The Sword & Shield

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Vol. XLIX No. 3 Mountain Brook High School December 12, 2014

News: 2-5 Features: 6-9 Sports: 12-14 Reviews: 15-18 Opinions: 19-20

Mountain Brook hires Coach Benny Eaves as Athletic Director

By ALEC LEWISSports Editor

On November 11, the Mountain Brook Board of Education hired coach Benny Eaves to be Mountain Brook’s athletic director. Taking over an athletics pro-gram with 150 state champion-ships, more than any other pro-

gram in the state, is by no means an easy task. With the retiring of Coach Terry Cooper, who led the Mountain Brook’s high school athletics program for the previous 22 years as athletic director, the Board of Educa-tion was faced with the chal-lenge of replacing one of the school’s all-time visionaries. “Coach Cooper has done exceptional job for so long, and he’s set such a high stan-dard in the athletic director field in Alabama,” said Eaves. “Following Coach Cooper can be somewhat of a daunt-ing task, but, we have a great relationship, and I know he’s

going to help as much as he can in assuring that Mountain Brook con-tinues to have a successful athletic program.” Eaves is a multi-sport advocate who has coached for 20 years. He’s been the head coach of the golf team and the 9th grade boys bas-

ketball team and has assisted with the 9th grade football team. “Deep down inside, I love coaching multiple sports, and that’s a dying breed nowadays,” Eaves said. “Things are becoming so competitive that it requires almost a 365 days a year dedication to a single sport, so for me to be part of all of the different sports is one of the great rewards for me as the athletics director.” Being named the athletic di-rector for one of the biggest high schools in Alabama has been excit-ing for Eaves. When asked about his new schedule, he said that it was “insanely busy. There’s so much that people don’t know about facili-ty wise and dealing with issues with coaches, meetings with administra-tors, there’s just something going on all the time.” The differences between Eaves and Cooper come few and far between. What will change? What will remain the same? Eaves says that a big objective for him is to

tackle relationships. "I don't want to come in and do a lot of changing of anything right off the bat," said Eaves. "I need to evaluate the landscape and get a chance to work with some people. The biggest thing is communica-tion and relationships. I believe that and would like to think that we, being all the coaches here, could make it possible for athletes to play multiple sports instead of monopolizing the students' time." Eaves, a proponent for the multi-sport athlete and a big believ-er in relationships, plans to contin-ue Coach Cooper’s success. "To think that 22 years ago I was coaching at Marion Military Insti-tute and to think that 22 years later I would be the athletic director at arguably the best high school in the state of Alabama is very humbling. I think every day I have to wake up and really say, 'Okay, you really did get this job. You are doing this.' I'm just excited to be more involved in the Mountain Brook community."

Photo by Alec LewisCoach Benny Eaves looks forward to winning more championships for MBHS

By MADELINE MITCHELLNews Editor

In the 47th annual Miss Olym-pian Pageant, a panel of judges selected Sophie Brint as Mountain Brook High School’s 2015 Miss Olympian on Saturday, November 22. Emma Rollins placed as first alternate, Lucy Wolter as second,

Emily Sink as third and Charlotte McRae as fourth. Marley Barnett won the Congeniality Award. Sixteen girls competed in the Hollywood-themed pageant. In addition to those who placed, the other participants were seniors Mary Kathryn Parrott, Virginia White, and Autumn Robinson; ju-

niors Bailey Coats, Callie Wilson, Sophie Barnes and Sarah Beth Daniel; and sophomores Caroline Cross and Brooke Holloway. Brint performed “Czárdás” by Vittorio Monti on the violin and excelled in the dance, beauty and interview portions of the compe-tition to win her title. Miss Olym-pian 2014, senior Annie Reich, passed her crown to Brint after singing Ella Fitzgerald’s “Cry Me a River” and making her final walk as the reigning Miss Olympian. During her year as Miss Olympian, Brint will ride in the city Christmas parade and pose for a full-page spread in the Olympian yearbook. Seniors Cile Baker and Sam Lidikay were the emcees for the night, chosen by the pageant staff because “they are funny, have big personalities and work-well together,” pageant director Cath-erine Turner said. Bill Perry, Adam Thomas, James Franklin, Drew White, Caleb Edwards,

Hugh Rowe Thomas and ABOG furnished the male talent for the night, which provided a segue between various portions of the competition. Tucker Deaton, Will Freeman, Charles Hoyt and Andrew Frese served as escorts to the competitors during the beauty portion of the pageant. Though the grace of the contes-tants appears effortless, the girls at-tended dance practice twice a week to prepare the dance performed at the start of the show. Pageant staff choreographers, Erin Rector, Emmie Stutts and Carlton Cooper created and taught the dance. Seniors Emma Abele and Cath-erine Turner directed the produc-tion of the pageant with the help of sponsors Ms. Jill Covington, Mrs. Tessa Childs and Miss Ra-chel Rich. Senior William Pankey managed the stage crew.

A Glamourous Night: Miss Olympian 2015

Photo courtesy of Image ArtsJunior class vice president Sophie Brint won Miss Olympian Saturday, November 22.

Holiday Issue!

Please see “Olympian”Continued on page 9 for more

highlights of the pageant

Now Available Online

2news Friday, December 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

Letter from the editors

The Sword & ShieldCo-Editor-in-Chief: Claire DavisCo-Editor-in-Chief: John SissonManaging Editor: Chandler Gory

Art & Photography Editor: Mathilde SharmanNews Editor: Madeline Mitchell

Sports Editor: Alec LewisFeatures Editor: Margaret HeathOpinions Editor: Coke Matthews

Reviews Editor: Natalie JonesBusiness Manager: Sarah Beth Daniel

Staff Writers

Sponsors: Ms. Catherine Lowe and Mr. Peter Perez

Letters to the Editors PolicyThe Sword & Shield welcomes Letters to the Editors from its readers. We re-serve the right to edit any letters for grammar, length, or libel; however, the meaning will be preserved. Whenever possible, changes made with a letter will be discussed with the author prior to publication. All letters must be signed, but

names may be withheld upon request. Email letters to gosands@gmail.com.

The Sword & ShieldMountain Brook High School

3650 Bethune DriveMountain Brook, AL 35223Telephone: (205) 414-3800

Fax: (205) 969-8113

Printing made possible byAlabama Web Press

1793 Eva RoadCullman, AL 35055

Telephone: (256) 734-5104

Here at The Sword & Shield we hope everyone is enjoying this merry month of Christmahanakwanzika. With all those exams and due dates coming around the corner, it’s easy to forget that this is the most wonderful time of the year. So let us return some of that holiday cheer back into your dull and dreary school life. You can read about the new school bowling team on page 12, or browse some of your classmate’s answers to some of the hardest questions ever asked on pages 10-11. You can even read about how Mountain Brook has gotten into the giving spirit on this very page, or learn (yes, learn) about the origins of some of the most familiar Christmas traditions on page 7.

Not only that, this issue is also avail-able online. So, if you happen to lose your print copy of The Sword & Shield, fear not. The paper is available on the school website for everyone to enjoy with a nice cup of hot cocoa. Whatever you decide to read, just sit back and relax one last time before exams start. And maybe again after exams. And again before you come back to school so you know what’s going on in this weird microcosm called school. Happy holidays, and good luck on exams! Thanks for reading, Claire and John

Thomas CooneyWill Davis

Carter EnnisCasey Fan

Scott Lepley

Leigh LewisCaroline Lowe

Jonathan McWaneLily Smith

Brooke Tucker

By NATALIE JONESReviews Editor

MBHS students, hope you donned your tackiest holiday sweaters in support of U.S. Marine Toys for Tots Program. While hol-iday sweaters are definitely a must, MBHS students were encouraged to bring more than just their festive holiday attire. The goal of the day is really for as many MBHS students as pos-sible to donate toys on behalf of children’s charity program, Toys for Tots. Junior Sophia Giovanelli partnered with the high school’s SGA to arrange the details of the day. “My father is a Marine Reserv-ist so I grew up knowing about Toys for Tots. He instilled in me the need to give back to those who don’t have the resources that we do. Through his contacts, I was able to connect with the Bessemer Reserve station and sign the school up to be a drop off point,” said Giovanelli. Toys for Tots is a nationally acclaimed charity foundation. Its goal is simply to deliver a message of hope through toys to children during the holidays. The program has coordinators in all 50 states, with many states having coordina-tors in almost every county. Toys for Tots accepts only un-opened, unwrapped toys. All toys donated at the school will then be transferred to the official Toys for Tots coordinator within the com-munity. In preparation for the day, se-nior SGA Executive Officer Katie

Reiss emphasizes the importance of getting the word out to as many MBHS students as possible. “The most important thing everyone can do to help other than bring in donations is to just get the word out. We want as much involvement as possible from as many people as possible. Everyone has something to contribute and more donations lead to more kids impacted,” said Reiss. Senior Abby Oliver sees the day as an opportunity for some quality grade competition between the seniors, juniors, and sophomores at MBHS. “I think it’d be really fun to see which grade could bring in the most toys. Each grade could set a goal for the amount of gifts they want to donate, and then everyone in the grade could work together to reach the goal,” said Oliver. Even the community is encour-aged to join MBHS students in spreading the holiday cheer. Ju-nior Carlton Cooper believes the day would be a great way for the community to come together for a worthy cause. “I’m excited to see the school and even community come to-gether for today. Our community is blessed in so many ways, and it’s always great to see everyone eager to give back,” said Cooper. Members of the community can make their own donations through the school as long as they follow the Toys for Tots requirements and drop off their donations to the school on December 12.

MBHS gives back this holiday season

Image by Natalie JonesThe Toys for Tots Drive is a great way to get in the holiday spirit of giving gifts.

3newsFriday, December 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

By THOMAS COONEYStaff Writer

“Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat my-self.” The words of Mark Twain accurately illus-trate America’s recent frustration with Congress in the past few years. The people of the United States have elected our next session of Congress in hopes of a turnaround in how our federal legislative branch runs. In Alabama, Representative Jeff Sessions ran unopposed in the Senate race while Sena-tor Richard Shelby’s six-year term has not yet ended. In Alabama’s Sixth District (containing Mountain Brook) Gary Palmer is the new House representative. In addition, Republican Gover-nor Robert Bentley was reelected for a second term. This year, the Republican Party's national candidates won majority control of the House and Senate by a large margin. The previous ses-sion of Congress had trouble passing only 561 bills, the fewest number passed since the U.S. started keeping records in 1947. The Republi-cans vow to change this trend. The first actions the newly elected Republican Congress hope to take are to pass long-stalled bills with support from both parties, including measures to repeal an unpopular tax on medical devices. Also, they want to approve construc-tion and fund the Keystone XL oil pipeline and pass a budget in the Senate. Finally, they hope to implement sweeping tax reform and repeal Obamacare in the dwindling days of Obama’s presidency. While achieving all of these goals is almost impossible, the future majority leader in the Senate Mitch McConnell promises, “Look-ing ahead to the next Congress, we will honor voters’ trust by focusing first on jobs and the economy.” The Keystone XL oil pipeline hopes to aid in job creation and help make America more

energy independent. According to Keyston-eXL.com the official website behind the project, “The $5.3-bil-lion Keystone XL Pipeline Project is the largest infrastruc-ture project currently proposed in the United States. Construction of the 1,179-mile pipeline will require 9,000 skilled American workers.” The bill approv-ing the pipeline was narrowly defeated in a vote in the Senate in November. Repub-licans must wait for the next session of the Senate before raising it again. The ISIS threat in the Middle East and tensions with Rus-sia and North Korea hopefully will take a different direction. Senator John McCain, the new chairman of the Senate Armed Ser-vices Committee, said, "a new mix of military forces, including civil affairs, special operations and highly mobile forces capable of fighting and prevailing in the conflicts America faces" are needed in order to address recent threats. The Republicans may have control of Con-gress, but President Barack Obama is still in office and could very well veto many of the laws passed, creating the possibility of the United

States heading for another two years of Ameri-can democracy shooting itself in the foot. If we are headed for two more years of dysfunc-tion on the hill, then the already low approval rate of Congress could drop even further, and the divide between our government and its peo-ple could grow even wider.

Midterm elections results and consequences

Image by Thomas CooneyThe results of the 2014 midterm elections show Republican power on the rise.

4news Friday, December 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

Theatre students performed “A Binding Commitment” at state Trumbauer competition

By CLAIRE DAVISCo-Editor-in-Chief

The Theatre Department here at Moun-tain Brook High went to state this past Friday and Saturday determined to do their best. The department has already won 53 individual awards at this year’s district level competition, setting a new record in the school’s history. “This was the biggest group we’ve ever taken to Trumbauer, and it’s also the most awards we’ve won,” fine arts teacher Mr. Jesse Tilton said. If that number seems disproportionate to the number of actors, that’s because many performed more than one individ-ual event. These events range from panto-mime and monologues to set and costume design. Junior Camden Ferreira said, “It forced me to take responsibility outside of class and train by myself, but it’s made me much better as an actress.” This year’s one act play, “A Binding Commitment,” is a film-noir sort of mystery set in New Orleans that hilariously investigates a plethora of missing person cases. It was also written by our very own theatre teacher Mr. Tilton. “A Binding Commitment” won Best One-Act in the district competition as well as Best Ensemble. Junior Georgia Nelson won an All-Star Cast award for her portrayal as Agnes, a rather strict bookstore owner, and senior Hampton Adams won Best Actress award for her role as Eugene, a rookie detective. The Trumbauer competition stipulates that each school and troupe only has a few minutes to create their set, so speedy set up and disas-sembly are required in addition to snappy one-liners and moving mono-logues, making the show that much harder to produce. The troupe traveled to Troy University to perform their events to the officials there. They all had long days performing and supporting their fellow classmates in their events. While Mountain Brook won only a few awards for “A Binding Com-mitment” last weekend at the state competition, the students feel content with their accomplishments. Regardless of all the hard work this competition takes, the students feel that the long hours have paid off. Senior Ann Thomas said, “I like doing

the show but also learning at the same time through constructive criti-cism.” Senior Coleman Escue felt the same: “I really like performing in front of other thespians, and, naturally going to state. It’s awesome.”

Performers in “A Binding Commitment”Seniors Juniors Juniors Sophomores

Coco McKay Lily Dale Addie Glover Josiah SonichColeman Escue Georgia Nelson Kelsey Potter Adam Thomas

Ann Thomas Emilie Harwell Will Royer Grace ReederArthur Triantos Katie Klasing William Scott Savannah Page

Hampton Adams

Camden Ferreira

Hannah Waudby

Ricky Feig

Hunter Stanley Haley Lewis Virginia BoltonMary Katherine

ParrottElizabeth

TurnerMichael

SummersKaty Grace Lipscomb

Sophia Giovanelli

Sabrina Balmer

Image by Claire DavisTheatre students rehearse their show, which they performed at Trumbauer state competition December 5 and 6.

5newsFriday, December 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

By MARGARET HEATHFeatures Editor

Well, Christmas and Hanukkah are just around the corner, and we all know what that means: it’s time for the annual band and choir hol-iday concerts. Yes, the two ensem-bles have separate concertsearlier this week with choir opened Mon-day, December 8, and band per-formed Tuesday, December 9. Both will take place at 7 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center of the school. On Monday night, the MBHS choir will entertain the audience with all of their choral groups.

Chamber Choir will sing a piece by Mr. John Kincaid that he com-posed in college called “Adam Lay Ybounden.” The Honors Choir will sing the well-known piece, “Dashing Through the Snow.” This, however, is not the only traditional holiday song as Men’s Choir will perform “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” Second period Women’s Choir will sing a song about the Hanuk-kah miracle, and first period Wom-en’s Choir will sing a French song about Jesus’s birth accompanied by junior Sophie Brint on violin.

Honors Choir member Harper Alexander says, “I’m really excited to perform because I love Christ-mas music! Each class has worked hard and I’m excited to see how it turns out!” Tuesday brings excitement as the MBHS symphonic band per-forms along with its junior high counterpart and the beginner band. The high school band will play songs such as “Silent Night” and “A Festive Christmas” as well as “Rhapsody for Hanukkah.” While you may not recognize some of the titles, senior band student Emma

Nichols assures us that “the music is right on track for the holidays.” Also, this concert is band direc-tor Dr. Frank Blanton’s last major performance with the Mountain Brook band. It should be a night to remember as students and faculty wish him a happy retirement and a happy New Year. On Monday, December 15, also known as Dead Day, the choir and band will perform again for the whole school during the Hol-iday Assembly Concert. A great transition between the school and exams, the concert is held during school for the entire faculty and staff as well as students to hear. This final concert marks the end of the calendar year, and then we are on to Winter Break. Of their music, senior Mary Katherine Bridges says, “There is a lot of variety that will make this holiday season shine really bright!”

Photo courtesy of Mrs. Lee Ann Webster The band performs its Veteran’s Day concert in the Fine Arts Center of the high school.

MBHS Fine Arts presents holiday concerts

6Features Friday, December 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

By CLAIRE DAVISCo-Editor-in-Chief

We are all familiar with the symbols and dec-orations of Christmas. Barber-shop-striped can-dy canes, evergreen trees and wreaths, pompous nutcrackers marching in formation, sugary Yule log cakes… it’s all as easy to picture in our heads as sugarplums dancing, maybe even easier. But who decided candy canes would be made in such an inconvenient shape? Why do people cut down trees, haul them inside, and decorate them with bits of crystal and china? And how do seven swans a-swimming make an even re-motely good Christmas gift? The Sword & Shield is here to solve those Christmas conundrums and add a little peppermint-flavored zing to your merry holiday trivia bank.

Candy Canes Candy canes were invented in 1670 when supposedly a German priest got tired of all the noise children were making during the Christ-mas services and commissioned the confection-er to make a hard candy that had a crook at one end to look like a shepherd’s crook, symbolizing the role Jesus played as the shepherd of men. The colors red and white were also symbolism of Christ and the blood he shed (red) forgiving the sins of the world (white). However, Snopes.com,

a site that investigates myths like these, says that there is no evidence to support this story be-cause there is no historical evidence behind it. Perhaps it was a happy accident after all.

The Twelve Days of Christmas The bane of all short-winded carolers was composed in 1780 in a book of party games. The game was for the leader to start the song with one item (say, a bird in a tree), and the players had to add another verse with an increasing number of gifts while still repeating the previous lines. The first person to lose and forget a line had to give a kiss or candy to the leader. Today the lyrics are pretty well-known, and the song is so popular the PNC Bank every year adds up the cost of all the gifts given. One total is assuming that each gift was given only once, and the other is assuming each gift is given the number of times it is sung, so some flabbergast-ed person would be receiving twelve pears trees and an inordinate number of birds. Last year’s total cost was $27,383.19, so ambitious couples this year had better have deep pockets to rival what the bank calls “The True Cost of Christ-mas.”

Christmas Trees Christmas trees are an old standby from

Celtic traditions where an evergreen tree was prized for its endur-ance and supposed immortality. Martin Luther is rumored to be one of the first to put candles on a tree, making it the first (and definitely not fire department-approved) Christmas tree. However, full-blown decorations weren’t popular until the 1800s when the British royal family had a tree in every room covered with blown-sugar ornaments. The mid-dle class picked it up when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert, and it trickled down to today, where trees all colors and sizes can be purchased at your local superstore. Plastic is more immortal than

pine, after all.

Nutcrackers Nutcrackers: the biggest makeover story ever. Originally plain metal pliers that were used only to crack nuts, they got a wooden makeover in the 15th and 16th century, as woodcarving was the only source of work for many areas in Germany then. The decorative but still functional nutcrack-ers came about a century later, carved from hard but pretty boxwood and into realistic animals and gnome-like people. These were first doc-umented by the Brothers Grimm and became hugely popular when they were rumored to serve as a good luck charm for the household. This precursor to Elf on the Shelf came to America when GIs from World War II bought them in Germany to take home to their families as souvenirs, making them extremely fast addi-tions to the American Christmas.

Santa Claus Santa Claus, the jolly old elf that has a belly like jelly and a nose with marvelous properties, is actually *gasp* not the original. He’s a com-bination of many different people from many different Germanic cultures. Most of his per-sonality comes from Saint Nicholas, a bishop who was known for the gifts he gave to the poor and children, but he also has some similarities with the Norwegian Odin, who rode his horse around at night; Sinderklaas, a Dutch elf that delivers presents to only children in their shoes on Sinderklaas Day; and Father Christmas, or the Ghost of Christmas Present, who lived his entire lifetime in the single day of Christmas. All these men were compiled into one man in the late 1800s, though not, as many think for Coca-Cola’s publicity. He was drawn as the plump elf by Thomas Nash in 1863, who also started the idea that his workshop was located at the North Pole with his cartoons illustrating the poems of George P. Webster. (Coca-Cola wasn’t even the first to use in him advertising . They picked up the idea from another soda company who used the magical man to advertise for its ginger-ale.) Many authors jumped on the Santa band-wagon, including Frank L. Baum, creator of The Wizard of Oz; and J. R. R. Tolkien, who wrote his children letters from Father Christmas every year. Now Santa is in every mall across the U.S. and even graces soda cans, shop fronts and movie screens during the entire month of De-cember.

Mythbusters: the Christmas edition

7FeaturesFriday, December 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

By CHANDLER GORY Managing Editor

Nearly 13 years ago, Dr. Frank Blanton walked into MBHS to in-terview for the recently opened po-sition as band director. With him, he brought his long-time friend Dr. Mark Foster who applied for a job at MBJH that was available at the same time. At the end of this se-mester, Dr. Blanton will retire from this position. One of Dr. Blanton’s first mem-ories of MBHS is walking into the small front office and meeting Mrs. Polly Shoulders. He said, “Mrs. Shoulders was one of the first peo-ple I met. The front office looked totally different back then. It was just a tiny little room, and Mrs. Pol-ly was up there at the front desk.” Long before he came to MBHS, Dr. Blanton began his career as a band director at Oak Grove High School where he taught for three years before moving on to teach at Hueytown High School for the next 23. But his decision to become a band director happened many years before all of that. Dr. Blan-ton recalls, “I decided to be a band director in my junior year of high school.” From there he went to the Uni-

versity of Alabama for his Bache-lors degree, then the University of Illinois for his Masters degree and back to UA for his Doctoral degree. While at UA for his Bachelors, he marched trumpet in the Million Dollar Band his freshman year and then went on to be the drum major. His 13 years of service at MBHS have been rich and rewarding. From meticulously creating march-ing band shows to writing up elab-orate trip itineraries, Dr. Blanton’s presence in and dedication to the MBHS band is enormous. For him, pinpointing a favorite show or memory is nearly impos-sible. “That’s kind of like asking me who my favorite child would be,” he laughed. When discussing the marching shows throughout the years, Dr. Blanton said, “They kind of all be-come your baby because you have to spend so much time conceptual-izing it and planning and working on the music.” Dr. Blanton’s dedication to his band program obviously runs deep. He fondly recalls memories and proudly mentions how fulfilling it is to see his former students come back and visit him with music degrees of their own. As a testa-

ment to his hard work and com-mitment, he was awarded the Ann Pritchard Award, an award given to one teacher in the entire Mountain Brook system each year for teach-ing excellence. As far as his retirement, Dr. Blanton is hoping to continue working with music. “I would be interested, if possible, in continuing to work in the arts in some way, especially if it’s education related.” Obviously Dr. Blanton is excited about the prospect of new oppor-tunities that are looming on the horizon, but it’s not easy stepping down as captain of the ship he’s been sailing for so long. “The first thing I’m going to miss is the students,” he said some-what wistfully. “Also, band has kind of been a way of life for me since I was 11 years old. That’s going to be a bit of an adjustment, not getting up and coming to a band rehearsal every morning.” When Dr. Blanton came to MBHS, he helped grow a band pro-gram in a school where band wasn’t a big priority. While the MBHS band doesn’t go out and win state titles, it still has a strong presence in the community. The Christmas Parade wouldn’t be the same with-

out the band leading the way with familiar melodies; the Homecom-ing Parade would lose something special without the drum line’s beat urging the parade forward. Dr. Blanton came to MBHS and coined the phrase “The Last Great Hope for Western Civilization,” but maybe it’s not the band that’s the last great hope for Western civiliza-tion, maybe it’s the man himself. Dr. Blanton has served the Mountain Brook school system tirelessly and now he leaves us with some parting wisdom: “It’s not a piece of cake everyday, but life isn’t a piece of cake everyday. There are ups and downs and people you like, people you don’t like, people you’ve got to learn to live with, people you’ve got to learn to compromise with and frustrations. Hopefully living that everyday with everyone who’s been in band will stick with them and help them go out and make a difference in the world.” Then with a solemn look, Dr. Blanton leaned forward. “Music is really important,” he emphasized. “As one of the major human en-deavors, music is way up there. It’s right up there with what separates us from all the other species on the planet.”

MBHS says a heartfelt goodbye to band director Dr. Frank Blanton

Photo courtesy of Kimi Blanton Dr. Frank Blanton leads the concert band in one of its numerous concerts.

8Features Friday, December 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

By MATHILDE SHARMANArt and Photography Editor

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day-parade has long been a staple of the traditional American Thanksgiv-ing, and Mountain Brook helped continue the tradition for 2014. Varsity Cheerleading, a collection of national dance and cheerleading organizations, invites team captains from across the nation to perform in the parade each year. Girls must have participated in the United Dancer’s Association (UDA) or the United Cheerleader’s Association (UCA) camps to be invited. However, Varsity Cheerleading extended the opportunity for the 2014 parade. “In the past, only cap-tains were invited to go, but UDA and UCA invited all the seniors this year!” said Dorian Claudia Rose Keating, who joined fellow dancers Katherine Harris, Callie Anderson, Annie Somerville, Emily Owen Mendelsohn, Evalyn

Bargeron, Walton Stivender, Mary Rives Drake and Findlay Shelfer in New York. Cheer-leaders included Mary Katherine Moore, Kara Grav-lee, Mary Pat Ro-drigues and Mary Farley Stevens. The group joined over 700 performers. The girls landed in New York on Saturday, Novem-ber 22 and headed to meet their UDA and UCA contacts. “Their staff do this every year and were up there to help us. We stayed at a Hilton on the parade route, which ran from 77th Street and Central Park West to

Macy’s in front of Herald Square,” explained cheerleader Mary Kath-erine Moore. Moore outlined the lead up to the parade. “When we got to New York, we were on our own until about 6:00 p.m, and then we had orientation. There was a practice every day until the parade. For meals, UCA provided one to two meals a day, and the rest we could have with our family or group lead-er,” she explained. Keating described the schedule and dress for parade day. “We had to wake up around 4:00 a.m. After a 5:30 a.m. rehearsal, we left the hotel at 6:00 a.m. to start at 9:00 a.m. Our outfits were white, with a red and

black star and stripes.” For practice and the performance, the girls were asked to bring a pair of athletic or dance shoes, black sweatpants, and a roll down turtleneck. On parade day, the group marched along the parade route, finishing with a per-formance in Herald Square. The girls returned from New York on Thanksgiving Day follow-ing the parade. Moore shared her gratitude for the chance to partici-pate in such a prestigious event. “It was such an amazing opportunity, and I hope Mountain Brook cheer-leaders and Dorians can continue to do this.”

A part of the tradition: Dorians and Cheerleaders in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade

Photo courtesy of Nikki Gravlee Top row, from left to right: Mary Rives Drake, Findlay Shelfer, Mary Farley Stevens, Claudia Rose Keating, Walton Stivender, Evalyn Bargeron, Emily Owen Mendelsohn, Annie Somerville and Mary Pat Rodrigues. Bottom row, from left to right: Katherine Harris, Callie Anderson, Mary Katherine Moore, Paley Smith and Kara Gravlee.

Photo courtesy of Nikki Gravlee Mary Pat Rodrigues, Kara Gravlee, Mary Katherine Moore, Paley Smith, and Mary Far-ley Stevens pose before their long march to Macy’s.

9FeaturesFriday, December 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

Olympian (cont. from page 1)

Photo courtsey of Image ArtsFrom left to right: Marley Barnett, who won the Congeniality award; Charlotte McRae, who placed as fourth alternate; Emma Rollins, who placed as first alternate; Sophie Brint, who was crowned Miss Olympian; Lucy Wolter, who placed as second alternate; and Emily Sink, who placed as third alternate.

Photo courtsey of Image ArtsFrom left to right: Senior Ann Thomas, who was crowned Miss Olympian 2013; Junior Sophie Brint, who was crowned Miss Olympian 2015; and Senior Annie Reich, who was crowned Miss Olympian 2014 hug.

Photo courtsey of Image ArtsThe Miss Olympian contestants dance together in their opening number. All the girls had to come to dance practice every Wednesday night for months to learn the dance choreographed by the pageant staff.

Photo courtsey of Image ArtsSeniors Cile Baker and Sam Lidikay have fun emceeing the pageant. The emcees are expected to make jokes and intro-duce all the contestants during their walks.

Photo courtsey of Image ArtsSophomore Caroline Cross leaps in the air during her individual talent portion of the pageant. Each contestant is required to have a short presentation of their talent, like singing, dancing or playing an insturment. Photo courtsey of Image Arts

Junior Sophie Brint is crowned Miss Olympian 2014 by last year’s Miss Olympian, senior Annie Reich.

10Holidays! Friday, December 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

“We go to my grandmother’s house for a pickle ornament search. Six grandchildren search the tree for the ornament.

Oh, and the prize is a nutcracker. You really want that nutcracker.”-Emily McLean

“A few days after Christmas, we go to my grandmother’s house on my dad’s side. It’s kind of a

stuffy crowd. My younger cous-ins always seem more interested in their new iPad than me. And I usually end up at the kiddie table. Not the merriest scene. But other than that, I love the Christmas

season.”-Kennedy Schwefler

“What I don’t enjoy about Hanukkah is my cousin Jordan coming. He’s super annoying. No, I’m joking. Got you Jordan. In terms of

traditions, we light the Menorah every year. And I love latkes; my uncles make them. My

family really likes the Black Friday deals, even though they’re sort of Christmas

centered. I mean, my aunt and uncles went this year.”

-Alec Lewis

What’s your favorite holiday tradition?

11Holidays!Friday, December 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

“My family is completely atheist, but we cele-brate Christmas Day with a big dinner.”

-Dmitrius Dworek

What’s your favorite holiday tradition?

“We hang Christmas ornaments every year and my parents tell us the backstory behind each of

them. EVERY YEAR.”-Jake Sansom

“My parents hide a pickle orna-ment in our Christmas tree, and each sibling goes to their room. When we’re called out, there’s a dash for the tree. Whoever finds

it get $10. I usually win, but I lost to a younger sibling this

year . . . not a good experience. Also, we don’t eat a ton of meat,

so we get pizza in Homewood for Christmas dinner after the

service.”-Ansley Balogh

12Sports Friday, December 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

Inaugural bowling team begins seasonBy JOHN SISSONCo-Editor-in-Chief

For the first time in school histo-ry, Mountain Brook High School has a varsity bowling team. Yes, you read that right. Bowling. Coach Shane Stearns, the inaugural head coach, selected the teams after tryouts on November

20. MBHS will field both a girls and boys team, each with its own schedule. Boys team members include se-niors Brother Fitzpatrick, Gaines Hartley, John Null and Bill Per-ry, and juniors Charlie Geiss and Peter Gerontantakis. The girls team is led by a host

of seniors including Haley Fenn, Liz-zie French, Mary Keller Greene, Anna LaRussa, Ella McA-tee, Margaret Mur-ray, Katie Reiss and Madalyn Rosenthal. Freshmen Annie and Molly O’Neill will also be bowling with the varsity girls. This year, the Spartan bowlers have 2-3 events per week, with practices and home matches being held at Brunswick Riverview Lanes on 280. Not only will the boys and girls get to compete in a varsity sport, they are also getting custom uni-

forms for the season.

LaRussa said, “I’m really looking forward to our outfits and the abili-ty to compete against other schools this season.” The varsity boys started the season at Vestavia Bowl with a loss to the Vestavia Rebels on Decem-ber 9 in a huge rivalry match. The Spartans finish the season bowling at home against Indian Springs and Spain Park on January 12 and 13, respectively. The girls kicked off their sea-son with a thrilling 4-3 home win against Spain Park on December 8 and then fell 3-4 against the Lady Rebels at Vestavia Bowl on De-cember 9. The Lady Spartans play host to Spain Park once again on January 13 before the Rebel Roll tournament at Vestavia Bowl on January 21. The teams participate indi-vidually as well as in “bakers,” a team competition where five team members come together to bowl a complete game. With a new sport comes inexpe-rience, and the teams are working to improve their skills every prac-tice. Greene said, “My skills are definitely a work in progress, but I am having so much fun at practice with all of my teammates.” Although they may be a new

team, expectations are still high for these players. Reiss said, “I think there’s room for improvement with my technique, so my scores should keep on increasing with more prac-tice. Hopefully, we will be able to crush our opponents this year.”

Photo courtsey of Anna LaRussaBrunswick Lanes 280 is the home court of MBHS’s new bowling team. This is where the team practices and hosts their games.

Photo courtsey of Anna LaRussaSenior Katie Reiss sharpens her skills during bowling practice.

13SportsFriday, December 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

By WILL DAVIS Staff Writer It’s basketball season in Mountain Brook. The Spartans girls made it to the Sweet 16 in 2013 and is 8-4 so far this season. It’s been a solid start for a Mountain Brook team that entered the season knowing that it would have to replace its two best players and leaders from a year ago, in Mary Katherine Pinson and Collier Ogilvie. “We are still having some growing pains,” said Spartans’ coach Mark Cornelius. “But I think by January we could have a very good team.” The Spartans opened their season in Spartan Arena on November 10, defeating Midfield by a score of 77-34. Mountain Brook then dominated Oxford 58-18, holding the Yellow Jackets to a single digit number of points in every quarter, including just six points in the first half. After a 58-29 win over Northridge, the Spar-tans suffered a 72-50 setback at Shades Valley, a team Mountain Brook played again December 5 at home. The second game against the Mount-ies began a three game homestretch that also included games against John Carroll and Gar-dendale. “We just had a lot of inexperience on the road playing a very good basketball team,” Cornelius said of the Spartans’ first game against Shades Valley. “We just dug a hole we couldn’t

get out of. I think (the rematch with the Mounties) will show us if we have improved in some areas we need to improve on.” Mountain Brook will also participate in many tourna-ments as the season progresses. They play in the Willis Valley Shootout in Fort Payne from December 20 to December 23, and the Carolina Invita-tional Tournament from December 27 to December 30. “We played some really tough teams, but we’re getting better every day,” junior Sara Carr said. The team believes the potential is there for a strong season, but it has taken time for this young team to click. “This team is a work in progress,” Cornelius said. “I think offensively we will get much better as the season progresses.”

One of the main reasons the team believes they will only continue to get better is the close-nit relationships they share on and off the court. “We have good chemistry,” senior Louise Shear-er said. “We’re all good friends and it shows on the court.” “Our most positive thing is our team chemis-try,” Carr said.

Girls basketball off to a 8-4 start, goals set high

Wrestling team competes in Huntsville tournament

Photo by Scott LepleySenior Louise Shearer jumps for a lay-up in a game against Thompson.

By JONATHAN MCWANEStaff Writer

The Spartan varsity wrestling team opened its season with a win against Minor at home on Novem-ber 18 by a score of 60-18. Led by Coach Justin Ransom, the Spartans are expecting similar outcomes for the rest of the season with what Ransom calls a “champi-onship or bust” attitude. “We have some of the best guys in the state in my opinion,” Ransom said. Junior Drew Reed, who re-corded a pin in the season opener against Minor, dedicated his sum-mer to perfecting his game. “A couple of us went up to Chattanooga a few times over the summer and did some practicing with rec-league teams there,” Reed said. “Then we went to Ohio and did some very tough physical train-ing with a group of fitness company

managers up there.” Reed also said, “The work that he and some of his teammates put in over the course of the offseason really prepared us for a season that’s full of pretty tough physical matchups.” Josh Anders and Austin Gan-dler are two outgoing seniors who also made pins in their final season opener. “We couldn’t ask for a better team,” Gandler said. “We really have made ourselves better and are making sure we have the best last season we possibly can.” The team followed up their victory in the season opener with wins over Pell City, Stanhope and Chelsea in their second match of the season on December 2. Gandler and Anders each recorded 2 pins over the course of the day while Reed recorded three. On December 3 at Spain Park,

Reed was forced to move up one weight class. This proved not to be an issue as Reed again recorded 3 pins and won the match for the Spartans on a takedown in over-time. “I wasn’t too worried about moving up one weight class,” Reed said. “It was probably actually better for me to do that so I can get more comfortable being put on the mat against players that are bigger than me.” The team then travelled to Huntsville to compete in the Huntsville Invitational on Decem-ber 5 & 6. Overall, the Spartans placed tenth with a total of 224 points while every player on the varsity roster recorded at least one pin. On December 8, shortly after the invitational, the team continued their success by winning a tri-match against both Southside and Weaver.

The Spartans compete in a total of 20 events and matches over the three month period of this season. Only four of these are considered home events: the season opener against Minor; the Spartan Invi-tational; a meet against Calera, Lee-Huntsville and Butler; and a meet against Brookwood, Vestavia Hills and Huffman. The team also travels to compete in regional tournaments twice: the ALX Invitational in Douglasville, Georgia, and the Andrews Institute Invitational in Gulf Breeze, Florida, on December 27 and January 3, respectively.

14Sports Friday, December 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

By SCOTT LEPLEYStaff Writer

The defending two-time state champion boys basketball team started their season November 11 against Oxford in a 73-42 win. Despite losing

five seniors from last year's team, includ-ing three starters, Mountain Brook has started the season 10-1. Two new faces were added to the team after seniors Jared Henderson and Terrell Guy transferred to Mountain Brook this summer. Hen-derson comes from Winfield and Guy from Leeds. Junior forward Jack Kline leads the team in scoring through the first 10 games of the season. Kline said, "They've been great additions to our team this year. They

have really helped spark our offense and helped us play at a high level." Seniors Will Hartley, Hunter Lucas, and Matt Creighton have led the Spartans and along

with Kline, they have taken over the starting roles this season. Coach Bucky Mc-Millan said, "Jack has really stepped up as a leader this year. He's been on the team longer than anyone else now

and has become a great leader after we lost some key seniors from last year's team." This past Friday, the Spartans defeated Shades Valley, 77-74, in an overtime battle that featured one of the wildest student sections seen at Spartan Arena. “I really think the student section gave us some energy,” said Hartley. “Really, I think they were a huge factor in the game.” The team suffered their first loss of the season against Ramsay earlier in the year on November 21, but over Thanksgiving break, the Spartans won the Capstone Classic in Tuscaloosa, defeat-ing Midfield 73-40 in the finals. The Spartans are set to tip off at the Steel City Invitational, the state’s principal regular season high school basketball tournament, on Decem-ber 19. Kline said, “We’re really excited for the tournament. We didn’t win in it last year, so we’re looking forward to showcasing our skills against some teams we haven’t played before.” The tournament features four of last year’s six state champion teams, including Mountain Brook and last year’s tournament winner and reigning 5A state champion, Parker. Other top teams participating include reigning 3A state champion Midfield, 1A state champion St. Jude, Ramsay, Theodore, and Tuscaloosa County. McMillan said, "I think the Steel City is great for the state. We get a big tournament in Bir-mingham full of great players and teams from across the state." The tournament takes place December 19, 20 and 22 at Samford University. The Spartans open up the tournament Decem-ber 19 at 8 p.m. against Midfield and will follow it up the following week with the NXT LVL Hoops event in Nashville against some of the premier teams from across the southeast.

Spartans set to tip off at Steel City Invitational

Photo courtesy of Image ArtsSophomore Clay Collins takes the ball to the basket with the student section cheering him on.

15ReviewsFriday, December 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

By CAROLINE LOWEStaff Writer

My least favorite book of the Hunger Games Trilogy was “Mockingjay.” I know I’m not alone. So I didn’t know what to expect when I went to the movie, but after seeing it, I think that even though the subject matter is dark, “Mockingjay Part 1” will pull most fans in emotionally. It is definitely worth seeing. “Mockingjay Part 1” came out on Novem-ber 21, picking up where its prequel “Catching Fire” left off. At the end of the previous movie “Catching Fire,” Katniss Everdeen finds out that her district, District 12, had been bombed and destroyed by the Capitol of Panem. “Mockingjay Part 1” begins with the after-

math of the second games. The victors who were rescued from the arena – Katniss (Jen-nifer Lawrence), Finn-ick (Sam Claflin) and Beetee (Jeffrey Wright) - are trying to adapt to the way of life in the underground District 13. It is pretty dismal. Everyone wears gray uniforms and rarely sees the outside. This gloomy District 13 is jarring but very well done as the crowded, dark place sets up the mood of the movie. Nothing could be fur-ther from the brightly colored, ostentatious Capitol. Katniss is dam-aged from the Hunger Games and distraught

that Peeta (Josh Hutch-erson), was left behind in the arena. Jennifer Lawrence’s performance carries the movie as she acts through her facial expressions and eyes,

moving from looking empty and full of despair to angry and rebellious. You can see her pain and wonder if she will ever recover. It’s hard to imagine her ever becoming the symbol of the revolution. But President Coin, a new role played by a cold-looking Julianne Moore, and Plutarch Heavenbee, played by the late Phil-lip Seymour Hoffman in a solid performance, know that they have to convince her to be just that. The first half of the movie focuses on wheth-er Katniss will be able to take on the role of the Mockingjay, the symbol of the revolution. The use of the media is crucial in the movie. As the Mockingjay, Katniss must spread the

message of revolution to the other districts. Cameras follow her everywhere, recording propaganda videos to prompt the districts to rebel against the Capitol. A crew records Katniss seeing her destroyed District 12. This is a truly emotional moment as she sees skulls piled up where they burned in the bombing. Again, the dark sets are effective and really set the mood of the film. One new cast member who stands out is Na-talie Dormer in the role of Cressida, the head of the media team. I could not help staring at her head which is shaved and tattooed on one side. She looks pretty tough and self-assured in a cool sort of way. I didn’t really miss the over the top, wealthy capitol with all its bright colors and crazy outfits and hair styles and fake sympathy. It is kind of nice to see that Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) also gets a makeover, with no makeup and no pink hair. She still cares how she looks and wears a head scarf to hide her hair, but in Dis-trict 13, with all the grays and dark colors, she begins to open up and show a stronger charac-ter. Some of you who are Team Peeta might miss the close scenes between Katniss and him, but

Team Gale should be happy. In “Mockingjay” he is no longer the character in the background with nothing to do. Liam Hemsworth does a good job showing his feelings for Katniss while respecting her feelings for Peeta. Without spoil-ing it, Peeta’s changes are really upsetting. “Mockingjay Part 1” does have some prob-lems. It is a little slow at first, but the ending is the main flaw. Every time a director splits a book in half, the whole flow of the movie is messed up. Just when I was sitting on the edge of my seat, the movie was over, leaving me wanting more. But I guess I’ll have to wait until next year.

Rating:

The beginning of a darker end: “Mockingjay Part 1”

Photo by Caroline Lowe“Mockingjay Part 1” created another box office hit this November, thrilling all.

“The gloomy Disatrict 13 is jarring but very well done as the crowded, dark space sets up the mood of the

movie”

”“

16Reviews Friday, December 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

By CARTER ENNISStaff Writer

Once again, as it has since the dawn of the Hallmark calendar, the holiday season has descended upon us. It is now time to gather around the fire with friends and loved ones, telling of triumphs and revelries of Christmases past. Or, you can be like me and scour the In-ternet for the weirdest, most esoteric Christmas related music that the web has to offer. Either way, I bring you a list of the top five worst (and I mean WORST) Christmas songs ever.

5) “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” by Elmo and Patsy Trigg This song, somewhat of a holiday humor sta-ple, is quite possibly one of the most annoying, forced holiday songs ever written. The instru-mentation is weak, the singer’s voice is annoy-ing, the song is as campy as Laney, and it is just an all-around terrible song. I highly recommend either changing the channel or turning off your radio if this piece of claptrap ever comes on.

4) “Carol of Bells” by Metallica Nope. You didn’t misread that. Metallica made a Christmas song. I honestly would not feel right telling you not to listen to this because it is so odd that you honestly have to listen to it to comprehend its strangeness. It’s Christmas meets metal. It’s awesome. Drop what you’re do-ing and go and listen to this disaster right now. You will not regret it.

3) “Dominick the Donkey” by Lou Monte This song quite literally epitomizes the “hokey Christ-mas song.” It has sleigh bells, animal noises and a terrible tendency to get stuck in your head. The song also may, in our new politically correct world, be considered cultur-ally insensitive. This is defi-nitely one of those songs that was amazing when you were a kid, but as you get older every time you hear that song you just want to suppress those memories with eggnog and gingerbread cookies.

2) LITERALLY EVERYTHING BY BRENDA LEE Brenda Lee is a valid reason to hate the Christmas season. Every time she sings, it sounds like someone stepped on 100 mice. Her voice is unbearable, as it even masks the gen-erally decent instrumentation that backs her songs.

1) David Bowie and Bing Crosby’s “Little Drummer Boy” This is the only song on the list that is, objec-tively speaking, actually fantastic. Just imagine David Bowie and ole Big Crosby, clad in his customary Christmas cardigan, standing awk-

wardly next to a piano as they begin one of the strangest duets in the history of mankind. That’s exactly what the video is like. Worlds truly did collide the day those two sang together. It’s not that either Crosby or Bowie delivered a poor performance, but it is rather the looming awk-wardness that ruined this song. Folks, it was the 70’s. Those poor souls had no idea what they were doing. You really need to see it to believe it. Whilst I do not necessarily condone listening to the song itself, its video however, is something that you should experience.

5 reasons to cut off your ears this holiday season

Photo by Thomas CooneyJunior Carter Ennis wishes he had better Christmas music than Metallica covers.

17ReviewsFriday, December 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

By CASEY FANStaff Writer

The holiday season has finally arrived, and that means the come-back of the candy cane. Whether used as decorations around the house or simply devoured for pleasure, the original red-and-white striped peppermint candy canes have evolved into a variety of flavors and tastes. The Sword & Shield staff decided to spend a class sampling candy canes. Here are the results:

Hershey’s Chocolate MintRating: 5/5Taste: A candy cane that fuses just the right amount of mint flavor and just the right amount of chocolate flavor to create an unexpectedly delicious combination. This candy cane would go perfectly well mixed with tea or hot chocolate. The pos-sibilities to indulge yourself with this treat are endless.

Sour Patch KidsRating: 2.5/5Taste: The intensity of the sourness completely takes you by surprise

and makes you recoil in disgust initially but loses its taste very quickly. While some may enjoy the tang, this biting sensation certainly isn’t for everyone. The candy cane comes in a variety of flavors, but overall it’s too sour to even distinguish among them.

King LeoRating: 4.5/5Taste: The peppermint flavor is balanced harmoniously with the sweetness of the candy. It is hard at first but dissolves into a smoother and softer texture the longer it stays in your mouth. Then it evolves into a more mellow, rich and full dimension of taste. King Leo is the quintes-sential brand because of a perfect consistency and a perfect blend of flavor.

Jolly RancherRating: 4/5Taste: A surge of fruitiness splash-es throughout your mouth as you delve into this Jolly-Rancher based candy cane. Each different flavor provides a distinct burst of

tanginess and tartness. Although certainly delectable, lacks its own original spin.

Regular PeppermintRating: 3/5Taste: The original, classic pepper-

mint flavor: very cold to the mouth and leaves an intense, chilling but refreshing aftertaste. The strong savor of the mint can make the mouth feel slightly numb.

Christmas candy cane frenzy

Photo by Sarah Beth Daniel Candy canes of all flavors are on the market today, and it’s important to know which ones help or hurt the holiday cheer.

18Reviews Friday, December 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

By LILY SMITHStaff Writer

Pizza 120 opened in its new location off of Highway 280 near Mountain Brook Village (right next door to Planet Smoothie) on Oc-tober 10. Since its opening, the restaurant has been all the rage. A trip to Pizza 120 is not your average fast food experience. This restaurant creates the same warm, welcoming atmosphere as a dine-in restaurant while providing the effi-ciency and timeliness of a fast-food drive-thru.

Overall: 4/5 StarsService: Excellent. The employees are friendly, a range of toppings and options for your pizza are available and the pizza is cooked quickly (Ready in 120 seconds - Hence the name Pizza 120!).

Taste: Okay. Not the best pizza in the world, but not bad. I ordered the pepperoni pizza, and it was not fully cooked. My friend, how-ever, loved her pesto chicken pizza.

Price: Pretty good. There is one size only (personal size 10-inch), and the prices range from a simple cheese pizza at $5.99 to a build-your-own style pizza at $7.99. There is no extra charge for additional toppings, which is always a plus.

Final Verdict: Pizza 120 is a great place to swing by and eat fresh pizza for a quick dinner with friends or family at a reasonable cost. However, if you are searching for the best piz-za in town, you may want to look elsewhere.

Pizza 120: perfect pizza your way

By COKE MATTHEWSOpinions Editor

I can tell the holidays are com-ing. According to the endless Inter-net pop-up ads, there are a stagger-ing number of new gadgets that are apparently the key to my happiness. Upon seeing these holiday ads, I eagerly rushed to Best Buy to get a look at the hottest new technology gifts. It did not take long for me to realize that Best Buy might not be the best place to search for cutting edge products. When you enter the store and ask about the hottest selling gifts, the salesperson first guides you to the gaming section to show you the new Xbox platform that has amaz-ing graphics and allows for digital

downloads of new games. If a love of music is mentioned, the next stop is an overwhelming array of wireless speakers, portable music de-vices and an impres-sive display of the familiar Beats By Dre headphones. The camera sec-tion includes every size and style of cam-era known, including an underwater one

that would be a great gift for some-one who is planning an island va-cation. The GoPro section offers an adventurous way to capture videos, but I wouldn’t advise buying this gadget, since the iPhone’s camera satisfies most people. The salespeople at Best Buy and the AT&T store all wear the new Samsung Gear phone around their wrist like a watch. Until the device is comparable in power, speed and usability to a smartphone, this may not make a good gift, not to men-tion how pretentious it is to wear a smartwatch on your wrist when you already have a smartphone in your pocket. Best Buy offers just about every

mobile phone manufacturer and service provider. Thinner, brighter, lighter, bigger. They all run togeth-er after awhile. Do you see a pat-tern here? New colors, sizes, faster and better, but basically the same gadgets, with one key difference: more expensive. A trip back to the clearance section yielded one nugget: The Basketball Blast, a precision motion sensor that helps players monitor and improve their shooting form. There’s a Blast for golfers and tennis players too. Right next door is a section of products that provides digital feedback to people about their activities, fitness and health. Comically, there was an electric toothbrush with an LED monitor in this section. Now that’s a cutting edge gift. After my trip to Best Buy, I realized that the Internet was the only hope to find truly new products, ones that Best Buy has not yet discovered. A quick web search of “craziest gadgets” uncovered a heated steering wheel cover and, what every-

one needs, a 3D printer that prints candy. My greatest discovery, howev-er, was the Nic Cage Windshield Wiper. The Nic Wiper is a device that attaches an image of Nicolas Cage to your vehicle’s rear window wiper that makes it look like Cage is waving at the folks behind you. Best Buy actually may carry the Nick Saban version. While this mainly strays from the popular idea of buying expen-sive pieces of technology for less than appreciative recipients, it truly is the thought that counts. While Apple and Microsoft strive to make the latest gadgets obsolete and de-plete your wallet doing so, the best holiday gifts are cheaper and a bit more thoughtful.

Brilliant Best Buy gifts for the holidays

Photo by Coke MatthewsBest Buy displays the latest models of the Beats by Dre

headphones.

Photo courtesy of animalnewyork.com If you’re on your best behavior this Christmas, maybe Santa would get you a Nicholas Cage windshield wiper decal.

Photo by Lily SmithPizza 120 on Highway 280 is a great spot for some fresh and fast food without the stereotypical options.

19OpinonsFriday, December 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

By BROOKE TUCKERStaff Writer

Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells! No. Even before Halloween, radio stations began playing Christmas music. I’ll admit, I love to get into the Christmas spirit. It’s easily my favorite time of the year. But when you haven’t even started think-ing about what to be for Hallow-een, and Christmas music blares through your speakers, people be-gin to get the holiday spirit drained right out of them.

Christmas season is supposed to be considered the “most wonderful time of the year.” It’s a time where families come together to reunite and mingle during the holidays. But honestly, by the time Christmas actually arrives, nothing feels dif-ferent from the prior two months. Stores and radio stations ad-vertise the spirit of Christmas and build it up so much that when the time actually comes, both adults and children are let down. It’s al-most as if Christmas is over-rated. Don’t get me wrong, I love getting into the holiday spirit. But hearing and seeing all of the Christmas advertisements and decorations months in advance really dampens the fresh, fun feeling of the season. When you’re driving around and it’s still sunny and warm outside and you see “Christmas trees for sale” on a store sign, you question why they are even wasting their

time promoting that. Who would even buy a Christmas tree that early? I believe that every holiday should be celebrated to the fullest. Celebrations are always a great thing. But no one should have to drive through town and become overwhelmed by the insanely early Christmas decorations when most people haven’t even made Thanks-giving plans yet. It's one day of the year, so to be bombarded with advertising and decorations two months every year in preparation for one day per year is depressing. Every year, Christ-mas movies, sales and music start earlier and earlier. Christmas is be-coming too commercialized. Rath-er than being about the traditional values of the Christmas spirit, all it has come down to is making a profit. That's not what Christmas is about, and it's just making it harder

and harder to get into the Christ-mas spirit. Christmas is the most perfect time of year, but it won’t be if we treat it as an any-day-in-October-or-November affair. Christmas will be here in due time, but when we start now, we are sick to death of the most joyous holiday before its proper time has come.

“Tis the season” coming too early

Cartoon by Claire DavisGreetings from Australia, where our Santa surfs instead of bundling up!

20Opinions Friday, December 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

E l f o n t h e S h e l f : a t r a d i t i o n o r a m e n a c e ?

By LEIGH LEWISStaff Writer

Elf on the Shelf is a tradition many families adopt during the Christmas holiday. At the start of December, a parent will put out an elf for his or her children to en-hance their holiday experience. Once their children go to sleep, parents will arrange the elves so they appear to have made a mess or done something creative. When the children wake up, they are excited because they believe their elves have come to life during the night. Elves enhance the holidays for children and families, and there are many reasons why they should continue to be a family tradition. Elves are a great embodiment of the Christmas spirit. They inspire fam-ilies to really get into the Christmas

holiday. Elf on the Shelf also brings families together. It is always fun for children to run downstairs in the morning to search for their elves, and parents enjoy watching their kids get so excited. Elves create unforgettable mem-ories. Even high schoolers remem-ber things their elves did when they were little. Sophomore Lee Knight, for example, remembers coming into the kitchen and finding that her elves had rolled the room with red streamers. Most importantly, Elf on the Shelf brings happiness and delight to children; it brings joy into their hearts. Children grow up with the memory of waking up to a cheerful surprise and being excited to see what their elves will do. The Elf on the Shelf tradition will stay with these children forever.

Elf on the Shelf: a tradition that brings cheer to children

Photo by Leigh Lewis

By SARAH BETH DANIELStaff Writer

Elf on a Shelf: what was intend-ed to be a cute Christmas tradition has never before taken such a sharp term into the realm of pure creepy. Children who beg their parents each year for an Elf on a Shelf do not fully realize how disturbing this beady eyed Christmas gremlin is. First, let’s review the story. In order to keep an eye on all the children of the world, Santa sends one of his elves to “watch and report on all that the kids do.” Every night while the children sleep, the elves fly back to the North Pole – yes, fly – to report ev-ery single little thing the child has done, good or bad, to “the Boss.” However, before they wake up, the elf will hide in a new place somewhere in their house and makes a “game” of it. Pardon me, but after seeing Jigsaw, the unforgettably disturbing puppet-doll in Saw, I wouldn’t want to be any part of any game any creepy doll suggests. The actual elf doll, which comes with the book, has such an appearance that it would be more suited as a side kick to the doll in “The Conjur-ing” rather than a beloved part of your childhood Christmas. It’s also very con-cerning that the only two standing rules for the Elf on a Shelf, is that you are not allowed to touch the

Elf and that the Elf is not allowed to speak while listening to every-thing you say. However, I’ll leave that for now. There is more than one version of Elf on a Shelf. The one I grew up with goes as such: Santa has some elves which are misbehaving in the North Pole. Fed up with their constant shenanigans – which may or may not be malevolent – he then sends them to children’s homes around the globe in hopes that they will straighten up and come home after Christmas. I would like to say that even as a child I thought that this was suspi-cious in itself. If Saint Nick couldn’t trust his little helpers, what made anyone think it was a good idea to send them to children? Supposedly, the elf dolls come alive while you sleep and run around the house and move objects and generally make a mess before hiding where you have to find them the next day. I am not a generally superstitious person. However, after seeing “Paranormal Activity” and “Ghost Hunters” one too many times, I would not be comfortable with a small Christmas imp hav-ing free run of the house while I’m asleep, but that’s just me.

Photo by Sarah Beth Daniel

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Elf on a Shelf:the truely creepy Christmas tradition