vanderbilthustler WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015
WWW.VANDERBILTHUSTLER.COM
VOL. 127, ISS. 30
MEET VANDERBILT’S FIRST
CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER George C. Hill talks about his experience and goals for Vanderbilt PAGE 2
ZIYI LIU/THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
OPINION
An expensive distraction
Managing editor Josh Hamburger breaks down the financial implications of browsing the internet during class PAGE 6
SPORTS
LIFE
A carbonated PAGE 6comedian
YouTube personality Olan Rogers explains what led him to found local hangout The Soda Parlor
PAGE 8
Football season in review
Taking a look at how much Vanderbilt improved, especially on the defensive side
PAGE 14
ILLUSTRATION BY VIVIAN SAXON/ THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015
news
Chief diversity officer outlines plans for the new position As first step, Hill seeks to gather student, faculty and staff input to gauge campus needs ZIYI LIU /THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
As Vanderbilt’s first chief diversity officer and vice chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion, Hill is charged with fostering diversity and inclusivity from his position within the administration.
By ZOE SHANCER News editor --------------------
George C. Hill moved his things into his new office in Kirkland Hall yesterday for his first day as Vanderbilt’s first chief diversity officer (CDO). “I’m still trying to find where the restroom is in Kirkland,” Hill joked. “I almost walked into a closet.” Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos appointed Hill, a biomedical researcher and diversity advocate, as CDO and vice chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion on Nov. 19, assigning him the duty of helping to cultivate an “inclusive, diverse and equitable academic community.” “I think the chancellor was interested in identifying individuals who could serve in two roles,” Hill said. “One is stimulating and supporting the vision that he has for increasing diversity and inclusion at the university, and also someone who has had the experience of doing that.” Hill said the sentiment one of his medical students shared with him relates to what he sees as his role as CDO. His student said, “I learn best when I learn from people different from me.” “That says it all,” Hill said. “And that’s what I think the chancellor has in mind, because he wants to see all of the students,
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ALLIE GROSS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
and in fact all of the faculty, interacting with people who come from different backgrounds than they do.” Frank Dobson, director of the Bishop Johnson Black Cultural Center (BCC) and assistant dean of students, sees the advent of the Chief Diversity Officer position on campuses in recent years as a reflection of an increasingly complex set of issues having to do with diversity and inclusion. He said beyond the black and white binary of the past, diversity now includes issues for groups like the Latino, international and LGBTQI student communities. “That’s what I think Vanderbilt has grappled with for years, how do we get a handle on all these various diversity issues in a way that we have someone who can help oversee and help marshal our resources to effect change in all of these crucial areas?” Dobson said. For Dobson, the CDO position is broader than offices such as Inclusion and Cultural Competence — established over the summer — or the BCC, because it’s at the vice chancellor level, as opposed to existing as a part of the Dean of Students Office. Therefore, a CDO can examine issues beyond student life, including faculty recruitment, promotion and retention, or curriculum changes. Dobson emphasized the value of hiring a CDO from within the university, as opposed to utilizing a national search com-
mittee, avoiding a potentially long and exhausting process. “There’s a sense of comfort because George Hill has done this kind of work and has done this kind of work well. And he knows Vanderbilt,” Dobson said. “He knows the players and the players know him, as opposed to getting somebody from Stanford or Yale or wherever and they’re coming here and they’re learning Vanderbilt. They don’t know how to walk across campus, they don’t know what The Commons is.”
INITIATIVES AT VANDERBILT
One of Hill’s first initiatives in his position is to create a student advisory committee made up of students from a variety of backgrounds. “We will sit down and discuss what are some of the things that you see that are working well here in this area of equity, diversity and inclusion, and then what are some that aren’t?” Hill said. “What bothers you? Where do you think we can make progress?” “I tend to be a good listener ...” Hill said. “I think it’s important to have an ongoing dialogue and find out exactly what some of the issues are.” In the same vein, Hill plans to have a series of listening sessions with faculty and students. “What I plan on doing is, each month, going to
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KATHY YUAN PRIYANKA KADARI
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I think it’s important to have an ongoing dialogue and find out exactly what some of the issues are.
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some location here on campus, letting people know ahead of time, and just sitting and listening,” Hill said. “So I may go over to Blair, and say for the month of December, I’ll be present from 12-1 p.m., we’ll have lunch, and just talk about and listen to issues of equity, diversity and inclusion from people who are in Blair or anyone who is close to Blair. And in January, maybe in Light Hall. And in February, over in Wilson.” This would provide Hill a way to hear from Vanderbilt students, staff and faculty regarding the issues they feel are most important. “And it’s quite open, anybody can bring up any issue,” Hill said. “That’s the way I will begin to formulate some really key goals and directions.” By the end of February, Hill also plans to bring in three experts from peer institutions who will provide an evaluation of what they see in terms of diversity at Vanderbilt. “These will be national experts,” Hill said. “And then they’ll provide a report to me, and I’ll send it to the chancellor and to the senior management team, and that again will help to formulate the direction we move forward.” To further understand needs related to diversity and inclusion on campus, Hill will send out a survey via email to students, faculty and staff evaluating the climate at Vanderbilt. “You would get an anonymous survey that would say, ‘What are your thoughts with regard to discrimination at the institution?’” Hill said. “‘Have you ever experienced discrimination? Do you see a need for further movement in this direction?’” Another missing piece at Vanderbilt, according to Hill, is an easy mechanism for individuals who are seeking an individual of color or of a specific background as a mentor. “What we will do is have a list of mentors that will be willing to serve in this capacity, and students can go online and say ‘I would like to interact with a person of this this and this,’” Hill said. “There will be a database of those individuals. There are two national databases that do that now, so we will develop one for here at Vanderbilt.” Hill also wants Vanderbilt’s faculty and staff to be more diverse, saying that we need to make sure that individuals who would contribute diversity to certain departments are considered strongly. “The point is, we want people in front of you, who come from different backgrounds, who have different experiences, so that when you’re discussing poli sci, the individuals have different perspectives, and when you’re talking about premed, they’re going to be people who are interested in why, for example, clinical trials do not often include women, but then when the drug is decided to be used, it’s used for everybody,” Hill said. In an effort to oversee both student life and academic affairs, Hill will work closely with the other vice chancellors to identify their concerns, limitations and priorities.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ON CAMPUS
Hill felt that many of the demands to represent and serve a diverse student body that students presented to Zeppos in a protest on Nov. 16 were valid issues and will inform his upcoming decisions. “I thought the requests were very reasonable,” Hill said. “Not all of them were something that could be done. As you
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015 may know as a student, some things the institution can do. Other things the institution can’t do at all. It has to do with regulations and rules. Somebody else is in control of it, not the students, not the administration. But I had a lot of respect for everything that was on there.” In particular, Hill felt the first section of the petition, which related to mental health, showed maturity on the part of the students who wrote the petition. “One of the things that is really a major problem for underrepresented students on campus … is that, psychologically, it is very difficult for them,” Hill said. “When you are one of the few of your group on a campus, you really feel sometimes that you have to continue to validate yourself.” Zeppos announced a set of new investments in Vanderbilt’s student wellness resources to promote diversity and inclusion on Nov. 30. This includes an expansion in staff at the Psychological and Counseling Center that have experience and skills working with people of varying racial and cultural backgrounds. A Center for Student Wellbeing is planned to open in Fall 2016 as a hub of wellness and prevention resources. These changes are very important and responsive to the needs of students, according to Hill. Also on Nov. 30, the Office of the Provost appointed a faculty committee to assess proposals for new Multicultural University Courses. The new courses were announced Nov. 9 as part of the overall University Courses initiative and will address topics of diversity, equity and inclusion, race and ethnicity, identity literacy and cultural competency. Hill is very excited about this expansion in courses. “It provides an opportunity to look at the curriculum carefully as well as propose courses that will help to contribute to more inclusive, diverse offerings for students,” Hill said. “I’m very pleased with that committee being formed. And also the committee is really representative of the variety of disciplines that are important.” Hill said the committee will have the opportunity to meet with students before the courses are established. “So if there are students who are interested in helping to formulate what would be involved [in these courses], now is the time to contact the committee, the chair of the committee, and let their voices be known,” Hill said. “That is very, very important.”
PAST EXPERIENCE PROMOTING DIVERSITY
Coming out of retirement, Hill looks forward to using his experience promoting diversity at other universities to serve the needs of students, faculty and staff at Vanderbilt. “I have always been involved in trying to create an environment at a university where students learn from each other, faculty are different, and students have the opportunity to question people who are totally different from they are, and learn,” Hill said. Hill’s first faculty position was at Colorado State University, where he was an associate professor from 1972 to 1983. He and his wife started a summer program called the CSU Motivation Program, which brought minority high school students to the university to work in labs and receive mentoring on study skills and the college application process. In 1983, Hill came to Meharry Medical College in Nashville to help train physicians and PhD candidates. “There I took a key role not only in the administration of the institution, but in teaching,” Hill said. “I chaired a department, I was vice president for research. I really wanted to come to Meharry to stimulate more individuals of color in the biomedical sciences.” According to Hill, Meharry is one of the four historically black medical schools in the United States and trains 40 to 50 percent of black physicians in the country. “I would like to see every [Vanderbilt] student be aware of institutions like Meharry, like Fisk,” Hill said. “ I would like our students to be familiar with institutions that serve the underserved minority students ... just like everyone at Meharry knows what Vanderbilt is. It needs to be both ways.” After working at Meharry from 1983 to 2002, Hill was hired to be one of the deans at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, where his job was to establish an active office of diversity in medical education.
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TOP 5 Priorities: STUDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Create a student advisory committee composed of students from a variety of backgrounds, who will advise Hill on what is working well on campus and what needs work
LISTENING SESSIONS
Institute listening sessions at various locations around campus where students, faculty and staff can speak with Hill about any concerns they have
NATIONAL DIVERSITY EXPERTS
Bring in three experts from peer institutions to evaluate diversity at Vanderbilt and provide Hill with a report that he will send to the chancellor and the senior management team
ANONYMOUS UNIVERSITY-WIDE SURVEY
Send out an anonymous university-wide survey to evaluate Vanderbilt’s climate with respect to diversity and inclusion
MENTOR DATABASE
Build a database with an extensive list of mentors, as an easy mechanism to help students who are seeking an individual of a certain background as a mentor “I’m sure it doesn’t come as a surprise to you that a lot of of people felt that back in 2002, Vanderbilt was a predominantly white institution,” Hill said. “And I’m sure there are some people who feel that way today. So our job when it came to the medical school was to really try and attract as many different types of people as possible.” With the support of many at the university, Hill was able to increase diversity in Vanderbilt’s medical school. When talking about diversity, Hill stated that this refers to more than race and ethnicity, but also religion, economic background and sexual orientation, among others. “We increased the number of students who applied, students who were admitted, brought in a lot of different seminars, a lot of different speakers, and helped to just change the culture with a lot of support of what Vanderbilt was about,” Hill said. In 2012, Hill decided to retire, something he said was difficult particularly because he has been active his whole life. Hill is now writing a book on how diversity came to Vanderbilt’s medical school and what has happened since then. “When do you think the first black student came to Vanderbilt’s medical school?” Hill prompted. Levi Watkins became the first black student at Vanderbilt’s medical school in 1966, graduating in 1970, and will be one of the focuses of Hill’s book. Watkins was a brilliant heart surgeon, according to Hill, having put the first defibrillator in a patient in 1980. He was also a wonderful friend to Hill. “I like to say to the medical students now, what are you going to do in 10 years?” Hill joked. “[Watkins] put a defibrillator in a patient, what are you going to do?” While Hill said Vanderbilt has become a more diverse community since he came here, he says there is still work to be done. “It is increasing, but we can do a lot better,” Hill said. “All universities can do a lot better.”
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015
QUOTE OF THE DAY
opinion
“The government says I’m rich enough to pay for this university, but I promise you, I am not.“
PRIYANKA KADARI, FIRST-YEAR
Young, distracted and broke
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Perusing Facebook or email in class? You’re wasting your education and money
A JOSHUA HAMBURGER is a junior in the Peabody College of Education and Human Development and the Managing Editor of The Vanderbilt Hustler. He can be reached at joshua.d.hamburger @vanderbilt.edu.
s class began, my professor handed out a detailed outline of the day’s notes. Yet 16 out of 19 students — I counted — felt the need to have a laptop or iPad out. Each individual typed away while my professor lectured, with only a couple eyes focused upon him. The rest? Not concentrated on the content but instead staring at their computers, with little regard for the lecture. Each semester we take somewhere around 15 credit hours, which calculates out to around 180 hours of time in the classroom. During that same time, hundreds (if not thousands) of you are wasting hundreds to thousands of dollars. No, I don’t mean spending it on drinks downtown or on the latest fashions. Instead, you’re blowing away money in your bed or on your computer. Here are the numbers: Tuition costs $43,620; books and supplies are $1,370, and combined, total costs come to $44,990. Those divided per semester equal $22,495. We trudge through 180 hours of class each semester, which can be translated to 10,800 minutes. And finally, when you divide 22,495 dollars by 10,800 minutes, you get the precious cost of $2.08 per minute of class. Yes, that was a lot of math, but you get the picture. Let me break down your wastage. Taking into account tuition, books and supplies, each minute of class costs around $2. That doesn’t seem like much in itself, but when classes range from 50 to 75 minutes, you just blew $100-150 in one single class. That’s about as much money as a new Patagonia fleece or some lululemon leggings that I see you searching for during class. I’ve been in plenty of classes where a significant percentage of students open up their laptops, access Facebook and spend the entire time scrolling up and down their news feed. This isn’t a phenomena limited to one classroom, but rather an epidemic that has overtaken classes all over Vanderbilt.When I show up to each class every day, there is a near guarantee that students will be absent with no excusable reason and/or glued to the screens of email, iMessage and social media on their nearly identical Macbook Pros. In any given day, students could burn through
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This isn’t a phenomena limited to one classroom, but rather an epidemic that has overtaken classes all over Vanderbilt.
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several hundred dollars and hours of lost potential. Personally, I spend around two hours a day in class — just two hours out of an entire day devoted to topics and professors that I chose. We all made our course decisions. I have 22 other hours each day to spend however I would like, although homework and studying takes up a solid amount of that time. Nevertheless, I can talk to my friends or browse online during that time without burning up valuable classroom time. As I sit in class, listening to my highly educated professors spread their seemingly infinite wisdom and years of research to me, I also watch the plague of clear disinterest consume many students. My professors certainly recognize this issue on campus. Just look at the attendance and laptop policies that some have. Some professors have neither, trusting that as Vanderbilt students, we will pay full attention to them. I don’t know what compels me to actually pay attention to my professors and fellow students during class. Perhaps it’s my natural curiosity to learn. Or maybe my parents instilled upon me the importance of education in never wasting any opportunities to learn.
The Vanderbilt Hustler Opinion page aims to stimulate discussion in the Vanderbilt community. In that spirit, columnists, guest columnists and authors of letters to the editor are expected to provide logical argument to back their views. Unreasonable arguments, arguments in bad faith or arguments in vain between columnists have no place in The Hustler and will not be published. The Hustler welcomes reader viewpoints and offers three methods of expression: letters to the editor, guest columns and feedback on vanderbilthustler.com. The views expressed in lead editorials reflect the majority of opinion among The Hustler’s editorial board and may be supposed to represent the opinion of The Vanderbilt Hustler at the time of publication. They are not necessarily representative of any individual member. Letters must be submitted either in person by the author to The Hustler office or via email to opinion@vanderbilthustler.com. Letters via email should come from a Vanderbilt email address where the identity of the sender is clear. With rare exception, all letters must be received by 2 p.m. on the Sunday prior to publication. The editor
Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. I refuse to waste even a single minute of my precious Vanderbilt education. I’m not one to control your life (although it is extremely distracting to focus when there is a sea of bright computer screens within the peripherals of my line of vision). But I will scorn you for your blatant waste of money and potential knowledge. If you want to throw away $40,000+ each year so you can message your roommate about last night’s party, then be my guest. Answer to a higher authority though, because I’m sure your parents (or alumni donors funding your financial aid) wouldn’t be too proud.
THE COST OF WASTING CLASS TIME
Tuition Books and Supplies
$43,620
+
$1,370
Total
$44,990
Per Semester
$22,495
Per Hour
$124.97
(180 hours per semester)
Per Minute
(10,8000 minutes per semester)
$2.08
reserves the right to edit and condense submissions for length as well as clarity. Lengthy letters that focus on an issue affecting students may be considered for a guest column at the editor’s discretion. All submissions become the property of The Hustler and must conform to the legal standards of Vanderbilt Student Communications, of which The Hustler is a division. The Vanderbilt Hustler (ISSN 0042-2517), the official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University, is published every Wednesday during the academic year except during exam periods and vacations. The paper is not printed during summer break. The Vanderbilt Hustler allocates one issue of the newspaper to each student and is available at various points on campus for free. Additional copies are $.50 each. The Vanderbilt Hustler is a division of Vanderbilt Student Communications, Inc. Copyright © 2014 Vanderbilt Student Communications.
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Beyond black and white
Examining the marginalization of Asian realities
M YOKO KANAI is a junior in the School of Engineering. She can be reached at yoko.m.kanai@ vanderbilt.edu.
y freshman year, I was walking down Greek Row during a tailgate with a few (white) friends when we ran into a (white) boy that a few of them knew. The kid was pretty obviously trashed, and threw his arms around two of the girls while merrily chatting them up. When one jokingly teased that he was probably too drunk to remember who we were, he scoffed and started reciting our names, one by one. When he got to me, he just called me, “Asian.” Immediately, I made it very clear that that was Not Cool, and he started apologizing, slurring his way through excuses. Having better things to do than listen to some drunk kid make up some BS about how I looked like some other girl (which A. I didn’t, and B. still doesn’t explain why he named me “Asian”), I didn’t even bother paying attention. Then the dude got defensive, telling me that, if I didn’t accept his apology, he would get an acquaintance to blacklist me from every sorority (You don’t even know my name? How are you going to manage that?). As absurd as it sounds, this is a true story. There’s a common misconception that Asian people can’t possibly be marginalized in a country where they’ve proven themselves so successful. And if you’re going to measure marginalization based on median household income, sure, we aren’t doing so poorly. But marginalization is about more than just money — it’s about how we’re treated in a world that defines whiteness as the default. I live in a world where people constantly assume I’m foreign, where strangers find it acceptable to try and guess my race, and where I’m expected to have
a stellar academic performance just because that’s what “my people” do. I live in a world where everyone who looks like me is assumed to be financially successful and safe from racial profiling, even though several Asian subgroups have high school graduation rates below the national average and Hmong people, an ethnic group from mountainous China, face systematic police brutality in many cities where they’ve created communities. I live in a world where my parents’ accents are considered ugly and unintelligent, while European accents are romanticized. I live in a world where the “Asian American experience” completely excludes the 61 percent of US refugees that arrive from Near-East, South and East Asia simply because they don’t fit the mold (Asian Americans are stereotyped as upper-middle class, successful, “model minority”). Often, when we talk about diversity, we forget about me and my Asian brothers and sisters. Too often, oppression is framed as a one-dimensional dynamic between white and black bodies, as though those are the only people who are involved in the perpetuation of racism as an institution. To question this assumption requires an understanding that our society frames pure whiteness as normal, and everything else as “other.” It’s why, when describing a person, we’re much more likely to mention their race if they’re not white. It’s why TV shows seem to be much more likely to star a Hispanic maid than a Hispanic main character, and why a group of Asian friends is “self-segregating,” but somehow there is nothing abnormal about a sorority that is 90 percent white. Honestly, the only time that I have seen the
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There’s a common misconception that Asian people can’t possibly be marginalized in a country where they’ve proven themselves so successful.
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Asian experience properly and explicitly represented in campus diversity dialogue was when the Asian American Student Association hosted its own panel. If you want to talk about marginalized experiences in institutional white supremacy, we should be represented in that conversation. Why are we fighting for a space at the table? To be honest, my Asian friends and I are exhausted. We are tired of being whitewashed in activist circles and excluded in white circles, and we are sick of being told that our stories just aren’t as important because our oppression isn’t “as bad.” After all, I see plenty of Asian faces fighting for the health and safety of black lives. So why are we the only ones fighting to make our voices heard?
Falling through the cracks of financial aid High family incomes don’t tell the full story about affording Vanderbilt
W
PRIYANKA KADARI is a first-year in the College of Arts and Science. She can be reached at priyanka. kadari@vanderbilt. edu.
hen my family and I tried to apply for financial aid, the officer basically laughed in our faces when we tried to ask about our options. She took one look at our family income, and said, “Yeah, you’re not going to get much with that.” Yes, we have a six-figure income, but that does not reflect the entire story, and despite the rhetoric that the income is not the only number into taken account, my experiences with the financial aid office indicate otherwise. That number does not take into account that I have a younger brother and sister for whom my parents need to split their savings. It doesn’t show that I want to attend medical school, and I have no idea how we will pay for it. It doesn’t explain that we burned through lots of savings during the recession and other problems my family faced. The government says I’m rich enough to pay for this university, but I promise you, I am not. Students keep the topic of financial aid and how much money they received tightly under wraps, often closing up because it creates awkward conversations and resentment between the people who paid a higher price to attend this university. Vanderbilt University, without a doubt, helps those who demonstrate clear financial need through the FAFSA application. At the other extreme, clearly
wealthy people can pay for their children’s education without excessive financial strain. But, the financial aid situation is not as fair or easy for everyone as we expect. It is fair and easy for some people, for perhaps most of the people who really need aid. But, it is quite unfair to a certain minority of the middle class students who are caught in between. They are too rich for financial aid, but too poor to pay completely on their own without putting extreme strain on the family, taking money out of retirement, sacrificing the younger kids’ education or asking family for help. Often these kids and their families pay near the full sticker price, offsetting those who attend for free. These kids fall through the cracks for several reasons. Neither FAFSA nor Vanderbilt University takes into account the number of children in the family when they are not attending simultaneously college at the same time. But even if kids are not attending college at the same time and are spaced 4 years apart, parents still must save money and think about both kids’ education. FAFSA automatically assumes that parents will use all the current savings for the current kid in college even though that is not the case. Also, FAFSA does not take into account the difficulties of paying for graduate school. Graduate school loans place a heavier burden on medical and law students who cannot really begin paying off
their debt until years after their schooling. Therefore, the parents try to offset parts of the cost of graduate school as well, and the money needed for grad school is not factored into FAFSA either. Clearly, it would be difficult to ascertain to financial aid based on graduate school plans because the student may change their plans. However, it represents an angle that complicates the situation. To a certain degree, this is inevitable because the university must subsidize those who cannot afford to attend without that money. However, I’ve seen a lot of students assume that those who pay the full sticker price are the typical rich kids whose parents are millionaires, and I do not think it is fair to make that assumption. People believe that the families who are paying the near sticker price can easily afford to do so or make more than enough income. They think we’re simply complaining, were financially irresponsible or are one of the rich kids who paid their way into Vanderbilt, and those statements hurt us just as much as any other stereotype because it discounts our families’ individual situations and the very real problems present in our life. So, next time you appreciate Vanderbilt’s claim that it never turns students down due to financial need, remember those that end up falling through the cracks.
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life
GO DO
THIS
Mega Stress Fest Student Life Center; Friday, Dec. 4 from 7 to 11 p.m. With finals fast approaching, take a study break at Stress Fest. Sponsored by VPB’s The Venue, this event will feature massages, facials, manicures, a popcorn machine and screen prints. Stop by for an hour, or stay the whole time.
Soda jars and
silly
jokes
Fans packed Olan Rogers’s Soda Parlor on its one year anniversary on November 7, 2015.
By MADELINE GOETZ Life reporter --------------------
ian d e m o c l a c How lo went from s Olan Roger Tube videos u making Yo Nashville’s g to foundin a Parlor The Sod
Olan Rogers never meant to establish The Soda Parlor, a nostalgic soda and float shop in the same complex as Marathon Music Works. Instead, Rogers started out his “career” making YouTube videos. Rogers first began making videos during high school in Memphis, Tennessee as a way to express his creative, “attention-seeking” personality. Rogers joined forces with several friends to create the YouTube channel BalloonShop, which featured humorous videos such as “Take it to the Next Level” and “Whips.” When the members of BalloonShop reached around 100,000 subscribers, they went their separate ways, and Rogers began making videos on his own. “I started telling stories, and then I started telling my life stories and people really connected to the stuff that I was talking about in my life. I’ve had a very interesting, not always pleasant life, and I’ve learned to find the humor in the really crappy situations,” he said. Most of Rogers’ videos are stories that can be enjoyed without any context. A few of Rogers’ highlights include “Echoes through the Wall,” the story of Rogers getting even with a noisy neighbor via Craigslist; “The Comeback Kid,” the tale of overcoming the enemy during a paintball gun battle; and “The Soft Landing,” his personal account of an altercation with moths. Rogers gained such a following from the popularity of his videos that he began designing and selling clothing based on the film concepts in 2010. “It started out [with designs solely from my videos] and then it got to a point where I wanted to see if people would connect to something that has nothing to do with one of my videos,” he said. “The first shirt I came up with was ‘Battle Bear’ and people loved it and thought it was funny and quirky, and it’s actually become a staple that people recognize is from me.” The shirt designs run the comedic gamut, from a smiling sloth with a jetpack named “Jetpack Jerry Jumper” to quotes like “you can’t make everyone happy — you are not pizza.” The shirts also range in cost from $20 to $40. At first Rogers designed all of the merchandise, but today he employs professional designers. “Now I can just focus on videos and not do designs for a month straight,” he said. “I can only do one thing 100 percent — that’s the way I work. I can’t do 50 here
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and 50 there.” The idea for The Soda Parlor came to Rogers after the comedian went on a “Dial-Up” tour and became discouraged that fans were charged $40 for the paltry meet-and-greet time with him. He then hosted his own “Eat a Slice” tour, which offered up to 13 free hours with him. Rogers wanted to have a space similar to “Eat a Slice” all the time, where fans and other members of the community could have a nice place to hang out, inspiring him to found his own float shop. The Soda Parlor is nestled within the long stretch of brick building in Suite 20 of 1200 Clinton Street, in the same strip as the Marathon Music Works concert venue. The location is actually the last place that Rogers looked at after searching all over town. “As a last ditch effort I decided to try Marathon,” he said. “I sent them an email and then they walked me through some of their spaces, and I was finally shown this place and it was full of old pianos, so many pianos. The floors were rotted out. I knew the moment I walked in that this was it.” After many renovations, The Soda Parlor finally opened last year, and recently celebrated its one year anniversary. The shop provides a unique environment to sip floats, chat with friends and work on homework: hardwood floors, low-hanging light bulbs, dark leather couches and exposed brick walls make the interior feel like an urban cabin from the 1980s. Wooden countertops and shelves holding various articles of clothing for sale flank the walls, as do classic arcade games like Pacman and Galaga. A giant “Battle Bear” with an axe emerges from the wall behind the ordering counter, and agreeable alternative music plays softly from a speaker above a vintage red Frigidaire. As its name indicates, The Soda Parlor only sells pop and floats, with most drinks ringing up around $5. The floats are all creatively named, with titles such as “Master Commander” (rootbeer), “All Hail Starscream” (cola), and “Freaking Fosters” (orange cream soda). Rogers doesn’t plan for the store to serve anything beyond floats in the future, except for the occasional ice-cream special. Instead, he plans to expand the store into the room next door and create an arcade space, then later open a second Soda Parlor in an undisclosed location. “There is something to be said of doing something and doing something well, as opposed to trying to do everything,” he said. “As long as it’s fun, I’ll be doing it … Hopefully I’ll be doing something that makes me laugh.”
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Telling the whole story
Vanderbilt student Larissa May starts popular social media campaign #HalfTheStory By JONATHAN VAN LINDEN Life reporter --------------------
Scroll through any of your social media feeds on a given day, and they can often seem like streams of perfection: gorgeous selfies, relationship (or engagement!) announcements, congratulations about acceptances to med school, celebrations of fancy consulting internships or study abroad plans. Larissa “Larz” May, a senior at Vanderbilt, is not content with this illusion. She thinks people should be encouraged to share their failures, obscure passions or quieter moments, not just their recent accomplishments and most flattering photos. “We need to stop creating these images of the ways we want to be seen and just perceive who we are at our cores, because that’s what makes us human,” May said. May believes that social media is valuable for its communication and ability to express one’s passions, but condemns the façade that many feel compelled to portray on social media platforms. She decided to do something with this passion and combined forces with her friends Amanda Michaud
and Ashlin Dolan to start #HalfTheStory, a social media movement meant to encourage everyone to show the more personal and genuine parts of their lives on their online accounts. “Presenting something you’re passionate about in a social way is a very vulnerable moment, and people really underestimate that,” May said. While #HalfTheStory’s core presence is on Instagram, the idea is for participants to use all their social media accounts to reveal aspects of themselves and their lives that they normally do not share. Participants are encouraged to share any aspect or quirk about themselves, such as an admission of a weakness, a personal story from their pasts or a unique passion or hobby. To participate in the campaign, follow the #HalfTheStory Instagram page and download the account’s signature logo to your phone. After taking a picture of yourself with the logo, caption it with whichever story you wish to share about yourself and post it while tagging the @HalfTheStory account. May, who had her first business card when she was ten years old, has been relentless in her drive and passion for the modern world and the tools it offers, including social
COURTESY OF @HALFTHESTORY
Students are encouraged to share their own stories with the #HalfTheStory logo. media. She uses her personal social media accounts (which can be found at @livinlikelarz) in order to connect with new people she finds inspiring around the globe. These moments of connection — where social media promoted creation and humanity
in the real world — inspired May to help #HalfTheStory. “To me,” May said, “that was the positive part of social media, being able to create art and meet people.”
Month in Music: December
The Hustler highlights five concerts this month By Jack Sentell, Assistant life editor THE WEEKS, DEC. 4 — THE BASEMENT EAST
RDGLDGRN, DEC. 12 — THE BASEMENT EAST
an impressive start in his young career.
Even though The Weeks cut their teeth in Mississippi, Nashville is the band’s second home. The five-piece will return to Music City to debut songs from their forthcoming album. The group’s last release, 2014’s “Dear Bo Jackson”, was recorded in Nashville and grabbed the attention of Rolling Stone magazine. The record is full of Alabama Shakes sounding grooves, and fans will hear this same bluesy, soulful rock when they step inside The Basement East. However, keep in mind the show is 21+.
“Going to rap battles with guitars and drums,” sings RDGLDGRN frontman Green, on the track “Lootin’ in London.” This line sums up the group’s sound, which merges the wit of a rap battle with the intensity of punk and the rhythm of go-go, D.C.’s iconic sound. Each member of the group (pronounced Red, Gold, Green) assumes the identity of one color and dons a matching wardrobe. While they may hide their true identities, the rock-rap band’s talent is no secret. The group has worked with Pharrell and Dave Grohl, the latter of whom played drums on RDGLDGRN’s debut album. Once again, this show is only for fans 21+.
Must Listen: “Electric Love”
Must Listen: “Brother In The Night”
TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE, DEC. 11 — MARATHON MUSIC WORKS It doesn’t matter if you are a jazz aficionado or hardly know what a trombone sounds like: you’ll have fun at a Trombone Shorty show. The instrumentalist-vocalist has been playing trombone since age four, and his experience is evident in the way that he effortlessly blends New Orleans jazz with funk, rock and hip-hop. Alongside his band, Orleans Avenue, the group brings an infectious party to every venue they play. With the spacious dance floor at Marathon, fans will have plenty of room of move around to the eclectic sound. Must Listen: “Long Weekend”
Must Listen: “Lootin’ in London”
BØRNS, DEC. 13 — 3RD & LINDSLEY Børns takes hooky indie pop and coats it in a thin layer of psychedelic sounds. His highpitched melodies float across bouncy grooves to create a sound that can be energizing at some times and soothing at others. However, Børns’s label as an indie artist does not mean that he is flying under the radar: Børns was named one of Rolling Stone’s “10 New Artists You Need to Know” for last April, received an Instagram shout out from Taylor Swift, and played at this year’s Lollapalooza festival. Needless to say, Børns is off to
KINGS OF LEON — DEC. 31, JACK DANIEL’S BASH ON BROADWAY If you’re back in Music City for New Year’s Eve, ring in 2016 with some southern rock. Kings of Leon will headline Nashville’s New Year’s Eve celebration this year, alongside Chris Stapleton, Sugar & The Hi-Lows, The Whigs, Wild Cub and Kelsea Ballerini. Kings of Leon are one of the most successful rock bands that call Nashville home. The band recorded their most recent record, “Mechanical Bull” in Music City, and the album was nominated for the Grammy for Best Rock Album. The show is free admission, so there are few reasons to skip out on this chance to see one of stadium rock’s biggest acts. Must Listen: “Temple”
MONTH IN *NEW* MUSIC: COLDPLAY, “A HEAD FULL OF DREAMS,” DUE ON DEC. 4 Seasoned alternative band follows up 2014’s subdued “Ghost Stories” with an upbeat new record that features Noel Gallagher, Beyonce, Blue Ivy Carter (yes, you read correctly) and Gwyneth Paltrow (again, yes, you read correctly).
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sports SEC POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 14 Each week, I rank the teams in the SEC 1-14. This week we say goodbye to Mark Richt, Jeremy Johnson is still not Cam Newton, and we think about Chip Kelly possibly joining the Commodore sidelines.
By BEN WEINRIB Sports editor --------------------
1. No. 2 Alabama (11-1, 7-1 SEC) This may be a down year for the SEC, but Alabama looks as good as ever. Sure, Jake Coker looks very shaky at quarterback, but Derrick Henry is as good as any running back the Crimson Tide has had under Nick Saban. Forgetting their NFL careers, Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson, Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon are awesome company. 2. No. 16 Ole Miss (9-3, 6-2) Despite losing to an AAC opponent and dropping an overtime game to Arkansas on a freak 14-yard lateral on 4th and 25, Ole Miss is setting up for its first double-digit win season since 2003. That’s the sort of thing that happens when you recruit very well for three years in a most-definitely-not-shady way. 3. No. 23 LSU (8-3, 5-3) Remember when LSU was undefeated, Leonard Fournette was a shoo-in for the Heisman, and Les Miles wasn’t going to get fired? It seems like that was only three weeks ago. 4. No. 18 Florida (10-2, 7-1) In case people didn’t realize the SEC East champion wasn’t that good after only beating Vanderbilt 9-7 at home, they were embarrassed by Florida State 27-2 in the Swamp. This season has just been so depressing for SEC fans. Please, please let Alabama stomp the Gators and then do some damage in the College Football Playoff. 5. Texas A&M (8-4, 4-4) With all this coaching turmoil in the SEC, the one name that’s not being talked about is Kevin Sumlin. Without Johnny Manziel, he’s started each of the past two seasons 5-0 before ending them 2-5 and now 3-4. That’s not necessarily grounds for dismissal in a tough SEC, but he hasn’t shown a penchant for improving his defense, and the supposed offensive genius has not found another quarterback despite great recruiting rankings.
Defense anchors ’Dores
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Improvements offer hope for future seasons By JONATHAN VAN LINDEN Sports reporter --------------------
As college football reaches its final act, one can look back at the Vanderbilt Commodores season and see clear cut improvements. By the end of the season, a record of 0-8 in the SEC for the 2014 season has improved to 2-6 in the 2015 season. The team has gone 4-8 overall compared to last season’s 3-9; a marginal gain, but a gain nonetheless. The team looks more settled and comfortable in their second year playing under head coach Derek Mason. These obvious, surface-level improvements have been due to a solid — and at times, borderline elite — defensive front. Although the team’s overall record may not reflect this quality, the defense has ranked up with college football’s best for much of the season. They have improved in numerous areas from last season and seem primed to continue improving next season. The defensive unit’s metrics have been excellent across the board, especially when looked at before the abnormality that was the 53-28 loss to Tennessee. Before that game, the defense ranked 14th in scoring defense and
22nd in yards per game allowed, dropping to 21st and 30th, respectively, after that lopsided final game. Most impressively, the defense ranked in the top 10 for two defensive stats that give a clear indicator of per minute defensive efficiency. The defense ranked 5th in the nation in red zone defense before the Tennessee loss, allowing a mere 3.69 points per trip, and 4th in 3rd down defense prior to the loss. Even after Tennessee put on what could begrudgingly called an offensive display, the defense ended up ranked 6th nationwide in both areas. These strong defensive rankings have not come against minnow teams. This unit has consistently been pitted against some of the top offenses in college football and more than held their own. They held Georgia to their season low when star Nick Chubb was on the field, with 14 of the 31 points coming via Georgia’s special teams and defense. They kept Houston’s high-powered offense to their third-lowest scoring output of the season. Of note is the ranking difference between the scoring and yards per game defense and red zone and third down defense. The solid quality of the former is heavily outdone by the elite quality of the latter. The discrepancy between the two sets of defensive rankings can,
unfortunately, be partly found in the offense. Struggling too often to move down the field or avoid turnovers, the offensive struggles meant the defense was out on the field much longer than it should be. Even with an improved time of possession, the defense was forced to perform until opposing offenses eventually found a way through. Despite excellent red zone and third down percentages, a defense can’t be expected to keep the opposing offense out forever. The red zone and third down defenses indicates the quality of the defensive unit; the comparatively worse scoring and yards per game defense indicates how often the defense had to be on the field. The team will enter its third season under head coach Derek Mason next year. Given his past as a defensive coordinator, and successful stint calling plays at the end of his first season, it’s not surprising that the defense has come along at a faster rate than the offense. If the defense continues to improve, and if the offense settles down and takes some of the pressure off of the defense, there is no reason the Vanderbilt Commodores can’t make an even bigger leap in quality next year.
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JAY ON
SEC POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 14
7. Mississippi State (8-4, 4-4) On paper, the Bulldogs’ 8-4 record looks nice, but what’s their signature win? Home against Kentucky? At Arkansas? You can bet everyone in Starkville was hoping for a lot more in Dak Prescott’s senior campaign.
SL EY JA RR ET T/ TH AN EV DE RB ILT HU L ST ER
Defensive lineman takes to social media to express his passions
6. Georgia (9-3, 5-3) The Bulldogs are awfully spoiled that they can be upset by Mark Richt’s latest performance. Dude had a 145-51 and lost two Heisman candidate running backs each of the past two seasons in Todd Gurley and Nick Chubb. That’s not his fault. Sure, Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart returning to his alma mater makes sense on paper, but how much of the Crimson Tide’s defense can we really attribute to Smart rather than Saban? BO
DISPLAY By JOSH HAMBURGER Managing editor --------------------
It’s not surprising that sophomore defensive lineman Jay Woods’ Facebook page has a profile picture of him with his fraternity brothers and a cover photo with his mom on the Vanderbilt football field. The social media fiend makes it clear to the public what is most important to him. “It’s some way to get your message out, the person you are, not [just] the football player, but the person yourself,” Woods said. “People don’t get to know who you are if they don’t see you personally.” Woods is known for his presence on social media, posting pictures almost daily to his thousands of followers and friends across Facebook, Twitter, and his favorite, Instagram. There’s no holding back with what he’ll post — whether it’s about social justice issues or his excitement for an upcoming football game — and that is completely intentional. He wants everybody to know who he is. “I’m not going to hold my tongue for anybody,” Woods said. “I’m going to give you the truth. I’m very open with people, I don’t have anything to hide. You can get who I am from media or in person.” Woods often posts about upcoming games, hyping up his followers. Regardless of the opponent or Vanderbilt’s record, he still makes it known that the team isn’t afraid. “You should’ve never doubted me … I’ll be a fighter ‘til the end, ‘til my last breath. Beast In My Eyes # BeatUT ,” Woods wrote in preparation for the final game of the season. But those close to Woods — his teammates and fraternity brothers in Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. — say his ability to express himself and connect with people extends beyond just his tweets. “He’s able to do that with people, just find a way to connect with people within our chapter and other people,” said Ahram Feigenbaum, brother and graduate student. “I see him socializing. He’s able to connect with people just on any common interest.”
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Even in high school, he fostered an expressive public image. Woods was crowned homecoming king during his senior year of high school. “It was a landslide,” Woods recalled. “That was a blessing. That was one of my goals going into senior year, trying to be a homecoming king, and it happened.” His friends at Vanderbilt said that although he is one of the larger and stronger members of his tight-knit five-person fraternity, he’s more than just the “muscle.” Woods is heavily involved with the fraternity’s service events, ranging from trash pickup to tutoring children. “Jay is a very service-oriented individual, especially with the kids,” said Ramesh Annamraju, a fraternity brother. “One of Jay’s big roles is setting up events, trying to direct attention to where we should focus events. He brings some really fresh ideas to the table.” His forthright nature on and off the field has earned him the nickname ‘Flipmode’ from his fellow fraternity members. “He’s always a pretty positive person, but he’s definitely a person that would communicate when he’s upset or when he’s been disappointed by something,” said Brandon Sands, fraternity brother. “That’s why we call him Flipmode. He’s always a positive person, but when something bothers him, you’ll know about it.” Underneath the muscles of the big, bulky lineman lies a singing voice hidden to many beyond his close friends, and Woods said he can freestyle on the spot, although he wouldn’t provide a live sample. “I can freestyle,” Woods pointed out. “It’s one of the hobbies I love doing. I can say a
8. Tennessee (8-4, 5-3) Sure, the Vols won five straight games to finish out the season, but it was against Kentucky, South Carolina, North Texas, Missouri and Vanderbilt. Those teams were a combined 3-22 to finish the season. Yeah, I’m salty. 9. Arkansas (7-5, 5-3) Any time Bret Bielema seems like he could be on the verge of getting fired, Arkansas starts playing like a team possessed. After starting 2-4, averaging 26 points per game, he finished 5-2 averaging 46.5 points per game. That sneaky man.
few bars sometimes.” With all of his positivity off the field, his success this season should not be overlooked. Woods shined especially late in the season, on a much improved defense, collecting 24 tackles, forcing two fumbles and recovering one. “He’s pretty much just stayed humble with all the recent success he’s had and he’s always coming in everyday to work and try to get better,” said Torey Agee, junior defensive lineman, noting Woods’ commitment to constant improvement. For him, keeping faith close is what he believes propelled him to his ongoing success. “My mom taught me religion before anything,” Woods said. “Faith, football and family. I don’t want to say I’m the biggest religious person, but I always give thanks to God because He’s the head of my life right now.” Much of his growth should also be attributed to his work ethic before games. Woods doesn’t mope about early morning practices. Instead, he rolls in with as much energy and intensity as if it was mid-play against an SEC opponent. “He’s definitely one of the more vocal leaders on the team,” Agee said. “Every morning he’ll be rolling in on his little monorover and blast music, screaming at the top of his lungs. He definitely can be loud.”
10. Auburn (6-6, 2-6) Remember when Jeremy Johnson was the next Cam Newton? Boy, that was fun. He only threw for 1,812 less yards, rushed for 1,362 less yards, and scored 37 less touchdowns than Cam did his only season at Auburn. 11. Vanderbilt (4-8, 2-6) How much money would it take Chip Kelly agree to be Vanderbilt’s offensive coordinator? $5 million? $10 million? Could he really turn down $15 million?? Let’s get some boosters together and make this happen. 12. Kentucky (5-7, 2-6) It’s a sign of how Vanderbilt’s football seasons have gone lately that I derive so much joy from Kentucky missing out on a bowl game after starting 4-1. 13. Missouri (5-7, 2-6) Mizzou’s reign as back-to-back SEC East champion is over, and now head coach Gary Pinkel is resigning. This program may be stuck in the doldrums for a while after looking like they could hold their own in the SEC. 14. South Carolina (3-9, 1-7) How unfortunate for South Carolina that they’re having a head coaching search right now? They thought they’d have a chance at Kirby Smart or Chip Kelly, but with jobs like Miami, Georgia and potentially LSU opening up, they’re going to have to wait in line before getting their shot at a good head coach.
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FOOTBALL SEASON REVIEW
Looking past the 4-8 record
This weekend in Commodore sports Forget the losses, Vanderbilt football made monumental improvements in 2015 by Ben Weinrib, Sports editor By MAX HERZ Sports reporter --------------------
NO. 16 MEN’S BASKETBALL (5-1, 0-0 SEC) vs. Detroit Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. Memorial Gym With a full week to heal their sunburns and try on their new Maui Jim sunglasses in the books, the Commodores return to action against the Detroit Titans on Wednesday night at home. Vandy went 2-1 in the Maui Invitational last week, with wins over St. John’s and Wake Forest and a championship game loss to No. 5 Kansas. The Dores rose three spots in both the AP and Coaches’ Polls this week, claiming 16th in the AP Poll and 13th in the Coaches’ Poll.
at No. 25 Baylor Sunday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. Waco, Texas TV: ESPNU
Across the SEC there is turmoil among almost every coaching staff. Mark Richt was fired at Georgia. Les Miles may or may not be on the way out of LSU. Dan Mullen interviewed for the Miami opening. South Carolina is struggling to find a replacement for Steve Spurrier. But one of the staffs that has stayed free of drama is Vanderbilt’s, and for good reason. Despite only a one-win improvement in Derek Mason’s second campaign as head coach, the team made monumental strides this season. Although sports can seem so black and white – every win is great and every loss is awful – that’s no way to evaluate a team. Undermanned compared to other SEC teams, Vanderbilt was
still able to hold its own. Unlike his predecessor James Franklin, Mason has not been blessed with the same talent pool when he took over. There was no Jordan Matthews in the building, not even a Jordan Rodgers. But what he has shown is one of the best defensive minds in the nation. Vanderbilt struggled defensively in its first season under Mason in part because he wasn’t calling plays defensively. The Commodores allowed 35.4 points per game before the switch to Mason calling plays and have only allowed 21.3 points per game since. Under Mason’s watch, the Commodores have held opponents 8.0 points below their season scoring average this season. His play calling has especially
worked well in big situations, as the unit ranks 6th in the nation in both red zone and third down defense. Yes, there have been offensive struggles, but the team has been shorthanded due to injuries. Without their best offensive lineman (Andrew Jelks), top returning receiver (C.J. Duncan), and an emerging tight end (DeAndre Woods), new offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig had limited options. But with a long-term solution at quarterback in Kyle Shurmur, there is promise going forward. With the exception of the two shutout losses, Vanderbilt was contending in each of its games. And that includes road games against No. 3 Ole Miss and No. 10 Florida. That’s a major step forward for a program last year
that struggled to win three nonconference games. The season got off to a rough start with a 14-12 loss at home to Western Kentucky, but the rest of the schedule went as it should have. The four games against ranked opponents were losses, while weak non conference teams were wins. They even won half of the games against similarly skilled teams. It will take more than two seasons to turn back around this program. But Mason’s second year showed clear progress in the right direction. This season can only be seen as a disappointment is if one looks at it through a black and white, bowl-or-bust lens.
MVP: ZACH CUNNINGHAM
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: KYLE SHURMUR
BEST GAME: AUSTIN PEAY
BEST PLAY: SNEAKY PETE
The Governors were one of the worst teams the Commodores have played in years, and resulted in one of Vanderbilt’s greatest offensive outputs of all time in a 47-7 victory. Johnny McCrary and Trent Sherfield both set offensive records; Sherfield’s 240 receiving yards is the most all-time for a Commodore, and McCrary broke a 54-year old record by completing 84.8 percent of his passes. Vanderbilt’s 47 points are the most ever scored under Mason. Equally as impressive as the points, then-starting quarterback Johnny McCrary didn’t turn the ball over at all after throwing five interceptions in the first two games of the season.
As the first half was coming to a close against Kentucky, Vanderbilt came out of a timeout and used some trickery to extended its lead. The offense hustled quickly to the middle of the field, where 10 players bunched together in a tight formation. The last player, Caleb Scott quietly stood by the edge of the field, uncovered by a Kentucky defense that was caught sleeping. Kyle Shurmur quickly hit Scott with a pass after taking a three-step drop, and Scott went untouched 37 yards for a touchdown on a play the team called the “Sneaky Pete.” This would put the Commodores ahead 21-10 and ultimately was the decisive score in a 21-17 win.
Vandy plays its first true road game of the season against Baylor, which is ranked 25th in the Coaches’ Poll, Sunday night. These teams met last season in the Big 12/SEC Challenge at Memorial Gym, a 66-63 loss for the Commodores. After scoring 21 points in the game, Baylor forward Taurean Prince said, “We knew we had to step up for the Big 12.” This year’s game is not part of the Challenge, and without that conference-driven motivation for Prince and the Bears, Vanderbilt will likely win by 100.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (5-2, 0-0 SEC) at Drexel Thursday, Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. Philadelphia, Pa. vs. East Tennessee State Saturday, Dec. 5 at 1 p.m. Memorial Gym Vanderbilt women’s basketball rides a threegame winning streak into Philly for a Thursday night matchup with the Drexel Dragons. Both Commodore losses this season have come on the road, and the Dores are still looking for their first road win after losses at Dayton and Green Bay. Vandy returns home Saturday afternoon for an in-state matchup with the ETSU Buccaneers.
Last season’s leading tackler Nigel Bowden was only able to play two games because of a concussion, but Cunningham filled his role as well as anyone could have hoped and then some. A fellow 4-star recruit from the same class as Bowden, Cunningham led the team with 103 tackles, 25 more than Bowden had last season and 39 more than the next best Commodore. His level of dominance was rather astounding. Cunningham led the team with 16.5 tackles for a loss; no one else had double-digits. He also led the team in sacks (4.5), forced fumbles (4), and fumbles recovered (3). On one of the best defensive units in the nation, Cunningham was by far the best player.
This one is almost by default, since the only other freshman to see significant time was Josh Crawford, but Shurmur came into his own by the end of the season. Although he never completed more than half of his passes, Shurmur did one thing very well: not turn the ball over. Johnny McCrary lost his starting job in part because he threw an interception every 22.3 passes, whereas Shurmur only threw an interception every 34.3 passes. Shurmur looked especially good at the end of the Tennessee game, when he engineered two last-ditch touchdown drives of 66 and 68 yards.
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TODAY'S SUDOKU
Answers to last week’s sudoku
PHOTO OF THE WEEK Answers to last week’s crossword
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Senior Jahmel McIntosh (27) sits dejected on the bench with Landon Stokes (99) as the Vanderbilt football season concluded its season with a 53-28 loss to Tennessee at Neyland Stadium.