OCR::/Vol_112/WLURG39_RTP_20080908/WLURG39_RTP_20080908_001.2.txt ‘D Columnists Cody Sarah Palin: , tent? i or a campaign ’s fatal flaw? Beauchamp and Abel Delgado debate McCain’s bold choice WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY THE RING-TUM PHI. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2008 BY THE STUDENTS AND FOR THE STUDENTS SINCE 1897 VOLUME CXII, Identity crisis W&L aims to revamp graphic ID, student facebook group says, “If it ain ’t broke, don ’t' fix it! ” By Allison Chopin MANAGING EDITOR ‘The unveiling of Washington and Lee’s pro- posed redesign of the “graphic identity” in July has created quite the uproar among students. The university hired North Charles Street De- sign Organization (NCSDO) of Baltimore, charg- ing the firm with “an assessment of the various graphic elements used to represent W&L and sug- gestions for improvements, with the goal of creat- ing a strong, cohesive identity system to serve all units,” according to the website. Dennis Cross, Vice President for University Advancement, explained in an e-mail to the univer- sity community that W&L will not be eliminating its current symbols, namely the Crest, the Trident and the Seal. The university and NCSDO aimed to “Its not even the way [the de- sign] looks. Its the lack of stu- dent input... It seems to me to be a bit of a wasted resource. We could do this internally. ” JONATHAN WRIGHT, 3rd year law student review and redesign the “wordmark/logo,” which is used for stationery, business cards, the website, and similar publications. The current wordmark/logo was designed in 2006 and features “Washington and Lee Univer- sity” with an image of the Colonnade. The last review of the identity before 2006 occurred in 1987. I “We want to return to the goals of the success- ful 1987 review, because we have strayed from them,” Cross said in his e-mail. “The current situation--more than 30 different logos in use-—is unacceptable, not to mention con- fusing,” he added. “The vast majority agree that we need to discard the current identity, which was created in 2006 with neither an inclusive process nor wide support.” NCSDO’s proposed wordmark/logo features a blue circle or coin shape around the letters “W&L.” According to the website, the firm examined the university’s archives and “found many University identifiers placed within circles or on coins.” The firm also “thought it would be an advantage to give ‘W&L,’ our widely known nickname, a for- mal presence.” After the results of NCSDO’slreview and re- _ design were made public, students responded im- mediately. The majority of reactions were not of approval. Law student Jonathan Wright, creator of the Facebook group bemoaning W&L’s proposed graphic identity and boasting over 400 members, pointed to what he sees as faulty decision-making on the part of the university. “It’s not even the way it looks,” he said. “It’s the lack of student input.” Through the honor system and other forms of student self-govemance, students at W&L are treated as adults who can make their own deci- sions and shape the image of the university. Thus Wright asks why students were not involved in de- veloping the new graphic identity. Wright further objected to the fact that W&L chose to “outsource” the project to a design firm. “It seems to me to be a bit of a wasted resource,” he said. “We could do this internally.” _ As Wright and the members of his Facebook group suggest, an overwhelming number of stu- dents have been willing to share their thoughts on the future of W&L’s logos. Many believe that the blue circle is too similar to images used by other universities and even corporations, and thus they would prefer something that is more unique. See Graphic Identity on page 2 By Brett Holton STAFF WRITER Is 21 still a viable minimum drinking age? That’s what the Am- ethyst Initiative hopes to find out. The initiative, launched this July, aims to “rethink the drinking age." W&L President, Kenneth Ruscio, joined 128 other university presi- dents around the country in support- ing the initiative, which calls for open, dispassionate debate about the United States’ minimum drinking age of 2 1. “Like the other presidents who have signed the Amethyst Initia- tive, I believe that the significant problems created by some college students’ abuse of alcohol demand thoughtful consideration of whether or not public policy in this area has worked, and what alternatives we might consider," Ruscio said in a let- ter to the W&L community. The initiative began this July af- ter John McCardell, W&L class of ’71 and now President Emeritus of Middlebury College, was invited to speak at a meeting of the Annapolis Group, comprising roughly 120 lib- eral arts colleges. McCardell con- tacted several Annapolis presidents to see what they thought of the cur- rent drinking age, and they found a common desire to reopen public debate on the matter. The initia- tive signatories hope this debate will cause elected officials to reconsider / W&L joins debate over minimum drinking age about the effectiveness of current poli- cies regarding alcohol. CODY BEAUCHAMP / Qpinions Editor current alcohol legislation and invite new, safer alternatives to drinking amongst young adults. A statement on the initiative’s website claims that by limiting drinking to people ages 21 and over, dangerous binge‘ drinking habits emerge, particularly on college cam- puses, among those deemed not old enough. “Adults under 21 are deemed See Amethyst initiative on page 2 Changes to Traveller routes New stops added, but some ofi’-campus houses cut out of service By Joel Poelhuis smrr WRITER Changes designed to improve ser- vice on the Traveller safe ride pro- gram will limit access to within five miles of campus. Traveller Dispatch. which pro- vides transportation for students go- , ing to and from parties off campus, will continue to serve 165 of the 173 off-campus houses on record with the program, according to Traveller Chair Rebecca Koval. The houses that are no longer receiving service include Cedar Creek, Compton, Hooterville, Lazy River, the Mill, Pink Palace, Sex Panther and Upper Toad Run. Koval said the changes are intend- ed to cut down on wait times for stu- dents by eliminating long loops that strain the system’s limited resources. She also cited increased safety for the Dispatch drivers, who previously op- erated without phone service or radio contact with the dispatcher on long runs in the county. The lack of com- munication combined with poor road ’ conditions and signage put stress on the drivers, Koval said. Dispatch drivers George Gelinas and Eddie Rodriguez agreed. “If you didnftknow where you were going and got lost, you’re in trouble,” said Gelinas, who said he has been lost for over an hour on country roads due to poor directions from passengers. Rodriguez said he has had several close calls with deer on unlighted roads. To students who live outside the five-mile radius, the new policy comes as an unpleasant back-to- school surprise. Tucker Lawrence, a resident of Pink Palace, said he feels the school is forcing distant residents to “fend for ourselves” in an environ- ment where taxis and other forms of public transportation are scarce or nonexistent. Will Lewis, Lawrence’s house- mate, said the residents affected by the changes were left out of the de- cision-making process. Lazy River resident Austin Colpini agreed, saying that the policy was not an- nounced until students had already signed binding leases which place them outside the service area. Lawrence said that while the situ- ation is tough for himself and other residents of country houses, it is harder on large groups of partygo- crs. “We hire sober drivers, but a lot of people use Traveller,” he said. Colpini said those living outside the service area are considering how best to petition for a reversal of the policy. Hesaid that while he un- derstands the rationale behind the change, he believes it runs counter to Traveller’s mission of providing ser- vice to those living off campus and was done with an irresponsible lack of input from the student body. Koval said that the Traveller board is open to discussion. Inter- ested parties should contact her via email with comments or complaints. She said in the future, funding for GPS in the‘Dispatch vehicles could make driving on the back roads safer and more efficient. While the Traveller Dispatch ser- vice is reigning in its range, the Trav- eller Express bus lines have expand- ed with several new stops. The new blue line will follow the approximate route of last year’s regular Traveller line and the red line will go to areas previously served by the Country Express. New steps include the Log Cab- ins and increased service to the law school. Koval said that during the evaluation period it became clear that law students needed more con- venient stops. Other changes to the service will include training drivers to deal with hostile passengers. OPINIONS / page 3 NUMBER 1 OCR::/Vol_112/WLURG39_RTP_20080908/WLURG39_RTP_20080908_002.2.txt UNNERSHY usnmy 2 - THE RINGLEliIIGToN,vA2445g SEP 1 0 2993 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8,2008 Feeding the hungry Jenny Sproul becomes new Campus Kitchens coordinator Photo courtesy Jenny Sproul campus Kitchens coordinator Jenny Sproul and volunteer Rosemary Kelley prepare meals at Beta fraternity house. By Jamie Klm smrr wanna Washington and Lee alumnus Jenny Sproul has started her postgraduate career by return- ing to W&L as the coordinator of the Campus Kitchens Project. Campus Kitchens, a hunger relief project in connection with W&L’s Shepherd Poverty Pro- gram, collects unused food from the school’s dining hall and makes nutritious meals for Rockbridge County’s needy. Sproul took over the Campus Kitchen from another W&L graduate, Robbie Turner ‘02, who is now the coordinator for the Bonner Pro- gram, which is part of the Shepherd Poverty Program. Sproul said she has two main goals for the year ahead: expanding into parts of the county that aren’t currently being reached by Campus Kitchens and carrying out a work release pro- gram with the Natural Bridge Juvenile Correc- tion Center. “We are going to expand further out into the County where it’s less accessible, like Goshen and Glasgow,” she said. Sproul has already organized the work re- lease program, which will allow a cadet from the correction center to come to W&L to work in the Campus Kitchen, recently relocated from the Beta fraternity house to Kappa Sigma, start- ing in October. There will be one cadet working at a time, and he will be paid the equivalent of work study wages for 20 hours a week. “After a few months, if our cadet graduates the program, we will hopefully receive a new placement,” Sproul said. “The cadet should learn valuable skills in the kitchen and admin- istrative duties.” The Campus Kitchens has been and will continue to take every precaution to ensure that safety is a priority, she said. Sproul said the ca- dets would wear GPS ankle bracelets. Majoring in politics and sociology and par- ticipating in the Shepherd Program, volunteer- ing has always been appealing to Sproul. The first time she became interested in the Campus Kitchens was when she visited the Magnolia Center by her friend’s invitation. After visiting the Magnolia Center, a day program for developmentally-disabled adults in Buena Vista, she realized how much she enjoyed the interaction with the community. Sproul said delivery is her favorite part of the job. She remembers serving one of the residents . at Magnolia Center who was hostile at first. “By consistently coming to visit and sharing meals, we’ve built a friendship,” Sproul said. “So now we look forward to our time together on Fri- days.” Ever since then, her college life has been filled with various volunteering activities. She - volunteered for Campus Kitchens her entire ju- nior year and she was on the leadership team. She participated in the Department of Social Services Foster Care Program, tutored and mentored in Rockbridge County schools, and led Young Life camp. Since it started in August 2006, Campus Kitchens has delivered over 23,000 meals, worked with eight partner agencies and has had over 650 volunteers. Anyone can join the Cam- pus Kitchens Project, Sproul said. After prepar- ing meals in the kitchen, volunteers deliver the food to people in Lexington, Buena Vista and Rockbridge County, taking time to eat and talk with them. “One unused tray of food from the D-hall can feed about 40 people in the county,” Sproul said. “Food mostly comes from the D-hall, but we also get donations from Kroger and other organizations.” Now the head of Campus Kitchens, Sproul intends to work in the project for two years. Grant will fund new courses Environmental studies gets $600, 000 for Chesapeake _Bay research By Victoria Taylor surr wnman Washington and Lee Univer- sity recently received a four-year, $600,000 grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to further expand its Environmental Studies program, which gained approval in May 2007 to move from a concen- tration to a major. The grant will allow the de- partment to create a place—based program in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This will add a domes- tic counterpart to the study abroad program in Brazil. “[The Chesapeake Bay water- shed] is a very important environ-_ mental resource,” said Professor James Kahn, John F. Hemdon Pro- fessor of Economics and head of environmental studies, “and also a very stressed resource because of all of the urban growth in the mid- Atlantic.” Nutrient pollution, , chemical contaminants, air pollution, land- scape changes, erosion and over- harvesting of fish and shellfish are also harming the Bay and water- shed, which arc home to more 3600 species of plants and animals. Assistant professor of biology Robert Humston will be teaching courses related to Chesapeake Bay and watershed management as well as developing research and other co-curricular opportunities for stu- dents interested in ecology, conser- vation and management. “This program has some great benefits... the opportunity to examine one of today ’s most important envi- ronmental issues right in our backyard. ” ROBERT HUMSTON, biology Professor Humston, who has background in fisheries ecology and management, is developing three courses directly related to the program. The first is an aquatic ecology course through the Biol- ogy department in which the labs will focus on monitoring a new stream restoration effort in Rock- bridge County. The others will be a two-course watershed sequence containing a winter term course in- tended to be a broad introduction to watershed issues for students from a variety of disciplines, and a spring term field course for students who are interested in getting “up-close and personal” with the material. “The winter term course will consider watershed management from a broad perspective, consid- ering the scientific and cultural underpinning of current conserva- tion issues,” Humston said. “The Chesapeake Bay will provide the context for most of these topics, but the course will also consider other systems for comparative pur- poses.” The field course will look spe- cifically at the habitats and stress- ors within the Chesapeake Bay watershed and give the students a chance to see how the fundamen- tals they leamed during the win- ter term appear and “play out at ground-level.” . “This program has some great benefits, with the biggest being the opportunity to examine one of to- day’s most important environmen- tal issues right in our backyard,” Humston said. “The Brazil programs give the opportunity for place—based leam- ing in Brazil but we didn’t have a good domestic counterpart to that, so the Chesapeake Bay Program was a natural way to incorporate that with the rivers up here and the Chesapeake Bay watershed,” Kahn said. Thanks to the U.S.-Brazil Pro- gram, a grant competition run by the governments of the two coun- tries, W&L has a strong exchange program with two Brazilian uni- versities: Universidade Federal do Amazonas in Manaus and Univer- sidade Federaldo Rio de Janeiro. Interested students take intensive Portuguese, followed by classes at one of the Brazilian universities: two interdisciplinary environmental studies courses, a directed research project with a Brazilian professor and an elective. The formation of the Chesa- peake Bay program will allow those Brazilian students studying at W&L as part of the exchange to be eligible for funding to do research or internships with agencies in the Bay areas. “It’s a very exciting program to be part of, especially as it is just getting started,” Humston said. continued from page 1 Amethyst Initiative capable of voting, signing contracts, serving on juries and enlisting in the military,” the statement says, “but are told they are not mature enough to have a beer.” The effort does not, however, call for a lower drinking age, a widely held misconception that has challenged the Amethyst Initiative since its outset. The initiative garnered negative attention in the media after its first appearance in the Associated Press, when a flurry of inaccurate stories came out regarding the initia- tive as a proposal to lower the drinking age to 18. W&L’s new executive director of communications and public affairs Jeff Hanna knows that is not the case. “In some ways it was unfortunate that it got a little bit ahead of itself so that there was an immediate and fairly sharp reaction from opponents of lowering [the drinking age],” he said. Hanna has been tracking the initiative since its incep- tion and has been keeping Ruscio abreast of its develop- ments in the media. Hanna said that people both in favor of, and opposed to, lowering the drinking age have signed on to the initia- tive. . “It’s clear people want to have a conversation about it,” he said. Sophomore Merritt Poling is glad that these debates are being held, but remains skeptical as to their outcome. “I find it interesting and encouraging that they are concerned about so many things that [students] are con- cerned about . . . but ultimately it’s a national law, and very diflicult to change,” he said. “I don’t think anything startlingly new is going to come from this,” Poling added. _ Lucy Hundley, a junior at W&L, said though she sup- ports the initiative’s motives, she does not see it as a way to reduce risky drinking behavior amongst students. “[Drinking] is not going to be safer, it’s just going to be legal. If it were legal, most people would be drinking’. I don’t think that’s bad at all, but I do think that drinking is something that tends to develop as a habit more often than not,” she said. Nevertheless, Hundley applauds the University for participating in the Amethyst Initiative. “Overall I definitely support it because if anything it’s dialogue, and having communication with students is important. Students don’t give the administration enough credit sometimes. Their spearheading this is a vote of confidence in the student body,” she said. Ruscio joined the other signatories in hopes of further- ing the debate. “I want to explore a variety of efforts to address the problem of irresponsible and dangerous drinking on our campus,” he said. “I am committed, first and foremost, to finding an ef- fective way to educate college students--especially W&L students--about their responsibilities when it comes to al- cohol.” continued from page 1 Graphic Identity “Most students that I’ve talked to think the Crest is the way to go,” said Wright. “It’s a symbol worthy of repre- senting the fine institution that is W&L.” Other members of the W&L community, though smaller in number, applaud the university’s decision to review its graphic identity. “Washington and Lee’s graphic identity was muddled at best,” said Lisa R. Miller, graduate of the Class of 2005, in an e—mail. “It was unclear, messy, and not stan- dardized.” , Miller also explained the importance of developing a clear identity. “The basic idea of any branding effort is to clean up and clarify communications with the external community,” she said. “What would Coca-Cola be without that red and white symbol we know so well? This can only help the Univer- sity’s status as a premier university on a national stage.” By the end of the fall, W&L and NCSDO plan to draft guidelines detailing the use of the university’s new imag- es. These guidelines will be in the form of a short manual that “will codify the elements of the identity” and suggest rules for their implementation. The Graphic Identity Working Group welcomed com- ments from students and others over the surmner, but it is unclear as to how student input has actually shaped or altered the process of redesigning the graphic identity. Dennis Cross, member of the Working Group, could not be reached for comment this week. 1 987: - WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY ' The last major redesign of the graphic Identity produced this wordmark/logo and gggrlles of guidelines for use of Images In 2006: I‘ 1 t , WASHINGTON Lea Iiil UNt.V’£R:SI’!‘Y -W&L updated the wordmark/logo In 2006 but did not revise the guidelines for use of the graphic Identity. 2008: Washiiigton and Lee Uriiversity NCSDO proposed this new wordmark/logo ' In July. M OCR::/Vol_112/WLURG39_RTP_20080908/WLURG39_RTP_20080908_003.2.txt * Pa1in’s Problem .7 THE RING-TUM PHI -3 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2008 opinions Was McCain crazy to pick Palin?... By Cody Beauchamp OPINIONS EDITOR John McCain has lost his ever-lovin’ mind. That’s all there is to it. How else could you explain his pick ofAlaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate? There are so many problems with Sarah Palin being the second highest executive in the land, it’s mind-boggling. Let’s begin, my friends, with experience. McCain’s greatest asset this campaign was his impressive resume. He beat Obama’s resume no matter how eloquently the Illinois Senator tried to argue otherwise. McCain’s best bet strategy was to make this election about experience, his over Obama’s lack thereof. But when Obama picked Biden as his run- ning mate, he went a long way towards blunting McCain’s edge. McCain decided to go ahead and completely throw it away by picking Palin. Technically, yes, Palin has more executive experience than any of the other three — Mc- Cain, Obama, Biden — but you can’t claim with a straight face it’s any kind of experience that quali- fies her for the Vice Presidency. Her time as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska (pop. 7,025) compromises the bulk of her ‘executive experience,’ at six years. I know this — Palin claiming she’s ready for the Vice Presidency because she was executive of a population that is 1 / 42,704th that of the United States’ is ridiculous. Using that kind of logic, my fraternity pres- ident is ready, right now, at this moment, to be Governor of a state with 1.1 million residents. To be fair to Palin though, she is a governor ~ her resume is slightly better than just mayor of a tiny town. So what’s her record for two years as Alaska’s governor‘? Is this the sweet spot where she gains military experience (as commander of the Alas- kan National Guard), foreign policy experience (as Governor of the only state save Hawaii to ac- tually see combat on its soil in the last century), and executive experience that trumps Obama, and more accurately Biden? As for military experience, the Alaskan Na- tional Guard has only been called into duty once by Palin. To battle forest fires. And, might I point out, her command of the Guard is ceremonial; just like all the other 49 governors who technically ‘command’ their state’s guards. How about foreign policy experience? In 2000 then-Govemor Bush had a marginally valid claim to have gained some foreign policy experience from Texas’ dealings with cross-border Mexican states —- can Palin make a similar claim? Hardly. She’s never been to Russia. She’s also never arranged any kind of government deal with the Yukon, Alaska‘s Canadian neighbor, though she has helped broker a few deals between US and Canadian oil companies that have led to, as McCain would gleefully put it ifPalin were Dem- ocrat, a ‘greater dependency on foreign oil." She does have a hell of biography though, and I love the idea ofa ‘hockey mom’ becoming the new symbol of the common American voter. ‘Soccer moms’ were becoming passe anyway. But she’s got so little experience that Obanias resume looks downright amazing by contrast. Bi- ographies be damned, Obama‘s experience heats hers (his biography tool). And lest we forget, Biden is more accurately her rival, and his experience slaughtcrs hers like a grizzly going at salmon. But beyond the fear that McCain’s potential Veep has the least experience out of any of the four, let’s examine for a second the most cliill— ing thing of all - Sarah Palin could realistically be President of the United States if iVlcCain is elected. John McCain loves to trot out his 95-year old mother, Roberta, and point to her as sign Ion-gc\— ity runs in his family. Not so fast Mac. McCain’s father was Admiral John 5. McCain. Jr. He died at age 70, from a heart attack. Ve- Cain’s grandfather was Admiral John S. McCain. Sr., and he died at age 6 I, again of a heart attack. Neither of the two of them ever suffered six years of torture at the Hanoi lliltoii. I’m not a physiological expe1't. but I in willing to bet that McCain’s stint as a F-.C.W. took years olliliis life. So you’ve got a man Wllii :1 familial history of heart trouble, who spent years in brutal captiv- ity, and who — according to family medical liisilmy — is already defying odds to still be alive running for the most stressful job on the planet. The person he’s picked to be a heart-heat away from the Oval Office has essentially no rneanii;g- ful experience. McCain’s choice of Palin for running mate isn’t insane because she’s a woman. Don’t let Republicans happy to ha ve a claim to ‘diversity’ for the first time in their party’s history fool you on that count. Ferraro already sliattcretl that glass, ccilin and Hillary not a year ago did much to pi'o\'e were moving into a post‘-gender political world. McCain’s choice of Palin for running mate is insane because in an election where he’s saying experience is the thing you base your vote on. his ticket is suddenly the most inexperienced. Now McCain has not only lost his most effec- tive tactic against Obama (short of racism), he‘s allowed his running mate to highlight just how screwed we’d all be if his considerable age gets the best of him. Still don’t think McCain’s lost his cver—lovin‘ mind? Palirfs Promise ...or was it a choice By Abel Delgado COLU M NIST The latest ridiculous twist in a presidential campaign too strange for comparison was not John McCain’s choice of Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate - it was the Obama Campaign’s reac- tion to it. Democrats who defend their candidate by say- ing judgment is important and experience is not say that Palin does not have enough experience to be a 'heart-beat‘ away from the presidency. They spent most of their convention on biog- raphy and very little on record and now want you to ignore Palins’ amazing biography and focus in- stead on her lack of foreign policy experience. Did I miss something or did the Democrats just become the ‘Republican Attack Machine‘ they have told others to ignore? The attacks on Palin are so similar to the ones Republicans used on Obama that they look copied and pasted. Robert E. Lee would call that an HV. He cer- tainly wouldn’t think the media’s treatment of her and her family is 'gentlemanlike' either. Critics say that Palin is just the Republican ver- sion of Obama. Palin is actually the Republican version of what Obama wants us to think he is. While 'post-partisan’ Obama was voting with his party over 90% of the time, Palin was unseat- ing a Republican Governor, forcing out a corrupt Republican Attorney General, and naming Demo- crats and Independents to her cabinet. While 'anti-big oil’ Obama was voting for tax breaks and subsidies for oil companies and receiv- ing more political contributions from Exxon than John McCain, Palin was battling the oil compa- nies by opening up competition, increasing pro- . duction taxes, and using the extra money to give Alaskans a tax refund so they can pay for rising energy costs. So critics charge she has no experience. They don’t mention that she has more executive ex- perience than Obama, Biden, and even McCain of sheer genius? have. . .combined. This is important considering the four of them are running for the two highest executive posts in the land. Palin-critics remind us that Alaska lia:-: a small- er population than Austin, Texas. They forget it also provides us with 20% ofour oil - 10% more than the Middle East. This is im- portant considering the energy crisis we are cur- rently in. No doubt many people questioned whether Palin could handle the pressure when she was picked. After her acceptance speech, the more press- ing question is how Democrats are going to handle her. Obama claims he has more executive experi- ence that Palin because of running his campaign. If running a campaign is all the experience you think a President needs, then vote for Obama. One of the more disgraceful arguineiits being made by Democratic operatives is that Palin is a gimmick’. Of course this is insulting on so many levels and ignores the records both Mc(‘:iiii and Palin have of caring more about people than politics. Would she be the VP if she were a inan‘."lVIaybe not. Would she be called a gimmick it she were a man? Of course not. These people would have called former Demo- crat and long-time Senator Joe Lieberman a gim- mick if he had been the VP choice. and they would have said the same of the reform—niinded Gover- nor Bobby Jindal. According to them if you‘re not white, protes- tant, Republican, and male, supporting John Mc- Cain makes you a gimmick. The DNC apparently thinks the most important experience required of women and minorities is a (D) behind their names. Sarah Palin may not be experienced enough for their liking, but she is certainly experienced enough to expose them as frauds. ‘editorial Applause for Amethyst Ruscio commits to the kind of honest debate we need It’s not often that these pages bear praise for administrators. I Which is why the Phi is so excited to say ‘a hearty ‘good call’ to any and all who had a hand in Washington and Lee’s recent decision to join the Amethyst Initiative. The Initiative, which as of press-time has 129 signatories, is one of those movements Washing- ton and Lee couldn’t not be a part of. I Alcohol and its effects on individuals and — more importantly — society is a "pillar of the W&L zeitgeist. There is nothing hyperbolic in the claim that alcohol has affected absolutely ev- ery single person’s life at this school. For our money, alcohol is a chief factor be- hind the University’s decision to not cooperate with the Princeton Review. Whether or not our failure to be listed at all in the publication’s Best 368 Colleges’ will haveiany fallout in the long- tcrm is yet to be known. - But it’s clear that our administrators weren’t pleased with W&L continually earning top marks for beer consumption, hard alcohol consumption, partying, and Greek life. Alcohol’s effects on gender relations at this school cannot be understated either. Last year, the Interfraternity and Pan—Hellenic councils flirted with an initiative aimed at poten- tially drastic changes for Greek life at W&L. Then—lF C President Andrew Duckworth said to an IFC meeting that the troubling number of so- rority womeh getting the morning-after pill from the health center following last year’s tear night was a huge factor behind the initiative. Let’s re-phrase that for clarity. Two bodies governing 80% of the student body felt parties alcohol-fueled parties — were placing a disturb- ing nuinber of W&L women into very real sexual crisis. And the problems with our image or our Greek life due to alcohol are only the tip of the sponsibly. Lee. ’ on US. booze iceberg. An inordinate and chilling number of students need medical care, even hospitalization every month because of drinking. I ‘ An expensive safe—ride network is, sadly, nec- essary at Washington and Lee. ‘ ’ While plenty of other colleges have Traveller- like systems in place, we at the Phi doubt many receive the near-universal and overburdening use Traveller does. ' If there was ever a school that needed to have a frank discussion on the drinking age its Wash- ington and Lee. If there’s a college in America where the students need to have a voice in deter- mining what alcohol consumption and responsi- - bility should mean, it’s W&L. ' I Not because‘we’re the best at it'— we aren’t. But because (if last year’s Bracket and DTF fi- ascos prove anything) we’vé seen the price of ignoring social problems. , ‘ Washington and Lee is a tight-knit commu- nity, and we know our own problems well. Last year proved the college has the capacity for talk- ing through problems and moving forward re- Thc Amethyst Initiative proves President Ruscio is committed to responsibly addressing drinking at Washington and Lee. Whereas he’ and the administration could have ignored the is- sue until problems came to a head (no beer pun intended), they opted for the pro-active course and committed W&L to honest and open debate. Because make no mistake, that’s what the Amethyst Initiative will do for Washington & Ruscio not only threw W&L’s name behind a national call for a debate on drinking respon- sibly, he committed his administration to a like- wise frank conversation herc on campus. For that, we say cheers! Keri, the next round’s -- --—-—-~ WASHINGTON an LEE UMVERSITY —-—4-- THE RING-TUM PHI. MANAGING EDITOR . NEWS EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR ARTS & LIFE EDITOR ALLISON CHOPIN JOHN HENDERSON CODY BEAUCHAMP WILL DORRANCE CELESTE CRUZ-' CARANDANG CONTRIBUTING WRITERS CRIGHTON ALLEN ADAM CANCRYN JEAN CHAPMAN KEVIN CORN ABEL DELGADO BRETT HOLTON JAMIE KIM JOEL POELHUIS VALAREE TANG VICTORIA TAYLOR KIMBER WIGGS DESIGN EDITOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER BUSINESS MANAGER DISTRIBUTION MNGR. LARA JORDAN MORGAN HARRIS CHARLES PERSONS STROCK MOORE MISSION STATEMENT: It is the mission of THE . RING—TUM PHI to accurately, truthfully. and thoroughly report news affecting the‘/w/ashington and Lee community for students, aculty, parents and alumni. Our goal is to look deeper into news affecting campus life and hold leaders accountable. Through our reporting, we aspire to spark discussions that lead to discovering information that prompts change. 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THE RING-TUM PHI UNIVERSITY COMMONS ROOM. 341 WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA 24450 TELEPHONE: (540) 458-4060 FAX: (540) 458-4059 EMAIL: PHI@WLU.EDU SUBSCRIPTION RATE $45 Flowers & Things F reshflowers, balloons, gift & fruit baskets and birthday cakes all delivered! I I Call 261-6300 Solid wood kitchen sets and 4 chairs- $300 to see call Flowers and Things-261-6300 We deliver! Local & Organic Food Downtown HEALTHY- FOODS CO-OP LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCE ° SMOOTHIE BAR CARRY our OR EAT IN Freshly Prepared Meals Daily — Healthy. Fresh & Delicious MON.- FRl.9AM - 6 PM; SAT.9AM - 5 PM I l0WestWashington Street I Downtown Lexington, across from W&L 463.6954 OCR::/Vol_112/WLURG39_RTP_20080908/WLURG39_RTP_20080908_004.2.txt 4 - THE RING-TUM PHI MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2008 arts&life* MORGAN HARRIS / Staff Photographer Baton Rouge-based Benjy Davis Project performs on Cannan Green. pizza. solos. Going above and beyond the call of duty, this year’s FOC (First-Year Orientation Committee) kicked 0- Week into high gear by inviting Ba- ton Rouge’s The Benjy Davis Project to perform last Monday night. The Louisiana group is gaining popularity and momentum in the music world. First—years and upperclassmen alike came out for rocking tunes and free At nine o’clock, a flood of first- years burst onto Cannan Green. They were met by the funky sounds of the Lalai Damas, whose set was already in progress. Singer Malcolm Hines was joined by bassist Robert Wason, guitarist Spencer McElroy, and drum- mer Keith Friend. As the winners of last year’s Battle of the Bands, the Lalai Damas did not disappoint. Their cover of Outkast’s “Roses” showcased the house band’s award- winning talent. Following the Lalai Damas was an all too brief set by W&L’s resi- dent folk troupe Rikki Tikki Tavi. Singer, songwriter, keyboardist, and a modern day Jill-of-all-trades, Ju- lie Slonecki, started the set off with a little Rilo Kiley. Singer-songwriter Michael Morella finished the set off with his own “Postcards from Aus- tralia.” Drummer Morgan Harris kept the beat while guitarist Will Stewart wowed the crowd with his fiery guitar By the time the headliners tookthe stage, the free pizza had diminished and the crowd had somewhat thinned, but a strong contingent of music lov- ers had remained. It is a testament- to the Benjy Davis Project that they were able to hold of a respectable crowd of_ W&L students when most of the school’s population was prob- ably taking advantage of the fourth consecutive night of O-Week parties. A few first-years, when asked, admit- Benjy Davis Project rocks Gweek ’ Baton Rouge band performs at W&L By Kimber Wiggs STAFF WRITER sic, an independent label that has also represented such acts as Sister Hazel and Reel Big Fish. Being signed will mean a lot of important things for the band, including the re-recording of their album Dust. The new release will include three new songs, Rusnak told me, so fans of the band should be _ on the look—out. Noting the band’s Dave Matthews- esque sound, I asked Matt about his I think I speak for everyone present that pus. night when I express the wish that we could all go aboard the BDP rock boat. ted that they had not known about the Benjy Davis_Project before the con- cert, but they thoroughly enjoyed the show. The band’s brand of alternative jamming was a good fit for the cam- Sadly, a city ordinance governing noise on a school night meant that the BDP was forced to end their set just before 11 p.m. I had a chance to talk with bass- ist Matt Rusnak. This newest member of the BDP gave me a scoop that will surely delight fans of the band both musical influences. Grinning, he re- vealed that a better question would be to ask what he does not listen to. (Old-school country is one genre.) He said he likes anything with a good bass line and a good heat — he ad- mires the band’s own drummer Mic Capdevielle. He also cited southern rock as a major influence. When asked why the Baton Rouge-based band came all the way to Virginia, Rusnak revealed that W&L would not be their only port of call in the area. He also told me that the group had just finished a short run in the Midwestand Chicago area. For fans of the Benjy Davis Project and water, the band will soon be perform- ing on a “rock boat.” The term means new and old: after six years of try- ing, the Benjy Davis Project has been signed. The label is Rock Ridge Mu- exactly what is sounds like: a few bands, one cruise ship, and endless rocking. I think I speak for everyone pres- ent that night when I express the wish that we could all go aboard the BDP rock boat. Big Brother Big Sister luncheon a big success University Big Brothers and Sisters help welcome the Class of 201 2, forge friendships with first-year students By Valaree Tang STAFF warren The Freshman Orientation Council (FOC) organized its annual University Big Brother/ Sister event. In order to welcome the new students, upperclassmen were paired with freshmen for a luncheon on September 2. Like past years, many frater- nities hosted cookouts. While many University Big.. Brothers and Sisters took the new students to fraternity barbeques, some chose a different option. ‘‘I look my freshmen to the Kwan last year for a barbeque, which was really fun, but this year, I took them to the Bistro for dinner,” said Farrell Ulrich, who has been participating in the program for two years. The event allowed upper- classmen to introduce freshmen to student life. The older students were able to answer any of the questions and quell the fears of the members of the class of 2012. “ [They can] give first-years ad- vice about scheduling, academ- ics, and social life, as well as any other questions the may have,” said FOC Big Brother/Sister co- chair Eric Hamscher. The event gave freshmen the opportunity to meet upperclass- men and learn more about aca- demic life. “I got a chance to talk about teachers, and it was helpful to learn about majors and profes- sors. Everyone found someone who knew about what they were interested in studying," said freshman Sarah Offutt. While the FOC program in- formed the first-year students about life on campus, it also of- fered another asset for the new students. “It gives the freshmen an upperclassman they can rec- ognize when they’re on the Hill, as opposed to being totally lost. In my involvement with campus activities, I’Ve already seen my ' Little several times just random- ly. If they have questions about classes or Greek stuff or religious life, they have an -additional re- source,” said Sam Gilleran. For some, lasting relation- ships were built at one of these luncheons. ‘‘I think the program is really effective in introducing freshmen to W&L, especially for those who do not know any up- friendships among students, it was a chance for upperclass- men to give back to the program as well. “It was really great for me this year to experience the Washington and Lee Big Brother “ t gives the freshmen an upperclassman they can recognize when they ’re on the Hill, as op- posed to being totally lost...If they have ques- tions about classes or Greek stufl or religious life, they have an additional resource. ’ SAM GILLERAN, sophomore } 1 perclassmen at first. It gives the freshmen a chance to connect with upperclassmen from their hometown or home state, which is really beneficial,” said Ulrich whose university little sister ended up being her sorority little sister as well. While the program helped to answer questions and formed Program from the other side of the spectrum. As a freshman last year, I was able to utilize my Big Brother to ask questions about the Rush process, residential life, and academics,” said Jack Pan- do]. “After spending all year ex- periencing the school for myself, it was great to be able to pass that information on to a new class of freshmen.” Like Pandol, Hamscher also had a very different experience this year compared to last year. “Last year, I was never actually contacted by my assigned Big, so I wanted to get involved this Fall to ensure that everyone was placed and hopefully contacted by their assigned Big,” said Hamscher who felt that his expe- rience on the Freshman Leader- ship Committee helped him in planning a successful luncheon. Pandol also stated that the FOC program is a vital part of student friendships on campus and is more than just a chance for upperclassmen to share their prior experiences with freshmen. “The program allows for fresh- men to have a much more acces- sible and personalized first-year experience than any other uni- versity I know. One of my favor- ite things about Washington and Lee is the tight-knit community that we share around campus, and this program is an integral part of that community,” said Pandol. He believed that the Big Brother/ Sister Luncheon pro- gram was a success. Yet, the acliievement came at a price. The Big Brother/Sister chairs of the FOC, Eric Hamscher and Ted Kingsbery, put in numer- ous hours. Following the ini- tial task of pairing the siblings, both Hamscher and Kingsbery were responsible for resolving any problems that may have oc- curred. According to Hamscher, “Every first-year was paired with a Big Brother/ Sister...any and all complaints from participants were addressed... I believe that the majority of students enjoyed Tuesday’s luncheon,” said Ham- scher. Though Hamscher considered the event a success, he stated that improvements could still be "made to the program. “We have come up with new ideas on how to make next year’s program more successful for everyone in-' volved,” promised Hamscher. Open-mic night student performances entertain audience University dance troupe hosts a night of diverse performances, including comedy, dancing, singing and beat-boxing By Jean Chapman sr/arr warren Some of the most talented musicians and shower singers at Washington and Lee came to the annual_Open-mic Night hosted by the KLASICZ, a student dance troupe. The event was held in the Marketplace. The promise of free ice cream drew a small but very enthusiastic crowd. Rasaq La- wal, a member of the KLASICZ, said that his group hosted the event last year, and “it was a hit, so when the opportunity came up 7 again we basically leaped at it.” Throughout the night, a vari- , ety of musical styles were pre- sented, ranging from hip hop to 1980s pop rock. Lawal com- mented that even though he had thought that “there would be no talent and it would just be a night of karaoke and fun...there turned out to be a lot of good perfor- mances from a female rapper, guitar and harmonica player and a beat boxer.” First year student Jasmine Jimenez of Chicago opened the show with an original Christian rap. Jimenez first became inter- ested in performing around the age of 12. She explained that be- cause she was never very talented with singing, she became drawn to composing and performing rap. Jimenez said that most of her raps are influenced by Christian themes or center around God, but as the crowd’s positive response showed, the songs maintained a broad appeal. Michael Morella, a junior, performed second. Morella be- gan his act with an acoustic ver- sion of Rihanna’s “Take a Bow”. He followed his interpretation of the chart-topping pop ballad with an original composition entitled “Patch” which included both acoustic guitar and harmonica solos. Following Morella’s perfor- mance,- co-host Isaiah Goodman gave a beat-boxing performance. Goodman included a little audi- ence participation that truly high- lighted the diversity of talent at Washington and Lee. Morgan Harris, a senior and a Residential Advisor, also per- formed two acoustic songs as well as delivering some stand-up comedy. i After the original perfor- mances, the karaoke repertoire that followed ranged from funk to 80s pop to 905 hits, and was performed by first years, upper- classmen, and groups of both. As Lawal put it, “we were off to a slower start this year but once we started off the karaoke with ‘Brick House’ and some other rocking tunes there was no resist- ing the fun and laughs.” Towards the end of the night, Kimber Wiggs delivered a show-stop- ping rendition of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” which she had per- formed previously as a member of General Admission. Members of the audience accompanied her as backup singers while others danced interpretively to the emo- tional song. ' The final performance of the night was, appropriately enough, “Bye, Bye, Bye.” A courageous group of men sang and danced to the notorious 90s melody. The act wasireceived with a number of cheers, laughs and the sponta- neous participation of audience members. Over all, the Open-mic Night drew together people of both genders and all classes for a night of fun and frivolity. A first year student said that the event was “really funny...it was a good idea” and also added that she “would come again” if another such event were to be held. An- other audience member said that he enjoyed the event, but that “it! would have been great to have even more people attending.” Undeniably, Open-mic Night was enjoyed by all who did at- tend, and co-host Lawal said that - “I think this event is a great, clean and fun alternative to the barrage of parties during ‘O’ Week and it is a good testament to the fact that there is more to do than just party.” OCR::/Vol_112/WLURG39_RTP_20080908/WLURG39_RTP_20080908_005.2.txt MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2008 5 - THE RING-TUM PHI sports Ballistreri, Katherine Fenwick, Dorothy Todd M V _ _ I M Key Losses: The 2007 Generals did not have a senior among their‘ 7 best Fall sports preview Sport: Men’s Cross Country I - 1 ‘ , . it ' It 2007’ Post-Season: Placed 15‘ in the ODAC Championship meet; placed_’4?" f in the South/Southeast Regional meet ODAC Coaches Preseason Poll Ranking: 1 — South/Southeast Regional Preseason Ranking: 4 7- V A. Key Returnees: Michael Welsh, Vance Berry, Alex Jackson Key Losses: Tom Brower, Andrew Friski ’ . . . ‘ I — I M_ ' Previous Results this Season: Finished first out of 11 teams at the.W&L, I Invitational on Sept. 6 I ‘ ’ I ‘ _ 1 V,_ Coach John ’Iucker’s Expectations: “Being competitive inthe "Old Do- . minion Athletic Conference is certainly one of our top priorities. We woul “like to be in a position to compete for that top spo .” I s 6 9 Sport: Women’s Cross Country 2007 Post-Season: Placed is‘ in the ODAC Championship meet; placed 3*“ in the South/Southeast Regional meet ' ODAC Coaches Preseason Poll Ranking: 1 South/Southeast Regional Preseason Ranking: 2 National Preseason Ranking: 32 Key Returnees: Kat Telfeyan, BeccaTaylor, Elizabeth Webb, Christine runners. , Previous Results this Season: Finished first out of 12 teams at the Virginia M Wesleyan Invitational on Aug. 30; finished first outof 10 teams at the W&L M - Invitational on Sept. 6 A v Coach Kris Hoey’s Expectations: “It is energizing working‘ with 17 worn» 1 en as talented as this. Each memberof the team will have a hand in blazing . the trail. to Hanover [NCAA Championships] in November. They all have different strengths, and we need every single one of them to get theref’ Sport: Field Hockey 2007 Record: 11-7 (5-2 ODAC) ;_2007 Post-Season: Did not compete in postseason - LI ODAC Coaches Preseason Poll Ranking: 3 Key Returnees: D Emily Mathews,iF Sallie Armstrong, D Liz Garson M Key Losses: M Kendall Korte, GK Tara Rubenstein 9 Previous Results this Season: Lost 2-1 to Centre on Sept.‘6; lost 3-2 to M Rhodes on Sept. 7 I . , . Coach Wendy Orrison’s Expectations: “I am extremely excited about this It year’s team. My senior leadership is solid and the teamiis showing a level of commitment and mental toughness that is top notch; I’m excited and privileged to work with this stellar group of athletes.” Sport: Football 2007 Record: 6-3 (4-2 ODAC) M2007 Post-Season: Did not compete in post-season ODAC Coaches Preseason Poll Ranking: 4 Key Returnees: OL Greg Kurkis, RB/WR Stuart Sittersoh, DL Tommy- Matteo Key Losses: DB Kyle Luby, OL Alex Skotnicki, LB Bryant Fulk, DB Mark Snoddy, WR Jack Martin, LB Kyle Harvey I Previous Results this Season: Losfto Franklin & Marshall 24-0 on Sept. 6 Coach Frank Miriello’s Expectations: “We have had 4 consecutive sea- sons with 6 or more victories and want to perform at a level that will give us a shot at doing something that has never been done in the history of W&L football -— _5 consecutive seasons with 6 or more victories.” ‘Sport: Men’s Soccer 7 i 2007 Record: 12-3-3 (6-1-2 ODAC 2007 Post-Season: Lost 2-0 to Roanoke in the ODAC Championship ODAC Coaches Preseason Poll Ranking: 5 Key Returnees: D Fletcher McCraw Key Losses: M Josh Dodds, F Jack Palmer, GK Ted Sheedy V Previous Results this Season: Beat Shenandoah 2-0 on Sept. 6; beat Pied-‘ ,mcnt2-1onSept.7 ‘ M A . , - 7 Coach Rolf Piranian’s Expectations: “I think we’re going to get better as I the season goes along. We have come uncertainties about the team that will be worked out as we face competition.” Sport: Women’s Soccer . M 2007 Record: 16-4 (9-2 ODAC) B * -2007 Post-Season: Lost2~1 to Roanoke in the ODAC Semi-Finals B ‘ ‘ODAC Coaches Preseason Poll Ranking: 4 _ Key Retnrnees: F Anne Van Devender, M Roz Klann, D Marisa Van - Brunt ' Key Losses: D Haley Bunting I I - M M . . Previous Results this Season: Beat Centre 3-1 on Sept. 6; Lost 3-1 to Tran- sylvania on Sept. 7 , Coach Neil Cunningham could not be reached for comment. Sport: Volleyball 2007 Record: 29-6 (9-1 ODAC) * 2007 Post-Season: Beat Bridgewater 3-0 in the ODAC Championship; lost 3-0 to Southwestern in the first round of the NCAA Championships ODAC Coaches Preseason Poll Ranking: 1 Keyketurnees: OH Laura Maurer, OH Rachael Phillips, RS Jessica Ul- rich " ‘ Key Losses: RS Jess Huddock Previous Results this Season: Won the W&L Invitational by beating Dick- " inson 3-0 and Mary Baldwin on Sept. 5 and then also beating Southern’ Virginia 3-0 and Marietta 3-0 on Sept. 6 Coach Bryan Snyder’s Expectations: “I feel that we have a lot of talent 9 at all of our positions, and this is the most experienced team we have had in V . probably four years. We have set very lofty team goals for ourselves, and if everyone works hard all year, I believe we can accomplish them. I am very excited about this season and can’t wait to see what we can do.’,’ _ . «;,:. .g XC teams start Well Both teams place first at W&L Invitational By Kevln Corn STAFF WRITER The Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams were victorious at home Saturday as they competed in the Washington and Lee Invitation- al. The men took first out of eleven teams, while the women were first out of ten teams. With high-ranking, individual finishes and fast times, there is no doubt that the cross coun- try teams are ready for another great year. on the men’s side, the team was led by senior Vance Bony who fin- ished third with a time of 29:34. Close behind him was first-year Matt Gossett whose time of 29:38 was good enough for fourth. Senior Alex Jackson snatched sixth with a time of 29:55, and junior Stuart Vassey rounded out W&L’s top finishers with a ninth place ranking after run- ning the course in 30:03. “It’s great to come out with a win in the first meet, but we know that the competition we saw today is nothing like what we will be s'eeing the rest of the year,” commented Gossett. “It was a great opportunity to see where we’re at though, and the fact that we have such great depth this year is re- PLAYITAGAIN, SAM M0n., Sept. 15, 2008 ally going to help us win ODACS.” Speaking of Gossett, Vassey com- mented on how the first-year “was a nice surprise today finishing 2nd for the team and 4th overall.” The men’s team was able to se- cure a first-place finish even without two of its top five runners compet- ing. Both Michael Welsh and An- thony Ives were unable to race be- cause of injury. Coach John Tucker “was very pleased with the team’s performance” even without these two important runners for the team. Senior Elizabeth Webb led the women, not only for the Generals, but all other teams as she finished first in a time of 24:12. Junior Kat Telfeyan was close behind in second with a time of 24:36. Senior Becca Taylor finished the course in a time of 24:48, which put her at fourth. Meanwhile, junior Dorothy Todd finished sixth with a time of25:08. “The 2008 Women’s Cross Coun- try team is one of the best in the his- tory of W&L” commented Webb after the meet. “We come into the season ranked 32nd among all Di- vision III teams, our first national ranking — ever. This year we’ve re- ally clicked as a team. Coming into preseason, it became very clear that Performance Dates Nov. 13, 14, 15, 16,2008 For more information, Contact mcclhannonc@wlu.edu theater.wlu.cdu woL REPERTORY DANCE COMPANY Cloomons FOR.’ STUDENT SHOWCASE zoos W&L REPERTORY DANCE COMPANY everyone on the team had put in the miles over the summer. That really showed today as weput four Gener- als in the top six finishers.” “Winning this weekend on our . home course was so great!” added Todd. “Before the race, Coach [Kris] Hoey really encouraged us to try to run in groups so that we could push each other and encourage each other during the tough parts of the race. We are so lucky this year to be able to work together with our teammates not only during practice but in the meets as well. We really do have the strongest women’s team that W&L has ever seen! It really is so much easier to make it up the hills or catch the girl in front of you when you have your teammates telling you that you can do it.” “The best compliment I heard after the meet was that our team, unlike the rest of the competition, didn’t have looks of death or fatigue on our faces once we came up [the infamous] F anghom hill,” men- tioned Taylor. Instead we all looked determined and ready to push it to the end. And we are ready...ready to have an amazing rest of the season.” MMwithM Tues.,Sept.16,2o0s 6-ssoaswér 7 - 10 pm. wed, Sept. 17,2008 Johnson Theatre / Lenfest Hall Thurs” Sept 18, 2003 7 - 10 p.m. Johnson Theatre / Lenfest Hall Performance Dates Oct. 17 & 18,2008 ADITIONS for: Tues., Sept. I6, 2008 4:40 - 6:30 p.m. Keller Theatre Lenfest Hall For more information, contact daviesj@wlu.edu .-53' ,-.;»a'-vb... OCR::/Vol_112/WLURG39_RTP_20080908/WLURG39_RTP_20080908_006.2.txt MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2008 8 ° THE RING-TUM PHI sports asdeck Mon Tues WED Tiiuns Fm SM SUN at Football 5°Wa“°° 1:30 pm. at vs. Johns FIG” McDaniel Hopkins Hockey 2 p m 11 a m at Men’; Maryvllie Soccer 1 p_m_ vs. W0m°||’3 Roanoke soccer 1 pm. ys_ VS. Eastern Randolph & Noileyball Averett Mennonite 11 a_m_ g, 6:30 pm. 39-!“- Women's xc at Men’s xc James Madison Invite Women's: Tennis '“°"" ODAC individual Tournament Tennis numbers 13 The number of consecutive years that the New York Yankees have made the playoffs. As of press time Sunday night, the Yankees were 9.5 games back in the American League East and 7.5 games back in the Wild Card. 0 The number of winning seasons in Tampa Bay Rays history prior to the 2008 season. With 85 wins this season and 21 games left to play, the Rays have already clinched a winning season. They also currently sit atop the American League East standings. 1255 The number of career regular season games played by quarterback Brett Favre for the Green Bay Packers. After being traded to the New York Jets this offseason in a retirement controversy, Favre played for a team other than the Packers for the first time Sunday since his rookie A season with the Atlanta Falcons. I32 Washington and Lee women’s cross country team’s national pre- season ranking, according to th?.-‘U-.8. Track_8‘=ie|d and Cross Cory Coaches Association. The team is also ranked second in the South/ Southeast region and first in the ODAC. “It’s something I don’t think anyone has ever done before. Have I ever had a reason for why! do what I do? I’m having fun.” Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver formerly known as Chad Johnson on iegaliy changing his name to chad Javon Ocho Clnco, courtesy of bengals.com. ‘“‘I got the bags back-—empty. So he’s [Tatum Bell] got a bunch of my underclothes. WhatShe’s going to do with that, I don’t know. He's got some socks and boxers.” Detroit Lions running back Rudy Johnson on Tatum Bell's returning Johnson’s Gucci bags without any of their contents. Bell reportedly stole the belongings out of the team locker room after he was cut from the team, courtesy of yahoo.com. Recapping the Olympics Allen reviews highlights, controversies of Summer Games By Crighton Allen S TA F F W RITE R I have a word for you. Just one. Olympics. Perhaps you heard about it. If you’re like me, you probably feel like Bob Costas is a part of the family. I had my wisdom teeth taken out right in the middle of the Games, so I filled most of my time for a week lying on the couch, milkshake close at hand, watching Team USA. The final verdict on these Games is still years away from being finally delivered. Beijing delivered mo- ments of oddity, scandal and triumph, all in equal proportions. All these episodes blended together to create an event unlike any humanity has witnessed ever before. I myself still -don’t quite know how I feel about it all. When I_close my eyes, I can see Michal Phelps’ crooked smile ra- diating the pride and joy he must surely feel at winning an epic eight gold med-_ als. But I can also see the bitter irony of China, a nation that in many respects has yet to accept even basic standards of hu- man rights, hosting an event that is sup- posed to bring the world together in an atmosphere of peace and mutual respect. Therefore, I can only offer you my overall impressions. For starters, how about the Opening ceremony? The imagination of Zhang Yimou, the director of the event, is un- V real. He makes Stanley Kubrick look like a cloistered monk. The lights, drummers, the acrobat seemingly floating through the air to light the torch, and the fireworks all blended together to create an atmosphere that seriously toed the line between spec- tacular and trippy. It wasn’t my style, but it was Zhang’s gig, so it gets a pass. Here’s what doesn’t get a pass: the age controversy surrounding Chinese gymnast Yang Yilin. The International Olympic Committee stipulates gymnasts must be or reach sixteen years of age in an Olympic year to compete. Take a look at this girl; there is no way she is sixteen. My ten-year-old brother looks like he could be her grandfather. Time and time again Chinese officials insisted she and all other their athletes were of legal age and provided the cor- responding documentation. Normally, I would take a government official’s word. However, China’s government has, what the folks in the PR business like to call a little “credibility problem.” China still jails journalists whose writing are viewed as unacceptable, their human rights re- cord is, I don’t want to say abysmal, but when the horrors of Darfur are backed by the Chinese government, forgive me if I don’t nominate Wen Jiabo, the Chinese Premier, for Man of the Year. Bottom line, if Yang Yilin is sixteen, I’ve got abs . like Dara Torres. But at the end of the day, the Olym- pics are fundamentally about celebrat- ing the men and women who take upon themselves the great honor and privilege of competing for their respective nations on sport’s grandest stage. And how much there was to celebrate. A word about Michael Phelps. What we witnessed for that week in the Water Cube was the single greatest athletic ac- complishment in history. Period. Better than Jordan in any Finals, Lance Arm- strong in any Tour de France, better than Roger Bannister on that magical day he broke the four minute barrier in the mile. Usain Bolt, the great Jamaican sprinter who himself had a dominate Games proved the only thing faster than his legs may be his mouth when he quipped “I am an athlete. Michael Phelps is a swim- mer.” The man swam seventeen races in nine days. Experts say that is the equiva- lent of running nine marathons in as many days. The physical toll that presses on a body is extreme, equaled only by the psy- chological stress placed upon him by« the eyes of the entire world. He got every competitor’s best shot and rolled with all punches. True, a Herculean effort by his teammate Jason Lezak in the 4xl00 meter _ freestyle made his record eight gold met- als possible, but that aside, the man owns 16 gold medals, the most by far of anyone else in history. Phelps was not the only American who shone in Beijing. The grace and el- egance of Nastia Liukin and the athletic explosiveness of Shawn Johnson brought gymnastics home to many Americans in a way never before seen. The aforemen- tioned Dara Torres won three silver med- als at the age of 41. Her Olympic career began at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, a year before Phelps was even born. Did I mention her six-pack? Beijing, through good and bad, en- thralled the world for a magical two weeks. London 2012: good luck with the follow-up. Men’s soccer kicks off season Team beats Shenandoah 2-0 Saturday and Piedmont 2-1 Sunday By Adam Cancryn smrr wrmsn One small flick of the head from mid- fielder Drew Crowley turned a frustrating Saturday afternoon into a hard-fought first win for the Washington & Lee University Men’s Soccer team. Receiving a comer kick from forward Whit Larkin, Crowley re-directed the ball into the back of the net, ending 64 minutes of scoreless play and lifting the Generals to an eventual 2-0 victory over Shenandoah University. “We wanted to get the first goal and pin them down,” said Crowley of his team’s strategy. On the comer kick opportunity, “the goalie froze and the ball just kind of plopped in.” While the strategy was simple, for much of the game the execution proved much tougher. Already three games into their season, Shenandoah came in prepared and hungry for their first win. And at points, it seemed the visiting Hornets would take advantage of W&L’s first-game jitters. Despite playing the ball almost ex- clusively in their end in the early going, Shenandoah broke through with the first real scoring chance of the game. Taking advantage of a W&L defensive misplay, midfielder Karim Kamara fired an open shot from the right side that flew past the keeper’s outstretched arms. Luckily for the Generals, the ball glanced off the inside of the left post and back into play, saving an early goal. Following the initial scare, W&L settled into its possession play and took back mo- mentum. They started to methodically work the ball into the Shenandoah zone, getting their best chance on a James Pymm breakaway that forced the keeper to make a spectacu- lar sliding save. While, according to head coach Rolf Piranian, Shenandoah was “the more athletic team,” the Generals were neutralizing them by “playing smarter. ” Coming out of the half tied 0-0, W&L showed a marked difference in intensity and tempo. Using the accelerated pace and in- creasing physicality of the game to their advantage, the Generals immediately put Shenandoah on its heels. It was not long after that Crowley headed in the team’s first goal, putting them in the lead. With about 25 minutes still left to play, W&L hunkered down and turned away a number of Shenandoah challenges, uti- lizing their team depth to keep everyone fresh. “Sometimes you (the team) start to lag, and we go in there to pick up the intensity,” said first-year midfielder Stiles Harper on the role of a sub. Shenandoah tried frantically to equal- ize, but in the end it was the Generals who got the break. With the Hornets goalie coming out.to handle a long ball, pressure from forward Huntley Johnson forced him to botch the catch. A quick tap of the ball into the open goal sealed the game. Following the match, Coach Piranian said he felt play was sloppy overall and in- sisted the Generals would and could play much better in the future. Yet, in what he called a “gut check” game, W&L came away with the best possible result: a “W” in the books and a positive start to the new season. . ' The Generals continued their week- end homestand on Sunday against Pied- mont College. Crawley’s early score and Harper’s sudden-death overtime goal gave W&L the 2-1 win over the Lions. SENIOR MEETING Tuesday, September 9 Szllllll p.m. Commons Theater This meeting is for ALL seniors! Meet the staff and get information about the job Search process. Learn about the procedures for on-campus interviews. Hear from ’08 grads about their job search experiences. W HINC-TON AND LEE UNIVERSITY AREER©SER-VICES i . A aaayizaaaaaa l’l~IDAL CAR DINER & Tm 'l‘0r Cm‘. Order from our complete mam: Or Jain usjbr one r2faurALI. YOU CAN 1:14TBafléts.* Friday Night Seafood Sofie: with Crab Legs 5pm.-10pm Saturday Night Prime Rib Dinner 5pm-10pm Sunday Baked Chicken, Pork Loin, & Pot Roast 11am-9pm Friday & Saturday Late Night Breakfast Bar 10pm~2am Breakfast Bar 7 Days a Week 6am~1 lam Daily Hot Country Bar liamflupm Daily Soup. Salad, & Fruit Bar Ham-10pm Order Breakfast 24 Hours 3 day, 7 days a week? Home Cooker! Meals & Sriutiiern Hospitality! ill liilflmli l~8l & I-64. 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