contents - Belmont Vision

Transcription

www.belmontvision.com
The student newspaper of Belmont University
Vol. 59, No. 7
March 25, 2010
CONTENTS
Texting while driving dangerous, illegal...................... 2
Spring has sprung.................................................... 2
Entrepreneurship students ‘niche building’................ 2
Belmont unveils ‘Vision 2015’.................................. 3
Preachin’, prayin’, singin’......................................... 4
Lance Conzett: Fighting ‘apathetic activism’............... 5
Erin Carson: To delete or not to delete music.............. 5
‘Green acres is the place to be’................................. 6
Picking favorites: the stuff of our stories.................... 6
Loveless Café’s legacy built on biscuits...................... 7
65* places to eat in Nashville................................ 8-9
12 South chic, cool, funky neighborhood................. 10
Rites of Spring...................................................... 11
‘Rejection’ spurs Tyler James’s success.................... 11
Showcasing country............................................... 12
Concert for Haiti.................................................... 12
Nashville’s smallest art gallery................................ 13
Consistency baseball team’s goal............................. 14
Tony Cross resigns after 26 years............................ 15
Change on the horizon for March Madness............... 16
Pierce Greenberg: Show me the money.................... 16
Page 2
The Belmont Vision, March 25, 2010
Spring has sprung
After what seems like the worst
winter in Middle Tennessee since
the infamous 1994 ice storm,
spring has finally arrived in Nashville. With highs in the 60s on
Mar. 19, five Belmont students
decided to celebrate the warm
weather in style. Jonathan Anderson, Matt Wright, Greg Privett, Tim
Head and Josh Helton (pictured
from left) stripped down to shorts
for a dip in the fountain outside
Curb Event Center. Spring officially began with the vernal equinox
on Mar. 20. In typical Nashville
fashion, the Midstate enjoyed a
brief reprieve from the cold on
Saturday before plunging into the
mid-40s for an inauspicious start
to the season.
photo by Lance Conzett
Texting while driving a serious distraction
By Julie Kenny
Staff writer
Everyone knows it’s illegal to drink and drive, but
texting while driving is twice as dangerous and is illegal in
20 states, including Tennessee.
According to a study conducted at the University of
Utah, a driver with an alcohol level of .08—legally drunk in
most states—is four times more likely to crash than a driver
who is not impaired. The risk for someone texting? That
person is eight times more likely to have an accident.
The statistics are scary enough for the states to ban
texting while driving, making it illegal for a driver to read
or write a text message while behind the wheel. The law,
passed in Tennessee in July 2009, carries a fine of $50
for each violation, but no points are added to the driver’s
record.
Still, the law is difficult to enforce. An officer must
witness the driver using a cell phone and be confident that
they aren’t dialing a phone number or searching for one in
their address book.
It’s for this reason that Tennessee Highway Patrol has
issued only 25 citations statewide this year, according to
Mike Browning, director of public affairs for Tennessee’s
Department of Safety. Unfortunately, many of those cita-
The statistics are scary enough
for the states to ban texting while
driving, making it illegal for
a driver to read or write a text
message while behind the wheel.
tions were issued at the hospital.
“As an example, THP responded to an injury crash in
Montgomery County in which a passenger vehicle rearended a truck. The driver was involved in texting at the time
of the crash,” Browning said. “The driver was transported
to Gateway Hospital for head injuries and cited for texting
while driving.”
As texting continues to increase in popularity, especially among teens and young adults, so will the number of
accidents caused by it. A study by the Pew Research Center
found that one in four American teens of driving age say
they have texted while driving, and half of all teens ages 12
to 17 say they’ve been a passenger while a driver has texted.
That’s not surprising given that research shows that an
average American teenagaer receives mroe than 2,200 text
messages a month.
So, what’s going to stop this from becoming so mainstream as, for example, eating and driving? Meg Tully, a
junior at Belmont, believes it’s a matter of personal responsibility and doesn’t send text messages when she’s driving.
“It’s not even that it’s illegal because people are going to
do it anyway. I just don’t want to get distracted,” Tully said.
In addition to promoting a sense of responsibility among
drivers, parents and older adults can set good examples by
not using their cell phones to send emails or messages while
driving.
Passengers can assist by writing and replying to
messages that can’t wait, although that sense of urgency has
come with the technology.
AT&T Mobility announced this month a safety campaign
with a tagline that reads, “Txting & Driving … It Can
Wait.” While they are targeting teens and younger drivers,
the company said the message that “no text is worth dying
over” is for everyone.
To strengthen the message, AT&T said its campaign will
include text messages that people sent or received before
they were in a serious accident or killed
Entrepreneurs recognized
Belmont has been named one of “five schools for
entrepreneurs” by Fortune Magazine for its Entrepreneurship and Social Entrepreneurship programs.
The magazine chose Belmont for standing out among
more than 2,000 schools in the United States that
teach entrepreneurship.
Fortune said Belmont was a “case study in
niche building,” citing the Social Entrepreneurship
program as the first of its kind in the country.
The other four universities featured were Indiana
University in Bloomington, Ind.; University of Texas
in Austin; St. Louis University in St. Louis; and
Babson College in Wellesley, Mass.
Belmont offers programs in entrepreneurship and
social entrepreneurship through two centers – the
Center for Entrepreneurship and the Center for Social
Entrepreneurship and Service-Learning.
The Center for Entrepreneurship was named as
one of the Top 25 Undergraduate Entrepreneurship
Programs in the country by Entrepreneur magazine
and the Princeton Review. Additionally, the United
States Association for Small Business and Entrepre-
neurship (USASBE) named the Center for Entrepreneurship as the National Model Undergraduate
Program for excellence in entrepreneurship education.
Belmont’s Social Entrepreneurship major centers
on the emerging business field that tackles social
problems and unmet community needs via entrepreneurial principles. In addition to inter-disciplinary
coursework, Social Entrepreneurship majors
complete a 225-hour internship during their junior
year with a nonprofit or social entrepreneur,
Earlier in March, Belmont Entrepreneurship
students led by Jose Gonzalez were named finalists
in the Dell Social Innovation Competition for their
project Guatemalan Honey Cooperative for Economic
Development.
The students will now go on to the next phase of
the competition for a chance to win $50,000 to implement their proposed social need project, which would
support a venture that manages the production and
commercialization of fair trade honey for small-scale
farmers in Guatemala.
Page 3
‘Vision 2015’ outlines Belmont’s future
By Lance Conzett
Vision Editor
While most students were away from campus on spring
break, Belmont unveiled Vision 2015, a document laying out
Belmont’s next five years of growth and development.
The three-page document outlines Belmont’s intentions
to further establish itself on the national stage after 10 years
of significant growth.
The plan is divided into 10 broad components, including
enrollment growth, cultural competency, cost control and
building a world-class learning environment. According to
the document, Belmont aspires to be “Nashville’s University” by engaging with and serving the community on a
scale that is “unmatched by any other institution of higher
education.”
Notably, the document includes plans to increase the
student population from last fall’s 5,424 to 7,000 over the
next five years. In order to house the increased student
body, Belmont intends to “continue to aggressively upgrade
facilities,” including new residential space, development of
a “mall/plaza” and adding 1,000 parking spaces to compensate for added traffic.
Belmont President Bob Fisher addressed some student
concerns during the semiannual “Ask Dr. Fisher” convocation Feb. 26, more than a week before the release of the plan,
much of which revolved around the university’s constant
expansion.
“I don’t know if I have the capacity in my DNA to talk
about ending growth,” Fisher said when asked about an
enrollment cap by a student.
“You can have a great liberal arts program with 1,000
people like at Sewanee and Rhodes, here in Tennessee,”
he said, “but you can’t be good at music, music business,
nursing, business and all of these other programs we already
have. You can’t fund them to excellence.”
A copy of a letter from the Faculty Senate to Fisher was
sent to all faculty members last week. According to the
letter, faculty reaction echoed student apprehension about
the university’s growth.
“Some faculty members were, frankly, frustrated and
outraged that Vision 2015 sets before us another five years
of ambitious growth,” the Senate members wrote. “Many
say that we are in danger of losing part of the central identity and strengths of Belmont.”
The letter also expresses trepidation about potentially
increasing class sizes due to the influx of students. It also
points out that Belmont’s reliance on adjunct professors, as
opposed to full staff, is much higher than the university’s
peers in the U.S. News & World Report top schools list.
Vision 2015 also touches on diversity on campus, a point
that Fisher has been particularly vocal about in recent years.
“I’m still not satisfied with that number,” said Fisher,
referring to student ethnic and racial diversity numbers
during the student Q&A. According to statistics shown
during Fisher’s presentation, student diversity lies at 597, or
11 percent of the student body, in 2010.
Fisher revealed that the university hired Derek Young,
who previously served as director of outreach for Cracker
Barrel and as executive director of 100 Black Men of
Middle Tennessee, to help the university develop a plan for
creating a more diverse environment on campus. The 2015
“I don’t know if I have the
capacity in my DNA to talk
about ending growth.”
Dr. Bob Fisher
Belmont University President
plan states that the university hopes to “create a culture of
inclusion.”
The plan also reaffirms Belmont’s status as a Christian university. The spiritual development section states,
“our hope is that every student will see that belief in God
empowers a life of disciplined intelligence, compassion,
courage and faith.”
The faculty response brought up a possible conflict
between the diversity plan’s spirit of inclusion and the
spirituality section’s specificity in religious beliefs, stating
that increasing the university’s “Christian character” could
possibly exclude other perspectives.
The letter also pointed out that “diversity” is not defined
in the document. Separate faculty comments specifically
included sexual orientation and students who subscribe to a
faith other than Christian as areas of diversity that could be
considered.
The subject of hiring non-Christian faculty was also
broached in the faculty comments, suggesting that if
Vision 2015
The full Vision 2015 document details several
areas where Belmont will attempt to improve
over the next five years. The following represents some of the proposed efforts, quoted from
the plan:
Engage Students in Transformative Learning
• The liberal arts and Belmont’s nationally
recognized general education program will
continue to be strengthened and will serve
as the heart of the university.
• We will become the best in the world at
engaging our students in service learning,
internships, and community service as our
students match their purpose, gifts and
talents to world needs.
Spiritual Development
• Increasing numbers of students involved in
weekly worship, prayer and Bible study.
Enrollment Growth and Student Success
• Average ACT of incoming freshman of 27.
• Freshman to sophomore retention rate of
88%.
• Graduation rate increases to 75 percent.
Efficiency and Cost Control
• Reduced carbon footprint and energy costs.
Belmont were to loosen the current requirements, it might
encourage a more diverse teaching environment. This
suggestion, however, was not included in the faculty letter.
In a faculty meeting held on Mar. 22, Fisher addressed
the letter and the issues presented by Vision 2015.
According to Fisher, the conversation between administration and faculty will continue for 30 days until the next
executive committee meeting.
“If there are things that need to be heard, we can discuss
them before we move forward,” Fisher said before joking: “I
feel like I’m trying to pass health care here.”
THE STRENGTH
TO HEAL and
learn lessons in courage.
The pride you’ll feel in being a doctor increases
dramatically when you care for our Soldiers and their
Families. Courage is contagious. Our Health Professions
Scholarship Program (HPSP) helps you reach your goal by
providing full tuition, money towards books and lab fees, a
$20,000 sign-on bonus, plus a monthly stipend of $1,992.
To learn more about the U.S. Army Health Care Team,
call a Health Care Recruiter at 615-874-5002, email
[email protected], or visit
healthcare.goarmy.com/info/mchpsp1.
©2009. Paid for by the United States Army. All rights reserved.
Page 4
Preachin’, prayin’, singin’
Nashville students present diverse worship style at Belmont Heights
By Abby Selden
Multimedia editor
On March 31, seven Nashville college students will
attempt to present the Belmont and Nashville communities with a diverse worship style in a church service titled
“An Attempt to Silence the Lamb: Seven Last
Sayings of a Crucified Christ.”
The two-hour
service, to begin at 7
p.m. in Belmont Heights
Baptist Church, will be
a “traditional AfricanAmerican worship experience,” said André Waller, a
Belmont student and one of
the founders of the service.
Waller and another
Belmont student, Terrell
Crudup, conceived the
idea for the worship service
in December 2008. They
conducted a similar service of
the same name in March 2009.
“The thing about being a
minority on this campus, [is]
we are in some ways forced to
experience a culture that is not
ours,” Crudup said. “This is now
an opportunity for people to experience a different type of culture
that’s not theirs with the common
ground of trying to preach the
gospel.”
Three of the speakers will be
Belmont students,
senior religion major Crudup, senior business administra-
tion major Waller and freshman social work major Aignes
Alexander. All of the student speakers are either ministers,
or are in the process of obtaining a ministerial license. The
other students are
Brandon Perkins, Fisk University; Lee Perkins, Vanderbilt
University; Demeterous
Johnson, American Baptist
College; and Bryan Barnett,
Tennessee State University.
The theme of the
church service centers on
the seven last sayings of
Jesus on the cross. Each
speaker will have ten
minutes to address one
of these sayings. The
service will begin with
praise and worship,
and will be followed
by the seven speakers.
The preaching will
be punctuated with
songs from the Music
City chapter of
the Gospel Music
Workshop of
America.
Waller and
Crudup said
there are several
reasons a traditional black
church service, with an emphasis on preaching
and call and response of the crowd, could benefit the
Belmont and Nashville communities.
Call and response, for example, comes out of a tradi-
57%
of BU students
OVER
HALF
are currently
involved in a
religious
or interfaith
group
*Source: Data based on 2009 CORE Survey (N=1042.)
tion that African slaves brought to this country and other
countries. The crowd chants or shouts in response to both
spoken word and music, often adding both clapping and
foot-tapping to the beat.
“I think the biggest thing that we’re trying to show
people is that there is diversity, even in worship of God and
in preaching about God,” Crudup explained. He also said he
hopes those who attend “see that there are different ways to
worship.”
Waller said the service is “just a way to bring a diverse
style of worship to Belmont’s campus.”
Crudup said not offering different avenues of worship
would be “a travesty,” and believes the service represents an
important learning opportunity for Belmont students. “So
much is ingrained in the African American worship experience,” Crudup said. “We don’t get too much of that here.”
Both Crudup and Waller called Sunday mornings “the
most segregated times in the United States.”
While Crudup and Waller are Baptists, “An Attempt to
Silence the Lamb” will be an interdenominational service.
About 160 people attended last year’s service. Crudup
and Waller said they hope this year’s turnout will be larger.
They are promoting the event through Facebook and
on-campus posters. They are also sending invitations to
local churches, and encouraging them to bring their normal
Wednesday-night worshipers to Belmont Heights instead
for this service. “We have a number of churches that have
decided to support the young ministers who are coming in
to preach,” said Crudup. He also said some Belmont faculty
have committed to attending the service.
Crudup also said he thinks the service could be part of
a larger effort to increase diversity at Belmont. “We are
responding to [President Fisher’s] call to try and create more
diversity,” he said. Crudup would like to see the service
continues and become a regular thing for Belmont.”
LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO WORSHIP CLOSE TO SCHOOL?
PLEASE JOIN US AND COME LIVE LIFE AT FIRST EVANGELICAL
LUTHERAN CHURCH. WE’LL EVEN PICK YOU UP!
Location: 113 8th Avenue South, Downtown Nashville, half block south of
Broadway on 8th Avenue South.
Worship Times: 8:15 and 10:30 a.m.
Shuttle Schedule for Sunday Mornings
For those attending Education Hour
9:00A Leave the Aviary 9:05A Leave Hail Hall
For those coming for Worship
10:00A Leave Aviary
10:05A Leave Hail Hall
There will be time for Christian Fellowship and Refreshments Following Worship
For more information, visit
www.belmont.edu/studentaffairs/btw.html
Return Schedule; Approximately:
12:15P Arrive at Aviary 12:20P Arrive at Hail Hall
Join us this Sunday! Bring a Friend!
FREE parking in the lot across McGavock St.
Please call 256-7580 for more information,
or visit www.first-lutheran-nashville.org
Come Live Life!
ideas
Let us know what you think. Send a signed letter,
400 words max, with your phone number. You
have three options: go to belmontvision.com, click
on staff/contact, then “write us a letter” or submit
it via email to [email protected] or mail it
to The Editor, Belmont Vision, 1900 Belmont Blvd.,
Nashville, TN 37212.
Fighting ‘apathetic activism’
a&e
If there’s anything that I’ve learned from my tenure at
Belmont, it’s that you never quite know what, if anything,
you’re going to take away from a convocation event. Sometimes it’s straightforward- – Honors doing scenes from
“Merchant of Venice” can only go so many ways. Others
though? Not so much.
lin singer Stephen Christian was the guest speaker at
a recent lecture on human trafficking. After playing a few
songs, Christian launched into a spiel about Faceless International, an organization dedicated to defending exploited
people worldwide through education and activism that he
helped found in 2007.
Most of Christian’s presentation explained his organization and the surprising prevalence of human trafficking –
even in Nashville, where trafficking has reportedly been on
the rise over the past several years. But that wasn’t the part
that caught my attention. During his presentation, Christian took issue with what he sees as “apathetic activism” in
America.
“Apathetic activism,” as I understand it, is when
someone begins and ends their involvement in a cause with
a purchase: Buying a t-shirt to support suicide prevention;
wearing a pair of shoes to fight poverty; putting on a wrist-
band to end cancer.
At Belmont, these
symbolic reminders
of charitable work
are everywhere on
campus – we’re
constantly being
sold charity. I don’t
mean to dismiss the
causes, but I have to
wonder what impact
our culture of instant
gratification has made
on charity.
How much does
dropping $60 on that
pair of TOMS shoes really help compared to volunteering
somewhere locally? Do we really need to constantly remind
people of our selflessness with an article of clothing or a
bumper sticker? How much effort and money do we really
spend to look like we’re being charitable, as opposed to
actually being charitable?
It might sound like I’m calling out the Christian commu-
Lance Conzett
nity, and in a way, maybe I am. But, this trend runs deeper
than that. Growing up in Nashville’s underground punk
scene, I saw the same thing. Support for Mumia Abu-Jamal,
an activist sentenced to death row for killing a Philadelphia
police officer, has been a staple in punk activism since his
imprisonment in the mid-1990s. They would talk a big
game, railing against the system and the death penalty, but
more often than not, their support would end with wearing
a “Free Mumia” button. The couple of bucks they spent on
a button or a book might benefit Abu-Jamal’s defense fund,
but it doesn’t make much of a dent in the system that they’re
railing so hard against.
I’m not saying that people shouldn’t buy products
based on their charitable value. But what I am saying is
that people should be more active in their volunteerism if
they’re presenting themselves with an air of selflessness.
Like Christian said in the convo, don’t be content with
buying a pair of shoes. Help build a house with Habitat from
Humanity, volunteer at a homeless shelter, do anything to
make life better even if it’s on a small scale. Don’t just pin a
button to your collar and call it a day.
Lance Conzett, Vision editor,
is a senior journalism major.
sports
Music: To delete or not to delete
I have five days worth of music on my
computer. This is by no means the largest
collection out there, but five days is a lot of
music. What does anyone really need with
120 hours of songs?
I have no idea, but I sure have a hard
time deleting any. There’s always the off
chance I’ll want to listen to that remix of
that cover by that band featuring that guy
from that other band. You really never
know.
Somewhere along the way, a music
library became a list. It’s not a place where
you run your fingers down the spines of
your albums anymore, you scroll.
Music consumption feels less about the
music and more about the consumption.
Arguably, the Internet has created an abundance of opportunity and freedom. Smaller
artists can produce and distribute their
music without having to compromise and
listeners can expose themselves to as much
music as they can take.
How much can a listener take? Again, no
idea, but there’s always that creeping feeling
like if you don’t move on to something else
fast enough, you might not find that one
lying down on the carpet
band or that one song that
Erin Carson
of your bedroom and just
changes everything. Take
listening. Music was an
a sampler CD that comes
activity in itself instead
with a magazine or the 20
of functioning as auditory
plus song mixes that Urban
wallpaper.
Outfitters posts every so
Give it a few years
often. The chances that all
and all of a sudden those
those songs are going to be
periodic album purchases
even “just good” are slim,
build up. The full CD rack
but the unknown potential
is a real physical presence.
is sort of exciting.
It’s a space commitment,
Though, the bigger my
not something that can
library gets, the less it feels
be easily vanished to a
like my own. There are
recycling bin and replaced
fewer memories attached
with a click.
to albums or songs. It’s
Though, when you subtract issues of
a blurred mental montage of pushing the
availability, space, cost and time, that’s a
“skip” button repeatedly.
few thousand songs stored on a hard drive
Not long ago, buying an album was a
that looks something like a cigarette case.
commitment, and in more than one way.
Buying an album meant that this might be it Charming.
Try throwing away the first album
for a while (at least it was that way for me),
so every little sound and every lyric became you ever bought. You probably can’t, you
probably wouldn’t want to. Yet, music has
a part of life. The CD case sat a foot away
and the album art was key to the experience. become tragically disposable, as have many
other things in society.
Buying an album also meant spending
Download something, spend a week with
a good chunk of time with it, or better yet,
fitness
The Student Newspaper of Bemont University
1900 Belmont Blvd., Nashville TN 37212
Phone: 615.460.6433
E-mail: [email protected]
Editor: Lance Conzett
Managing Editor: Erin Carson
Multimedia Editor: Abby Selden
Blogs Editor: Jessica Walker
Sports Editor: Pierce Greenberg
Video Editor: Cassidy Hodges
it and then never touch it again. What’s the
point?
Every once in a while, though, a song
just stops you dead in your tracks. It only
takes a few seconds to realize that something special is happening.
“Papa was a Rollin’ Stone” by the Temptations stopped me dead in my tracks. It
was dark, sophisticated, funky and sounded
nothing like those airtight Motown tunes. It
was also my first seven-minute song. That’s
commitment for an 8-year-old.
Similarly, the Beach Boys’ “That’s Not
Me” was a moment. It was earnest and
thoughtful, a side of the band that gets
lost in the popularity of their sun and surf
image. I remember most everything about
the time I first heard it.
Of course detachment is not something
that happens to everyone, but these days it
feels like the risk is higher.
They say that music is one of the few
things that everybody understands. Let’s not
throw that away.
Erin Carson, Vision managing editor,
is a junior journalsim major in the honors
program.
Advertising: Karen Bennett
Faculty Adviser: Linda Quigley
Online/Graphics Adviser: Angela Smith
Page 6
‘Green acres is the place to be’
We all have those creepy friends on Facebook – the
ones that leave a million comments on your pictures, “like”
all your statuses, probably live in a basement, and quite
possibly have never shared an actual conversation with you.
Because of their cows, crops and endless updates, I
vowed to never jump on the Farmville bandwagon. I didn’t
want to be their neighbor, save their cat or fertilize their
corn. So I blocked them and their silly game. There was
no more Farmville on my mini-feed and I had won. Or so I
thought.
But Farmville refused
to quit without a fight. All
Cassidy Hodges
around me people were
becoming farmers and
rushing home to harvest
their crops. Suddenly, my
farmer friends had sewn
seeds of doubt into my
anti-Farmville stance. I
saw their cows, their horses
and their pink tractors and
began to feel a tinge of
jealousy. I wanted a sheep
that I could pet – one to call
my own.
Meanwhile, my roommates still held fast to the notion
that Farmville was the most pointless gamer ever, creating
a bit of insecurity for my newfound desire to be a farmer.
I found myself all alone one night, unsupervised on the
Internet, when curiosity got the best of me and Farmer
Cassie was born. I was planting crops, buying chickens
and making money before my roommates ever got back.
I thought I could keep my new hobby a secret, but as any
good farmer knows, crops have strict schedules and mine
needed close attention. There was no way I could be away
from my computer for more than four hours! What if my
crops withered along with all the sweat, tears and farm
coins I put into them. I made a difficult decision. I had to
confess or else my whole farm would be in ruins.
They stared in disbelief as I confessed my love for
farming and virtual animals. Then we rushed home so I
could harvest my crops. An intervention was conducted
to pull me from the depths of the farming world and back
into reality. Although they never understood my love for
planting crops – the dirt under my fingernails, the wind in
my hair, the sun on my back – they supported me through
this tough stage in my life.
The road to recovery has been a long one and every day
is still a struggle to stay away from my barren farm. I still
want to pet Bessie and see hearts of love exude from her
face. But I know now that I can’t let the farm get the best of
me ever again. I’m happy to report that I have been Farmville free for 19 days and know that with the support and
encouragement of my friends, I can remain clean. Hi, I’m
Cassidy and I’m a Farmviller.
Farmville, which has
83 million followers on
Facebook, launched its
own site recently. Farmville.com adds features
to the real-time farming
simulation, including
support and a forum,
where virtual farmers
can talk about their
sheep, trees, fences,
strawberries, fertilizer
and whether or not the
black sheep needs to
be sheared. And if you
tire of Farmville, you
can while away the
hours with some of the
other much-used apps.
According to inside
socialgames.com, these
include Cafe World (No.
3), Mafia Wars (No. 6)
and Fishville (No. 7).
Or you can go outside
and talk to your real
neighbors and walk your
real dog.
Cassidy Hodges, Vision video editor, is a
senior journalism major.
Picking favorites: the stuff of our stories
______________________ This is a blank for you
to write something favorite in. You can write any favorite
thing you want and if you need a pen I can lend you one,
only you have to give it back because it’s my favorite blue
kind and I always have one on me.
My dad’s favorite spot in our backyard is by the
waterfall that makes a peaceful sound. He says he makes
sense out there. My brother’s is at Waterloo and Rockwell
out where the four corners each have fields with tall grass
growing up, and there’s a shoulder on the big road for you
to pull your Escape off to the side and climb up on top of it
and look at the stars when it’s really cold and forget things.
“Why is it your favorite?” was a question I asked him when
I was home even though I knew he couldn’t possibly know
the answer and he didn’t.
When I have a favorite thing I know exactly where to put
it on Facebook. You can always get on Facebook because
everyone has one unless it is Lent or they want to be a
monk. On Facebook people remember themselves in lists
of things they think are their
favorites. The Bible is a lot
of people’s favorite book on
Facebook, which is interesting
because it is a lot of books that
are really good together and
have lasted a long time, only I
don’t generally believe people
who write that. Sorry.
It is hard to explain why
we think something is our
favorite. Snobs say their
favorite things must be absolutely the best in comparison
to all other things, but actually
snobs are only friends with other snobs and they are also
unrealistic because objective truth has not shown up to class
one time this semester.
I think our favorites are things that tell us our current
Michael Huff
story in new words. It makes our ghost ring in our body
like a bell. If that hasn’t happened to you lately you should
put down your homework and do something you love or try
tasting dirt.
When I was a kid my favorite thing was not school but
I did like recess and on the playground we played every
game. We killed evil things and had invisible powers and
were never really dead and if we were on different teams
it was fine later. Now there’s no recess and we play make
believe with stuff that is actually fake like big bucks and
Facebook and there are no snacks afterward.
Walt Whitman used to write to newspapers and publish
that he was his own favorite.
I also wanted to say something about changing your life
and pretending this is a landmine that you stepped on and
it will do what landmines do to you after you write your
favorite thing on the page.
Michael Huff is a senior English major.
Page 7
Lovin’
from
the oven
GETTING THERE
Loveless Cafe
(615)646-9700
Hours: 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.
www.lovelesscafe.com
Directions: Take West End Avenue to the
100/70 split. Stay in the left lane as it
turns into Highway 100. Travel approximately 7.5 miles. Loveless will be on the
right before the Natchez Trace bridge.
Loveless Café legacy built on biscuits
By Jessica Walker
STAFF WRITER
Page design by Cassidy Hodges
VIDEO EDITOR
The delicious biscuits and preserves
served at Loveless Café are almost as
well known as the country music singers
Nashville is famous for. It’s more than a
restaurant; it’s a place both tourists and
natives have been going for six decades.
In 1951, the Loveless Café and Motel
began as a pit stop for hungry travelers
when Lon and Annie Loveless opened
their home on Highway 100 to serve
fried chicken and biscuits. It wasn’t long
before the Loveless home became a
restaurant and the menu was expanded,
offering country ham prepared on the
property. Since then, the café has changed
hands several times, but the recipe for
the famous biscuits and
preserves
remains untouched – and a secret,
although they do say that Purity milk and
Martha White flour are essential for the
biscuits.
Regardless of the modernizations,
renovations and general changes Loveless Café has weathered, walking into
the eatery still feels like entering a cozy
home. Mismatched chairs and tables
tucked away on the small front porch
immediately let diners know that this
experience won’t be fancy - but it will
be authentic. After stepping through the
front door, diners are greeted by beat-up
hardwood floors, autographed photos of
country music stars and a smiling face
that asks, “How many?”
Beyond the entryway, the restaurant
includes several dining rooms, each
offering bright walls decorated with paintings available for purchase, tables with
checkered cloths and the pleasant
sound of laughter and
conversation.
Wait-
resses move swiftly about the bustling
restaurant, dressed casually in jeans and
t-shirts with the question, “Got biscuits?”
printed on them. The fluffy, famous treats
and a variety of preserves - blackberry,
strawberry and peach - are immediately
served when diners are seated.
Then comes a difficult task: to choose
from the mouth-watering menu, which
offers breakfast all day every day and
supper beginning at 11 a.m., even though
it might be lunch in the city. The breakfast portion of the menu includes some
predictable options, such as omelets,
bacon and sausage, but also offers more
specifically southern eats, like pit-cooked
barbecued pork, country ham and red-eye
gravy.
Those hungry for supper have an
equally perplexing challenge, as they
must make a choice among fried chicken,
pork chops, meat loaf, catfish and more.
In addition, supper-eaters have to select
two side dishes to accompany the meat of
choice, and with choices of macaroni and
cheese, fried okra and mashed potatoes just to name a few - the decision is even
more taxing.
After making final
selections on eats,
diners are free
to let their
eyes and
minds wander, observing the atmosphere
of the restaurant. Folks of all ages are
enjoying meals, including a pair of elderly
men in the corner, a trio of college-aged
girls chatting nearby and a large party
composed of a family, with a young boy
celebrating a birthday, contemplating
dessert after their waitress asks, “Y’all
want pie?”
However, finding room for dessert at
the Loveless Café is another trick to the
dining experience. After multiple biscuits
slathered in preserves – because no one
can eat just one – and a meal so large one
wonders if the cooks even consider the
idea of appropriate portion sizes, one more
bite of food might prove to be impossible.
The options are tempting, though, and
include a variety of pies and cobblers, in
addition to banana pudding and homemade vanilla ice cream.
While some customers are eager to
eat and run, others take full advantage of
the Loveless experience and wander into
the shops next to the restaurant, which
used to serve as the rooms of a ‘40s style
roadside motel. The Loveless Motel Shops
are locally owned, offering merchandise
such as paintings, gadgets and handmade
pottery. In addition, the Hams & Jams
Country Market is open to the public, and
customers can purchase the ever-popular
preserves, as well as other Loveless food
and gift items.
It’s true that the idea of tasty biscuits
and home cooking may originally lure
first-time-folks to the Loveless Café, but
the warm, inviting atmosphere keeps
them coming back, enticing city
slickers to leave the bright lights of
downtown Nashville and enjoy
a more rural experience. The
pull of the eatery stems from
more than the promise
of grandma’s cooking;
it’s the comforting
aromas, the
friendly faces
and the
reminder of
simpler
times.
©CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR/JOSHBOUSEL
Page 8
65*
N
places to
eat in Nashville
(*and then some)
ashville is a lot of different things to a lot of different people: Music City USA, home of the
Tennessee Titans, keeper of the world’s only full-size replica Parthenon (take that, Athens,
Ga.!). Although Nashville gets the most credit for being one of the nation’s music hubs, what the
city is really known for is being one of the best places for dining in the South. From pancakes to
papusas, we can all find something to salivate over in town. Vision staffers compiled a list of their
favorite places to eat, and while it may not be an exhaustive list of dishes you need to eat while in
Nashville, it’s a good place to start.
Americana
``
chicken and mac and cheese every Monday.
1/3 Rack of Ribs at Jimmy Carl’s Lunch Box (402
12th Ave. S.). Ribs don’t get much better than at
Jimmy Carl’s at Station Inn. Gulch pedestrians only
need to get within smelling distance of their massive
smoker to be lured into for some barbecue bliss.
``
Barbecue at Jack’s (416 Broadway). If you find
yourself in downtown Nashville and hungry,
look for the neon flying pigs. Inside, Jack’s serves
up the finest barbecue and sauces in town.
``
Fried Chicken at Sylvan Park Diner (4502
Murphy Road). When you got to Sylvan Park on
Murphy Road, you’ll see a lot of old folks. That’s
because they’re wise enough to know where to
find the best fried chicken and banana pudding
in town. (But call and check – the menu rotates).
``
Fried Spam at Paradise Park ( 411 Broadway).
Fried Spam? Really, you must try it at Paradise
Park. And, yes, they do have more than Spam.
``
``
-Pierce Greenberg
``
Hot Chicken at Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack (123
Ewing Drive). It’s off the beaten path off Dickerson Road, but don’t let that keep you from trying
Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack. A sandwich on white
bread that soaks up the grease will clear your sinuses
and bring tears to your eyes. A word of advice:
Medium heat is fine; don’t ever order extra-hot.
``
Hot Dogs at I Dream of Weenie (1108 Woodland St.) I Dream of Weenie not only has a
hilarious name, but tasty hot dogs as well.
``
Lobster Mac & Cheese at Urban Flats (610 12th
Ave. S.). It’s hard to go wrong at Urban Flats, with
unique and tasty flatbread entrees like Turkey,
Pear and Brie and Steak and Portobello. But one
of the guiltiest pleasures at this restaurant is
from the appetizer menu. Lobster Mac & Cheese
is an indulgent juxtaposition of creamy, cheesy
macaroni and substantial pieces of lobster.
``
Mac & Cheese at Copper Kettle. (4004 Granny
White Pike). Southern homestyle cooking
at The Copper Kettle serves delicious fried
Sweet Potato Fries at Bobbie’s Dairy Dip. (5301 Charlotte Ave.) Bobbie’s has more than
just ice cream. The sweet potato fries are one
of the best things Southern cooking has to
offer. Sweet, fried and delicious, you haven’t
had comfort food until you taste these.
With a convenient location and casual yet sophisticated
atmosphere, PM (2017 Belmont Blvd.) is an excellent
choice for a nice bite to eat close to campus, especially
for sushi lovers. Prices are also reasonable—you can get a
basic six-piece sushi roll for around $5, and more elaborate rolls for less than $10. The Belmont Roll, a deep fried
roll with salmon, tuna and crab, is a delicious choice. For
a unique treat, try the sushi pizza, with crab, salmon, masago, cucumber, avocado and melted cheese. It may sound
strange, but somehow the ingredients all come together
to make one of the best items on the menu. If you’re just
looking for a snack, the vegetable tempura and sweet
potato fries are great options. And for dessert, you can’t go
wrong with the decadent tempura brownie donut bites. Or
if you’re looking for something a little less rich, the green
tea ice cream is delicious.
-Abby Selden
``
Fancy Grilled Cheese at Bongo Java (2007
Belmont Blvd.). A childhood favorite gets all
high falutin’ with Bongo Java’s Fancy Grilled
Cheese. Pesto. Jack cheese. Sourdough.
Side salad. This is how the big kids eat.
``
Fat Mo Burger at Fat Mo’s (2620 Franklin Pike).
The peppery burgers at Fat Mo’s are amazing
(the fries, not so much). There’s a drive-thru
and a walk-up window at the little spot on 8th
Avenue/Franklin Road just south of McDonald’s. And it’s well worth passing up a Big Mac.
``
Grilled Chicken Sandwich at PM (2017 Belmont
Blvd.). You’ve never tasted a chicken sandwich like
this. Grilled chicken covered in a smoky sauce and
served on a wholesome bun, this sandwich would
fill the heart of any chicken lover with joy. The
entree is served with a side and we recommend
PM’s excellent fries. This place really picks up at
night, so be sure to get there early enough to find
a table big enough for all those friends of yours.
``
Gyros at Fattoush (1716 Charlotte Ave.). A kind
of hole-in-the-wall restaurant on Charlotte
Avenue, Fattoush has the best hand-made gyros.
``
Island Burger at Calypso Café (2424 Elliston
Place). Health-nut that still craves big, juicy
burgers? You’re in luck at Calypso Cafe. The
eatery, with several locations in the Nashvillearea, offers a delicious burger made with lean
ground beef – perfect for quelling a craving
without sabotaging your healthy goals.
``
Monte Cristo at Noshville (1918 Broadway).
Noshville’s Monte Cristo sandwich is a
deep-fried delectable twist on a plain ol’
ham and cheese. It’s paired with sweet raspberry jam, and it’s big enough to share.
Breakfast
``
Biscuits at Loveless Café (8400 Highway 100).
Loveless Café’s homemade biscuits – served with
homemade blackberry, peach and strawberry
preserves – are better than your grandma’s.
``
Coffee and Crepes at The Perch (117A Franklin
Road, Brentwood). For coffee and crepes, there’s
only one option in the Nashville area: The Perch.
Recently established in Brentwood, this eatery serves
up a variety of sweet and savory crepes at reasonable prices as well as signature coffees with plenty
of espresso. Healthy? No. Delicious? You betcha.
``
Oatmeal at Bongo Java (2007 Belmont
Blvd.). The instant stuff not cutting it? Bongo
Java serves their Good ol’ Oatmeal with real
bananas and strawberries-- none of that
dehydrated-out-of-a-pouch business.
Paradise Park
Places that make it a
point to emulate a trailer
park usually aren’t high
on the list of culinary
destinations—with one
exception. Paradise
Park on Broadway fits in
seamlessly with the loud
honky-tonks and lovably
trashy bars that are usually infiltrated with tourists.
But if you’re downtown
and looking for a cheap
bite to eat, the Park is
your place. Paradise Park
is mostly immune from
the price gouging that
occurs on Lower Broad.
Photo by Keith Hinkle
The sweet potato fries with
barbecue sauce make an awesome late night snack for
under $4 (and the helping could easily be shared between
two or three people). For heavier appetites, the burgers are
a juicy can’t-miss.
Meat-and-Three at Arnold’s. (605 8th Ave. S.)
Arnold’s is a nondescript building with a little sign
and the best meat-and-three in the city. What’s
meat-and-three? It’s Nashville’s answer to a diner’s
blue plate special, an entrée and three vegetables.
PM
``
Oatmeal at Frothy Monkey (2509 12th Ave. S.).
If you didn’t get to Bongo Java in time, never
fear: Frothy Monkey lets you get your oatmeal
fix with your choice of fresh fruit toppings. ``
Pancakes at Pancake Pantry (1796 21st Ave. S.).
To experience more pancake options than ever
before, indulge in Pancake Pantry – wait in line
with celebrities to enjoy a Nashville tradition.
``
Rise and Shine at The Dog (2127 Belcourt
Ave.). Start the day off right with a Rise
and Shine from The Dog of Nashville. It’s
a hot dog wrapped in a bun, covered in
cheese and topped off with a fried egg.
``
Burgers & Sandwiches
Paninis at Sam and Zoe’s (525 Heather
Place). For tasty tea and good paninis, Sam
and Zoe’s is a great lunch spot. But they close
at 7 so if you go for dinner, go early.
``
Po-Boys at Bros Cajun Cuisine (3214 Charlotte Ave.). There aren’t a lot of places in town
to get Cajun and Creole cooking, but even if
there were, Bros would put them to shame.
Forget the Filet of Fish at Burger King, you’ll
never look back after a fried catfish po-boy.
``
``
Burger GHL at Whole Foods Market (4021
Hillsboro Pike). This juicy burger is made
with grass fed beef from Georgia. Top it off
with avocado and applewood smoked bacon
for one of the best burgers around.
Cheeseburger at Five Guys Burgers & Fries
(2018 West End Ave.). Five Guys Burgers is a
chain, but it’s the best place to fill up on the
freshest burgers and fries, both cooked to order.
Dessert
``
Bobbie’s Dancin’ Dip at Bobbie’s Dairy Dip (5301
Charlotte Ave.). Forget groundhogs, the real way to
know when spring has truly sprung is when Bobbie’s
opens up for the season. Bobbie’s offers premium
soft service ice cream in a waffle cone and, if you’re
feeling dangerous, dipped in liquid chocolate.
``
Carrot Cake at J. Alexander’s (2609 West End
Ave.). The carrot cake at J. Alexander’s is served
warm – but ask for it chilled because the yummy
cream cheese icing tastes better that way. And
bring a friend—the slices are big enough to share.
``
Chili Chocolate Popsicles at Las Paletas (2907 12th
Ave. S.). For fans of Mexican hot chocolate, try the
frozen form at favorite summer spot Las Paletas. The
``
``
``
``
``
``
``
``
Page 9
freshly made popsicles feature whole chili seeds.
``
Cookie-Dough Egg Rolls at Jackson’s (1800
21st Ave. S). You know you shouldn’t, but
you will. The cookie-dough egg rolls at Jackson’s Bar & Bistro make every clogged artery
worth it. Even celebrities Tweet about them.
Lattes at Portland Brew (2605 12th Ave. S.).
Portland Brew’s “latte art” is a great way to get
both your caffeine and artsy fix for the day.
``
Mexican Hot Chocolate at The Cocoa Tree
(1200 5th Ave. N. #104). For a change in
routine, try a spicy Mexican hot chocolate
from The Cocoa Tree in Germantown.
``
Raspberry Lemonade at Cheesecake Factory
(2133 Green Hills Village Drive). If you like
lemonade and candy, then swing by the Cheesecake Factory in Green Hills to try one of these.
This drink is definitely made for a sweet tooth,
so be careful if you’re not used to consuming lots
of sugar. The refills are free and the glass comes
rimmed in sugar. It’s really a beautiful thing.
Cupcakes at The Painted Cupcake (235
4th Ave N.). The Painted Cupcake creates
wonderful artistic creations that are as
delicious as they are eye-catching. Frozen Yogurt at Sweet CeCe’s (4322 Harding
Pike). If you’re screaming for ice cream but don’t
want to blow your diet, head to Sweet CeCe’s
in the Belle Meade area. The small shop offers
self-serve frozen yogurt in fun flavors – Mango
Tango Sorbet, anyone? – and a wide variety
of toppings, including candy and cookie bits,
fresh fruit and hot fudge. How much you pay
depends on how much your creation weighs.
Gelato at Whole Foods (4021 Hillsboro Pike).
Inside Whole Foods in Green Hills, their own
coffee/gelato shop holds many interesting flavors.
Employees have sampled them all, so you get to
ask, “What exactly IS that?” And most important, don’t be afraid to sample! Don’t be fooled
by the small size of the cups, they really pile it
on high. If you’re a coffee fiend, try some of their
brew with your gelato, it’s quite tasty too.
Ice Cream at Mike’s Ice Cream (208 Broadway).
Want Ben & Jerry’s style without the price?
Mike’s Ice Cream downtown on Broadway has
a flavor called Red Velvet Cake. Mmmmm …
Malts at Elliston Place Soda Shoppe (2111
Elliston Place). Got a major sweet tooth. Stop by
Elliston Place Soda Shoppe, where sensational
shakes and malts have been served for decades.
Mud Pie at Tasti D-Lite (2418 West End Ave.).
Creamy, delicious and only 100 calories, Tasti
D-Lite’s Mud Pie frozen yogurt is a tasty, guiltfree treat. Though it’s a little pricey for a single
serving, stop by on Wednesday nights for the
best deal around – three quart-sized containers
of frozen yogurt for the price of one.
Oreo Pie at Bongo Java (2007 Belmont Blvd.).
Bongo Java isn’t only for coffee; if you ever
see the Oreo Pie in the bakery display, forget
about the latte and go straight for dessert.
Drinks
``
Coffee Honey Child at Casablanca (602 12th Ave.
S.). For a delicious and different kind of latte, try
Casablanca’s Coffee Honey Child. It’s an average
latte, but it’s mixed with cinnamon and honey.
``
Hot Chocolate at Frothy Monkey (2509 12th Ave.
S.). Tired of chocolate syrup and steamed milk?
Grab a hot chocolate from The Frothy Monkey
Coffee House for a rich take on a classic drink.
Local dairy cows graciously provide the milk.
``
``
Chicken Alfredo
Spaghetti at Demos
(300 Commerce St.).
Want some home
cooking for just a
little cash? Try Demos’
chicken alfredo spaghetti.
You won’t regret it.
``
Hawaiian Pizza at Mellow Mushroom (212
21st Ave. S). College is about two things: broadening your horizons and pizza. Find harmony
with Mellow Mushroom’s Hawaiian Pizza.
There’s no pepperoni in sight here, kids.
``
Pizza at Pizza Perfect (1602 21st Ave. S.). If you
want great pizza without the walk, Pizza Perfect
on 21st is half the distance to Mellow Mushroom.
``
Spaghetti at The Old Spaghetti Factory
(160 2nd Ave. N.). The Old Spaghetti Factory
is a good bet when it comes to, you guessed
it, spaghetti. If you can swing it, you may
even get to eat in an a trolley car.
``
The Enforcer at Mafiaoza’s (2400 12th Ave. S.).
How could you not like a dish that dares you
not to like it? Try The Enforcer from Mafiaoza’s.
Penne pasta and meat sauce just got serious.
Mexican
``
Burritos at Baja Burrito (722 Thompson
Lane). Hands down, it’s the best burrito
in town. (And a bonus is that they also
serve the popsicles from Las Paletas).
``
Chips and Queso at San Antonio Taco Company
(416 21st Ave. S.). If you love cheap Mexican food,
try the superb chips and queso at SATCO, found
on 21st (you also get the Belmont discount!).
Cabana
Looking for a little privacy? Cabana is an excellent choice
for large parties as well as dates. Its well known for cabanas that seat large groups and include a private TV, an
ipod jack as well as a curtain to keep the party a little more
private. Its darkly wooded walls and low lighting create
the perfect chic atmosphere for a date or the 20 something’s crowd. When the weather warms up, the rear of the
restaurant transforms into and open air bar with an exciting
nightlife. Although Cabana has a classy feel, the prices remain reasonable-anywhere from $6-20. Pizzas are popular
option as well as pasta—but don’t let that fool you—they
serve many other great dishes that aren’t Italian. SundayTuesday pizzas are 2 for 1 from 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Personally,
I’d suggest the Penne Pasta – it’s still one of my favorite
-Cassidy Hodges
things in Nashville.
``
Iced Coffee at Crema (15 Hermitage Ave.). College
kids keep weird hours. If you’re looking for a
near lethal dose of caffeine, Crema’s iced coffee
will have you bouncing off the walls for hours.
Chips and Salsa at La Fiesta (2015 Belmont
Blvd.). If the hike to SATCO is too much, La
Fiesta on Belmont Boulevard, just across the
street from campus has really good chips
and salsa, too. And you’re probably carrying
enough spare change to buy an entrée too.
Sunset Combo Nachos at Sunset Grill (2001
Belcourt Ave.). After the sun goes down in Nashville the late night menu comes out at this upscale
eatery in Hillsboro Village. These tasty nachos
are served hot with a special cream cheese sauce
that truly sets them apart from any we’ve ever
consumed. Late night menu starts at 10 p.m.
The Kitchen Sink
``
Chicken Vindaloo at Sitar (116 21st Ave. N.). Nashville’s favorite Indian restaurant is a hot spot for
lunch. If you’re in a hurry, the buffet will do fine, but
for something hot and tasty, bring on the vindaloo.
``
Georgia On My Mind Roll at Ru San’s (505 12th
Ave. S). If you’ve never tried sushi before, this roll
might set you on the right path. It combines the
southern flavors of catfish, avocado and cream
cheese into a tasty roll that is battered and fried just
like your grandma’s chicken. OK, so that might be
an exaggeration, but it is good and fried. If you like
things hot, order a side of spicy mayo to mix it up.
``
Hummus and Pita at Athens Family Restaurant
(2526 Franklin Pike). Open 24 hours Wednesday
through Saturday, Athens Family Restaurant
fulfills college kids’ dreams. The restaurant offers
a large menu – mainly Greek dishes – with several
inexpensive, tasty options perfect for a late-night
snack. Regardless of when you go, try the hummus
and warm pita bread; it never disappoints.
``
Lamb Shish Kabob at Anatolia (48 White
Bridge Road). This little known Turkish
restaurant on White Bridge is home to some
of the most delicious lamb dishes in the
city. It’s not cheap, but boy is it worth it.
Tea at Provence Café (1705 21st Ave. S.).
The tea at Provence Cafe in the Nashville
Public Library will make you completely
reconsider your opinions of Lipton.
Italian
``
``
Sam’s Sushi
It’s no secret that food tastes better when you have to
work for it and this place makes you work for it. Sam, the
curmudgeonly owner of Sam’s Sushi Bar (200 4th Ave.
N.) near Printer’s Alley, comes off like a character pulled
straight from an episode of “Seinfeld.” He has a very
particular set of rules and method of ordering. He doesn’t
want to talk with you. He doesn’t want you to tip him. If
you break one of his commandments, then it may be “no
sushi for you,” but if you manage to clear the obstacles,
you’re in for a treat. The sushi is both high quality and,
paradoxically, dirt-cheap. Two people can eat like kings for
less than $15 easily. My advice? If you’re new, give Sam
your respect and attention and he’ll treat you well.
-Lance Conzett
``
Pick 2 Sushi at PM (2017 Belmont Blvd.). For
only $10, get two rolls of sushi, miso soup and
salad. The Crunchy Shrimp and Spicy Tuna
are the best bets for this lunchtime special.
``
Samurai Bento Box at Sonobana (40 White Bridge
Road). The amount of food piled into a Bento
Box at this Japanese restautant/market is staggering. The Samurai box offers chicken teriyaki,
plus an assortment of Japan’s finest delicacies.
``
Chimichangas at Las Palmas (2615 Franklin
Pike). The beef chimichanga at Las Palmas
is Nashville’s best Mexican food, period.
``
Fajitas at El Torero (70 White Bridge Rd.). You’ll be blown away by just how fast you’ll
get your dinner at this tiny Mexican restaurant. Plus, the food ain’t bad either.
``
Guacamole at Cantina Laredo (592 12th
Avenue S.). Phenomenal “top shelf” guacamole is made right in front of you at gourmet
Mexican restaurant Cantina Laredo.
Sizzling Talay at Siam Cuisine (265 White Bridge
Road). Watch your friends squirm uncomfortably when you enjoy a hot platter for squid,
mussel, scallops and shrimp from Siam.
``
Shrimp Scampi Crostini at Cheesecake Factory
(2133 Green Hills Village Drive). This small dish
is deliciously tangy. Take some grilled shrimp,
mix it with some tomatoes and cilantro, put
it on a little piece of toast, drizzle it in a butttery sauce and you’ve got this little wonder.
``
The Whole Crabcake at South Street (907 20th
Ave. S.). South Street is the short name, but it’s
actually South Street Original Smokehouse
Crab Shack and Authentic Dive Bar. It fills all
its roles well, but try “the whole crabcake” and
the Kentucky Iron Skillet Peach Pie (for two).
``
``
``
Horchata at Baja Burrito (722 Thompson Lane).
Horchata, a traditional rice-based agua fresca
made with vanilla and cinnamon, sets Baja Burrito
apart from many other Mexican eateries. A sweet
and refreshing accompaniment to your meal.
Papusas at Las-Americas Market (4715 Nolensville Pike). If you’re looking for legit Mexican food,
head down to Nolansville Pike for some authenticity. Las-Americas is known for these flat-bread
dishes with meat and cheese. It’s also incredibly
cheap, a bonus for hungry college students.
Page 10
12 South chic, cool, funky
“It reminded me of the feeling I got in
one of the neighborhoods I used to live
in, in San Fransisco ... very unassuming,
just we are what we are, we’re proud of
it, and we hope you will enjoy what we
have to offer.”
Miranda Whitcomb
OWNER, FROTHY MONKEY
By Erin Carson
MANAGING EDITOR
12 South is the place where the cool artsy people you
knew in college in the 90s, moved, married and made
babies.
Past the liquor store, past the Bass Street Missionary
Baptist Church, past the gray Hillside apartments, chipped
sidewalks, and chain link fences, a short sign lets the visitor
know that regardless of the urban ugliness that funneled
them in, something clearly different is happening.
Shops and businesses line both sides of 12th Avenue
South between Linden Avenue and Kirkwood Avenue –
women’s clothing, gourmet popsicles, tapas, drums, mostly
housed in older brick buildings, some with brightly painted
signs,
The area is funky, eclectic, and oddly safe by the
accounts of the folks who run businesses along the road,
though it took a while to get the area to where it is today.
Belmont graduate Lars Kopperud co-founded Mafiaoza’s
a 1920s style Italian trattoria, with business partner Mike
Dolan in 2003. Their friends told them they were crazy.
12 South was “challenging” Kopperud said, putting it
lightly. It was a rough area, not the sort of place people
would want to take their family on a Sunday stroll.
What changed? Some say “re-gentrification,” and there
are certainly signs of that. A young middle class is taking
root. But, it seems to be more the character of the people
who live and work there that give the street its feel.
Miranda Whitcomb, owner of The
Frothy Monkey Coffee House, looks
around the room and starts to describe
the community.
“It’s young, old, self-employed,
corporately employed, it’s a hodgepodge, it’s beautiful, like when
you make that perfect soup, like
gumbo,” she said.
On the first warm Sunday of
February, the counter of Frothy
Monkey was buried behind a
pack of customers. Starting
with the barista who wore
the plum-colored fedora
complete with a peacock
feather, the stylish and
quirky spilled out into
the coffee shop.
Every table was
occupied, mostly
by young folks on
laptops. A few
older couples
stopped in for
a drink and a
quick exit.
It flowed
out the door.
A young
father with
movie star
sunglasses
and an expen
sive haircut
sat on the porch
and read aloud
from Harry Potter to his
little girl. Two Belmont students discussed blues
legend Robert Johnson.
Off the porch and onto the street, a kid flew
down the sidewalk on his bike wearing a wide,
gleeful smile and a Superman t-shirt.
“Re-gentrification” is too easy. Too much of the
character of the neighborhood comes with an unintentional ease. Although, some see re-gentrification
as the straight up truth. Corner Music employee
Jason Howe, a guy in his late twenties sporting the
mountain man musician look, gave some insight.
“12 South is 30-year-old couples with one kid
who drink beer – nice beer,” Howe said.
Larry Garris, president of Corner Music, set
up shop at 12 South in 1984 but can’t say with
complete certainty what turned the area around in
what was a very short time in the early 2000s. He
jokes it was “magic.”
Whitcomb and Kopperud think it was real
estate.
“People were looking for more affordable
housing,” Whitcomb said, explaining that “a lot
of people took a chance” on 12 South to live in a
community that was perhaps different from where
they came from, more diverse.
Among the shops that are perfectly chic, are
scattered businesses that are a bit more off the wall,
perhaps. There’s Katy K’s Ranch Dressing, whose
Web site says, “We have fancy schmancy Western
wear, new and vintage for men, women and baby
people. We even have some doggie clothes.”
For Garris, the independent nature of the
neighborhood is exactly what gives it its feel.
Whitcomb settled on 12 South after
taking Yoga lessons down the street. “I
fell in love with the neighborhood,” she
said.
“It reminded me of the feeling I got
in one of the neighborhoods I used to
live in, in San Fransisco,” Whitcomb
said, “very unassuming, just we are
what we are, we’re proud of it, and we
hope you will enjoy what we have to
offer.”
Similarly, both Kopperud and Garris
think 12 South has a certain familiar
feel to it, perhaps something from a
bygone era.
“It’s like a new old jacket,”
Kopperud said. “It’s the comfortable vibe you get when you get
back to your home and you see
your old friends and you feel
like you’re gong to the same
places you grew up in. I
kind of feel like that’s what
12 South offers, a feeling
of nostalgic comfort.”
Or, as Garris put it,
a small town. “For me,
maybe I’m familiar with
that feeling, and maybe
for the young people, who
haven’t experienced
that, they’ve only been
in malls, what’s old is
new.”
PHOTOS BY LANCE CONZETT
The 12th Avenue South neighborhood – 12 South to its fans – includes
an eclectic of businesses including Ray’s Plants, home of the flamingo
nun, left, and popular spots, from top right, Frothy Monkey Coffee
House, Corner Music and Mafiaoza’s Italian restaurant and pub.
a&e
Top Five Albums on iTunes
1. Broken Bells by Broken Bells
2. Need You Now by Lady Antebellum
3. The Twilight Saga: New Moon by Various Artists
4. Plastic Beach by Gorillaz
5. The Fame Monster by Lady Gaga
THE BELMONT VISION, MARCH 25, 2010
Rites of Spring
Drake, Ben Harper and Relentless7 on Campus Consciousness Tour
sports
By Katie Chow
STAFF WRITER
Vanderbilt University’s annual Rites of Spring is set
for April 23-24. The music festival will feature headliners Drake and Ben Harper
and Relentless7, as well as
Phoenix, Passion Pit, Cold War
Kids, Melanie Fiona, Doug E.
Fresh, Sierra Leone’s Refugee
All Stars, JJ Grey and Mofro,
Alberta Cross, Trombone
Shorty and Orleans Avenue,
the New Mastersounds, Two
Door Cinema Club, Salvador
Santana and Chris Hennessee.
Canadian hip hop artist
Drake is noted for his use of
Drake
the internet to distribute free
mixtapes, which has led to high-profile collaborations with
Kanye West, Jay-Z, Timbaland and Trey Songz. Drake’s
debut album will be released later this spring. Prior to
starting his music career, Drake became known for his
portrayal of the wheelchair-bound high schooler Jimmy on
“Degrassi: The Next Generation.”
Ben Harper’s career has spanned the past two decades.
During this time, he has developed his brand of mellow
beach-rock.
His bluesier band Relentless7 released its debut album
last year.
The French alternative rock band Phoenix remains
sustained on the strength of their highly acclaimed fourth
release, 2009’s “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.” The
Grammy-winning album contains the synth-laden, dancefloor-ready hit singles “Lisztomania” and “1901.”
Boston-based Passion Pit built buzz on the strength on
the 2008 EP “Chunk of Change,” followed by the release of
debut album “Manners” in 2009. The electro-pop group is
known for synthy singles “The Reeling” and “Sleepyhead.”
Cold War Kids made their full-length debut in 2006 with
“Robbers and Cowards,” followed by 2008’s “Loyalty to
Loyalty.” They are known for their piano-driven, minimalist style, supported by sharp percussion and storytelling
lyrics. The Southern California quartet recently released
the EP “Behave Yourself.”
Two Door Cinema Club just released their first album,
“Tourist History,” on the consistently reliable French elec-
fitness
GETTING THERE
Vanderbilt’s Rites of Spring Music Festival takes
place on the weekend of Apr. 23. The annual
event is held on the Alumni Lawn. Tickets can
be bought online at Ticketmaster.com or in person at the Sarratt Box Office. Weekend passes
run $55 for the general public.
tronic label Kitsuné. The Irish trio serves up aggressively
rhythmic, driving, melodic dance-rock.
The headliners are appearing as part of the non-profit
organization Reverb’s Campus Consciousness Tour, which
aims to spread awareness about environmental issues.
Educational outreach at the festival will include informational presentations, representation from other environmental organizations, carbon offsets, and carpooling.
The festival itself is designed to be ecologically friendly,
with green riders, biodiesel fuel, and promotion of waste
reduction and recycling efforts. Reverb hopes to spread
awareness about environmental impact within the music
industry with this campaign.
Tyler James: ‘Rejection’ spurs music success
By Jen Todd
STAFF WRITER
In 2000, Belmont’s campus was decorated with posters, and the caf was home
to stacks of fliers promoting then freshman
Tyler James. He didn’t have a MySpace,
Facebook or a blog. He didn’t yet have a
fan base. He didn’t even get accepted to the
School of Music.
Ten years later, singer/songwriter James
promotes his music through social media,
his own producer and manager and a
recently released album, “It Took the Fire.”
He also plays as a keyboardist with Edward
Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and will
be with them on a tour that includes dates
in Australia, as well as at Coachella and
Bonnaroo.
“Hopefully I’ll be done with that tour
by the end of June and then I’ll be doing my
own stuff again,” James said.
It took him four years as a music business major at Belmont, performing at small
venues and in the university’s showcases,
two or three years working as a banquet
server at Opryland Hotel after graduation
and months at a time of optimistic touring
along the east and west coasts to get to this
point of success.
After he was “rejected,” as he called it,
by Belmont’s School of Music, he decided
he would continue to strive for a career in
music and expand his knowledge of the field
with a degree in music business. He played
at the Commons Clubhouse several times
and performed in the Best of the Best showcase at the Ryman before the Curb Event
Center opened.
“I think I produced the first event ever
at the [Curb] Event Center, which was the
2003 pop/rock showcase,” James said.
When James came to Belmont, social
media was not really popular or necessary
James said. “In order to make it in Nashfor artists to promote their music. Many
ville I had to not let people know I was a
students aiming for music careers did not
Belmont kid so that it was easy to get gigs.”
know how to get started, James said.
Using his education of music business,
“I feel like I was the only kid in my class he played a show at the Belcourt Theater
that was actually playing gigs off campus,”
with his three favorite bands.
he said. “When I was there all anyone did
“I finagled this thing with a friend where
was do showcase things and then they’d get
we booked the Belcourt Theater and we
out of college and have no idea of how to get made up this company name then we invited
a gig or even get started in Nashville.”
my three favorite bands, the three biggest
James knew he had to start early. He
bands in Nashville at the time to play this
played at venues like The End and Guido’s
showcase,” James said. “Basically we
Pizza. In
fooled the three
playing small
biggest bands
shows, he
in town to play
discovered
a show with
that in order
me.”
to get more of
This idea
an audience,
led James to his
he should keep
first manager
his education
and producer.
information
After
to himself.
graduation,
That way he
he got jobs at
could avoid the
a retirement
misconception
home and at
that all Belmont
Opryland Hotel
students play
to make money
music similar to
he needed to
Dave Matthews
tour.
or Radiohead.
“I decided
“Belmont
I could get a
kind of gives
good job, or
this vibe in the
I could get a
Nashville scene
crappy job that
like people
allowed me
assume that
make some
Belmont bands
money and
all kind of
get off when I
sound the same
needed to tour,”
HTTP://WWW.MYSPACE.COM/TYLERJAMES
and don’t bring
James said.
Tyler James
people out,”
He worked
in his secure jobs for a period of time, he
then booked shows across the country.
Then he’d return to his jobs in Nashville to
continue the cycle. He toured by himself for
the most part, which made it easier to get
started as a musician. By touring alone, he
made more money for himself and did not
humiliate the rest of his band if the show
was not prosperous.
“If you get the feeling that not a lot
of people are going to come and you’ve
never played there before, you should do it
by yourself,” James said. “That way if it
doesn’t go well you’re only hurting yourself
and not five other people.”
Years of balancing working in Nashville
and touring got his name out, and now some
current Belmont students know his music
from his MySpace page.
“You can really feel the emotion through
his music,” said sophomore Lisa Bennett.
“His music works for any scenario,
whether you’re working out or listening to
it in the car or in a coffee restaurant,” said
sophomore Michelle Rogers. “It applies to a
wide range audience.”
In 2009, a TV producer making a pilot
asked James to be a cast member, which in
the end led James to join Edward Sharpe
and the Magnetic Zeros.
One of the other cast members dated
the band’s lead singer. The group needed a
keyboardist, and James was chosen to be a
replacement.
“They sent me the songs the day before
the first show, and they put me up there and
the next day I’m playing in front of thousands of people,” said James.
James plans on continuing touring his
own music when he’s not busy performing
for Edward Sharpe. In future shows, he
might open for the band.
Page 12
Showcasing country
By Jen Todd
Staff Writer
Russell Dickerson, Hailey Steele, Blane Howard, and
Cheryl LuQuire belted their best in the Country Music
Showcase.
The March 20 showcase opened with the bluegrass
band Westbound Rangers, who entertained the audience
before, in between and after all the acts with songs about
unreliable girls, coffee, and steel drivers.
The Westbound Rangers first introduced Nashville
native Russell Dickerson. Dickerson began with his
original song “Die to Live Again,” a carpe diem theme he
sang with a broad smile. His low, smooth voice delivered
the image of the song title, “Driving in the Rain.” He
closed with the Dierks Bentley cover of “Lot of Leavin’
Left to Do.”
Hailey Steele calmed the audience down with her
slower, softer original songs about young love. A
performer from South Dakota, she is already well established with her career, having performed on stage with
Willie Nelson and Brad Mates. She ended her act with a
cover of Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down.”
The Westbound Rangers then introduced an Arkansas
performer with a “rich, smooth,
warm tone,” Blane Howard.
Howard opened with a running
start into an uplifting love song,
“Can’t Tell Somebody.” He then
sang his sad, passionate “You’ve
BU supports Haiti
Gotta Stop This.” His cover choice was “Boots On” by
Randy Houser.
Ending the showcase with a bang was attentiondemanding Cheryl LuQuire who took to the stage with a
fitting song for her strong voice, Shania Twain’s “Man!
I Feel Like A Woman!” After the popular upbeat cover,
she sang slower, emotional “Feel” and ended with the
powerful, raw “Nothing Good Happens After Midnight.”
Clockwise from right to left: Russell Dickerson, Hailey Steele,
Cheryl LuQuire, and Blane Howard took the stage of the Curb
Event Center on March 20. The victory went to LuQuire.
Photos by Cooper Neil
Belmont students
participated in the
Belmont Supports Haiti
Showcase on March
21 in the Neely Dining
Room. Proceeds from
the event will benefit
the relief effort in Haiti.
Taylor Swift even made
an appearance – as an
audience member. Artist
Miss B actually wound
up sitting next to Swift
for part of the show that
featured 10 Belmont
student performers as
well as songwriting instructor Ginny Owens.
Photos by Cooper Neil
Page 13
Gallery:
It’s time
to think
small
By Lance Conzett
Editor
Inside the art gallery at 1807 1/2 21st Ave. S. in
Hillsboro Village hang 10 works by Dutch artist Louis
Reith. The show, entitled “Avalanche,” is a commentary
on winter, using a collage of contrasting geometric shapes
and patterns. The space is not unlike most art galleries in
Nashville—it’s well lighted and welcoming, offering itself
as a public service to art aficionados local and abroad.
There’s just one thing. The gallery takes up less
than 7 square feet on a wall, and the artworks inside
were created using small paperback pages, measuring
Photo by Lance Conzett
4.5 inches by 7.5 inches. This is Nashville’s Smallest Art
Where’s the gallery? Look on the brick wall and focus on the chrome frame. No, that’s not the sign for the gallery. That is Nashville’s Smallest Art Gallery, a 27- by 37-inch lighted display in bustling Hillsboro Village.
Gallery.
In January 2008, after moving his graphic design studio,
character,” he said.
until February’s winter storms caused a break in the streak.
KNI, into the upstairs office space between Peabody
Box doesn’t intend to make any changes to the gallery,
“We’re hibernating for winter,” Box joked. “I have an
Shoe Repair and the Cosmetic Market, curator Daniel
despite the development occurring around him.
exhibit ready to go up, but after my fingers went numb
Box discovered a graffiti-scarred panel attached to the
“I think from this point on, it’s maintenance,” he said,
putting in the last exhibit, I decided to push it back to
wall outside.
although he has considered petitioning the Hillsboro Village
March.”
Neither of
Merchants Association to put a bench outside of the gallery.
Aside from a couple of themed pieces—the aforementhe adjacent
Even with the three-year leases and the economic uncertioned “Beware the Ides of March” debut and a later show
shop owners
NSAG – Nashville’s Smalltainty surrounding the space, Box does know one thing
where local artists made figurines based off a popular
claimed
est (Functioning) Art
about the gallery’s future: “It’s not going to grow.”
design by vinyl toy manufacturer Kidrobot—the gallery
ownership
has
only
one
mandate
for
its
and
it’s
still
Gallery – is at 1807 21st.
artists: keep it small.
something of
Ave. S. in Hillsboro Vil“You’ve got to let the
a mystery as
lage. After a winter hiberartists do what they’re
to where it
nation, a new exhibit will
going to do,” Box said of his
actually came
be up soon. You can see
philosophy towards shows
from.
it from the sidewalk any
in the gallery. Other shows
“The
have included photography,
building
is
so
time, which means 24
cartoons and acrylic on
old,
maybe
it
hours a day, seven days a
canvas with titles like “Times
was a restauweek. Info: smallestartgalAre Changing,” “Cut-nrant at one
lery.com.
Paste” and “Killer Robots of
point,” Box
the Future.”
suggested.
But while the Smallest
After
Art Gallery quietly celebrates
getting the go-ahead from his neighbors, Box and a few
simplicity, everything around
friends bought some Goo Gone cleaner to remove the grafit is spreading out. Most
fiti and set to work to refurbish the inside.
recently, Fido expanded into
After finishing the panel’s makeover, the group installed
the space once occupied by
lights powered by a small solar panel bolted to the top
Taste of Tokyo, while rumors
of the gallery. Effectively, the gallery is completely selfof massive development
sustaining, a point that, nine months later, won them an
projects ranging from parking
award for “best environmentally friendly gallery” in the
garages to residential space to
Nashville Scene’s 2008 Best of Nashville awards.
office high-rises have haunted
“We’ve gotten a lot of press online, mostly comparing
the stretch of shops for years.
us to other small galleries,” Box said. Although there could
“We can only sign threeconceivably be a smaller gallery, Box is confident that the
year leases and every three
120-square-inch space is the smallest operational gallery.
Other contenders like Locker 50B, the creation of a Virginia years [our landlords] threaten
to tear the building down to
Commonwealth University student who turned her square
make something bigger,” Box
locker into a gallery, may be smaller, but no longer hold
said. The gallery operates on
shows.
the face of one of the oldest
The only problem with the size: It isn’t always easy to
buildings in the area, which is
spot. If you couple the compactness of the display with the
both a blessing and a curse.
fact that Tag, a gallery now in the Arcade, once occupied
Although the building is
the space upstairs, you have a recipe for confusion.
sometimes plagued by elec“The No. 1 question that we get is ‘Where is the
trical and heading problems,
gallery?’” Box said. “Sometimes people will come upstairs
Box says that he doesn’t mind
to our offices looking for the gallery and we have to explain
the inconveniences too much.
that it’s outside, downstairs.”
“If you lose the oldness
Since hosting its inaugural show on the Ides of March in
12 Children, by Jeremy Cowart, was an exhibit at Nashville’s Smallest Art Gallery.
of the village, you lose some of the
2008, the Smallest Art Gallery has run a show each month
Getting there
sports
Track & Field going strong
Belmont’s men’s track and field team came
away with 19 top-10 finishes at its first
outdoor meet of the season at Austin Peay.
Hillary Cheruiyot (800m) and Kyle Sullinger (500m) took 1st place in their events.
Consistency team’s goal
fitness
By Brian Wilson
Staff writer
The Belmont baseball team, despite playing only a month and
a half, has already had a full season’s share of ups and downs.
The Bruins started the season with a 10-game winning streak,
which included a win against then-ranked Western Kentucky.
From there, the team lost six in a row, including a three-game
sweep by A-Sun conference foe Jacksonville.
“Starting out, it was pretty special,” said junior pitcher Nate
Woods. “You can’t win them all though. It’s just about controlling our losses.”
The team’s streakiness will have to end for the team to
compete, said head coach Dave Jarvis.
“In order to become more successful in the Atlantic Sun,
we’re going to have to become more consistent,” he said.
The Bruins’ reliability issues vary from game to game, but
patterns are starting to emerge, Jarvis said.
“The two areas that have concerned me the most about this
season are our defensive consistency, or eliminating errors that
shouldn’t be taking place, and our pitchers simply working
around in the count and becoming more consistent,” he said.
Despite the inconsistencies, Jarvis has seen many good things
from this year’s team.
“I’m very excited by some of the things we’ve accomplished
with our hitting,” he said. “Our running game has also been
productive when circumstances allow, and I’ve seen our mental
approach reach a good level of consistency.”
Woods is also impressed with the team, especially considering the team’s youth. Sixteen players on the 28-man team are
underclassmen.
“We lost some good players last year from graduation and the
(MLB) draft,” he said. “We have a pretty good freshman class
that has stepped up and played well with us though.”
Jarvis has also seen the underclassmen’s progress.
“We only have four seniors this year, so that means we have
to keep patience with some of our guys that are beginning their
college careers. Our freshman and sophomore classes have made
good contributions to the club with their development,” he said.
Between the under- and upper-classmen, the Bruins have
plenty of talent. With hitters like Dylan Craig, Tim Egerton,
Vinny Casha, and Matt Zeblo, offense hasn’t been a problem.
The team has averaged more than eight runs per game.
“Those guys have done a very good job for us this year,” said
Jarvis.
With the return of Woods from a yearlong injury, and addition
of freshman Chase Brookshire, starting pitching is becoming a
bright spot as well.
The Bruins’ talent, said Woods, is enough to compete in the
always-tough Atlantic Sun.
“We’re definitely capable of being one of the best teams in
Photo by Cooper Neill
Freshman pitcher Chase Brookshire hurls a pitch towards home plate in the Bruins’ 8-3 win over rival Lipscomb.
Brookshire pitched five scoreless innings and improved to 3-0 in five starts this season.
the conference. We’ll
definitely do well in the
conference tournament,”
he said.
If that happens, the
team will come close
to their ultimate goal:
winning the Atlantic Sun
tournament and earning a
bid to the NCAA Baseball Tournament. For the
Bruins, meeting that goal
would mean a complete
season for the team.
“We have many goals
we have to reach to
make that ultimate goal
possible,” Jarvis said.
Photo by Brian Wilson
Freshman third baseman Jared Breen tags a Cleveland State runner out. Breen had one RBI in the
Bruins’ 18-11 win.
Photo by Brian Wilson
Sophomore pitcher Garrett Franchier finishes his pitching sequence in the Bruins’ 18-11
win over Cleveland State on March 17.
Page 15
Cross resigns
after 26 years
The Vision takes a look back
On March 16, Belmont women’s basketball head
coach Tony Cross announced his resignation after
more than 26 years at the helm of Lady Bruins
basketball. Cross, who played basketball at Belmont
from 1970-1974, finished his coaching career with
a record of 544-255. Those wins rank him in the Top
20 of NCAA Division I coaches. This year Belmont
finished 15-15 and lost in the Atlantic Sun conference semi-finals. The Vision takes a photographic
look back on his 30-plus years at Belmont as a player
and coach. In the pictures, clockwise from top left:
This team picture is from Cross’s first year as head
coach in 1985. The Lady Rebelettes—as they were
called then—went 14-16 in his first year; Cross,
talking to players during a game, began coaching as a
graduate assistant under Pat Summitt at the University of Tennessee; Cross, shown in his senior picture,
graduated from Belmont in 1974; Cross, second from
left, poses with fellow senior teammates. Cross lettered for four years and was inducted to the Belmont
Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990 for his contributions
as a player and a coach.
Page 16
March Madness: Change on the horizon
By Pierce Greenberg
SPORTS EDITOR
How could NCAA tournament expansion
affect Belmont and the Atlantic Sun?
The biggest money-making, most exciting, and
fundamentally American event in all of college
sports is at a crossroads.
This time of year, hoards of people spend
hours agonizing over their national title picks.
Yet, more than five million people filled out
brackets on ESPN.com, and not one person’s picks
were untainted after the second day of action.
March Madness has lived up to its name.
But earlier this season, a report leaked out of
the faceless NCAA offices in Indianapolis that
the powers-at-be are considering an expansion of
the tournament from 65 to 96 teams—the biggest
change to the tournament in 25 years if it happens.
Instantly, talk of tournament expansion
became the hot topic on sports talk shows across
the nation. One side says don’t mess with a good
thing. Others argue that the more Madness, the
better.
Most of those discussions center on the power
conferences and their heavy-hitting teams—
hardly acknowledging the effect that expansion
could have on mid-majors like Belmont.
From “our” perspective
Bruins head coach Rick Byrd isn’t a fan of
change. Ironically, he was against the implementation of the three-point line and the shot clock. But
when it comes to the recent talk of expanding to
96 teams, he’s admittedly indifferent.
“It wouldn’t bother me dramatically,” Byrd
said.
After all, the tournament is meant to decide a
national champion and realistically, Belmont isn’t
in a position to make a deep run in March.
“The truth of the matter is nobody in the
Atlantic Sun … is trying nearly as hard as the
teams in the major conferences to win national
championships,” Byrd said. “We’re not spending
the money, we don’t have the facilities, we don’t
have the following, and so we don’t really deserve
to be one of those teams that benefit from a move
from 65 to 96.”
Atlantic Sun commissioner Ted Gumbart has
“I think it goes back to this.
It may be the most popular
event in sports and if it’s not
broke, don’t fix it.”
Rick Byrd
MEN’S HEAD COACH
a similar outlook and believes that expansion is
worth a look.
“As the A-Sun grows, and its teams continue
to post impressive regular season wins, the
possibility of an at large berth would be a much
stronger possibility with 96,” Gumbart said. “That
could also add to the excitement for many of our
teams and fans.”
Gumbart also indicated that the NCAA is seriously considering a number of possible options.
“I think over time, expansion is probably going
to happen, but the question is whether now is the
time, and what is the right number—68 or 96 or
something else,” Gumbart said.
PHOTO BY LANCE CONZETT
“The discussion is healthy, and good for
Coach Rick Byrd, in his signature sweater vest, coaches yet another game in his
college basketball.”
long tenure at Belmont.
Commentary
Pierce Greenberg
Show me the money
In a capitalist society, money drives everything. The need for profit trumps all else.
Unfortunately, that mentality has seeped into the NCAA and the college basketball
world. The NCAA isn’t even shy about masking the fact that consideration of NCAA
tournament expansion is all about the dollar signs.
“The opportunity to decide what’s going to happen with our revenue is a big deal,” said
Greg Shaheen, the NCAA’s senior vice president for basketball and business strategies,
in an interview with the New York Times. “It’s what a lot of institutions rely on for their
athletic programs. That’s a centerpiece to why all this happens. It’s easy to say you don’t
want change. But simply put, it’s what’s appropriate to operate in our best interest.”
This year, CBS will pay the NCAA $750 million just to broadcast March Madness. But
that deal is set to change. The ESPN mothership has its eye on March and will pony up
what they need to in order to get a share of the event.
So this is what it’s come down to. The world’s greatest sporting event is likely going to
be altered by men in business suits, and that’s a shame.
Another argument for tournament expansion is that 59 teams have been added to Division I since the last change to 65 in 1985. Proponents of expansion say the tournament
needs to reflect that addition. That’s a moot point.
College basketball blogger Kyle Whelliston developed a “Red Line” that separates
mid-major and high-major conferences based on overall athletic budgets. By his definition, there are eight high-major conferences, heavy hitters like the SEC, ACC, and Big 12,
and 24 mid-major conferences.
It’s also interesting to note that the NCAA tournament is the only championship event
where the NCAA doesn’t keep the profits; they feed it back to the schools and conferences
based on how well they do. The only problem is that the schools that do well are already at
the top.
This year, 26 mid-major teams made the NCAA tournament – 24 automatic qualifiers
and two at-large bids. So, three-fourths of the NCAA Division I conferences made up for
just 40 percent of the tournament field.
To sum it up: the schools with lots of money are arguing that since there are more
schools with little money, they need to expand the tournament so that the rich get richer.
The small guys are being used for the profit and gain of the big boys.
The little guys can play ball too – just remember Northern Iowa, St. Mary’s and
Cornell last weekend – and expansion could make the gap so big that “Cinderella” could
become an extinct concept.
Pierce Grrenberg, Vision sports editor, is a junior journalism major.
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