March 4 Issue of The Vanguard

“If it matters to the USA family, it matters to us.” VOL. 52, NO. 8MAR. 04, 2013

VANGUARDTHETHE

In this Issue: Life, Page 5

Sports, Page 8Opinion, Page 13

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SGA wants to spend more on studentsSGA wants to spend more on students

By STUART [email protected]

SGA has money and it wants to give it to the people it serves: the students of USA.

A num-ber of stu-dent orga-

nizations was granted funds at last Monday’s Student Government As-sociation meeting, something the SGA wants to see even more of in the future.

SGA Treasurer Will Pearson

wants all students in organizations on campus to be aware that funds are available from the SGA. Pearson also wants student’s that have any ideas of ways to improve campus to attend the weekly SGA meetings and present them to the senate.

We have some funds to help out...and spend money on the student body as a whole, not just organizations,” Pearson said.

$1,900 went toward this year’s Re-lay for Life event at Monday’s meet-ing. This year’s relay will be held on campus on Friday, March 29 at 6 p.m.

Jaguar Joggers was granted $1500 dollars for registration fees for the various competitions they compete in throughout the year. This amount

tripled from last semester’s amount due to an increase in the number of members in Jaguar Joggers.

The Chinese Student Association was granted $700 for reimbursement for the money spent on the Asian New Year celebration held in early February.

The SGA wants students to aware of important dates for this year’s SGA elections.

Applications are available at the SGA offi ce in the academic support center on Jaguar drive and are due at the SGA offi ce by 5 p.m. on March 18.

Those that submit applications must attend a mandatory candidates meeting on March 18 at 5:15 p.m. at

the SGA offi ce. Any applicants that cannot attend the meeting must send a representative to the meeting in his or her place.

Primary elections will begin via JagMail on Monday, March 25 and end on Wednesday, March 27. Run-offs will begin on April 1 and end April 3.

The SGA encourages all South Alabama students to attend their weekly meetings to fi nd out about campus events and have a voice in SGA decisions as part of the student forum.

The SGA meets on Monday nights at 8 p.m. in the conference room at the Fresh Food Co. near the residence halls.

See GRANT Page 2

The school of computing has re-ceived grant worth $2.1 million from the National Science Foundation that will provide scholarship opportunities to computing students concentrating in information assurance.

This program, Cyber Scholars: Scholarship for Service (SFS), will of-fer up to 20 graduate and undergradu-ate two-year full scholarships during its fi ve-year period at South Alabama. The

scholarships will be worth $20,000 for undergraduate students and $25,000 for students studying for a master’s degree.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to get a fully paid education while learn-ing some very marketable skills that the government is in critical need of,” said Dr. Todd McDonald, an associate pro-fessor in the school of computing and the primary investigator for the SFS scholarship grant.

The information assurance track in the school of computing involves courses related to cryptography, soft-

ware vulnerability, virus and malware defense, forensics,and cyber warfare, which are very important issues to the US Department of Homeland Security.

In fact, the SFS program is co-sponsored by the US Department of Homeland Security for the purpose of helping universities like South Alabama produce federal information assurance professionals that will aid in the protec-tion of sensitive government informa-tion.

Recipients of the SFS scholarship

School of computing receives over $2 milSchool of computing receives over $2 mil

Officer Officer will not be will not be charged in charged in Collar caseCollar caseBy CASSIE [email protected]

Nearly fi ve months after 18-year-old Gil Collar died of a gunshot wound to the chest at the hands of Offi cer Tre-vis Austin, we fi nally know the drug that spurred Collar’s erratic behavior.

The drug is called 25-I, similar to Mo-bile’s area code, 251 but has no direct connection thus far.

25-I is an often lethal hallucinogen that was only discovered in 2003. It is often marketed as LSD on blotter paper.

Collar was sold the drug at Bayfest for $10.

Authorities cannot arrest or charge the person that sold it to him because it is not on the controlled substances list.

District Attoney Ashley rich lamented her inability to prosecute the dealer.

“There is nobody that wants to see that young person pay for being responsi-ble for bringing that into our community than I do,” Rich said.

This case will likely ensure that it is added. Among the side effects of 25-I are shaking, paranoia, fear and panic. Collar was also found to have marijuana in his system.

Offi cer Austin will not be indicted in the death of Collar, but the civil suit fi led by the family still continues. University of South Alabama’s Public Relations Direc-tor Keith Ayers issued a statement.

“The thoughts of the entire university family remain with everyone involved,” Ayers said.

The public remains divided on the in-cident but with one idea constanly reiter-ated.

“The offi cers need to be trained to subdue a subject using non-lethal force,” Army student Michael Bishop told The Vanguard.

Offi cer Austin did not respond to re-quests for comment by deadline.

The Vanguard will have more on 25-I as well as any updates in the civil case as details are made available.

Les Barnett, Dr. Todd Andel, and Dr. Todd McDonald

By STUART [email protected]

William PearsonTreasurer

INSIDE

How do feel about the Penta-gon’s latest move? Read three viewpoints on the decision.

See Opinion, page 14

Redbar is the newest coffee spot to hit the Mobile scene and it’s all natural.

See Life, page 5

Spring practice has the Jags and The Vanguard up bright and early!

See Sports, page 8

USA football is in the air again

VOL. 52, NO. 8 / MAR. 04, 20132

Grant Continued from Page 1

also will enjoy mentor programs, sum-mer internship opportunities and aid in securing government positions in the information assurance fi eld.

Recipients must also attend manda-tory conferences, workshops, seminars and fulfi ll required amounts of service hours. According to the Offi ce of Pub-lic Relations’ press release for the grant, these mandatory activities “are aimed at developing a community of practice that will enhance students’ individual and collective skills in an area increas-ingly important to the security of the United States.”

Students that wish to apply for the SFS scholarship must be in their last two years of a bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degree program at USA and be a full time student while receiving the scholarship.

Students that want more informa-tion about the SFS scholarship can con-tact Dr. Todd McDonald at [email protected]. More details about the SFS scholarship program can be found at usacfi ts.org/CyberScholars.

Applications for the SFS scholar-ship are now available from the school of computing and will be accepted until April 15.

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3VOL. 52, NO. 8 / MAR. 04, 2013

“University of South Alabama’s Student Voice”

Editor in ChiefCopy Editor

Life EditorOpinion Editor

Sports EditorLeft of Center

Senior ReporterWeb Editor

Cassie FambroAlyssa NewtonJake HowellNoah LoganPatrick HerringJT CrabtreeJayson CurryMatthew Strick-land

Editorial

Distribution Manager

Bobby Faulk

Distribution

Advertising Manager

Advertising Graphic Designer

Wesley Jackson

Mohammad Al-Zarrad

Rex McKay

Advertising

Advising

Accounting

J. SellersJ. AucoinKathy Brannan

Management

MissionThe Vanguard, the student-run newspaper of

the University of South Alabama, serves its read-ership by reporting the news involving the campus community and surroun ding areas. The Vanguard strives to be impartial in its reporting and believes fi rmly in its First Amendment rights.

PAGE three

Send letters and guest columns to: The Vanguard

University of South Alabama P.O. Drawer U-1057 Mobile, Ala., 36688.

[email protected]

Letters and guest columns must be received by 7 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the Monday publication. Submissions should be typed and must include the writer’s name, year, school and telephone number. All submissions become the property of The Vanguard. The Vanguard reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for length and clarity. Letters will be limited to 300 words. Letters and guest columns are the opinion of the writer. The Staff Editorial represents the consensus opinion of the Editorial Board, which is composed of the Editor in Chief, Copy Editor, Senior Reporter, and Opinion Editor. All members of the Editorial Board have the same weight. The Vanguard has a commitment to accuracy and clarity and will print any corrections or clarifi cations. To report a mistake, e-mail [email protected]. The Vanguard is published Mondays during the academic year, except for exam periods and vacations, and is published twice each summer. The Vanguard is supported in part by an allocation from student activity fees and operates in the Student Media Department of the Division of Student Affairs. Issues are available at most University buildings and select off-campus locations. The fi rst copy is free. Additional copies are $1 each. Freelance writers will receive payment at the discretion of the section editor and will be notifi ed.

Weather for Mar. 3/4-10Weather for Mar. 3/4-10

Twitter: StormTeam4g9wxFacebook: Facebook.com/StormTeam4Gamma9Wx

2/22/2013 11:55

Criminal Mischief Third Degree ($500 or less)

Life Science Building Parking lot

Between 10:05 am and 11:50 am, the crime of criminal mischief was committed

by an unknown person.

2/22/2013 13:13

Harassment

The Grove

Known person used profane language and made threats to a University employee

2/25/2013 14:32

Theft – Bicycle

Administrative building

Victim reported that a bicycle she was renting from the University of South

Alabama was stolen.

USA Police BlotterUSA Police Blotter

251-460-6312251-460-6312

VOL. 52, NO. 8 / MAR. 04, 20134

Friday, Mar. 8

USA students take first place at local film competitionUSA students take first place at local film competition

On February 15, four Univer-sity of South Alabama stu-

dents; Luke Buckley, Jason Cooper, Joshua “Jay Birg” Hydock and Josh-ua Cane, conquered the Film Scram-ble 7 competition, bringing home the first place prize for their short-film, “Sunday Mail.”

“Sunday Mail,” a film about Dan-iel Frontbush, a perfectly ordinary guy, who happens to check his mail for a package on Sunday. Unfortu-nately for Frontbush, his neighbors videotape his mail run and post the incriminating video online.

This video, and its immense re-percussions, ruin Frontbush’s life and lead him on a path of eternal torment.

“In his afterlife, he is forced to face his demons in ways that reflect his short-comings in life,” said grad-uate communications major Luke Buckley who played the mailman that

delivered that fateful package.According freshman communica-

tions major Jay Birg, who played the unfortunate Daniel Frontbush, the Film Scramble is, “an amazing event hosted by Trey Lane of Mod Mobilian. Trey comes up with a few movie plot/context ingredients and a length requirement. If you sign up, you must make a short film that in-cludes the ingredients dreamed up by Trey and stay under time. It’s a very challenging and enjoyable process.”

These films are also shot, accord-ing to senior digital cinema major Joshua Cane, “usually in around 13 days.”

This isn’t the first time this tal-ented group of filmmakers, who’ve joined forces under the umbrella of Melon Helmet Productions, has won the Mobile Film Scramble competi-tion.

Cane said, “We actually won last time as well for “Rime of the Drunk-en Mariner,” which was an adapta-tion of “Rime of the Ancient Mari-

ner,” only with a sandwich instead of a seagull.”

That particular film was co-writ-ten by Buckley and Jay Birg.

First prize in the Film Scramble involves a cash prize, explained Cane, and the winning film is screened “be-fore certain movies that show at the Crescent for the week following the scramble. Then you have people, who would probably never see your work otherwise, see it. It’s a nice touch.”

When asked about his reaction to “Sunday Mail” winning first prize, Jay Birg said, “We didn’t expect to win Film Scramble 7 just because all of the other movies were so good. They were beautifully shot and well written. When I heard we won, I was blown away.”

Cane was similarly pleased with the win, saying, “There were a lot of talented people involved. Jay and Jason’s comedy really is amazing to watch, people really seemed to re-spond to it.”

When asked what his favorite part of participating in the Film Scramble was, Buckley said, “work-ing with everyone is so much fun. Everyone is mad talented. Jason, Rusty, Josh and Josh....you guys are so awesome.”

In a testament to their work, the winners of the Film Scramble com-petitions are chosen by the audience members in attendance.

In addition to their work entered into the Film Scramble competitions, these filmmakers are busy with other projects.

“I am currently working on a project called “The Flat Stanleys: The Movie” with Jay Birg, Jason Cooper and Ethan Hadley and a JagTV show called “Downtowners,” with Jay and Rusty Sarhan,” said Cane.

All of the Film Scramble entries can be viewed on the Film Scramble website at filmscramble.org.

Anyone wishing to see “Sunday Mail” in its entirety, can visit melon-helmetproductions.com.

VOL. 52, NO. 8 / MAR. 4, 2013 5

JAKE HOWELL, JAGLIFE [email protected]

By JAKE [email protected]

WEEKLY LOWDOWN

10 p.m. - Jaguar Productions Cheapdate movie night: “Snitch” at Hollywood The-ater.

12 - 2 p.m. - What’s on Wednesday: “Things to Know Before You Go,” presented at the USA Police Department.

5:10 p.m. - Jaguar Produc-tions Board Meeting in the Academic Support Center, Room 1369.

5:15 p.m. - African American Student Association meeting in the Humanities Building, Room 150.

3:30 - 5 p.m. - USA Career Services presents a job search panel discussion in the University Library Auditorium.

9 a.m. - 4 p.m. - Resume Critique Session in Meisler Hall, Room 2100.

7:30 p.m. - University Chorale Winter Concert in the Ladilaw Recital Hall. $5 for USA Students/Faculty/Staff.

5 p.m. - Pre-Occupational Therapy Club meeting in the Allied Health Building, Room 2074.

9 a.m. - 4 p.m. - Mock Interview Day. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED for Mock Interview Day. Contact Career Services at 251-460-6188 to sign-up.

Monday, Mar. 4

Tuesday, Mar. 5

Wednesday, Mar. 6

Thursday, Mar. 7

Want your event featured in the Weekly Lowdown? Email the name, date, time, price, place and a brief tagline (under seven words) to [email protected].

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Asian studies week challenges Chinese art stereotypesAsian studies week challenges Chinese art stereotypesBy ALDYN [email protected]

For most college students, the concept of Chinese art is any-

thing stamped with the words “made in China.” China is thought of as a distant overseas land, which magically sprouts bootleg DVDs and knockoff designer sunglasses and handbags.

In her efforts to change Western misconceptions about Chinese art, and Chinese culture in general, Dr. Katharine P. Burnett visited USA on February 26 to deliver a talk entitled “Speculations on Why Originality Can’t Be a Traditional Chinese Value (When It Is).” Her lecture was a part of the ongoing events at USA to cel-ebrate Asian Studies Week.

Dr. Burnett, who is a professor of Chinese Art History at the University of California, Davis, delivered an en-lightening speech. Her focus is pri-marily upon art criticism and theory during the seventeenth century, an era in time when China reinvented it-self dynamically on many levels, but one cannot fairly critique Chinese art from any period without fi rst under-standing how Western views affect our understanding of the culture.

Many Westerners tend to dismiss

Chinese art, in general, as lacking originality, because the same themes and subjects tend to appear often in Chinese art. While there is a tradition of copying in Chinese art history, Chinese culture defi nes “copying” differently than the Western world. Copying was merely used as a tech-nique for learning how to paint, but it is the “qi” of a painting (the dif-ference or an artist’s own interpreta-tion of the subject matter) that makes each piece unique.

Sophomore visual arts major Sa-mantha Harris fi nds Chinese art a dif-fi cult subject to understand.

“I can appreciate each work of art for its beauty and technique, but it’s hard to fi nd “originality” in each piece when you see the same subjects, places, and people pop up over and over again.”

According to Dr. Burnett, this at-titude is not uncommon.

“In the early 1920s, we see the es-tablishment of the Communist Party of China. The May Fourth Ideology, which promotes collectivist thinking, assigned a set of values that the Chi-nese people were supposed to follow. Communism denounced originality,” she said. “As a result, Chinese art, as a whole, began to be viewed as femi-

nine, passive and conforming. These stereotypes remain fi rmly in place today.”

There is no doubt that Chinese art, just like the culture, is nuanced, layered and multi-faceted. As West-erners, we hold many misconceptions and stereotypes about Chinese cul-ture, and often, we do not realize we

do so until the subject, like Chinese art, is addressed directly. Education is going to provide the path to enlight-enment.

Students who wish to learn more about Asian culture or the Asian Studies Program at South should contact the International Studies De-partment.

COURTESY OF DR. KATHARINE BURNETTDr. Burnett’s presentation not only exposed students to the Chinese culture and arts, but it also challenged their modes of thinking of those very works.

The Beta Theta chapter of Chi Omega Women’s Fra-

ternity will host their second an-nual Walk for Wishes to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Chi Omega is known for hosting Songfest each fall, an event full of song and dance and friendly compe-tition among campus organizations.

Recently, however, they have added a new event for the spring.

“Last year was the first time we did Walk for Wishes,” said junior public relations major Destinee Bliss.

“The Chi Omegas at Florida State have been doing it for some time, so we decided to bring the event to South to try to raise more money for Make-A-Wish.”

The ladies raised around $3,000 that contributed to last year’s grand total of $34,603.29, which is enough to grant about seven wishes.

This year, the event will be a “color walk,” a concept similar to the trending “color runs” in which participants are covered in colored powder as they run.

Also included with a ticket pur-chase this year is dinner from Foo-sackly’s.

SGA appropriations will provide the color packets, so all profits from

the ticket sales will go directly to Make-A-Wish.

“We had a great turn out last year, and we are hoping to see more participants this year since we are

Chi Omega hosts second annual Walk for WishesChi Omega hosts second annual Walk for Wishesadding color and dinner into the deal!” said Bliss.

The event will take place on Wednesday, March 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. along Aubrey Green Drive on campus.

Tickets are $10 in advance and include a Foosackly’s dinner.

Tickets will be available for $7 the day of the walk but will not in-clude dinner.

T-shirts can also be purchased for $13.

All USA students, faculty, and alumni are welcome to purchase tickets and order t-shirts from any Chi Omega.

This event is also open to the community.

Chi Omega philanthropy chair Michelle Vajgrt said, “Since last year was our first walk, we were sur-prised at how much support we re-ceived with such a new philanthrop-ic event! The USA family chose to step up and help us raise quite a bit of money for Make A Wish founda-tion. This year we are hoping for as much support, if not more. We tried to make this year’s event more ap-pealing by adding the color aspect.”

For updates, you can find the event on Facebook by searching for “Chi Omega’s Color Walk for Wishes.”

By SANDRA [email protected]

VOL. 52, NO. 8 / MAR. 4, 20136

COURTESY OF JESSIE HOUSTON

Former Chi Omega President and Songfest Chair, Jessie Houston and Rachel Stoner at the 2012 “Walk for Wishes.”

JagLife Spotlight: Second annual Maranatha 5K a huge successJagLife Spotlight: Second annual Maranatha 5K a huge success

COURTESY OF ANGELINA PIERCE

The second annual Maranatha 5K Race and Fun Run, held on March 2, was a resounding success. Over 250 runners participated in this Catholic Student Association sponsored event this year. Funds raised at the race benefi t the Archdiocese of Mobile’s Vocation Offi ce.

Into the downtown scene in Mobile?

We need a Scene writer.

Bars, clubs, and night life articles are welcome.

Have bad service at a local restaurant? Excellent service?

Tell us! Write about it and let your peers know.

Email [email protected]

Opinion and Sports need writers too, and you can email [email protected] to fi nd out how to get involved.

Build your resume.

Raise your voice.

Make a difference.

HEY YOU.

7VOL. 52, NO. 8 / MAR. 4, 2013

Recruiting the future ambassadors of USARecruiting the future ambassadors of USABy JOEL PONCEGuest Writer and The Southerners President

REDBAR brings new game to Mobile coffee shop sceneREDBAR brings new game to Mobile coffee shop scene

Can it be? Is it really true? Do my eyes deceive me? There is hope

for West Mobile yet! To me, West Mobile is relevant be-

cause that’s where the closest movie the-ater and Walmart reside.

Perhaps I have been a bit harsh on that area, but I’ve always thought of it as

By MAELYNN [email protected]

a place where one doesn’t linger around more than you have to.

However, I might be cozying up to WeMo a lot more that I thought I would, with the opening of REDBAR.

Mobile’s latest coffee shop is approx-imately 7 minutes away from campus. It’s about time that there was a locally owned coffee shop in that area; besides RED-BAR, the only other coffee shops around are Starbucks.

After it opened early January 2013, I began to hear a lot of buzz about them from many South students.

Naturally, I had to check REDBAR out since I’m sure college students al-ways want to hear about a place that fa-cilitates their caffeine addictions.

Their slogan is “Responsible Experi-ence Deliberate” because they aim to promote health by making all of their products organic, while at the same time meticulously building a coffee experience different than the other shops around.

When I visited, I found that they are very different than the others; instead of being in an actual house like say, Satori’s or Carpe Diem, REDBAR is in a little shopping center.

It defi nitely appeals to those who like a more modern setting.

The shop is quite small, but strikingly decorated with a red, white and black col-or theme. The main focus of the room is of course, the large red bar where one can enjoy coffee and conversation.

Their fair trade organic coffee is worth the price because it is so smooth. However, I was a bit disappointed that it’s from California because a few other places here roast their own.

I ordered the 12oz Caramel Breve ($4.75), their most popular drink, upon

Applications for the offi cial Uni-versity of South Alabama am-

bassadors, “The Southerners”, are now available!

The Southerners are 16 men and women who are selected to serve as the offi cial ambassadors of the University of South Alabama.

They serve as student representatives of USA to alumni, donors, public offi -cials as well as to other universities nation wide.

Some of the benefi ts of being a Southerner include meeting and net-working with hundreds of USA alumni and representing USA to alumni, poten-tial students and parents.

Southerners are also able to attend and participate in events such as the Na-tional Alumni Association’s pre-game football tailgating tent and hosting guests in the Presidential and Athletic suite dur-ing football season.

The Southerners are responsible for organizing one of USA’s oldest traditions, OOzeball!

Being a Southerner provides leader-ship opportunities, campus recognition and allows for the building of close re-

lationships with the administration and faculty through working closely with the Offi ce of Alumni Relations and the President’s Offi ce.

Members are chosen on the basis of an essay-type application, interviews, aca-demics and extracurricular activities.

For those who think they have what is takes to become a Southerner, applica-tions are due by March 20 to the Offi ce of Alumni Relations, located behind the South Paw statue.

The application can be found on-line at: southalabama.edu/alumni/pdf/20132014application.pdi.

An open house will be held in Alumni Hall on Monday, March 4 at 5 p.m. to ask questions and meet the current South-erners.

Questions regarding The Southerners can be directed to the Offi ce of Alumni Relations at 251-460-7084 or advisor Nick Lawkis at [email protected].

COURTESY OF DALTON BURKS

REDBAR offers tasty organic drinks and food, a modern atmosphere and great fun all within a few minutes from USA’s campus.

the barista’s suggestion. The drink contained two shots of de-

licious espresso, house-made organic caramel sauce and steamed half-and-half.

Confession time: I used to be one of those kids that loved to drink those little cups of half-and-half, so I knew this drink would be the perfect one for me.

I could see why they breves were their most popular; it was sweet enough, warm and creamy. Also, it was served in a nice white ceramic cup, with a dark chocolate piece on the side.

Another time, I had the 12 oz Dirty Chai Latte ($4.00), which came with espresso, steamed Alabama organic milk and chai tea. It was nice how they used tea bags of chai instead of powders like many other establishments.

In the back of the shop, they have a small grocery section dedicated to or-ganic foods. You can buy their coffee, or-ganic soups, local honey, soaps and even grass-fed beef in their little market area.

Senior biomedical sciences major Kacie Watson said, “REDBAR offers the Mobile area a new and unique ex-perience where one can go to relax, do homework, drink coffee and also pro-vides entertainment on the weekends.”

What I look for in coffee shops are great drinks and an atmosphere condu-

COURTESY OF JOEL PONCE

The current crop of Southerners. Being a part of this organization enables stu-dents to begin building professional relationships that could serve them later in life.

cive to studying. I defi nitely recommend their coffee,

but I fi nd that studying there is not for me.

There’s a large fl atscreen TV behind the bar, which is hard to ignore. I caught myself watching “Four Weddings” in-stead of watching my notes several times.

Additionally, I could not fi nd many outlets around the shop or on the bar. Don’t get me wrong though, they love college students because they had a col-lege discount for February!

There is a permanent 10 percent off military discount with ID. Upsize Mon-days are where one can get a larger drink at the price of the smaller one.

At REDBAR, they have special events Saturday nights where a featured performer comes in. I have yet to go, but it seems to me a good idea for an inex-pensive date or outing.

REDBAR Espresso & Market brings hope to West Mobile. Their espresso is wonderful and I think that this shop is great for hanging out or relaxing on their red couches. I’m always glad to see a business go for a different concept than the others; the modern feel is refreshing and what Mobile needs for more variety.

HEY.

Send a letter to the editor to The Vanguard.

Email [email protected] with your issue.

See it in print. Effect change.

The sloth is irrelevant. But he totally wants you to write.

PATRICK HERRING, SPORTS [email protected]

8VOL. 52, NO. 8/ MAR. 4, 2013

No. 30 baseball goes 1-2 at College of Charleston

Going back to Apr. 28, of last year, South Alabama

softball has only tasted defeat on four occasions. Three of those losses have come at the hands of defending national champions Alabama.

In a make-up game that had to be rescheduled due to bad weather in Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide shut out the Jaguars 4-0 to stay undefeated.

South Alabama didn’t dwell on the loss. They rode 60 miles down 1-59 to Birmingham and dominated the Magic City Classic Tournament on Samford’s campus.

The Jaguars (17-2) defeated Murray State 1-0 on Friday night and 8-6 on Saturday morning.

A couple hours after their second win, they trotted back out and defeated the hometown Blazers of UAB by a score of 8-2.

The victory gave head coach Becky Clark her 200th win as the skipper for the Jaguars. She is now 201-142-1 in seven seasons at USA.

In her head coaching career, she is now

On the fi nal day of the tournament, the Jags ousted home team Samford Bulldogs 4-0 on the back of a Haley Fagan grand slam.

The Jaguars continue a program-best start at 17-2. At this point last season, the squad was sitting at 13-6. At this rate, they may not see their sixth loss until April.

Over the weekend, sophomore pitcher Farrish Beard moved to 7-0 on the season. She now has 63 strikeouts in 45 total innings. Her efforts at the tournament earned her Co-Most Valuable Pitcher with UAB slinger Lauren Webster.

Other players who were honored at the tournament included junior infi elder Julie Moss and senior outfi elder Britany Campbell who were named to the Magic City Classic All-Tournament Team.

Senior infi elder Brittany Fowler was named the MVP of the tournament after scoring 3 runs on 4 hits and driving in three more runs.

To start of their spring break, the

The South Alabama baseball team was off to a 7-0 start

to begin the 2013 season when they headed for a fi ve game road trip against Jacksonville State and College of Charleston last week.

In game one against Jacksonville State, the Jags fell behind in the third inning 1-0 and the score remained the same until the eighth inning, when No-lan Earley delivered a two-out, two-run double to secure a USA win 3-1.

Tripp Cecil picked up the victory after working 2 2/3 shutout innings with four strikeouts while no allowing a baserunner. Cecil relieved starter An-drew Fonzi, who worked 6 1/3 innings while allowing four hits and one run. He also added four strikeouts of his own to go with three walks.

“I was just battling and trying to keep the at-bat alive,” said Earley. “He fi nally made a mistake, and I put a good swing on it. It was a fastball middle-away and I just went with the pitch.”

The Jags had only two hits all game. The two-RBI double by Earley and a single by Dustin Dalken.

In game two against Jacksonville State, the Jaguar’s bats came alive, col-

Softball bounces back, sweeps after loss to No. 1 BamaBy PATRICK [email protected]

lecting 15 team hits to guide them to an 8-3 victory.

Jordan Patterson fi nished 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI’s. Bud Collura, Jeff DeBlieux and Whitt Dorsey each had two hits. Hayden Jones went 3-for-4 at the plate.

Matt Bell start-ed his fi rst career game for the Jags and picked up the win, giv-ing up four hits and three runs through fi ve in-nings pitched. He retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced. Brandon Boyle, Dylan Stamey, Hunter Soleymani, J.A. Harville and Kyle Bartsch combined to give up one hit over four innings of relief.

“He[Bell] threw up zeros,” said head coach Mark Calvi. “He did what he had to do. He bent a little but didn’t break, and gave us a chance to score some runs. And we were pretty good out of the bullpen again.”

In game one of a three game series

against College of Charleston, the J a g s w e r e

handed their fi rst loss of the season 12-2 after starting out 9-0.

USA starter James Traylor didn’t make it out of the fourth, giving up fi ve hits and seven runs, fi ve earned, through 3 1/3 innings. Payton Gardner

By JT [email protected]

BY BOBBY MCDUFFIE|USAJAGUARS.COMWith two wins this weekend, junior pitcher Hannah Campbell is now 7-2.

came in relief and didn’t fare any bet-ter, giving up four hits and four runs through three innings. Dillon Buhrkuhl made his fi rst appearance of the sea-

son and gave up one run and three hits through 1 2/3 in-

nings.The Jags combined for

four hits at the plate, with the two RBI’s coming from players who did not collect a hit: Cole Billingsley and Jeff DeBlieux. Whitt Dorsey fi n-ished 1-for-2 with a double and run

scored.The Jags came back

to pick up the win 3-0 in game two against C of C.Jacob Noble pitched 7 1/3

shutout innings, giving up only three hits to go with eight strikeouts. Brandon Boyle worked 2/3 innings be-fore giving way to Kyle Bartsch, who picked up his second save of the sea-son by striking out the side in the ninth.

“It was a tough day to play base-ball,” said Calvi. “It was cold and windy but Noble did a fantastic job. Kyle Bartsch came out and did a great

job at the end. He threw strikes and was really good.”

Drew Cofi eld broke a scoreless game in the eighth with a double with two outs. Bud Collura fi nished 3-for-5 with a double and RBI in the ninth.

In the rubber match, the Jags fell 3-2 in their fi rst series loss of the sea-son.

USA actually outhit C of C 7-6, but the Cougars were able to get to starter Jarron Cito early in the game to take the one-run victory.

Cito lasted 4 2/3 innings while giv-ing up four hits and three runs with his fi ve strikeouts. Jordan Patterson and Dylan Stamey combined to throw 3 1/3 innings of shutout baseball, but the damage was already done.

Along with making his fi rst pitching appearance of the season, Patterson also added his fi rst home run of the season in the second inning. Graham Odom led the Jags going 3-for-4 at the plate.

The Jags are now 10-2, their best record through 12 games since 2001. They will travel to face Nicholls State on March 5 before returning home to face Southern Mississippi on March 6 at 6:30 p.m. at Stanky Field.

Lady Jags will travel to Long Beach, Calif., to play in the Long Beach State Invitational.

At the tournament, South

Alabama will play against UC-Santa Barabara, Idaho State, UCLA, Utah and the home team Long Beach State 49ers.

In tournament play thus far, the Jaguars are 17-1, with their lone loss coming against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville on Feb. 8.

VOL. 52, NO. 8/ MAR. 4, 20139

Want us to follow you? Tweet us @USAVGSports

@USAVGSports

Drew Dearman @DrewDearman:Offensive Lineman

Early bedtime tonight, much needed so I can have sweet dreams of Kath-erine Webb vs Dukes of Hazard Jessica Simpson in a pillow fi ght

Brandon Bridge @Air_Canada_7:Quarterback

I have been playing music all day. On twitter and Instagram and the iPhone is on 54%. If this was a black berry I would have died twice.

Kyle Michael Bartsch @Kyle_Bartsch:Pitcher

Whether you have girl problems or not.... 99 problems is A LOT of problems

Emily Hundt @emilyhundt15:Setter

Having an exam in the last class on the Friday before spring break <<<<

Chris May @CmayFive5:Offensive Lineman

Just tried to convince my gymnastics teacher that if I twerked in front of the class we could all leave..... Lol

Ross Metheny @RMetheny15:Quarterback

Yeah happy birthday @CmayFive5...now shut up and keep protecting my blindside

Jereme Jones @j11jones:Wide Receier

It’s time to show everybody that we are not a 2-11 team and it starts NOW! I hope yall hear me #jagnation we need yall too

RusHendricks @_RusHen_:Tight End

Gotta love that feeling when you fi nd clean underwear in your room when you thought you were gonna have to do laundry.

Men spoil Troy’s senior night in second half

For just the second time this season, South Alabama came

rallied from a halftime defi cit to

win. On the road for senior night at conference-rival Troy (11-20, 6-14 SBC), the Jaguars (17-11, 14-6 SBC) found themselves behind by 9 at the end of the fi rst half.

South Alabama outscored the home team 34-21 in the second period to escape Trojan Arena with a 53-49 victory.

Double-doubles from senior

Javier Carter and junior Augustine Rubit fueled the South Alabama offense. It was the second time this season the pair both recorded a double-double.

Carter fi nished with 10 points and a career-high 13 rebounds, while Rubit tallied a team-high 13 points and 10 rebounds. The double-double for Carter was his third straight, a streak that began on South Alabama’s own senior night. Rubit now has 16 double-doubles on the season, good for second in the Sun Belt.

Carter and Rubit combined for half of the squad’s points after halftime on 8-of-10 shooting.

Junior Antoine Allen also came up big in the second half, scoring 9 of his 12 points after intermission.

Senior Trey Anderson sparked the USA comeback just before the end of the second half when he hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer. South kept rolling when they came out of the locker room, as they scored on their fi rst four second-half possessions to tie the game up at 28.

The Jags took their fi rst lead of the game with 16:53 remaining in the game on an Allen jumper.

The Trojans were led by Emil Jones, who scored a game-high 22 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 4 assists.

The win was big from a momentum standpoint for USA, who had dropped a thriller at Western Kentucky just a couple of days earlier.

The Jags have wrapped up the No. 3 seed in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, which begins this Friday. USA will have a fi rst-round bye before facing the winner of Western Kentucky vs. Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday night at 8:30 p.m.

Women’s basketball ends regular season on a roll

With less than ten seconds left on the clock, South

Alabama trailed rival Troy on the road. Then Jaguar junior forward Ronneka Robertson came up huge, putting back a Brianna Wright miss with 4.9 seconds remaining to down the Trojans 71-70.

South Alabama (17-12, 10-10 SBC) got some great play from Robertson down the stretch as she scored 4 of her 5 points in the game’s final 35.3 seconds. She also grabbed 10 rebounds, her sixth doule-digit rebounding effort of the season.

Robertson wasn’t the only Jag to come up big. Freshman Wright had another great outing, finishing with 16 points and 9 rebounds on 6-for-

13 shooting. She also made 4 of 6 shots from the free-throw line.

Coming off the bench, junior guard Meghan Dunn scored a season-high 19 points. She was on fire from 3-point land, connecting on 5 of 6 from beyond the arc to tie a career high. The bench as a whole outscored the Trojan bench 33-6.

A few days earlier, the Lady Jags outlasted the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky in the first game of their road trip.

The 65-59 road victory helped build momentum heading into the matchup with Troy.

In the Western Kentucky contest, Wright scored 16 points and pulled down 7 rebounds. She was perfect from the charity stripe, hitting all 6

of her attempts. Senior Mary Nixon recorded a

game-high 17 points for South Alabama. It was her sixth consecutive outing in which she scored double digits.

In the last 50 seconds of the contest, USA outscored the Hilltoppers 9-0, including going a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line.

It wasn’t only at the end of the game that the Jags were perfect from the line, though. On the night, South Alabama shot 100 percent from the free-throw line, hitting all 14 of their attempts.

Senior Mansa El and Dunn each added 9 points in the victory in Bowling Green.

With their third consecutive win,

By PATRICK [email protected]

By PATRICK [email protected]

BY BOBBY MCDUFFIE|USAJAGUARS.COMJunior Augustine Rubit’s 13-point, 10-rebound double-double helps USA top in-state rival Troy.

the Jaguars locked up the No. 7 seed in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.

The Jaguars won’t be able to rest or keep their bragging rights against the in-state rival Trojans for long as they must face Troy again in the opening round of the SBC Tournament this Friday afternoon. The two teams will renew the rivalry at 2 p.m. in Hot Springs, Ark., at the Convention Center Court. The winner will play No. 2 seeded Arkansas-Little Rock, who will be playing in a very friendly environment.

10VOL. 52, NO. 8/ MAR. 4, 2013

Upcoming Jaguar athletics home gamesWednesday, Mar. 6:

Softball vs. Nicholls State5 p.m. at Jaguar Field

Baseball vs. Southern Miss6:30 p.m. at Stanky Field

Track and Field Duel Meet vs. Troyat Jaguar Track

Thursday, Mar. 7:

Men’s Tennis vs. Nicholls State1 p.m. at Bruce David Lubel Memorial Courts

Women’s Tennis vs. Nicholls State 1 p.m. at Bruce David Lubel Memorial Courts

Friday, Mar. 8:

Women’s Tennis vs. Tennessee-Martin 1 p.m. at Bruce David Lubel Memorial Courts

Baseball vs. North Florida6:30 p.m. at Stanky Field

Saturday, Mar. 9:

Men’s Tennis vs. Winthrop1 p.m. at Bruce David Lubel Memorial Courts

Baseball vs. North Florida2 p.m. at Stanky Field

Sunday, Mar. 9:

Baseball vs. North Florida1 p.m. at Stanky Field

Football begins spring practice with host of new facesBy JAYSON [email protected]

BY JAYSON CURRY|SENIOR REPORTER

The University of South Alabama football team

opened spring practice Thursday, hitting the fi eld before the sun rose. The message of the fi rst practice was simple: get better.

“Obviously there is some confusion but I thought effort was good. One thing we are focusing on this spring is attention to detail and doing all the little things right. We have a good bit more leadership on this team and part of that is because we have more seniors on this team than we ever have and I expect more leadership out of them and I think their giving that,” USA head football coach Joey Jones said.

“I told them just spend every minute of every day getting better and when we step out on that fi eld next fall we will be a great football team,” Jones added.

Although it was the fi rst practice of spring, the Jags seemed to be more comfortable. Having a full year with the new spread offense under their belt is one reason the offense looked more confi dent across the board. USA will feature a lot of depth at the wide receiver and running back positions. The Jags have seniors Bryant Lavender, Corey Besteda and juniors Jereme Jones, T.J. Glover and Ben Whiteside heading the receiving core and have added underclassmen depth with sophomore Jake Howton and freshman Cameron Broadnax.

“Offensively it was a pretty good day. You could tell we are a year experienced in the offense, we didn’t have too many busts but we can always get better. We need to pick up the tempo but that will come,” receiver Jereme Jones said. “I’m more comfortable than I was. I was timid or a little scared because I didn’t know what to expect and now I’m just trying to help the younger people.”

The receivers ran crisp routes Thursday, but had a little trouble

holding on to the ball. This could be contributed to rust from time away from practice or the cold and wet conditions on the practice fi eld in the early morning.

The running backs are anchored by junior Demetre Baker and Kendall Houston but the standout for the ball carriers on day one was junior college transfer Jay Jones, who isn’t the biggest Jag but is very quick and ran most of practice with the fi rst-team offense.

The quarterback position will be a battle all spring. Jag fans should be used to this since there has been rotation at the position since the program started. Virginia transfer Ross Matheny fi nished last season as

the starter, but Alcorn State transfer Brandon Bridge looked strong as well.

The defense for the Jags will be something important to watch all spring and into the 2013 season as there was a good bit of turnover at the coaching positions. The Jags brought in Kevin Sherrer to be the defensive coordinator, as well as Freddie Roach for defensive end and outside linebacker coaching and Travis Pearson to coach the inside linebackers.

“I’m glad to be back in the home state,” Roach said. “This is something new for me, I’ve always been a part of something that’s been established and I think this is a new challenge for me and this is a new program but I like the

challenge and I think there are great things to come.”

Roach is a former Alabama standout at linebacker and made his way to USA after being a part of a community college national championship at East Mississippi Community College. In his one season there and one season at Murray State, he served as the defensive line coach.

The new faces on the defensive coaching staff will have some holes to fi ll from last season’s defense as the Jags lost standout players in linebacker Jake Johnson and safety B.J. Scott.

Senior linebacker Enrique Williams will be the anchor in the middle of the fi eld for the Jags and has the experience

and the talent to be a standout again this coming season.

The USA defensive line looked strong all around with a mix of old and new faces. Seniors Montavious Williams, Randon Carnathan and Romelle Jones, who broke a piece of equipment during drills, anchor a veteran defensive line. Ceasare Johnson was back practicing on the edge for the Jags after missing last season with a blood clot. Fans will notice Johnson immediately as he is the most physically imposing Jag standing 6’5” and weighing 275 lbs.

The Jags will continue practice for spring over the next two months leading up to the April 6 spring game.

Quarterback Ross Metheny takes snaps with the fi rst team offense as head coach Joey Jones looks on.

JT CRABTREE, LOC [email protected] OF CENTERLEFT OF CENTER

11VOL. 52, NO. 8 / MARCH 4, 2013

The 2012-13 South Alabama men’s basketball team wrapped

up the regular season with a record of 17-11, the best record since the 2008-09 when the Jags fi nished 20-12.

They also compiled a 14-6 Sun Belt Conference record, their best 2007-08 when the Jags were 16-2 in conference play.

Did you also know that same season the Jags went undefeated at home during the regular season?

Did you know that the South Alabama men’s basketball program has collected 721 wins prior to the 2012-13 season?

You are now enrolled in MBB 101, History of South Alabama Men’s Basketball.

South has been playing basketball since the 1968-69 season, and has collected 10 Sun Belt Conference titles.

The Jags have made it to the NCAA Tournament eight times, the last coming via an at-large bid in the 2007-08 season. South Alabama is 1-8 in the

By JT [email protected]

Men’s basketball looks for more madnessMen’s basketball looks for more madnessIn 43 years of basketball, the Jags returning to their winning ways of the past

COURTESY OF USAJAGUARS.COMForward Augustine Rubit has been rewriting the record books during his time at South Alabama

Tennis Tennis triumphs triumphs

in matchesin matches

“Big Dance”, but the lone win came in what could be called the greatest moment in South Alabama athletics history.

The Jags were a No. 11 seed facing Alabama for the fi rst time in their history and quickly found themselves down by 16 at halftime. South Alabama trailed the entire game until the fi nal seconds. That was when All-Sun Belt guard Jeff Hodge hit a desperation 3-pointer with two seconds left. That shot would secure the win for the Jags. Former head coach Ronnie Arrow can still be seen on Youtube jumping for joy after the shot.

The Jags have called three different arenas home in their history: the Mobile Civic Center, Jaguar Gymnasium and the Mitchell Center. During the 43 years of basketball, the Jags have had a winning season in all of them but three. 1969-70, 1971-72 and 2001-02 were the only seasons South did not have a winning record at home. Overall, the Jags are 459-173, a .726 winning percentage.

The Jags have had players succeed outside too. South Alabama has been

represented by 16 different players in the NBA. The Jags have had one fi rst round pick in Terry Catledge (1985) and three second round picks in Ed Rains (1981), Junie Lewis and Jeff Hodge (1989).

There have been 10 All-American selections from South Alabama, all coming from 1979-1989. Ed Rains was selected in 1979 and 1981. Herb Andrews and Rory White were selected in 1980. Terry White was also selected in 1982. Catledge and Michael Gerren were selected in 1983-84. Hodge was selected in 1989.

Along with the 10 All-Americans, the Jags have accumulated plenty of Sun Belt Conference honors. You can also add fi ve All-Freshmen team selections, two Freshman of the Year winners, three Sophomore of the Year winners, three Junior of the Year winners, three Senior of the Year winners and fi ve Player of the Year award winners.

That’s 31 postseason accolades received by Jaguar men’s basketball players.

This season, the Jags saw the

retirement of their all-time winningest head coach in their history, Ronnie Arrow. Arrow retired the winningest coach in South Alabama and Sun Belt Conference history, compiling 211 wins at USA and 112 wins in SBC games.

Junior forward Augustine Rubit has been rewriting the record books at South Alabama, and he still has other records left to break. He already broke the school record for free throws made and attempted in a season. He is ninth in career points. His rebounding numbers regularly rank in the top ten in the country and he currently stands as the only player in the NCAA to be in the top 30 in both scoring and rebounding.

The Jags have currently won six of their last eight games, and head into the Sun Belt Conference Tournament riding a confi dent comeback win against Troy on the road. They will be ranked as the No. 3 seed with a fi rst-round bye before starting their quest for March Madness on March 9.

Based on history, they are due to return to the Big Dance. Maybe this will be the year.

By ALYSSA [email protected]

The Jaguar tennis teams had a victorious weekend with wins over Oral Roberts and No. 30 BYU.

USA men’s tennis won over BYU last Saturday taking the doubles point and winning three singles matches.

After taking the doubles point, senior Alex Berard defeated BYU’s Spencer Smith in the second match 6-1, 6-2. Gerhard Gruindelingh took the third match beating Francis Sargeant 7-5, 7-5. Shayann Vaezzadeh defeated Audrey Goryachkov 6-1, 6-2 taking the fi nal of three winning singles matches and clinching the 4-1 victory.

Woman’s tennis defeated Oral Roberts 5-1 Saturday improving their overall record to 6-3.

Freshman Cinta Maria Papke started off the singles victories over Brittany Smith taking the match 6-0, 6-3. In the third match Emily Newton defeated Oral’s Tori dollar 6-0, 6-2. Paula Sanchez sealed the match with a 6-2, 6-2 win against Rachel Scroggs.

The woman’s team swept the doubles easily winning all three matches against the Golden Eagles.

Mchaela Meszarosova and Newton defeated Oral’s Haley Martin and Tori Dollar in the fi rst match 8-4. Ramona Ghermani and Krachok took the second match winning 8-3 over Rachel Scroggs and Marianne Bouwer. Finally to seal off the victory Mary Angela Martin and Papke defeated Melanie Marlin and Natalia Dollar 8-2 completing the sweep.

The men will take on Texas A&M-Corpus Christy on March 4 before returning home to host Nicholls State on March 7.

The women will also host Nicholls State on March 7 and will host UT-Martin on March 8.

COURTESY OF USAJAGUARS.COM

VOL. 52, NO. 8 / MAR. 04, 201312

For Student Health appointments, please call 460-7151For Counseling and Testing, please call 460-7051

Student Health Sudoku

Mild anxiety when taking a test has been shown to ac-tually improve performance.

On the other hand, when the anxiety level becomes excessive and is accompanied by symptoms such as a rac-ing heart rate, shortness of breath, sweating, difficulty concentrating and memory blocks, it can interfere with a student’s ability to perform well. There are a number of strategies that students can employ to reduce test anxiety.

Of course, there is no substitute for adequate test preparation, which should begin well before the night preceding the test and include testing oneself on the ma-terial.

Other strategies would include the following: using exercise and/or relaxation techniques to cope with other stressors; getting adequate sleep the night before the test and eating healthy meals the day of the test; arriving early for the test while avoiding other anxious test takers; using deep breathing during the test to combat anxious feel-ings; and if possible, scanning the entire test at the outset to identify and answer the easiest items first to build con-fidence. To find out more about additional anxiety reduc-tion strategies, contact our office at 460-7051.

Mental Health TipCourtesy of Robert Hanks

VOL. 52, NO. 8 / MAR. 04, 2013 13

NOAH LOGAN OPINION [email protected]

OpinionOpinion

Congratu-lations, South A l a b a m a . Fifty years as a university is nothing to scoff at. That being said, as age goes fifty years is regarded as

a “good start” in a country full of long-lived and tradition-rich institu-tions of higher learning. It’s tough to compete with schools like Ala-bama and Auburn when they have 100+ years’ worth of a head start on you.

While USA certainly has nothing to be ashamed of in the quality of its academics, the sad truth is that when Alabama universities are spo-ken of around the country, the con-versation starts with “The Univer-sity of Alabama” and ends with “the one that Cam Newton went to”. It does not have to be this way.

That’s why I propose a solution to our obscurity dilemma. National perception of a university in this day and age is driven by its athletic teams. Few outside of Indianapolis had ever heard of Butler University (a school with less than a third the enrollment of our own.) before its basketball team made two consecu-tive national championship game ap-

pearances a few years ago. USA boasts some impressive ath-

letic programs, but it is simply not yet our time to make national cham-pionship appearances in any of the major sporting events.

There is, however, something we can do to generate buzz for our athletes and the work they do now instead of waiting 100 years to get caught up to the Crimson Tide and the tigers. Students of South Ala-bama, I give you: the University of South Alabama Fighting NASCARs.

Let it soak in and rattle around your head for a minute. I’ll wait right here. OK, now that you’ve had some time, let’s go over all the reasons this is a great idea.

First, it is a name that fits our university. There’s nothing more charming than a team nickname that fits the school. Think about the Fighting Irish from Notre Dame or the Seminoles of Florida State. Anyone who has witnessed the way our students drive around campus would agree that the NASCARs is a fitting moniker for our school. Love it or hate it, NASCAR is also a part of the athletic fabric around these parts, a brand instantly recognizable around the Yellowhammer State.

Second, think about the money. Then think about roughly 100 times the amount of money you were thinking of, because that’s what it

would take to compete with the rev-enue that the heavyweights in the state pull down from their athletics teams. If we become the NASCARs, our uniforms can suddenly hold a plethora of sponsorship patches without anyone questioning our fashion sense.

I long to see Coach Joey Jones rip off his SONY headset and fling his FedEx clipboard in joy as our Puma-sponsored kicker boots the Wilson football through the Exxon goal-posts for the winning field goal on Regions Bank Field at Burger King Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

Third, the instant local (and may-be not-so-local) fan support. Some would come simply to see the nov-elty of a team called the NASCARs. We wouldn’t even need to change the school colors, as nothing is more red, white and blue than NAS-CAR. Many more would come out of sheer confusion (“I thought you said this was a car race. Why is Tony Stewart wearing cleats and two feet taller than normal?”).

Hey, attendance is attendance, no matter the pretense. Meanwhile, all of the things that make USA the great school it is will act to gently seduce our newfound fanbase into becoming “Fighting NASCARs” themselves.

RYAN [email protected]

The University of South The University of South Alabama Fighting NASCARsAlabama Fighting NASCARs

JagPulseWe’re hearing that ticket writing has increased the We’re hearing that ticket writing has increased the past two weeks. Have you experienced this?past two weeks. Have you experienced this?

Rachel Roberts: My friend got a ticket a few days ago for not fully stopping at a stop sign on campus at like one in the morning.

Savannah Session: Park in the right zone and I’m sure that’ll eliminate a lot of the tickets.

Mason Wade: Maybe with all that money they could.. who knows, build a PARKING GARAGE or something?!

Lisa Moring Guy: From what I’m hearing... it needs to!

Lauren Godfrey: They gave me a ticket for no visible permit (it had fell face up into my seat) AND parking out of zone, when I was in my zone. I understand the 1st one but the second is entirely unjust & over ticketing.

Matt Turppa: Glad to hear people are getting tickets for jaywalking. I’m tired of people cutting across the traffi c circle causing backups.

Colin Rains: I got a ticket for

jaywalking. Not a campus ticket... a ticket from Mobile County with a court date.

David J Williams: They shouldn’t assume you’re in the wrong zone only for the parking tag not being in plain sight. They should only ticket what’s evident.

Leah Garvens: I’ve seen it. A lot of people don’t take them seriously anyway. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone get a ticket and laugh it off

TheTheEditorialEditorialBoardBoard

Editor in Chief Opinion Editor Life Editor Sports Editor LOC Editor

Cassie Fambro >Noah Logan >Jake Howell >

Patrick Herring >JT Crabtree >

thevanguardonline.com

The Vanguard ViewpointThe Vanguard ViewpointJag Idol needs to tone down harshness

JagTV’s “Jag Idol” is enjoying a successful second season on air, but not without controversy resulting from the competition’s judges remarks toward contestants.

“They took their power of criticism too far… it was judgment on their outfi t or just ridiculous comments...I’m personally offended that they represent the university,” Nelson said.

One male contestant on episode one of “Jag Idol 2.0” sang “Home” by Michael Buble, to which judge Victoria Johnson said, “I can see your ‘bubles,’” referring to the contestant’s body.

An anonymous parent of one of the contestants emailed JagTV about the “bubles” comment, claiming the “Jag Idol” judge was essentially making fun of the contestant’s body. The parent also criticized the judges for yelling “next” during auditions and pretending to yawn out of boredom.

The parent called for the judges to be reprimanded and replaced and ultimately asked that the JagTV general manager send out an email apologizing to contestants for any potentially offensive comments made by the “Jag Idol” judges.

Sophomore and nursing major Kaytie Aycock submitted a YouTube audition, saying in her biography that she enjoys singing songs from the Disney fi lm, “The Little Mermaid.” Judge Brandon M. Caten responded saying that Aycock resembles Ursula,

the villain from “The Little Mermaid,” which was followed by laughter from the other judges.

“I was upset by what Brandon said because I don’t think anyone wants to be told they look like that character,” Aycock said in an interview with The Vanguard.

The “Ursula” and “bubles” comments were edited out of episode one a few days after it fi rst aired on JagTV.

JagTV general manager Deborah Crabtree sent an email to each student that submitted an audition, saying “the JagIdol team apologizes to all those involved who feel that they have been mistreated or judged on anything besides their performance in their submitted videos… the judges have been made aware of this issue and will be more careful with their words when critiquing future performances.”

The “JagIdol 2.0” winner’s prize is ten free hours of studio recording time at Roman Empire Music in Mobile..

The Vanguard agrees that JagTV is encouraging diversity and taking risks, but we hate to see criticism override the intent of the show; to showcase USA talent.

Make sure to remember that we’re students supporting and judging students, Jag Idol.

For more information on Jag Idol, visit facebook.com/jagtvusa.

VOL. 52, NO. 8 / MAR. 04, 201314

POINT COUNTERPOINTShould the Pentagon be spending $400 billion on fighter jets? Should the Pentagon be spending $400 billion on fighter jets?

Editor’s Introduction: The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program was intended to replace the United States previous fi ghter jets, mainly the F-16 model. The program has seen numerous delays and is now in focus with the sequester calling for mandatory cuts in defense spending. Should the government ensure our national security or focus on cutting federal spending?

Complete FailureComplete Failure

Micah MesserNoah Logan Colin Al-Greene

The F-35 is a fi fth-generation stealth fi ghter/bomber aircraft designed to re-place the old F-16 and F-18 fi ghter/bombers that were originally built in the 1970s. But is it worth 400 Billion dollars of tax payer money? To answer this you have to compare it to its predecessors and competitors.

The F-35 is more fl exible, easier to maintain, more powerful and has a longer range than the F-16 and F-18 and it is stealth. Another benefi t to the F-35 over its predecessors and another reason the high price tag is worth it is its electrohydrostatic control system.

This new control system, unlike its predecessors hydraulic control system, allows for almost instant control without the need for hydraulic fl uid. This new system lowers the weight of the aircraft, needed for the VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) F-35B. This is another benefi t, the VTOL system allows for he-licopter type take-offs, this increases the amount of carrier based versions could be housed.

Although it is just cool to look at, it is capable of eliminating the enemy from a distance without the target knowing. Plus, it is designed to be the second best air-to-air fi ghter constructed, second to its cousin the F-22, also stealth.

But, the main reason it is worth every dime is because of the threats being creat-ed around us. With China’s J-20 program, a stealth fi ghter designed to be capable to take down the F-15, F-16 and F-18, and Russia’s Sukhoi PAK FA stealth fi ghter, also designed to combat the F-15, F-16 and F-18, the United States must be ready to defend its borders.

But, we are not in the Cold War any-more, why worry about other nations? That is another discussion summed up by this, the moment a great nation ap-pears weak is the moment that nation is no longer great but falls to other tyran-nical nations.

The F-35 program has demon-strated nothing but failure. If the United States was going into another war (pointless or not), then the $400 billion weapons program that also happens to be the most expensive ever by any country would be accept-able.

However, the country is not head-ing towards another major war and spending cuts mandated by seques-tration which kicked in Friday, March 1 call for defense spending cuts. The F-35 program has been on the books and delayed for over a decade since it was approved shortly after 2001.

The total price of the program was initially set at $233 billion with initial development costs being $34.4 million. The overall program cost today stands at $396 billion dol-lars with initial development costs of $57 million. The Pentagon’s most recent estimate of the lifetime cost for the F-35 weapons to be $1.45 tril-lion. This number has seen specula-tion because a third of it is factored from infl ation and infl ation is very diffi cult to predict half a century from now.

The Pentagon has revealed sev-eral fl aws with the planes as well. The F-35 B was banned from fl ying 25 miles within a thunderstorm for fear of “fuel tank exploding.” The F-35 has had spec downgrades that include runway length and fl ight ma-neuverability.

The Pentagon changed the proce-dures of their F-35 fl ight test be-cause the jet was accelerating and turning as well as needed. F-35 mod-els have been grounded twice after being deemed “unsafe to fl y.”

What was initially described as the “affordable,” fi ghter jet has prov-en to be nothing but a catastrophic failure and needs to be cut.

THE F-35 FIGHTER

Thrusts with 178 kN 40,000 lb class with afterburner. Speed of 1,200 mph.

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Speed of 1,300 mph.

Durable, low-maintenance stealth technology, using struc-tural fi ber mat instead of the high-maintenance coatings of legacy stealth platforms

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A modern and updated fl ight simulator, which may be used for a greater fraction of pilot training in order to reduce the costly fl ight hours of the actual aircraft

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A new and powerful Lithium-ion batteries that are required to provide power to run cotrol surfaces during time of an emergency and have been tested to extreme requirements.

Features a full-panel-width pan-oramic glass cockpit display with 20 by 8 inch dimensions.

The F-35 features a helmet-mounted display system which features sensors that track and target a nearby aircraft from any orientation no matter where the pilot is looking.

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Performance

Upgrades

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THE PENTAGON

According to the Offi ce of Management and Budget, total spending for defense related expenditures was at $784 billion.

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The DOD Inspector General recently released a report estimat-ing fees for shipping containers, waste and fraud and depts to contractors cost the taxpayers $102 billion yearly.

► Because of Sequester spending cuts, the cumalitve spending for defense will decrease by $500 billion from 2013-2021 according to budget authority.

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Close to 50 percent of the $84 billion sequesters $84 billion dollar spending cuts for 2013 will come out of the Depart-ment of Defense

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Budget and spending

Sequestration

The Government Account-ability Offi ce to United States Senate Comittee on Armed Services projected each F-35A to be $112 million and a lifetime cost of $600 million. Both numbers are up 50 per-cent fromthe orginial estimate of pricing.

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The U.S. has held a simple, but highly effective policy since the late 1940s. The essence of the policy can be summed up in the words of our twenty-sixth president, Theodore Roosevelt, “speak softly, and carry a big stick”. If we keep the “awe fac-tor” of our armed forces capabilities at such a scope that challenging us in conventional warfare would lead to your complete and total destruc-tion, you as a hostile force, will be deterred from engaging us.

This is how the thermonuclear annihilation of the human race was avoided during the Cold War. The United States, the Soviets and, to a lesser extent, the Chinese realized that if we were to ever have a confl ict where everyone went in with the “big guns,” the world would be destroyed. It was mutually assured destruction.

Now, there are no more Soviets and the Chinese appear to be happy with dominating the manufacturing sector. This is why we do not need a $400 billion weapon system. I say this for the sheer fact that we could never use it and we really do not need it.

I am a stanch supporter of a strong national defense, but there is such a thing as overkill. We are cur-rently in a confl ict with groups of people who are light-years behind us in technology. Terrorists groups do not have super-sonic jets with guided missile systems.

These planes are to act as a scare-crow to the Chinese, Russians and any other possibly threatening state. We can keep the respect of possibly hostile nations without so huge of a price tag. We, as a nation must do a better job at keeping things in per-spective. In the future, let us hope we can break off a branch and not carry the whole tree with us.

Right message at wrong Right message at wrong price tagprice tag

Worth every penny Worth every penny

ALL PHOTOS FROM U.S PUBLIC DOMAIN ALL PHOTOS FROM U.S PUBLIC DOMAIN

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VOL. 52, NO. 8 / MAR. 04, 201315

VOL. 52, NO. 8 / MAR. 04, 201316