West Forsyth High

Letter from the Editor

Volume 4, Issue 1

Welcome back to The West. Thank you for joining us again this week for

another excellent read!

This weeks features many excellent article written by all of the journalism

students.

The story on the front page is dedicated to a day of remembrance, and a

day no one likes to think about.

The Editorials, once again, feature a fascinating variety of articles including

a Part Two to a previous article.

Travel and Environment has done it again with their engaging articles

that make you want to go visit Gatlinburg Tennessee.

The chandeliers are crashing down upon us, no not crystal chandeliers,

chandelier earrings! Check out page 6 to get more details.

Are you in need of something to support? Taylor Hartshorn has an idea

for you, read all about it on page 7.

Homecoming is quickly approaching, to get the date and the theme,

check out the article dedicated to Homecoming on page 8.

Latin club is in full swing on page 9, and the Spanish National Honor’s

Society is happily awaiting its new members.

Sports, sports, sports. You can never have too many sports. Live a day in

the life of a UGA tailgater, take down the Tigers, and learn all about the

2008 Basketball Hall of Fame on page 10 .

The advice column that has long been awaited will be in full swing next

week, information will be provided in the paper next week, so tune in!

Thanks again for reading with us, and feel free to email the editor or Mrs.

Maiers with any suggestions, questions, concerns, or comments!

-Sarah Myers

Senior Editor

Personal Interest 2

Editorials 3

Travel/Environment 4

Fashion 5

Politics 7

School Activities 8

Clubs Sports

9 10

Inside this issue:

The West

Read All About It!

email or web page. Another thing most all students face is academic stress. Students are striving to do better at everything, taking harder classes and carry larger work-loads, but are these stressors really worth it? Teenage students face social stress as well. Fitting in and having friends may seem easy to most, but some students struggle to have friends and healthy social relationships. Then, there are stressful situations at home that teenagers face such as divorces and other family issues. So what are ways for teens to deal with these stressful situations? Some teenagers and students turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with

What are stressful situa-tions that teenage students face today? Students have stress in many aspects of their lives. Aca-demic stress, social stress and physical stress are stressors that most teens have to deal with. First, you have to look at what the life of a teenage student is like and the world they face. Teens now live a more complicated life-style than teens have in the past. Due to advancements in technol-ogy, students have email ad-dresses, cell phones and mp3 players. For some, this could complicate their lives in early teen years. Cell phones can be a distraction, as can having an

stress. This is a major problem. In my opinion, no one should have to turn to drugs to solve their problems. The only thing students can do to lessen their stress is to simplify their lives or find a healthy way to cope. This could be as simple as changing a few habits or totally changing the way a student or teenager lives their life. Now, more than ever, teenag-ers, parents, and schools need to work together in order to create a less stressful environment for stu-

dents.

Stress For Students –Nick Rhodes

Page 2 The West

9/11. September 11th 2001. Remember that dreadful day? Many of us in our day-to-day lives forget what happened that day. Most of us probably just re-alized on Thursday that it was the anniversary of these attacks. So, why are we forgetting when we should be remembering and re-flecting? Well, maybe some of us have forgotten what exactly hap-pened. We have forgotten why that day was a huge moment in

history and will be forever.

On that Tuesday morning, tons of people went to work like every other day, expecting to, af-ter a full day of work, go home to see their wives, husbands, and

children. They had no idea history was about to be made. That morn-ing, Al-Qaeda affiliated terrorists hijacked four commercial jets. They crashed two of the planes into the Twin Towers. Two hours later, both had collapsed. Another plane crashed into the Pentagon. What happened to the other plane? It landed in a field in Pennsylvania. 2,752 people died in the crashes not counting the 19 hijackers. To this day the two Twin Towers have not been com-pletely rebuilt. The Pentagon however, was rebuilt about a year later. So what did the United States of America do about this? We declared war, specifically, a

War on Terrorism.

So as everyone goes through the week, recall what happened that day. Think about where you were when it hap-pened, and how you felt. Be thankful that no one close to you was lost, or if so, remember and reflect on your loved ones. I en-courage everyone to take a mo-ment and think about this tragic day. There is no way to change what happened that day, the past is the past but the future is bright. September 11th is engraved in our

history forever.

A Day to Remember A Day to Remember A Day to Remember A Day to Remember ––––Maddie SmithMaddie SmithMaddie SmithMaddie Smith

“America the Beautiful” prides itself on morality and jus-tice. However, we continue to do business with countries that breach their citizens’ human rights. Is there any justification behind this? If we continue, we contradict eve-rything America supposedly stands for. If we cut these countries off, we lose money that our weak economy desperately depends on. While it may not be right, doing business with these coun-tries that practice communism, fas-cism, or any other –ism, may not be such a bad idea. This way, we are able to “keep our friends close and our enemies closer.” As long as we keep our eyes peeled, the chance of America being blind sided is minimal. What better way to be alert than being in business with shady countries? Greed and money aside, people debate on whether or not what we are doing is moral. The optimistic believers of the Mod-ernization Theory think so. Ac-cording to Mr. Young, an Honors World History teacher at West

Forsyth High School, the Moderni-zation Theory is, “The more busi-ness we do with underdeveloped countries, the greater likelihood a middle class will grow.” The rea-son we hope for a middle class to develop among these countries is so that they will have economic freedom. Once they achieve eco-nomic freedom, they will eventu-ally demand political freedom. Then drastic political changes will occur in these underdeveloped countries, possibly bringing the characteristics of a democracy. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. People like Karl Marx followed the Dependency Theory and found that the Modernization Theory is a fluke. Mr. Young de-fines the Dependency Theory as, “If we trade and do business with these underdeveloped countries, they become hooked on the U.S. They will then want our products and military protection. We will drive them into debt where they will owe us billions of dollars. Soon, they will depend on us com-pletely.” Although it is greedy, it

works out for us nicely. However, Karl Marx was convinced eventually these ‘poor’ countries will go after the superpower, being us. This leads us to the ulti-mate question: which theory is truly in effect? While the Modernization Theory sounds excellent on paper, I am a strong believer in, “If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.” I will say that I feel proud and blessed to be an Ameri-can; however, this country has enough problems of its own, and it doesn’t need to be concerned with the possibility of communist coun-tries having a middle class. I am sure America wouldn’t mind seeing this happen, but I am willing to bet there is an ulterior motive in mind. Nothing in this world is black and white. There are too many gray areas to say for sure ex-actly what the intentions are of the government. Like Mr. Young once said, “It’s a matter of the core of

your beliefs and morals.”

Work Overload Part 2 –Nichole Teal

Although it is hard to break the habit, there are a few things that you can do to help. As soon as you realize that you have fallen behind, sit down and devote an hour or two to your studies. You may not want to, but it will spare you the stress later. Also, get someone you trust, such as a parent or friend, to moti-vate you to get the work done. Get your work done when it is assigned, once you develop these strong working habits, then you will ap-

preciate your free time.

School work is among the many things that causes stress. The work included is: class work, studying for tests and quizzes, and homework that has to be done every single night. With so much to do, some students have been stressed and scrambling to get their work done. This includes missing lunch, coming in early and staying after school in order to fin-ish. A lot of people will blame this on their teachers and the amount of work that they expect their students to get done. While the work may be excessive, their teachers aren’t the en-tire problem. The real problem is that students put this among themselves because of their procrastination. “I admit I procras-

tinate on everything. It’s just a habit,” says Alex Peretti.

Which Theory is Truly in Effect? -Emily Garmon

Page 3 Volume 4, Issue 1

Gatlinburg, Tennessee is a wonderful place. When on one of the mountains, all you can smell is the sweetness of jasmine. There are more captivating things to do and see besides nature. Dolly-wood’s Splash Country, Comedy Barn, Ripley’s attractions, and even an exotic petting zoo are all

popular.

Dollywood’s Splash Country is only one of the main attractions in Gatlinburg, Tennes-see. The cost of going in is $ 25 for adults and only $20 for a child. More exclusively, the wrist band package is only $50, and includes riding any slide in the whole park and playing the water games. Dollywood’s Splash Country is the greatest water park I have experienced. It is a great place to take your family and friends for a quick dip, fun and

adventure.

There are many Ripley’s attractions in Gatlinburg. The Ripley’s Aquarium is an amazing sight to see. When you walk in, it feels like you’re underwater and an animal yourself. There are more than 4 million fish in this aquarium. The aquarium has the whole Finding Nemo gang swim-ming around in the big screens. The aquarium is separated into 8 different sections, based on the different species. It costs about $35 for a child and $45 for an adult. They also have a SUPER FUN ZONE, which is a quality, family orientated entertainment. You can get in for free, but you have to pay for the games, just like you would for an arcade. In Ripley’s Moving Theater, you sit on a simulator and experience a movie. You get this adventure for

only $30 for adults and $20 for minors (ages 13 to 10) no one un-der thirteen may ride due to safety hazards. If you haven’t seen Rip-ley’s Believe it or Not, then go to the Ripley’s Believe it or Not Mu-seum. This is where the records of the most unbelievable have been placed. It costs $25 for adults and

$20 for children.

The Exotic Petting Zoo is the best attraction in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. You are going to love their unique barnyard environ-ment, zebras, reindeer, wallabies, and much, much more wait. It costs ten dollars for adults and

fifteen for children.

These and many other things await you in Gatlinburg. It’s up to you what you’re going

to explore.

What Awaits in Gatlinburg –Summer Watts

Page 4 The West

products may be extremely convenient for

on-the-go soccer moms, but what is the im-

pact on our society if you do the same rou-

tine everyday? Landfills are overflowing,

and communities are battling over who will

take the next year’s landfill. We may all en-

joy these conveniences, but we don’t want

to turn America into the landfills of tomor-

row.

Of course, all of our waste can’t be

recyclable, but The Green Club has laid out

recyclable bins for your plastic bottles in the

lunch rooms, with opportunities for milk

containers, PowerAde bottles, and other

plastic containers to be used again. In addi-

tion, paper bins have been set up in each

A good deal of the trash we generate

comes from the packaging of foods that we buy,

and lunch foods are no exception. The West For-

syth High School trash cans are piled high with

trays, bottles, and plastic wraps, with students

aiming on rushing to class and tossing their trash

in the already overflowed bins. In fact, the esti-

mated amount of disposable trash has been 67

pounds per year for the average school student,

which excludes food wastes. That comes to a total

of 18,760 pounds of waste generated at an aver-

age sized elementary school. For elementary

schools, most parents pack cute sandwiches with

the crusts cut off in single-use bags, aluminum

foil, or wax paper, all of which is crumbled up in

a paper bag and tossed in the trash cans. These

Recycling at West –Emma West

Today in fashion it’s about Hollywood and

their celebrity looks. Now it’s not just about what

clothes the A-Listers are wearing, but it even goes

as far what makeup they have on and how they

wear their hair. The latest beauty trends we are

seeing right now are colorful eyeliners, natural

wavy hair, and clean simple buns.

Leave your boring black eyeliner in your

makeup bag. Right now it’s all about color! Try

blue; it’s perfect for enhancing any eye color; it

just depends on the right shade. It’s really simple;

if you have dark eyes, stick with the darker navy

tones and with lighter eyes, go for the paler shades

of blue. Just adding this touch of color to your eyes

creates instant drama and a fresh new look.

Put down that straightener for now, for it’s

time to go all natural, or with your hair that is. En-

hance your dramatic side and pump up the volume

in your hair creating huge waves. Now a days there are

so many products out there that can help anyone achieve

this sexy look. Try starting with a volumizing shampoo

and conditioner; blow dry your hair with a large round

brush, and add some instant volume with some hair

powder. This look is all about your natural wavy hair

creating drama.

Now the key to pulling off the perfect clean bun

is to in fact, not wash your hair beforehand. I know it

sounds wrong, but by not washing your hair it helps put-

ting your hair into the bun much easier and it actually

stays secure longer. Just part your hair to the side, brush

back and slightly off center your bun. This look is the

perfect way to pull off any outfit whether it is a trip to

the mall or a fancy night out.

So no matter what your style is, just by adding

these fresh trends to your daily beauty routine, you in-

stantly add a little spice to your look!!

Beauty Trends of the Stars –Jacklyn Drummond

classroom for each of us to throw away bad test grades and surreptitious

notes that nobody wants to read. Either way, whether you toss your paper

ball into a regular trash can or recyclable bin, you’ll still have fun making a

basket. Together, we can all help West Forsyth go green; but it takes the

impact of our student body to accomplish a wonderful goal.

Recycling at West con’t

Page 5 Volume 4, Issue 1

What kind of jewelry do you like? Do you like short or long necklaces? Or do you prefer chandelier earrings or studs? If you are the type of person that would rather not have any jewelry on, maybe this article will change your mind. Necklaces are the main thing now. Many actresses, models and celebrities wear all types of jew-elry. Mostly you see everyone wearing the long necklaces paired

with sweaters or shirts. You also see others wearing short necklaces with dresses and short sleeves. Anything works! It all looks cute no matter what you wear. Chandelier and designer brand earrings are popping up in style with the necklaces. Chanel earrings are a prominent piece of jewelry now days; but then again, the chandelier earrings are quite popular as well. Crystals and

pearls are also coming out again. Those types of earrings look cute with just about everything. You can also find designer knock-offs at little boutique stores at the mall. So maybe by now you know the basics about jewelry. The right piece of jewelry will help compliment any outfit you could possibly find in your ward-robe.

dress, and even sport the blazer

over a graphic t-shirt.

There are tank tops that

you would rather show off? You

could wear a white t-shirt under-

neath it. If you want something

different, you could invest in a

solid color shrug or a little

sweater to go over tank tops. This

look will last forever. Shrugs go

with everything. There are even

ways to wear short summer

During the summer, we always

break the bank on cute clothes

that gather dust when we start

school. Doesn’t it just get old

when you put the same white t-

shirt underneath a tank

top? Luckily, fashion this season

is versatile. A good investment

for your wardrobe would be a

beige blazer. This can be worn

over both print and solid tanks. It

will even work with a strapless

dresses without even buying any

new clothes like wearing it over a

pair of jeans, or with leggings.

Investing in either of these will

extend the life of your summer

clothes into fall before putting

them away for the colder months.

So, why buy more clothes? Use

our tips to save money this fall.

Hot Jewelry –Ashley Kraus

Summer that turns into Fall Fashion –Mary Catherine Gibson

Page 6 The West

Throughout history, groups of people have come upon differ-ences from time to time. As hu-mans, we make mistakes- this is the norm. The same holds true with countries all over the world. These differences can lead to arguments, conflicts, and unfortunately, sometimes war. War is a devastating and de-structive concept that some may

find unfair and unnecessary.

You may not realize it as a high school student, but today we are making tomorrow’s his-tory. Many people have fathers, mothers, wives, husbands, brothers, sisters, or best friends fighting in the War in Iraq. Many people around America feel torn about the war. Why should innocent men and women put their lives at risk everyday? A soldier’s response is simple; they love and are willing to fight for their coun-try. We don’t know how long the war will go on or how many people are affected by the ab-sence of a loved one who is

fighting.

Six out of ten American citizens see the war as unneces-

sarily fought. There are so many Americans dying for their country. It takes a lot of honor and integrity to serve a country as our military does. Some citizens think that the fighting is getting America, as a whole, nowhere. They don’t feel any more protected against terrorism than they felt when the fighting began in early 2003. There have been other things in govern-ment that may have made the war secondary for the mo-ment, such as the pending elections and the natural dis-asters occurring across America, but the many who haven’t forgotten are getting fed up with it and are hoping

for it all to be over soon.

Lots of people claim this is all George Bush’s fault. Bush came into the presidency in 2001. After only a few short months in office, the tragedy of 9/11 occurred. At the time many people were accepting of the war, but now they feel it has gone on long enough. Leav-ing the presidency to McCain or Obama this November,

President Bush still has faith in his decision and feels his bold choice was right for the country, although some Americans see it as tearing the country apart instead of

uniting it.

Who knows what will happen in the future, but as for today, especially as we are remembering the anniversary of 9/11, we should keep the troops in our thoughts and never for-get their purpose – our pro-tection, our freedom! We should take some time to thank the troops and their families for all their sacri-fices on behalf of the American people. Our troops should know that we support them and appreciate all the sacrifices they have

made on our behalf.

Poll Finds Dimmer View of Iraq War. Milbank, Dana and Deane, Claudia. Wash-ington Post. 2005 June 8. 2008 September 8. http://

www.washingtonpost.com/

Support Our Troops –Taylor Hartshorn

Page 7 Volume 4, Issue 1

Volume 4, Issue 1 Page 8

These students, both male and female representatives, will be chosen by their co-curricular groups. The idea is that these stu-dents represent that group and West Forsyth High during the post game ceremony and during the dance. The reason why we do not choose one winner is because our school is made up of many distinct groups, and we wish to honor all of these groups, not just one person. As for this year’s theme, it has been decided to be

‘Las Vegas Magic’.”

Many students are excited about the upcoming dance. When asked what she thought about In-augural Week, Nichole Teal said, “The dance is fun, it’s nice for everyone to get dressed up and get away from school some.” When asked why she liked Homecom-ing/ Inaugural Week, Charlsie Ashlock had the same view: “I think the whole process for pick-ing people for the court works, and I like it because it’s fun!” To comment on the game, Austin Ed-wards proclaimed, ecstatically, “The football team has a tremen-dous amount of talent. We even

Every year, no matter if you are in high school or in college, there is one event that always happens, and that event is Homecoming. Homecoming is basically a time where graduates of the school come back and visit the school

they had once attended.

This year, like last year, instead of being called ‘Homecoming’, it will be called ‘Inaugural Week,’ since West has never had any graduates. Next year will be our first year of a tra-ditional Homecoming. The Homecoming football game and the dance are the most looked for-ward to events of the week. This year, our homecoming game is against Johnson High School on October the 17th, at 7:30 p.m. The dance is scheduled for Octo-ber the 18th. When asked, Mrs. Hepler, organizer of the home-coming week, told the events for the week and how the students are going to pick representatives to be on the homecoming court. “Prior to the dance, we will honor stu-dent representatives from all the co-curricular groups, (sports teams, clubs, and organizations).

have the potential, in my eyes, to be in the playoffs and maybe even in the championship. As for our quarterback, (which is #11, Lance Baker), he does an excellent job. He knows who to throw it too, and when the situation is right, and he knows and reads the plays very well.” Austin also suggested, “I think that if you want to see a good game, you should come out to the homecoming game – be-cause we are going to play our

best.”

Although Homecoming is

still just under a month away,

elections for who you want to be

on the homecoming court are

coming up soon – check with the

announcements in the morning,

The West, or the school website.

Also, please be sure, if you plan

to come, to be able to save up

some money – for you and/or that

special someone… The cost this

year, same as the previous, is $25.

See you there!

Homecoming –Patrick Scarazzo

ties to contribute to the club. Señor DeStefano searched through the stu-dents he taught and sent each one he thought suitable an invitation to join. Those of his students who wished to join were required to fill out a ques-tionnaire that included questions about their Spanish-speaking experi-ences, reasons why they would want to be a member, and if they were interested in leading. It is an unbelievably great op-portunity and honor to be a part of the Spanish National Honors Soci-ety. This Society teaches its mem-bers how to use their speaking skills to their fullest, and members are en-couraged to take part in an abun-dance of activities. For example, Spanish National Honor Society members have the opportunity to go

and work with Hispanic people in need. This stretches their knowledge of the language to its fullest, since they have to partake in a real conversation in Spanish in order to be able to communi-cate with the family. This is only one of the many things that the club does to help society, espe-cially the Hispanic community. There are also fun nights that just the members of the club are ca-pable of attending. Members gather and go out to dinner at places like Chepe’s or Cincos—and another favorite is movie night. The club actually comes together and goes over to some-one’s house to watch a movie and have pop popcorn.

As we are beginning our fourth week of school, the school year is finally getting into the full swing on things. Something huge is happening around West Forsyth High School currently, as students are being asked to join the Spanish National Honor Society and are also being accepted. There are stu-dents walking throughout the hall-ways of our school who have worked incredibly hard to be in the spot that they are in now. There are a lot of different factors that go into choosing new members for the society: grades, behavior, and work ethic are an apparent few, but—above all—a prospective member should be excited to be involved in the activities and will-ing to take on certain responsibili-

Hola from the Spanish National Honor’s Society!

Language courses are es-sential to graduating high school. To graduate according to Georgia Standards, a student needs at least 2 credits of the same language. Clubs play a major role here at West Forsyth. We have at least 3 foreign language clubs: Latin, Spanish, and French are extra-curricular clubs found at West Forsyth High School. All of these clubs are for any student, whether or not they actually attend the

class.

The French club has al-ready had their first meeting, but it’s not too late to join. During the meeting, they selected officers

and set future goals for the French Club. For further information on the French Club, see Madame Hicks or French Club President,

Sarah Myers.

Even though Latin is a dead language, we still have our appreciation shown through the Latin Club. Latin is the building block for all current languages. For club meetings, check our school’s website under extra cur-

ricular, or ask Mrs. Duncan.

Last, but not least, there is the Spanish Club. Available for all students, Spanish is a very common language spoken throughout a lot of countries.

Joining this club will enhance your Spanish speaking, or if you just have an interest in the Span-ish language, you can join to meet

new people.

Joining a club, even if the club itself is a course you don’t have, doesn’t mean you can’t join. Other than the interest of the club, meeting new people with a com-mon interest is always great. To find more information on any club meeting, go to the West Forsyth High School website and check under extra-curricular and click on the link for the club you want

to view more information on.

Language Enhancing Clubs -Sandy Salvatierra

Page 9 Volume 4, Issue 1

This society is a great opportunity for students to reach out, meet new friends, and be a part of some-thing rewarding. A student must receive an invitation in order to join, but if this sounds like fun, then that should be like enough motivation to work hard and make it in to the club. Well why are you still sitting here?

Get up and practice that Español! Adios!

Hola from the Spanish National Honor’s Society! con’t. Alex Shook

Page 10 The West

Jessica Shimko, Tim Kierzkowski,

Paul Weiler, and Evea Kaldas.

It is not required to have taken any Latin classes in order to become a member of Latin Club. The only thing necessary is an inter-est in the Latin language or culture. It is also not required to have taken Latin in order to attend Fall Forum; however, in order to participate in Latin competitions and exams, a stu-dent must have taken at least Latin I

and must be a member of the JCL.

Latin Club will meet at vari-ous times outside of school for small group get-togethers in order for the new members to be acquainted with the rest of the members. The first “Informal Acquaintance Party” will be held in September. Also, on Octo-ber 10th, the club plans to meet at Uncle Shuck’s Corn Maze to take part in wandering the haunted maze, taking a hayride, and sipping hot co-coa by a bonfire. (Please note that the under the policy of the Forsyth County Board of Education, only a legal guardian of an attendee may transport a student to and from

school-related events.)

Magistra Duncan expects to hold several workshops throughout the year, which will resemble the workshops that take place at Con-vention (such as teaching Latin Club

members how to make their own

togas out of simple bed sheets.)

Another event that is in the process of being planned is the In-ternational Breakfast, in which members from all foreign language classes—whether they be Latin, French, or Spanish—can partici-pate. Students may bring in a dish specific to the culture of their own class, but that is certainly not a re-quirement. Any person within the school will be able to eat at this breakfast, although there will be a

small fee charged per person.

Fall Forum, which is a state-wide event for schools that offer Latin, will take place on November 8th at South Forsyth High School this year. The fee to attend will be $10. This is a huge deal because Fall Forum has never taken place in a Forsyth County School before, and members of Latin Club from West Forsyth should attend in order to support South Forsyth—and so that the Latin Club at West can make an impression on the rest of the attending Junior Classical

League.

In December, Latin club

plans to hold a Saturnalia Banquet

in regards to the Holidays. Informa-

tion on this is soon to come.

In Magistra Duncan’s class room on Tuesday, September 9th, the Latin club members said “salvete” to the new school year by holding the first Latin Club meeting of the year. Club dues for the year are $15.00, which covers the dues to be a member of the school’s club as well as all Junior Classical League (JCL) dues. JCL dues need to be paid in order for a member to attend events such as Fall Forum or Latin Convention later in the year. All dues should be handed in to Magistra Duncan by November 1st. Only members who have paid their club dues will be able to purchase a T-shirt once they are available. The T-shirts for this year will read, “Sola lingua bona est lingua mortua,” which translates, “The only good lan-

guage is a dead language.”

This year, there will be no official club positions given. In-stead, there is a small club council of members who extensively took part in Latin Club last year. Each council member will contribute equally to the club instead of hav-ing the typical President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer positions. The Latin Club council for the year includes: Dakota Fidram, Jenna Rodgers, Maranda Smith, Emily Carr, Sydney Butler,

The Latin Club Agenda Starlett Jenkins

2008 Basketball Hall of Fame –Kyle Murphy

Page 11 Volume 4, Issue 1

Pat Riley, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Dick Vitale were among the inductees into the Basketball

Hall of Fame this year. Other inductees in this class were Adrian Dantley, former Immaculata coach Cathy

Rush, and Detroit Pistons and Shock owner Bill Davidson.

The inductee who stole the show this year was Dick Vitale. Vitale, who is known for his electric com-

mentary of college basketball, spoke for almost thirty minutes at the induction ceremony. During his speech

Vitale spoke about a range of topics, including family, broadcasting, and basketball. Commenting about his

time being a college basketball analyst for ESPN, Dickie V said, “I've been stealing money talking about a

game, getting paid. That's why it breaks my heart when I see some athletes, chips on their shoulder. Are you

serious? Flying charter planes? I don't want to hear about 80 games a year. What other job do you get four

months vacation. Are you serious? Making millions if you can't play." This season of college basketball will

be Vitale’s thirtieth for ESPN. During his time there, he has coined such phrases as: “Trifecta” (three point

basket), “Diaper Dandy” (outstanding freshman), and “PTPers” (Prime Time Players).

Hakeem Olajuwon was given the nickname “The Dream” by Vitale during his freshman year at Hous-

ton, whom he led to three Final Fours. In the NBA, Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to back to back cham-

pionships in the 1994 and 1995 seasons. He finished his NBA career with 27, 000 points, 13, 747 rebounds,

and 3,830 blocks. Commenting on his induction and career, Olajuwon said, “It was a dream that came true.”

Patrick Ewing also went to three Final Fours throughout his college career at Georgetown. Despite not

winning a championship with the New York Knicks in the NBA, Ewing is the franchise leader in points, re-

bounds, blocks, and steals. He amassed nearly 25, 000 points and 11, 607 rebounds during his career. Ewing

also helped the United States win two gold medals.

Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon created a rivalry that lasted throughout their careers. In college,

Ewing’s Georgetown beat Olajuwon’s Houston in the 1984 NCAA Championship game. Olajuwon earned two

NBA Finals rings with Houston, next to no rings for Ewing. Olajuwon beat Ewing and the Knicks to win his

second ring in 1994. Ewing said, “When I played against Hakeem, I definitely wanted to be at my best. I think

he feels the same way. We both know what each other brings to the table -- intensity, energy, effort. You

would have to put out 110 percent to play against each other."

Pat Riley, former NBA coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, and Miami Heat, won

championships in the NBA as a player and a coach. He won four titles with the “Showtime” Lakers of the

1980’s and one more title with the Miami Heat in 2006.

Cathy Rush had been nominated for the Basketball Hall of Fame five other times and finally got in this

year. Rush won three consecutive titles as a coach for Immaculata University in 1972-74. The school didn’t

have a gym and only had one set of uniforms. The team had to fly on standby whenever they had to travel. Her

overall record in her seven years with the school was 149-15. She said, “I accept this honor for all of the

women who coached and played so many years ago, who have been forgotten, whose scores and skills have

never been brought to the fore, but they played for the love of the game."

Bill Davidson’s teams have won three NBA titles and two WNBA titles. He was one of the first owners to put

his teams on private planes. He also made key contributions to the NBA’s free agent and salary cap system.

Dantley played for seven teams during his fifteen year NBA career and scored over 23, 000 points.

Commenting on his career, he said, “Ever since I've been in high school, I've dominated at every level, but my

critics always had something to say about me. All those other guys, they were supposed to get in, they were

talented. But I got in through hard work."

2008 Basketball Hall of Fame con’t.

Page 12 Volume 4, Issue 1

A Day in the Life of a UGA Tailgater –Petey Powers

When asked about his tailgating secrets, Georgia

Bulldogs fan Will Thiede says, “What happens in Athens

stays in Athens.” and most of the time that is the truth but I

will give you a tour or a backstage pass on how to tailgate.

There are many steps tom having a good time tailgating, and

here are some.

The first step to having a fun time tailgating before a

Georgia Bulldogs football game is to plan. The more things

planned the better. Plan on what you’re going to eat, drink,

and do. Will Thiede, last week's tailgater of the week, sends

out a newsletter to everyone telling them what food he

needs. Maybe you can plan a trivia game or have a bean bag

toss set up. Another thing you might want to plan on bringing is a shade tent or a fan. But, there is one thing

that is essential to all tailgates and that is a television, so you can see what else is happening in college foot-

ball. The best time to plan is a week or two in advance so you can have enough time to get all of your supplies.

The next thing you should know is the arrival time.

Your arrival time to a tailgate party really defines your fan hood. If you are a hardcore Georgia Bull-

dogs fan holding your own tailgate party you will be at your tailgate party by at least 8:00 AM. The more time

you have to tailgate, the more fun you will have. First, thing you do is setup. Setting up is probably the hardest

part of your whole day in Athens. You need to make sure you have enough room, but not too much room

where people can't walk by. After setting up, you should probably start cooking breakfast, maybe some Break-

fast sandwiches or a breakfast casserole. After, you set up and cook the hardest part of your day is over. The

next thing to do in Athens before the game is the Dawg Walk.

The Dawg Walk is a fun way to see your team before they take the field. The Dawg Walk is held right in

front of Sanford Stadium. As you wait for the players to arrive you first start to hear a loud rumble from the

fans as the cheerleaders lead them into many different cheers. You also can hear Georgia’s world famous Red

Coat marching band in action. Once the players arrive, the crowd goes nuts. You can see UGA's Head Coach

Mark Richt, and all of the players. The Dawg Walk is a great way to get pumped up before the game. After the

Dawg Walk, you will probably go back to your party for a short amount of time before the game. Now you

Page 13 The West

Taking Down the Tigers –Toby Tyler

may think you are done with your tailgating, but there is still more after the game. After the game, there are

still a lot of things left to do. First you should start tossing your food on the grill. After cooking your steak,

chicken, hamburgers, or what ever it is your cooking you can just lay back and relax and watch some football.

Now your day is pretty much over.

There are many things you can do to have fun tailgating before and after a Georgia Bulldogs football

game. So, hopefully after you have read this you get a better idea about what tailgating is and how to have fun

doing it. But, in the end all it really is about is them Dawgs.

A Day in the Life con’t.

The West Forsyth Wolverines have done it again! One week after the first Varsity football game for West For-

syth, the guys were back and ready to win a second. The air smelled like concessions and all you could hear

and see was school spirit surrounding you in the packed stands. From freshmen to seniors, it looked like the

whole school had come to cheer the football team to a victory.

With the WSBTV helicopter soaring above, the Varsity team burst through an enormous banner created by the

cheerleaders to signal the start of the game. The game began with a kickoff by David Rooney, which was re-

covered by West to the nine-yard line. This recovery led to our first touchdown of the game, made by Ethan

Shirley. Minutes later, Shirley took a second ball to our end zone, making the score 14-0 Wolverines. We had

a lead, but we were far from done. After some killer plays drawn up by the team, Lance Baker handed the ball

to Parker Chapman for an additional six points, as well as a successful field goal. The Adairsville Tigers at-

tempted to redeem themselves with a touchdown of their own. The boys stepped back up for another touch-

down by Reese Patton from Lance Baker before the conclusion of the first quarter.

When the second quarter of our game began, a swift touchdown was drawn up by Ben Emeret. The play was

brought back to the kickoff for a touchdown by our opponents. This play resulted in an injury to a West player,

Chance Morris. After one more touchdown for both teams, there was one minute remaining on the clock and

Adairsville had possession at the 30 yard line. One opposing player launched a pass to his teammate, which the

player fumbled. This fumbled was recovered by Rusty Juneau for a touchdown. Following this score by West

was another outstanding play by our Wolverines, with yet another amazing reception and touchdown by Ethan

Shirley, thrown by Lance Baker. The signal of halftime ended with a score of 55-22 with our team in the lead.

Halftime consisted of an amazing display of our West Forsyth marching band and color guard’s well-thought

up routine. The Wolverines possessed over thirty points more than Adairsville, but we did not stop. The third

quarter was played by many of the lower classmen on the team. The only touchdown in the third quarter was

completed by Ethan Shirley, his fourth of the game.

In the last quarter of the game, we wrapped it up with two more touchdowns. Colton Cloud sprinted an amaz-

ing distance down the field and into our end zone. Our incredible score was increased seven more points when

Brandon Keith scored the final touchdown of the game. The buzzer signaled the end to an outstanding football

game and a blowout with a score of 77-30 West Forsyth.

After months of dedicated practice, the Wolverines are almost unstoppable. We are currently 2-0 in our game

stats, an awesome accomplishment for our first Varsity season. If you can’t make it to the away game this Fri-

Taking Down the Tigers con’t.

Page 14 Volume 4, Issue 1

Friday, September 12th, then be there the 19th when we take on Creekview on our home turf at 7:30.

Great job Wolverines, Gulo Gulo!

Congrats to the girls’ cross-country team for placing first at the Jag Invitational Tuesday, August

12th. The meet was held in Griffin, Georgia where freshman, Taylor Roeck, one of our best runners, had

the fastest time. On a more somber note, our guys placed only fifth and lost to West Hall, but with all the

practicing they have been doing, they are sure to do better next time. The best time on the guy’s team was

held by Jeff Bagley, a sophomore.

The course proved itself a challenge with many surprises in the form of unexpected hills and curves,

but because of the girls’ hours of practice and conditioning, their hard work paid off and they came out on

top. In addition to the course being so hilly, the weather in Griffin was much hotter and more humid than

our team is used to running in. West’s teams practice running in the mornings as well as the afternoons.

“Our training schedule is very rigorous and the practices are always a great to get your heart rate pumped

up for a meet,” said Eric Gammon, a freshman who knows what dedication means when it comes to run-

ning.

Despite the tough course, the boys stuck it out to the end and have adopted the spirit of team work to keep

each other motivated.

“The course had lots of hills and it was very challenging but we had a great time anyway,” said Curtis

Stallings, a freshman and avid runner on the boys’ team. Stallings joins West from Vickery Creek Middle

School where he holds the record for the mile run at 5.06. The next meet will be the Chestatee Invite this

Tuesday, the 17th. Let’s hope the boys will practice harder and do better next time. Next time the team