2015

MOVIES

‘Selma’ deserves more than Oscars snub Jesse Hammett Printz Reporter

Historical drama “Selma” came out of its first weekend at a little over $11 million, a far cry from Eastwood’s “American Sniper” debut, which blew apart the box office at $60 million. However, the film has proven to be more than the sum of its ticket sales, as it’s been met with universal acclaim for its raw performances and emotional delineation of the Civil Rights struggle in 1964 Alabama. The film currently maintains a 99 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a full head higher than most other films now in theaters, including the recordshattering “American Sniper.” However, it has been snubbed. Giving it two nominations, only one being a main category, the 87th Academy Awards has panned the film considerably, inciting some serious headscratching among critics. “Selma” enthusiasts everywhere ask, “What gives?” At this moment, Americans are piling into theaters to watch other Americans snipe the daylights out of non-Americans. And sometime in the past, not too long ago and only one state away, Martin Luther King, Jr., marched with many, many more, unarmed and ready to face those too full of hatred to embrace a desegregated world. It would seem there is hardly

a safe space for discourse regarding treatment of race. The world of social media reels in the wake of “American Sniper,” with thrown-about racial slurs tightening the tension that surrounds the ideals that “Selma” attempts to advocate. Despite all its heart, quality, execution and whathave-you, “Selma” didn’t quite bring on what the Academy committee wanted. While the box office numbers point to objectivity and general lack of interest as the culprits of the film’s snubbing, there were some technicalities speculated to have been involved. According to The Wrap, director Ava DuVernay has not been given any credit in writing the film’s script, despite her wide range of contributions that includes rewrites of King’s speeches due to never acquiring the rights to the originals. Screenwriter Paul Webb was given the credit of writing the movie as a result of a contract. To me, it seems that the screenplay squabble was a petty reason to disregard the movie’s reflective and masterfully delivered writing. The film debuted shortly after a zenith of racial controversy concerning the Ferguson incidents, Eric Garner’s murder and other tragedies. To have a film about Civil Rights shot down despite its overwhelmingly positive critical reception seems

like another chance to give white actors and filmmakers the spotlight, while overlooking serious American issues. Further, there was the matter of the movie’s interpretation of Lyndon Johnson, the president who collaborated with King to change voting laws. Criticism was dealt on his blunt portrayal of Johnson as a bit of a dirtbag and reluctant ally while it is widely held that he was a willing player in King’s fight. There are critics who find this dynamic to be an outrage. Johnson, as well as any white person, should be celebrated and respected when they stand with their black allies, right? Well, hardly, as the conflict depicted by the movie is not about white people, and the Civil Rights movement was never about the feelings of white people. In short, it shouldn’t matter what Johnson had to say to King. What matters is black Americans making a stand against institutionalized racism. Black filmmakers and actors had the chance, however slim that chance might have been, to have their voices heard among the disorienting rabble of white voices. But that prospect has been dismantled by a few seemingly socially unaware committee members. As Lyndon Johnson said in 1965, “There is no Southern problem. There is no Northern problem. There is only an American problem.”

Courtesy Photo

SPORTS

Monday, January 26, 2015 | Page 7

OPINION

Collins evolves into star for Patriots Joshua Campbell Sports Editor

When the New England Patriots traded up and selected Jamie Collins 52nd overall in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, the team hoped he would develop into a solid pass rusher off the edge in its 3-4 scheme. What nobody truly anticipated was that Collins would emerge as the team’s most versatile defender, best coverage linebacker, play caller and leading tackler in just his second season. During the 2013-14 postseason, NFL analysts were stunned when they saw No. 91 lined up outside as a corner in man-to-man coverage. But if they did a little research on Collins’ football journey, they would not be as surprised. The McCall Creek, Mississippi native was 6 feet, 3 inches and just 210 pounds when he ﬁrst arrived at Southern Miss. A threestar recruit, according to Rivals, Collins listed as an athlete without a true position. Collins started off at USM as a safety, but as his frame continued to ﬁll out, the coaching staff decided to move him to linebacker and eventually defensive end. His collegiate career was impressive to say the least. He racked up 314 tackles, 21 sacks, three interceptions and three touchdowns donning the black and gold. “Jamie’s a smart kid. He’s a player that had a lot of experience, just not at the same position,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said. “He started off as a

TENNIS

quarterback in high school, went to Southern Miss as a safety, and they moved him to inside linebacker, then he played outside linebacker in a 3-4, then his senior year he played defensive end in a 4-3 and was rarely in coverage. “I would say looking at him coming out of college, you wouldn’t say that he was overly proﬁcient in any of those areas, but I think you could see a lot of improvement in his play over the course of the year, like as a pass-rusher, as a defensive end, he progressed a lot, but only played one year,” Belichick said. With his experience as a defensive back, Collins always possessed the ability to cover and his athleticism wowed scouts at the 2013 NFL Draft Combine. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.64 seconds, 3-cone drill in 7.1 seconds, and 60-yard shuttle in 11.55 seconds while recording a 41.5 inch vertical leap and a 139 inch broad jump. Each one of those marks topped all other linebackers that attended the combine in Indianapolis, Indiana. Despite putting up monster numbers in college and at the combine, many scouts viewed him as a project with a fourthround grade. NFL.com gave him a prospect grade of 68.8, which according to the site, players with a grade in the range of 5069 are draftable prospects and “a prospect with the ability to make team as a backup/role player.” Boy, were they wrong. After a knee injury ended Jerod Mayo’s season, the Patriots were extremely thin at inside

linebacker, considering they had already lost Brandon Spikes to free agency in the offseason. After Mayo’s injury, the Patriots traded for linebackers Akeem Ayers and Jonathan Casillas, hoping to help soften the blow of losing the All-Pro linebacker. However, in an experimental move, Belichick decided to test Collins out on the inside when Mayo went down and he has been the starter there ever since. Not only has he been the starter, he has easily become one of the better defensive players in the league and has excelled in every aspect. After only recording 43 tackles, zero sacks or interceptions in his rookie year, Collins’ production has gone through the roof. During the regular season, he recorded 116 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions and four forced fumbles. What is even more impressive is what he has shown as a pass rusher from the inside after only ever having experience as an outside rusher. According to Pro Football Focus, Collins has got pressure on the quarterback 26 times out of just 81 pass rushes during the regular season, the highest success rate of any inside linebacker in the NFL. In most cases in today’s NFL, being as versatile as Collins is can sometimes be a detriment to a player’s production because they never get to hone in on one speciﬁc ability. But Collins’ versatility is exactly what has made him into a star at the next level. “He can go from anywhere,

Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports

New England Patriots outside linebacker Jamie Collins (91) celebrates with defensive tackle Sealver Siliga (96) after an interception during the fourth quarter against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium.

rushing the passer to playing in the deep part of the ﬁeld,” Belichick said. “He’s a versatile player that can handle a lot of different responsibilities and assignments and the communication that goes with that.” Now listed at 250 pounds, Collins has become a physical force the Patriots and was a major reason the Patriots advanced to the Super Bowl. With only Russell Wilson and the Seattle

Seahawks standing in the way of Collins becoming a Super Bowl champion, the Patriots will need Collins to keep Wilson from doing damage with his legs as he and Hightower will both spend time spying Wilson. Collins has come an extremely long way since arriving at Southern Miss as a safety and is now one of the best inside linebackers in the NFL and playing for the Lombardi Trophy.

Men’s and women’s teams triumph in season opener Joshua Campbell Sports Editor

Susan Broadbridge/Printz

Junior Norville Carey dunks the ball during the Golden Eagles home game against UAB Jan. 17 falling to the Blazers. Southern Miss faces Rice this week on the road in Houston, Texas.

Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams started their season in dominating fashion, each winning their first two matches of the season. The men’s team began their season with 4-0 wins over Jacksonville State and Alcorn State Saturday at the USM Tennis Courts. Chao-Yu Huang and WenPo Tseng got it started with a 7-5 victory over Pedro Wagner and Jeff Windler-Filho of JSU in the first doubles action of the afternoon. Alex Doleac and Daniel Merker kept the momentum going with a 6-3 win over Jaryd Reese and Dylan Gee. In singles action, Tarun Surat, Huang and Mikhail Esipov each picked up wins over Wagner, Mathias Chaim and Gee, respectively. Against Alcorn State, Surat, Rakshit Rishi and Grigory

Trotsenko each picked up victories in their singles’ matches. Doleac and Merker won their doubles match 6-0 and Brad Marriot and Esipov notched another doubles win ove ASU 6-1. “The team got the season off to a good start winning a double-header against (JSU) and (ASU) 4-0,” said head coach Zubin Engineer. “Both these teams have won their conference championships and made the NCAA tournament last year.” On the women’s side, Carolin Drescher, Lisa Schneider and Elena Roca each won their singles’ matches in convincing fashion against JSU. Claudia Castella was the only member of the women’s team to lose her singles match. But she rebounded nicely in her doubles match with Schneider, going up 5-0 before time ran out. Drescher and Alex Kitchen teamed up for a 6-4 win in their matchup while Karina

Gurgenyan and Roca won their match 6-1 against JSU. Facing Alabama A&M Sunday, the women’s team continued their dominating momentum with a 4-0 win. Kitchen, Gurgenyan and Roca each won their singles matches easily. Gurgenyan was particularly dominating, winning in straight sets, 6-0 each time. In doubles action, Drescher and Kitchen teamed up for a 6-1 win over Shantal Blackwood and Arrice Robinson (Alabama A&M). Castella and Schneider won 6-1 over Symone Townsend and Elysia Ortiz (Alabama A&M). Gurgenyan and Roca were on their way to a win, up 5-2, before running out of time. The women’s team will hope to keep up their dominating pace Saturday when they host William Carey and ASU for a double-header. The men’s team does not play again until Feb. 7 when they travel to Troy, Alabama for a doubleheader against Troy and Alabama State.

Page 8 | Monday, January 26, 2015

BASKETBALL

USM notches ﬁrst conference win, snaps losing streak Ashley Hickman Sports Reporter

Determination and effort paid off for Southern Miss as it defeated North Texas in overtime 75-71. This was USM’s first conference win, now standing at 1-6 in Conference USA. With the self-imposed postseason ban in place, the Golden Eagles do not have much to play for, but the its performance Saturday night showed the team still has its pride. The Mean Green came out hot offensively, but so did Chip Armelin for USM. Armelin sunk a 3-pointer, assisted by Rasham Suarez, cutting the North Texas lead to three with 15:34 left in the first half. Late in the first half, the Golden Eagles began committing mental mistakes. Armelin turned the ball over with 2:25 remaining as North Texas’ Jordan Williams laid the ball up, giving his team a six-point lead, 31-25. Armelin nailed two free throws with seven seconds left on the clock, cutting the Mean Green lead to five, but the Golden Eagles allowed Maurice Aniefiok to drain a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer, increasing its lead to eight. USM never led at any point in the first half of play, and trailed 37-29 at the half.

The Mean Green’s lead rapidly increased in the second half when Williams’ 3-pointer gave them a 14-point lead over the Golden Eagles with 16 minutes remaining. USM was in search of an offensive spark, or even a hero. Armelin again knocked down a pair of free-throws, adding points to one of his best games in a Southern Miss uniform and cutting the Mean Green lead down to only three with 5:12 remaining. A missed jump shot by Bingaya was put back in for two points by Norville Carey, tying the game at 57-57 with three minutes left to play. Southern Miss took advantage of second-chance points, which was key in the victory. With eleven seconds ticking down and USM down three, 62-59, the Golden Eagles were forced to foul, sending North Texas’ Jeremy Combs to the free throw line. Bingaya came up with a huge rebound on Combs’ miss and quickly pushed the ball up the court, passing it to Carey who nailed a clutch three-pointer, sending the game into overtime. That was only Carey’s fourth 3-pointer of the season and USM’s ﬁrst overtime game. “We all knew Norville was going to hit that shot, didn’t we?” said head coach Doc Sadler.

Tim Heitman/USA TODAY Sports

Jan 24, 2015; Denton, TX, USA; Southern Miss Golden Eagles head coach Doc Sadler (L) congratulates guard Kevin Holland (20) after the game against the North Texas Mean Green at UNT Coliseum. The Golden Eagles won in overtime 75-71.

Both teams traded baskets in overtime until Armelin made yet another 3-pointer, giving USM a 67-66 lead with 2:12 on the clock. The Golden Eagles knew it had to continue feeding its hothanded guard, Armelin, who went on to score nine points in overtime play, leading his team to a comeback victory. “Once we heard we weren’t going to be able to play in the postseason,

we just had to swallow our pride and keep playing hard,” Armelin said. Armelin led the way in scoring for Southern Miss with a career-high 30 points. He was 10 of 17 from the ﬂoor, including four of nine beyond the arc. Carey had 18 points and 12 rebounds, his second career double-double. Bingaya also added 12 points and nine rebounds. USM dominated the boards with

42 total rebounds compared to North Texas’ 35. The Golden Eagles also committed fewer turnovers with only 14, while the Mean Green had 17. Southern Miss only played eight players in Saturday’s overtime win. Two of them, Michael O’Donnell and Suarez, fouled out late. Southern Miss will host Marshall Thursday night in search of its second conference win. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

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