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The official student newspaper of the University of HoustonTRANSCRIPT
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t h e o f f i c i a l s t u d e n t n e w s p a p e r o f t h e u n i v e r s i t y o f h o u s t o n s i n c e 1 9 3 4t h e o f f i c i a l s t u d e n t n e w s p a p e r o f t h e u n i v e r s i t y o f h o u s t o n s i n c e 1 9 3 4
years
Should NCAA Tournament expand its fi eld? SPORTS »
What eff ect has the health care bill had on the country? OPINION » HI 75 LO 56
Issue 114, Volume 75 Tuesday, March 23, 2010 thedailycougar.com
WEATHER »
Forecast, Page 2
T d M h
THE DAILY COUGAR.COM Check out the Editor’s Desk blog to see how the editor thinks
GREGORY BOHUSLAV THE DAILY COUGAR
Tom Penders, left, used his fi nal press conference as UH men’s basketball head coach to focus on the positive aspects of his tenure with the
Cougars and to wish Athletic Director Mack Rhoades well in his search for a replacement.
By Phillipe CraigTHE DAILY COUGAR
While the rumor mill had been in full swing over the last few weeks, UH men’s basketball head coach Tom Penders confi rmed what many suspected by resigning Monday.
He also dispelled the notion that the Cougars would be the last team he coaches, saying he simply felt he had done all he could in his six years at UH.
“I feel that I can do no more, and I’m very proud of what we’ve done. It’s time to move on,” Penders said. “Very few coaches get the opportunity in this day and age to stay at a great place like the University of Houston for six years. Everything in life is timing and (Athletic Director) Mack (Rhoades) and I had a great meeting yesterday. It was all positive, all about the future of the program. I am confi dent that Mack Rhoades will be able to build on our success, and I wish him and the program all the best.
“I am not retiring. I’m too young, I’ve got too much energy, too much passion and I can’t wait for the next challenge.”
Penders, who became the ninth coach in history to guide four schools to the NCAA Tournament and leaves with a 121-77 record at UH, also indicated that his experience leading the Cougars was one he will relish for its unique circumstances.
“This was different,” he said. “This was a real challenge, because of some of the things we don’t have. But I love challenges.
Although Penders, 64, stepped down voluntarily, he is still under contract through 2012, meaning a buyout will have to be negotiated between him and the University. Rhoades said that he would eventually address the buyout, which could be as high as $500,000 — the sum of Penders’ base salary over the next two seasons.
“In terms of compensation, it would be premature for me to talk about that,” Rhoades said. “We will
work with Tom to negotiate a fair exit. It’s what he deserves.”
Rhoades, who took offi ce last August, also touched on the search process for Penders’ replacement and indicated that securing new facilities would be a key component for potential candidates.
“We’re certainly going to do our due diligence. It’s an important hire for this institution, in terms of where we want to take the program,” Rhoades said. “Tom did a great job of moving the program forward and now it’s my job, our job with the next coach to try to move that even further, and I think we can do that.”
“It’s going to be a leap of faith for that coach. We’re going through that process, in terms of the feasibility study, and we’ll let them know that we’re going to do everything we can for new facilities and that’s all you can do at this point in time. We’re going to need to bring in somebody who’s not afraid to work.”
Penders steps down after six-year journey as UH men’s basketball coach
On his own terms
By Ashley Evans THE DAILY COUGAR
Famed American journalist Hunter S. Thompson spent most of his professional career searching for truth and “the American Dream” and it was his conclusion that, “Absolute truth is a very rare and dangerous commodity in the context of professional journalism”.
Some reporters today are still attempting to uphold the code of professional journalists, “to seek the truth and report it in with fairness, honesty and compassion to those who may be affected by it.”
But the line between journalism and sensationalism is becoming unclear.
In December it was reported that the Tiger Woods scandal was the longest running front page story in the New York Post with 20 consecutive days; beating out the 9/11 attacks with only 19 straight days http://blogs.suntimes.com.
Now with print journalism fading into the background to make way for new Web media many fear that the art of journalism will be lost in the process.
“Journalism as an art has taken major steps backwards,” said communication professor Charlie Crixell, who is also an assistant sports editor for the Houston Chronicle. “The advent of the new social media outlets such as TMZ and Twitter has lowered the standards of what is considered good journalism.”
In today’s society a new trend is emerging where people are more concerned with who leaks the story fi rst instead of who reported it best.
“Sometimes the most accessible news is not necessarily the best news, like headlines on popular social-networking sites or buzzed news,” photography senior Stephanie Gobea said. “ But, if you hunt for local and national newswires with older credentials, the journalism is a bit more intriguing and weighted versus some superfi cial non-sense that passes through the ‘super grapevine’.”
At UH, journalism is held up to a higher standard of news ethics
By Wyshanda SennettTHE DAILY COUGAR
The UH College of Optometry student team won the 2010 Southwest Council of Optometry Shootout competition.
Danica Marrelli, a clinical associate professor of UHCO, said that the SWOC, which has been in existence for more than 30 years, has an annual meeting in Dallas to provide continuing education programs for optometrists in six states. The states that make up SWOC are Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Colorado and New Mexico.
“One of the programs is the Shootout Competition, which is a Jeopardy-style quiz bowl for students at UHCO, Northeastern State University of Oklahoma College of Optometry and Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee,” Marrelli said.
The competition is in its fi fth year and, according to Marrelli, these three schools each send a three-person team to compete every year. The UHCO student team consists of optometry students who will graduate that particular year.
The 2010, the UHCO student team consisted of Jennifer Deakins, Jessica Unruh and Zach Unruh. Marrelli said that they were chosen in January for the March event.
At the event, students are able to network with other optometrists and go to the continuing education classes. The team disbands after the competition is over, and the following year, new teammates are selected.
Marrelli said that the event is a two hour-long quiz and the team that has the most points at the end of the contest wins. The winners receive title of the Shootout Champions until the next yearly meeting.
This year, Hoya Optics, an optical company that sponsored the event, gave each of the participants of the winning team an iPod. UHCO also received a trophy, which travels from school to school depending on the current year’s winner.
Marrelli said that one of the biggest team goals is to bring pride to the school.
“There isn’t a scholarship or money involved, just the pride of saying we won the competition,” Marrelli said. “This was our second year in a row to win, and we won it three times out of the fi ve years.”
Media members ponder ethics
Students excel at regional event
Journalism merit
aff ected by tabloids, Internet
see PENDERS, page 3 see JOURNALISM, page 3
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2 ■ Tuesday, March 23, 2010 The Daily Cougar
Wednesday
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TODAY
Project management: 9 a.m.-noon, Social Work Building, Room 110L. The classes are free to students, faculty, staff and alumni in good standing. The classes are taught on Windows ma-chines and meet in Room 110L of the Social Work building unless otherwise noted. Registration is required to re-serve a seat in a class. After a 5-minute grace period, unfi lled reserved seat are reassigned to those on standby. Course descriptions and online regis-tration can be found at www.uh.edu/ITtraining
WEDNESDAY
Stand Out and Speak Up: noon-3 p.m., UC Arbor. On Wednesday, thousands of youth in every state and around the world will stand out, speak up and seize control against free tobacco. The event will include free giveaways as well as pizza and refresh-ments.
Database applications: 2-4 p.m., Social Work Building, Room 110L. The classes are free to students, faculty,
staff and alumni in good standing. The classes are taught on Windows ma-chines and meet in room 110L of the Social Work building unless otherwise noted. Registration is required to re-serve a seat in a class. After a 5-minute grace period, unfi lled reserved seat are reassigned to those on standby. Course descriptions and online regis-tration can be found at www.uh.edu/ITtraining
THURSDAY
Fairy Godmother Project: 8 a.m.-6 p.m., McElhinney Hall, Room 333. The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and the Women’s Resource Center have teamed up with a local outreach organization, the Fairy God-mother Project, to collect prom dresses for local disadvantaged students. It’s a donation event, asking for unused dresses. For more information, contact Jennifer Palton at 713/743-1019.
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■ Copy editing Meagan Washington
■ Production Alan Dennis, Newton Liu
■ Closing editor Ronnie Turner
Newsroom(713) 743-5360■ Editor in ChiefRonnie Turner(713) [email protected]
■ Managing EditorMatthew Keever(713) [email protected]
■ News EditorsPatricia EstradaHiba Adi (713) [email protected]
■ Sports EditorsPhillipe CraigRobert Higgs(713) [email protected]
■ Life & Arts EditorTravis Hensley(713) [email protected]
■ Special Projects EditorJarrod [email protected]
■ Opinion EditorAlan [email protected]
■ Photo EditorKendra Berglund(713) [email protected]
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Business Offi ce■ Phone (713) 743-5350■ Fax (713) 743-5384■ Mailing addressRoom 7, UC SatelliteStudent PublicationsUniversity of HoustonHouston, TX 77204-4015
WWW.UH.EDU/RECREATION7 1 3 - 7 4 3 - P L A Y
Outdoor AdventureFundamentals of Climbing Class
This two hour course will instruct you on the proper methods of roped climbing at UH. Upon successful completion of this
course you will be able to belay at the rock wall!--Spots are limited to 4 participants per clinic.
Mondays from 4-6pm -- 3/22, 3/29, 4/5, 4/12, 4/19, & 4/26Thursdays from 5-7pm -- 3/11, 3/25, 4/1, 4/8, 4/15, 4/22, &
4/29
Kayak ClassLearn how to paddle, brace, roll, and wet exit a whitewater
kayak. All equipment and instruction is provided. Remember to bring a swim suit and a towel!
--Spots are limited to 8 participants per clinic. Tuesdays from 7-9pm -- 3/9, 3/30, 4/13, & 4/27
Surf SchoolIn this bi-monthly clinic, participants will learn the basic steps to paddling, balancing, standing up and riding a long board.
No experience is required and surf board and wetsuit is provided. Remember to bring a swimsuit and a towel!
--Spots are limited to 8 participants per clinic!Tuesdays from 8-9pm -- 3/23, 4/6, & 4/20
Lead Climbing ClassOA's lead climbing class is a must-have for any climber looking
for advancement in skills and the transition to outdoor climbing. Participants must have completed the
Fundamentals of Climbing course and demonstrate satisfactory climbing at a 5.10 level.
--Spots are limited to 4 participants per clinic. Fridays from 12-3pm (Or By Appointment) -- 3/26, & 4/30
*NEW* Fly Casting Clinic ($40)Learn to cast from a former fly-fishing collegiate
instructor and shop-owner. Participants will learn all about casting mechanics . All equipment is provided!
--Spots are limited to 12 participants per clinic!Friday, 4/16
Outing Calendar of EventsSpring Break in New Mexico
March 12 - March 20� Spend Spring Break backpacking in the
southwestern desert and climbing in the canyons around Socorro, NM. Three spots remain.
Bike the Bayou City Art FestivalSaturday, March 27 -- $20/$25
This Memorial Park gallery boasts a multitude of creativity -- artists, musicians, & dancers among
charming cafés, & the great outdoors.
Kayak Luces BayouSunday, March 28 -- $25/$35
Get outside and paddle the scenic Luces Bayou.
For more information contact Caleb Wells at 713-743-0808
Intramural SportsSpring 2010 Entry Deadlines:
League Softball Monday, March 22nd
League Sand Volleyball Monday, March 29th
4 on 4 Flag Football Monday, March 29th
Wii Bowling Tournament Monday , April 12th
Swim MeetMonday, April 12thAll entries must be turned in by 6:00pm.
Please call IM Sports office for more information
at 713-743-8041
Youth Swim LessonsSession 2:�March 29 - April 22
Classes offered M/W or T/Th between 4:15pm-7:00pm
CRWC Members: $60/sessionNon-Members: $70/session
Adult Swim LessonsSession 4:�March 29 - April 8Session 5:�April 12 - April 22
Classes offered M/W or T/Th between 5:15pm-8:00pm
CRWC Members: $25/sessionNon-Members: $30/session
For specific times/levels, visit our Web site at www.uh.edu/recreation
SCUBA: Open Water Certification
Session 2:�March 22 - April 21
Classes offered M/W or T/Th between 6:30pm-9:00pm
CRWC Members: $250/sessionNon-Members: $275/session
Masters Swim Team Who: Adults 18+ (all skill levels!)
Where: NatatoriumWhen: Tuesdays -Thursdays 6:00am-7:15am
Cost: Students $35/month, Members $40/ month, Non-Members $45/month
+ $150 annual joining fee
713-743-9509
Aquatics & Safety
UH Faculty and Staff Free Fit Fridays
at the Campus Recreation CenterOur university was issued a challenge from
Governor Rick Perry to join other state agency and participate in the Governor's Challenge in support of
GetFitTexas! and Texas Round-Up.
Click on http://www.uh.edu/cougarroundup/ for details to participate.
The Daily Cougar NEWS Tuesday, March 23, 2010 ■ 3
Even before UH’s disappointing regular season, in which the Cougars went 15-15 overall and 7-9 in Conference USA before winning the league tournament and an automatic bid to the NCAAs, many had dubbed this a make-or-break year for Penders, leading to early speculation regarding a possible replacement.
Local media outlets have mention several candidates, including Billy Gillispie, who’s had head-coaching success at UTEP,
Texas A&M and Kentucky. Rhoades said he has not yet settled on a working list nor spoken to any candidates.
“I have not spoken with any former or current coach, head or assistant, about this job, whatsoever,” Rhoades said emphatically. “I’ll begin that process this afternoon.”
As for Gillispie, Rhoades stopped short of ruling him out.
“I don’t know,” he said. “Certainly there’s that possibility, and people know that Billie and I worked together.”
and passes on the creed of good reporting over fast reporting.
This is being done by bringing in professors who aren’t just knowledgeable in the concentration but also works in the fi eld. Crixell and fellow journalism professor David McHam both received Master’s degrees from Columbia University and professor Michael Berryhill has been published in periodicals such as The New York Times and Vogue.
“UH students have the distinct advantage of learning not just what we do and how we do it, but also what the world is like on a day to day scale,” Crixell said.
UH journalism students also have the opportunity to write for the Daily Cougar, which has been around for 75 years.
UH alumnus Tony Hernandez
said that if it weren’t for the experience he learned working at the Cougar and the references he received from Berryhill and McHam, he would not have landed his fi rst job out of college.
Hernandez, who graduated with a bachelor’s in journalism in 2008, is now the managing editor at The Southwest Times in Liberal, Kan.
The School of Communication hails alum such as Jack Valenti, creator of the motion picture ratings system, famed sports announcer Dan Cook and Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Andrees Latif.
Crixell said it is important for journalism students now days to be versatile.
“Learn how to write, to take photos and how to deliver Web content,” he said. “With the instability of the business; versatility is invaluable.”
PENDERScontinued from page 1
JOURNALISMcontinued from page 1
4 ■ Tuesday, March 23, 2010 The Daily Cougar
In the attempt to pass highly controversial legislation to overhaul the nation’s health care system, supporters on either side have been effectively
polarized into two groups: liberal and conservative.
Tensions run high among those in the so-called tea party movement, where some simply shut out everything their opponents have to say because he or she many have an “R” beside their name.
Just last week, Rep. Andre Carson, a Democrat from Indiana, alleged that tea party protestors on Capitol Hill shouted racially charged epithets as he walked past them, one of which was the N-word, arguably the most offensive term used to refer to African-Americans.
Ultra-conservative factions such as the tea party may help when it comes to keeping checks on elected offi cials and preserving limited government, but recent
events tend to present their political ideologies in a harmful light.
And then there are those who are dubbed “liberal,” who predominantly identify with the Democratic Party.
Many on this side of the political aisle hurl insults and names at their opponents. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and fellow Democrats called town-hall protestors un-American when they expressed disagreement with the proposed health care legislation.
Democrats portrayed opponents of a public health insurance option as being in favor of maintaining the status quo and displayed blatant disregard toward the suggestions of Republicans and conservatives.
Not surprisingly, Democrats have attempted to pick apart the ideals of their political counterparts, instead of considering tort reform, tax credits and removal of state-line barriers in the health care insurance market as a collective set of
measures to help extend coverage to the disadvantaged.
The word “liberal” has become so negatively charged that conservatives cringe upon hearing the word mentioned. The word “conservative” automatically implies that one is against any type of government whatsoever, and that he or she wishes to impose religious beliefs and principles on the masses through legislation.
A true American listens to their opponent and works with together with them to achieve the best compromise available. All people must maintain a mindset of impartiality and fairness in listening to the arguments of others.
It is detrimental to society when people allow adopted political belief systems to defi ne them instead of defi ning it themselves.
Patrick Levy is a communication freshman and may be reached at [email protected]
After Sunday’s historic vote, Americans for the fi rst time have a comprehensive bill aimed at reforming the nation’s broken health care system. The fi nal tally
for the legislation in the House of Representatives was 219 votes for the measure and 212 against.
Republicans unanimously rejected the bill, with all 178
GOP representatives voting to kill it, along with 34 concurring democrats.
The bill symbolizes what President Barack Obama’s administration has been about from the very beginning — doing the right thing.
Passage of the health care bill serves as proof that the country’s leaders can tenaciously battle and slam each other over something that should be simple.
The basis of the bill is extending coverage of health care, a product that everyone values and views as positive,
while reforming the existing broken system in order to cover the costs of expansion while adding downward pressure on rising medical costs.
As anybody who stays informed of current news would know, passing this piece of legislation was anything but simple.
It has been killed fi guratively, revived fi guratively, killed and then brought back again. This health care bill is almost cat-like in the sense that it has demonstrated tenacity in survival.
The main reason for this issue is that it was simply misunderstood by much of the public.
News networks from both ends of the spectrum released their heavily slanted facts and opinions on a daily basis in order to try and misinform the people.
Those in charge of the partisan politics behind both corners stopped at no cost to pander and promote what they thought the American people wanted.
The problem, though, is that neither side did a fully devoted and truthful job
of representing the American people’s desires.
This left most Americans to pick whichever option they thought would contribute the most good.
Often, this type of choice is referred to as picking the lesser of two evils, but what it really comes down to is what makes the most sense.
A quick look at the bill in the simplest conceptual terms shows that representatives either had to choose to vote for some reform that was not a perfect solution or vote to have no reform at all, leaving costs to rise at dangerous rates and no solution in sight for any of the nation’s problems pertaining to health care.
When viewed in this context, it seems to make the most sense and is the easiest to understand amidst the pages of medical jargon and legal clauses.
The fact of the matter is that this bill will provide substantial aid to many in desperate need; it will level the health care
Bill led to breakdown in politics
Passage of health care for the best
EDITORIAL CARTOON
MISHELE LAMSHING THE DAILY COUGAR
In a recent poll survey, CBS News reported that most of the nation is not in favor of the health care reform bill that was passed Monday and
is now sitting on President Barack Obama’s desk waiting to be signed.
During his presidential campaign, Obama used his proposed reform as a major talking point, citing multiple problems with the system in place. But for all the cheering and talk of change, not much
really has; politicians still aren’t listening to their constituents.
The poll results showed that 57 percent of Democrats and 61 percent of Republicans think the bill is being forced through for mostly political reasons.
While approval ratings for both parties’ management of the issue has risen, the increase has only been slight.
According to CBSNews.com, only 32 percent of Americans support the congressional Democrats’ actions concerning health care, which is quite a low number — especially considering that it’s a seven-point increase since October. Sixty percent of America still disapproves.
When discussing the reform, most people have taken one of two sides. Liberals cite fat cat billionaires who can skip waiting lines for open heart surgery or a new brain — it hasn’t happened yet, but it could — hogging all the medicine. Conservatives, on the other hand, feel that they have earned the right to choose their doctor, never mind the poor.
But since most of America is somewhere in between those two camps, why is that all we’ve heard for the past year? And did you all know there was a student loan reform tied into all of this?
We didn’t either, until Sunday night. It must have been one of those inserts they snuck in at the last minute.
For all this talk of change and representation of the people, you’d think the masses had just regained control of the country.
So support the reform if you like, but the bottom line is that most people aren’t behind it. Whether it’s for the greater good or not, that’s nothing to celebrate about.
STAFF EDITORIAL
Polls show legislation not solution people wanted
... you’d think the masses had just regained control of the country.
OPINION COMING WEDNESDAY: How much success has the University had in its attemptsto go green?
EDITOR Alan Dennis E-MAIL [email protected] ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/opinion
E D I TO R I A L P O L I C Y
STAFF EDITORIAL The Staff Editorial refl ects the opinions of The Daily Cougar
Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other
opinions, commentaries and cartoons refl ect only the opinion of the author.
Opinions expressed in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily refl ect those of the
University of Houston or the students as a whole.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Daily Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any
member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 words and signed,
including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affi liation
with the University, including classifi cation and major. Anonymous letters will not be
published. Deliver letters to Room 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to letters@
thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax them to (713) 743-
5384. Letters are subject to editing.
ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements published in The Daily Cougar do not
necessarily refl ect the views and opinions of the University or the students as a whole.
GUEST COMMENTARY Submissions are accepted from any member of the UH
community and must be signed with the author’s name, phone number or e-mail
address and affi liation with the University, including classifi cation and major.
Commentary should be kept to less than 500 words. Guest commentaries should not be
written as replies to material already printed in the Cougar, but rather should present
independent points of view. Rebuttals should be sent as letters. Deliver submissions to
Room 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to [email protected]; or fax
them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.
THE DAILY COUGARE D I T O R I A L B O A R D
Ronnie Turner, Editor in ChiefMatthew Keever, Managing editorPatricia Estrada, News editorHiba Adi, News editorPhillipe Craig, Sports editorRobert Higgs, Sports editorTravis Hensley, Life & Arts editorAlan Dennis, Opinion editorJarrod Klawinsky, Special projects editor
Patrick Levy
AndrewTaylorA d
see TAYLOR, page 5
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS
If You Are Required to File an Income Tax Return, (Form 1040NR or 1040NR EZ)Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)* Volunteers are Available to Assist You!
Bayou City Room (Room 202),University Center, 2nd Floor, Saturdays Only, 9:30 am to 2:00 pm:
Bring the following: Your passport, Immigration Documents such asForms I-20, or DS-2019; any Forms W-2 and/or 1042-S; Forms 1099, if any; records of all income and expenses.
For additional information, please callthe International Student and Scholar Services Office at
(713)743-5065.
*Houston Asset Building Coalition (HABC) is now responsible for all phases of theVITA Program.
February 27, 2010, March 20, 2010March 27, 2010, April 3, 2010
and April 10, 2010
RecycleManiaArt ContestTODAY11 am – 2 pm
UC World Affairs Lounge
UH
REDU
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REUSES
RECYCLES
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TURN YOUR RECYCLING
INTO ART!
WE PROVIDE THE SUPPLIES, ALL YOU HAVE TO BRING IS TALENT!
For more information, visit www.uh.edu/recyclemania
The Daily Cougar OPINION Tuesday, March 23, 2010 ■ 5
EDITORIAL CARTOON
USBICEF
playing fi eld for those who were disadvantaged through no fault of their own.
In a New York Times blog post published Monday, Tara Siegel Bernard said some of the most important reforms, such as prohibiting lifetime limits on medical coverage, prohibition of denying children due to pre-existing conditions and canceling
the policies of people who fall dangerously ill, could take place in as soon as six months from the enactment of legislation.
Within three months of the legislation’s enactment, Americans who have been locked out of the health care market due to pre-existing conditions would be able to obtain coverage by purchasing subsidized high-risk premiums.
The passing of this bill marks a point of hope for those who have struggled and have lost everything but the chance to feel as healthy and
safe from sickness and fi nancial ruin as any other American.
This health care reform also symbolizes that the government can still make progress toward becoming more effi cient and productive.
A well-operating health care system is crucial to any nation that desires to set a standard; America just took a step in that direction.
Andrew Taylor is an economics senior and may be reached at [email protected]
TAYLORcontinued from page 4
Because Chris can be a woman’s name, too.Though The Daily Cougar strives for accuracy and fairness in its reporting, mistakes happen. Please report any errors you see in the paper to the editorial staff. Corrections will run on Page 2 as needed to amend the record. To report a correction, e-mail [email protected] or call (713) 743-5362.
This thought about free speech is brought to you by
Send letters to the editor to [email protected]
Send guest columns to [email protected]
“ THOSE WHO PROFESS TO
FAVOR FREEDOM, AND YET
DEPRECIATE AGITATION,
ARE MEN WHO WANT RAIN
WITHOUT THUNDER
AND LIGHTNING.”
FREDERICK DOUGLASS
AMERICAN ABOLITIONIST,
AUTHOR, ORATOR (1817-1895)
THE DAILY COUGAR®
6 ■ Tuesday, March 23, 2010 The Daily Cougar
SPORTS COMING WEDNESDAY: See how the baseball team fared in its fi rst game against Stephen F. Austin
EDITORS Phillipe Craig, Robert Higgs E-MAIL [email protected] ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/sports
BASEBALL
UH tries to gain steamBy Tristan TippetTHE DAILY COUGAR
The Cougars will play a doubleheader against the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks starting at 3 p.m. today in Nacogdoches before fi nishing with a 6:30 p.m. game Wednesday at Cougar Field.
UH will conclude its longest road trip of the season with today’s game. The Cougars began an eight-game West Coast trip on March 12 with a three-game series against Cal Poly.
At the start of the road trip, the Cougars were 5-5. They fell back at .500 after getting swept by Arizona State last weekend and now sit at 9-9 on the season.
Against Arizona State, the Cougars faced one of the top teams in the nation. The Sun Devils are ranked No. 1 by USA Today and Collegiate Baseball and their lowest ranking in any poll is third.
The Sun Devils are a complete team with a staggering team ERA of 2.97 and a .362 team batting average, and they were on form against the Cougars. The Sun Devils hit .302 and scored 22 runs while allowing only six runs in the three games.
While the Lumberjacks (13-5) aren’t as highly touted as the Sun Devils, they’re still coming off a
recent fi ve-game win streak and have won six of their last seven.
The Lumberjacks fi nished 23-32 last season under rookie head coach Johnny Cardenas. The Lumberjacks’ problems last season were pitching and defense. Their team ERA last season was 5.56, and they committed 81 errors compared to their opponents’ 72 for a mediocre .961 fi elding percentage.
The Lumberjacks, though, started showing some improvement late last year and ended it by making it into the Southland Conference Tournament as the No. 8 seed, where they lost to Texas State in the opening round and Texas-Arlington in the elimination round.
The Lumberjacks have made immense strides this year and are in second place in the Southland Conference standings with a 4-1 record, trailing Southeastern
Louisiana by half a game. The Lumberjacks have had two
series sweeps this year and their best victory of the season came on Feb. 24 against Texas A&M in College Station, winning 7-6.
The Lumberjacks have improved their pitching to a 4.27 team ERA, and as a team they’re hitting .331 and slugging at a .529 clip.
UH has had success against SFA, leading the all-time series 35-11 and 6-2 under head coach Rayner Noble. UH has played the Lumberjacks twice every year since 2006. The Lumberjacks beat UH 11-7 at Cougar Field.
After the two-game stretch against Stephen F. Austin, the Cougars will open a three-game series against Central Florida starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Cougar Field.
SOFTBALL
Coogs hungry for home cookingBy Christopher LoseeTHE DAILY COUGAR
The UH softball team challenges a fi erce No. 9 Georgia Tech in a non-conference doubleheader starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Cougar Softball Stadium.
“I do not think that Georgia Tech is the best team we have ever faced, we have faced some real good teams,” said head coach Kyla Holas. “But this year they are the best team on our schedule.”
Practice on Monday consisted of hitting drills, but it will take more than a strong offensive showing to beat a top-10 team like Georgia Tech.
“(We’ll need) good pitching and some timely hitting,” Holas said. “We cannot allow extra things to happen. They have good hitters, and anytime you give a good team something extra they will capitalize on that.”
Georgia Tech (24-4) is returning 16 letter winners and is coming off a victory over a top-25 opponent, North Carolina. The Cougars (15-12) have beaten ranked opponents before and hope to do so today. “We have to make sure that we play our best,” Holas said. “We have to show up and decide that we’re going to play with teams like that instead of just showing up and letting them beat us.”
But Holas acknowledges that it will take more to win against Georgia Tech than overcoming the Cougars’ tendency to beat themselves.
“When you get to the point to where you are top-10 in the country,” Holas said, “it’s because you can do all three things every single day.”
UH is coming off its fi rst Conference USA road trip of the season, which ended in three consecutive losses. Holas said that the performance in Orlando last weekend was the team’s lowest point since the beginning of the year, so the players are looking to bounce back in the fi ve-game home stand, starting with Tuesday’s game.
Junior pitcher Amanda Crabtree (5-6) would normally start against such a highly ranked opponent, but she is still shaken up from Sunday’s loss to conference opponent UCF.
Replacing her on the mound will be freshman Bailey Watts, who is 8-4 this season.
Coach Holas would like a victory against Georgia Tech, but she has her eyes set on this weekend’s series against conference opponent UTEP.
“We are not getting to regionals based on our regular season play,” Holas said. “You have to do it through your conference.”
Keith Cordero Jr.: » What’s wrong with a little expansion?
Despite the upsets in the NCAA Tournament the fi eld should be expanded, not to 96, but to maybe 72. There are always fi ve to 10 bubble teams that miss the cut of
65 every season, so let’s just add those
seven teams into the fi eld in one extra round and
the expansion question will be
settled.The Cinderella stories of the
Sweet 16 are nice, with 12th-seeded Cornell, 10th-seeded St. Mary’s and ninth-seeded Northern Iowa all still playing, and that’s why we love the tournament.
An expanded fi eld adds more games and more drama to an already great tournament fi lled with plenty of excitement. We need more fi nishes like No. 14 seed Ohio’s upset over No. 3 seed Georgetown in the fi rst round.
Also, the tournament is great in college, so why not get rid of the BCS in college football and transfer the men’s basketball format to college football?
Christopher Losee: » What’s right about it?
Keith, did you even see the seeds before they started playing the tournament? Why would
you expand a tournament that was already weak to begin with? If we were to expand the tournament, there would not be those Cinderella stories and fantastic fi nishes because of many low-seeded teams with a smaller fraction being powerhouse top-seeded teams.
Audiences have been more than pleased with the scheduled matches that have been shown throughout the month of March Madness, especially heading
into the Elite Eight. Upsets to Kansas, Georgetown and
Villanova are the kind of games that satisfy the setup of 65 teams
being allowed in the tournament. If UH can make it into the tournament, I think it is set up in a way that any team has a chance in their conference to make an appearance.
If a team misses the cut, they weren’t meant for the tournament in the fi rst place. You seem to be more interested in changing football, so worry about that and let the tournament play-out.
Jason Ovalle: » Won’t somebody please think of the children?
This is no doubt the best time of year for any true hoops fan, and the NCAA tournament is fi ne just the way it is. The NCAA already expanded a few years ago when they added a play-in-game to determine who becomes the 64th seed.
The proposed expansion is just a pure money grab for the networks and the presidents of big time college programs in the major conferences. This would allow more
subpar schools to get in with average or
below average records.
I think a lot of us forget,
especially those who are not attending
a university or college, that these players are student athletes. This means they are not at school not only to play basketball, but also
to get an education. Extending the NCAA tournament to accommodate more games will only cause a bigger burden on these student athletes. It will take them away from more school and hindering their academic progress.
So Chris, you make some good points, and Keith, football season isn’t till the fall…
But like the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fi x it.
Judge Higgs: » Final word
There’s a nice progression with the arguments this week, kind of like our species’ evolution from ape to man.
Keith, it’s nice that you ended your argument with something almost no one could disagree with, that NCAA football needs a playoff system, but that can’t hide the ridiculousness of the rest of it. Let me see if I understand what you’re saying. It’s that a little bit of watering down is not only OK, but will improve the product?
Let me try to make clear the point that you and anybody arguing for the expansion of the tournament seem to be missing. It’s true that a lot of what makes March Madness magical are the Cinderella stories. But what gives a team’s story that particular Cinderella-like fl are we all know and love is when
they come from nowhere and beat a big-name school. Nobody cares if an unknown school plays another unknown. So the argument that expanding the fi eld will allow for more Cinderella magic is, to quote Ricky Gervais’ favorite line from his new show, “bollocks.”
If it’s so clear to most of us that we want a playoff system in college
football because we know that is the best way to determine who should be
champion, why do we forget that when
it comes to college basketball? As much fun as it is to watch an unknown team make a run, the point of the tournament is to crown the NCAA basketball champion, not to give as many teams as possible a shot at the dance.
VerdictChristopher most closely shares my disgust with Keith’s argu-ment, so he wins by default.
FacetimeThanks to Tom Penders for a great coaching career and leaving a legacy here at our university.
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It’s your turn. Write to us and let us know what you think.It’s your turn Write to us and let us know what you think
At issue: Should the NCAA Tournament fi eld be expanded?
Fighting Words Talking smack and sports
JUSTIN FLORES THE DAILY COUGAR
The Cougars will need another strong off ensive showing Caleb Ramsey if they are to end
their three-game losing streak when they face Stephen F. Austin today in Nacogdoches.
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The Daily Cougar SPORTS Tuesday, March 23, 2010 ■ 7
SILENT ASSASSIN
Program poised for successBy Ronnie TurnerTHE DAILY COUGAR
Tom Penders received the best ending he could have hoped for with Monday’s resignation.
UH Athletic Director Mack Rhoades is probably thinking the same about his end of the deal.
Because of that, supporters and critics alike can feel good about the way Penders and UH parted ways after a sometimes up-and-down six-year relationship.
Penders went out with dignity. Rhoades avoided having to deal with a messy divorce. UH will have a chance to hire a coach who can succeed where Penders could not. Sounds like a win-win deal for all parties.
Many had long anticipated Penders’ resignation. With the team mired in another struggling campaign, a displeased fan base, sagging attendance and an inability to reel in some of the area’s premier talent, Penders’ fate was sealed long before the Cougars’ miraculous run
to the NCAA Tournament.But he at least went out in style.Penders leaves with memories
of a Conference USA tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearance fresh on fans’ minds. His players all appeared to be in his corner as the team entered the fi nal stretch.
And for all of last week, the UH community threw its collective weight behind Penders, who fi gured he could take the program no farther.
“These are the best possible circumstances to leave under,” Penders said with Rhoades at his side during Monday’s press conference. “I feel like I can do no more and am very proud of all that has been accomplished. We have set the stage for whoever comes in here to meet and exceed where we are.”
The Cougars’ fi rst NCAA Tournament appearance since 1992 gave Penders the sense that he had achieved the goal he set out to accomplish when he fi rst arrived on campus in 2004.
But the magic — and Penders’
chance to take the Cougars to the promised land — ended with Friday’s 89-77 fi rst-round loss to Maryland.
Penders did an admirable job of turning the Cougars around from the train wreck that they once were, but it’s no longer about simply being marginally respectable each season.
The next guy needs to be someone who can energize the fan base primarily by winning, establish a pipeline that brings in top local talent, be willing to work with limited resources and stay committed to the task at hand instead of simply using UH as a stepping stone to a better job.
Former Texas A&M and Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie will likely be on Rhoades’ short list. Sam Houston State’s Bob Marlin, who led his team to this year’s NCAA Tournament, will probably get an interview.
Who knows?The only thing UH fans are
certain of is that their “March Madness” hasn’t quite ended yet.
WIKICOMMONS
Although it is yet to be seen if former Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie would be the best fi t for
the newly vacated position of head men’s basketball coach, he will most likely be the biggest
name on Athletic Director Mack Rhoades’ list of potential candidates.
THE PEOPLE’S GAME
CBA preserves 2010 seasonThe MLS and its players union
came to an agreement Saturday on a new collective bargaining agreement that ensures games will be played
through the 2014 season.
After two days of talks, both sides
reached satisfaction and the looming strike was cancelled, allowing the fi rst game between the expansion Philadelphia Union and the Seattle Sounders to take place at its originally scheduled time Thursday.
The union’s goal of allowing free agency was turned down, however, as all players will remain under contract from the big boss, the MLS. Players do have more rights under the agreement, and signing players will be given those same rights, but it will be no easier to get out of or renegotiate a contract.
Clubs in Europe facing fi nancial woes have the opportunity to sell players to interested clubs to boost their revenue, even if the player is under contract. European players generally have much more freedom to pursue better offers they might receive from other teams.
This is not the case in the MLS, even though only two clubs turned a profi t last season. MLS commissioner Don Garber feels his league will make more money by keeping fans coming to see big names than by selling players outright to different leagues. I wonder how much David Moyes would have spent to keep Landon Donovan at Everton.
According to the MLS Web site, the agreement also includes a higher minimum salary for players. The previous agreement set its minimum at $34,000.
Let’s just hope that the MLS, which pays the players, is taking care of star players such as Brian Ching and Donavan, both who have stayed loyal to the MLS rules and their clubs.
With all politics aside, there will be a 2010 season after all, and it will start on time. For players, this is what is most important. While going on strike to send a message to the MLS that it needs to take better care of its players could have accomplished something eventually, the wait would have done nothing for the league or American soccer.
It’s not growing as fast as some would like, but at least we have a season’s worth of quality soccer to look forward to. For now, it is up to the players to perform their best and for fans to pack the stadiums of their home teams.
COURTESY OF JC SAEGUSA
The new collective bargaining agreement cobbled together between the MLS and its play-
ers union Saturday will, among other things, give young players like the Houston Dynamo’s
Bobby Boswell, right, a bump in their low salaries.
GordonFurneaux
8 ■ Tuesday, March 23, 2010 The Daily Cougar
POWER UP
midtermsLIFE+ARTS
CARTOON SALOON
The critically acclaimed The Secret of Kells was nominated for an Academy Award and showed a beautiful side of 2-D animation.
Secret comes out with ‘Kells’By Sarah KrusleskiTHE DAILY COUGAR
Moviegoers of all ages will delight in The Secret of Kells’ masterful story-telling and visual splendor.
The Secret of Kells is by far one of the most engrossing fi lms to come out this year. Twelve-year old Brendan has never left the walls of Kells and is content to help out his uncle’s medieval monastery with errands.
Unfortunately, most of these errands relate more to the wall than religion. Abbot Cellach has become obsessed with fortifying the giant wall in order to protect Kells from the Norsemen.
When Brendan discovers that he must fi nish the manuscript of Kells, he must stand up to his uncle and venture into the feral nightmare outside the walls. Young adults will relate to Brendan’s struggle.
He loves his overprotective uncle, but he knows that he must leave the walls of his small town in order to fi nish the book of Kells.
The story weaves fantasy elements, such as fairies and Irish pagan lore, into a message about the importance of openness in an increasingly cosmopolitan society. While some fantasy fi lms stumble over their own settings, the confl ict between the close-minded abbot and his adventurous nephew takes center stage in Kells.
Viewers will be swept away by this story about a character desperate to imprison his monastery within its own walls and will cheer Brendan on as he escapes to the forest to fi nd ink for the book.
A 75-minute viewing time ensures that the adventure remains fresh and fast-paced with just the right mix of humor and darkness. It would have been nice to see
more facets of these intriguing characters and their stories, but that could have detracted from the gravity of the fi lm’s message.
The hand-drawn animation cannot be commended enough. The thick lines and distinct forms of Kell’s striking character designs are reminiscent of the minimalist animator Genndy Tartakovsky’s dramatic and colorful work on Samurai Jack. Take a closer look at the lush watercolor forests and geometric dungeons in the intricate backgrounds to be amazed by the craftsmanship in Kells.
Art lovers will immediately recognize the inspiration taken from medieval scribes in various pieces, such as the monks’ fl owing robes, the spiral scales and agile limbs of salmon and deer in the forest, and the bright white stars
Video games need some new ideasIn 2010, the biggest name in video
games is “2”. That’s right, the number 2. We’ve already seen it starting: Bioshock 2, Mass Effect 2, No More Heroes 2, Army
of Two: The 40th Day (okay, so it has a 2 in the title, but it really is the 2nd in the
series). We are only 3 months into 2010, and it’s obvious that sequels are going to dominate the markets this year.
The video game industry has long been criticized for turning away from original IPs (intellectual properties) for tried and true franchises known to be big blockbusters, but this year it seems even more intense than previous years.
Every year gamers will wait with baited breath for the big franchise games of that year, and this year is no different. 2010 boasts sequels to such popular franchises as Final Fantasy, Prince of Persia, Halo, Splinter Cell, God of War and there are even rumors of a new Zelda. Smaller sequels await us throughout the year as well: Super Mario Galaxy 2, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, Dead Rising 2, Dead
Space 2, Battlefi eld: Bad Company 2, Crackdown 2, Fallout: New Vega – the list goes on and on.
Now, if you are familiar with video games you will be aware that it is probable that not all of these games will come out this year. The long awaited release of Starcraft 2 is supposed to happen sometime this year, but Blizzard is known to push back its release dates.
Even Batman: Arkham Asylum, one of last fall’s most talked about games, already has a sequel set to release this year. All these sequels hitting the market begs the question, “is this good or bad?”
On the one hand, new and original ideas are obviously hampered by heavy hitter sequels garnering most of the attention and development. Two of the biggest new IPs in the fi rst two months of this year, Bayonetta and Darksiders were dwarfed by sequels Bioshock 2 and Mass Effect 2 in both hype and sales despite having similar critical ratings overall. It doesn’t take much imagination to believe that this might be the trend the rest of the year. There aren’t many big new IPs being talked
about this year aside from the PS3s dark mystery adventure game Heavy Rain, but everyone has at least 3 sequels they are getting amped about.
On the other hand, these games get sequels for a reason. Bioshock and Mass Effect were two of the most critically acclaimed games of 2007 and made great strides in video game storytelling, immersion and game play. They made a big step in changing the way we look at consol RPGs and helped add to the giant backlog of great games keeping the 360 a relevant and sought-after gaming system. If anything deserves a sequel, these games do.
Sequels can also affect good original games. No More Heroes was one of the most unique, creative and original games released in 2008 or that decade, for that matter.
It was a fl awed but intriguing mature hack and slash for the Wii, but it suffered from low sales and mixed reviews. Most critics and consumers found that the design fl aws of the game got in the way
see POWER UP, page 9
JANUARY2010
FEBRUARY2010
MARCH2010
VIDEO GAME SCORES
Darksider: BBayonetta: A-Army of Two: The 40th day: CSilent Hill: Shattered Memories: BDark Void: DMAG (Massive Action Game): B+No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle: B+
VIDEO GAME SCORES
White Knight Chronicles International Edition: DBioShock 2: BAliens vs Predator: FSOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3: BHeavy Rain: B
VIDEO GAME SCORES
Battlefi eld: Bad Company 2: AMLB 10: The Show: BFinal Fantasy XIII : CGod of War III: A
Compiled by Travis Hensley
Jeff Jost
see MOVIE, page 9
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The Daily Cougar LIFE & ARTS Tuesday, March 23, 2010 ■ 9
Students break out green thumbs over spring breakBy Christina YanascavageTHE DAILY COUGAR
Many UH students started their spring break with getting their hands a little dirty. Teaching community members about plants was the focus of one UH group, while innovative ways to grow plants was the focus of another. Plants and soil and were activity highlights. Young students enrolled at the UH Charter school were the audience of an educational program organized by UH’s Community Learning and Sustainability Program’s (CLASP) department on the morning of Friday, March 12.
“I like the Venus Fly Trap,” a young student said while walking to their education station. Learning about native plants, seedlings and the ecosystem were some of the rotations the young students were able to attend. Some UH students volunteered for this event for the opportunity to work with the youth. While each volunteer had different skills to offer, all shared an interest in plants.
Gardening helps avoid pesticides but “I don’t have anywhere to garden,” broadcast journalism junior Colbe Ricks said. “Plants take in carbon dioxide…” nutrition senior Ashley Devers said to one group. “Everybody say photosynthesis…”
“Nutrition has a lot of science… I could relate to (teaching science),” Devers said about volunteering for the event. Students learned about the plant life cycle as they planted their own seeds with the help of environmental science freshman Andrew Alleman. “Does anyone know where seeds come from?” Alleman said as students covered their seeds with soil. The growth process and seed care were discussed.
This community outreach
program is one of many organized by CLASP. Other programs include the Campus Community Garden and the Composting Program. The group composts approximately 80 gallons of carbon-rich waste each weekday from the Moody Towers and Oberholzer dining halls; according to the Green UH Web site. The compost is used as fertilizer for the Campus Community Garden.
Seedlings for the Campus Community Garden were prepared by the UH Horticulture Society in the Greenhouse Friday afternoon. The group also built a hydroponic system to test how plants grow without soil. “I encourage members to learn from each other and read books,” biotechnology sophomore Yosef Kerzner said. He describes the soil composition of nearby plants to members.
Tomato, oregano, mint, basil and jalapeno are some of the plants the group grows in the greenhouse. “It almost always tastes better…” Kerzner said. “There’s really no comparison to the stuff you buy in the store.” The greenhouse plant sale and spring-cleaning were other topics discussed among members. A banana plant is among many the group plans to offer at the plant sale early April.
Conversation about a new worm bin, maintenance, and benefits concluded the group’s activities. The organization’s membership has grown recently as students want to learn more about these areas of interest.
“I can’t do any of these neat projects at home,” economics junior Kavan Yen said about joining the UH Horticulture Society. “I thought I could learn something and be around other people with similar interests …”
of the awe-inspiring creativity. All the more surprise came
when this year No More Heroes 2 was released and was actually really good. The sequel addressed almost every fl aw found by critics in the original and still kept its originality, creativity and overall
tone.So the question still remains,
“are sequels good?” I suppose it all depends on the game. So far this year most of the sequels have wowed the critics and the gamers, but we will have to see what unfolds. Maybe next I will write about “3”. Lets see, there’s Fable 3, Max Payne 3, Postal 3 ...
POWER UPcontinued from page 8
that illuminate the night sky while Brendan draws. This colorful movie will look absolutely stunning on the big screen, and the many allusions to medieval design as well as the visual motifs will warrant multiple viewings on DVD.
However, there are scenes that may be too dark for younger kids. One of these scenes portrays the pillaging of a village by devil-horned
Vikings who speak in nasty growls as they stab a major character. This is a movie that may be best for older children.
Few moviegoers had seen The Secret of Kells when the nominees for Best Animated Picture were announced. Fortunately, movie fans everywhere will be in for an amazing story accompanied by visual delight as screenings of The Secret of Kells emerge in major cities throughout the U.S. this spring.
MOVIEcontinued from page 8
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10 ■ Tuesday, March 23, 2010 NEWS The Daily Cougar
Group collects prom attire for needyBy Paulette EhmerTHE DAILY COUGAR
The Fairy Godmother Project is a Houston-based organization that provides prom dresses for high school females who cannot afford to spend the money required for that special day.
Unlike other donation-based organizations, the FGP does not center around holidays or disasters but on a single, traditional, high school celebration. Making wishes come true is the primary goal of the FGP.
Upon fi nding out about this project, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Web Editor Jennifer Palton conducted her own research then approached the Dean of Technology and Communications Jerome Crowder with the idea of bringing it to UH.
“The Fairy Godmother project is an important program because it provides more than just sparkling gowns and fancy shoes; recipients walk away with a healthy boost to their self-confi dence and self-worth,” Palton said.
Hoping to use FGP as an opportunity to connect UH students with the community, Palton believes this endeavor will be especially
successful on campus, as many students are recent graduates of high school and prom is still a fresh memory.
For this reason, Palton hopes that many will be inspired to help.
Although FGP is a nationwide program, this is the fi rst year that CLASS has collaborated with Houston’s FGP and brought it to the UH campus. So far, a total of 55 dresses have been collected.
This project comes during a time in which many have been touched by the economic downturn.
“For the parents, to know that their child’s special day will be all that they dreamed, despite a diffi cult fi nancial situation, is a blessing and a welcomed relief,” Palton said.
FGP is also committed to fostering a sense of worth in each recipient and, while the students are shopping the donation sites, volunteers will be on hand to mentor young ladies on matters of self-esteem and respect.
Donations are being accepted at the Women’s Resource Center at the University Center and at the Offi ce of Educational Technology until March 25.
HIBA ADI THE DAILY COUGAR
Women’s Resource Center Director Beverly A. McPhail displayed one of the many prom dresses that were donated for the Fairy God Mother
Project that’s happening until Thursday.
STUDENT GOVERNMENTPRESIDENTIAL DEBATE2:30 P.M. TUESDAY, MARCH 23
Lone Star Room, UC 2nd floorOpen to the public. Seating is limited.
PRINCE WILSON + CARLOS REYES
Don’t forget to vote in the runoff Wednesday–Thursday: www.studentelection.uh.edu
DEBATE SPONSORS:
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The Daily Cougar COMICS & MORE Tuesday, March 23, 2010 ■ 11
TODAY’S CROSSWORDCOUGAR COMICS Find more daily strips at thedailycougar.com/comics
TODAY’S SUDOKU
How to playEach row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3-by-3 boxes must also contain the numbers 1 to 9.
Dim Sum by Ho Yi Lau
Limbo by Paulo Aninag
ACROSS 1 Viscous 5 Barely speak 10 Church part 14 La senorita 15 Summa cum — 16 Claw badly 17 Former Fed head
— Greenspan 18 “— Get Your Gun” 19 Playful bites 20 Connected 22 Talk 24 Gas or electric — 25 Predicaments 26 Funny Bombeck 28 Strongman of
myth 32 Part of Q and A 35 Strong soap 37 Foxiest 38 Impatient chuck 39 Cowboy’s rope 41 No, to a lassie 42 Form a thought 45 Nights 46 Reindeer herder 47 Tijuana dad 48 Move like lava 50 Unkempt 54 Chemical compound 58 Spanish heart-
throb Julio — 61 Fix a boot 62 “Je ne — quoi” 63 Thick-skinned
mammal 65 Harrow rival 66 Storyline 67 Prospectors’ fi nds 68 Ponytail site 69 Longings 70 Puts in a lawn 71 Did in the dragon
DOWN 1 Kingdom 2 Stan’s comic foil 3 Flower or fern 4 Northerners 5 Wearing something 6 Bled, as a color 7 Pound division 8 “Toodle-oo!” 9 Laments loudly 10 General pardon
11 Au — (nanny) 12 Dines 13 End of a threat 21 Miscalculate 23 Scaloppine base 25 Yucatan native 27 Mme.’s daughter 29 Horne of jazz 30 Right now! 31 Short distance 32 Medicine chest
item (hyph.) 33 Beef-rating org. 34 Scraped by 36 Mind reader’s gift 37 Average (hyph.) 40 Urban woe 43 Detains 44 Receptions 46 Wanes 49 Mark of Zorro 51 Barrette users 52 Nevada lake 53 Stage whisper
55 Final tally 56 Wed secretly 57 Freshen 58 Cosby series (2 wds.) 59 Strong wind 60 Circus animal 61 Sea in Antarctica 64 Hammett detective — Beau-
mont
© 2009 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE INC.
Previous puzzle solved
Previous puzzle solved
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16
17 18 19
20 21 22 23
24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31
32 33 34 35 36 37
38 39 40 41
42 43 44 45 46
47 48 49
50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57
58 59 60 61
62 63 64 65
66 67 68
69 70 71
O N I O N O S C A R L A BL E V E E C O N G A U T ED O E R S C A N O N C O L
T O U R K R I L LS C H O L A R W H E E D L EE R A S E R C H A S EL I N U S C H O R T L E SL E O Q U E S T P C TD I S B U R S E A M O R E
N A I L S P L A C E SW I Z A R D S C R O C H E TA D E P T K A Y OR E S E S T E R F A C E SM A T N I V E N L Y I N GS L Y D R A P E Y E A S T
PROGRAM forEXCELLENCE IN SELLING
Semi-Annual Career FairThursday, March 25, 2010, 5 to 8 p.m.
University Center’s Houston Room• Open to all Majors.• Bring your resume.• Professional attire required.
For more information, visit www.salesexcellence.org.
PSYCHOLOGY
&CO
MM
TIN
GPRIN
CIPL
ES
Wikipedia is to Whack as Floaty Wings are to Weak.
The research pool is huge. UH Librarians can help you lose the wings.http://info.lib.uh.edu/librarians.html
12 ■ Tuesday, March 23, 2010 SPORTS The Daily Cougar
CONVENIENT TRUTHS
MLB needs consistent drug policy
Major League Baseball’s anti-doping policy has resulted in numerous suspensions of high-profi le athletes and has led to endless
questioning about the integrity of the league.
The latest noteworthy baseball fi gure to get caught up in a drug scandal, however, hasn’t played in a major league game in more than 20 years.
Ron Washington, manager of the Texas Rangers, stole headlines Wednesday when he publicly apologized for using cocaine during the 2009 season.
As only players are addressed in the Collective Bargaining and Joint Drug agreements between MLB and the Players Union, managers and other team personnel fall under a separate set of rules.
The league has not seen fi t to publish the standards by which it holds such employees accountable, but in a piece published Thursday on Dallasnews.com, Evan Grant reported that “Managers and coaches are tested four times per year for all three classes of drugs. Other front-offi ce personnel — anybody in the club’s employ — can be tested at random.”
To date, Washington has received no punishment from the team or from the league other than being required to attend counseling for drug abuse.
Assuming that Grant’s information is accurate, anyone involved with the operation of an MLB team — from the owner on down to the interns — can be drug tested at any time. But when a person fails a test, if Washington’s case is any indicator, they receive no punishment.
Although it might not make sense to the average person why a company would drug test its employees randomly and then not punish workers who fail tests, I’m sure this is all a part of commissioner Bud Selig’s master plan for stopping drug use in the league by doing absolutely nothing.
Everyone knows silence and inaction are the best ways to get a point across.
If Selig truly cared about the league and its image, he would hold Washington and other violators accountable for their actions. Players are suspended for 50 games following a fi rst positive drug test, and managers should get the same penalty.
It’s unclear how big of a problem drug use is with off-fi eld personnel, but it is unlikely that Washington is the fi rst non-player to be caught using illegal narcotics; he simply had the misfortune of being the fi rst person cast into the media spotlight.
The best way for MLB to protect Washington and deter anyone else in the league from abusing drugs is to send a message that doing so will end in punishment.
After all, testing for drugs with no regard for the results makes about as much sense as having an exhibition game decide which league gets home-fi eld advantage in the World Series.
Alan Dennis