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(04/02/07 4:00am)
Seldom does a month go by without a high and mighty columnist in the Indiana Daily Student chastising the IU student community on the basis of apathy. I am guilty in this regard. Apathy on campus can be a serious problem, especially when it affects student voice. But IU student apathy is not as rampant as it might have been in the past. It is, after all, much easier (and much more controversial) to point out shortcomings than it is to praise accomplishments. Today the credit is due.\nWhile the IU student community may in fact be apathetic about local bureaucratic affairs, where it tends to succeed is through its focus on the lives of others, and ensuring basic human needs are met for all. The number of charitable contributions from students on the IU campus is exponential. In fact, our entire generation of college students is more inclined to giving assistance, according to Melissa S. Brown, associate director of research at the Center of Philanthropy at IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis in an IDS report.\nFor example, the greek community at IU is well equipped to host philanthropic events on campus. And so each year students at IU are given the opportunity to give to several local and national charities because sororities and fraternities work so hard to ensure that charitable events are fun and exciting for students. Zeta Tau Alpha’s annual Big Man on Campus competition raised $109,200 to aid the fight against breast cancer. This weekend Delta Upsilon fraternity and Alpha Chi Omega sorority hosted the annual Kiss Off, an event where the student who kisses a car the longest wins the keys. The benefits go to Boys and Girls Club and Middle Way House.\nOther students are taking action as well. IU Dance Marathon is an annual event that raises money for the Riley Hospital for Children. Freshman Jeremy Rosenthal, director of philanthropy for Foster Student Government, organized this weekends “Drive for Hoosier Hills” golf tournament, proceeds from which will benefit Hoosier Hills Food Bank. In February, the Lutheran Campus Ministry hosted a Campus Cornhole Championship to assist the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.\nThe examples of charitable students across IU are many. But like so many other social benefits we observe during these four years, the potential that students who donate to charities and devote time to events will not do so once they become alumni is a legitimate fear. Without the environment that breeds benevolent practices, will people in our generation continue such generosity?\nWith this in mind, we must strive to take into account the sufferings and livelihood of those less fortunate. Many college degrees result in fat paychecks and a high lifestyle. I for one have no problem driving a cheap Honda Civic though I could afford a Mercedes-Benz if it means 100 people will eat a meal. Hopefully, those who are so dedicated to charity now will take the lessons they learned at IU and apply them to their practices once entering the work force.
(03/28/07 4:00am)
As riders attempting to qualify for this year’s Little 500 pumped their legs Saturday, fans took deep breaths and bellowed chants and team slogans. Signs of support rose into the air and a euphoric sense overtook some of the most straight-laced students.\nSuch is the atmosphere surrounding the event. \nEach year fans turn out in droves to support their teams and their friends. \nAs Phi Gamma Delta attempted to qualify, a sea of purple and gold filled the stands. When asked why so much commotion surrounded the race, many fans would give a standard response, hyping their team as the best on campus. A student from FIJI was no different. He simply gave the standard response and started to turn away.\nBut he stopped himself, appeared to consider for a moment and then surmised Little 500 in one word.\n“Tradition.”\nThe tradition of Little 500 belongs to the students. To the members of the IU Student Foundation who work so hard to make sure the event runs smoothly. To the student fans who show up early in the morning to cheer on their teams beginning with qualifications and continuing through to race day. And most importantly, to the riders who work tirelessly in pursuit of their goal.\nFor Little 500 Race Coordinator Matthew Ewing it is to these people that the eyes of all involved with Little 500 belong.\n“Everyday we come to this job and the focus is to enrich the lives of the students,” Ewing said.\nBut the 2007 Little 500 has been surrounded with controversy. \nFrom the debate surrounding the Student Coaching Initiative to the surprise at IUSF lifting of the lifetime ban on Courtney Bishop, the focus has not been on the riders and the students. \nAs apparent tension built between some alumni coaches (especially former coach Tom Schwoegler) and IUSF event coordinators leading up to qualifications, rider activities and actions fell from the headlines and were temporarily forgotten by many in the IU community.\nThe issue at hand is that there are two severely passionate groups who, at the moment, happen to disagree. Disagreements often erupt into discontent, and discontent is detrimental to the continued success of Little 500. \nFor those in control of the event and those whose job is to teach student riders, allowing disputes to pull concentration away from the men and women on the bikes is not acceptable.\nThe point is not to place blame, but rather to implore each to come back to the meeting table and discuss shifting focus of the IU community back onto the glory that is race day. This goal will be achieved only through placing differences aside and opening ears, remembering the common characteristic of all involved: The love for Little 500.\n“There’s always going to be creative differences,” Schwoegler said, “What solves situations is the willingness to listen.”\nGiven recent argument, it is easy to be pessimistic about such sentiment. \nBut if belief in such ventures is genuine, then the two might be able to set aside previous displeasure and turn the collective eye of Little 500 back toward tradition – a tradition which sees two students every year ride across the finish line, raise their arms in victory and celebrate accomplishments of their respective teams – and acknowledges the student fans roaring in the background.
(03/26/07 4:00am)
For many high-school students across the nation, the decision whether to enter college or immediately enter the job market is one that is primarily concerned with economics. For many, working part-time is a necessity rather than an option if they desire to attend college. Tuition payments in Indiana can range from the in-state tuition of Ivy Tech Community College at $2,632.50 to the $20,472 required by IU for out-of-state students. Neither number being low in relation to varying students’ economic capabilities, it might be necessary to not only hit the books, but also to carry a waitress tray, hard hat or work laptop. \nHowever, for many college students, whose baby-boomer grandparents and parents started saving money when we little Hoosiers could barely open our eyes or before, working a part-time job during our college careers is a choice, not a necessity. Whether that choice be instigated by the desire for luxury items, the need to stay focused on work at all times, desire for a leg up in the eventual industry of choice or the mere fact that without a job boredom sets in, what is clear is that some could get by without the long hours at work. I, for example, have my housing and tuition paid for fully by my parents, yet for the past two semesters have worked two jobs that consume 45 to 60 hours per week (though I recently quit the second because of time constraints). My reasoning is dual. One, in the summer of 2005, I purchased a brand-new car straight off the lot and have been in debt ever since. Second, I spend enough time at the Indiana Daily Student to gain real-world experience as I deem necessary to be beneficial in job pursuit.\nBut long hours and hard work have their consequences. With so much time focused on work and still having to carry a full schedule of classes, students miss out on some of the social experiences that only college life has to offer. For those required to work, by all means continue and propel yourself to a college degree, which is the most important aspect of university life. For those of you with the choice, it may be worth considering these words from musician Tom Petty.\n“You have four years to be irresponsible here. Relax. Work is for people with jobs. You’ll never remember class time, but you’ll remember time you wasted hanging out with your friends. So, stay out late. Go out on a Tuesday with your friends when you have a paper due Wednesday. Spend money you don’t have. Drink ‘til sunrise. The work never ends, but college does.”\nWhatever decision is made, there is no doubt that each will gain experiences that another will not. Personally, I have very much considered Petty’s comments lately. Reviewing career and social decisions may improve your state of mind. And whether you are a workaholic, an alcoholic or a little of both, remember that there is certainly another route.
(03/23/07 4:00am)
The spirit of this year’s Little 500 will proceed as it has since its inception in 1951. The riders have and continue to prepare tirelessly for April 20 and 21. Sweat, blood and tears have been shed over hours of self-discipline, and for one team in each respective race, it will pay off in victory. Those who are defeated can hold their heads high in accomplishment of completion.\nBut there is a serious problem facing the riders of Little 500 this year as they draw nearer to race day. As a result of the student coaching initiative, alumni coaches will not be allowed in the pit. Instead, student coaches have been required to coach in the pits on race day for all 64 teams, while alumni coaches stand behind a fence.\nWhile the implications of the initiative with regard to strategy and intangibles (ranging from structuring riding schedules to giving helpful tips) are exponential, more disheartening is the attitude of the IU Student Foundation, which organizes the event. As a result of their decision, an immediate outcry against the initiative rose from both alumni coaches and riders, the result of which was a petition denouncing the rule signed by almost 80 riders. But instead of listening to the riders, IUSF stuck to their principle: Let the riders deliberate until blue in the face, but they were not budging.\nA storming movement for the deletion of the rule was quelled. This in itself, as the initiative intricately affects those in opposition (who also represent the most vital body to the successful continuation of Little 500), is a serious misuse of the authority granted to IUSF. But what strikes a very ironic note is that the riders of Little 500 are bearing witness to the censorship of a student group, not by the IU administration as might be expected, but by an IU organization with “student” in its name. As it would appear, IUSF is operating in a “monkey-see, monkey-do” mind-set. The IU administration has been subject to criticism for shutting out student voice for years, and, rather than identifying straight rejection of voice as poor policy, IUSF has adopted the bureaucratic tool.\nRiders are continuing their attempt to be heard in the form of the Web site RidersDeserveAVoice.org, where they identify that “While operating a student oriented organization in an inward-looking manner may have been acceptable in the distant past, by seasoned leaders exercising moderation, it is now clearly seen as contrary to the core values of the very University community in which IUSF seeks to further its ideals.”\nThis repetition of rider sentiment here, however, will most likely serve little purpose in an attempt to achieve the opening of IUSF’s ears in this manner. Rather, the sentiment is already known and has thus far had little effect. The love of the race by Little 500 riders and coaches (alumni and hopefully students alike) will keep them on their bikes and holding their clipboards. \nIUSF is in the powerful position to make any decision it sees fit in the organization of Little 500, rendering an infuriating dynamic for the avoidance of accountability.
(03/21/07 4:00am)
The IU Athletics Department comes under fire from sports fans, alumni and students almost as frequently as the academic departments of the University. \nOn March 13, the man charged with handling the closely watched department, Athletics Director Rick Greenspan, was granted a contract extension through 2013. Rewarding his bringing of “stability and major improvements” to IU’s sports programs, IU President Adam Herbert announced the contract will pay the athletics director $300,000 per year. \nWhatever is thought of Greenspan’s choices during the past few years (or the hefty price tag accompanying the extension), it would be difficult to argue that in the world of administrative politics he isn’t one of the best bureaucratic infighters the University is likely to see in the position. \nAdvocating for the athletics department and its continued prestige, Greenspan has hired three formerly successful coaches in Kelvin Sampson, Terry Hoeppner and Felisha Legette-Jack. He has also taken steps to pull the department out of debt and worked with students on his way through the debates and to eventual removal of the student athletic fee (though IUSA President Betsy Henke says that this is one of the causes of the current student section conundrum at IU home basketball games).\nBut the most astonishing achievement Greenspan has managed, along with the assistance of his newly hired coaches came when the board of trustees unanimously approved a $55 million athletics facilities upgrade. \nNow, such an endeavor, in my opinion, it is an incorrect undertaking regarding the needs of IU as a whole and takes concentration away from academics, which should be a higher priority than extracurricular activities. That being said, the restructuring of IU athletics facilities will no doubt assist in recruiting and retaining student athletes who will carry on IU’s time-honored history of success.\nThis extension of Greenspan’s contract is necessary not because of his past achievements and successes, but because there remains a great deal of work to be done. \nWith recent controversy concentrated on the loss of courtside seats for students at IU’s home men’s basketball games, Greenspan will be required to work with Coach Sampson regarding his inquiries, whatever they may be, into the issue and come to a balanced solution. \nWith any luck, Greenspan will be able to adequately assist the newly elected IUSA executives in their plans for an attendance and seating reward system for IU sporting events. Because athletics are a great focus of many students at IU, handling the transition between student governments will be an important aspect of the continued working relationship between Greenspan’s department and IUSA. He will also be charged with overseeing the construction of the new athletics facilities.\nWith the contract extension, Greenspan is given the task of continued care of IU’s athletics department worthy of the six-digit salary. Rest assured that he will continue to take charge of sports at IU in a manner that reflects his organization’s interest. Time will tell if his endeavors regarding the problems at hand will be adequate. And if IU athletics start to decline (heaven forbid), we’ll just have to revert back to being proud of the roots of the University: academics.
(03/19/07 4:00am)
Spring break is over and, while I’ll miss the company of my parents and old friends, I can once again continue my love affair with IU. Odd maybe, but I’m unembarrassed that it’s true. IU has been a great institution, both academically and socially, to attend and I will inevitably give back to the IU community after my graduation in 2008.\nThe traditions of IU are its definition. From the main event of Little 500 to the newly realized touching of “The Rock,” traditions will be remembered. Lately, I’ve been reminded of specific tradition and what it reveals about IU: the sharing of a kiss a Rose Well House after midnight in order to initiate young females as coeds at the University. Rose Well House is on the National Register of Historic Places, as well it should be. \nBut what Rose Well House reminds me of is that the relationship between IU and any given student can be quite readily compared to a first kiss. (Yes, you read correctly and, no, I am not crazy. Well, maybe a little.) For example, my own relationship is obviously a result of the first few months at IU being much like an eyes shut, make-her-heel-pop smooch that won’t be forgotten anytime soon. I hope IU feels the same way. I am a pretty good kisser after all.\nHowever, many first kisses don’t go so well with IU. Those students who come for a college visit and fail to be impressed with IU’s academic prowess, beautiful campus and capable faculty are prone to two comparisons. Either they give a quick kiss on the cheek and then quickly run away, or they don’t kiss back. Either way, IU’s heart hurts. These people generally pass up the warmth and bountiful beauty of the cream and crimson for the cold, metallic, lips of that school to the north.\nAnd then of course there is the most awkward tonsil-hockey game available to students. That is when the preliminary kiss seems good, just the right amount of moisture, not too aggressive but not weak and everything is looking up. Generally, a nice stable kiss. But then the two really get to know each other and realize they aren’t one another’s type. Perhaps the student expected more mechanical classes to be offered. Maybe IU just couldn’t take their stenches. Who knows, but the honeymoon is definitely over. These students generally transfer to another school or go home, to get married to a job.\nGenerally, to conclude my column I would take a walk down memory lane of my Hoosier experience. But because of space limitations and a strong urge to return to my narcissistic gratification ways (see any column I authored prior to October 27, 2006) I think I may proceed with an ulterior motive this time. Anyone who wants to take a shot at replacing IU in my heart with a better first kiss, let me know. My e-mail address is in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
(03/07/07 5:00am)
Dear Michael McRobbie,\nSo, you’re going to be the 18th President of IU … Congratulations! I’ll bet that you’ll do a fine job managing the University, dealing with faculty issues, overseeing research, yada yada yada...\nBut I thought you might like a little expert opinion (I have extensive knowledge from watching TV) on how to handle the respectable athletics department at IU. While your management skills might be far more developed than mine, as a student and IU sports fan I thought I may be able to give some insight into the important issues (silly me).\nEver since the beginning of time (Coach Terry Hoeppner’s hiring in 2004) the IU athletics department has been dealing with debt to the tune of about $5 million. Word on the street is that you have a shiny new expense account from the University that makes you worth $10 million over the next two years. It might be tempting to throw some of that money toward the athletics debt. \nThough I’m sure that I’ll receive a few death threats from the most die-hard IU athletics fans, I feel compelled to advise not concentrating too much additional funding on athletics. Turn your head toward academics. The IU athletics department just received funding for a $55 million facilities renovation. It can survive for a little while.\nBut that doesn’t mean that from the president’s position, oversight of a well-oiled athletics department and continued advocating of student-fan benefits shouldn’t be priority. High on the list of programs that should be continued is free entry into Olympic athletic sports with a student I.D. Also, attendance and discussion during Kelvin Sampson’s meeting with Athletics Director Rick Greenspan concerning student seating at home basketball games would carry a lot of weight, building both reputation and image with students.\nIUSA’s student seating rewards plan, while in its fledgling stages, has the potential to become a major benefit for Hoosier sports fans. Working with the main representation of undergraduates toward a good end is a great way to increase presidential campus exposure.\nI’d also like you to look into ordering Nike Twill jerseys. They’re pretty sweet and together, you and I could get our athletes the best garb available. We can discuss this anytime. I’m free Tuesday. How’s that for you?\nBut the most pressing matter that might be dealt with by the president in regards to athletics will both build school moral and University exposure: the creation of a mascot. \nA tiger … a piece of limestone … a giant three-toed sloth … whatever. Just some guy in a big jump suit at athletics events, please. I hear Chief Illiniwek from Illinois just recently stopped by the unemployment office. Maybe you could make an executive smoke signal to Champaign, Ill. and land us a dancing Native American.\nAs you can see, there is a wide array of athletics issues to deal with as the president of IU. My advice seems sound enough. I give you permission to adopt my policy outline verbatim. Or take a shot yourself.
(03/05/07 5:00am)
A drink on the house? A little techno music for you and the lady? Spring breakers you say? Lookin’ for a good time? Well maybe we can help you out. Come on, you’re at a rave aren’t you? How about a little X?\nThe above might be an exchange spring breakers will encounter next week as they travel the world over looking for some fun, irresponsible and downright danger. Sounds exciting, huh?\nBut ecstasy use during rave events has been revealed as a serious problem facing spring breakers. A 2005 Monitoring the Future report cited on the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Web site found that 5.4 percent of 12th graders reported lifetime use of the drug (a number that is actually down from 2004), whose scientific name is methylenedioxymethamphetamine. \nSpecific legislation has been enacted to fight the apparent epidemic of drug trafficking in rave clubs throughout the nation. The 2003 Illicit Drug Anti-proliferation Act, drafted by Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden, was created to fight the ability of rave owners to use their property in order to promote the sale and exchange of ecstasy and other narcotics on their premises. \nHowever, many rave-goers interpreted the government’s measures against rave owners as an attack on techno music and culture. This claim is substantiated by the 2001 court case brought against executives of Panama City Beach’s Club La Vela (widely advertised as the largest dance club in the nation) which resulted in an acquittal.\nBut the perception that the government’s policy is an attack on techno music and its resultant lifestyle fails to hold water when reviewing the evidence. For example, while the executives Patrick and Thorsten Pfeffer were found not guilty of drug trafficking at Club La Vela, those testifying against them in the trial included several club employees that had been caught dealing ecstasy while on the job. The enactment of this legislation is an attempt at lowering drug use, which has been a priority since 2003, according to statistics provided by the National Institute of Drug Abuse.\nThe unfortunate result of such measures being necessary is its negative effect on the dance culture that has largely manifested itself as a way for adolescents to let off steam. The loss or reduction of this atmosphere is a sacrifice that is unwanted and hopefully can be rendered unwarranted. \nThe use of narcotics on the club scene might in fact enhance the sense of euphoria, but its consequences are dire both for the user and those wishing to continue attending rave events. For users, increase in heart rate, muscle tension, uncontrollable teeth clenching and nausea are some of the detriments associated with ecstasy use. The detriment for those who want to go to raves without use of illegal drugs? That they might be stopped from fully enjoying their own self-induced euphoria. So grab some tequila and some salt, make sure the worm is dead, have a few shots and a euphoric spring break – possibly in one of Club La Vela’s 14 theme rooms. But leave that little blue pill at home.
(02/28/07 5:00am)
After the Feb. 9 IDS report “2 parties emerge for this month’s IUSA election,” the editorial board began to consider its preparations to follow a precedent set by former Opinion editors: interviewing the competing executive tickets and endorsing the one best for the position.\nThree days later those preparations stopped.\nThe High 5 party dropped out of the race, and University officials were left waiting and wondering if someone would emerge to compete with Hoosier, the ticket bred from the current administration. \nWe waited and were left wanting. The IUSA elections commission decided Feb. 18 to cancel the executive election.\nThe level of student apathy can turn into a repeated and monotonous theme in opinion pieces if one is not careful. But this grand abandonment of student representation has the potential to lead to a downward spiral, where in years to come students will not have one option for IUSA, but no option at all.\nThis year, we are all lucky the Hoosier ticket appears concerned with student welfare and disappointed at the lack of competition. It seems the party will advocate for the student voice no differently. (Even though, when its candidates attempted to contact constituents through an open forum, they were met with an empty room.)\nHowever, the intense sadness that accompanied the news saga that was this year’s IUSA executive election will leave a bitter taste in the mouth for many of the following months.\nIt is mortifying to realize there are not four other individuals who are concerned enough with the student voice and the actions taken by the current IUSA administration to combat its subsequent party. The IU administrators, professors and the Bloomington community that need to be reminded of the undergraduate student voice, might be correct in assuming it’s illegitimate as a result of apathy.\nSo, a large “thank you” must go to the Hoosier ticket for caring enough about undergraduate life to consider issues that will improve it.\nAnd for the rest of the undergraduate population, let us hope that in the future, student representation does not starve to death.
(02/26/07 5:00am)
Consider for a moment the concept of the hero in American society.\nIt is driven into the heads of children across the nation that winning and heroism go hand in hand – that strength and hero are intertwined, that fame and hero are partners in success. The athlete makes the game-winning play, the millionaire is happy and the warrior saves the princess.\nSuch is the archetype for the American hero and the ultimate fulfillment of the American dream. But such a view is a misconception that sells the values important to rendering one a hero for the return of the poorly envisioned recognition that can only be achieved by wide attention.\nHeroes can be found in almost every spot on the map. From the sprawling metropolis to a town of less than 50 in Montana, recognition overlooks the greatest heroes among us. But “small” heroes should not be forgotten.\nBloomington is no different.\nTake, for example, the work of our own Middle Way House. In operation since 1981, its attempt “to end violence in the lives of women and children” includes programs and activities such as a 24-hour crisis hot line (336-0846), housing development for low-income families and child care and advocate programs. It works with businesses and volunteers from around the community to help establish a better Bloomington for women and children who are or might potentially be the victims of domestic violence. These volunteers, dedicated to that end, are heroes.\nOr, within the same city limits, Stone Belt Arc, which dedicates time to “prepare, empower and support persons with developmental disabilities and their families to participate fully in the life of the community.” Its programs include advocating for independent lifestyles for disabled people, running 11 group homes in Monroe and Lawrence counties and matching employers with qualified applicants with disabilities. Setting up meetings and activities for disabled people and giving volunteer opportunities to members of the community should undoubtedly be recognized as heroism.\nThe Children’s Organ Transplant Association, founded in Bloomington, raises funds for children who need organ transplants and encourages people to donate organs, tissue and marrow. It offers negotiating services that work with transplant centers to obtain organs, a 24-hour hot line for patients in emergency situations, and support team members who advise families on how to successfully campaign for funding. Protecting children should count as heroism in anyone’s book.\nSo the next time a football player pulls down a winning catch, an actor accepts an Academy Award or the media force a national “hero” into the eyes of all citizens, take a moment to examine what true heroism is.\nWhen people are shown to actually care for others, when the true heroes emerge, do not fail to give them credit. Follow in their footsteps, volunteer for a heroic organization and selflessly make a significant part in the life of another.
(02/22/07 5:00am)
Growing up reading comic books, almost every kid loved Ghost Rider. How could you not find a man who became a fiery skeleton at night, rode a badass chopper and used a chain whip to fight the evil servants of the devil to be the coolest thing ever? The trailer to "Ghost Rider" said it all to me: Another of one my favorite comic book heroes just got pissed on. \nGood job writer/director Mark Steven Johnson! First you make "Daredevil" into an utter piece of crap, so why not ruin yet another Marvel property by completely bastardizing it -- filling it with shitty one-liners and enough God-awful CG that it makes those commercials you see on television for community colleges that offer computer design degrees look like WETA renderings for "The Lord of the Rings" films? \nIn "Ghost Rider" stuntman Johnny Blaze (a miscast Nicolas Cage) makes a deal with Mephisto (read: Lucifer, as embodied by Peter Fonda) to cure his father of cancer in exchange for his soul. Problem is his father still kicks the bucket and now Blaze lives life on the edge trying to prove he is the greatest stuntman in the world. That is until Blackheart (Wes Bently AKA the weird kid in "American Beauty") arrives in search of some scroll that has 1,000 souls on it so he can rule the world and dethrone Mephisto, his father. Blaze, being Mephisto's "bounty hunter," is transformed into Ghost Rider, the entity I just mentioned two paragraphs ago, only not as badass. \nThis film is a crock and I blame 99.9 percent of it on Mark Steven Johnson. He treats this material as a big joke, adding such brilliant writing as making Blaze say: "My skull feels like it's on fire!" Sam Raimi loves Spider-Man and Christopher Nolan loves Batman; Johnson just loves collecting paychecks on Marvel properties. The story doesn't even make sense as it jumps from action set-piece to set-piece, complete with a poor love story between Nicolas Cage and Eva Mendes, who is only worth mentioning for how much her cleavage is wallpapered on the screen. \nNicolas Cage as Ghost Rider? Is the "Spirit of Vengeance" really this man with a bad hairpiece and Southern accent who fades in and out? The answer, bluntly: No. Wes Bently as Blackheart is the biggest joke of them all, though. Last I remember, Blackheart was a giant black monstrosity with fangs who sucked the souls from the living, not a Hot Topic poster child who walked around with his three goth buddies who belong at a Cradle of Filth concert. \n"Ghost Rider" has two decent things going for it. The first is casting Sam Elliott as the Caretaker because that man never has to try too hard. Just have him speak with his cowboy twang and spit a lot. The second is the fact that they got the Ghost Rider transformation right, what with all the horrific screaming that turns to maniacal laughter. Still, it was Nicolas Cage doing it so it wasn't that good. Peter Fonda would've been cool were it not the obvious fact he was put there because some asshole probably said, "Oh, yeah, he was in that one motorcycle movie from the 1960s!" \nOh there was one more redeeming thing: The trailer for "Spider-Man 3" showed before the film. At least I have that to look forward to.
(02/21/07 5:00am)
With a tough Big Ten men’s basketball season to focus on, March Madness approaching and national signing day for football recruits to discuss, it’s easy for a Hoosier sports fan to develop tunnel vision. In all reality, who can blame Hoosier Nation for concentrating on those sports that get the most media coverage and can be seen on network television? \nBut in the past weeks, two IU teams have quietly made big splashes in the sporting world with little attention from the common IU “sports” fan.\nSetting three school records and earning five postseason awards, the IU women’s swimming and diving team won its first Big Ten championship since 2003 on Feb. 10 in Minneapolis. The Hoosiers came away winning all three diving events – all won by junior Christina Loukas, making her only the second IU diver to accomplish the feat – and four other events. Six athletes earned All-Big Ten first team honors. IU finished the meet with 715.5 points, 153.5 points ahead of runner-up Michigan. In this achievement, these athletes did honor to both their school and their sport.\nIn an attempt to follow in the footsteps of their female counterparts, the IU men’s swimming and diving team finished fourth in the Big Ten championship on Feb. 19 in Columbus, Ohio. The team set two school records, ending the competition one point out of third place and 118.5 points behind champion Minnesota. Though some of the team members are disappointed for not finishing higher in the competition, they say that they will use the meet for motivation to perform well at the NCAA championship meet.\nThe accomplishment of the IU swimming and diving teams should not go unnoticed. While we cheer at the highly publicized sporting events, adrenaline flowing and profanity slurring from our mouths at basketball officials, taking heed of great Hoosier sporting accomplishment shows more team spirit than any middle finger at an opposing point guard. \nFrom D.J. White to Loukas, IU athletes all represent Hoosier Nation. When any one of those athletes achieves some greatness, he or she has signified the greatness of an institution of which we are all a part. Acknowledgement of that achievement is little to ask, and so it is time to give credit where credit is due.\nConsider that the IU Athletic Hall of Fame houses no fewer than 20 swimmers and divers and two coaches of swimming and diving teams (including Olympics hero and historical figure Mark Spitz). Having established a great tradition at our University, a little publicity would be a long time coming for the athletes who hit the water so many times a season. Perhaps with the innovation of the Big Ten Network, coverage of great sporting events such as the Big Ten swimming and diving championships will finally gain some of the exposure it obviously deserves. \nIU’s continued tradition of great swimming and diving teams, with a good number of team members returning for competition next season, will only serve to perpetuate the Hoosiers name throughout world. And so from a fan base that is not always in touch, from a great institution and from a sports columnist hoping to show some respect to those who deserve it: Congratulations.
(02/21/07 5:00am)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois basketball player Jamar Smith – charged Tuesday with drunk driving and leaving the scene of an accident – apparently believed a teammate in the car had died, authorities said.\nSmith, 19, was driving a 1996 Lexus shortly after 11 p.m. on Feb. 12 when it struck a tree in heavy snow. He then drove the car a little over a mile to the apartment complex where he lived in the small town of Savoy.\nBystanders called 911 after seeing the badly damaged car in the parking lot, with Smith’s passenger, teammate Brian Carlwell, still inside, Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Rietz said. A number of other team members were gathered at the apartment, Rietz said.\n“It appears that Smith was distraught, as he believed Carlwell had died in the crash,” Rietz said in a written statement.\nSmith’s blood-alcohol level was .176 after the crash, more than twice the legal limit of .08, Rietz said.\nRietz said university police investigating the accident found that Smith and Carlwell had been drinking tequila and beer with others at an apartment in his complex, and left just after 11 p.m. The release doesn’t specify where they went.\nSmith lost control of the Lexus – registered to his grandparents – which hit the tree on the passenger side, authorities said.\nCarlwell, 19, suffered a severe concussion and spent four days at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana before being released last Friday. He was well enough to sit on the bench at Sunday’s game against Northwestern at Assembly Hall, and could play in the postseason, basketball coach Bruce Weber has said.\nSmith, a sophomore guard, was taken to the same hospital by unidentified coaches and university police, Rietz said. He was treated for a minor concussion and released early the next morning.\nWitnesses reported seeing the Lexus pull into the apartment parking lot, then saw a tall man wearing University of Illinois sweat pants leave the car and enter the apartment building, leaving an unconscious Carlwell in the car, Rietz said. Shortly afterward, the tall man returned with a second man, then left and went back in the building, she said.\nSmith was not in custody Tuesday, Rietz said. She said he is expected to appear in court at a date to be set. Smith’s attorney, Mark Lipton, was in court Tuesday and not available for comment, his office said.\nIn a written statement, Weber criticized his player but said he is still part of the school’s basketball program.\n“This was a case of extremely poor judgment by Jamar,” Weber said. “He remains a part of our family and needs us now more than ever.”\nAggravated driving under the influence is a Class 4 felony that carries a sentence of up to 12 years in prison. Leaving the scene is a Class 3 felony and carries a sentence of up to five years in prison, Rietz said. Someone convicted of either charge, though, could be placed on probation, she added.
(02/19/07 5:00am)
"Everybody’s working for the weekend. Everybody wants a little romance.”\nI work for my weekends (just like Loverboy), as short as they might be. Forty to 50 hours in front of a computer screen can get monotonous. So on Friday afternoons, when it’s clear that the office won’t be anywhere in the plans for the next two days, rockin’ out seems the way to go. I spend most weekends in a dingy and dark pub, waiting with adrenaline pumping, for a rock band to come on stage and blow the entire crowd’s eardrums with one hell of a bass line (I kind of like bass lines).\nIn the Bloomington community, rockin’ out is one of the favorite local pastimes. It’s not unheard of to see a nationally-known band at one of the venues around town, or to know every band member as townies.\nBut what makes the music scene in Bloomington great is very closely related to what makes IU such a great university: diversity. On a given weekend, one could see an array of shows ranging from the likes of Hairbanger’s Ball with its ’80s rock covers and Who’s Bad? with its Michael Jackson hits, to the rap and hip-hop of the 17th floor. On Saturday night I saw Autovaughn and Paradise City (a Guns n’ Roses cover band) at the Blue Bird. But it wasn’t for lack of options that I ended up screaming the lyrics to “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and sharing a drink with the drummer’s girlfriend (no joke – she was really nice). Just a few blocks away at Uncle Fester’s House of Blooze, the alternative rock band that has it roots in Indiana, Murder by Death, could be found playing a set.\nThe bands listed above join many others in stopping at one of Bloomington’s many venues. The fact that each finds a following here, complete with screaming girls hoping to touch the hands of the bassist (I have a thing for bass lines), speaks in loud words: diversity is alive and well in the IU community.\nCommitment to diversity is an idea; for that idea to have effect, it must be accepted by a great proportion of the IU and Bloomington community. In times when there is unrest between groups separated by cultural differences, it is easy to be distraught about the state of that commitment. But when you look at the evidence, the music culture around Bloomington, it appears that one of two trends exists: Either the renewed commitment to diversity over the past few years has actually been accepted by many people in the right places, or diversity is a simple fact of life in Bloomington and manifests itself in culture.\nUltimately, I couldn’t care less which of these is the real reason for such a great music scene. As long as bands keep coming to B-town (and have good bass lines) I will be more than happy to go and rock out. And of course, I will always be working for the weekend. Put the drinks on ice.
(02/15/07 12:57am)
I love Kelvin Sampson. You love Kelvin Sampson. I'll bet even Bruce Weber loves Kelvin Sampson (even though we'll never hear him say it in public). \nAnd why not? Sampson has IU winning again, has replaced a lackadaisical Mike Davis with intensity worthy of the Big Ten and is fighting for an IU student section. What's not to love? And so we've expressed our love in the only way we know how here at IU: T-shirts!\nAbout 400 Hoosiers fans donned T-shirts resembling the game attire of the head coach during the Hoosiers' 65-61 win against Illinois on Saturday, supporting the man who has thus far led the team to a 17-6 record and third place in the Big Ten. The phenomenon was even mentioned during CBS's game coverage. \nAt first glance, these shirts seem like a great way to support the new guy, who many were skeptical of at his hiring. Even I was taken in by the novelty at first. The blue threads, the red silk -- I could barely contain myself. I was even to the point of pulling the bills from my wallet to purchase one (along with a poster board on which to write "We got Eric Gordon! Ha ha ha!"). \nBut then a sense of foreboding and danger hit me.\nIf someone from Oregon is asked what colors the Indiana Hoosiers represent he or she would probably say, "What's a Hoosier?" But after that, that person would reply that the colors are "red and white" or the more educated sports fan would say, "cream and crimson." \nLadies and gentlemen, I bleed crimson. I can prove it. Cut me. And when you do, you'll realize that I do not bleed blue. I do not go to Kentucky, Duke or Memphis (all of which have lying fans that say they bleed blue). And we should all be wary that we might be confused for such fans if we continue to wear these shirts and more IU basketball fans pick up the trend.\nI'm all about support for our new coach. But at sacrifice of my crimson sweat shirt and white face paint? I don't think so. The program is on the way back up into competition for Big Ten and national titles. We have a tradition to think of here, sports fans. And that tradition is the color of blood, not the sky. Continued pursuit of the red tie with blue shirt get-up will only lead to tears.\nI won't advocate that coach Sampson change his attire. If it works for him and the team is winning, I say let it ride (at least until we stop winning). If wearing the same outfit every game means winning come March, I'm in (though one of few compliments I can give Mike Davis is on that nice red sweater vest). But if things start to slide in the next few weeks against the likes of Purdue, Northwestern and Penn State, I might buy coach Sampson a nice crimson sports coat. \nOr maybe he can place a phone call down to Birmingham and ask Mike Davis to borrow one of those snazzy sweater vests.
(02/07/07 6:05pm)
With the constant arrests of NFL, NBA and MLB players, violations by players and coaches alike of NCAA rules, and fighting that occurs during many sporting events, sportsmanship is beginning to look like a thing of the past. \nEven in Indiana the epidemic seems has spread after the November 2004 brawl between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons in Auburn Hills, Mich. And it would be hypocritical not to mention Bob Knight's famous chair-throwing incident.\nIndiana's heritage, however, is not so laden with unsportsmanlike conduct. The Big Ten Web site has dedicated a page to "Celebrating Black History Month," chronicling and remembering the accomplishments of black student-athletes. Big Ten commissioner James. E. Delany says the celebration, which will feature 22 athletes during the 28 days of February, is not only an acknowledgement of accomplishment, but a way to "reflect proudly" on their Big Ten careers. \nThe second athlete recognized this month came directly out of our own crimson and creme community. \nGeorge Taliaferro led the 1945 Hoosiers football squad to its only undefeated Big Ten title, earning first-team All-American honors as a standout in all areas of the team: defensive, offensive and special teams. Taliaferro was signed to a professional contract with the Los Angeles Dons, a team in the All-America Football Conference. \nIn 1949 he had an opportunity to achieve what he told his mother was an "unbelievable dream come true": He was drafted by the Chicago Bears, making him the first African-American player to ever be drafted by the NFL. Having grown up in Gary, just across from Chicago, it is no wonder it was Taliaferro's dream.\nBut this story takes the road not of selfish dream-achievement but of selfless integrity. Taliaferro chose not to play for the Chicago Bears and make history as the first African-American to set foot on an NFL field. Rather, he chose to stay with the Dons -- because he gave them his word and because his father had taught him "to be the best you can be in every situation you find yourself."\nThat, ladies and gentleman, is the mark of a true sportsman. While Taliaferro played in the NFL later in his career, he never wore a Bears uniform. It is this sort of commitment to being a good person that makes for the best perception of IU, Big Ten, Indiana and national sports.\nSuch is the legacy entrusted to athletes in Indiana. Continued poor sportsmanship in the state should be unacceptable. Unfortunately, this includes the famous "Puck Furdue chant" and the booing of team members. Glimpses of Midwest sportsmanship showed up in Miami as Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy and Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith embraced at midfield at the end of Super Bowl XLI.\nMen like Taliaferro should serve as an example to all of IU's student athletes. Being the best you can be in any given situation includes shaking hands, keeping tempers under control and, above all else, holding your head respectfully high in victory or defeat.
(02/05/07 1:23am)
"Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence."\nThese are the words of Aristotle. One of the greatest thinkers in the history of the world came to this conclusion. It isn't some deeply philosophical end that drives men. The purpose is not success or wealth, honor or pride. Happiness is the end all, the telos of human existence. \nAs an opinion editor, it is my job to ensure that the voice of the IU community passes into the public sphere. It is a task I take humbly and with a great sense of responsibility. Stands taken in light of strong beliefs are extremely important in our niche in Indiana. I commend those who do so.\nHowever, the state of University debate has developed into a cumbersome burden for many to bear. It is not that the issues of importance stirring passionate responses from groups and individuals are negative occurrences -- far from it, in fact. It is the bi-product of opposition that has become the greatest weight. The bi-product is anger, which develops hate.\nFor example, as the IU administration pushes to carry out its plan to outsource the IU Motor Pool, intense opposition arises. The dozens of protesters outside Assembly Hall on Jan. 27 were both exercising a constitutionally protected right and individual prerogative. However, the comments circulating around the University between the two opposing groups seem to be lined with intense personal dislike for the members of the other view. Such personal vindictiveness does little to help the debate and only serves to complicate an overly complicated situation.\nHas IU become so forcefully opinionated that its member groups refuse to listen to each other and reach some compromise that will benefit each, causing the breakdown of civility? The apparent hatred between those of different races, those who hold different sexual preferences and those with varying political viewpoints is quite disturbing. It is identification and regret for these situations that lead me to believe the answer to the above question is a resounding "Yes." (As ironic as that may sound coming from someone in my position.) If Aristotle is to be considered one of the wisest of us, perhaps it is time we remembered his view of existence. Anger and hate surely cannot breed happiness.\nIn the future, as my own passionate reactions overtake my psyche and I grow angry, every reader will be able to legitimately call me a hypocrite. Of this I have no doubt. But today, I encourage members of the IU community to take a step back and look with an introspective eye at what makes them truly happy. If it is argument and anger, I will be tremendously surprised. \nOn Jan. 31, my cousin gave birth to her third child, Carter Dean Crum. For now, I will find happiness in that, and in the knowledge that I have a loving family. Where will you find yours?
(01/29/07 1:27am)
My brother is a Purdue graduate. He moved to Dallas last Wednesday to begin his career at a construction firm as an assistant project manager. A typical start for any fresh graduate, right? Not so typical is that with only one preliminary interview and a couple of tanks of gas, he drove to Texas a few weeks earlier without any hesitation and came back needing to sign an apartment lease and with a big shiny number to show his family.\nThere is a lesson to be learned in this approach. IU is known far and wide as a great institution for higher education. In its 2007 rankings of top national universities U.S. News & World Report placed IU in the 70th position. There is no doubt that a diploma from our esteemed university can go a long way in the business world. \nHowever, a piece of paper bearing the letters "I" and "U" will only take us so far. What we get out of our degree both depends on what we put into it while at school, and how assertive we can be in a job hunt.\nHomework can be completed relatively quickly and without much effort in many instances at IU. The same is true of passing certain classes. The fact that in those certain classes I could have passed with a high grade having never cracked open the textbook, is no fault of my professors or assistant instructors. They are only able to test us on the most important material, which they have concentrated on in lecture. The fault lies (and it most certainly is a fault) with the student who chooses not to crack that book. Passing means little when an employer asks you to apply a skill practically, and the best you can do is spout off a theory verbatim from what your professor told you.\nAnd of course when graduation rolls around, seizing the day or "carpe diem" should remain a key focus of all alumni attempting to make it in the business world. The astonishing aspect about seizing the day for alumni from IU (or any other major university for that matter), is the ability to go and achieve goals so readily -- with a little initiative and the quiet confidence that comes with knowing one graduated from an institution that prepared that person for a wide variety of complicated situations.\nSo as all of us, freshmen to graduate students, make our way through the everyday interaction with academia that IU provides, remembering that our hard work will eventually pay off, no matter how thankless our efforts seem now, should drive us to success. Taking on work that will result in the betterment of education, interacting as is intended with the material presented in classes and having a little fortitude in attempting to find jobs, internships or other opportunities will result in a more marketable resume. Opportunities are always around at IU academically, socially and economically. Carpe diem.
(01/25/07 5:35am)
The Big Ten is undoubtedly one of the most elite conferences to affect the sporting world today. From a rough-and-tough attitude on the courts and fields to the multiple historical achievements of teams and coaches, it is endowed with a rich tradition of excellence. IU has the distinct honor of being a part of that tradition and bringing its own achievements to the table. \nSo when the Big Ten Network was revealed as being ready for launch in August 2007, Hoosiers and other Big Ten fans around the nation grew excited for greater national exposure. The network will be available both to cable providers and as a part of DirectTV's total choice package. That means more football (76-plus games guaranteed per season from new contracts) -- great! And more men's basketball (165-plus games guaranteed per season) -- even better! But in these two areas the Big Ten is already relatively well-known and followed closely. So what is it about the network that is providing such a huge benefit to sports viewers everywhere?\nIt is the exposure that it will provide for the less-followed sports of women's basketball and volleyball. As a result of its agreement with Fox Cable Networks, the 55 Big Ten regular-season women's basketball games will be aired along with nine Big Ten Tournament games per season. The conference's agreement with ABC/ESPN guarantees at least 100 women's basketball and volleyball games will be aired over the course of the 10-year contract, including each season's women's basketball Big Ten championship game.\nAlumni from the Big Ten Conference are spread all over the nation. While there is no doubt that the major money-making sports invoke in so many a passion that few other events can, there are many of those Big Ten graduates who were at least in some way affected by women's athletics. Both Michigan State and Purdue average more than 6,000 attendees to each of their home women's basketball games. That is 6,000 people every game who might wish to continue following women's basketball in some way other than newsprint or Web updates. \nSuch a trend is not unnoticed. From Jan. 4 through Jan. 7, four nationally televised games included Big Ten women's basketball teams, including one conference matchup between Ohio State and Minnesota on Jan. 4 that aired on CSTV.\nThe number of Big Ten women's basketball fans has been building for years. This season the conference will celebrate its 25th season of women's championships. With 25 years of excellence as evidence of a growing national trend, the Big Ten Network is giving credit where credit is due. \nSo as March Madness rolls around and we cheer on the men's basketball team to a hopeful victory in the Big Ten tournament, it may do women's basketball fans well to remember that very soon, coverage of another elite tournament is coming. And it is hard to deny the legitimacy of airing such a great tradition that will continue to grow. With wider national coverage, reaching heights of even 10,000 in average attendance for women's Big Ten basketball games does not seem out of reach. The Big Ten Network is taking great strides that will benefit fans for years to come.
(01/25/07 5:34am)
After a 10-2 start for the IU women's basketball team, including a promising 54-51 win against then-No. 16 Kentucky, it appeared things were looking up for the Hoosiers. Entering conference play, the possibility that IU could contend with the likes of Purdue and Ohio State seemed a real possibility. \nBut then reality, or what I like to call the Big Ten season, hit the Hoosiers right in the face. After two losses to Michigan State and losses to Purdue and Iowa, IU has fallen to 2-4 in the Big Ten and 13-6 overall. With another matchup against No. 12 Purdue and No. 5 Ohio State, the Hoosiers may have a tough road to hoe as they enter the second half of the Big Ten season. \nFirst-year head coach Felisha Legette-Jack's primary task remains an adjustment in fundamentals and a new, winning attitude for the Hoosiers. And what she brings to these times of adversity is a wonderful track record. \nThe former 2003-2004 Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year, who led Hofstra to 12 conference wins, has served as an assistant coach on two gold-medal-winning USA women's basketball teams. She has served under two Big Ten coaches (including Ohio State's Jim Foster during the summer of 2003 for the USA Basketball FIBA World Championships) and as an assistant and recruiting coordinator at Syracuse.\nAs a Hoosier fan, I am encouraged that the replacement for Sharon Versyp (now at Purdue) has so much experience. On the path ahead, the Hoosiers will need all the help they can get. The team has lost eight of its last nine games against Purdue and its last five against Ohio State. Legette-Jack's knowledge of Foster's approach should come in handy next week to buck that trend against the Buckeyes. \nBut as much as Legette-Jack will help in the preparation for the games, as always, the outcome of IU's season and seed in the Big Ten tournament, which begins March 1 in Indianapolis, will be determined by the way the players perform on the court. \nFloor-leader and junior guard Nikki Smith, who ranks 15th in the conference in scoring, must continue to average more than 12 points per game while raising her field-goal percentage from a 36 percent average. \nThat being said, be encouraged that her 3-point field-goal percentage is that same 36 percent, ranking sixth in the Big Ten. \nSophomore forward Whitney Thomas' nine rebounds per game must hold strong, and sophomore guard Kim Roberson needs to continue to average 2.5-plus steals per game.\nIf those players are able to hold steady and work to improve, then IU has a great shot at turning its Big Ten season around and winning some big games down the stretch. \nAs the season progresses, have confidence that the women's basketball team will improve and make a good showing in the Big Ten tournament. But a more pressing issue is at hand. The fans, I'm sure, would very much like a shocker against Purdue next week. \nIt would be great to show Versyp just what she left to go be a Boilermaker.