The Vanderbilt Hustler 3-16-16

vanderbilthustler WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

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VOL. 128, ISS. 9

MEET THE CANDIDATES PAGE 2

KATHY YUAN / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER

OPINION

NEWS

Guest Mason Boudrye confronts the existence of casual homophobia on campus

Examining the status of first-year Jack Newcomer’s write-in campaign for VSG president

Hearing the f-word at the frats What’s next PAGEfor 6 Newcomer?

PAGE 8

PAGE 4

SPORTS

Basketball season in review

A look back at what happened during the Commodores’ disappointing 19-14 run

PAGE 17

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

VSG Elections Presidential candidate:

ARIANA FOWLER

Vice presidential candidate:

TAYLOR GUTIERREZ

“A FRESH START” COURTESY OF JORDAN JENSEN

Q: WHAT MAKES YOUR PLATFORM UNIQUE?

Fowler: One thing that we really tried to do is create a platform that everyone could relate to and could find something that pertained to them or their organization ... so we tried to stray away from specific initiatives or specific corners of campus and instead try to make each point all-encompassing and holistic. So I think it’s a very realistic platform, it’s a very simple platform. And I think that’s very different from the flashy platforms that promise things. Last year was like Uber on the card or like Whole Foods on the card, different things like that, where usually those things don’t ever get done.

Q: WHICH OF YOUR PLATFORM POINTS IS MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU?

Fowler: The very last point, the Nashville Student Alliance, this was something that was born out of one of the teach-ins at MLK Day with Dr. Sheila Peters. At the very end, someone asked how Vanderbilt students could interact with Fisk students to address social justice problems in the community, and out of that teach-in was a meeting. And I was actually the only Vanderbilt student that was present at the meeting. It was held here on campus, but there were six Fisk students and Dr. Sheila Peters, and that meeting was two weeks ago, and they really wanted to create this kind of coalition amongst college students in Nashville, to address both on- and off-campus issues. So we talked about activism, and they really wanted to have race dialogue talks with Vanderbilt students, and they also talked about rape on campus and the girls at Fisk were going to do a rally about rape on campus and that was a huge thing that’s been on our campus. So kind of finding common ground is something I’m really passionate about. And because it kind of leaves a lasting effect on Nashville and on all of our college campuses, rather than kind of keeping us locked in the Vandy bubble.

Gutierrez: I think for me the biggest platform point, the platform point that I’m most excited about, is renegotiating

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ALLIE GROSS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

the costs of performance spaces on campus. I currently serve as the VP of the VPAC (Vanderbilt Performing Arts Community) exec board, and also am currently the president of Vanderbilt Off Broadway, so performing arts issues are very near and dear to my heart. And so, to be able to very realistically support the performing arts community, which is a community that I so identified with for the last three years, and to be able to actually see this group of over 900 undergraduates be supported on a platform is very exciting for me.

Q: WHY ARE YOU THE BEST CANDIDATES?

Gutierrez: I was not involved in VSG for my first two years.

I was very involved in Vanderbilt Off Broadway, I was very involved in VPAC board, and Ariana took her year off from VSG. So to be able to bring in these perspectives into VSG that are outside of this kind of walled-off area of campus — I know many people find VSG this elitist clique-ish organization — to be able to bring an outside perspective to VSG and connect VSG to outside communities, [that’s why]. I think that’s a pitfall that VSG has fallen into in the past, so I think that’s one of the greatest attributes that Ariana and I bring to the table.

And also, specifically as Vice President, one of the things that’s very often overlooked with the role of the vice president is that the vice president runs the whole committee branch of VSG, which is probably where the most initiatives of VSG get cranked out of. I have a lot of experience leading, in that this last year I led VPAC board, and VPAC’s president and vice president kind of work as a co-chair position, so the president and I really worked a lot managing board — and of course VPAC is an umbrella org, so we as a board of nine people work with and collaborate with 31 organizations across campus. Currently there are 10 committees in VSG... I think it’s the same kind of mentality.

Fowler: There are two main things that I have been kind of telling people because on the surface, Jude and I look very similar: we’re both in Greek life, we’re both in VPB, we both

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have been involved in VSG to some extent, however, the two things that really distinguish me, I believe, is the fact that I did take a year off of VSG and I do not currently sit on cabinet or on the exec board, so I am a normal committee member just like the several hundred members that are on committees. And so the outside perspective that I gained last year and this year has really enlightened my thoughts and my perspectives concerning the organization. It has shaped the ways in which I want to lead and the ways in which I want to move the organization ... My sole focus is ensuring that number one we fix VSG but we also turn VSG outward and make it truly representative, and so I think that by not coming in with any of my own personal agendas or any of my own personal initiatives, that really allows me to serve the organization instead of serving my own needs and goals.

I think that not being in VSG last year shows that I’m not truly a part of the establishment. I think a lot of people think that there’s kind of a pipeline, and that there’s this hierarchy in the organization, and so when I decided to not be involved in VSG as a sophomore I was cut out of a lot of the communications and a lot of the friend groups, which was really interesting for me to see. And I think it also allowed students to trust me, so they could talk poorly about VSG or offer their two cents without feeling as though they had to tiptoe around me, because I shared most of their concerns as well.

I think it shows that I was also fed up with the organization, so I sympathize with a lot of the complaints and arguments and bitterness that people hold against the organization — I had them myself. And I had to be kind of talked into re-joining VSG, so I think that it’s relevant considering people see our tickets as very alike, and it shows people have to take that into account when they want to understand the differences between the two tickets.

Reporting by Sarah Friedman, Assistant news editor

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Meet the Candidates Presidential candidate:

JUDE COHEN

Vice presidential candidate:

ANDREW BRODSKY

“VOICE YOUR VU” COURTESY OF JENNIFER LI

Q: WHAT MAKES YOUR PLATFORM UNIQUE?

Cohen: More than anything, it’s about bringing VSG down to a realistic level where students see it, as opposed to where VSG sees itself, and opening up the doors, coming out of the office on the second floor of Rand and being accessible for students to voice complaints. That even looks like something as simple as setting up shop in a Rand booth for a few hours every week and being there, just being present for any student complaints or concerns.

One of the systems that we hope to set up is a space of communication and trust with all other governing councils where we establish relationships with regular meetings; however, they determine if or how they want those to take place. And part of what that comes from is a really successful pilot of that this year with VPB and VSG, where the VSG programming team has been meeting every other week with the VPB president and vice president to make sure we aren’t overprogramming and we’re not pursuing the same initiatives separately.

Q: WHAT PART OF YOUR PLATFORM MEANS THE MOST TO YOUR PERSONALLY?

Brodsky: One thing that’s really important to me is that first one under well-being, where it says “Reduce the stigma associated with mental health through speak-out panels, tough topics seminars and advocacy workshops across campus in partnership with organizations like Active Minds and LEAPS.” That’s important to me because I had a lot of time during my freshman year where I sort of struggled with that feeling of not being in the best mental state but not feeling like I was able to tell anyone because of the stigma that was associated with it, and I’ve also seen so many of my friends and peers go through that exact same thing, so I’ve just been really passionate about helping break down that stigma basically since this time last year. I wrote a Hustler opinion article about it, and so ever since then I’ve been working on various different

things. Over the summer, I worked with Active Minds and people in that group to bring the Vanderbilt [IM]Perfection Project to campus. That was based off of Princeton’s [Perspective] Project, and we sort of molded it and that’s still in the works now, just that idea of making everyone feel comfortable and safe in this environment. I feel like they can talk about what they’re facing, talk about what they’re doing. It’s really important to me, and I feel like that’s really exemplified in that platform point.

Cohen: Before the school year even started, when the first year international students came for move-in and they were all coming at different times, there was no plan to receive them on campus in Nashville, and for a lot of students, it was their first time in America. Maybe they didn’t know how to use the money, maybe they didn’t necessarily know what was around campus, what was safe to walk to at night. And so a group of them showed up on Dean Beasley’s doorstep at 10 p.m. the night before international student orientation started and said “Hi, it’s 10 p.m., we haven’t eaten, we don’t know how or why or where we can do this here, what’s the deal?” And the fact that that was just nothing more than oversight shows that there are so many underrepresented populations on this campus that aren’t receiving the attention or the voice that they could or should be receiving, and that again is a kind of effort that VSG should be advocating for because we need to be the agent for these students. And things like that, where students are being failed, we need to fix. We need to identify, and we need to put it into motion. The fact that there was no plan and these students were left hanging high and dry, why is that not something that we’ve addressed?

Q: WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST CANDIDATES?

Cohen: This race is hard for me to talk about comparatively because Ariana is one of my very close friends, so at the same time that I want myself to win, I don’t want my friend to lose.

But it’s going to go one way. And so it’s hard to compare, but

looking objectively, I have had more depth and breadth and experience on this campus in different spheres of the student body, and I feel like that has given me kind of like an ear into issues with a lot of different communities and allowed me to make friends and make connections in very many different places. And also, on top of that, objectively I have more experience within VSG, which is not everyone’s most popular thing about any ticket. But the reality is that both tickets are people who are coming from inside VSG, and so I think it’s an asset to have the knowledge of the organization and what it is currently doing and what it’s been doing for the past however many years, so that when we get into these positions, if we get into these positions, we can hit the ground running. And we don’t have that same learning curve that administrations who have less experience would have, and we can start from 100 instead of starting from scratch.

Brodsky: There are three main reasons why I make a good running mate. One is that Jude and I already have a plethora of experience working together, both within VSG (we have worked on several projects together) but also outside of VSG. We are both VUceptors, and she was group 59 and I was group 60, so we were always paired together for things.

Second, I’m not afraid to say no. A lot of times you need someone else with a different opinion, and so by being there I wouldn’t be afraid to make the voices of different members of VSG heard within executive board meetings.

And lastly, I would say that I just have a lot of experience working with committees, which is the key role that the VP does, they oversee all of the different committees. This year, I was president of the Peabody College Council, which technically is not a committee, but works very similarly. So moving up to VP I will really be able to understand how that process already works. You do need a base knowledge of how the system works if you hope to improve it and make it better.

Reporting by Sarah Friedman, Assistant news editor

Watch the candidate debate:

Vote in the election:

Visit the candidates' websites:

The Vanderbilt Hustler and VandyRadio are hosting a debate between the Vanderbilt Student Government presidential and vice presidential candidates today, March 16, at 6 p.m. The debate will take place in Rand Lounge, and will be broadcast live on VandyRadio.

Voting will take place on Anchor Link from March 22, 2016 at 8 a.m. until March 23, 2016 at 12 p.m.

Jude Cohen and Andrew Brodsky: http://voiceyourvu.squarespace.com/ Ariana Fowler and Taylor Gutierrez: http://www.ariana-taylor.com/

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

Remembering Taylor Force Two gatherings will be held this week in remembrance of an Owen graduate student who was killed last week in a terrorist attack in Israel

VSG contemplates Newcomer’s candidate status After judicial ruling, the election commissioner still must decide whether first-year Jack Newcomer is an eligible write-in candidate

By SARAH FRIEDMAN Assistant news editor --------------------

COURTESY OF VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY

By ZOE SHANCER News editor --------------------

Vanderbilt will hold two gatherings this week to remember Taylor Force, an Owen Graduate School of Management student, who was killed in a terrorist attack in Tel Aviv, Israel on March 8. Force was on a spring break trip with other Owen students and faculty.

On Thursday, March 17 from 3-6 p.m., the Office of the University Chaplain and Religious Life will host a discussion of “loss, hope and healing in a violent world.” University chaplains and affiliated chaplains will lead two group discussions, one at 3:15 p.m. and one at 4:30 p.m., to discuss the tragic loss of Force and how to maintain hope, offer comfort and make sense of tragedies such as this that are driven by senseless violence.

There will be rooms open for smaller gatherings before and after the discussion, as well as for private counsel with a chaplain for those interested. All students are welcome, and both discussions will be held in the Office of Religious Life at 401 24th Avenue.

On Friday, March 18 at 4 p.m., a memorial service will take place on campus at Benton Chapel, 200 24th Ave. S. The service is closed to the public, and due to limited seating, priority will be given to the Owen School community and those who knew Force well. The service will be streamed live at Central Library and the Schulman Center for Jewish Life (Hillel) for those who wish to share in his remembrance.

On March 6, after first-year Jack Newcomer spent six days of planning his VSG write-in student body president campaign, election commissioner Carly Stone told him that there would not be a write-in slot in the presidential election, rendering his campaign useless.

After another seven days, Stone informed Newcomer that he had committed several campaign violations, making him ineligible to run despite the fact that he believed he was already ineligible due to the lack of the write-in option.

After yet another two days, at Newcomer’s request, the judicial court of VSG released a ruling saying that there would be a write-in slot, but that the court did not have the power to determine Newcomer’s eligibility to run as a write-in candidate, and that that would remain in the hands of Election Commissioner Carly Stone. Confused? So was he.

The court’s advisory opinion revealed that VSG’s statutes didn’t clearly define a “simple majority.” This, along with other ambiguous statutes, made it unclear whether there could be a write-in candidate in the general election. The court ruled that a simple majority can be defined as “the highest percentage of votes,” the standard definition of a plurality, allowing for a write-in candidate in the general election.

After the three-member election commission led by Stone deliberates on Wednesday, Stone and Newcomer will meet Thursday to discuss his eligibility to run for the office, leaving Newcomer with four days to campaign before the March 22 election — should he be eligible based on his academic standing and possible violations incurred. The possibilities are that Newcomer will be told he can campaign with restrictions due to violations incurred, that he will be told he cannot run as a candidate, or that he will be able to run without restrictions.

There are several qualifications for write-in candidates enumerated in the VSG statutes, which also specify that only those votes cast for pre-approved write-in candidates will be counted. To be approved, the candidate must be in good academic standing and submit all required paperwork before the election ends, including gathering 500 signatures and meeting with VSG advisors about the candidate’s platform.

“To be a write-in, you still have to go through all the motions that the other candidates did as well,” Stone said.

This means that the candidate cannot break any campaign rules, even before knowing they will be a candidate. Stone said that the election commission will review the campaigning violations that Newcomer made since declaring his candidacy.

Candidates for VSG president are forbidden from making “direct appeals to the media regarding campaign violations.”

While there were articles published about Newcomer’s setbacks, he claimed the media reached out to him, and not vice versa. However, Stone said that this rule applies regardless of who reached out to whom.

Additionally, presidential candidates were not permitted to campaign before March 14, making it a violation to maintain supporters before this date, according to Stone. In her March 14 email to Newcomer, Stone stated that “The two confirmed candidates have upheld this rule, and abstained from garnering support. You refer to your ‘supporters’ many times in your various emails, thereby admitting to a major violation (gather-

COURTESY OF JACK NEWCOMER

First-year Jack Newcomer hopes to run as a write-in candidate in the upcoming VSG presidential election. ing support prior to the official start of campaigning).”

However, Newcomer maintains that the supporters he referred to were those who encouraged him to run for the office, not ones he garnered after he decided that he would. Still, Stone said that Newcomer mentioned that he had been campaigning in email exchanges with her, and that this provides him an unfair advantage.

Newcomer pointed out that he and his running mate Dan Stefan believed that they were not yet eligible candidates during the time that the “major violations” were said to have been committed. Stone said that if Newcomer planned on appealing the election commission’s decision, then he was not permitted to obtain an unfair advantage by posting on social media over spring break.

“For that seven-day time period, we were under the impression that we weren’t official candidates,” Newcomer said.

“And then when she did respond to me, she said that we had committed major campaign violations, and what I said to that was, ‘Well if you’re going to say we aren’t eligible and we aren’t candidates, how can you say we’re committing campaign violations when according to you, we can’t even be campaigning?’”

Stone and the other two commission members will determine whether or what type of restrictions will be placed on Newcomer as a result of these violations, from a ban on social media, on verbal campaigning, on posters or a full suspension of the campaign.

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Students weigh in on VSG presidential election As campaign week progresses, students identify transparency, diversity and spending as the most important issues

By ZOE SHANCER News editor --------------------

With the campaign for VSG Student Body President in full swing, students discuss what issues are most important to them this election season and what changes they want to see in the next VSG administration.

TRANSPARENCY Of 16 students surveyed in Rand, 11 cited transparency in VSG as an issue of importance to them in the upcoming election.

“A lot of people have had issues with … the lack of clarity between what VSG is doing, what the school really wants to happen and what the students want,” sophomore Ellen Camarano said.

Sophomore Jack Shapiro echoed Camarano’s sentiment, saying that he hopes VSG can clearly communicate to students the specific goals they are working to accomplish. Both junior Nigel Walker and

sophomore Skylar Williams think the recent town hall meetings were a good step toward increased transparency, but Williams said she wants to see more.

“I don’t know enough of what is actually happening with VSG,” Williams said. “I don’t know the initiatives, the plans. I see the platforms, but once people are elected, I’m not seeing what’s happening. What are the moves being made?”

Senior Jasmine Reid thinks a lack of transparency may stem from a divide between those involved in VSG and those outside of it.

“Whenever I hear about VSG I feel very disconnected from it,” Reid said. “There are certain people who are very much included, but then I feel like as an outsider, I don’t have much say ... or understand what happens [in VSG].”

Reid and senior Brandan Gillespie want the next VSG president to listen to students.

“If VSG is supposed to be representative of the whole student body, we should have some sort of input or some sort of idea of what exactly goes on in the meetings,” Gillespie said.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION Another important issue according to the majority of students was diversity and inclusion.

“Diversity and inclusion come to mind immediately because of the recent appoint-

ment of the chief diversity officer,” Walker said. “I would love to see VSG in the new election address how they are going to work with him.”

According to Gillespie, VSG has not been representative of all organizations. “[VSG] caters to the needs of the majority, and the needs of the minorities aren’t being met in particular cultural organizations,” he said.

Sophomore Brittanie Giroux also wants to see more VSG involvement in multicultural organizations.

“Although [VSG] seems to have an interest in wanting to promote diversity and inclusion, I don’t really see a lot of them at these events … ” Giroux said. “I want to see them come out and really celebrate with their fellow peers and classmates, and not just appear to do so.”

Junior Erin Logan isn’t satisfied with how VSG has collaborated with multicultural organizations in the past and hopes to see this improved under the next leadership.

“Whenever [VSG does] reach out ... they don’t listen to the people they reach out to,” Logan said.

What will be important in achieving these changes, according to Giroux, is for VSG to avoid isolating itself.

“VSG is, I think, made up of the same people and same friend groups,” Giroux said. “I just want us all to come together as

a community and just really be the diverse community that we all hope to be.”

SPENDING Another issue mentioned: VSG’s budget.

“I think there are a lot of elements of VSG that are significant with money to co-sponsor and fund other programs and events, and I think they do a good job with that,” Reid said.

Reid also thinks, however, that VSG could provide financial support to a wider range of organizations.

Another student, senior Jason Mayer, has concerns with VSG’s use of funds. Mayer cited VSG’s Leadership Roundtable at the beginning of the school year as an example.

“They invited all the student org leaders, and they took everybody out to this lodge and bused everybody out there, fed them lunch, and bused them back,” Mayer said.

“And I get the point of that exercise, I just feel like stuff like that could have been done for free.”

He said VSG could have rented a room on campus and used the meal plan.

“Obviously, that’s less fun, but assuming the leaders of student orgs care, you shouldn’t need to make it fun,” Mayer said.

“They should be going because they care about the org and the campus … Wasteful spending like that ... there’s got to be a better place that could go.”

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

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Email submissions or any questions to Opinion Editor Queen Stevenson at queen.o.stevenson@gmail.com

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

opinion

“We should never imply that [one’s] ethnic heritage prevents an individual from being American.”

ALICE LI, FIRST-YEAR

My name is not ‘faggot’

’’

Homophobia still exists at Vanderbilt and it needs to be addressed

MASON BOUDRYE is a sophomore in the Blair School of Music. He can be reached at mason. boudrye@vanderbilt.edu.

Our current social atmosphere is such that many things that end with -phobia are denounced and fiercely opposed: Islamophobia, Xenophobia and Negrophobia are all examples of that which we strive to conquer. Homophobia is no different, as the fight for equality for LGBTQ people has been ongoing for decades. Yet those of us who pride ourselves on our tolerance and acceptance of queer people often forget that there are those who still harbor hatred and disgust in their hearts for the people we know and love. Those people are not relegated to the periphery of society. They do not all live in some isolated town in the middle of nowhere. In fact, I had the pleasure of meeting one very such person on a fine Saturday evening outside of a fraternity house. When I told people about the following encounter, a frequent response was, “I didn’t realize people still said that... and meant it.” They surely do. It is imperative that we realize that homophobia persists, even on Vanderbilt’s campus, and it must be addressed.

To the person who called me a faggot: You may not have given a single thought about the derogatory epithet you granted me. I, however, have given many. I assume you didn’t know my real name so you decided “faggot” was a suitable substitute; thus, I confronted you. I did so without hostility or malice, hoping to simply talk to you about what you had just done. How naïve I was. Your friends intervened, apologizing on your behalf as you turned away in an attempt to deflect and ignore me. They became increasingly irritated with my attempts to have a dialogue, thereby demonstrating their tacit approval of such behavior.

I have been labeled such hideous monikers in the past, but typically they have been hurled at me by individuals courageous enough to speak their homophobia openly. You, however, seemed to voice your sentiments with a hope that I might not hear you, that your bigotry might have stayed covert amongst you and your friends, thereby allowing your disgusting behavior and thoughts to go unchallenged. As a male who identifies as bisexual, and as a Blair student

vanderbilthustler EDITORIAL BOARD ALLIE GROSS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF editor@vanderbilthustler.com

ZOE SHANCER

KARA SHERRER

NEWS EDITOR news@vanderbilthustler.com

LIFE EDITOR life@vanderbilthustler.com

QUEEN STEVENSON

BEN WEINRIB

OPINION EDITOR opinion@vanderbilthustler. com

SPORTS EDITOR sports@vanderbilthustler.com

Evidently, homophobia is not a relic of a less enlightened time.

’’

whose ears are trained and more adept at perceiving sound, I rarely fail to notice the usage of language such as yours. Had your plan unfolded as you had assumed it would, you could have continued your life blissfully unaware that you contribute to a culture of hate and harassment that results in self-harm and suicide for so many. For others, they become victims of hate crimes and homicides.

According to polls conducted by the Human Rights Campaign, 54 percent of queer people expressed concern about becoming a victim of a hate crime. A large portion indicated they were “extremely concerned.” Homophobia and transphobia led to the brutal murders of Matthew Shepard, Fred C. Martinez Jr., Roxanne Ellis and Michelle Abdill, Gwen Araujo and countless others. Words just like the one you so deliberately chose have been the last thoughts on the minds of the countless people who have taken their lives. For some, they were the last they heard. According to Speak For Them, a suicide prevention organization, LGBTQ youth are two to six times as likely to attempt suicide as their straight peers; it is the leading cause of death for that demographic. Statistically speaking, every instance of verbal antagonization and harassment, such as the one you directed toward me, increases the likelihood that the target of that hate will attempt suicide by roughly 2.5 times. According to the American Journal of Public Health, if my family had rejected me, I would be over eight times as likely to seek suicide as a solution to my pain. Suppose our interaction had been the last reason I needed to add my name to the ever-growing list of suicide victims.

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

Food for thought.

This was the first person I have encountered while I have attended Vanderbilt who has dared make his ignorance known to me. I suppose I should be thankful for that. I am sure he thinks the word “faggot” is innocuous and should not be taken so harshly, but that is because (from what I can perceive) he is a cisgender, white, heterosexual male. This is not about intent; this is about reality. With all possible deference to him, he has no earthly idea what it is like to be anything aside from “normal.” I do not blame him for his lack of empathy or knowledge. I do hope that he will one day understand that his behavior is wholly unacceptable.

I still wish I could have a conversation with him because, simply put, he is a problem. He fosters an environment that is not only uncomfortable, but unsafe. I want to understand him and people like him, despite the obvious fact that they have no desire to understand me. Questions I would like to ask are: Why would you purposefully inflict such harm? Did it make you feel better? How do you live on a daily basis with such exhausting internalized hatred within you? Did you forget that I am more than an abstract sexuality?

Did you truly not understand you were talking about a person? Were you under the assumption that I, “Faggot,” would not have the gall to turn around and confront you in response to your obscene language? Most concerning above all: Did you not realize I, like most “faggots,” have ears? In all seriousness, I want to know: What prevents you from being an ally, a compassionate, kind, thoughtful human being?

I refuse to believe that people are incapable of decency, and he is no exception. I hope he sees me one day soon, that he recognizes my face and decides to view me not as a recipient of whatever strife he himself is enduring, but as an individual with whom he could potentially connect on a basic human level.

Evidently, homophobia is not a relic of a less enlightened time. It is with this knowledge that each of us must proceed, taking every opportunity to inform and to correct those who have yet to see the pernicious nature of their thoughts and behaviors.

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.

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You can be Asian and still call America your home

Breaking down the perceived conflict between ethnic heritage and nationality

ALICE LI is a first-year in the College of Arts and Science. She can be reached alice.y.li@ vanderbilt.edu.

“Where are you from?”

The question seems innocuous and straightforward, yet when I respond by telling people the name of my hometown in the United States, the issue sometimes becomes more complicated. More often than I would like, I find myself facing a series of follow-up questions, all of which are variations of the same tune: “No, but where are you really from?”

Although I’ve experimented with simply repeating my original answer, I’ve learned over time that the people who ask me where I’m “really” from tend to be persistent until I finally tell them what they want to hear: whether I’m of Chinese, Japanese, Korean or some other kind of Asian descent. Afterwards, they often ask me about the “exotic” aspects of my “real” home, or occasionally make a comment on my ability to speak English. Essentially, they seem to regard being Asian and being American as two mutually exclusive identities. However, our identity includes our American pride just as much as our Asian pride, and we genuinely feel that our home is America as well.

The question “Where are you really from?” often originates from curiosity rather than malicious intent, but nevertheless, the problem with the question lies in its implication: since I appear to be of Asian descent, I obviously can’t be from “here.” Sadly, that kind of implication is hardly new. Although Asian Americans have contributed to the cultural diversity and economic growth of the United States for over two centuries, mass media and popular culture have constantly denied Asian Americans their self-identified national-

ity. During the 1998 Winter Olympics, MSNBC chose the headline “American beats out Kwan” to announce Tara Lipinski’s victory over Michelle Kwan, an Asian American figure skater born and raised in California. Four years later, when Kwan lost the gold medal to another American skater named Sarah Hughes, the Seattle Times made the same error, announcing “American outshines Kwan.”

Both headlines imply that Kwan isn’t American — or, at least, not as American as Tara Lipinski or Sarah Hughes. In essence, Kwan was twice denied her American status even though she won medals for the United States in both Olympics (today, she is the most decorated U.S. figure skater in the history of the sport). More recently, the professional basketball player Jeremy Lin, who was also born in the United States, has encountered derogatory comments that encompass everything from pseudo-Chinese gibberish to the classic remark, “Go back to China” — a remark that is inappropriate, especially when directed at an American-born citizen.

Despite the insistence of dominant culture that Asian Americans don’t belong in America, the perception of Asian Americans as foreigners lacks any kind of solid, logical foundation. We don’t have problems speaking English. Many of us have lived in the United States for all of our lives, such that we would experience culture shock if we tried to live in any other country. Although our ethnic heritage may have influenced some of our perspectives, and although we’re proud of our cultural background, being American is

also a fundamental (and cherished) part of our identity. Ultimately, we want to contribute to this nation just as much as any other American citizen. Yet to some, none of that matters: Our identity is read only on a superficial level, and dominant culture confines the Asian American experience into a world where all people of Asian descent look and act the same. In some kind of twisted paradox, we are perceived as foreigners in the country that we call home.

“Where are you from?” is a perfectly natural question to ask when meeting someone for the first time, and to be clear, I don’t mean to suggest that we as Vanderbilt students should hesitate to ask people where they’re from. But in most scenarios, we should be content with the first answer that we’re given. If we must inquire about someone’s ethnic heritage, we should never imply that that ethnic heritage prevents an individual from being American (or, for that matter, from belonging in the Vanderbilt community).

Keeping this idea in mind is especially important in order to further Vanderbilt’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. In the long run, by acknowledging that Asian Americans, as well as other individuals who identify with minority groups or who have mixed backgrounds, also belong in the American population, we can reacquaint ourselves with what it means to be American and act together to strengthen our community and our nation.

Police should protect and serve, not racially profile

Discussing the realities of unequal treatment by police — even on our campus

SHADMAN ISLAM is a junior in the College of Arts and Science. He can be reached at shadman.islam@ vanderbilt.edu.

I remember having a Nassau County Police ruler when I was little, a gift from one of the officers patrolling the residential campus outside Nassau University Medical Center. It was a symbol of safety, and came to be a reflection of my image of the police growing up.

Protection, order and morality — these are things that police officers came to embody in my eyes as a child.

The NYPD, here to serve the people and enforce the law. However, it has become apparent since then that the police department, even at Vanderbilt, remains discriminatory towards people of color.

I’ll never forget my encounter with the police here.

Walking over to my friend’s Mayfield from Branscomb during my sophomore year at around 10 p.m., I yielded to an officer on the corner of the future engineering building right across from the 25th Avenue Staff Garage. The officer signaled left, but as he turned the corner he came to a stop halfway through the turn and signaled me over. He asked me what my name was. I responded, “Shadman.” He then proceeded to tell me he was searching for someone matching my description but that I did not have the right name. I was confused — was he looking for someone wearing Sperries, a VSG shirt and basketball shorts? He then questioned me about where I live, and when I said Branscomb, he sped off. It was in that moment I became cognizant that no matter what prestigious institution I attend, how much money I make, or how famous I am, the tone of my skin and the foreignness

of my face are forever marks of suspicion to the police.

I will never completely face the full torrent of racial distrust and harassment that the United States police pours upon African Americans, but my limited negative experiences excruciatingly reminded me of what it felt like to be a foreigner in my own country, be it for even one second. To criticize the police for their brutality against African Americans in this country is not to be against Blue Lives, the badge or the law: It is allowing a group that has felt foreign, marginalized and terrorized in their own country for hundreds of years to finally live in peace. My own experiences and the statistics nationwide have shown time and time again that African Americans are statistically much more likely to be pulled over by police, harmed by police or harassed by police in general compared the rest of the population, even though the statistics show that they do not commit crime on any proportional scale to warrant such numbers.

That is why it enrages me when I hear someone say they are race-blind, because once I hear this, to me there is no difference to saying that someone is totally blind. To ignore race when viewing the world is to ignore reality as it is, especially in the United States.

Race may not define who we are, but it certainly is a huge part of our identity and influences how people behave towards us. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor emphasizes this point in her dissent in the Michigan affirmative action case of Schuette v. Coali-

tion to Defend Affirmative Action (2013): “And race matters for reasons that really are only skin deep, that cannot be discussed any other way, and that cannot be wished away. Race matters to a young man’s view of society when he spends his teenage years watching others tense up as he passes, no matter the neighborhood where he grew up. Race matters to a young woman’s sense of self when she states her hometown, and then is pressed, ‘No, where are you really from?’ regardless of how many generations her family has been in the country. Race matters to a young person addressed by a stranger in a foreign language, which he does not understand because only English was spoken at home. Race matters because of the slights, the snickers, the silent judgments that reinforce that most crippling of thoughts: ‘I do not belong here.’”

My experiences have made me realize the stigma that race can incur upon people, and the consequences this can have in dealing with already prejudiced law enforcements. Yet many Caucasians, Blue Lives supporters, and some minorities themselves seem to forget this when discussing the recent spate of police shootings such as Michael Brown and Tamir Rice. It’s time to stop ignoring race and shaming the victims, and to finally acknowledge the racial prejudice implicit at the heart of the system.

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life

GO DO

THIS

A Cappella Arch

Friday, Mar. 18 at 5 p.m.; Calhoun Arch

Have friends in a bunch of different a cappella groups? Friday is a chance to see them all perform in one place! The annual A Cappella Arch, which is presented by VPAC, includes performances from the Vanderbilt Concert Choir, the Dodecaphonics, Harmonic Notion, The Melodores, Variations, Victory A Cappella and Voce A Cappella. Admission is free and as of now, the weather looks good!

NASHVILLE NEIGHBORHOODS

Music City’s historic hot spot

Germantown’s charms range from the Nashville Farmers’ Market to an annual Oktoberfest By Claudia Willen, Senior life reporter Most Vanderbilt students are familiar with nearby neighborhoods like Hillsboro or 12 South, but there’s at least one hidden gem that’s worth the drive from campus: historic Germantown. Encompassing 18 square blocks, the area is located near the Cumberland River and surrounded by Jefferson Street, Hume Street, Rosa Parks Boulevard and 3rd Avenue North. Any visitor should know that this neighborhood has extensive street parking (unlike many other Nashville nooks), making it easy to explore the many nearby restaurants and shops.

A balance between an urban neighborhood and a suburb, Germantown is a national arboretum with a variety of over one hundred trees. Combined with the foliage, the Victorian style architecture and brick sidewalks give Germantown a unique, suburban neighborhood vibe. You can walk pretty much anywhere in the area, whether it be to a coffee shop or a yoga class, adding to Germantown’s distinct community feel. The residential neighborhood gets its name from the large number of German immigrants who populated the area in the mid-19th century. However, the area’s roots stretch back even further than its name, as Germantown was established post-Revolutionary War, making it one of the most historic neighborhoods in Nashville.

One of the biggest events in the roughly 39,000-person area is Oktoberfest. One of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations in the country, Germantown’s three-day event includes an abundance of German food, beer, live music and a ton of Nashville vendors. Forget booking that pricey ticket to Germany and plan to cross Oktoberfest off your bucket list this fall; this festival is completely cost-free and super close to campus. Schnitzel, anyone?

To fit some organic greens and fruits into your diet, Germantown’s Nashville Farmers’ Market will suit your produce needs. Local farmers from around Nashville bring their freshest produce to the market seven days a week. The market also features 19 restaurants, crafters and merchants. All vendors must be certified producers, ensuring that the market maintains its local focus.

If you want more of a dining experience, there’s plenty of reason to check out Germantown’s food scene.

For fine dining inspired by Sunday family dinners, 5th and Taylor offers a variety of delicious dishes in an urban decorated warehouse. This restaurant also features a bar and lounge. To get your carb fill, Germantown’s rustic City House offers pizza, pasta and other Italian food in a cozy setting. Make sure to try the fried egg over pizza or lasagna while you’re there. If you’re feeling more American dishes, sample some authentic Chicago pizza and cuisine at 312 Pizza Company instead. For

some fresh fish or meat, check out Butchertown Hall’s wood-grilled selections. This year-old restaurant has done extremely well since opening as Germantown’s first beer garden in over a century, and the light decor will make your dining experience enjoyable and bright.

You can bite into something sweet at The Cupcake Collection, a bakery located right in the family room of the Francois family. These homemade cupcakes are made from scratch, and you can definitely taste it.

Flavors range from cookies ‘n cream to sweet potato to vegan and gluten-free chocolate, so there is something for everyone. If you aren’t in the mood for cupcakes, local staple Jeni’s Ice Cream is right around the block, though of course the company is not exclusive to the Germantown neighborhood.

Shopping in Germantown consists mainly of trendy boutiques such as Abednego and Pieces. Both have a boho-chic Nashville vibe to them and offer unique clothing pieces. Abednego has both men’s and women’s clothing that are simple but have an edge. Pieces is a women’s boutique with casual, comfortable clothes that you can dress up or down. To find interesting, intricate jewelry, decor and apparel, head to Wilder. The owners just moved to Nashville from New York and wanted to create a creative space for decorating and art.

Germantown is just a short drive from the Bicentennial Capitol Mall, which highlights Nashville history. The mall has monuments, a granite map of the state, a World War II memorial, a 2,000 person amphitheater, 31 fountains representing state waterways and more. For students looking to leave Vanderbilt with a holistic understanding of their college town, exploring this historic neighborhood is a must before they graduate.

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ways to celebrate

St. Patrick’s Day

Saint Patrick’s Day means something beyond just a celebration of Ireland’s patron saint for many in the Vanderbilt community. The holiday falls on a Thursday this year, but many Vanderbilt students will celebrate it throughout the coming weekend. If you haven’t made St. Paddy’s Day plans yet, here are four events you should consider adding to your holiday weekend.

By Scott Kim, Life reporter

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

1) Party and enter to win a VIP experience at Rihanna’s show (21+)

3) Experience the day in an Irish Pub (21+)

This Thursday, Acme Feed & Seed is throwing a St. Paddy’s Day Dance Party featuring KnowleDJ, Rihanna’s tour DJ. The event is free to attend, and best of all, participants will be entered to win a VIP experience at Rihanna’s show on Friday at Bridgestone Arena. Tickets to the concert itself start at $38 and go up to $4,400, plus there’s an extra $1,650 charge for admission to the VIP pre-show party. This night (and for one very lucky party-goer, the day after) will definitely be a St. Patrick’s Day to remember. The event runs from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Harp & Fiddle (formerly known to many Vanderbilt students as Dan’s), which brands itself as Nashville’s Irish Pub, is trying to make a name for itself this holiday by filling this St. Patrick’s Day with music.

Featuring Def Leprechaun, Sounds Like Blarney and Molly Ramone, the pub will offer a great array of local Celtic bands. There is a $10 cover fee.

2) Listen to a world-famous Irish vocal trio at the Nashville Symphony Starting on Thursday at 7 p.m., with two follow-up performances at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, the Nashville Symphony will feature the Irish Tenors.

The Irish Tenors are a 17-year old singing trio from Ireland who were brought together by a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) special. An hour before the shows, the symphony will host Irish dancing and provide beer, whiskey, Baileys Irish Cream and corned beef, soda bread and potato stew. Although alcohol is available, people under the age of 21 are welcome at the event. The tickets start at $22 and go all the way up to $128.

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4) Do a 5k or 10k and then gorge yourself on eggs (21+) The first week of school after spring break is a tough time for many students, but this Saturday event can be the perfect weekend stress relief. With beer, egg burritos and, of course, great music, Tin Roof’s Kegs & Eggs event makes for a unique yet still-classic Saint Patrick’s celebration. The fee is $40 for either the 5k or 10k and the run starts at 9 a.m. on March 19.

Fine wines and finger foods

New restaurant Bar Luca brings an accessible twist to dinner party favorites

By SOPHIE JEONG Life reporter --------------------

Trying to branch out into higher quality (and thus more expensive) food and drinks can pose a challenge: How do you know if you want to plunk down extra cash for that fancy-sounding cheese if you’ve never had it before? Local bar Bar Luca solves this problem with buildyour-own boards topped with artful meats and cheeses, in addition to serving tartines, lavender almonds, popcorn with nutritional yeast and classic cocktails.

Located in East Nashville, Bar Luca is lively, upscale and intimate, with white tiled floors and walls. The space itself has 48 seats, with a mix of bar, banquet, two-tops and community tables. When we walked in on Saturday evening, we immediately found three seats at a banquet table and seated ourselves. The inside was rather crowded and noisy. As the only light came from candles on the tables, we had to use flashlights on our phones to read the menu. The music-filled space is fairly small, which created a cozy and intimate feeling. There weren’t many seats or tables, so several people had to stand around in the corner with their drinks.

Carefully constructed by local wine consultant Robin Riddell Jones and Molly Martin of The Food Company in Green Hills, Bar Luca’s menu features the signature array of wines for which the restaurant is known. Some wines (denoted with an asterisk) are on tap, and start around $8 a glass. For patrons who don’t consider themselves wine connoisseurs, the restaurant also offers classic cocktails,

COURTESY OF BAR LUCA

as well as a few other tea and beverage options for those under 21. If you aren’t sure what to order, the friendly waiters can help you choose the best wine that both suits your taste and saves your wallet.

Being the only one in my party above the age of 21, I ordered a glass of Tempranillo red wine. I personally felt that the wine was average, as it had a decent finish but lacked the deep flavor and fragrance that you would expect to see in a good wine. However, the wine was so complementary to the charcuterie and cheeses we ordered that any decent wine was all I needed.

In terms of food, Bar Luca offers a few nibbles to take the edge off your hunger. Most notable are the buildyour-own boards, which contain cheeses, charcuterie

(or cold-cut meats) and other garnishes. There are three options for each type of food, giving diners at Bar Luca a variety of combinations when building their boards.

Our party of three ordered the all-in cheese board and charcuterie and tartines, which cost $24. Our board had three kinds of meats (prosciutto, chorizo and calabrese), three kinds of cheeses (goat, cow and blue) and three sides (onion relish, mustard and figs), which came with hard and soft local baguettes. The charcuterie and cheeses were surprisingly filling, the proscuitto was soft and thin, and the calabrese had a touch of spiciness. The sliced cow cheese made the perfect accompaniment to sweet balsamic figs, and the blue cheese lacked its distinct smell, which made it more approachable. The onion relish was zingy and sweet and went perfectly with the goat cheese. The mustard was flavorful and sour, but not spicy enough for my personal taste.

There are three choices of tartines: roasted grape and ricotta, eggplant caponata, and carrot harissa and goat cheese. Having a sweet tooth, I liked roasted grape and ricotta the best. Both toppings were sweet and went well with the baguette underneath. The eggplant caponata was sweet, sour and very juicy. Unfortunately, the carrot harissa was so spicy that it overwhelmed the taste of goat cheese.

To sample your own charcuterie and cheeses, head on over to 1100B Stratton Avenue. Hours are 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. (with extended hours until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday). There are free parking spots right outside the restaurant. For more info, visit lucanashville.com.

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sports

THE BIG STAT

Number of points scored by the Commodores against Wichita State last night — their worst offensive output this season.

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BIG PREDICTIONS FOR THE BIG DANCE The Hustler staff covers the top stories and makes the boldest predictions as the first round of the NCAA Tournament approaches

Robbie Weinstein, Asst. sports editor: Throughout the regular season, all we heard about was how there was no one dominant team in college basketball, that there was no one like last year’s Kentucky group. We heard all about how the NCAA Tournament would be marked by wild upsets and how each region would be wide open, with many teams in contention to make the Final Four. But now that the Tournament itself has arrived, I’ve continued to see the safe bracketpicking style: chalk. If the parity we’ve witnessed this year in college basketball is real, don’t just pick the higher seed to win each game. And don’t listen to the experts on television who so often fall prey to their same old conservative mistakes every year.

Ben Weinrib, Sports editor: Call me a curmudgeon, but March Madness is the worst playoff system ever. Single elimination with 68 teams is no way to determine the best team in the nation. Most of these teams don’t belong in the conversation for national champion, and it’s so easy for the best teams to lose before even reaching the Final Four. I also hate puppies, rainbows and birthdays.

Steve Sherk, Sports reporter: The Selection Committee and their evil ways put me in a difficult position in 2014 when they pitted Ohio State against Dayton in a No. 6 vs.

11 matchup. Being born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, I grew up a fan of both teams and didn’t know who to root for. The Flyers hadn’t made the tournament in five years, and a win would’ve been huge for their program. On the other hand, I had a huge man crush on Mr. Hustle himself, Aaron Craft.

So while most of my friends were rooting for the underdog Flyers, I simply couldn’t root against the rosy-cheeked point guard for the Buckeyes. I remember my friends and I didn’t go to class the afternoon the game was played and instead went to one of our houses to watch it together. The game ended with Craft missing a contested layup that would’ve won the game by one. As Dayton began their celebration, Craft laid on the floor with his hands behind his head, making an image that would be all over Twitter for the rest of the day. For the Flyers, the rest was history. That win propelled them on a Cinderella run that took them to the Elite Eight.

Looking back, I’m glad it turned out the way it did, but in the moment it was tough to see the Bucks go out early.

Jordan Grapentine, Sports reporter: I always love seeing how teams deal with expectations set by media and the programs themselves, especially the traditional powerhouses.

Over the weekend, I heard John Buccigross describe Kansas as “searching for their first title since 2008,” as though their seven-year dry spell was some sort of Cubs-esque drought. That level of pressure has to wear on the players come tournament time. Thankfully that pressure leads to upsets, because half the fun of March is watching Duke lose to Mercer (Mercer!) or laughing at your idiot friend that put ’Nova in their Final Four for the third straight year, only to see them lose on the first weekend. On the other side of the expectation spectrum are the no-name programs that only made the tournament via conference championship. I’ll never forget watching Florida Gulf Coast in 2013 making all of America a member of Dunk City, USA by playing fearless, fun basketball, throwing down monster dunks and ridiculous alley oops like they were in a high school gym, not on national television. Teams like that, zero-expectation giant-killers, are the only reason TBS is ever on my television. Can’t wait for the fun to start.

Matt Lieberson, Features editor: One of the most underrated aspects of March Madness is finding out all the crazy mascots from the mid-major schools that I’ve never heard of. For example, one of my personal favorites is the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, who Vanderbilt played in last year’s NIT. But that’s just the beginning. How in the world does a school like Iona, in New Rochelle, New York, come up with the Gaels? A gael is “anyone of Irish-Gaelic ancestry,” according to the Iona website. Or why is Stony Brook, also in New York, the Seawolves? This is so much better than all the Wildcats and Bulldogs of the major conferences. Stephen F. Austin is the Lumberjacks! Providence is the Friars! Best of all, Cal State Bakersfield is the Roadrunners. Meep meep.

Josh Hamburger, Managing editor: After filling out my bracket this year, I couldn’t find a true standout team like Duke had been for me the past two years. So I went with the University of Maryland, alma mater to much of my family.

Unsurprisingly, as I looked at my brother’s pick for the championship, it was the same as mine. I Snapchatted my friends who attend there, and they gave me a nod of approval. That’s all I needed. I pledge my allegiance to the Terps this year.

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Catching duo still works in year three Platoon system helps preserve, motivate Delay and Ellison

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

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5 TAKEAWAYS FROM THE 2015-2016 SEASON As the Commodores were bounced from the NCAA Basketball Tournament last night, here are five season-defining moments and trends

By ISABEL FUTRAL

By MAX HERZ

Sports reporter --------------------

Sports reporter --------------------

Early struggles against ranked teams

Jason Delay and Karl Ellison established themselves as reliable catchers as freshmen on Vanderbilt’s 2014 national championship team. Two years later, Vanderbilt’s catching position remains in that same duo’s steady hands.

Delay and Ellison were receiving positive reviews from Commodore pitchers before appearing in a single college game.

Experienced SEC pitchers and MLB draft prospects such as Tyler Beede and Jared Miller indicated they would rather throw to the freshmen backstops than junior Chris Harvey. Beede even invited Delay to his Massachusetts home over Christmas break to work out and develop a connection before the season.

“It’s pretty exciting to come in and get that reaction from guys like that,” Delay said. The players whom he and Ellison had watched on TV while being recruited were now choosing to work with them over a more experienced option.

By week two of conference play, the catching duties belonged to the two freshmen. The duo started a combined 58 games en route to a College World Series title, including the final 39 games of the championship season.

Little has changed since. The tandem still splits time behind the dish, and the working relationship between the two juniors is stronger than ever.

“Although we are competing for a spot always, we’ve been lucky enough to both be able to share this duty for the past two years which has been awesome,” Ellison said. “Naturally, when you’re working with somebody that’s very talented at what they do and is doing the same thing as you, it’s gonna push you to be the best that you can be.”

Ellison started 43 games as a sophomore in 2015 as the favorite target of SEC Pitcher of the Year Carson Fulmer, while Delay started all 29 others during a return trip to the College World Series. Through a month of play in 2016, Delay has caught 10 games compared to Ellison’s six starts.

“He’s pushed me,” Delay said. “I know that I just can’t be out there slacking because, anytime he’s getting better, that means I have to be getting better too.”

Platoons are popular over the course of a single season, and younger players often challenge veterans for jobs. But a position truly shared between two players who hit from the same side of the plate and are the same age is uncommon.

How could a combination that seems

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Vanderbilt’s loss to Purdue was the moment when Vandy’s No. 18 ranking went from realistic to downright wrong. Prior to the game, men’s basketball hadn’t beaten a ranked team since 2012. This was a moment to prove they could be competitive against a top team. Instead, neither happened. The Commodores walked away with a 13-point loss after Purdue dominated the second half, a first look at their tendency to finish games weakly.

Losing streaks

What followed the Purdue loss was a rough patch where they struggled to look anything like a team that had once been ranked in the top 20. To start SEC play, the Commodores fell to LSU, Arkansas and South Carolina in quick succession. They were unable to contain LSU’s Ben Simmons, who went off for 36 points, and again struggled to finish out close games. One step forward always came with two steps back. After an uplifting win against Texas A&M, hope for a successful season was alive again — until two days later, when they lost to an unremarkable Ole Miss team. Even after beating Kentucky, the Commodores closed the season on a disheartening 3-game losing streak. Vandy was unable to build on its success or stop the bleeding during tough times.

Blowing leads: Mississippi State

JOE HOWELL / VUCOMMODORES

Above: Jason Delay catches during a game against Santa Clara in 2015. Below: Karl Ellison (right) celebrates a play during the 2014 College World Series. practically counterintuitive prove so fruitful?

“They’ve been very respectful of one another, and I think that is paramount,” head coach Tim Corbin said. “We’re lucky to have them. We’re lucky to have them at one position. We don’t take it for granted.

I personally try to utilize their strengths as best as I possibly can to keep them fresh on the field.”

Onlookers are quick in declaring Ellison the defensive ace and Delay the offensive portion of the duo. Thus far in 2016, that assessment has proven false.

“I don’t think we’ve ever discussed anything about that ever,” Ellison said.

“There’s definitely no discussion of who’s better at what.”

Delay hit .263 in his first two seasons with a .374 on-base percentage, compared to Ellison’s .207 average and .313 OBP in a nearly identical amount of plate appearances. This year, both players are hitting over .300 entering conference play.

Delay, who has always considered himself more of a defensive player, focused almost exclusively on pitch blocking this past offseason to round out his defensive game, working with assistant coach Blake Allen to improve his hip mobility using a

core velocity belt, a tool typically used by pitchers in building lower body strength.

Having two capable catchers was vital in Vanderbilt’s last two postseason runs and its continued development of young pitchers.

“When we’ve relied on one catcher, it can be troublesome towards the end of the year,” Corbin said. “If you’re fortunate enough to play 75, almost 80 games, then you just can’t run one guy out there all the time.”

“It was a big help,” sophomore pitcher Kyle Wright said on throwing to both backstops as a rookie. “They were back there, they had my back, they were gonna protect me, they were gonna do everything they could to help me perform better to help the team win.”

Boasting a combined 107-39 career record in games started, Vanderbilt’s most talkative player, Ellison, and its quietest, Delay, progress through their junior seasons still sharing the catching duties in a positive manner.

“Having somebody that’s always right there next to you that you’re trying to compete with and also rooting for at the same time is a really healthy thing,” Ellison said. “It’s something that has benefited both of us a lot.”

Of all the losses this season, Mississippi State is the one that would have haunted the Commodores the most had they not made it into the tournament. It’s hard to say what aspect of the loss was more troublesome: blowing a 17-point lead or losing what should have been an easy win against a team at the bottom of the SEC. Though Damian Jones had a great performance, he also contributed three of the seven turnovers that led to the late-game collapse.

A little bit of fun: Kentucky

The $100,000 fine for storming the court may have been worth it, as it was one of few moments worthy of celebration for Vanderbilt students. Though Kentucky had struggled on the road this season, a solid 12-point win against a highly-ranked team reminded everyone of what this year’s Commodore squad was supposed to be.

However, closing out the season on two disappointing losses and an early exit, hindsight might label the Kentucky game as an outlier and a cruel way to get hopes up before a disappointing finish.

Early foul trouble

Fast fouls stunted the Commodores at the beginning of the games, consistently leaving them with too much ground to make up. It seemed like every game they were digging themselves a grave to climb out of. In addition to giving opponents ample free throw opportunities by getting into the bonus early, fouls kept key players off the court. Damian Jones in particular struggled to stay out of trouble, averaging the lowest minutes per game of any starter (including five games where he played less than 16 minutes). Though some may blame it on poor calls, a lack of discipline persisted for Vanderbilt throughout the season.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER u WWW.VANDERBILTHUSTLER.COM

THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER u WWW.VANDERBILTHUSTLER.COM

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

WRVU, Bonnaroo, and You: Three great things that are coming together for one big contest. Starting March 21 you will have the chance to win two tickets to the Bonnaroo Music Festival taking place June 9-12 in Manchester, Tennessee.

The contest will be divided into two parts. First, Bonnaroo week on WRVU from March 21-25 will feature an artist of the day directly from the festival lineup. Listen to WRVU each day to collect the artist’s name and by the end of the week, submit those 5 names to wrvuoutreach@gmail.com.

For people who get the correct names, they automatically advance to stage 2. You will get the chance to show your Bonnaroo spirit from March 28 to April 8 through a social-media centered photo contest. We will post your creative photos about why you should be the WRVU listener to win the tickets onto our Facebook page. The winner will be determined based on their creativity and breadth of social media interaction.

Check our Facebook page and Twitter (@WRVUNashville) for more details. Good luck!

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

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ZIYI LIU / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER

Vanderbilt players reflect in the Dayton locker room following their 70-50 loss to Wichita State on Tuesday night, ending their brief NCAA Tournament run. The ‘Dores finished their season 19-14.