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(12/06/01 4:17am)
When our country was founded, way back in the day, Strom Thurmond and the other founding fathers (what, Thurmond wasn't around back then? oops) wrote our Constitution with several different ideas in mind for creating a more perfect nation. Thrown in that document was the decision to keep church and state separate. \nThere was to be no national religion, as had often been the case in the other countries of the old world. So, the thought was, keeping it separate from the government would create a country in which people from any religion would be able to come and live freely and celebrate their religion with no worries of persecution. While it's true that this has worked better in theory than in practice, it seems as if more and more, that line is getting blurred. \nNews came out of Garrard County, Ky., Tuesday that a courthouse is fighting the American Civil Liberties Union's civil suit against it to take its copy of the Ten Commandments down. Back in December 1999, this courthouse posted the display after a request to have it posted by a local minister. The lawsuit was just recently filed by the ACLU, and with good reason. Posting the Ten Commandments in a state building sends conflicting messages. The First Amendment says that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." While this statement is a little open to interpretation, I think "prohibiting the free exercise thereof" probably would translate into not having religious documents in state buildings. Which is why the posting of the Ten Commandments should not be allowed. \nThis issue isn't even a unique one in Kentucky. According to information found on the ACLU's Web site (www.aclu.org), U.S. District Judge Jennifer B. Coffman made two rulings over the course of a year on cases pertaining to the Ten Commandments and government buildings. \nCoffman said in a statement on June 22nd, "Given the religious nature of this document, placing it among these patriotic and political documents, with no other religious symbols or moral codes of any kind, imbues it with a national significance constituting endorsement."\nThere it is, put together by a legal official stating why they shoudl be seperated. Another thing that goes along with the separation of church and state is the inclusion of prayer in school. This topic has been a hot issue of late, with many people wanting prayer to be included once again at the start of the day. If this was a private religious school, there is no problem. The problem develops when one wants to include prayer in public schools. Kids don't go to school for religion; they go to learn academic subjects such as math and history. Prayer shouldn't be included. If parents want their children to have prayer at the start of the day, then they should have their kids pray with them before they leave for school. \n I know that there are many people in this country who take their religion very seriously, including some in towns near here and students who attend IU. That is great, and it's their prerogative. Yet, what they need to keep in mind is that while they are quite proud of their beliefs, and no matter how many people share them, not everyone shares them. So items or activities pertaining to their beliefs have no place in public schools or government buildings. To include them goes against the very things upon which this country was built. \nBe proud of what you believe in, just don't post it at the courthouse for everyone to see.
(12/05/01 6:14am)
With almost 30 games played by the teams around the NHL, some teams have enjoyed expected success, as have some teams that have come out of nowhere to lead the pack in the hockey world. Will these teams be able to make it last to the finish of the marathon long season? Maybe yes, maybe no. But the popular saying is the first 20 games is a good indicator of the playoffs, so maybe this year will bring some new faces competing to be the team that raises the Stanley Cup in June.\n• That which was expected -- Some of the teams thought to be the cream of the crop this year have been, first and foremost the Detroit Red Wings and their "Road to the Retirement Home With a Stop at the Stanley Cup" tour. The Wings have an absurd 46 points already, 10 more than their closest competing team and have lost a mere five of their 28 games. Also registering no great surprise: The success of the Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks. Neither team is necessarily lighting the league on fire, but both are up there in their respective divisions for points.\n• Things that weren't expected -- This season has been marked more by the unexpected than the expected, among successes and failures of some teams and individuals as well. In the East, both teams from New York, the Rangers and the Islanders, are doing above and beyond expectations, with the Rangers having 37 points and the Islanders 35. The West is also home to several teams doing much better than people thought, as the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames and Chicago Blackhawks are winning at a pace that many experts thought they would be losing at instead. Also of important note is the relative early season failure of the New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals and Los Angeles Kings. All three were in the playoffs last season, the Devils making it as far as the Stanley Cup finals, and all were expected to be more successful than last year. Things are working out as expected, partially due to injuries and partially due to poor play, but all three of these teams need to get their act together if they hope to make it to the postseason again this year. \nThe top of the scoring column reads a little different than in previous years, as the name at the top of the list is Jarome Igilna, the right winger for the Calgary Flames, with 23 goals and 17 assists for a total of 40 points through 27 games. Since his career high is 71 points and 31 goals, it seems that Igilna will easily surpass those totals on his way to a potential scoring title, a title that has been held by Capitals right winger Jaromir Jagr for years. Also high up the scoring list is "Captain Concussion" Eric Lindros, who after a season off is back in a big way for the Rangers with 30 points so far this season. \nThe marathon that is the hockey season is just a little past the quarter mark, but this season has shown some interesting trends, both expected and unexpected. While it is unclear if these surprises will play themselves out all season or wither up and die like many of the surprises of this baseball season is yet to be seen, but it sure does make for an interesting watch as the hockey season goes on.
(11/29/01 6:08am)
Chapel Hill, N.C. -- Coming into Wednesday nights game at the Dean E. Smith Center, the story of the season for these two teams were three pointers. For North Carolina, it was a season of poor three point shooting, making merely 22.2 percent. The Hoosiers first four games resulted in a 45.6 perccent shooting percentage from beyond the arc. This game was no different, as the Hoosiers used the three pointer to their advantage to win 79-66 in this ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchup. \nOverall, the Hoosiers made 9 of 26 three pointers in the game, compared to 5 of 16 for the Tar Heels. Leading the way for the Hoosiers from three point land were sophomore guard A.J. Moye, who made four of seven, and junior guard Tom Coverdale, who made three of seven. Junior forward Will Johnson led the Tar Heels by making all three of his attempts from long range. Senior forward Jason Capel missed all seven of his attempts from long distance.\n"I had no idea Moye was going to make all those three point shots. He hit some big, big shots," IU head coach Mike Davis said. "Coverdale came in and played well also."\nMoye came up huge for the Hoosiers in this game, establishing a new career high 20 points in his young Hoosier career. Over half of these points came from long range.\n"The more I get comfortable starting, the better I'll play. Plus, I've always played well here (Smith Center), I've been playing here since I was 15," Moye said.\nNorth Carolina head coach Matt Doherty said Moye's play was the key to the game. \n"I wanted Moye to prove he could make shots and he did. He made some big, big shots tonight, he's a good kid," Doherty said. \nFor as hot as the Hoosiers were from the three point line in the first half, they were just as cold in the second half. The Hoosiers made nine of 17 from behind the arc in the first 20 minutes, compared to 0 of 9 in the latter part of the game. Still, IU came away from the game shooting a total of 34.6 percent from behind the arc. When asked about his team's three point shooting in the second half, Davis replied, "Moye took a bad one, but overall they (North Carolina) really extended their defense man to man. I told our guys to drive to the basket and try and get some fouls instead."\nThe Tar Heels made only two three pointers in the first half, but one of them turned into a four point play. Freshman guard Jackie Manuel put up a three pointer and was fouled late on the play by Coverdale. Manuel sank the three as well as the free throw to cut the Hoosier lead to 23-20, but Moye made two three pointers and Coverdale made three to help IU boost their lead back up to eight at halftime.\n"I'm glad to get the win," Moye replied when asked about establishing a new career high. "But if I keep starting I'll probably surpass this"
(11/29/01 4:22am)
Let me paint you a little picture: A nice sunny day in Bloomington, and there you are, driving down Third Street without a care in the world. \nWindows open, pumpin out the 'Coug,' you turn onto Indiana Avenue looking for some action. \nWait, what is that up ahead? Some cops in the road, hope there wasn't an accident. Huh, they are waving you over to the side of the road. \n"What's the problem officer?," you politely ask. \n"You're not wearing a seat belt," his stone cold reply. "Here's your $25 ticket."\nVoila, there goes your perfect afternoon. \n(By the way, for those not in the know, the 'Coug' is John Mellencamp, get with the program, you're a Hoosier!)\nThat's right, while the lovely local law enforcement officers aren't busy giving tickets away for public intoxication to 21-year-olds walking home (after all, don't want to encourage drunks walking home, that would be safe!), they are out there on the streets, trying to make it safe by buckling everyone up. \nNow, I have come to accept the fact that the police here have their priorities out of whack, it's a fact of life here at IU. But this seat belt thing is taking it a step too far. Is this really the most pressing need for these cops to be spending their time on? According to information reported in the IDS Tuesday, during the last "blitz" in August and September there were a total of 89 non-seat belt wearing violations cited. Eighty-nine! \nAnd the biggest kicker of them all is that at their seat belt checkpoints they run, it is still possible for a driver to put on their seat belt before they are given their ticket. Why even bother to set up a checkpoint if it's not fail-safe? \nYeah, it's true that wearing a seat belt does make it safer to travel around from town to town, state to state. Those facts are pretty sound and you can't make an argument against it. \nOf course, you can also make an argument that wearing a seat belt is a personal choice and the police have no business telling drivers what to do. It's like allowing a police officer to come in your house and write you up for not using a coaster for your beer on the wooden table. Pretty stupid idea, isn't it? \nI wear my seat belt every time I drive my car, so this law doesn't really apply to me. I have not gotten a ticket for this, and probably won't -- but that isn't the point. The point is that there is a line between personal liberties and public safety in the realm of laws. I think that this law of wearing a seat belt is crossing that line, and furthermore, the determined way that local law officials go about enforcing this is absurdly beyond the line. In fact, you could say it's so far beyond the line the police can't even see the line anymore.\nNext thing you know, our national government is going to take away our right to a jury trial and our protection against law officials searching our homes without a warrant. Oh wait, its already happened. I can only hope that one day soon someone will be there to check that the pattern on my boxers matches my shirt and that I'm wearing a belt with my pants. It would be unfortunate if I was hurt in a tragic trouser-dropping accident.
(11/26/01 5:11am)
Much of the talk since the greatest World Series in recent memory concerning baseball has been about contraction. Is it a viable solution? Does it actually solve any of baseball's problems? Can the league actually do something like this? Well, while these are all good questions that should be answered, I think Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig is on the right track towards solving baseball's problems with his suggestion. Yet, he's not going far enough. \nTo start with, one of the biggest problems with baseball is the number of teams versus the amount of talent. It is not proportional. There are way too many teams, actually a sin all major sports are guilty of; and to boot the talent pool in baseball, especially for pitchers, is especially thin. Some of the players being trotted out by teams in situations are just downright pathetic. While it's true I couldn't throw a baseball through a side of a barn, much less hit a line drive single into said barn, I have a decent idea of bad baseball when I see it (I am a lifelong Cubs fan, after all). So, when I see some of these highlights on "SportsCenter" during the season, its easy for me to tell some of these players have no business being in the major leagues. \nSo, step one to fixing baseball is to contract a couple of the teams currently in the league. To start with, we're getting rid of the four most recent expansion teams, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Florida Marlins and Colorado Rockies. Granted, this wipes out the reigning World Series champion Diamondbacks and one of the more popular teams around in the Rockies, but too bad. These teams shouldn't have come into existance in the first place. This sets the number of teams at 26. Still too many. So we're going to knock out the Montreal Expos, also known as farm team to the majors, and the Anaheim Angels, who are owned by Disney even though they don't want them anymore. This sets it up at 24 teams, which is a good number. \nStep two is to allow any team with fans that don't support them to move to one of these deserted cities. After all it would be a shame for Coors Field to go unused. \nThe next steps involve the players. A dispersal draft will be set in place for the dissolved teams, worst record picks first and the New York Yankees pick last. This would disperse all the talent more evenly and hopefully create a more competitive environment. The final and most important part of my plan would be to institute a salary cap. Enough of one team spending as much as they want and thus overspending for a mediocre player. Set limits, thus making all players equally available to the teams, so players such as Jason Giambi would probably stay with the Oakland A's, the team that he has spent his whole career with, instead of probably leaving to the lush fields of money thrown at him by the Yankees. \nI think this would take care of the most prevalant problems existing in baseball today. Sure, other things could be taken care of, such as going back to the two division format and two playoff teams as well as eliminating interleague play, but I am only one person and can only make so many changes at once. So we will stick to these changes, and maybe baseball can get back to the game instead of drinking in the pool in right field because "some game is going on behind that fence"
(11/19/01 5:04am)
Saturday night, there was a heavyweight title bout, and no one cared. Well, no, I shouldn't say that. I'm sure a couple people cared. Like the fighter's parents and all the people Don King pays to care. But that is about it.\nOK, well maybe I'm overstating things a little bit, but the fact is that boxing has seen better days. While in truth the golden age of boxing has been long gone, it would be better if things could even return to how they were during the late 1980s early 1990s when Mike Tyson was still known more for his ferocious punches and not his out-of-ring antics and penchant for nibbling on ears.\nMost experts would agree the best time for boxing was during Muhammad Ali's time, which professionally spanned from 1960 until 1981, when he officially retired. Ali was an athlete and an entertainer, but it's hard to tell which one he was better at. When he wasn't busy destroying opponents in the ring, from Joe Frazier to George Foreman, he was offering up clever anecdotes, belittling whomever he was training to fight. Yet, ever since his retirement, boxing has been left looking for someone to take over Ali's place at the top.\nDuring the late 1980s, it looked like Tyson might take the crown. He certainly could fight well enough to dominate the heavyweight division. But he didn't have the personality that Ali did. Sure, it would be hard for anyone to measure up to Ali -- he was unique -- but Tyson never seemed comfortable in the spotlight and in the end didn't handle all the attention very well. Now he is left fighting second-rate fighters in other countries, as he is not even allowed a license to box here in the United States. As for any other options for the top spot -- well, there aren't really any. Evander Holyfield is old and should retire, Lennox Lewis doesn't have much of a personality to electrify potential fans, and Hasim Rahman, the former holder of two of the titles, might just be a one-fight wonder as was demonstrated by Lewis knocking him out in the fourth round in the title fight.\nLewis now holds two of the titles in his possession, with John Ruiz holding the other one. Eventually the titles might be united, but the next fight for Lewis looks to be Tyson, which would prevent unifying the titles for some time. Yet, this isn't even the problem. The storylines in boxing these days just aren't as interesting, and none of the fighters creates interest in the fan base that could be there. \nAnyone who might have an interest has a few choices to turn to that are worthy of their interest. There is Roy Jones, but it has been a long time since he has fought a worthy opponent that presented a challenge. Oscar De La Hoya provides a good combination of skill and personality, but he has suffered some difficulty in fights lately as well as injuries, leaving his status a little up in the air. \nRight now there are a few options for people who have an interest. There are few good fighters out there, and it seems as if athletes are more inclined not to go into boxing. The best bet for the few boxing fans out there is to turn into ESPN Classic and catch footage of old Ali fights or just watch "Rocky." Now there was a man who could box.
(11/15/01 4:08am)
I can tell by the increasing course work and thinning ranks among my classmates that Thanksgiving is upon us. A time to go home and see our parents for what might be the first time all semester, laundry in tow, for some good home cooking and a little bit of time away before the final push of exams at the end of the semester.\nThere is something nice and reassuring about turkey dinner and football games at this time of year. Knowing that it is Thanksgiving also lends one to giving thanks for certain reasons, such as why we attend this University. I would like to take this time to point some of these reasons out to those of you that might not know, so that you can enjoy them the rest of your time here.\nThe campus. Have you opened your eyes enough when you walk around from class to class these days? We attend college at possibly one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. All the trees, buildings of limestone, the Arboretum, Showalter Fountain -- it all ties together to make an experience that exceeds any expectations I might have had before coming here. During my campus visits in high school, I knew I would be coming to a school with an attractive campus, but I didn't realize how beautiful it was until I was here for a full year and took in all the seasons. Nothing that I have experienced tops Bloomington in the fall.\nThe music scene. The School of Music at IU is one of the best in the country, and as a result the music that is created around here is far superior to any other music scene in surrounding college towns. I've talked to friends of mine who attend other Big Ten universities, and none of them can brag about the amount and quality of live music like I can. There are several different bars that exist solely for live music, and the wide array of music here is great. Any night of the week, chances are pretty good that at one of the local bars you will find a band pumping out music that gets you moving, you just have to get out there and find it.\nThe people. We attend a school that 36,000 students call home for a period of their lives while they seek higher education. Chances are whatever sort of a person you are, you are going to find other people like you to spend your time with, living up each day to the most. Or, you could find some people who are not like you, so you can interact and expand your thoughts and opinions by discussing issues and seeing a different point of view. Whatever you are looking for when it comes to company, you can find them here.\nSure, this column comes off as pro-IU in sickening amounts. This isn't to say that there aren't some things I'm not thankful for when it comes to IU. There are. But Nonthanksgiving day isn't coming upon us, it's Thanksgiving day. So, the negatives about IU can be overlooked for a day, to revel in the greatness of the University that I attend.
(11/12/01 6:06am)
For those of you who read this space frequently, you know that a couple weeks ago I was pretty critical of the Chicago sports scene. I noted how the Cubs had blown another chance at the playoffs, the White Sox were continually bad, the Bulls were ridiculously young, and the Bears and Blackhawks were both teams in turmoil with no hope for the near future. \nWell, in the last few weeks, I have been proven wrong on some of those accounts. The Blackhawks have gotten off to one of the best starts of the season in the NHL, being the only team not to have lost a home game, pending the outcome of their game against San Jose Sunday night. And then there are those mighty monsters of the midway, Da Bears.\nComing into Sunday's action, the Bears had won six games in a row and were holders of the best record in the league, along with the Oakland Raiders and St. Louis Rams. This is a team that was picked by many to be one of the worst in the NFL, and they were blowing everyone out of the water with their play. The last two weeks, the team pulled off miraculous comebacks to send their games to overtime, where starting free safety Mike Brown intercepted a pass in each game and returned it for a touchdown, something that has never happened in the history of the game. All of this set up a huge matchup with the Green Bay Packers Sunday.\nThe Bears and the Packers, a storied matchup in the lore of the NFL, a rivalry that dates back to the origins of the NFL's beginning. And for the first time in a long time, this game once again meant something. The Packers were 5-2 coming into this game, meaning the winner would be in first place in the NFC Central. \nThe game was close throughout, but in the end the Packers triumphed over the Bears 20-12, shutting down the Bears on fourth down deep in Packer territory late in the fourth quarter. So, the Packers escape from Chicago with first place in the Central Division based only on a tiebreaker with the Bears, setting up what should be an exciting conclusion to the season. Do the Bears have enough offense to go along with their great defense and win the Central Division title and maybe more? Or have the miracle finishes the past few weeks only masked a greater problem the Bears have that will be unveiled in the next couple weeks? Is quarterback Brett Favre back to his old self and ready to lead the Packers back to the promised land? Is there any other team that might threaten in the Central and take away the championship from either of these teams? \nAll these questions are sure to be answered in the next couple weeks, but I think the winner of the next matchup between these two teams Dec. 9 will be the team that walks away with the Central Division title when all is said and done in January. Which team is it that will walk off the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field that December day with the victory? Da Bears, of course.
(11/07/01 4:03am)
These days, seems like everyone around here really wants to be healthy. No one wants to smoke anymore or be around it. Well, that's what the word on the street is. Whoever spoke this word apparently never visited Bloomington, which must have the highest percentage of smokers per capita in the country. \nI don't smoke. Never have, and while I can't really foresee lighting one up in the future, I won't say I never will, cause if I did then you know I would be seen this weekend with a cigarette hanging from my mouth. My mom smokes, and growing up around that was enough reason for me to steer clear of smokes. Its not to say that I have a problem with it. I've gotten over it by now, cause I've spent so many years around friends who smoke. Plus, if you spend any time at the bars, you learn to get over any problem with cigarettes really quickly.\nThe reason I bring this up is because an article that ran in this very newspaper early this week caught my eye. According to this article, last Thursday IUSA proposed a resolution for a non-smoking zone of 30 feet around all academic buildings on campus to be put into place. Their reasoning is that for non-smokers, they shouldn't have to maneuver through the haze to make it into Ballantine Hall or other buildings. So perhaps their hearts were in the right place. Their minds were not, however.\nA 30-foot zone around every academic building would be just a bit ridiculous in terms of smokers rights. Think about it. If they wanted to catch a smoke as they walk between classes, they might have to take quite a circuitous route in order to observe this space. As well as stand out in the rain or snow during the bad weather, having no cover to keep them dry. \nSmokers are already not allowed to smoke in many a restaurant. There is even debate about whether smoking should be allowed in dorm rooms on college campuses. Then this resolution comes along. Now, if you were a smoker, wouldn't you be getting a little paranoid right about now? I can see the new laws that might be put into place in this country if the trend continues. Smokers only allowed to walk on sidewalks on one side of the street. Smokers only allowed to drive in the right lane on highways. Smokers only allowed to live in Wyoming, or some other state that no one would really be upset about handing over to the smokers (exactly how many people live in Wyoming anyway? I know that state has to do something, but I'm not sure what).\nI know some non-smokers don't like dealing with smoke due to fear of second hand smoke, dislike of the smell, or other various reasons. So it is important to look out for their wants and rights. Yet at the same time, smokers have rights too. If they want to smoke, let them smoke, and don't make them walk out 30 feet to do it. Maybe work out a plan where smokers get one door to smoke at and a second door to the building is smoke free for those students who don't want to walk through the smoke to get into the building. Either way, there has to be a better option than this plan. Otherwise smokers eventually will have to go out to the Memorial Stadium Parking lot to get their fix.
(10/29/01 5:32am)
Saturday night's World Series opener between the American League's New York Yankees and National League's Arizona Diamondbacks pits two teams against each other with very different paths to the championship series. \nThe Yankees eventually ran away with their division, yet came into the playoffs as underdogs against the wild card team. And to top it all off, the Yankees lost the first two games in the best of five series against the Oakland Athletics and had to go to Oakland for the next two games. Season over for the three-time defending champions, right? \nThat's where you are wrong. The Yankees go on to win three in a row and take the series, heading into the ALCS against the Seattle Mariners, the team that tied the record for most wins in the regular season. This time, the Yankees have met their match, right? Wrong, the Yanks shut down the vaunted Seattle offense and smacked around their pitchers, taking the series in five games. And its back to the World Series for those boys from the Bronx.\nThe Diamondbacks had a harder time during the regular season, winning their division in the last week of the season. Then, after struggling with the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round but winning out in five games, they made short work of perennial NL playoff team the Atlanta Braves behind the best 1-2 punch of starting pitching that many have ever seen, Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson. So, in a short four years of existence, the Diamondbacks are making their first trip to the World Series. \nAnd therein lies the other difference between the two teams. The Yankees have a storied past, and the World Series trophy has easily spent more time in their control than any other team. They might as well have their own wing in the Hall of Fame, given all the players that have worn the pinstripes. The reason for their success? They grow their own talent. Many of their big name players are honed directly from their farm system. Tack on the fact that ownership is willing to make the trade or sign the free agent to put them over the top, and you have the epitome of the perfectly run sports team. \nThe Diamondbacks are the opposite. Coming into existence only four years ago, they have followed the blueprint put in place by the Florida Marlins a few years ago by signing several big name free agents to gain success early on. Also, trading the few prospects that they have for older, more established players now adds to the ability of the team. So, while perhaps mortgaging their future for the short term might not be the best idea, I'm sure the people of Phoenix are happy with the results. Of course, having Schilling and Johnson in their rotation also helps their cause. \nSo, what will happen in the Series? Will old school rule over new school? Will history and experience prove more important than new blood and excitement? It says here that in this battle, the new school comes out on top in six. It's hard to argue against a team with as much experience as the Yankees, but home field advantage and the combination of Schilling and Johnson will prove too much for the Yankees and prevent them from grabbing their fourth straight title. No fear though Yankee fans, there's always next year.
(10/26/01 5:52am)
A Bloomington man faces charges of attempted murder after two sheriff's deputies were shot at late Wednesday night. Police returned fire during the standoff, and a sheriff's deputy shot the man they say was shooting at them.\nAround 11 p.m. Wednesday, a neighbor called the sheriff\'s department to reporting shooting coming from the area of 2900 W. Vernal Pike, police reports said. \nThe police report gave the following account of the incident:\nShots were fired at Officer Beverly McKnight's car when she arrived at the scene to investigate. \nAfter McKnight's urgent call that shots had been fired, three more officers reported to the scene, including Sgt. Jeff Brahaum, who became pinned down behind his car. He shot back at the shooter. \nSgt. Chuck Wilson said the shooter was using two firearms, a .22 Magnum handgun and a 30-06 rifle which he fired several times. The standoff took place between the man's residence and the street, where the officers were positioned behind their cars. \nWilson said the shooter "was in the garage and then he would step out of the garage and into the breezeway ... fire and step back into the garage." \nSteven Brummett, 47, resident of 3030 W. Vernal Pike, was shot in the stomach and taken to Bloomington Hospital. Brummett is under arrest and is being held at Bloomington Hospital. He is being held on preliminary charges of attempted murder and criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon. Hospital officials declined to release information on Brummett's condition at his request. \nNo officers were injured, but Deputy Troy Thomas said Brahaum's squad car was shot during the exchange. Brahaum was the only officer to fire his weapon.\nThe Bloomington Police Department also responded and helped control traffic. A portion of Vernal Pike was closed after the police arrived on the scene and reopened to traffic at about 4 a.m.
(10/22/01 6:07am)
In the history of college football, certain rivalries that influence the outcome of the national title spring to mind. Our neighbors to the far north, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and a school in the West, the University of Southern California Trojans used to be one of these rivalries. These days, the two teams have fallen on hard times and their game has had little influence on the national champ.\nLast Saturday, these two teams got together on the hallowed ground that is Notre Dame's home turf and battled it out like people still cared, with the final score going in favor of the Irish 27-16. The game was interesting from start to finish, with USC starting off with a big lead, then Notre Dame tying it up heading into the fourth quarter. \nIt was 17-16 for most of the fourth quarter until Notre Dame kicked a field goal with 2:48 left and then scored another touchdown after USC's quarterback fumbled the ball as he tried to scramble. \nUnfortunately, the game only served as a reminder of a rivalry that has fallen from the radar in terms of important rivalries in the country. These are two schools with numerous national titles, yet each has fallen on hard times and is not sure of when it might come out of its tailspin. \nUSC hasn't made much news since defeating Northwestern in the Rose Bowl in 1996. Notre Dame, just when it looked like it might be returning to dominance, was embarrassed in the Fiesta Bowl by Oregon State last year and is only 3-3 so far this season after starting out 0-3. As to whether it will make a bowl game, it's anyone's guess, as they still have No. 9 Tennessee, No. 22 Stanford and No. 20 Purdue on the schedule. \nIt seems hard to believe these two schools have fallen from grace. It would be akin to Michigan and Ohio State or Florida and Florida State becoming bad all of a sudden, something unprecedented in terms of college football. Sure, a team might have a down season, but several in a row just don't seem right. \nAnd USC just hired a new coach, and at Notre Dame there is talk their coach might not last the season unless the team gets much better. Whether you like these teams or not, any fan of college football would have to agree that the return to importance of the USC-Notre Dame rivalry would only help college football.
(10/18/01 4:37am)
You can see it everywhere you look, and with good reason. It is noticeable in the flags that hang in the windows of apartments and dorm rooms, in the pins that are worn on bags or shirts of students around campus or the flags that fly from car antennas.\n It's patriotism, tried and true, and with the actions that our country has been involved in during the past month and more, it is definitely deserving. One might even argue that this patriotism is something that should be more evident year-round, not just when our country or troops are in danger. After all, we have lots to be proud of, but that is a topic for another column. \nThe unfortunate thing associated with all this patriotism is how you can't escape it in certain areas that perhaps you should. You go to Kroger to get some food, and you see stands selling American flag shirts or flags themselves. You turn on the TV and see commercial after commercial talking about "keeping the dream alive," which as far as I have been able to decipher means keeping the pockets of U.S. companies lined with your money. It even goes so far as to the lighter that you pick up at Bigfoot for your smokes that says "God Bless America." \nWhat appears to me to be happening is the corporate giants of America hoping to turn an almighty dollar on these tragedies, and it makes me sick. \n Now, I know what you are thinking, "Does this guy know he just contradicted himself in those two paragraphs?" Yes, I'm fully aware of what I wrote. There is a slight yet important difference in my arguments, one that prevents me from looking like a fool. I do believe we should stand up for our beliefs. \n While I personally am standing behind our troops and their efforts, I commend all our camp buddies out there in Dunn Meadow for standing up for their beliefs as well, no matter how cold they are getting. In times of war, you have to stand strong for what you believe in, and patriotism goes hand in hand with this thought. \nThe part of it all that I don't like is how this patriotism seems to be taken too far and used as a marketing tool for those big businesses that we all know and love.\nThe attempts to capitalize on the current state of the United States and feed off of patriotism to get people to purchase the goods being peddled is the lowest of the low, in my opinion. All it took was me seeing one GM commercial telling the viewing public to keep American ideals strong followed by the sentence "keep America rolling" to make me sick. In not so many words, they are saying that by purchasing that new car, you are doing your part to help our country. It's disgusting. I appreciate the need for our economy to be helped right now because a recession needs to be prevented, but to take advantage of patriotism as a selling tool to me seems to be taking it a step too far. \nThis whole event brings to mind an old "South Park" episode with the underpants gnomes. They had a multi-step process toward making money that went something like "Step 1, collect underpants. Step 3, profit." (The joke was they didn't know what step 2 was.) I just keep imagining the faceless heads of big business sitting in their offices going "Step 1, war starts. Step 3, profit." Only they know their step 2: Take advantage of patriotism.
(10/15/01 5:46am)
Going into last weekend, the big match-up that everyone was looking forward to in college football was the Miami Hurricanes against the Florida State Seminoles. \nCould the No. 1 ranked Hurricanes defeat their first tough opponent? Could the Seminoles prove they were still a team to be reckoned with despite their youth and inexperience? Could Miami end the 54-game unbeaten streak FSU held on their home turf? \nThe answer to all these questions was a definitive yes in favor of Miami as they defeated the thirteenth ranked Seminoles 49-27 in what was believed to be THE marquee match-up of Saturday's games (how it wasn't IU-Illinois I don't know).\nAll that this game, and many others like it this past weekend, proved, is that college football rarely works out like you expect it. Sure, some times the teams you expect to win it all do, but oftentimes there is one or two surprise teams in there at the end. \nLast year, no one expected Oklahoma to be one of the top teams in the country, let alone win the national title, but that is exactly what they did. Anyway, if you need a better example, just look to a week before last at the IU vs. Wisconsin game. I'm pretty sure Wisconsin still doesn't know what happened. \nIn action from the past few days, a whopping seven teams who were ranked higher than their opponents lost, the most interesting being the formerly ranked No. 2 Florida Gators. The Gators, who behind sophomore and former Bloomington South High School quarterback Rex Grossman, looked to be steamrolling to a spot in the Bowl Championship Series title game. Now, who knows where they might end up? They could win out, or they could lose another two games. You just never know in college football.\nThat is what's great about the game. It's true that oftentimes you can tell who the winner will be and who the loser will be in certain games; for instance when Nebraska lines up against Baylor, there is a pretty good chance its going be Nebraska coming out on top. What makes myself and many others out there tune their TV sets to whatever college game is on week after week is the chance that we can see one of the greatest upsets in college football history happen. \nAnd there are always those Cinderella teams that come out of nowhere to spice up the national landscape with an amazing start, such as No. 10 Fresno State this year. Not even ranked in the preseason, they have defeated powerhouses such as Colorado, Oregon State and Wisconsin, on their way to a 6-0 start. \nWill they be able to keep it up? The thought here is yes, with only a match-up with 5-1 Rice looming in two weeks as a hurdle towards an undefeated season and possible BCS bowl. \nCollege football is a great game, because nothing is ever as it seems. Just when you expect things to go one way, they go the complete opposite. And for every game that you think will be close but isn't, such as No. 7 UCLA's trouncing of No. 8 Washington 35-13, there are games like Auburn upsetting No. 2 Florida 23-20 on a field goal with 10 seconds remaining in the game. So you better watch next week, because you don't want to miss the magic happening.
(10/11/01 4:04am)
As of last week, Pi Kappa Alpha joined the ranks of the former greek houses on this campus that are no longer around. As a senior, I have been witness to several different houses getting thrown off, numbering a total of six so far in my three going on four years here. In fact, this is the second time in my time here that Pi Kappa Alpha has been thrown off. \nAll that these dismissals have me thinking are two things. One, CBS should come here for their next "Survivor" show and profile our greek system. Two, it might very well be time for the University to re-think their interaction and policies with fraternities and sororities. \nI know, you are probably thinking, "Oh, another independent who is all in favor of the banishment of the greek system." No, actually that is not my stance. While the fraternity scene is not what I wanted here during my time at IU, I know many people who are involved and enjoy it a lot. I have no problem with them. I've even been known to party at a house or two during my day -- granted, it was back freshman year when I would gladly drink Natty Light. \nThe fraternities and sororities do a lot of good things, such as philanthropic work and the camaraderie that is built by being in a house. But at the same time, two different kids have died from drinking at frat functions, as well as a couple of others who have drank quite a large amount. So precautions need to be taken.\nI think steps need to be taken by both the administration and the greek system in order to prevent a couple houses getting thrown off campus every year. One, the administration needs to realize a couple things. They are dealing with college students. They want to party, and party frequently. That question is no different if you are an independent or a member of a house. Attempting to hold the fraternities and sororities to higher standards is ridiculous. They should be seen as no different than off-campus housing, with the same positives and negatives. \nIn the same breath, though, it is important for the members of these houses to be responsible with their partying. While off-campus incidents are reported less frequently, you also don't hear about students dying at off-campus parties. It's important for the leaders of the houses to watch over the younger kids at the party and try to avoid incidents that have become too frequent.\nThe greek system plays a huge role in the life here at IU from participating in events such as Dance Marathon, IU Sing and Little 500, to also being the home to many a student's first college party. Thus it is important that steps be taken to ensure that this aspect of IU is maintained well into the future. \nIn order to do this, though, both the administration and the members of the houses themselves need to take steps to ensure that they can remain. The greek houses have to tone down the drinking and stop putting students at risk, and the administration needs to stop holding the houses to higher standards than the rest of the students and remember that they are college students just trying to have a good time. Then maybe CBS will have to get going to some other exotic and desolate new location instead of North Jordan.
(10/08/01 6:05am)
Last Wednesday night, my life received new meaning once again. As obvious by my position, I am a big sports fan. And lately, sports have not been an area of much joy in my life. Being from Chicago, there are pretty much no sports teams to cheer and support. \nThe Cubs are failing in their quest to bring the World Series to Chicago for yet one more year, the Bears are horrible, the Bulls are young and bad (heck, I would have to buy beer for half that team right now), and I don't even care about the White Sox. Tack on the fact that I am a Hoosier and our football team is as unfamiliar with winning as I am with being a millionaire, and there is not much joy in Mudville for me. Until last Wednesday that is.\nFor those not in the know, the NHL season opened up last Wednesday with the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche playing the Pittsburgh Penguins, whose owner/player Mario Lemieux very well might be the best player in hockey today. While Colorado won the game easily, that wasn't the point. Hockey was back.\nFor me, it is a close race between football and hockey as my favorite sport. Hockey is so much fun to watch once you get into it. It's fast, the hits are hard and you just see things that are downright unbelievable. It is just unfortunate that I am one of the few that know about it. \nHockey is suffering from a lack of fans, but if only people gave it a chance, they would see the greatness that this sport is. Even the XFL was doing better in the rankings of viewers compared to the NHL regular season. \nWhat's frustrating is that it's hard to recreate the experience of seeing the game live and in person. Going to a hockey game is unlike anything else. The fans there are so into the game, the noise gets ridiculous. For example, a tradition back at the Chicago Blackhawks games was to yell during the national anthem. Not at the end of it, no. From the start. All the way through to the end, when it comes into a fever pitch that is unlike anything you have experienced. Well, kinda like the flag thing that happens during the basketball games, only without all the old people sittin' on their butts and not clapping. \nThere are hard hitting defensive teams like the New Jersey Devils or St. Louis Blues. There are high-flying scoring teams like the Avalanche and Penguins. And there are plenty of teams somewhere in between, along with plenty of intriguing story lines to track during the season. Can the Detroit Red Wings win the Stanley Cup before they have to apply for social security? Can Eric Lindros actually play hockey or is he one hit away from being a vegetable? \nWhatever you're interested in, hockey has got it. So, instead of doing something like studying this Wednesday night and before you head to the Bird for 15 cent draft night, turn on ESPN and watch the coolest game around.
(10/04/01 4:00am)
The bands that are brave and venture out into new territory with their own songs have the most risk, but also the most reward. Oftentimes, the most popular bands are the ones who sing a majority of original songs. Local band YOU is one of these bands.\nRecently, YOU released its second album, Better Live. To begin with, the musicians should be commended with releasing a second CD worth of original material, which is no small feat. To top it all off, they do a good job with the music, too.\nYOU comes across with a funky, pop rock sound that is pretty catchy. Some of the songs are a little more upbeat, like "Player" and "Wonderband," and some are a little slow like "Here I Am" and "Davie," but all in all the songs do a good job of getting you moving, whether it be in your car or on the dance floor. They even throw in a little tribute to Indiana's bad boy himself, John Mellencamp, with the song "Random Option."\nPart of what makes YOU work so well with the music is the number of vocalists available in the band. Nick Niespodziani, Peter Olson, Matt Sonnicksen and Alyssa Finke all supply lead vocals for the band, which enables their songs to take on entirely different sounds, depending on who the vocalist is. \nIn the realm of music, college bands are always a toss up. Between making original music or simply covering another band, it's sort of a question of quick or long-term rewards. YOU chose to go the route of long-term rewards but are also receiving some success now. If Better Live is any indication, while YOU has room to improve, these musicians are laying the groundwork now for that bigger success later on.\nRating: 5
(10/01/01 5:01am)
When I was a freshman I was often glued to my dorm room television during those times I should have been studying. I wasn't unique though -- most of my floormates could be found doing the same thing. The reason: we were all fascinated by the Great Home Run Race of 1998 between Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs. \nBack then, the home run record was 61, set by Roger Maris way back in the day when he played for the New York Yankees. Everyone who was a baseball fan was wondering if McGwire and Sosa could break the record -- and if they did, how many they would end up hitting. Sixty-one home runs was, at that point, still seen to be a hard-to-reach number, thus making the breaking of the record all the more impressive. By the end of the season, McGwire ended up having 70 home runs, and Sosa ended with 66. When all was said and done, most people thought 70 home runs would be a long-standing record.\nThen this season came along, and the assault on the record began anew. Both Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants and Luis Gonzalez of the Arizona Diamondbacks started off this season on a tear, looking to break the record set a mere three seasons ago. While Gonzalez has fallen off pace quite a bit and Sosa came on in August to threaten Bonds for a little while, it has been Bonds from start to finish. Now it's not so much a question of Bonds breaking the record, but when. Saturday, Bonds hit home run No. 69 of the season, and has six games left to hit two more home runs to break the record.\nI know many out there are upset at how soon the record will be falling, pointing out the problems abounding in baseball today. While I agree that baseball does have its issues, that is not what I want to talk about. Plain and simple, what Bonds has done this season is just as remarkable as McGwire, if not maybe a little more, based on the different types of hitters they are. \nMcGwire is a pure power hitter, making it easy for him to keep up a pace for a whole season, while Bonds is more of a pure swinger, generating his power from his stroke, which means that he is more susceptible to long droughts without home runs. Yet, he has not suffered from a drought all season, which has put him in the position he's in now.\nBonds has put on a clinic this season, no matter if you like him or you don't. To belittle his accomplishments because of the lack of quality pitching or smaller ballparks does him an injustice. When Bonds breaks the record sometime this week, and whatever the mark is eventually set at, it will be an amazing feat, even if we just saw it happen a couple years ago.
(09/27/01 6:12am)
In the wake of the terrorist attacks on our country and the hijacking of four different airplanes, there is discussion between Congress and the different airlines about what safety measures can be taken in order to ensure that this does not happen again. One of the ideas being talked about is allowing the pilots to carry handguns on the plane to protect themselves from hijackers. This would be a bad idea for several reasons.\nShould pilots, whose main objective is to fly a plane, really have a gun at their disposal? Its not a question of if the pilots would turn and use it on the passengers, but there is a reason only a select few individuals carry it for their job. They are quite dangerous and require training. Police officers and security guards should be the only ones allowed to carry firearms. \nSecondly, against a group of terrorists who know what they are doing, do you think one gun would make a difference? Most hijackers, including the ones responsible for the latest attacks. don't care about their lives. They would gladly have themselves killed if it meant their comrades could still succeed. If they take the plane by surprise, there is a good chance the pilots might not even have a chance to get their gun. This would make an already difficult situation even more so, and could prevent a passenger revolt from happening like the one that helped crash United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania and save another building from being destroyed. \nIt's true that the events were horrible, and it is important for people to feel safe again about getting on a plane. But right now, putting guns in the hands of pilots is a step that should not be taken.
(09/24/01 5:15am)
Saturday afternoon, you could it hear it. What started as a low rumble in the late morning hours turned into a somewhat deafening noise heard from the northern part of campus. And with it, the good times of college football returned to Bloomington. \nWhat went on in that game? Who am I to say, I wasn't there! I was busy enjoying myself just one block away, on a grassy field, where the smell of burgers hung in the air, the beer was cold and the pigskin or frisbee was crashing into a tree. I was tailgating.\nIt has been said, by me, that the true essence of the American athletic fan spirit lies in football, both college and professional. The reasoning for this is simple. In no other sport is a whole day reserved toward celebrating the playing of the game. \nThink about it. In baseball, hockey and basketball, you go see the game, you go home. Well, maybe you hit the local pubs, depending on where you are. But with football, you get up early, park your car, break out the hibachi and cook yourself up some burgers, drink some brew and have a good time getting ready for the game. It doesn't get any better.\nSo, it was with great joy that I approached this upcoming football season. Not for hopes of a winning one with bowl aspirations. It was more because I could finally indulge myself in tailgating with no worries. Sure, perhaps I tailgated a game or two before this year, but I was never 21, thus never too sure about parading around, beer in hand under the watchful eye of the wonderful police officers we have around here. But now I am 21, so the partying could go on freely and without worry of ticketing. And while my excitement and tailgating debut this season got pushed back a week, it did not diminish the excellence of it. \nTo me, many a thing embodies college. One of those is the college football experience. A whole campus, waking up early Saturday morning, shaking off their hangover and heading down to the stadium to celebrate with friends and family under the canopy of the oncoming fall. \nWhile it would be great to have a football team that won games to support in these tailgates, the fun still happens every Saturday we play at home. I've already knocked out one tailgate with my friends in this quickly disappearing senior year, and can hardly wait for the next one. So come on down this Saturday when we play Ohio State. I'll be there, decked out in my Antwaan jersey, beer in one hand and football in the other. We'll save a burger for ya.