“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart. ” [Elizabeth Andrew]

Inside ...Venezuela Referendum Passes [2]

“It’s just a job. Grass grows, birds fl y, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.” [Mohammed Ali]

Highs and Lowsfrom the NFL Draft

[B7]Wrapping upwith softball

[B8]

SpeciallySports...

Road trips were memorable [B5]

The old Ball and chain

[B8]

Advocate Speaks Out[B10]

Journalistsin West

Nowheresville[B4]

Farewell, from the longest-

tenured sports guy [B5]

Martial Artsin Martinez

[B7]

University of Tampa

News.................[1-5]Commentary.. [13-16]Editorial ...........[15] A&E ...............[7-11]Sports ..........[17-20]

Florida’s Top College Paper

By Olivia GlynnAsst. Sports Editor

See “BBBS” [3]

Domestic Abuse [16]

Student off to Harvard [4]

Diversity Fellowship [13]

Spring Dance Concert[9]

Vol. 75 No. 21 ut.minaret@gmail.com www.theminaretonline.com February 27, 2009

Basketball Postseason [17]

By Jillian Randel Staff Writer

View From the Top: Osprey Gets Birds-Eye View

By Delaney SpoerlStaff Writer

UT Security Normal for Spring Break

See “Security” [5]

See “Osprey”

[18]

Underground Wrestler [4]

Big Brothers Big Sisters Seeks UT for Help

For many of the lucky students who attend the University of Tam-pa, it is hard to imagine a child-hood that lacks the encouragement to discover new possibilities. The first time a child learns a lesson, whether it be one they carry with them forever or simply a trick, the person who shared that knowledge is never forgotten. Big Brothers Big Sisters is a non-profit organi-zation, providing grown up friends to children that need mentors in their lives. To those that brush the idea off, the fact that there are 800 children on the waiting list in the Tampa Bay area should cause a reason for second thought.

In 2008, Big Brothers Big Sis-ters matched 2,250 children with mentors in Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties. With the eco-nomic downfall in the last year, it has left many more children, approximately 800 and counting, stuck on this waiting list. De Anne Sheffield, chief development offi-cer and VP of partnership develop-ment at BBBS said, “The econom-ic crisis has impacted our agency in many ways: we now see more families who need our services;

companies aren't able to give em-ployees an hour off to mentor as much as they used to.”

The types of children in the BBBS program come from many different backgrounds including those at great risk of involvement in the juvenile justice system, those with incarcerated parents, children who have witnessed or experienced domestic violence, ones that struggle with low self-esteem, peer pressure and children from single-parent homes in need of mentoring. What many people don’t know is the difference one

hour a week can make in these children’s lives.

The Juvenile Justice sys-tem reports that it costs taxpayers $60,000 to pay for a child in Ju-venile detention. With 130 known gangs in Hillsborough County, the 800 children on the BBBS waiting list are those with the best chances of becoming involved. People join gangs for protection, sense of be-longing, personal attention and material wealth. Studies show that

Anyone in attendance at a University of Tampa base-ball game is sure to notice what sits atop a pole down the right field line, a large birds nest. The nest is home to an osprey, one of the largest birds of prey in North America.

Ospreys are known for building their nests on man-made structures such as telephone poles, as well as platforms built for them in or-der to rees-tablish them into areas w h e r e t h e y had

Although a large majority of students will be gone over spring break, the status of the security office on campus will remain the same.

Students should practice more caution, however, because the de-creased traffic means that there are fewer people around to notice or help with an incident.

However, UT security will stay the same. Jackie Smith, Cam-pus Safety and Security office shift supervisor, said that all the dorms and buildings will be manned with the same amount of personnel as usual.

“Our situation at security does not change during spring break, we take our vacations during the summertime,” she said.

But students are still advised to be cautious. "Students should make sure that they lock the doors to their rooms and their suites.

Also, students should take more preventative measures by not allowing their friends to use

Fans of public nudity, stolen cookies and the deathgrip of the agent of love will get their wish as Gym Class Heroes will headline this

year’s Party in the Park on Sunday, April 19.At the Campus Movie Fest finale, Student Productions announced

that the popular fusion band will perform at this year’s spring concert

in Plant Park.“The band is way different from last year,” said Mykie Shapiro,

the music chair for Student Productions. “I heard they are amazing live and I’m really looking forward to working with them.”

Venezuela Referendum Passes [2]

Domestic Abuse [16]

Student off to Harvard [4]

Diversity Fellowship [13]

Spring Dance Concert[9]Basketball Postseason [17]

April 19

PlantPark

See “Story” [9]

Blogs from Overtime [19]

Photo by bbbsfl.orgPhoto by Olivia Glynn

Photo Illustration by Max Roberts

The Minaret is a weekly student-run publication of the

University of Tampa. As a student organization, The

Minaret invites all students to take part in its production. Inquiries and comments may be sent to ut.minaret@gmail.com

Your first two copies of The Minaret are free.

Each additional copy is $1.00.

You can reach The Minaret directly at (813) 257-3636

Check out TheMinaretOnline.com

for up-to-the-minute information on top

stories and breaking news.

Staff-At-LargeJosh Kratovil,Staff Assistant

Sarah Gottlieb, Staff WriterJillian Randel, Staff Writer JP Busche, Staff WriterDelaney Spoerl, Staff WriterThiago Queiroz, Staff WriterErika Escobar, Staff WriterMegan Smith, Staff WriterAustin Daniels, Cartoonist

Max Roberts, ArtistAbby Sanford, Photographer

Kara Wall, PhotographerJohn Meacham, Photographer

Elizabeth Harm, A&EKadie Hayward, A&EKristen Vasquez, A&EShelby Kuni, SportsOlivia Glynn, SportsKyle Bennett, SportsSamuel Gerb, Sports

Shannon Grippando, Copy Editor

Editor-in-ChiefPeter Arrabal

parrabal@gmail.com

Asst. Editor-in-ChiefCharlie Hambos

chambos@ut.edu

News EditorEllery McCardleminaret.news@gmail.com

Commentary EditorDerrick Austin

minaret.commentary@gmail.com

Sports EditorBobby Winsler

minaret.sports@gmail.com

Online EditorAlex Vera

minaret.online@gmail.com

Head PhotographerMindy Tucker

mindy.minaret@gmail.com

AdviserCharles McKenzie

charles.mckenzie@ut.edu

A&E EditorMel Steiner

minaret.arts@gmail.com

The Minaret | February 27, 2009 2 NewsUT Venezuelan Students React to Referendum Passage By Jillian Randel Staff Writer

By Rebecca Zimmer Staff Writer

Post-Election: UT Democrats Keep Campaigning

The recent election has re-sulted in more Democratic support nation wide then in any previous election in American history.

The involvement among UT students has made the UT Demo-crats an increasingly popular or-ganization and has enabled them to contribute outside the state bor-ders.

On Feb. 20, Kristen Bell and Siobhan Harley, two UT juniors and members of the UT Demo-crats, traveled to NYC to attend a Young Democrats conference. The conference largely focused on ways to keep the Democratic Party moving forward.

The change in presidency caused the conference to have a different outlook this year.

“The whole party is different now; its going through a transfor-mation,” Kristen Bell said.

We are trying to seize what we have in addition to keeping it going.”

The attendees of the confer-ence were reminded that elections do not only happen every four years and that the presidential campaign is not the only democratic position that needs attention.

Elections take place all of the time and the more democrats in of-fice the more powerful they are as

a party. Voter disenfranchisement was

also a large issue discussed. Harley and Bell attended a

seminar focused on this issue and Harley noted, “It is a huge issue everywhere and our big thing is to ensure that all UT students are able to vote.”

Florida’s publicity over voter disenfranchisement has prompted many other UT students to get involved in voter issues and help develop preventative measures to minimize the reoccurrence of this problem in the future.

Chris Brown, a UT senior and president of the UT Democrats and vice chair of the Hillsbor-ough County Democratic Execu-tive Committee (HCDEC), said his job is to encourage all young democrates to get involved.

“Even though the presidential season is over, that we shouldn’t get down. There are other impor-tant issues that we need to focus on, such as Fair Districting, which a petition that we are working to-wards to put certain parameters to make it fair for all candidates.”

UT Democrats are also get-ting involved in other off campus activities.

A field organizer frequents UT Democratic meetings to inform the member of what internships are available. Information pertaining

be on long-term effects. “Government,” Bell stated

“isn’t supposed to be shady, keep things from you, or lie to you, and that is the feeling they got from previous years during the Bush ad-ministration.”

Americans seem to have a lot of hope in Obama and realize what a difficult job has just been placed on him. It all goes back to Obam-as’ words, “Yes we can.”

If anyone is interested in join-ing the UT Democrats, meetings are held every other Tuesday and students may join the UT College Democrats Facebook group.

Venezuela passed a refer-endum last week that will allow President Hugo Chavez, as well as all other publicly-elected officials, to run for office indefinitely. The referendum passed with a vote of 54 percent to 46 percent. While many supporters of the referen-dum cheered in the streets, there were others who expressed less than enthusiastic feelings. UT stu-dents Carlos Acedo and Jean Paul Behrens shared their thoughts with The Minaret on the constitutional change that occurred in their home country.

Do you think that Chavez passed the referendum fairly?

Carlos Acedo: Yes and no. The official results show that he actually won. Since he first won the election, he has been taking control of all the institutions of the government. The current vice president of Venezuela also used to be head of the organization that controls elections. This is just one example of how Chavez has too much influence on the formal or-ganizations in the country.

Jean Pierre Behrens: Not at all. For example, I couldn’t vote. The consulate in Miami would not let me register. Imagine all the people that are outside Venezuela that couldn’t do that.

Chavez could not pass the referendum allowing indefinite terms in 2007. How was he able to pass it now?

CA: What Chavez wanted to do was a complete overhaul of the constitution. One of the major laws he wanted to pass was this referendum. He took all the major changes he wanted to make and broke them down into little pack-

ages of laws, and he is going to try to pass them progressively, not all at once as before. The change would have been too extreme and he realized that.

In the new referendum, he included a provision that said all government officials could run for indefinite terms. Do you think that was a huge factor?

CA: He realized that if he was the only one to be re-elected, he would not have the support of the people in the congress that could actually vote for this referendum. When he switched the referendum to allow all public officials the chance to be re-elected for indefi-nite terms, he gained the support of all of the people of his party. Even if someone other than Chavez comes into power, nobody is going to take that law away. Power cor-rupts people, and that is one law that allows people to become more corrupted. If you stay in power for too long, at some point you be-come a tyrant. I think it hurts the democracy.

What are the chances that someone will actually beat him in the next elections?

JPB: I am always on the posi-tive side of things. I always tell ev-eryone we have to fight for 2012. Many people did not vote in this election. If we actually get people to vote, we could still beat him. We have beaten him before. It is just that the opposition right now is so disorganized.

CA: At this point, I don’t think that somebody will be able to take him out of office without a fair election process. Chavez has complete control of the political institutions in Venezuela. There are twenty-two states and twenty of the governors are from his par-ty. He controls pretty much 90 per-

cent of the country.What is the general feeling

in Venezuela about the referen-dum passing?

CA: From what I heard, peo-ple are really depressed. You can actually notice an atmosphere of failure in the people. Everybody was feeling like they could have done something, but didn’t. Some people were really mad about those who didn’t actually vote around 33 percent. With that 33 percent you could have made a difference and stopped the process.

What do you think a Venezu-ela with Chavez in power would look like?

JPB: Venezuela is in such dis-organization. For example, the cen-tral bank accounting and auditing have to be released to the public so that everyone can see the balance

Photo by Antoshko/flikr.com

to internships may also be obtained through the field office.

The first 100 days of a newly elected president are always cru-cial.

No president has ever matched the accomplishments that FDR made in his first 100 days, but the American public has high hopes for Obama.

Many eyes are on him to see what he is going to do and how certain changes are going to be made. Obama has always said that it isn’t going to be easy; it’s going to take time.

It is important to see what happens in the first 100 days, but the focus, Bell emphasized, should

sheet of the central bank. That pro-cedure has been lagging for a year and a half, so there is a whole year and a half of operations that are un-accounted for.

If Chavez stays in power, imagine how it will be. The social side would be even worse. Before Chavez there were social divisions, but we still managed to live togeth-er happily. We were the most capi-talistic society in Latin America.

Not everyone was rich, but we still got along. Now there is a lot of resentment towards those who have things. Socially, classes resent each other and we have social insecurity. I just can’t see a happy future with Chavez in power.

Jillian Randel can be reached to jillianrandel@yahoo.com

Photo by Robert Willett/MCT

At the end of the fall semes-ter, the ordering procedure at the Grille in Spartan Club was re-modeled.

Previously, students would place their order in the computer system and the people cooking the food would know what was ordered.

Once the food was received, a receipt would be given to the student who would take it to the register.

Recently, the process has

changed, and the receipt is auto-matically printed for the student, who then takes it to The Grille and hands it to the cook to place an order.

When asked if this has be-come an inconvenience, fresh-man Meghan Dias said, “It’s not really annoying or anything, I just forgot to give the guy my re-ceipt the first time and ended up waiting for a while.”

Amy Truong, the general manager of Sodexo dining ser-vices at UT, said she was not aware of the reasoning behind the modification.

She explained that it is pos-sible this happened because the printer system behind the Grille would malfunction every so of-ten.

The Minaret was the first to come to dining services about this adjustment. While there have been no substantial problems, the reasoning behind this remains unexplained as of press time.

Delaney Spoerl can be reached at delaney83090@ya-hoo.com

Last Monday,Reeves The-ater was once again filled with film aficionados. Professor Tom Gar-rett coordinated the visit of Gregg Hale, the producer of the indepen-dent film, Blair Witch Project.

Hale, who was born in Selma, Alabama, studied one year at West-ern Kentucky University, before he ran out of money and joined the army for four years. After he was done with military service, he decided to go to Orlando.

Having just $20 in his pock-ets, he moved to Orlando where he attended Va-lencia Commu-nity College and the University of Central Florida to study film.

Hale then moved to Los An-geles but quickly came back to Or-lando. There, he met with people he enjoyed work-ing with while in college. The

group came up with the idea for "Blair Witch Project."

“We tried to get funding by telling the investor the story would be real, but as soon as we told them it is fiction, they lost inter-est,” Hale said.

The group came up with a budget of $22,000 and managed to create the financially most suc-cessful independent film ever made, generating over 200 million dollars in box office revenue.

3The Minaret | February 27, 2009 NewsFrom “BBBS”: Front

after children join the BBBS pro-gram, they are 52 percent less like-ly to skip school, 27 percent less likely to begin using alcohol, 46 percent less likely to begin using illegal drugs, 33 percent less like-ly to hit someone, become more confident of their performance in school work and get along with their family and peers better.

A more unfortunate statistic is that 70 percent of the volunteers for BBBS are women while major-ity of the children on the waiting list are male. For a young boy to qualify for the program, he must not have a male idol in his life. Whether it be the fact that many adult males don’t know about the program or don’t find it to be of interest, it is important that they become more involved. Sheffield said, “You'd be surprised how an hour a week can make a huge difference in the life of a child, whether it's helping with home-work, playing ball, or just hanging out. Many children who don't care about school begin showing up on time because they don't want to miss seeing their Big.”

BBBS is aware that volunteers don’t always have a lot of time to give. When asked if interested in the program, freshman Pat Burris explained, “ I don’t think I would have enough time in my week to do that.”

Fortunately there is more then one option. There is the traditional, community based program, where a mentor is paired with a child, spending a couple hours a week together, riding bikes, playing games, visiting the library or sim-ply staying in. For those who have a more hectic weekly schedule,

there is the site-based program, where the match meets during the workday or at an after-school program one hour a week at the child’s school. There are many el-ementary schools in the area that need mentors, so students with out a car here at UT can easily become a part of this program.

The main concern of vol-unteers is getting along with the child or coming up with things to do, but BBBS provides mentors that are always there to help with these problems and give sugges-tions. It is a common concern for many when getting started, but stories like the one about Marlie and Kerry make it much easier to comprehend the magic these men-tor’s bring to a child’s life.

“Little Sister Marlie and Big Sister Kerry Sapp first met through the Take Stock program. They were matched for more than two years. Marlie is an accomplished cello player and has won numer-ous awards and honors, including the opportunity to play at Carnegie Hall. Kerry helped Marlie research scholarships and grants for col-lege, and the hard work paid off.

Marlie earned several scholar-ships including Take Stock and will be attending the University of Tampa, majoring in music. In a letter, Marlie wrote, "Ms. Kerry was like an angel sent from God. I was blessed to have her as my Big Sister." Kerry considers blessed as well to be a part of Marlie's life.”

Getting involved is easy, public awareness has become the dilemma. The P.E.A.C.E volun-teer office on the second floor of Vaughn is asking people to ap-ply for the coordinating position for next semester between BBBS and UT. With a coordinator in the P.E.A.C.E office, students will be able to join the program through the university. As of now, any vol-unteer who wants to join BBBS is referred to the website where they can sign up. It is work-study po-sition and the person needs to be available for students who are in-terested in signing up along with answering their questions. Molly Murphy, a UT senior and volun-teer in the P.E.A.C.E office said, “We’re really looking forward to someone who is dedicated and

wants to expand the program.” Not only would this person make students more aware of the need for BBBS in the Tampa Bay area, important fundraisers like the larg-est annual campaign for children “Bowl for Kids Sake” would be-come even more of a success.

“Bowl for Kids Sake” is a campaign guided towards raising money for matches in the BBBS program and helping at risk chil-dren in the Tampa Bay area. They currently need team captains who will recruit people to be on their

teams of five. Sponsors can be found online, making the process much easier. Not only will these teams be helping the children in the organization, complimentary food, prizes, bowling games and a great time will be provided. The games take place March 14, 21, 29 and April 25. For more informa-tion email Connie Murphy at con-nie.Murphy@bbbs.org.

For more information about the coordinator position in the P.E.A.C.E office contact Mike Seitzler at mseitzler@ut.edu.

The Grille Receipt Change Causes Major Mix-up

A Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor with his menteePhoto by bbbsfl.org

A Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor blows bubbles with her menteePhoto by bbbsfl.org

By Delaney Spoerl Staff Writer

Photo by Mindy Tucker

“Blair Witch Project” Director Visits UT

By JP Busche Staff Writer

From Oxford to Harvard, Student Prepare Distinguished School The Minaret | February 27, 2009 4

UT Student Rides Out Passion for BMX at Local Bro Bowl

Photo by Charlie Hambos

News

By Annie OrbanStaff Writer

Harvard has only been a dream school for most students but for one University of Tampa student, that dream was in arm’s reach. Senior Charlie Connally has just been accepted to Harvard Law School.

“I didn’t even think it was possible,” Connally said.

Connally said he was on edge all week waiting to hear back from the school.

“I was having the worst day ever and I remember getting back to my room and seeing that 617 area code on my caller ID,” he said.

Immediately returning the call, a woman gave him with the news of his acceptance.

“It took all of my composure not to yell in her ear,” he said.

He said his mom was thrilled to hear the news too.

“She’s spent the past two weeks trying to track down my kindergarten teacher,” he said.

Connally said with a full schedule of honors classes, band practice, and basketball practice, he has always been disciplined. He said the memory of his father’s passing when he was 14 is what kept him motivated when times got tough.

“He’s my inspiration. He’s who I keep working hard for,” he said.

Connally is a Criminology and Government major who grew up in the Tampa area.

“I’m going to miss the weath-er here. It’s been my home for the

last 14 years,” Con-nally said.

Connally also attended Oxford through the Honors Program where he made try-outs for their basketball team without even realiz-ing it.

“I thought it was for club basketball, then I found out I was on the team,” said Connally.

Working all

Wearing a cape and crown has become a weekly routine for soph-omore Jeremy Donovan.

Each Friday night with Lady Lockheart by his side “The Maj-esty Jon Juris” is ready for his match.

Growing up in Tampa, major-ing in Communication, Donovan is part of “Global Underground Wrestling.”

A group of friends who wres-tled in high school have turned their idea of fun into a reality.

This group of friend’s practice each week, taping a “Friday Night Inferno” that is posted on youtube accessible to anyone to see.

There is a storyline behind each wrestling match with each

person having his or her own char-acter.

“I think I am the king and I talk in an English accent,” said Donovan.

But practice is not only about preparing for matches but it is also a time for these wrestlers to perfect and learn new moves.

No one in Global Underground Wrestling has had a serious injury but some of the moves look quite dangerous to the on looking eye.

Suplex, one of the most basic wrestling moves consists of some-one hooking their arm over the op-ponents head, picking them up and slamming them back down.

“You know who is going to win at each match, there are certain spots you plan out,” said Donovan. “But most of the time whatever happens, happens.”

Each person has signature moves.

“Royal mutilation is one of mine,” said Donovan. “It’s when you hook one arm over and one arm under and land the person on their face.”

The other move is known as a submission hold and is when a person is held to tap out and give up the match.

Donovan’s interest in wres-tling started from age two when he would watch wrestling matches on TV with his grandfather and to this day watches wrestling matches from home.

Global Underground Wres-tling held their first match in No-vember of 2007 and had an audi-ence of 40 people.

Cheer Tampa’s Gym was so generous in letting the team prac-

tice in their gym that they gave all of the money they earned on ad-mission back to them.

Saturday Feb. 21 Global Un-derground Wrestling is holding

another match at the Cheer Tampa Gym off Himes.

They are open for more people to join whether it is for wrestling, referees, or announcers.

Childhood Inspires Student’s Underground Wrestling Club By Michelle MagnerStaff Writer

By Amanda PriceSpecial to The Minaret

Jeremy Donovan gets ready to wrestle at his Global Underground Wrestling Photo by Jeremy Donovan

Scott Ehlert does a no-handed foot jam Photo by Scott Ehlert

through college, Connally had jobs at Hollywood Video, Radio Shack, Gateways mentoring and now works as a Resident Assistant for the Honors floor in the Frank P. Urso dorm.

In his spare time, Connally enjoys reading comic books and working out. His freshman and

He came bolting through the Vaughn Center, a big smile on his face. He extended his hand.

"Whats up, Charlie," I asked. I hadn't seen Charlie since last spring, since he spent the last semester across the pond at Ox-ford.

"I got into Harvard Law," he beamed.

There was really nothing more to say than just, "Wow."

Seniors are scrambling to find post-graduation plans. Med-ical school, graduate school and actual jobs are at the forefront of everyone's mind right now, but

By Peter Arrabal Editor-in-chief

sophomore year, he participated in the Iron Man competitions.

He recently visited Harvard with the UT Honors Program to partake in the Harvard Model UN. He represented the country Togo.

Although he was invited to apply at Yale, Connally is certain that Harvard is where he will be

residing this fall.“I’m expecting cold weather

and a lot of reading. My glasses prescription will most definitely go up,” he said.

Connally says there is a simple strategy used in gaining success.

“Just go to class and work hard.”

Charlie Connally's next few years are set.

The future lawyer has trav-eled a long road at the University of Tampa, and an even longer road in life.

He was in the first class I ever walked into at UT. He was the qui-et-yet-outspoken guy, the one who suffered through the loss of his father, who lived off campus, and who always had something to say.

The most interesting thing about him was that he knew every-thing about movies that was pos-sible.

The shift manager at Hol-lywood Videos, Connally spent mornings, afternoons and nights at work. Sometime between all of that, he came to our Composition & Rhetoric I class.

Over the rest of our aca-demic careers, our classes rarely intertwined. We shared one more

class, a one-time class with Dr. Anne Stockdell-Giesler. I think I learned more from that class than any other.

Connally succeeded (obvi-ously) and went to Oxford. He sent me a few Facebook mes-sages, asking to write for The Minaret.

(By the way, I'm still wait-ing for that, Charlie.)

The news that he had gotten into Harvard Law was a great joy for me.

The economy is in the tank, we aren't supposed to travel to Mexico, my neighbor was just evicted and his house foreclosed on, but at least a bright spot can shine through -- a man I met the first time I stepped into a UT classroom has achieved what is considered a pinnacle of under-graduate achievement.

Congrats, Charlie Connally.

Charlie Connally Is Proud Example of UT Success

Only a 10-minute ride from the University of Tampa, there is a bike rider's haven found in the Bro Bowl used by athletes as far back as the 70s.

Few students take advantage of the park, but even fewer have the passion and talent Scott Elhert does for BMX riding and bicycle motorcross.

The famous Bro Bowl is eas-ily his favorite hangout. Florida weather allows him to ride there three or four times a week, es-sentially every week of the school year.

Elhert practices while lis-tening to Radioplay, Lifehouse, Brand New or Angels & Airwaves,

among other bands. Before he was an insider at the park, Elhert dis-covered the patience it takes to learn BMX tricks.

He knows how important full commitment is; a rider cannot be careless. A self-taught rider, Elhert gave BMX his total effort. "It's worth it," he says, despite a broken shoulder on two occasions.

He began riding five years ago in his hometown of Chicago, Ill., where he was inspired by demos and the chance to meet profes-sional riders.

The X-Games are a must-see for Elhert each winter and sum-mer. Garrett Reynold and Jamie Bestwick are Elhert's favorite rid-ers, because, he explains, "anyone who's unique in their riding is worth looking up to."

He has no interest in compet-ing, as only some of the Bro Bowl riders are sponsored in competi-tions. Elhert is content with trying

new tricks and pushing himself to go all-out in his attempts. In com-petition, he says, "I would end up hurting myself."

BMX for him is a passion, not a contest. His favorite ac-complished tricks are the nothing (no hands or feet in the air), the no-footed x-up (twist handlebars) and the no-footed cancan (one handed).

Then there are the variations of the classic 360, such as the one-hander and tire grab.

Of course, Elhert strays from the regular tricks and creates his own, giving them unique names.

His no-handed smith-grind places his back tire on the ramp with the front peg grinding. A no-handed 360 requires the rider to squeeze the bike with their knees,

something he is working toward.Elhert sets up a video cam-

era on occasion to film his riding. BMX is a huge part of his life.

He describes the adrenaline build and gives his perspective on extreme sports, like his other fa-vorites, skateboarding and snow-boarding: "There are followers and there are leaders."

He would love it if more UT students were BMX riders. The best advice Elhert can give is to have a lot of fun, a lot of patience and to leave a cocky attitude be-hind.

His future will keep him at the park out of love for the sport, but his career will bring him to the fi-nancial industry due to his love of the stock market.

Senior Graduation Party, April 18 8 p.m.-midnight. •

For all finance appropriations, email Morgan at • mtanafon@ut.edu

The Food Committee is looking to expand the salad bar. • Options include more veggies, grilled chicken, as well as vegetarian options.

The OTIS Elevator Company is expected to come and check • all campus elevators for residence safety.

5The Minaret | February 27, 2009 News

From “Security”: Front Page

Feb. 24 Meeting

UT_09_p 1/26/09 11:39 AM Page 1

P.E.A.C.E. to Explore Everglades on Weekend TripBy Emily BenhamStaff Writer

The University of Tampa’s PEACE organization is offering students a three-day weekend of volunteering with Florida’s wild-life and bonding with fellow UT students. The trip is scheduled for Friday, April 3 through Sunday, April 5 at Everglades Outpost in Homestead, FL. A maximum of 12 students can go on the trip.

The trip involves helping alli-gators return to their natural habi-tats, feeding animals and cleaning the area and stalls. All the students will be staying in the local Ever-glades Hostel.

Katrina Vidal, alternative breaks coordinator for P.E.A.C.E., who is helping to coordinate this upcoming trip said, “This just be-came a big program this year and it is a great chance for people who want to be a part of it.”

When asked where the idea came from for this trip, Katrina said “We thought it was something that people would be interested in.” Anyone who has any interest

in volunteer work and spending a weekend in Florida’s finest Ever-glades Outpost is encouraged to act fast on this excursion while the opportunity is still available.

The total cost of this trip, due March 18, is $50 dollars and includes most meals and travel costs.

The application for the trip is due March 16 at midnight. The

application can be found at http://tinyurl.com/CAMC. An infor-mational meeting will take place Wednesday, April 1 at 10 p.m. with a follow-up meeting on Wednes-day, March 18 at 10 p.m. Students can email AlternativeBreaks@ut.edu with any questions. Spring their access cards to their dorms or propping doors opened for friends to come in as they please,” she said.

Photo by Dana Hill/flikr.com

Compiled From Reports Provided By UT Security

Charlie Hambos

Compiled from the Crime Log from Feb. 9 to Feb. 24

At 8:50 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 9 UT security officers responded to a motor vehicle accident in the West Parking Garage.

That same Monday, Drugs were found in the Vaughn Center at 6:45 p.m. The students were referred to Judicial Board.

On Tuesday, Feb. 10 at a theft was reported that supposedly occurred the preceding week in Stadium Center.

An injury was reported in Straz Hall on Feb. 10 at 8:40 p.m.

In Stadium Center a theft was reported at 2:30 a.m. in Straz Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 10.

An alcohol violation was reported in Brevard Hall at 4:15 p.m. on Feb. 10.

A student was transported to the hospital from the Vaughn Center on Thursday, Feb. 12 at 5 a.m.

A battery was reported in the Vaughn Center at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12

A fire alarm was set off in the Boathouse at 12:20 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 13.

On Friday, Feb. 13, at an unknown time a vehicle accident occurred in the West Parking Garage.

A theft was reported in Thomas Parking garage at 10:55 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13.

On Saturday, Feb. 14, at 4:20 p.m. a medical emergency was reported in Brevard Hall. A student involved in the incident was referred to judicial board.

A vehicle accident was reported in West Parking Garage at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14.

A battery was reported on Sunday, Feb. 15. at 2:45 p.m. in Brevard Hall. A student involved in the incident was referred to judicial board.

A case of criminal mischief was reported in Brevard Hall at 3:40 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15.

On Monday, Feb. 16, a fire alarm went off in the Vaughn Center at 4:21 a.m.

A student was injured in Plant Park at 5:40 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 17.

In Thomas Parking Garage, security officers were called on to the scene after some criminal mischief was reported at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 17.

UT security officers reported to damage at the Community Television Station at 6:55 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 18.

Someone failed to provide proper identification and damaged something in president Vaughn’s parking space on Wednesday morning, Feb. 18.

A case of criminal mischief was reported in Thomas Parking Garage at 7:20 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20.

Someone’s property was damaged in Stadium Center at 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21.

A medical emergency was reported in Austin Hall at 2:45 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21.

A non-student was reported trespassing, a warning was issued and the person was transported off-campus on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 8:10 p.m.

At 11 a.m. a vehicle accident was reported in the West Parking Garage on Tuesday, Feb. 24.

their access cards to their dorms or propping doors opened for friends to come in as they please,” she said.

Students will have access to rides from security late at night, as usual, by calling security at 813-251-5133. LASER team will also be available through the Vaughn Center by calling 253-3333 ext. 4515 or 257-4515.

Jillian Randel can be reached at jillianrandel@yahoo.com

The Minaret | February 27, 2009 6 Advertisement

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7Arts & EntertainmentThe Minaret | February 27, 2009

Tribune Media ServicesBy Linda C Black

by Austin Daniels

7 Things To Do This Week:

Aries (March 21-April 19) By now, you should have

a rough draft. If you need more information, contact the people who know. You’re into unfamiliar territory, but that just makes it more exciting.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) You can push your interests

from behind the scenes. You don’t like the spotlight much anyway, nor should you. Stir things up while attention is diverted elsewhere.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) You’ve run the gauntlet

by now, taken a lot of abuse, overcome your fears and, basically, made it through. You may not be all the way there yet, but celebrate how far you’ve come.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) You should be able to get

away for a little while. Hurry and do your chores, clean up and make sure you’re ready. Pack your bags, or at least your toothbrush.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)Get out for a breath of

fresh air with your favorite companion. By now, you should know what you can afford and how far you can go. Walking works, too, by the way.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)Why is everybody looking

at you? They’re starting to suspect you’re the brains behind the operation. They’re all just checking in, to make

sure they’re on the right track.Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

You may still be struggling, but you’ve got a lot of support. This makes your job a lot easier, but make sure you stay involved. You’re still the brains behind the operation.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)You’re known more by

your deeds than by your words. You’re not disadvantaged when that’s on the daily agenda, as it is now. In other words, shut up and shovel.Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Push! Push! Push! Sound familiar? This is how creativity happens. The action is not a recommendation or “a good idea.” It’s mandatory, and you know what to do. Do it.Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Don’t run away, even if you’re starting to experience some heat. Well, it doesn’t hurt to have an escape route in your plans. Don’t panic, though. Do it responsibly, when the time is right.Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

The more you learn, the easier it gets, as you have doubtless noticed. That should be especially true right now. Keep on asking questions.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)If you sell something

you’ve had stashed away in your storage bin, you can buy something you need now. Crazy? Not really. Find the means to get a new tool that will make your life easier.

1. Try a new restaurant in town.2. Play a board game with friends.3. Get rid of 5 things you never use.4. Open an old high school yearbook.5. Smile at 3 strangers while your out and about.6. Change your comput-er's desktop background.7. Avoid using the internet for an entire day. (Well, maybe just a few hours!)

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Advertisement The Minaret | February 27, 2009 8

Photos from flickr.com (heybelinda)

Gym Class Heroes, which mixes rock, pop, R&B and rap into their music to produce a unique sound, will visit the University of Tampa for the second annual Party in the Park this April.

Student Productions posted a survey via Blackboard asking students their preference on topics such as genre and different bands. Genre choices were rock, pop, alternative, R&B and hip-hop.

Student Productions chose Gym Class Heroes out of a

plethora of others including Secondhand Serenade, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, O.A.R., OK Go and Metro Station.

The New York native band consists of four talented musicians: Travis McCoy (vocals), Matt McGinley (drummer), Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo (guitar) and Eric Roberts (bass).

Their indie rock and punk funk sound was picked up by Decaydance/Fueled by Ramen, who have produced Gym Class Heroes’ several award-winning albums.

At the 2007 MTV Video

Music Awards, Gym Class Heroes won the Best New Artist award and were nominated for the Best Group award.

Their most popular songs are “The Queen and I,” “Cookie Jar,” “Clothes Off!” and “Cupid’s Chokehold/Breakfast In America.”

Gym Class Heroes released their latest album “The Quilt” on Sept. 9, 2008.

In 2005 they released their chart-topping “The Papercut Chronicles” and in 2006 released “As Cruel As School Children.”

Since the Yellowcard performance last year, there has

been much anticipation the 2009 Spring Concert. Gym Class Heroes is sure to rock UT’s Plant Park.

The University of Tampa’s Department of Speech, Theatre and Dance brought

us the 2009 Spring Dance Concert this past weekend.

Family, friends and faculty watched as talented UT students showed off their weeks of hard work in a stunning show com-prised of eleven unique pieces.

Performances were marked with everything from sexual zing to intense drama in a quick proces-sion of jazz, hip-hop, modern, tap and ballet.

Linda Lopez, professor of Dance at UT, praised the show, saying, “There is truly something for everybody.”

Can’t get enough of UT dance? Come show your support at the up-coming Spring Dance Happening.

Spring Dance Happening Auditions:

Saturday, Feb. 28 at 10 a.m. or Monday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m.

in the Edison Building

Spring Dance Happening: April 29 – May 2

8 p.m. in the Edison Building

For more information, contact Susan Lennon at (813) 257-3745.

9Arts and EntertainmentThe Minaret | February 27, 2009

Arts & Entertainment EditorBy Mel Steiner

By Micaela LydonStaff Writer

Dance Concert Springs Into Action

When the first F.E.A.R. was released on the PC, it was highly praised for the sound quality, the AI, and the graphics.

After two disappointing expansions made by a different developer, original devs Monolith have released the true sequel to the franchise.

That game is, of course, F.E.A.R 2: Project Origin.

How does F.E.A.R. 2 holds up against the original F.E.A.R.?

The game does not hit the high marks the original did, but it’s a good game overall.

Instead of picking up where the original game ended with the city in shambles from the explosion and Alma breaking free of the facility, the single-player starts out thirty minutes before the explosion that aspired in F.E.A.R. In F.E.A.R 2, you control a silent Delta Force officer named Michael Becket.

The story is a good one for a first person shooter and it’s not as confusing as the first F.E.A.R. was.

Like the first F.E.A.R., the game ends on a cliffhanger, which will leave a very sour taste in your mouth.

Excepting that ending, the game gives us more answer to the questions we have pondered since the first premiere of F.E.A.R.

When F.E.A.R was released onto the PC, it was the benchmark for graphics of the moment.

While F.E.A.R. 2 is not as

high of caliber as its predecessor. The game looks good, nonetheless on the 360. The special effects and lighting in the game is great. There is a ton of details that was put into the environments.

The audio is, like the first game, simply excellent.

The music for the game fits it well. When you hear something, you will simply turn off your flashlight and look around to see what made the noise.

The voice-acting in the game is pretty good, as well. The audio is simply a key part in helping the game to be a good FPS, and to up the creep factor.

One of the problems in the original F.E.A.R. was the variety in enemies was near non-existent; all you had was the replicas and the high-tech ninjas.

The sequel adds more enemies to spice up the encounters.

While replicas and the ninjas reprise their roles (with a new coat of paint, too), there are now paranormal creatures like puppet masters, and mercenaries.

Another problem I (and everyone else in the world) had with the F.E.A.R. was it had major problems with the variety of

environment. For the

majority of that game you were just going through office b u i l d i n g s . F.E.A.R. 2 has remedied the problem

quite a bit. Instead of simply going

through a bunch of offices, you will travel through a hospital, a school, and etc.

More than one location!

Rejoice!The gunplay in F.E.A.R. 2 is

very solid. The game doesn’t try to

renovate the shooter genre at all, but simply takes great parts of other games and mends them together to make a solid shooter.

While it sports a fine shooting aspect, the horror aspect kind of fails.

While I was scared playing through the first F.E.A.R., I was not as scared in the sequel when I was playing through it.

When the game did go creepy, it became very interesting.

While I enjoyed the FPS side of the game, I wish I could have seen more of Alma and the bizarreness she brings upon Becket.

The game does break up the action a bit by adding a few mechs into the arena with some turret actions and those are fun.

The slow-motion is brought back to the game, but while it was fun to pull off in the first game the mechanic is starting to get stale in 2009.

Bottom Line: I was hoping to learn more about Alma and the world that the F.E.A.R. franchise is based in. While the game is not a benchmark-setting game like the original was, it is still a good shooter.

I wish there was some innovation in the game instead of taking parts from other qualities shooters.

I hope in the next game, there is some type of innovation and hopefully it will be as groundbreaking as the original game was, since F.E.A.R. 2 is, as it stands now, just more of the same goodness. I’d give this game a 7/10.

360 Game Releases Second Round of FearBy Austin AshbyStaff Writer

April 19

What do you get when you combine rock beats, electronic Euro-pop and the name of an archduke?

If you guessed Franz Ferdinand, you know your stuff. I’m not sure whether it’s the keyboards or high-powered electric guitars but no matter where I am, if any one of their songs come on, I can’t help myself from dancing to the point of borderline public humiliation. Typically I describe music as morning music, driving music or even gym music, but the best description I have for Franz Ferdinand’s style is simply “unique music.”

Officially forming back in 2002, the band of four actually began careers years earlier in four separate bands during the 1990s, doing what they love best, creating music.

It’s so rare to see the formation of a real band in today’s world where so many reality shows and television contests hand out record deals like money being thrown at the stimulus package. The idea of becoming a celebrity has certainly outweighed talent. But don’t let me fool you; this group definitely has met the requirements to become successful musicians. But if your still don’t recognize their name, take a blender and add half a cup The Doors, half a cup The Rolling Stones and a pinch of 80’s pop and you’ll have Franz Ferdinand.

When first starting out, the band members actually belonged to several different groups before combining forces. It wasn’t

until 2002 that the band began recording their debut album with Tore Johansson, the same producer of Cardigans. They quickly hit it off and the next year, released their first single, “Take Me Out.” “I say don’t you know, you say you don’t go, I say take me out! I say you don’t show, don’t move, time is slow, I say take me out!” The single immediately made its way to number three on the UK and number twelve in Australia but somehow, only made it to thirty-four in America. That same year, the band won several awards for the single and was compared to powerhouse groups like Duran Duran, The Rolling Stones and even The Beatles, yet “Take Me Out” remained the only song off the band’s self titled album to make any waves in the music industry.

The band went back to their passion and began recording more music in Scotland and in October released their second album, “You Could Have It So Much Better.” While in the studio, the band decided to broaden their music range and record some tracks without their trademark disco-pop sound. Despite their efforts, the album did not receive many stellar reviews, with many feeling the album was rushed.

Unfazed the unsatisfying reviews, the band continued touring with their album but held

off recording their third; deciding to take it slow and focus on their sound. It was not until late 2007 that the band went back to recording and spent an entire year developing and perfecting the new tracks. In late January of this year, the band finally released their third album entitled, “Tonight: Franz Ferdinand.” The first single off the album, “Ulysses,” is already starting off well and shows the band is back to their original

sound. “Well I found a new way, I found a new way,

C’mon and use me I don’t

need your sympathy. My Ulysses my

Ulysses no, bet you are now,

boy, so sinister, so sinister last night

was wild.” If you cannot tell by the

lyrics, this band is certainly not drab or boring.

While they still remain somewhat underground here in America, I would say it’s only a matter of time before this album makes it big here and around the rest of the globe. Whether you have already fallen in love with their retro sound and unique style or you are just now becoming allured to avant-garde persona, you must take a listen to their new album. Your foot just might start tapping.

To find out more about Franz Ferdinand go to, www.franzferdinand.co.uk or www.myspace.com/franzferdinand.

Arts & Entertainment The Minaret |February 27, 2009 10

Franz Ferdinand: Freaks of MusicBy Mike TrobianoStaff Writer

Living Happily Ever AfterQuilt’s Corner

Alex Vera

and number twelve in Australia but somehow, only made it to thirty-four in America. That same year, the band won several awards

The Rolling Stones and even The Beatles, yet “Take Me Out”

band is back to their original sound. “Well I found

a new way, I found a new way,

C’mon and use me I don’t

need your sympathy. My Ulysses my

Ulysses no, bet you are now,

boy, so sinister, so sinister last night

was wild.” If you cannot tell by the

To go out to dinner or to cook dinner in is a huge contemplation among many college students here at UT.

Classes are over; homework is piled by the computer and thoughts of “what’s for dinner,” come to mind. A craving for Mex-ican food sets in, now it’s time to make that same decision again.

Should I go out to dinner, or go food shopping and buy the ingredients that will satisfy this craving? With the local Mexican restaurants being Miguel’s on Kennedy, Algusto’s across from campus and Estelas on Davis Is-land, it’s hard to decide where to go.

Senior Katelyn Chapman en-joys dining out. “I like to go out to dinner for the experience because it makes it more special and you don’t have to worry about cooking it yourself,” she says. “It’s also an-other reason to go out with your friends.”

But if dining in becomes the answer to the question, the popu-lar Wal-Mart Neighborhood Mar-ket holds all the ingredients. Bud-get is a crucial factor for college students in deciding where to go. That’s why I did some research to find out some prices to make the

option a little easier to decide.Miguel’s, currently under

renovation, serves fajitas for $11.95.

Algusto’s, which is walk-ing distance from campus, charges $10. 25.

Estelas, with outside seat-ing and pet accessibility, charges $15.59.

The logical and cheapest din-ner answer would be to go to Al-gusto’s because driving wouldn’t be necessary so gas is knocked off the bill.

But if you’re a picky eater, hate waiting for food or worried about the extra calories consumed on eating out then cooking in might suite you. Eating in could actually be cheaper in the long run.

The prices for the ingredients needed to cook fajitas from the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market are as follows:

10 Flour tortillas.................$1.72•Beef...........$5.75 for a package, •

or $1.08/lbChicken.....$4.38 for a package, •

or $0 .88/lbOnion.................... $0.58 for one•Pepper................... $0.68 for one•Avocado................ $0.58 for one•Mexican Cheese.................$2.48•Pace Salsa.......................... $2.08•Sour Cream........................ $1.88•

Rice.............• ..................... $0.98Beans................................ $0.88•Total.........$17.61 for beef fajitas •

$16.24 for chicken fajitas

Now these prices are higher then what it would cost at any of the restaurants but if and when that craving for Mexican comes back, cooking in could be cheaper.

Buying a jar of salsa, a pack-age of cheese, a container of sour cream and a bag of tortillas means you are going to be able to use these ingredients two or three more times, considering they are most likely all not going to be used in one sitting.

If that’s the case, then most likely only the meat, peppers and onions need to be purchased. If you’re a picky eater and only like the meat, or prefer only sour cream on your fajitas, then the prices are all going to be cheaper at the gro-cery store.

The facts are yours, now it’s your turn to answer the question: What’s for dinner tonight?

By Michelle MagnerStaff Writer

The world fell apart in your absence—white walls remainedblank slates of nothingand no voice came from the silence—

god disappeared with you,taking the crackle from fallen leavesand the rose that tinged the blue sky.

Your name became a thinand I could not grasp the concept--I can not.And I was left with only myselfto fall into, crashinglike a violent wave in the midst of chaos,forgotten to forgetalone.

The Dark SceneBrittany Johnson

In a time where comput-ers and software chug out hit singles, the music business has become a dying industry that is struggling to keep its head above water. One of the in-dustries only saving graces is the natural art of a live concert. Fortunately for UT students, the local Tampa area provides one of the most intimate venues on the western coast of Florida.

Ybor City, one of Tampa’s premier hot spots for nightlife and shopping, is home to one of the area’s biggest secrets: the Orpheum.

The Orpheum is a small concert venue on 14th Street that offers the south Tampa area numerous concerts every month.

One of the venue’s biggest perks is the low cost of admis-sion. As all tickets are general admission (no reserved seats), tickets usually range from a

mere $8-$20, making the Or-pheum one of the most afford-able venues in the area.

Another great benefit of the Orpheum is the smaller size it offers to fans and artists. For fans it’s great because you can literally get right up to the stage and be standing only inches from the band. As for the artists, it gives them a great opportu-nity to interact with the crowd and really connect with the fans on a personal level.

Junior Max Forsythe has attended shows at the Orpheum and agrees that the smaller size of the venue adds to the overall experience of the concert.

“It’s a really different feel to be able to be so close to the bands,” Forsythe said. “The art-ists really have great crowd in-teraction at the Orpheum, which makes the concerts that much better.”

Make sure to keep an eye out for upcoming events at the Orpheum at: http://statemedia.com/events.php

By Zach FraserStaff Writer

Orpheum Brings Fans

Closer to the Bands

“One Last Stand,” a 15 min-ute film written and directed by UT senior Alan Mehanna, will be shown at the fourth annual Sun-screen Film Festival.

What began as a project for class has grown to an impressive door-opener. Mehanna is very ex-cited about what opportunities this may bring for him.

The film is set during tumul-tuous times and features two peo-ple, an Arab man and an American woman, who have been put in a room by God to make a unani-mous decision regarding the future of mankind.

They must choose whether to reset the world from the very beginning, or face the possibility of the next World War. This cru-cial decision is made even more intense with two drastically differ-ent opinions and a limited amount of time.

The first version of this film was filmed last spring, but the idea

came years earlier when a war broke out during Me-hanna’s visit to his home country of Lebanon.

“Experienc-ing and being a part of this tragic event put things in perspective and changed my view of the world. I found myself asking God why he was not do-ing anything to prevent this from happening,” said Mehanna.

Assistant Professor of Com-munication, Tom Garrett, was happy to help Mehanna with his vision. Garrett was enlisted as the Executive Producer for the shoot and oversaw some of the adminis-trative aspects.

He commended the hard work and dedication that so many stu-dents put into their work.

“They work on it all year long

for the one day or week, like a wedding,” Garrett said.

Speaking of the festivals, Garrett recalled, “That’s where they meet each other. In retro-spect, for me, almost everything either began at school or (from) new friends from festivals.”

Mehanna said, “As far as what the next step for ‘One Last Stand,’ aside from festivals, nothing as of right now.”

The Sunscreen Film Festival, which anyone can attend, will take place from April 29 to May 3 in St. Petersburg, but an exact date for Mehanna’s screening has not yet been announced.

Ticket prices and information about the many events sponsored by Sunscreen can be found on www.sunscreenfilmfestival.com.

11Arts & EntertainmentThe Minaret | February 27, 2009

UT Senior’s Film To Be Shown At SunScreen Film FestivalBy Jackie MaassStaff Writer

Top Alan MehannaRight Screenshot from

“One Last Stand”

UpcomingEvents:

Film Student To Premiere In Gasparilla Film FestivalBy Jackie MaassStaff Writer

One of UT’s own to be shown in Gasparilla Film Fest

Sean Malloy, a senior Film And Media Arts Major here at UT, will have his six minute documen-tary shown at this year’s Gaspa-

rilla International Film Festival. The documentary features Mal-loy’s uncle, Thomas Eger and his struggle with Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma, a rare form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

“He has been tested endlessly and it took tons of doctors and tests to find out what he had wrong with

him. Initially he was given two years to live,” Malloy said.

The film festival is from Thursday, February 26th to Satur-day, March 7th. Malloy’s screen-ing will take place Friday Febru-ary 27th at 6:20 pm at Channelside Theaters. Tickets for Malloy’s showing are $5. He asked for sup-

port from his fellow students and added, “Thomas Eger will be there if anyone wants to ask any ques-tions about his disease and what he has been through.”

Jackie Maass can be contact-ed at jmaass@ut.edu

Friday marked the end of New York’s Fashion Week. While it did not entirely disappoint, providing us with ample amounts of glitz and glamour, during these less then desirable economic times, to put it plainly, style took a bit of a licking. Sponsored by Mercedes Benz, more then 63 designers were scheduled to show off their latest collections in Bryant Park. This isn’t counting the hundreds of oth-er shows scheduled all throughout the city though. Or the thousands of stylists, editors, buyers, and fashion elite in attendance. More than likely, the crowds made ev-eryday New York traffic look like a Spencer Pratt fan club meeting.

Being the disturbing fashion fanatic that I am, I spent Fash-

ion Week glued to my computer, with twice daily email alerts from Style.com flooding my inbox. Cutting off all my ties from real-ity, I will admit I was just slightly on a reclusive kick for the week. But what better way to pass the time then looking at the creative blunders and endeavors of people who have no concept of the envy I somehow bear to live with. Color me green.

To start with a funny obser-vation, this year was the first that PETA did not storm the shows, throwing blood on everyone and causing unnecessary insanity. Has fur won? Are we finally go-ing to be able to parade around in coats made of 12 pounds of rabbit fur? Probably not, but it’s nice to dream.

Valentine’s day marked Bar-bie’s first ever fashion show, cel-ebrating her 50th birthday with 50 specially designed dresses show-cased on “life size” Barbie-esque models. Complete with patent pink Christian Louboutins, the show went back throughout Barbie his-tory, with each look reminiscing a particularly iconic outfit. I am sure Mattel was having the time of their lives marketing this. Minus the ri-diculously long intro (complete with sparkles and epic Barbie glit-tery moments) and 10 minute long breaks randomly thrown in, the soundtrack was enough to make up for it. Using MSTRKRFT’s mix of Annie’s “Heartbeat”, the tempo kept the audience on their

toes. Also, you can’t deny the ut-terly adorable ending walk with each respective Barbie escorting a little girl. But it wasn’t all flowers and candy for the rest of Fashion Week…oh god no.

There were some serious let-downs. Let’s start with Zac Posen. Showing us an amazing pre-fall collection, with some serious channeling to early 1940’s glam, I had some expectations for his Fall looks. However, they were just…not up to par. Some of the gowns, from a few stunning flo-rals to a particular ruby one were not disappointing, but half of the gold 80’s prom massacres he sent down the runway made me want to do a double take. Alexan-der Wang was boring. I suppose though you can only do grunge so many ways. Marc Jacobs main line could not hold up against his diffusions-Marc by Marc Jacob actually triumphed. Newcomer Robert Geller played up the whole “depression era” trend, with tweed coats, chunky cable knits, and bow ties. All totally unwearable, yet very comically relieving. Another humorous event was definitely the Herve Leger show. Bandage dresses and sky high heels-recipe for disaster once you throw in a 6ft waif stomping down the runway.

By Kristen VasquezStaff Writer

By Vicky BlydeSpecial to The Minaret

Jonas Brothers Continue to 'Burn Up'

Fighting in the Streets of Bangkok

Kristin Kreuk, best known for her role as Lana Lang in the TV sitcom “Smallville,” stars in this action-adventure movie based on a popular video game franchise. The movie is set mostly in Bangkok, Thailand, and follows Chun-Li, an Interpol agent who joins a group of war-riors training for the final battle between good and evil. Kreuk is joined by an eclectic cast, includ-ing Neal McDonough, recently seen as Dave Williams in “Desperate Housewives” and Chris Klein, who portrayed Dusty Dinkleman in “Just Friends.”

Director: Andrzej BartkowiakRating: PG- 13 Running Time: 97 min.

Director: Bruce HendricksRating: GRunning Time: 76 min.

This week offers a new, 3-D look at the Jonas Broth-ers during their July through Aug. “Burning Up Tour” in 2008. The three brothers of-fer a new exclusive song, a performance with Demi Lo-vato and Taylor Swift, and a behind the scenes look inside their family endeavor. This film will only be shown in 3-D and is from the same di-rector as “Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour.”

Read the rest of the article online atwww.theminaretonline.com

GO ONLINE

Photo from flickr.com

Film Educational Panel: From Florida to HollywoodDate Feb. 28

Time 1-2 p.m.

Location Plant Hall, Music Room

Contact Tom Garrett at circafilm@aol.com

Want to be crowned UT’s Drag King or QueenvSign Up Mar. 2,3,4 and 16 in Vaughn Center

AuditionsMar. 18 and 19 in Austin Oak Room

Reflections on Women and War

Author Gail Hareven

Date Mar. 4

Time 10 a.m.

Location Reeves Theatre

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Commentary The Minaret | February 27, 2009 13

Last Friday, I went to Blake High School to talk to students in the AVID program about diversity.

AVID is a way to prepare high school students for college.

Typically these kids will be the first ones in their families to attend a college or university and this program is designed to teach students how to apply for financial aid and how to make a resume.

It’s the ultimate program to give kids the chance to make their dreams come true.

So going to Blake reminded me of what high school was like. Everyone had their comfort zones, and few cared about diversity or even what it was.

One of the girls looked like none of it mattered and what was the point. All of us noticed but kept on going through our presentation.

Afterwards, we had forgotten

about her, until about fifteen minutes later she came to talk to us on our break.

She came to apologize to us about her behavior.

It wasn’t that she didn’t think diversity was important; it was that she didn’t really know what she identified with.

Her parents are divorced and her father has never been around.

She knows her mom is Puerto Rican.

All of her friends are mostly African American.

This has led her to an unsettled identity and a life vastly different than her peers.

She continued to open up to us about how at 16 she has already faced pressure to join a gang, to be a drug dealer, and to have had boys treat her like a piece of meat.

Also she takes care of her five younger brothers and sisters at night because her mom works the night shift.

She cooks dinner, cleans, and puts them to bed so they don’t have bad dreams at night.

She asked us how to deal with people making judgments about her and if it would get better. She also said that we were the first people she’d ever really opened up to,

By Alyssa LumColumnist

Diversity Fellowship Finds Rewards in Mentoring Youths

College is amazing; there are so many new people with different personalities that clash, cohere and collide. College is the chance to grow and to question everything. There is a wealth of knowledge and ideas that suddenly appear at the stoop of one’s mind.

The only problem is figuring out how to balance these new ideas with old one’s that we’ve been raised to value.

No one can tell you how it will work for you because we are all different. Everyone has a different purpose and outlook, different experiences shaping how they view life (no matter how mundane the past experience).

College is one of those “scheduled life crises” where everything that you thought you knew gets turned on its head. Everything your parents taught you to hold dear doesn’t matter to anyone but them now. I know that’s harsh to say, but it’s true.

Values are re-thought; rules are all but thrown out the window. It’s a big step! Life goes from being in the power of the parents to being in the power of the offspring.

There are, however, a few things that I think I have figured out so far:

1 . A l m o s t a n y o n e i s approachable, just approach with cheer and a smile! You will very rarely get turned away.

2. Spend some time alone with your thoughts. It’s much harder to

straighten out a jumble of thoughts when surrounded by people and noise. Quiet time is not always a bad thing.

3. Everyone has a story to tell, just because it might be similar

t o y o u r s doesn’t mean it’s the same. It’s amazing what you can learn if you

just listen for a little while.

4. Sometimes when people tell stories, they tell them just to get them off their chest. If you have a similar story or experience then awesome, but maybe now isn’t the proper time to tell it.

5. Care about your professors! Some of the professors here are amazing and have a wealth of knowledge! It’s amazing what you can learn from them not only in the classroom but outside of it as well

6. Always be open to try new things. This is the time in one’s life that can determine what one does for the rest of his or her life.

7. Don’t be afraid to look a little silly to try something that you want to do.

8. Don’t be afraid to go off on your own, just be smart about it!

9. Have fun!

Don’t just take my word on it though. Spend some time alone really thinking about what matters to you!

Anna Burrell may be reached at aburrell@ut.edu.

Nine Ways To Engage Your Mind While At UTBy Anna BurrellColumnist

“College is one of those ‘scheduled life crises’...”

including her mom.And sitting there, I really took

it all to heart. I was able, along with my

peers, to help this girl who was on the verge of tears to see how much she mattered.

I got to express to her that it’s okay to be confused and to not always be happy.

Most importantly, I got to encourage her to make a difference with other people through her story.

I sat there and almost cried

along with her. Life up to this point has been hard, but it has been nothing like what this girl has had to face.

Even through all the emotions, that experience made the trip to Blake High worth it. It made me feel like something good came out of that day.

It’s been the most rewarding conversation of my life, and it put everything into perspective.

Alyssa Lum may be reached at alum@ut.edu.

Aliya Brooks mentors student. Photo by Randy Tarnowski

Winta Assefaw helps high schooler. Photo by Randy Tarnowski

Commentary The Minaret | February 27, 200914

In the U.S., more than 10 million people are

struggling with an eating disorder.

Although eating disorders are more common in women, they also occur in men. As many as 10% of women and 1% of men suffer from an eating disorder. Eating disorders often begin dur-ing high school or college. They can interfere with self-esteem, so-cial interactions and perform-ance at school or work. People who suffer from eating disorders can experience a wide range of physical health complications, in-cluding serious heart problems and kidney failure which can lead to death. -HealthyMinds.org

Eating Disorder Resources

University Counseling Center

Located in the Student Health and Counsel-ing Center behind Austin Hall Phone: (813) 253-6250 E-mail: Counselingcenter@ut.edu University of Tampa Healthy Eating and Body Image Support Group This education and support group will begin on March 23 at 7:00 p.m. and will continue for the semester. If interested, please contact gfirth@ut.edu The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness - www.eatingdisorderinfo.org National Eating Disorders Association www.nationaleatingdisorders.org Eating Disorders Anonymous www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org

Free, CONFIDENTIAL Eating Disorder Screening

Friday, February 27th

12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. Vaughn 219 1-1 screenings

FREE STRESSBALL AFTER COMPLETION

You may also take the screening

on-line at www.ut.edu/detail/aspx?id=2824

(Health and Counseling Center link on UT’s website

For more information, contact gfirth@ut.edu

15CommentaryThe Minaret | February 27, 2009

I can’t do it anymore. I can’t watch this trend and remain silent. I have to speak up. I’m done. I don’t understand and can’t understand why we still have to be so careful and so conscious of race at all times.

And when I say “we,” yes, I mean white people.

Now, if hearing that has gotten you upset, then you know how I feel as a Caucasian male. Other cultures and ethnicities constantly group themselves together to empower themselves and celebrate their culture.

Why should I not be allowed to be proud of my heritage, too? I don’t have a Confederate flag. I don’t draw swastikas on my notebooks. I don’t wear my sheets out around town on the weekends. Hell, I even voted for Obama.

I’m not a racist or a bigot. I’m just tired of the double standards. I’m fed up with watching as my country continues to force artificial equality down everyone’s throats. I’m tired of political correctness. It’s all garbage, and I think that it

distances and divides us more than petty derogatory terms. In trying to force equality, we build more walls than we could ever tear down.

A prime example is affirmative action. While a quick and convenient fix for the decade of its introduction, the concept as it works now is flawed at its core because it aims to eliminate racial bias in selection criteria, and yet it creates a system based not on merit but solely on race.

I recall an incident in 2004 where the president of the College Republican sect at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island devised a scholarship for whites only in order to prove how silly the whole system is.

Students were required to submit “proof of whiteness,” a short essay on why they were proud of their white heritage and a list of accomplishments.

The funny thing is that the organization’s president and scholarship sponsor, Jason Mattera, was actually of Puerto Rican descent and on a $5,000 scholarship from the Hispanic College Fund -- a scholarship that Mattera felt gave him an “an inherent advantage over

[his] white peers,” according to the CNN.com story.

Of course , there was a national uproar at how insensitive this was, despite the existence of scholarships (such as the one provided by Mattera’s own sponsor, the Hispanic College Fund) for practically every other racial and ethnic group in the country.

Are we really “leveling the playing field,” or is it all artificial? If what we’re pushing for is equality, then why do we need these leg-up programs for everyone else? Mattera, a scholarship recipient himself, pointed out the inherent hypocrisy of such an idea, and he’s right: there’s really nothing fair about creating a “fair” playing field based solely on race.

An even better example is the current controversy surrounding the “racist” cartoon in the New York Post. The cartoon depicted a monkey being shot by police with the comment, “They’ll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill.” The cartoon was referencing an event in Connecticut where a chimp mauled a woman and was subsequently shot by police, yet certain groups instantly

drew the conclusion that this was a racist cartoon.

Leading the charge is the ever-timely Al Sharpton who, along with a host of other racial organizations, maintains that the cartoon is, in fact, aimed at Obama. These people say the toon implies that he is the monkey, a once common racial slur for black people. These folks are encouraging people to rally and boycott the paper and discouraging the paper being sold in their neighborhoods.

That is ludicrous. For people like Sharpton,

Jackson and the rest of their ilk who insist on looking at everything through a racist viewpoint, the cartoon will, of course, appear racist. Why does the idea of the ethnic slur “monkey” have to be the first thing to jump to their minds, and why must it mean Obama instantly?

These fools exemplify the very barrier-creators I talked about earlier, and insist on crying “foul” and keeping racial issues brimming so they can maintain their publicity. How can they even have any credibility left as “progressive” racial leaders? For crying out loud,

Jesse Jackson himself once referred to New York City as “himey town,” using a slur for Jews! Way to set an example, Jesse.

I applaud those in the Post that took a stand and called these “leaders” out for what they really are: publicity opportunists. Cheers to those who held their ground! We cannot continue acknowledging and caving to every single “racist” accusation, especially unwarranted and ridiculous ones from attention mongers l ike Sharpton and Jackson.

I know it’s impossible to erase hundreds of years of mistreatment and abuse, but it becomes especially difficult to leave it behind and build new appreciation for other cultures when I keep having the misdeeds of my ancestors and earlier generations flung in my face while anything I say could be interpreted as racist.

Sadly, there will still probably be many who will call me a racist for writing this article or twist my words to make me sound like some kind of Klan-crazy fascist.

Grow up, America.

Josh Kratovil may be reached at jkratovil@ut.edu.

By Josh KratovilStaff Writer

Affirmative Action: Artificial Equality Proves To Be A Real Issue

“The Dark Knight” Snubbed By Academy

Chris Brown

Winter

Lent

Midterms

Shrove Tuesday

“Batman” onDVD

“Slumdog Millionaire” WinsBest Picture

Rihanna

Spring

Mardi Gras

Spring Break

Ash Wednesday

“Spider-Man” on Broadway

Cheers&Jeers

“When it comes to an abusive person, there are no prototypes.”

This is what Grace Maineri, training coordinator of The Spring (a safe house for victims of domestic abuse) stated when I asked her if she was shocked to hear about the alleged attack singer Chris Brown made against his at the time girlfriend Rihanna.

The alleged allegations against 19-year-old Brown will hopefully serve as a news flash to America.

At this point, they are only allegations but even Brown himself reported being truly sorry for his

By Stacy VieuxColumnist

actions. They seemed like the perfect

couple. They appeared to have it all,

expensive shoes and fan favorite personalities.

Some even labeled them the mini Jay and B after power house couple Jay-Z and Beyonce.

I hope this situation serves as a reminder to everyone that no one is incapable of doing harm to someone else.

Women, on average, return to their abusers 7-10 times before attempting to get some kind of help. At this particular shelter 90 percent of the clients are female while the other 10 percent are male.

The oldest client Maineri has helped was a 92-year-old woman.

Her husband had been beating her for 66 years when she finally sought out help.

Unfortunately, victims suffer

“learned helplessness,” groing convinced they deserve their beatings.

According to Maineri, victims reminad with their partners because of “a lack of self esteem and self worth,” and I would have to agree with her.

No one should stay in an abusive relationship because no one deserves to be someone else’s personal punching bag.

There are people in denial about their inability to control their anger or refuse to accept the person they love has a problem. People will come up with excuses to justify their actions.

When it comes to abuse there are no excuses.

Not alcohol. Not drugs. Not circumstance. Nothing.Like Maineri stated, “there

Domestic Abuse Wounds Everyone From Hollywood To Collegeare no prototypes for abusers.” An abusive person does not carry a sign that reads watch out I am abusive.

In fact, an abusive person looks just like you and I.

They smile like us, dress like us, sleep, laugh and eat the same way you and I do.

We interact with them, go to class with them, have relationships

with them and see them on a daily basis.

They are people we know, love and care for so much that we underestimate, ignore and even deny their capability to ever be called abusive.

Stacy Vieux may be reached at svieux@ut.edu.

Image by a_mayesizing / flickr.com

Reminder: Tampa Scholars Have FunAs the middle of the semester

nears, everyone is flustered and tense.

Sleep-deprivation clouds eyelids, while the consumption of coffee rises to cope with the seemingly insurmountable amount of stress.

Midterms need to be studied for.

Chapters that were skipped and forgotten are hurriedly skimmed.

Seventeenth century plays and Victorian novels remain covered in dust as Spark Notes are consulted instead.

Organizations from Greeks to The Minaret have all sorts of projects to finish.

Yet, in the mid-semester flurry it is important to remember a rather simple, yet constantly underrated (usually by parents and professors) part of, not just college life, but life in general.

Have fun.

Grab a rainbow-colored blanket and lay blissfully in Plant Park for a couple of hours with your favorite band blaring in your ear.

Take a walk to the John F. Germany Library and check out that Stephen King novel you’ve been dying to read, yet have been unable to due to other obligations.

Go out to the club and dance away the knots and tensions.

Head to the beach.Or, a personal favorite and a

favorite of others, stay in bed for hours on end.

The body is a machine, but it is also a temple; treat it as such.

Respect its need to rest and relax.

After all, stress is possibly more dangerous to one’s health than junk food or not exercising.

Everyone needs to breathe once in a while and it is important not to forget that fact.

Of course, you don’t want

to lounge around to the point that you neglect your duties and responsibilities.

You are attending a university for an education and a degree, don’t forget that.

However, take it easy.Remember that you are only

human and can’t do it alone. Ask your friends for help

to ease the burden of school day stress.

It’s your best bet. Sure study groups sound lame

and why bother to ask another organization member to take care of something if you can do it faster yourself, but groups always make work easier and more entertaining.

Chuck that heavy backpack on the ground and just zone out for a bit.

After all what good are you to your friends and yourself if you’re stressed beyond belief?

Commentary The Minaret | February 27, 200916

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Info SessionFeb. 28 | 10 a.m.

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Graduating soon?

There’s a little of God in poets.

Etymologically, the words are interestingly related: “poet” comes from the Greek “maker,” and “God” can be traced from Proto-Indo-European meaning, “ to ca l l , invoke.”

T h e w o r d “poet” is rooted in the act of genesis; the creation of worlds through words much like God in the Tanakh.

“God” speaks to the ancient vocation of the poet as the lyricist, the singer of songs.

I draw attention to this because poetry is spiritual to me—as close to a religious practice as I have yet to experience.

Frankly, poetry (the writing or reading of it) can be intensely spiritual as any religious service.

A good poet writes the Truth, bears witness to some small insight into life and human nature.

A True poem is hopelessly rare, though there are thousands of true, sincere poems.

“All bad poetry is sincere,” quipped Oscar Wilde—being

sincere is telling a truth one knows as solidly fact.

There is no faith in that. However, all poets require

faith: belief in their craft, belief (or the pursuit of belief) in language, belief that through the barren times inspiration will rain down again and belief in oneself.

Being a poet isn’t all inspiration and whimsy with the muse; like any other discipline it involves a tremendous amount of hard work and patience, enduring the droughts

w h e n t h e words don’t come: those d a y s w h e n faith is most required.

And, let’s face it: poets practice an art

form that isn’t exactly revered in this country; there is no J.K. Rowling of poetry.

Yet we persist.I explore the world through

writing, drawing up proofs and testing theories through metaphor and music.

If you open the Bible and start reading, chances are good you’ll hit poetry.

Old Testament prophets spoke in verse; patriarchs sang songs of thanksgiving; and an entire swath of the Bible from Job to Ecclesiastes contains some of the most beautiful writing ever conceived.

Most of the Bible was spoken, based in oral traditions long before it was ever noted.

If one can read Psalm 63 and

By Derrick AustinCommentary Editor

Faith Through Language: A Poet’s View On Spiritualitybe touched; how can one read Jane Kenyon’s “Briefly It Enters, and Briefly Speaks” and not be moved?

Or Amy Lowell’s “In a Garden?”

O r L a n g s t o n H u g h e s ’ “Suicide’s Note?”

When I read a dazzling poem or am in the ecstasy of writing the only way to describe it is to quote Emily Dickinson: “I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off…that is poetry.”

Perhaps, it’s this aspect of writing poetry that’s the most divine.

The transcendental feeling of removal from oneself, a split that allows the most primal act of creation: naming.

When you speak or write something down, you imprint yourself through language.

When you give something a name you bestow your faith and trust into it; you define the world —part of the poet’s labor.

In an editorial I wrote not too long ago, I described religion at its best as a series of questions, a dialogue between the individual and the divine—a seemingly hopeless cause in pursuit of peace, some measurable semblance of response.

We poets do this all the time, trying to discern the weave in the ineffable fabric of the world, asking the big questions, humbly making art from silence.

Derrick Austin may be reached at daustin@ut.edu. Image by bearvseskimo / flickr.com

“Frankly, poetr y (the writing or reading of it) can be intensely s p i r i t u a l a s a n y religious service.”

17SportsThe Minaret | February 27, 2009

1TennisRollins 10:30 a.m.Baseballat Valdosta State 1 p.m.

2GolfFlorida Tech Invitational (Melbourne)BaseballSaint Anselm 1 p.m.

3GolfFlorida Tech Invitational (Melbourne)TennisSaint Leo 3 p.m.BaseballShippensburg 4 p.m.SoftballSalem International 6 p.m.BaseballShippensburg 7 p.m.SoftballSalem International 8 p.m.

4M. BasketballSSC Tournament Quarterfinals (campus sites)W. BasketballSSC Tournament Quarterfinals (campus sites)

5TennisEckerd 3 p.m.BaseballGrand Valley State 7 p.m.

6Softballvs. Grand Valley State (Clermont, Fla.) 1:30 p.m.Softballvs. Saint Joseph’s (Clermont, Fla.) 3:30 p.m.BaseballSaint Joseph’s 7 p.m.

7W. BasketballSSC Tournament Semifinals (hosted by Nova Southeastern)M. BasketballSSC Tournament Semifinals (hosted by Nova Southeastern)Softballvs. Ohio Valley (Clermont, Fla.) 11:30 a.m.Softballvs. West Virginia Wesleyan (Clermont, Fla.) 1:30 p.m.BaseballQuincy 7 p.m.

8M. BasketballSSC Tournament Final (hosted by Nova Southeastern)W. BasketballSSC Tournament Final (hosted by Nova Southeastern)Softballvs. American International (Clermont, Fla.) 11 a.m.Softballvs. West Liberty State (Clermont, Fla.) 1 p.m.

9BaseballSeton Hill 7 p.m.

10 11Swimmingat NCAA Championships (Houston, Texas)BaseballPalm Beach Atlantic 6 p.m.

12Swimmingat NCAA Championships (Houston, Texas)Softballvs. Wayne State (Neb.) (Clermont, Fla.) 1:30 p.m.Softballvs. Felician (Clermont, Fla.) 3:30 p.m.

13Swimmingat NCAA Championships (Houston, Texas)W. BasketballNCAA South Regional (campus sites)SoftballNova Southeastern 7 p.m.BaseballEckerd 7 p.m.

14Swimmingat NCAA Championships (Houston, Texas)W. BasketballNCAA South Regional (campus sites)M. BasketballNCAA South Regional (campus sites)CrewAugusta Invitational (Aiken, S.C.)SoftballNova Southeastern 1 p.m.BaseballEckerd 1 p.m.SoftballNova Southeastern 3 p.m.BaseballEckerd 4 p.m.

15W. BasketballNCAA South Regional (campus sites)M. BasketballNCAA South Regional (campus sites)

16W. BasketballNCAA South Regional (campus sites)M. BasketballNCAA South Regional (campus sites)

17M. BasketballNCAA South Regional (campus sites)TennisMontevallo 3 p.m.BaseballNyack 5 p.m.

18SoftballHillsdale 6 p.m.SoftballHillsdale 8 p.m.

19TennisGreen Bay 3 p.m.

20Softballat Lynn 2 p.m.Baseballat Nova Southeastern 6 p.m.

21Tennisat Abraham Baldwin Agricultural 10 a.m.Softballat Lynn 1 p.m.Baseballat Nova Southeastern 1 p.m.Softballat Lynn 3 p.m.Tennisvs. Stillman (Tifton, Ga.) 3 p.m.Baseballat Nova Southeastern 4 p.m.

22Tennisvs. Albany State (Tifton, Ga.) 10 a.m.

23 24TennisSt. Olaf 3 p.m.

25M. BasketballNCAA Elite Eight (Springfield, Mass.)W. BasketballNCAA Elite Eight (St. Joseph, Mo.)

26M. BasketballNCAA Elite Eight (Springfield, Mass.)W. BasketballNCAA Elite Eight (St. Joseph, Mo.)BaseballSouthern Connecticut State 7 p.m.

27M. BasketballNCAA Elite Eight (Springfield, Mass.)W. BasketballNCAA Elite Eight (St. Joseph, Mo.)BaseballLynn 7 p.m.SoftballFlorida Tech 7 p.m.

28M. BasketballNCAA Elite Eight (Springfield, Mass.)W. BasketballNCAA Elite Eight (St. Joseph, Mo.)TennisLynn 10 a.m.SoftballFlorida Tech noonBaseballLynn 1 p.m.SoftballFlorida Tech 2 p.m.BaseballLynn 4 p.m.

29 30GolfNorth Alabama Invitational (Muscle Shoals, Ala.)

31GolfNorth Alabama Invitational (Muscle Shoals, Ala.)Baseballat Saint Leo 7 p.m.

By Brenton BurkettSports Columnist

The recent winning streak by the women’s basketball team has vaulted them near the top of the Sunshine State Conference heading into postseason play.

The team entered their Feb. 25 matchup with Florida Southern at 20-5 (10-4 SSC), having won seven consecutive games, four of which were on the road. They now sit in second place in the conference standings. To top it off, they believe it may not be over yet.

“I don’t think we’re at the top of the mountain yet,” head coach Tom Jessee said after the Spartans’ Feb. 21 win over Florida Tech. “I

see some things we can still do better, but we certainly are a much different basketball team right now than we were a month ago. So this is where we could only dream of being at this point in the year.”

“We want to keep winning, and we’re not finished,” junior forward Tiara Cook said. “We still have a lot more games to play.”

The Spartans boast a bevy of talented players ready to lead the team deep into the tournament, which begins March 4.

Three starters – Cook, Gianna Messina and Kym Taylor – average double figures in scoring. The team as a whole is shooting over 40 percent from the floor. They also lead the conference in

free throw shooting, three point percentage and assists.

But even with their streak and the postseason looming, the players are careful not to look too far ahead.

“We’re always just looking to win the next game,” Cook said. “You don’t want to go past the game after that, like, always be focused.”

“We’re playing our best basketball right now, but our toughest opponent is the next game,” Messina added. “That’s how it’s going to be the rest of this season. We just have to win every game from here on out.”

Brenton Burkett can be reached at bburkett@ut.edu.

Women Leap from Stuttered Start to ContenderBy Brenton BurkettSports Writer

Get your articles in print and your blogs posted online.

Contact minaret.sports@gmail.com to find out more information.

The Tampa Spartans may be the best women’s basketball team out there when the Sunshine State Conference tournament is played in the first week of March.

Throughout their late-season surge towards the top of the SSC standings, I have seen quite a turnaround. Coach Tom Jessee agrees.

“We were about as bad as I’ve ever seen anybody play in the first ballgame of the season,” Jessee

said after the Feb. 21 defeat of Florida Tech. “These guys can tell you that. But we knew we would change. As time went on they learned the offensive system and the defensive scheme. So we’re right where I hoped we would be this time of year.”

What I see on the floor is exactly what the team preaches and practices.

They don’t care what the venue is, they still find ways to win. The Spartans are led by numerous multi-talented players.

Cook has registered four double-doubles this season, stepping up the game in the paint.

Taylor is shooting over 50 percent, leading the team and helping Cook defend the front court.

Gianna Messina leads the team in scoring average, assists, steals and even rebounds despite being a 5-foot-6-inch guard.

From long-range threats to big post players, the Spartans have it all and can take it all the way to the conference title. Photo by Abby SanfordTiara Cook lays the ball off the glass.

SEC Basketball TournamentHosted in Tampa through March 15

Sports The Minaret | February 27, 200918

By Ryan BurkettSports Columnist

Photo by Abby Sanford

I have covered the men’s basketball team for a few weeks now and have seen them go through ups and downs. This this time of the year, more than any other, is the time to be “up,” so to speak.

The Spartans are nearing the end of their regular season and are now preparing to participate in the SSC tournament, where the hopes and stakes are both high.

The good news is that head coach Richard Schmidt is again leading the Spartans to a winning regular season. For him, it is more about staying consistent than anything else.

“We haven’t changed much, we just have to keep working hard,” Schmidt said.

Rashad Callaway has played incredibly well lately and leads the team in points per game. He is also the only Spartan to have started every game so far this season. Senior guard Johnathan Ball has also come on strong late in the season, including a career day in an overtime victory over Eckerd on Feb. 11.

“Certain people are having great games on certain nights and no one seems to be doubting themselves at all,” Ball said recently, regarding the team’s ability to step up when needed.

Ball has a point in this matter. The team has had contributions from its bench in addition to its starting lineup. One example of this is Arnaldo Abreu, who made his first start at Nova Southeastern on Feb.15 and played a team-leading 36 minutes, scoring 16 points.

All-in-all the team has a number of players who can contribute given the opportunity. Let’s just hope that it shows when crunch time arrives and the tournament begins.

They are near the end of the regular season as they fight to cement a better spot in the upcoming postseason.

They have endured a season that has had its share of encouraging highs and dispiriting lows.

Through all of it, however, they are in the midst of their 10th straight winning season under a head coach who has been enshrined in the Spartan Hall of Fame.

They are the University of Tampa men’s basketball team, and they are looking toward yet another Sunshine State Conference tournament...with a positive focus, of course.

The Spartans rank in the middle of the pack out of nine SSC teams as the postseason draws near.

Knowing where the team stands, Tampa head coach Richard Schmidt, as he always seems to do, put the team’s outlook and preparation in the proper perspective.

“It’s pretty much business as usual,” Schmidt said regarding the tournament. “We’ve been working hard all year to get better at everything that we do.”

The team’s players appear to be focusing on the positives going into the annual tournament.

“Everybody seems to be in good spirits, the best that we’ve been in all season,” senior Johnathan Ball recently stated.

The Sunshine State Conference tournament begins March 4 with quarterfinal games.

Nova Southeastern is set to host the tournament this year.

Matchups and game sites are still to be determined.

Ryan Burkett can be reached at rburkett@ut.edu.

Spartans Keep Composure Heading into Postseason

Rashad Callaway takes the ball to the hoop.

By Ryan BurkettSports Writer

disappeared.“The bird was at the previous stadium,

well at least a bird, was at the previous sta-dium,” said Jerome Fulton, athletic facilities director. “It had built a nest up in the light pole, which they tend to do, and I believe that the building and grounds people put something else similar to what is there now for the bird.”

With fear that the twigs from the nest might start a fire due to the heat from the lights, a new home was made. The osprey was accommodated with a platform on top of a pole next to the previously inhabited lights.

“Initially it went back to the light pole,” Fulton explained, “and then maybe the next season it started using the platform.”

When the baseball field was recently renovated, they had to consider the home of the protected osprey.

At the time of the renovation, an osprey chick was living in the nest, which caused a

bit of an obstacle.“When we built the new stadium, we

had to consider the bird,” said Fulton.The pole supporting the nest had to re-

main standing while all others were taken down. Once the birds left the nest, the pole was taken down and replaced.

The platform and nest were also put back close to where the original nest was, in cooperation with Florida’s law protecting the bird.

In the state of Florida, the osprey is a Species of Special Concern under the Flor-ida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Com-mission, and unless more is done to protect them, the ospreys could become threatened in the near future.

Like most wild animals, the osprey is vulnerable to environmental disturbance and habitat modification, as well as human disturbance.

As for the osprey living at the Univer-sity of Tampa, it is sure to catch its fair share of fish out of the Hillsborough river, and plenty of baseball games.

Olivia Glynn can be reached at oglynn@ut.edu.

From “Osprey” Continued From Front Page

Write down your suggestion for the baseball field’s resident osprey, cut out this box, and submit it to The Minaret office, Vaughn 211. We’ll pick the

top names and publish them in our next issue.

19SportsThe Minaret | February 27, 2009

By Kyle BennettOnline Sports Manager

A-Fraud Blows Smoke and College B-ball’s Senior Citizen

By Olivia GlynnSports Blogger

Theresa Osborne had never rowed until she came to the University of Tampa. Four years later, the Michigan City, Ind. native earned a scholarship.

After a high school career riddled with knee injuries, Osborne wanted to participate in a sport at the collegiate level but knew her injuries would limit her possibilities.

“Having to re-define myself after injuries was the toughest part because I had to shift focus to become a better leader,” said Osborne.

The exercise science major has earned a 3.90 cumulative GPA through her four years at the university on top of having practices at 6 a.m., six days a week.

Having to balance her early morning workouts with her full academic schedule was something the senior had to get used to.

“I am not naturally smart so I had to spend a lot of time on my class work, and working on my time management skills. It’s what it takes to succeed when you’re in my position,” said Osborne.

Osborne alternates between being a rower and being the coxswain. The coxswain is usually referred to as the person in charge of the boat.

Her duties require her to make sure the steering and navigation of the boat are all in proper form so the entire team can function as one.

“When you’re on the water, you have to

know what you are doing because you are in charge of the boat. You are the coach on the water and have to tell everyone exactly what to do. It’s not what you say out there, but how you say it,” said Osborne.

Although early morning practices are quite demanding, Osborne takes them day-by-day and looks at them in a positive light.

The senior enjoys the tranquility of the still river as the rising sun’s rays warm her face, shouting commands to her team as they glide across the surface of the water in one unified fluid motion.

“To wake up and have to be that focused and doing something that you love is very rewarding and is something that unifies the team. You have this sense of completeness within you,” said Osborne.

At The University of Tampa, the senior has been able to benefit from her decision to pursue rowing.

Starting off on the lightweight team as a freshman, she eventually worked her way up to the varsity team.

Now, she performs as part of the team, and is also the head rowing coach at the Academy of the Holy Names high school in Tampa.

“At first you feel awkward and are worried about the position of your body and the proper techniques, but once you get used to it and really set your mind to it, you really benefit from it in the long run.

“If you are able to push yourself outside the water, the benefits in the water will come quicker than you think,” Osborne said.

Four years and countless hours on the water later, Osborne is enjoying a hard-earned scholarship, in a sport she did not start until her first year in college.

Zach Place can be reached at zplace@ut.edu.

Session I: May 26 - July 2 Session II: July 6 - Aug. 13 12-Week Session: May 26 - Aug. 13 Saturday MBA: May 16 - Aug. 8 Inter-Sessions: May 11-22, Aug. 17-28

(813) 253-6249 | scs@ut.edu

visit www.ut.edu/09summerfor a complete schedule of classes and more information

Heat things up!

Register today on SpartanWeb!

’09 SUMMER SESSIONS

UTSCS-071 Npp Ad REV.indd 1 2/16/09 1:46:03 PM

By Zach PlaceSpecial to The Minaret

Osborne

Senior Rower Reflects in Final Year with Crew

Alex Rodriguez spoke to the media again to explain his use of drugs.

He told the media that his cousin from the Caribbean injected him with an ‘energy booster’ twice a month for six months.

Rodriguez has told media that he will not eat a Snickers bar, or candy bar.

Rodriguez stated he was young and stu-pid and did not know what he was taking.

As a freshman guard at Lees College in Ky., Ken Mink was kicked off of the basket-ball team for allegedly covering his coach’s office with shaving cream.

While he still denies ever doing that, his basketball career was over, at least for the time being.

That was in 1956.After 52 years, Mink decided to further

his education at Roane State, a junior col-lege near Knoxville, Tn., and he even made the bas-ketball team.

Imagine that, a 73-year-old man playing basketball with kids in their late teens.

As you can imagine, he is the oldest person to ever play college basket-ball.

On Feb. 7, Mink scored 2 points against Hiwassee College in a feel good win.

Unfortunately this feel good story didn’t feel so good once Roane State had to forfeit that game because Mink was ineli-gible.

Student athletes at Roane State must be en-rolled in 12 credit hours and pass all their classes.

Mink was struggling in Spanish, so his coach advised him to pick up another course through an online college that could then transfer the credit to Roane State.

He did so, and earned a B in the online sociology course, and proceeded to fail his Spanish course.

Mink thought that the online course would balance out his failing grade, but that is not how the system works.

The National Junior College Athletic Association made Roane State forfeit the game.

Mink did not go through the correct process of restoring his eligibility, which resulted in a forfeit for the Raiders.

The president of Roane State appealed the NJCAAs decision to make the team for-feit.

Although he is 73, he is still a student-athlete and still has to abide by all the same rules as any other player.

It surprises me that a 73-year-old man could make a college basketball team, even at a junior college.

I wonder how the freshmen trying out for the team felt while running suicides along side a senior citizen.

When the news first broke about Mink making the basketball team in the fall, it was a refreshing story about second chances.

Now it is just an unfortunate story, about a man who does not know when to throw in the towel, and who needs to let the kids play the game.

Olivia Glynn can be reached atoglynn@ut.edu.

Honestly, do you think that a man who will not eat a candy bar will let his cousin inject him with a substance that he doesn’t know the effects of?

Get serious A-Fraud. No one in their right mind would be-

lieve you at this point. Everything you say is a lie. No one can

trust anything you say.“Boli,” Rodriguez called the substance.

As a 24 or 25 year old, we were too young and too stupid to do outside research to find more information out about the drug, Rodri-guez said in his press conference.

Kyle Bennett can be reached at kben-nett@ut.edu.

Photo by Steven M. Falk/MCTA-Rod tries to explain himself to the media .

Super-Senior Sets Back College TeamSay-What?- Rod

Softball opened up their season 3-2 at the Eckerd Tournament hosted in Clear-water. The lady Spartans beat

two SSC conference opponents, F l o r i d a Tech and Saint Leo, but the games will not count

as confer-ence wins due to tournament play.

The weekend also brought about the SSC player of the week honor to senior first baseman Samantha Becker, who had 7 RBI while averag-ing .500 over the five games.

BracketBeatersThe Minaret will be host-

ing a bracket for the ensuing March Madness college bas-ketball tournament.

Selection Sunday takes place March 15 and The Min-aret’s bracket will run the fol-lowing Friday.

Cut it out, post it your wall and let us know how you do.

Softball’sSSC Star

Tucked away in the bot-tom right corner of the ath-letic web site is a survey.

The current question is “How many national champi-onships will UT win in 2008-09?”

There have been just un-der 500 votes. The next most popular response is one with 31.5 percent of the votes, to-talling about 156 people.

The remaining sports are baseball, softball, both bas-ketball teams, golf and ten-nis. The Minaret was one of the 22 percent that voted 0.

Fan PollFun Vote

3Out‘n

By Bobby WinslerSports Editor

Feb. 28, 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.at Lynn

March 3, 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.vs. Salem International

>>> UT will host Fighting Lions in the first home games of the season for the nationally ranked Spartans.

Basketball No. 10 Softball

>>> The men and women travel to Boca Raton for the last game of the regular season. The SSC tournament also begins this week.

No. 9 BaseballMarch 2, 1 p.m. vs. Saint Anslem

>>>The Spartans return from a weekend away to take on the Hawks and kick off a 12-game home stand.

Play-Rod works the press and a 73-year-old college basket-

ball player [19]

By Kyle BennettOnline Sports Manager

Pro, College Teams Collaborate for Late Coach

Becker

The University of Tampa Spartans outscored the Stillman Tigers 37-25 as they took three of four games in weekend doubleheaders hosted by UT.

The Spartans rode a career performance by Josh Bowman in game number one Feb. 21. Bowman turned in 14 strikeouts allowing just two runs on six hits and granting no walks, leading UT in a 7-2 victory.

Left-hander Max Kreuter tossed the final two innings, sealing the deal for the Spartans. The win takes Bowman to 3-1 for the season.

Tampa bats roared early against Stillman starter Josh Cagle. UT took their frustration out on Cagle in the first inning, scoring four runs on three hits.

Michael Bourdon ripped a solo homerun in the second inning.

In the second game the Tigers came out clawing. Starter Chase Wilson was able to go the distance against UT allowing just two runs on three hits.

Tampa reliever Alex Koronis

made an appearance in the fifth inning on the contest. He took in two runners left on base by starter A.J. Pinera.

Four hit batsmen, one wild pitch and one passed ball, accounted for two runs in the Tiger half of the fifth.

Starter Pinera and r e l i e v e r K o r o n i s drilled two S t i l l m a n hitters each. Stillman added their fourth and final run in the seventh after Sean Blair stole second and third bases. Grayson Crawford knocked him in with a double down the left field line. Stillman finished the game win a 4-2 victory over the Spartans.

The Tigers would not taste the sensation of victory again during the weekend as UT swept the doubleheader on Feb. 22.

UT struck first taking advantage of a Tiger error, in the opening inning.

Tampa tacked up three runs

in the frame, two being unearned. Tyler Cox scored in the second inning after Correy Figueroa drove him in from second base. Cox stole a career high three bases in the game.

The Tigers would not go away however. They scored four runs in the fourth to even the score and another run in inning number five to take the lead 5-4.

Tampa answered in the bottom half of the fifth-inning. Stillman started the inning for UT as Michael Schwartz and Jose Jimenez were issued back-to-back walks setting the Spartans up for a four-run inning on just one hit.

UT added another two runs in the seventh and the eighth to seal the win at 10-8.

The way game number two began UT looked to be headed to extreme devastation and a disappointing loss. The Tigers started the game by posting five runs in the top of the first inning.

Tampa shortstop Jesus Barroso committed a throwing error accounting for two of the five runs for the Tigers.

The following innings showcased both a fantastic display

of both teams’ bats, but also a horrific display of pitching and defense. The teams committed a combined five errors while also stroking 40 hits and scoring 35 runs.

The University of Tampa proved to be victorious as they won the game with a walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning by the score of 18-17.

Tampa shortstop, Barosso, came around to score the game winning 18th run, possibly covering up his previous defensive mishaps.

Figueroa, Schwartz, and Jared Simon each tallied a homerun in the 18-17 effort for UT with Sean Blair (2) and Josh McGinnis scoring long balls for Stillman.

UT infielder Devin Gonzalez batted in nine runs on the afternoon.

Tampa was in action Thursday in Winter Haven, Fla. against Nebraska-Omaha.

The Spartans will bring their now No. 9 ranking home to take on Valdosta State in a double header beginning at 1 p.m.

Kyle Bennett can be reached at kbennett@ut.edu.

Major League Soccer team Real Salt Lake skirmished the University of Tampa men on Tuesday, Feb. 24, before their match against BK Hacken of Sweden for the Tom Fitzgerald Memorial game.

Fitzgerald had coached for college and MLS programs, including the UT coach from 1984-1995 before returning in 2004 when he died.

Though the Spartans lost the exhibition 4-0, the experience gained was essential to a young team.

“It was a great opportunity for our players. Every player here is returning next year. There’s not that many college teams that get a chance like this,” Tampa coach Adrian Bush said.

“Every player played tonight, we’ve got a lot of depth as we continue to build. I think the score is deserving for the mistakes we made tonight.”

As good as the off-season

practice was, both program’s real concern lies in Friday’s game for the Tom Fitzgerald Scholarship Fund.

Real head coach Jason Kries was coached by Fitzgerald on the United States National B team about 15 years ago.

Despite the time elapse, Kries collaborated with Bush and the athletic department to make the philanthropic game possible.

BK Hacken has been training overseas in Miami and also committed to helping a man who had been building ties with Swedish players since 1978.

“We really want to thank Real Salt Lake for their efforts for looking to secure the game to make sure it happened,” Bush said.

“It’s a great honor for one of the greatest ambassadors definitely in Tampa Bay of soccer, not just college but youth soccer and for the United States. To have a Swedish team playing in the actual game, I know he’d be very proud to have that.”

Bobby Winsler can be reached at minaret.sports@gmail.com.

Bowman

Photo by Kara WallPascal Milien dribbles past a defender.

Baseball Bats Back from Losses with Good PitchingAfter suffering three losses last week, the Spartans start winning