11 05 13

Lady Vols eager to rebound for title No. 9

‘Ender’s Game’ fails to depict novel’s finer details Arts & Culture >>pg. 3

Vols prep for Auburn with full-padded practices

Sports >>pg. 5

Sports >>pg. 6

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Issue 52, Volume 124

Knoxville residents capitalize on city’s ‘scruffy’ reputation Savannah Gilman Staff Writer

Keep Knoxville Scruffy.

Emblazoned on bumper stickers and shop windows throughout the city, this slogan has become a movement to preserve Knoxville’s roots.

Jack Neely, associate editor of Metro Pulse and a Knoxville historian, said that “Keep Knoxville Scruffy” was created by Scott and Bernadette West, owners of Preservation Pub, as a reaction to the “Keep Austin Weird” movement.

Promoting loyalty to small businesses in Austin, Texas, “Keep Austin Weird” refers to the local attractions and unique businesses that one can only experience within that particular city. Knoxville’s take on this idea provides local flavor, but the history behind those three words lends context.

“That adjective originated with Wall Street Journal reporter Susan Harrigan, who in 1980 wrote a skeptical story called ‘What if you gave a World’s Fair and

nobody came?’” Neely said.

“She described Knoxville dismissively as ‘a scruffy little city on the Tennessee River.’”

While the label “scruffy” was not initially welcomed, the descriptor was soon reclaimed with defiant pride. Sporting the declaration “The Scruffy Little City Did It” on t-shirts and pins after the 1982 World’s Fair, Knoxville locals celebrated the city’s triumph.

“Around 2010, I planned a series of podcast talk shows called ‘The Scruffy Citizen,’” Neely said. “We did about 80 of them. Then there was a monthly liveradio (WUTK) music show called ‘Scruffy City Ramble,’ hosted by Scott Miller, Benny Smith and me. I think it’s on venue-related hiatus at the moment, but I hope it will return.”

Earth to Old City, a Knoxville area boutique in business for more than 20 years, has worked to generate interest in the history of Knoxville and promote shopping locally.

See SCRUFFY on Page 2

Janie Prathammavong • The Daily Beacon

The famous international a cappella singers Swingle Singers perform Sunday at the AMB, singing original songs from their new album “Weather to Fly” and a cappella renditions of more well-known tunes.

Swingle Singers croon catchy a cappella Andelyn Barclay

Contributor A cappella has received much attention in pop culture recently, specifically since the release of “Pitch Perfect.”

Renowned group, the Swingle Singers, brought its real life talent to the Cox Auditorium Saturday night as part of their 50th anniversary tour.

The group, which features four male and three female vocalists, has 50 albums and five Grammy Awards to its name.

As the performance began, the group took the stage with the song “Weather to Fly.” Not only did the group

sing in harmony, but it also used a combination of whistling, humming, beat boxing and breathing into the microphone to mimic the sounds of instruments to accompany the music.

The performance featured several original songs, including “Reservoir Kids,” “Hiding Your Smile” and “Piper.”

Other pieces included renditions of the Beatles song “Lady Madonna,” and a remake of Beyoncé’s song “Single Ladies,” which became “All the Swingle Ladies.”

The band also showcased its international travels by singing a song the group picked up on tour. The song, “Gemiler

Giresune” is a Turkish love song about two young lovers who are destined to be separated forever.

Overall, the performance was met with applause between each musical number and ended with a standing ovation, to which the Swingle Singers responded with an encore.

After the performance, many people stayed around for the meet-and-greet with the group.

Chelsea Milligan, senior in theater and communication studies, was impressed by the group’s onstage passion.

“It was so incredible,” Milligan said. “They were so

incredibly in sync with each other, which was just crazy to watch. You could really tell they have a passion about what they do onstage and you could see that in their performance.”

For Ethan Roeder, a junior in College Scholars, the Swingle Singers served as his first experience with live a cappella.

“Getting to have that experience of seeing almost everything done with just their voices was just incredible,” Roeder said. “It is definitely something that I want to see again.”

See SWINGLE SINGERS on Page 3

Special Olympics make Lady Vols beat CN, 115-31 impact felt in Knoxville Patrick MacCoon Staff Writer

Hayley Brundige

Staff Writer A division of the international organization founded in 1968, the Knoxville Special Olympics aims to improve the quality of life for individuals with mental retardation and their families.

Area Five, the first Special Olympics program in the Knoxville area, was initiated in 1972 with 300 special education students from Knoxville, Oak Ridge and Roane County.

Initially, track and field events were the only ones offered. Since then, the program has grown to include over 1,500 athletes.

Eight new traditional sports and 10 unified sports have been added, including gymnastics, basketball, swimming, flag football and soccer.

Tim Lee, co-director of Knoxville Area Special Olympics, said one of the main goals of the program is to undermine stereotypes.

“A lot of the time when people think about Special Olympics, they imagine a bunch of kids running around, getting help and not wearing proper athletic gear,” said Lee, who is also a special education teacher at Hardin Valley Academy. “But we are giving them the same experience as you would any athlete.”

With guidance from teachers and coaches, athletes can choose what sports they wish

to participate in.

“We have athletes with different cognitive abilities and different physical abilities, but no matter what, someway, somehow we can figure out what they can excel at,” Lee said.

With funding for Special Olympics events coming entirely from donations from the community and fundraising events throughout the year, athletes are not charged for their participation or for trips to any out-of-town competitions.

“Our biggest expenses are the traveling and registration fees that go along with our four state events per year as well as the medals we purchase for the athletes,” Lee said. “We are usually able to make ends meet, but sometimes we really do struggle with funding.”

Unified sports, as opposed to traditional, are played with teams that pair special education students with non-disabled partners. These cooperative games, such as basketball, build self-esteem and confidence for disabled athletes.

“Special Olympics is all about pushing students with disabilities to their full potential,” said Carrie Hopper, a sophomore majoring in special education. “With unified sports, they are given the opportunity to play and have real competition with other students with or without dis-

INSIDE THE DAILY BEACON In Short News Opinions Arts & Culture Sports

Page 2 Page 3, 5 Page 4 Page 6-7 Page 8-9

• Photo Courtesy of Special Olympics

Special Olympics of Greater Knoxville provides athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. abilities.”

Immensely impacted by her time as a volunteer, Hopper’s best memory involves a 21-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who had never walked before joining the Special Olympics program.

“Everyone stopped and watched her finish her race, cheering her on,” Hopper said. “It was one of the greatest events of my entire life just to see her compete and do something that she would have never had hope to do before that.”

See SPECIAL OLYMPICS on Page 2

The No. 4 Lady Vols showcased their size down low and easily blew past the CarsonNewman Lady Eagles 115-31 in UT’s first and only exhibition this season at ThompsonBoling Arena on Monday night.

With one of the tallest rosters in all of Division-I women’s basketball, Tennessee dominated in the paint where the team scored 60 points and outrebounded its in-state opponent 58-32.

The size difference was notable from the start and on paper as six Lady Vols measured in at 6-foot-2 or taller, while the Lady Eagles possessed 10 players listed under 5-foot-10 in height.

“I thought our post players rebounded really well but our guards Andraya Carter and Jordan Reynolds rebounded really well too,” Tennessee head coach Holly Warlick said of the two guards who combined for 13 total rebounds.

“We’re not going to shoot 100 percent, so we have to make a game out of the rebounding part of it. When we get second and third chance points it improves our chances of winning a lot and field goal percentage.”

Sophomore Bashaara Graves led the way on the offensive end with 21 points and led the team in rebounds (11) and steals (5).

See BASKETBALL on Page 5

Like The Daily Beacon is printed using soy based ink on newsprint containing recycled content, utilizing renewable sources and produced in a sustainable, environmental responsble manner.

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The Daily Beacon

Matthew DeMaria • The Daily Beacon

Tennessee freshman center Mercedes Russell shoots a layup during an exhibition game against the CarsonNewman Lady Eagles at Thompson-Boling Arena on Monday.

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2 • THE DAILY BEACON

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 News Editor Hanna Lustig

CAMPUS NEWS

hlustig@utk.edu

Assistant News Editor Emilee Lamb

elamb1@utk.edu

Around Rocky Top

Matt Cikovic • The Daily Beacon

Students enjoy downtime on Monday afternoon while slacklining outside of HSS.

SCRUFFY continued from Page 1 Lindsey West, an employee at Earth to Old City for nearly six years, affirmed that residents still embrace this term of endearment.

“We began our line of ‘Keep

SPECIAL OLYMPICS continued from Page 1 Hopper started volunteering with Special Olympics in high school, and has continued to work various events around her busy school schedule.

“Volunteering has made me realize how much that people with disabilities are truly capable of,” Hopper said. “A lot of the time, our culture underestimates them. People

Knoxville Scruffy’ merchandise around two years ago when Scott West came up with the idea to tweak the slogan,” West said. “We began printing the slogan on t-shirts, but because of its popularity we’ve expanded the line to include hoodies, bags, cozies, and anything we can put it on.”

Despite architectural improvewith disabilities can be so determined, and after they finish their event or tournament they are just filled with so much joy and happiness.

Sometimes it’s because they got a gold medal, and sometimes it’s just because they finished the race, and it’s the greatest moment ever for them.”

But the mission of Special Olympics moves far beyond winning races or medals. For Hopper, Special Olympics poses the chance to befriend

Beacon Flashbacks

On this day in 1986, the 31st issue of Vol. 44 of The Daily Beacon reported on the Tennessee gubernatorial election. Ned McWherter, who at the time served as the Democratic House Speaker, won the election by a final count of 651,067 votes, beating Republican candidate Winfield Dunn by about 100,000 votes.

McWherter’s victory marked a return to prominence for Tennessee’s Democratic party,

which had held the governor’s seat for nearly 50 years before losing to the Republicans and a younger Winfield Dunn in 1971.

Since that 1971 election, no two successive governors have belonged to the same party.

McWherter became a staunch supporter of East Tennessee and insisted on public governmental procedures.

He also discouraged the idea of a state income tax despite a

tax study commission’s recommendation. Tennessee remains one of nine states without a broad-based individual income tax.

In 2011, McWherter passed away due to cancer. His memorial was attended by former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore, among other notables.

-- Compiled by Editor-inCheif, R.J. Vogt.

NYFW designer to give Art Talk lecture

ments, Neely said he believes the revival of this historic phrase remains relevant.

“Knoxville’s a whole lot more Melodi Erdogan obviously impressive today than Managing Editor it was in 1980, but I think it still has some scruff to it, and #UTKGetsFierce: this always will,” Neely said. “And hashtag, emblazoned on postI think that’s what some people ers and flyers across campus, like about it.” advertises a groundbreaking lecture sponsored by the Visual Arts Committee of the Central talented individuals while Program Council. advocating for fairness and Christian Siriano will be the respect. first fashion designer to deliver “There is more to having an Art Talk today at the UC a relationship with someone auditorium. who has a disability than tryThe Annapolis, Md., native ing to help them or teach debuted his namesake collection them,” Lee said. “It’s more in 2008 at New York Fashion about developing relation- Week, five months after he ships that give them the same was announced the winner of opportunities that any other the fourth season of “Project person would have.”

Runway.” Since then, Siriano The next Special Olympics has been known for his evening event is a basketball game gowns and cocktail dresses, cloththat will be held at Holston ing celebrities like Taylor Swift, Middle School on Nov. 21. Sarah Jessica Parker and “Project To learn more, donate or sign Runway” host and model, Heidi up to volunteer for Special Klum. In 2013, the 27-year-old Olympics, visit www.knoxvil- was inducted into the Council of lespecialolympics.org.

Fashion Designers of America,

CFDA, alongside other “Project Runway” host, Michael Kors.

Much like previous Art Talk lectures VAC has held, Siriano will discuss his design process, inspirations and experiences within his field. Shannon Herron, graduate adviser for VAC, said the committee hopes to provide a more diverse definition of “visual art.”

“We are really trying to broaden our definition of ‘visual art’ to encompass all aspects of the industry as well as to reach a broader audience who might be interested in fashion, costume design, etc,” Herron, a first year graduate student in transmedia design, said via email. “I think it will be great for our students to hear how someone was able to take something that they were passionate about and make a very successful worldwide brand and name for themselves in this very competitive industry.”

Each spring, the Visual Arts Committee holds an annual plan-

ning meeting where they brainstorm future lecturers, events and exhibits they would like to bring to campus. Siriano emerged as a potential lecturer and the committee managed to schedule him as its keynote speaker this semester.

Morgan Hardy, VAC’s press secretary, said she also hopes Siriano’s perspective and work as a fashion designer will expand the definition of visual art.

“There’s a pretty good faction of people in the world that consider fashion as art and fashion as a visual art,” Hardy, a senior in theater, said. “I think that fashion is art, I think it can be wearable art, and I think we wanted to explore that idea a little more…”

From a press secretary standpoint, Hardy said Siriano’s talent will sell itself. However, with this event, VAC is trying out new promotional campaign tools, such as the hashtag, QR codes and setting up tables on Pedestrian Walkway, to inform more students of the event.

“I would say in my time at the committee, this is one of the biggest events that we’ve had,” Hardy said, “This is also one of the most forthright efforts we’re making to make a comprehensive media plan and make a comprehensive advertising plan that will promote the event so we can get the turnout that we want.”

VAC Chair Marta Lee, said Art Talk events “are designed to bring a new perspective to students.”

“By having artists themselves speak about their work, we’re able to see it in a new light,” Lee, a senior pursuing a bachelor’s degree in two-dimensional arts with a concentration in painting, said via email interview.

VAC brought a Post Secret exhibit to campus about two years ago and is hosting a lecture by artist Wayne White on Nov. 7.

Both Hardy and Herron acknowledge attempting to broaden the definition of visual art, and both emphasized their hopes that the event will help establish fashion design within that category.

“We haven’t delved into the world of fashion design but are very excited to start with Christian’s lecture,” Herron said.

“I think this will be a great lecture as it will be of interest to a very diverse portion of the student body-anyone from art, theater, and costume design to retail and consumer science, marketing, and anywhere in between will be able to gain a lot of insight into their field from this event.”

The event has open seating, and the doors of the UC auditorium will open at 6:30 p.m. Student ID is required for all students attending. There will be 532 seats available for the lecture.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

THE DAILY BEACON • 3 Arts & Culture Editor Claire Dodson

ARTS & CULTURE ‘Ender’s Game’ exhibits strong visuals, shallow plot

pdodson@utk.edu

Assistant Arts & Culture Editor Cortney Roark

croark4@utk.edu

R.J. Vogt

Editor-in-Chief In Gavin Hood’s film adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s sci-fi epic, “Ender’s Game,” the story sacrifices rich characterization in order to translate only the most vital plot elements.

Just like the 1985 dystopian classic, the humans beat the aliens thanks to a boy genius. But the intricacies of his genius – the complex tension between strategic brutality and a deeply loving empathy – are left largely out of the script.

In keeping with a general trend in American entertainment, “Ender’s Game” revolves around planet Earth in the years after a devastating alien invasion. Millions were killed in the battle, but a brilliant pilot ended the invasion and literally saved the world. As hard as it may be to believe, nations join

together to fund a hyper-technical International Fleet, sending billions of dollars into space to find the alien’s home planet and destroy it before they return again.

The Fleet depends on a child training station known as Battle School, a space station packed with the most promising tactical prodigies of the known world. Ender, a wide-eyed 11-year-old played by Asa Butterfield, arrives at Battle School after proving his willingness to resort to violence in a particularly ruthless schoolyard brawl. He immediately faces alienation at the hands of Colonel Graff, a Harrison Ford-type principal played, predictably, by Harrison Ford.

Up to this point, Hood’s onscreen version nails the character development necessary to attach the audience to Ender. As soon as Ender gets to Battle School, however, the director takes an all-too

SWINGLE SINGERS continued from Page 1

familiar approach, ditching characterization for the more scintillating options of explosions, gratuitous shots of Harrison Ford scowling and feel-good moments of Ender making friends.

The entertainment value skyrockets. The movie envisions Card’s brilliant, zero-gravity battle game in a sexy, transparent globe; watching 11-year-olds engage in a very real war simulation while floating through space was much more enjoyable than watching the Vols engage in very bad football game Saturday night.

A techno-psychological “Mind Game” that Ender plays on the futuristic equivalent of an iPad also fascinates. Hood takes advantage of the virtual sequences, planting a few subtle references to the book for its fans while offering a more obvious stimulation to the moviegoers.

Despite the benefits of a movie

• Photo Courtesy of Summit Entertainment

“Ender’s Game” is based on the sciencefiction bestseller of the same name by Orson Scott Card. The film topped the box office in its opening weekend with a total of $28 million.

Assassin’s Creed takes nautical twist with Black Flag Troy Provost-Heron

The Swingle Singers also seemed pleased with the performance.

“We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves,” said Sarah Brimer, who sings soprano in the group.

“I mean, you kind of get a sense from the audience if they are enjoying it or not, and sometimes it’s a little bit hard to gauge, but tonight it wasn’t very hard to gauge. They were having a good time, and that just means the world to us.”

Baritone Kevin Fox attributed some of the night’s success to the popularity of a cappella in the U.S. “We always like playing in the States as well, I think, because the style of music is very known here,” Fox said. “Obviously there is some big a capella groups, and people are very knowledgeable and they get all the little nuances we do, so we really appreciate having a really knowledgeable and enthusiastic audience.”

For Brimer, the performance at the Cox Auditorium was much more than a concert. It was more along the lines of a homecoming for the Bristol, Tenn., native. “(It’s) absolutely brilliant,” Brimer said. “I mean, it sounds really cheesy to say it’s like a dream come true, but it kind of is.”

The Swingle Singers’ album can be found on Amazon and iTunes.

screen, however, Ender’s dual nature essentially disappears. We see him making friends as easily as a normal 11-year-old, when Card’s original character struggles internally to manage his empathy and violence. Of course, the disappearance of internal thoughts is almost a necessity in the cinema medium; sans a narrator, we must settle for emoted thoughts rather than written down insights.

Losing these insights cripples the story, but even in this setback, the movie provides one crutch: Butterfield’s depiction of Ender’s inner conflict. The young actor manages to look like he’s about to cry or murder at any moment, an impressive feat for the Hugo star.

Still, even an excellent actor cannot communicate the intricacies of an extensive novel. What we are left with in “Ender’s Game” as a film is an entertaining, if shallow, visual experience.

Assistant Sports Editor It’s time to strap into the Animus once more.

This time, however, Ubisoft decided to go in a new direction following its extremely successful Assassin’s Creed III, when the company released Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag on Oct. 29.

Rather than continuing to progress through history like the other five major installments, the video game publisher decided to back track and allow the newest part of the Assassin’s Creed saga be set more than 40 years prior to Assassin’s Creed III protagonist Connor Kenway’s transgressions during the revolution.

Cue Edward Kenway, a pirate sailing throughout the Caribbean looking for riches who just so happens to stumble into a conflict that holds the weight of the world in the balance.

Edward – the grandfather of Connor – is the captain of his ship, the Jackdaw, and he, along with his crew and the help of the pirate republic that rules the Caribbean at the time, attempt to hold off the Templars – the

bad guys of the entire series – from destroying everything they have built.

In terms of game play, the key difference in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag compared to all the other games is its nautical base.

While AC3 did incorporate ships and naval warfare a bit, Black Flag takes that foundation and builds on it immaculately. This created a solid balance between the free-run, assassination style that made the franchise so popular and the sea-faring aspect that allows for a much more versatile gaming experience.

Pillaging, plundering and treasure hunting seem to be the norm in this assassin’s adventures and will have the player living out every bit of the swashbuckling dreams he or she may have had as a child.

A new weaponry system also makes its debut in the series in the form of the ability to wield dual swords and pistols, which, when added to the patented assassin’s hidden blades, can result in a lot of mayhem along the way.

When the gamer eventually falls victim to being glued to the controller and addicted to the game, Ubisoft

• Photo Courtesy of Ubisoft

“Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag” is the sixth main installment in the Assassin’s Creed series. The player takes on the role of an Abstergo Industries research analyst as they explore the story of Edward Kenway. made sure they never have to go a second without it even if they are away from their console with the Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Companion app.

The app, which is available on the iPad and Android tablets, allows the player to delve into the game even deeper with the ability to control their fleet, keep treasure maps nearby, and

even keep track of their progress as they complete the game.

There is no doubt Ubisoft’s sixth installment of one of the best video game sagas of all time is another success and is guaranteed to have you singing “a pirate’s life for me” by the time you are done.

4 • THE DAILY BEACON

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 Editor-in-Chief R.J. Vogt

OPINIONS

rvogt@utk.edu

Contact us letters@utk.edu

Why I believe in leopard skin pants and rock ‘n’ roll The Taboo Parlor by

Chase Parker I love ‘80s cover bands.

This was the only sentence my brain could even attempt to manifest during my most recent encounter with the Fly-By Radio at a bar a few weeks ago.

For those of you regrettably unaware of Birmingham’s ‘80s metal lovechild, all you need to know is that their purpose, their mission, their grail is to allow young millennials, such as ourselves, to enjoy a fast-paced and singalong-filled trip to into the long-haired, leather and leopard-print glamor of the Reagan years.

Even if it is only for a few songs and a few mixed drinks before stumbling back to our apartments and back into the likes of our euphonically bland 21st century.

Before I returned from The Hill to my home for the night and my imminent hangover, I experienced one of the most memorable nights of my entire life. For four hours, from opening note to the final chord, I was transplanted by what must have been my ‘80s self. My jeans felt like they were acid washed, my jacket somehow became denim and shamelessly sleeveless, my hair was beautifully feathered; I left my face at the bar, for it had been rocked off long before the encore.

I know what you are thinking. It is easy to tune out the significance of a traveling cover band, attributing its marginal success to cheesiness, cheap liquor, loose inhibitions and inability to acquiesce to the times, but, these supposed admonitions are exactly why ‘80s cover bands are so talented and are why not only every single millennial at this university, but in the entire United States, should experience one of their shows.

As college students, we constantly seek this idea of profoundness. It is inherent to our nature as scholars. Science majors want to uncover the next great human achievement, humanities majors want to find and/or create the fundamental moods and opinions of their or someone else’s generation, business majors want to economize and maximize profit and human capital and the list goes on.

Pressure pushes us to discover unlike any other generation of Americans ever to have come before us. We are being surpassed in numerous areas by nations around the world – our economy is sluggish and impotent – and we have no great cathartic experience linking us across our country.

This constant search for erudition is brutally tiring and can seem to be perpetually futile.

But there is hope behind the eyeliner.

We need to change the focus of our search for this great experience or great understanding from the grandiose, and examine again the simple and the candid; we need not look any further than ‘80s cover bands.

Despite the elaborateness of the outfits, of the guitar solos and of the methods to get into those ungodly tight pants, there is profoundness in the simplicity of ‘80s music. Power chords, easy to remember lyrics and simple themes of love, sex and rock ‘n’ roll still have people wailing at the top of their lungs to this day.

None of it is complex, but these simple components come together to create something truly profound. The experience brings complete strangers together to throw their fists in the air and leave their troubles at the door.

That is what all of us students need, especially in one of the most stressful and pressurized stints of our entire lives – what and how well we study may not only affect our lives, but the lives and well-beings of innumerable others around us.

There is a reason the Pride of the Southland Band plays “Livin’ On a Prayer” at every single home game. It is a 30-second opportunity to bond with a complete stranger over your mutual love for belting that chorus; a 30-second chance to ignore how bad we are in the second half; more importantly, it is a 30-second reprieve from the pressures of the taxing everyday life of a student hoping to somehow find the next big thing in science, literature or even just in themselves.

Take that 30 seconds and turn it into four hours with Fly-By Radio or one of the many other ‘80s band circulating the South. You may find what you’ve been searching for this whole time – profoundness in leopard-skin pants and rock ‘n’ roll.

Chase Parker is a junior in biochemistry and cellular and molecular biology. He can be reached at sparke23@utk.edu.

Columns of The Daily Beacon are reflections of the individual columnist, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or its editorial staff.

Pursuing purpose, identity key to impactful life by

Sarah Hagaman I narrowed my eyes and leaned closer to the computer screen.

The fall of my senior year in high school had arrived in all its glory and anticipation; junior year had passed, and a brilliant future of freedom and relaxation loomed ahead.

But instead of enjoying the legendary “senior slide,” I dolefully found myself glued to the computer, filling out the endless essays and forms that would hopefully allow me to attend the college of my dreams.

Filling out my basic information was easy; my ACT and AP scores had been sent. Yet one area of the application still remained unfinished. I looked at the essay questions of my college applications, feeling a slight twinge of panic.

“Imagine your tombstone. What three words would you inscribe upon it that reflect your life or character?”

“What is your passion? How does fulfilling your passion influence the lives of others?”

At the ripe old age of 18, trying to place my life’s purpose in total focus seemed impossible.

Deep questions about life, like, “Why are we here? What is the meaning of life? What is destiny?” seemed somewhat premature to ask

Editor-in-Chief: R.J. Vogt Managing Editor: Melodi Erdogan Chief Copy Editor: Gage Arnold News Editor: Hanna Lustig Asst. News Editor: Emilee Lamb Sports Editor: David Cobb Asst. Sports Editor: Troy Provost-Heron Arts & Culture Editor: Claire Dodson Asst. Arts & Culture Editor: Cortney Roark Online Editor: Samantha Smoak

for everyone, but pursuing truth and purpose is absolutely necessary for a fulfilling life.

Many philosophers disagree, and take on a decidedly more defensive posture that remains skeptical of many major beliefs.

I think believing in one’s identity and purpose takes immense courage. Readily conforming to the ideals of others comes naturally, but maintaining a course of ideals requires fortitude and strength.

College allows us an unrivaled opportunity to understand our ideals and discover purpose in life, with people and ideas that may contrast or contradict things we once believed.

True principles will stand despite the tests and questions presented or will otherwise be altered. Pursuing purpose and identity not only offers great fulfillment, but it also creates self-respect and results in the respect of others.

Our lives, and the people who we impact, will directly correlate to our purpose and depend on our beliefs—or lack thereof.

One of America’s most prolific authors, Cormac McCarthy, speaks beautifully to this very point: “I don’t know what sort of world she will live in, and I have no fixed opinions concerning how she should live in it. I only know that if she does not come to value what is true above what is useful, it will make little difference whether she lives at all.”

Sarah Hagaman is a sophomore in English. She can be reached at shagama1@ utk.edu.

Take control of your life by shaping it yourself Lost in Communication by

Jan Urbano It’s easy to get lost in the stories of others instead of our own.

Just like the fantasy novels we read, laden with seemingly heroic and perfect characters, or the TV shows we indulge in, overflowing with intense, intellectual mystery and romance, we love to lose ourselves in entertaining stories.

Yet, we don’t just lose ourselves to media or books – we can find ourselves entranced by the stories of others.

At times, we may feel the lives we lead seem to be lacking something. We try our best to see what we may be missing. Depending on your perspective, you might think you’re not as social as you want to be. On the other hand, it could be that you might struggle with academics.

Regardless of whatever you feel you’re missing in life, be it a trait or something tangible, you make it your goal to reorganize yourself and journey towards a fulfilling life.

However, as social beings, we don’t live lives of solitude. In order to fulfill our own goals, we have to work and interact with others.

As we talk and spend time with others, though, we find ourselves comparing our lives to others. Whether we consciously decide to do such comparisons or not isn’t the problem – it’s how we approach it.

When a person compares his or herself to others, the outcomes can vary. On one hand, the person may become aware of his or her shortcomings and work even harder to fill them in.

However, another possibility is that the person focuses instead on what he or she doesn’t have.

As many of us can attest, our mind has the unscrupulous ability of making us over think such issues. It doesn’t take much for a person to go from the former to the latter choice – especially in a society that stresses “perfection” from everyone, regardless of occupation.

For example, suppose you met someone who was successful in the job you wanted to do. After talking with him or her, you hear about the obstacles and skills needed in order to land your dream job.

When you hear about the difficulty in achieving such a goal, you evaluate yourself and see if you are truly up to the challenge. As you constantly think about what you need to do, you also realize what you haven’t done and lack. The amount of stress that comes from this unintentional “self-depreciation” can be compounded by other factors in your life.

Consequently, you might see yourself as

inadequate.

When you see yourself as flawed, you end up putting less effort into your life. Instead, in an ironic, escapist way, you look more towards the lives of others. You look at their stories and attempt to live the way they have – fulfilling, loved and successful.

The harsh truth, however, is that this does nothing for you. You end up wasting time on a fanciful dream that, somehow, your life will suddenly change for the better without your desire to put work into such change. Though engrossing yourself into the lives of others may offset your problems, it doesn’t remove them.

Finding the strength to move your focus from the lives of others to your own is one that takes monumental dedication. After all, there’s only one you, and many of everyone else – there’s so much variety in everyone else, you may say, and just boring old you.

That’s true; there is only one of you. But, unlike everyone else, you have the capacity to shape and mold your life. You don’t – and shouldn’t -- have as much control on others as you have on yourself.

I don’t have the right to say that you should change – only you have that. If you’re given that opportunity though, take it. You only have one life to take control of, and better to have control than to be controlled.

Jan Urbano is a senior in biological sciences. He can be reached at jurbano@utk.edu.

Get Fuzzy • Darby Conley

Non Sequitur • Wiley

EDITORIAL

kids still living with their parents.

Learning to drive a car had been a step into adulthood — but these deep questions seemed to require years of wisdom I couldn’t possibly possess.

Two years later, I don’t think the essays meant simply to ask impossible questions.

Finding identity, and finding purpose, is an essential element of the human experience.

People cannot simply exist in a state of perpetual activity without a driving force or motivation. Our beliefs and our goals shape us in indescribable ways, and understanding one’s identity — and acting upon these beliefs — creates the foundations for change and movement within humanity.

Great leaders didn’t appear on the world stage without something powerful to say.

Despite the disapproval of others, or suppression, or obstacles, the world’s heroes understood their ideas about life and communicated them in ways that influenced others. Religious movements begin with such individuals as Moses, Jesus and Muhammad; their actions and words rang with clarity of purpose, and the world’s ideas about the supernatural changed.

Scientists with monumental discoveries often stick by their findings and defend, like Galileo or Darwin. Even our favorite superheroes, such as Superman or Batman, have principles upon which they stand — and we love them for it.

On a personal level, identity is paramount to shaping one’s life in a meaningful way.

Seeking identity can look a little bit different

Turn of Phrase

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LETTERS POLICY: The Daily Beacon welcomes all letters to the editor and guest columns from students, faculty and staff. Each submission is considered for publication by the editor on the basis of space, timeliness and clarity. The Beacon reserves the right to reject any submissions or edit all copy in compliance with available space, editorial policy and style. Contributions must include the author’s name and phone number for verification. Students must include their year in school and major. Letters to the editor and guest columns may be e-mailed to letters@utdailybeacon.com or sent to Editor, 1340 Circle Park Dr., 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0314.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

THE DAILY BEACON • 5 Sports Editor David Cobb

SPORTS

dcobb3@utk.edu

Assistant Sports Editor Troy Provost-Heron tprovost@utk.edu

Days Left

Lady Vols rally around ‘Grind for 9’ in 2013 David Cobb

Sports Editor Etched into a plaque shaped like the state of Tennessee, the slogan sat on a table to the side of the stage where Holly Warlick officially welcomed a new UT women’s basketball season at media day last week.

It is printed on the media credentials of those who will cover the Lady Vols in 201314.

It is commonplace on the official team website and social media pages.

The “Grind for 9� is seemingly everywhere and it unofficially began with a 115-31 UT exhibition win over CarsonNewman at Thompson-Boling Arena on Monday night.

Absent from the Final Four since 2007-08 when they captured their eighth national title, the No. 4 Lady Vols are unabashedly publicizing their expectations for a new season through that motto, and “Grind for 9,� they say, is actually much more than a catchphrase. “I can promise you. It is a slogan for us,� Warlick said, “but we visit it every day.�

Tennessee players are active in plugging the “Grind for 9� through social media, but unanimously agree that it goes beyond a glossy marketing campaign. “I think it’s a mentality,� junior point guard Arial Massengale said. “We’ve been cut short the last five years on trying to make it to the Final Four, and with the standards you have as being a Lady Vol, without getting to the Final

Four, it’s kind of like your season is a failure.�

The Lady Vols have finished one win shy of the national semifinals for three consecutive years. Their overall Final Four drought of five years is the longest for the program since the inception of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament in the 1981-82 season.

Warlick acknowledged the Elite Eight as a fine accomplishment and briefly cited winning the SEC as a goal for her team. But in her second season as the head coach following the legendary Pat Summitt, her sights are on cutting down the nets after more than just a conference title. “That is a goal of ours that will always be there,� Warlick said. “But our history is competing for national championships, and we haven’t had that opportunity in a while, so that is our goal.�

Though none of UT’s players have played beyond the Elite Eight, they’re plenty aware of the expectations they carry. In case they ever forget the legacy of UT women’s basketball, “Grind for 9� reminds them each day. “When we sign that National Letter of Intent we know what we’re getting ourselves into,� Massengale said. “We know it’s not going to be easy, and it’s not always going to be fun, but you get the job done and in the end, it will be worth it.�

Warlick can remind them as well. She went 118-23 in her

career as a Lady Vol under Summitt from 1976-80.

She served on Summitt’s staff for 27 years, encompassing the first eight national titles. “If it doesn’t bother any of the players on this team, they don’t need to be having a Tennessee uniform on,�

Warlick said. “Because we’ve gotten to the Elite Eight, and our standards are more than that.�

Assistant coaches Jolette Law and Kyra Elzy – a twotime national champion as a UT player – created “Grind for 9,� and Warlick embraced it immediately. “I love it. It is what it is,�

Warlick said. “The Final Four is in Tennessee, so we don’t shy away. We can’t just act like we don’t know that it’s not there and act like we don’t want to be there. So I just told her ‘we’re going to hit it head on and talk about it.’�

Fittingly, Tennessee opens the regular season Friday night at Middle Tennessee State then travels to No. 12 North Carolina on Monday.

MTSU took UT to overtime in Knoxville last season, and the Tar Heels present an early chance for the Lady Vols to measure themselves against top-tier talent. “Our backs will be up against the wall early,� Warlick said without hesitation. “We’ve got to take care of each game at a time, and if we don’t, then it’s not going to happen,� Warlick added. “We’ve got to grind it out.

Every game for us is a grind.�

Matthew DeMaria • The Daily Beacon

Tennessee freshman guard Andraya Carter dribbles up court in an exhibition game against the Carson-Newman Lady Eagles at Thompson-Boling Arena on Monday.

BASKETBALL continued from Page 1 “I wasn’t surprised by her performance,� Warlick said. “She goes to work everyday and gets rebounds, and-ones and stops when we need her. She is just a gritty kid and is what a Lady Vol is all about.�

Tennessee jumped out of the gate strong with a 20-0 run, which was capped off by junior Cierra Burdick’s driving layup off an assist from freshman Mercedes Russell.

The Lady Eagles then answered back with their largest run of the night as two Tennessee natives – Lashwanda Peacher and Kaitlyn Cupples – scored off a pair of free throws and their first made field goal of the night.

But Carson-Newman wouldn’t

see many open looks or freebies the rest of the evening.

Russell, one of the two freshman on the Lady Vols roster from Oregon, brought the crowd inside Thompson-Boling to their feet with a big rejection with five minutes to play in the first half.

The length of the 6-foot-6 center was on strong display throughout the night, as she led the team with four blocks. She also scored 16 points in her preseason debut. “I’ve never been this nervous for a game before,� Russell said. “I have never played in front of that many fans before, but once it got going it went really well and I enjoyed it.�

Minutes after, freshman point guard Jordan Reynolds dished out one of her three assists on the night to Graves who blew past her defender to kiss her

layup gently off the glass and into the basket.

Graves led all scorers at halftime with 15 points while UT’s defense limited Carson-Newman to just 17 in the first half on 3-of28 shooting from the field and forced 18 Lady Eagle turnovers.

The second half was highlighted by Reynolds’ play on the offensive end where she scored 13 of her 17 points.

Warlick and her team will now move on and prepare for their season opener on Friday when they take on Middle Tennessee at the Murphy Center in Murfreesboro, Tenn., at 8 p.m. “This team has a new attitude and togetherness that I haven’t seen in a long time at Tennessee,� Warlick said. “I think those things play a big part in our success and what we should expect Friday night.�

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6 • THE DAILY BEACON

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 Sports Editor David Cobb

SPORTS

dcobb3@utk.edu

Assistant Sports Editor Troy Provost-Heron tprovost@utk.edu

Jones wants a ‘Tennessee tough’ squad for season’s final stretch Troy Provost-Heron

Assistant Sports Editor Cuonzo Martin and Tennessee basketball aren’t the only ones implementing a “tougher breed” into their program this season.

First-year football coach Butch Jones has been preaching throughout the season that his football team needs to be “Tennessee tough” in order to compete in the SEC on a week-toweek basis.

In order to continue to build that toughness, Jones is calling for full-padded practices this week to get his team better prepared for a stretch run against three SEC opponents that will decide the Vols’ postseason fate.

“It’s the standard, and that’s the way we’re going to play football here,” Jones said Monday at his weekly press luncheon. “We’re going to be a physically tough, a physically toughminded football team in everything that we do.

“We call it Tennessee tough, and it’s not just a fancy slogan, and we have to get much tougher as a football team, and I’m not going to tolerate it as a head football coach, as the caretaker of Tennessee football. Tennessee football is not going to be soft. As we know, building toughness is a process; it just doesn’t happen overnight.”

Jones frequently shouts “Tennessee tough” on the loudspeaker at Haslam Field while his team practices.

The toughness Jones is attempting to instill into his players could help the team play at a higher level down

the stretch, something Jones said UT will have to embrace to win football games in the strongest conference in college football.

He reiterated after a 31-3 loss at Missouri on Saturday that the SEC is “a line of scrimmage league.”

“The formula for this team to win is pretty simple; we have to overachieve,” Jones said. “We can’t beat ourselves. We aren’t going to be, talent-wise, the best team we play, but that doesn’t make us not the best team. The best teams for that given day win, not just best individuals, athletically or individually.”

With full-contact practices also comes a higher possibility of injuries, however, and for a team that already lacks depth, the Vols will have to walk a fine line of practicing hard and avoiding injuries.

“I just feel like you have to be smart about it, but at the same time, you have to realize that it is the only way to go out there and play as physical as you want to play,” senior center James Stone said. “You have to practice it at full speed and contact. I feel like Coach Jones is going to be smart with it, and he will get us going with full physicality.”

Rocky road While the Vols are 4-1 at home this season – and a couple of inches away from being 5-0 – going on the road has been a struggle this season for UT. Away from the friendly confines of Neyland Stadium, the Vols are 0-4 and have been outscored 166-44 on opposing team’s fields.

“It’s the support of our fan base,” senior defensive lineman Jacques Smith said.

“To play at home in a place like Neyland, it’s always special. Neyland Stadium to me is one of the most special places that you could ever play the game of football in.”

The Vols’ road blunders can also be more attributed to the quality of their road opponents – all of whom have been ranked in the top 10 at one point in 2013.

In the SEC, however, playing highly-ranked teams is the norm, and Jones said he doesn’t use the tough opponents and hostile environments as an excuse.

“A lot of those road games have been in hostile environments, but that’s not a crutch, that’s not an excuse, that’s life in the SEC, and that’s life at Tennessee,” Jones said. “The reality is that it does take its toll, but it’s a great learning process.”

On Saturday, the Vols will host a top-tier opponent in No. 9 Auburn when the Tigers travel to Knoxville for a noon kickoff.

The last chance for UT to pick up an SEC road win comes on Nov. 30 when the Vols travel to play Kentucky in a game that could decide UT’s bowl eligibility.

“I just know that we’re going through a process of what it takes to play winning football on the road,” Jones said. “I think it’s a mindset of going on the road, and I think there’s a lot that goes into it, and it takes a mature football team mentally and physically to go on the road and win football games.”

• Photo Courtesy of Tennessee Athletics

Freshman Tristan Slater swims at the SEC Swimming and Diving Championships in College Station Texas on Feb. 23.

International swimmer finds temporary home in Knoxville Jonathan Toye Contributor

There are two things students at UT probably do not know much about: the daily routine of a college swimmer and what it is like to experience many different cultures for extended periods of time.

Tristan Slater knows quite a bit about both.

Born in Hong Kong, Slater is a swimmer for UT’s men’s swimming and diving team.

He has lived in six different countries, including England and Vietnam.

How he began to swim is as interesting as the fact that he has lived in six different countries.

Slater said that he started swimming when he was four, after he broke his arm and used time in the pool to rehabilitate.

“The only way for my physical therapy to get my arm better was to swim,” Slater said.

Not only does Slater have to maintain a strict routine that includes five hours of swimming on some days, 20 hours of swimming in a week and a

diet that closely monitors what he eats – one that forces him to consume more than 4,000 calories a day – but he also has to learn how to adjust to American culture, which he’s learned is no easy accomplishment.

“The biggest shock was the U.S culture; out of all the countries that was definitely the biggest one,” Slater said. “I don’t know how to describe it, the culture here is very in your face, I guess. I really love how determined Americans are to succeed. I think it has really rubbed off onto to me since I have been here, how Americans are always looking to be the best. I think that demonstrates how good they are in sports. That is essentially why I came here, for the desire to succeed and for the desire to work.”

Slater also mentioned how much he has enjoyed being on the swim team and how his teammates have helped his transition into America.

“Essentially the swim team here is pretty much family – family away from home,” Slater

said. “I remember my freshman year, I really was struggling with homesickness, but I had a lot of juniors and seniors around to help me. Just having that support group here is great.”

Although Slater has enjoyed living in America and being on the swim team at UT, it is not restraining his desire to continue traveling the world.

“I am not planning to stop exploring,” he said. “I am still hoping to live in different places; I still want to travel the world.”

But overall, Slater still seems satisfied with his choice of both swimming and living in an unfamiliar culture.

His results in the pool are certainly notable. Slater finished second in the 200 yard butterfly, second in the 200 yard butterfly and third in the 200 yard individual medley at the Indiana & Kentucky meet on Friday.

“It is a challenge, but exciting.” Slater said. “It was really worth it. I benefited from taking the leap of faith to go to America.”