Thursday, September 10, 2015
Volume 100 Issue 6
www.studentprintz.com PAGE THREE
PAGE FOUR
NEWS
Puppy Day
Southern Pines shares puppies with stressed Honors students.
ON CAMPUS SMAC to host fashion show Nan Buti
Printz Reporter Southern Miss Student Activities Council (SMAC) will have its annual fashion show Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. in the Thad Cochran Ballrooms. The fashion show, one of SMAC’s major traditional events, has shown a large increase in popularity in recent years. This year, SMAC reached out to local stores in the Hattiesburg community in an attempt to increase community business as well as gain attendance for the event. “Our goal for this event is to educate students on their many shopping options in our area and to give back to our local establishments by providing this promotional opportunity,” SMAC president Jessica Thompson said. The fashion show will showcase styles of attire for class, work, dates and parties. Exhibits of clothes will be featured from six participating stores, including Men’s Warehouse and Fetiche Shoe Boutique. A dance performance by High Def will open the show. Former Mr. USM Wilton Jackson and SGA election commissioner Phoenix Pope will host the show. “I am thrilled to be hosting such a fun SMAC event,” Pope said. “I think students will enjoy seeing all of the latest fashion trends, and I also think attending the fashion show is a great way to meet new people and learn more about what SMAC does for students all year long. Some of my favorite Southern Miss memories are from SMAC events.” Students will receive coupons from all the participating stores along with treat bags, and there will also be opportunities to win door prizes at the event. Last year, SMAC brought dance groups Rhythm Rush and High Def to the show, which ended with a dance after-party. This year, SMAC will surprise students who attend, and SMAC hopes to provide men and women with feelings of empowerment and self-confidence.
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PAGE SIX
F E AT U R E
OPINION
S P O RT S
ELI student from war-torn region tells his family’s story.
USM-MSU game patrons left campus in disarray.
Golden Eagles look to win big against Austin Peay.
Gaza Strip
Tailgaters
Football
Echosmith to headline Eaglepalooza Alexis Ware Printz Reporter
The Student Government Association announced that the band Echosmith will be the headliner for the Eaglepalooza concert. This is a free concert for students and the Hattiesburg community. In the past, Eaglpalooza included performances by Phillip Phillips, Need to Breathe and Icona Pop. “We wanted to give the students something fresh and new and exciting, and kind of our mindset with choosing Echosmith is they’re up-and-coming, and you know everybody is going to know their
ON CAMPUS
music,” said Eaglepalooza director Miranda Mixon. Students waited in the Thad Cochran Center to learn who would
Courtesy Photo
be performing at the concert this year. “I was excited. It was kind of weird hearing their song on the radio, then realizing they’re going to
be here,” said senior communication studies major Justin Cunningham. In addition to the headliner, Eaglepalooza will include other performers. This year SGA is giving students and people within the community the chance to perform in the concert as opening acts. Solo artists and bands can submit videos online, and students will have the option to vote for whom they want as part of the concert. The applications are available now and can be found on the SGA website or the Eaglepalooza Facebook page. Eaglepalooza will be Nov. 21 in downtown Hattiesburg.
Former CNN anchor speaks at USM
Jillian Rodriguez/Printz Soledad O’Brien speaks at the 50th Celebration of Desegregation at The University of Southern Mississippi Aug. 4. O’Brien is a well known CNN anchor and avid philanthropist.
Nan Buti
Printz Reporter As a part of The University of Southern Mississippi’s 50th anniversary celebration of desegregation, Soledad O’Brien, former CNN anchor and reporter, presented the keynote address last Friday at USM. Nearly 500 people attended the event in Bennett Auditorium to honor the university’s first African-American students, Raylawni Branch and Gwendolyn Armstrong-Chamberlain. President Rodney Bennett opened the event with recognition of the importance of the university’s desegregation in 1965. Tena Clark, CEO of DMI Music & Media Solutions and Southern Miss alumnus, is also a close friend of Soledad O’Brien. She introduced O’Brien with a speech. “She loves connecting history
to the present day struggles we have today and telling those stories through the voices of real people,” Clark said. “I am so pleased she has joined us today–a woman who, in her own right, is a pioneer and a woman I know that will continue the fight for those that cannot fight.” O’Brien encouraged engaging in conversations that people tend to shy from or be shunned by, such as those regarding desegregation 50 years ago. She spoke about how people’s stories intersect and are similar, using her own as an example. O’Brien’s mother is Cuban and African-American, and her father is Australian. In the 1950s, interracial marriage was reviled and illegal across much of the U.S. “(The diversity issue we struggle with today) is directly correlated to this nation not having frank and uncomfortable conversations about race. What you see in Missouri, Ferguson and Baltimore (are hot
spots where you see different viewpoints) and what it means to be a minority today” O’Brien said. “Those are not civil conversations. They are angry conversations. We have to hear both viewpoints. We have to listen to each other.” O’Brien covered the news for 30 years, covering events such as the 2004 tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. She is an award-winning journalist, philanthropist, author, executive producer and mother. Her career as a journalist began after her time at Harvard University. She said her biggest learning experiences came while doing documentaries with CNN. “As a journalist, it offered the chance to have a conversation that we as a country often don’t want to have about race,” O’Brien said. “How could you tell an in-depth story about America without discussing the details of people in that story?” She said that documentaries
helped her explore the hearts of people’s individual experiences and discover that all people are the same. O’Brien said that her parents taught her that if one is willing to struggle and go against the grain, then there is potential to succeed and make a lasting difference. “I asked my mother what the reaction was like (when she was out with my bi-racial sisters), and she said, ‘People used to spit on us,’” O’Brien said. “I asked her what she did, and she told me, ‘Oh, Lovie, we knew America was better than that.’” The family kept growing. O’Brien was the fifth of six children. In 1967, interracial marriage was made legal across the United States. The family then moved to Long Island. “There’s a special bravery in sitting on the right side of history,” she said. “But progress is hard.” O’Brien said the reason she accepted the invitation as keynote speaker for the event was her interest in historical societal changes involving race in America. O’Brien had dinner with Branch and Chamberlain on Friday. Both were present during O’Brien’s speech. “Fifty years later, we celebrate their bravery,” O’Brien said. “And we need to do more than just celebrate their bravery. We need to try to be them and take that leap of faith to change the world the way we want it to be.” The keynote address was followed by a question-andanswer session asked by USM student affiliates from the National Association of Black Journalists.
Page 2 | Thursday, September 10, 2015
INFORMATION MEET THE STAFF OF FALL 2015
EDITORS & STAFF
SGA Creed Week
Monday, Sept. 14, is kick-off day. We will be tabling in the Thad from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, is Cultural Appreciation Day where you can visit the Fresh Food Company for tastes of different cultures. Wednesday, Sept. 16, is Eagle Appreciation Day. This day, students will get the opportunity to “Speak Up” on whiteboards: we will hand out strips of paper with possible acts that students can do and encourage them to post it on social media for Random Acts of Kindness. They can participate in a social media challenge with the person who posts and using the most hashtags of their random acts will win a prize. Student Appreciation Day will have tables from many different departments and people from the community as well. Thursday, Sept. 17, is It’s On Us Awareness Day when we will be tabling from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Centennial Lawn. Friday, Sept. 18, is Healthy Body Image Day when we will be tabling from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Centennial Lawn with the opportunity to write on a whiteboard what a healthy body image means to you. If you have any questions, please contact Jeffrey George at jeffrey.george@eagles.usm.edu or Terondrick Waller at terondrick.waller@eagles.usm. edu. This information was written by Rhea Phillips Valentine, cabinet secretary of SGA.
Contact Us Editorial Policy
The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not necessarily represent those of the faculty, staff, or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submissions must include name, class distinction, major, phone number, and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@gmail.com by 5 p.m. Friday. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space, or journalistic ethics.
Opinions
Expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.
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NEWS
Thursday, September 10, 2015 | Page 3
ON CAMPUS
Honors College makes way for Puppy Day Nan Buti
Printz Reporter As thrilled as students are to rush out of class, some were ecstatic to relieve stress with puppies from Southern Pines Animal Shelter at the Honor House. The Honors College hosted Puppy Day at the Honor House from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday. Students gathered in a circle on the front porch of the Honor House and embraced the puppies that were brought by the shelter. “This is not only good for the students, but it’s good for the puppies too, because it helps socialize the puppies,” said Brittany McAllister, volunteer and events coordinator at Southern Pines. The turnout was large yesterday with people coming and going to see the puppies. The event offered students not only a stressrelieving highlight of the day, but bonding opportunities to meet and greet one another. “Playing with the puppies is amazing because it’s a big stress reliever and breaks the monotony of the day,” said senior biochemistry
NATIONAL
Mary Alice Weeks/Printz Students play with puppies from Southern Pines Animal Shelter at the Honors House during Puppy Day on Wednesday afternoon at the Honors House. Ellen Weinauer, dean of the Honors College, began the tradition of Puppy Day with a goal of giving students a way to relax and relieve stress. The activity also provides socialization for the puppies, better preparing them for adoption.
major Ellyn Dunbar. Southern Pines regularly visits the Southern Miss campus for other organizations like SMAC and sororities.
Company invests heavily to make trucking industry safer than ever Andrew Dutton Printz Reporter
Lockheed Martin now invests in Peloton Technology to make the trucking industry safer and more fuel-efficient. According to Fortune, Lockheed Martin signed on to an agreement of $17 million on Aug. 31. The deal was announced by Denso International America and Intel Capital. Peloton Technology, a startup program from Silicon Valley, has developed a truck platooning system that, in tests, reduced fuel consumption by as much as 10 percent in a group of trucks traveling down the highway. The system electronically couples pairs of trucks through a combination of vehicle-to-vehicle communications, radar-based braking systems and propriety vehicle-control algorithms. The system is designed to improve safety and allow trucks to travel at closer distances, which improves aerodynamics and reduces fuel costs. A communication link allows the rear truck in the platoon to react automatically to acceleration or braking by the front truck nearly instantaneous. The system approves the linking of pairs of trucks only on suitable roads under appropriate weather, vehicle and traffic conditions. This comes during a time at which fatal truck accidents have become all too common in the United States. According to CNBC,
accidents involving trucks have been increasing each year since 2009. This is due to an improving economy results in the shipment of more goods and more pressure is put on companies, drivers especially, to deliver the goods on time. Kendall McGee, an undeclared freshman, spoke about his feelings when encountering one of these trucks. “If they’re behind me, it doesn’t really bother me that much,” McGee said, “but if I’m trying to pass them, I’m always nervous that they’re not going to see me and start merging over to the next lane.” Brittany Lyons, an elementary education major, also shared her feelings about driving alongside truckers. “I don’t know how well they’re paying attention, and the fact that they’re driving a big piece of equipment that could easily tip over or wreck into me makes me scared, nervous and pay (better) attention to the road,” Lyons said. Lyons said she has had close encounters with these trucks before. Once, a trucker was merging into a lane and didn’t see her, causing Lyons to drive off the road to avoid a wreck. Both of these students said they would definitely support new technology that would make driving on the road much safer. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, fatal truck accidents happen 11 times every day in the United States. Over 4,000 people are killed and over 100,000 people are injured each year.
“It gets our word out to get people to help the puppies who need homes,” McAllister said. “One of our goals is educating our community about the needs.”
Hattiesburg is overpopulated with homeless animals. In 2014, Southern Pines received over 5,300 homeless animals from a 14-county area, according to the
shelter’s website. Dean of the Honors College Ellen Weinauer organized Puppy Day and believes students simply need an escape from academic pressures. “All students work very hard, and Honors students who are driven in particular ways tend to have stress levels that run high and we see it a lot,” Weinauer said. “Research tells us that animal therapy is beneficial for stress management.” The Honors College started the event last December and, due to its success, it is now scheduled to occur every month. Weather and animal availability permitting, the Honors College will be holding the event another three times this semester. “I am a strong supporter of Southern Pines, which is an incredible organization,” Weinauer said. “This is good for the students and animals because they need socialization, but it also encourages our students to get out to Southern Pines to support and volunteer. It helps give students, especially those with dogs, feelings of comfort, relaxation and a little bit of home.”
FOOTBALL
USM sets attendance record
Hunt Mercier/Assistant Photo Editor
Fans of Southern Miss and Mississippi State gather to watch the Southern Miss Golden Eagles walk into the football stadium on Sept. 5. Fans watched the Eagle Walk, a gameday tradition for Southern Miss, before a crowd of 36,000—a USM record—poured into M.M. Roberts Stadium for the game.
FEATURE
Page 4 | TThursday, September 10, 2015
ON CAMPUS
Refugee student finds home in ‘Burg Julius Kizzee Printz Reporter
Americans enjoy very basic freedoms in every day of their lives, like freedom of speech, religion, press and peaceful protest, among others. But Americans tend to overlook a freedom that is less obvious: the freedom to live without daily fear. Fadi Shahin is an 18-year-old English Language Institute student on the campus of The University of Southern Mississippi. Shahin made it through his senior year in high school when his family was displaced from the Gaza Strip in the Middle East. Growing up, Shahin was not the quiet kid. He had a personality that attracted everyone around him. To the boys in his neighborhood, Shahin was the one to whom everyone looked. “Back home, I used to be funny with my friends,” Shahin said. “Here, I just don’t know what jokes you guys like.” Not only was he the popular guy, but his father was also
a powerful man. His father worked for the South African Embassy of World Relations. Shahin and his family come from one of the most warravaged places on earth: the Gaza Strip. It is a 360-squarekilometer Middle Eastern
a great family, a nice home and plenty of friends. But it all changed in one night. “The last night in Gaza, there was an explosion,” Shahin said. “We saw the news that the next-door building was bombed.” That building that Shahin saw was 14 stories tall. The buildings in the front, behind and on the side of his family were all destroyed. The bombings did not start that night, but they were going on for months. “At midnight, the F-16 planes would drop bombs every night in this war,” Shahin said. “After the war ended, I still woke up in the night and had nightmares.” Shahin’s family faced three aggressions while they lived in the Gaza Strip, spanning from 2008 to 2014. In the Gaza Strip, violence was all around them. The wars with Israel displaced natives of the region, separating generations of families from their loved ones. Although the region they lived in gave them a prosperous life, the area was 365 square kilometers. The families in the region had to stay in the parameters to stay out of the
At midnight, the F-16 planes would drop bombs every night in this war. After the war ended, I still woke up in the night and had nightmares. - Fadi Shahin
country, that borders the Mediterranean Sea. “We went to the crossing border,” Shahin said. “We drove through the town (and) all the buildings were destroyed.” For years, the Shahin family lived in peace, despite war going on all around them. Buildings were commonly destroyed. People were constantly misplaced. It became increasingly difficult to find stability in the region. Finding a safe haven in the war-ravaged city was tough, but the Shahin family managed. As Shahin grew up, he actually loved the life he lived. He had
Courtland Wells/Photo Editor
wars between both Islamic extremists and the Israelites. That is, until the war came to them. In the very region that Shahin grew up, he also had his grandfather who did not live too far away. His grandfather housed his extended family,
including some cousins, aunts and uncles. After his cousins finally decided to live on their own, disaster struck. “My cousin’s home was bombed,” Shahin said. “They were all killed.” The tragedies of living in the area took no one in particular.
LOCATING THE STRIP
Courtesy Photo
FEATURE
Thursday, September 10, 2015 | Page 5
Hunt Mercier/Assistant Photo Editor
No matter what class, family or how much you meant to the native land, violence would find you. The fear of living in their native land drove Shahin’s family away. Trying to find a way out, they fled 45 minutes south to Egypt. On the way there, the images implanted into Shahin were hard
leave the country. After holding office in the South African Embassy, he held a very high power in society. When things were good, Shahin enjoyed his life in the Middle East. Things took a turn for the worst back at the apartment bombings. The family realized that they could not do it anymore. They
through in your past, you future is what really matters to him. “I want to live a normal life,” Shahin said. “I want to see beautiful places and
take pictures.” One thing that brought his family here was the abundance of Christians in America. According to the Pew Research Center, America is just over 70 percent
Christian. In the Middle East, it was very rare, if at all, to meet a person of the Christian faith. “In Gaza, we don’t have a lot of churches,” Shahin said. “There are only 1,300 Christians, but the population of Gaza is (1.8 million) people.” One adjustment that he said he has to make is in terms of the way American society can be judgmental. For years, the U.S. has dealt with race issues. Whether it is Trayvon Martin, the L.A. riots or how Americans have viewed the Islamic society after the Sept. 11 attacks, society’s views have changed. Even though Shahin’s region had the disparity in religion, they also didn’t recognize other things. “All of my friends were Muslim,” Shahin said. “We don’t have time to look at color.” As of now, the family lives downtown in the Hattiesburg area. He is here with his father, mother and his sister. His sister is a student at Southern Miss, but his father struggles. His father is currently unemployed, despite being a Southern Miss alumnus. He has requested permission to speak with the president of the university to help in his job search, but to no avail. With their backs against the wall financially and having just left the war, Fadi only has one message. “Palestinians and Israelites in live in co-existence,” Shahin said. “We hope that peace will prevail. We want people to have hope and live free.”
I want to live a normal life. I want to see beautiful places and take pictures. - Fadi Shahin
to conceptualize. “If you saw it from overhead, it would look like flat land,” Shahin said. “All the people were killed in this area.” The bombing did not just stop with Shahin, but it affected everyone, even the ones with whom he grew up. “I had a friend,” Shahin said. “He saw in his eyes that people were killed. He was not normal after that.” His family did not leave once they starting seeing the violence and wars. Fadi was merely in high school when the harshest violence came their way. His father resented wanting to
had to leave once the bombing came too close to home. The family moved to America on July 23 and they have not looked back since. Now in America, Hattiesburg has been kind to Shahin and his family. He hopes to become a photographer someday. He has numerous pictures on his personal Instagram page and he carries his own camera. “It’s a good and beautiful place,” Shahin said. “The nature is beautiful. I like it.” Adjusting to the American lifestyle is different for everyone. But the thing he believes is to just find your place. No matter what you have gone
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Page 6 | Thursday, September 10, 2015
OPINION
ON CAMPUS
Tailgaters leave behind a mess Camille Myrick Printz Reporter
More than 36,000 people filled stadium seats Saturday night to watch the Golden Eagles take on Mississippi State. That number broke a university record, as announced during the second quarter. The university happily welcomed these visitors but some did not leave the campus the way they found it. After the game, the front of campus was buried under piles of aluminum cans and garbage. The massive disarray appeared to be an act of vandalism, but security officer Marvin Robinson was on the scene all night. He indicated that it was an act of negligence from tailgaters. “What happened was that we had a lot of people from outside the university that came and were not respectful,” Robinson said. “I have never seen it this bad.” He said that it was not State fans or students that were to blame but locals. “State fans were totally cooperative. Most of them were in that area over there,” he said, pointing toward a clean area by Honor House. “The students were organized and picking things up. It was mostly local people.” The mess was very noticeable to attendants of the game. A group of three Southern Miss graduates said the problem was a lack of trash cans. “When there aren’t enough trash cans, people want to throw their trash on the ground,” said one alum, who opted to remain anonymous. “Go anywhere else and there is a
Camille Myrick/Printz
According to Marvin Robinson, the security officer on scene Sept. 5 at The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg locals were to blame for the mess left on the campus grounds.
trash can every few feet. They are constantly being emptied so that they don’t overflow. It’s a process.” USM distributed one trash can to each tent the day before the game, but the alumni asserted that they were not big enough to accommodate the large number of tailgaters. “We had almost 150 people in
our tent and only one trash can,” a second alum said. The two commenting graduates did not blame the staff working the event. “I think we have hard workers here and they are doing the best they can. It’s a lot for them to do.” Their only suggestion was to place more trash cans in the area.
Tailgaters could also add a box of Hefty bags to their game day checklists to help with the mess. Locals could bring a supply of trash bags to prevent this problem from reoccurring. It is important to be mindful of the university and respect the campus that thousands of students call home. Tailgaters abandoning their
mess is a grave injustice to the recent improvements to the face of campus, like the transformation of Lake Byron and restoration of the Ogletree House. For future events, I hope the public will be more motivated to pick up after themselves so we can keep the campus we love clean and beautiful.
OP-ED
Printz’s use of word ‘female’ incorrect Anna Rikki Nelson Contributor
Last week, I picked up a copy of The Student Printz late one evening while walking on campus. I’m a usual reader but was immensely disappointed by the headline of one of the articles. “Influential Female Graces the $10.” What, what? Surely, you mean an influential woman? I’ve noticed this trend picking up over the course of the last few years. I walk on campus and hear, “Man, these females...” and, “Females, right?” I ignore it. Whatever. Then I start seeing it everywhere. I see it in classrooms and professional settings where people should know better. Last night, I finished a novel, and there it is again. “The females in the room.” I check the publication date. 2015. Figures. In all seriousness, though, everyone needs to stop and think about what they are saying. The
terms “women” and “females” are not interchangeable for a whole host of reasons. First of all, when I hear it while walking around campus or read it posted on a Southern Miss Facebook page as “Females are so difficult,” I know what you mean. We all know what you mean. You’ve simply used a more socially acceptable word in the place of a sexist slur. It isn’t polite to say “b*tch” or “slut” in public. Instead, you opt for “female.” I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but replacing a slur for a more polite word still conveys the same meaning, and it is still sexist. I am a very busy woman, and I do not have time for your polite misogyny. Second of all, “female” is a very specific term. The word “female” is a scientific term referring to the biological characteristics of any animal that reproduces sexually. When you use “female” interchangeably with “woman,” you have reduced the woman
in question to her biological sex. I am not merely female. I am a historian, a musician, a writer, a lover of romance novels and rugby. I am a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a friend, a girlfriend, and, most importantly, I am a woman. I have the lived experiences of an American woman, and I have enough obstacles to deal with that don’t include being reduced to my sex in casual conversation. When you use the term “female” in the place of “woman,” you are denying the lived experiences of women everywhere, and those experiences are who we are as people. I am not simply female. I am not simply a human being capable of getting pregnant and carrying a tiny fetus to term. In my case, my biological sex has very little to do with me being a woman. My identity as a woman is something I have formed over many years. Third of all, using “female” in the place of “woman” denies the lived experiences of another very important group of people.
Not all women are biological women. Transgender women are women, even if their biology may not be the same as mine. Trans men may be biologically female, but they do not have the experience of being a woman. Not only are you being casually sexist when you use “female” and “woman” interchangeably, you are being casually transphobic, and that is not acceptable. I accept my trans sisters completely as women, and so should everyone else. They may not be “female,” but they are women, with the lived experiences as women. The simple word “female” denies them their womanhood, and I cannot accept that. Don’t be transphobic. It’s lame, and it kills. Suicide in the trans community is too high for us to stand idly by and allow our friends to engage in casual transphobia. Finally, guys, this is simply poor writing. “Female” as a noun is incorrect. “Female” is an adjective. Female can be used to describe a human,
dog, cat, gopher, rat, spider or tilapia. “Female” is an adjective describing the biological sex of a creature. In your writing, saying “an inspirational female” is simply incorrect. It’s poor form. It leaves ambiguity in your writing, when ambiguity is unwarranted in this case. “Woman” is the noun. She’s an inspirational woman. I know it seems dumb and trivial to harp on things like language, but our language has power, and it has meaning. Through our language, we articulate who we are as people. I absolutely hate having my entire identity summed up as “female.” I am not simply “female.” I am a very complicated woman, and I am proud of that. Women, do not reduce yourselves to your biology. Be strong women. To the editors of the Printz, please, do not reduce women to our biology. When Abigail Adams wrote to her husband John Adams, she said “I desire you remember the ladies,” not “remember the females.”
SPORTS
Thursday, September 10, 2015 | Page 7
NATIONAL
How baseball helped heal America’s wounds Julius Kizzee Printz Reporter
The landscape of American history was taken aback in shape by the terrorist occurrences on September 11, 2001. The majority of Americans know the story of Sept. 11. A series of attacks on the World Trade Center in downtown New York City were carried out through a group of Islamic extremists, known as al-Qaeda. Though the extremist group killed many people that day, they did not kill one aspect of this country: American resilience. Sports is looked at as a very separate entity from general news,
but one moment rises above all others. Diana Ross began the night with “God Bless America,” and Mike Piazza ended it with a swing of his bat. This was not just any home game for the Mets. It was a night of patriotism and healing. Just ten days after the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Atlanta Braves came to town to take on the home town team in the first game played in New York since the attacks. What happened hereinafter will go down in sports lore forever. Players engaged in behavior never seen before in baseball: Braves and Mets met midfield to
hug one another, and they wore NYPD and Fire Department hats. It was an emotional moment for everyone watching. The game was all tied up headed into the bottom of the eighth, 1-1. The Braves’ Brian Jordan drove a run home to put the Braves up by one score. The Mets escaped the inning without taking any more damage and had just three outs left to lift the spirits of not only the city, but the entire nation. The Mets fans in the crowd looked upon their home team in disappointment as Matt Lawton grounded out to first base. Edgar Alfonzo came to bat next, but was walked. Then, history stepped up to the plate.
Piazza took a strike on the first pitch. Distraught, but determined, one swing of the bat changed it all. He took the pitch right down the middle and smacked it into the New York sky. That home run in New York did not just seal the victory for the Mets; it soared past all of the emotional distress of the city. Watching the ball soar past the stadium, those Mets fans saw their woes and worries go along with it. Those same emotions have carried over to this day. Mike Piazza’s home run from that night will live forever. Whether you were a Mets or Braves fan, the emotion behind that smack of the bat drives the momentum of Sept.
11 back home. 41,325 people sat in attendance that day to not witness just the greatness of Piazza, but to show that their spirit had not been broken by the attacks. Piazza even donated his game check of $68,000 back to the city in relief effort as did several other Mets and Braves players. “There was a lot of emotion,” Piazza said. “It was just a surreal sort of energy out there.” The message will always stay the same. America has risen to any occasion without wavering. As Americans, we support each other as a nation. No matter where we are, we will always be there for each other.
FOOTBALL
USM aims for first win against Austin Peay Joshua Campbell Sports Editor
After falling to Mississippi State 34-16 in a game that was much closer than the score indicates, the Golden Eagles (01) will look to pick up their first win of the season Saturday at home against Austin Peay (0-1). The Governers are coming off a 28-7 loss to Mercer and went just 1-11 last season as an FCS school. In 2013, they went 0-12 and scored more than 14 points just once. Despite Austin Peay’s lack of success, Southern Miss head coach Todd Monken is not taking this matchup lightly. “You can see their improvement from last year,” Monken said. “They’ve got more talent. They have played awfully hard and we are excited to have them come into The Rock this week.” However, much of Monken’s message in his press conference Monday was coach speak. The
reality is Austin Peay is nowhere close to USM in terms of talent. This game is more about USM figuring themselves out and establishing an identity than it is about the opponent. This game comes at a good time for the Golden Eagles as they will have the luxury of testing some things against an inferior opponent. There has already been a few shakes up in the depth chart from week one to week two. The most important is that the quarterback competition has been put to rest as Nick Mullens has once again taken the reigns as the starter. Despite throwing two interceptions against the Bulldogs, Mullens delivered an inspiring performance. Throwing for over 300 yards and completing almost 70 percent of his passes is always good, but it was toughness and moxie that stood out. There were several occasions when he stood tall in the pocket and
delivered the ball knowing he was about take a big hit. He was harassed by the MSU front seven throughout the game, but he kept his composure, made tough throws, kept drives alive and, most importantly, kept USM in the game. Monken came away impressed with his performance. “He made some really good throws under duress,” Monken said. “(Mississippi State) is a good football team. That is a good front. That is a good staff. I thought he did some really good things.” One of the biggest surprises is what the coaching staff has decided to do with the tight end position. Going into the season, Taylor Marini and Julian Allen were expected to get all the reps, but Jay’Shawn Washington got the start with Ricky Parks spelling him. Neither were listed at the position on the initial depth chart and Parks was listed as a defensive end. However, both
played well and Monken still expects Marini and Allen to play roles within the offense. “(Parks) played tight end at Auburn so that was an easier transition and it is only going to get better,” he said. “Jay’Shawn Washington did some good things and we are hopeful to have him this week. We will see where Taylor (Marini) is at as we keep going and also Julian (Allen).” On defense, Michael Smith is moving back inside to defensive tackle after playing week one at end. Darian Yancey will take Smith’s place outside while Andrew Bolton will take over at the nose for Wil Freeman. The linebacking corps is getting shaken up to with Anthony Swain taking over as the will linebacker and Elijah Parker is moving from the will to the strong side linebacker. With these defensive adjustments, it is clear defensive coordinator David Duggan and
Monken are focused on making their defense more athletic. Adding Swain into the starting lineup will give the front seven another downhill run stopper which it sorely lacked in the second half last week. The star of the defense so far has been newcomer D’Nerius Antoine. He was all over the field against the Bulldogs and consistently came downhill from his safety position and delivered big hits, something this defense lacked a year ago. The Golden Eagle defense will be tasked with defending the Governors’ spread attack this week, which it should be able to handle easily. The Governors averaged just 1.7 yards per carry last week and failed to muster 200 yards passing despite throwing the ball 33 times. Look for the Golden Eagles to take care of Austin Peay rather handily on Saturday and pick up their first win of the season. Kickoff is at 2:30 p.m.
Courtland Wells/Photo Editor Defensive lineman Ja’Boree Poole sacks quarterback Dak Prescott in the Golden Eagles’ season opener against Mississippi State in Hattieburg Sept. 5. The Golden Eagles fell to the Bulldogs 34-16.
Mary Alice Weeks/Printz
Southern Miss’ Korey Robertson receives a pass during the game played against Mississippi State in Hattiesburg on Saturday night.
Page 8 | Thursday, September 10, 2015
SPORTS VOLLEYBALL
USM volleyball off to record-setting pace Jacob Kemp Sports Reporter
Courtesy Photo/Joe Harper/bgnphoto.com Alexis Coombs strikes against Southern University on Aug. 29.
A weekend in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, saw the Southern Miss volleyball team remain undefeated after the annual Bama Bash and improved to a school record 9-0. USM started off the tournament with two dominating wins over the College of Charleston and Northwestern State on Friday. Stephany Purdue dominated both series with a team high 18 and 13 kills. However, Kelsey Chambers and Kylie Gandy were at her heels with eight and 11 kills respectively. Against Alabama on Saturday, the Golden Eagles started slowly and lost their first set to Alabama. However, Purdue led the Golden Eagles back to take the next two sets. In the fourth set, several attack errors cost USM a chance to clinch and send
Alabama home. Alabama ran out to a 4-1 lead until USM rallied to tie the set at four. Alabama amped up the pressure and then rushed back out to a 9-5 lead, but USM would once again tie it at 13-all. However, Alabama bounced back and took advantage, tying the match at two apiece. Southern Miss came out in the fifth set and used a combination of Gandy, Rachel Johnson, Purdue and Chambers to knock Alabama down 15-11 and took the match 3-2. Purdue, Chambers, Johnson and Gandy all had double digit kills in the match. Later that day, Southern Miss faced off against UAB and dominated after falling behind a set early on. Southern Miss dropped the first set 25-12, but clawed back and took the next three sets to take home the tournament win. It was Southern Miss’ second
tournament win on the season Purdue was named MVP of the tournament. The Golden Eagles did not rest long as they had a match against Jackson State on Tuesday. Both teams went back-and-forth in the opening set; however, timely digs by Gandy helped USM stay alive in the set and eventually overcame the Tigers. They dominated Jackson State the rest of the way as they took the match 3-0 behind Purdue’s 10 kills and great team blocking. The Golden Eagles, who have always been deadly on offense, have gotten much better defensively, which has led to their dominant stretch. Southern Miss will return to action to see if they can stay undefeated when they travel to Oxford to participate in the Rebel Classic. Southern Miss will take on Belmont on Friday at 1 p.m. and then take on the Rebels at 5:30 p.m.