3/21/2007 - Belmont Vision

Feature
www.belmontvision.com
One nail at a time
While many Belmont students were relaxing on the beach or
skiing in Colorado, other Belmont students were busy laying
plywood for new houses in New Orleans, which is “going to
take at least 30 years to fix,” according to one displaced
resident.
p. 2
News
The student newspaper of Belmont University
Vol. 56, No. 12
March 21, 2007
NCAA x 2
Women make history
Apart from basketball and St. Patrick’s Day, March is also
the time to celebrate women’s history and the struggle for
gender equality. Belmont is hosting several speakers,
including Tennessee’s First Lady Andrea Conte and author
and professor Patricia Yancey Martin.
p. 3
Sports
Diamond heroes
After taking their first A-Sun series with preseason league favorite Jacksonville, the Bruins
baseball team suddenly find themselves in the
conference driver’s seat early with their third
straight weekend series win and a player
(Wilson Tucker) on the verge of breaking several
school hitting records.
p. 7
Entertainment
PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC MILLER
Belmont’s women, a 14-seed, fight hard against 3-seed Georgia.
PHOTO BY CHRIS SPEED
The men returned to the NCAA, facing Georgetown in Round 1.
Bruins two-step to Big Dance
A question asked by NCAA basketball fans before the tournaments: “Where
in the world is Belmont?” Well, after seeing both the men and women valiantly
compete while spirited, proud fans cheered them on, Belmont is on the map.
Belmont, one of only 23 schools to send both the women and men to the Big
Dance, is one of only five mid-major schools to double up on tourney fun with a
team among each group of the 65 finest.
The appearance from the No. 15-seeded men marked the second in as many
years while the trip for the No. 14-seeded women was the first.
Belmont, becoming a household name far beyond the boulevard, shows no
signs of being content and looks to become a staple in March Madness.
FULL COVERAGE, pages 8-9.
On a roll
Roller derby is back in style, at least in Nashville, for the
Music City Rhythm and Bruise rollergirls squad. Roster
spots are open to all girls over 21 looking for some good,
competitive fun and a chance to live dangerously.
p. 12
Online
Men with a mission
Junior Nathan Baker led a mission trip to Juarez, Mexico,
over spring break, and he details his spiritual and literal
journey in an online diary. Freshman Chris Speed traveled
to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where he spent a week volunteering in the rebuilding effort as well as documenting
the project in phootographs.
– Jordan Drake, sports editor
Message from Dr. Bob Fisher, Belmont president
Having our men's and
women's teams go to the
NCAA tournament the same
year, with our men's team
appearing back-to-back, is a
remarkable feat. Having
eight players on each team
earning all-academic honors
makes them the most
impressive group of basketball players in the
country. The positive impact for our athletic programs and the university overall is immeasurable.
It sends the message nationwide that Belmont is
coming!
Message from Mike Strickland, athletic director
The honor of both of our
basketball teams' presence in
the NCAA Tournament
brings continued national
notoriety to our athletic program and to the University.
One can never really quantify
how much the exposure a
school receives by reaching
the NCAA Tournament, but the exposure we receive
allows many around the nation to see that we have a
great university, a successful athletic program, solid
coaches, and exemplary student-athletes who are
successful on and off the court.
Page 2
The Belmont Vision, March 21, 2007
Challenges remain in ‘Big Easy’
By Adaeze Elechi
SENIOR WRITER
If you’ve ever listened to Guy Van Duser and Billy
Novick’s song, “New Orleans Farewell,” you know it is long
and a little depressing, even though you can tell that it is trying its very best to be optimistic. Notes are carefully played
as if trying not to say the wrong things. It tries to end a number of times, but can’t seem to bring itself to turn and go.
This is the way I felt leaving the city of New Orleans.
I never intended for it to happen, especially on a spring
break mission trip, but I left a chunk of my heart in the city
streets and the Upper Ninth Ward where 15 Belmont students
gave much more of themselves than they knew they were
capable of giving.
We arrived at the New Orleans World Trade Center after
a nine-hour van drive from Nashville about 7 p.m. March 3.
Three floors were converted into a shelter for volunteers, the
third floor for the cafeteria and lounge, fourth floor for men
and fifth for women. It was a dorm setting complete with a
10 p.m. curfew.
As we drove over a bridge that put us at a vantage point, a
team leader, Ashley Eayre, pointed out that the skyline
included many construction cranes. After driving past homes
and businesses Katrina had damaged in her wake, I was
never happier to see construction cranes. Something was
being done, no matter how slowly it was going.
But my optimism wasn’t shared by everyone. At our last
gas stop just outside Louisiana, I met a New Orleans native
working the register. She must have been about my age or a
little younger.
“Where’re y’all headed?” she asked.
“New Orleans,” I replied, excitedly.
“Y’all just going to look?” she asked, like it was the most
natural thing in the world.
I was taken aback that she thought that we would cram
into two vans and drive all the way from Nashville to sightsee the devastation in the city. I was more taken aback that
people had obviously done it enough for her to think we were
on a similar mission.
In New Orleans’ hard-hit Ninth Ward, many houses remain unrepaired and abandoned after Hurricane
Katrina and the resulting flooding left the long-established community underwater for weeks.
“No,” I said with a smile. “We’re going to help do whatever we can.”
She waited a while before she told me that she and her
extended family of 21 people were flooded out of their houses. They had lived in New Orleans all their lives and were
forced to migrate right outside Louisiana.
“New Orleans is a mess,” she said. “It’s going to take at
least 30 years to fix.” Then she turned to a customer.
On Monday, we were set to work in a section of the
Upper Ninth Ward called “Musicians Village,” the brainchild
of Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis in association
with Habitat for Humanity. They set out to build 70 homes
for displaced musicians and other small families. About twothirds of the residents will be musicians. In that neighborhood, there will be a community center, “The Ellis Marsalis
Center for Music,” for the musical education and
development of
Volunteers
Thirteen Belmont students and
two faculty members went on the
New Orleans spring break mission
trip: Ashley Eayre and Jason Dyba
(student leaders), Will Butler,
Dale Clay, Adaeze Elechi, Dan
Faber, Jennifer Falco, Jessie Fisher,
Chris Hurst, Erin Lichman, Janelle
Monroe, Canaan Smith, Megan
Stephens, Christy Ridings (associate university minister) and Col.
James Cook (mathematics
instructor).
PHOTOS BY ADAEZE ELECHI
Carpentry is not without its risks, as Megan Stephens, top left, learns as fellow volunteer Christy Ridings removes a splinter for her. The two were among
a group from Belmont that made a quick switch from textbooks to carpentry,
below, working to help complete five houses on their spring break mission
trip in flood-ravaged New Orleans.
the residents and their children.
About 22 homes were completed in summer 2006 and
families have moved in. About
400 volunteers helped to build
the charming houses, just the
right size for a family of three,
complete with a front and back
yard.
And then there were the colors. This was, without a doubt,
the brightest neighborhood I
had ever been in with houses of
blue, purple, orange, green and
yellow.
It reminded me of being in a
forest or field that had burned.
Fire kills everything. It singes
even the tiniest leaf until there
is only smoke and ashes. But
the cycle of nature soon brings
blades of grass that push their
way to the surface. The brightest greens you will ever see
stand out against the blackness
of the ash and the destruction
of fallen trees and undergrowth.
This is all I could think of,
looking at the rainbow of homes in Musicians Village amid
all the construction rubble for the new homes and destruction
of the old ones.
Just across the street from some of the finished homes,
some houses have not been touched since the hurricane.
Some have the body count spray-painted on the side, marking lives lost when the levees broke. All you have to do is
turn 180 degrees to get contrasting emotions. On one side of
the street there is hope in flying colors, and on the other, a
kind of hopelessness that the girl at the gas station expressed.
We, along with about 200 other volunteers from colleges
across the country, began working on a plot of land where
professionals had already laid the foundations of about five
houses. Over the span of five days (Monday to Friday),
working for about 8 hours a day with an hour lunch break at
12 p.m., we built three floors and in one house, built and
raised wall frames. Summarizing it like that probably makes
it seem like it was less work than it actually was, but there is
so much more that goes into solidifying a foundation, laying
a floor and shoveling dirt than meets the eye. Our “battle
wounds” may tell a more detailed story about all this than
perhaps we could.
A lot went into building a house that a good number of us
had never done before, but we learned quickly. For example,
I don’t think any of us had laid plywood floorboards before
the trip, but on the last day, everyone from Belmont and a
couple other schools pitched in on the third house and by the
end of the day, there was a floor.
Every morning at the site, we had the same safety talk and
motivational speech from the supervisors. Every morning
they made it clear we were offering the people of New
Orleans so much more than our building skills (which was
not very much to write home about; we are not professional
construction workers). It was our sheer presence, energy and
sacrificing our spring break to be there working. That was
what gave the people hope.
On one lunch break a Tulane University student joined us.
His name was Nat and he was at the site independently. Nat
had classes at 3 p.m. and his mother had just come into town
from their home in Brooklyn. When I asked him why he was
working while he could be doing other things, he gave me
this answer:
“Shouldn’t everybody?”
He explained that he was able to do work, so he didn’t see
why he shouldn’t. It was a bold, loaded, yet simple answer. I
didn’t see Nat again after that day, but one lunch break with
him and his two-word answer to my question challenged me.
The entire trip was challenging. When I took in all the
devastation that still held the city in its grip after 18 months,
it was easy to become discouraged even while putting in a
week of service. It was a struggle to focus on the smaller picture in order to keep the fire burning.
But as the group struggled, we grew stronger physically,
spiritually, emotionally and in relationship with each other. It
is a proud and humbling feeling to know that your hands and
sweat went into such an essential part of people’s homes and
your energy and optimism helped give the people hope.
It was a beautiful experience. When we were done, I felt
I had grown roots in the city, the homes we worked on and
our group of fifteen, jam-packed with striking personalities.
For me, it was hard to say goodbye to New Orleans, its
music, people and dense culture. One week felt like one
month, and at the same time, it was hardly enough. If there is
one thing I can say with confidence that I gained from the
trip, it is that I got there as one person: unsure, curious; and
left as a different person: stronger, more focused and blessed
with a new set of awesome friends.
The Belmont Vision, March 21, 2007
Page 3
State’s first lady to speak on women’s rights
By Adaeze Elechi
SENIOR WRITER
The month of March is a national observation of women’s history and Belmont is
using the opportunity to educate its campus.
The Women’s History Month committee at
Belmont has organized a number of speakers to speak on various issues concerning
women’s rights.
“We’re looking to find different ways to
celebrate political, economic and social
progress of women in society,” said Bonnie
Smith, co-chair of the Women’s History
Month committee.
Some of the speakers are Belmont faculty and others have been invited to come in
and talk. One of their most anticipated
speakers, the First Lady of Tennessee,
Andrea Conte, will give a keynote address
today. Conte is known for her commitment
to educating the public about issues related
to women’s rights such as elder abuse,
domestic violence and child sexual abuse.
“She’s looking back and looking forward,” Smith said of Conte. “I think that’s
what makes her so unique.”
Smith explained that Conte looks to
women’s history in order to help pave a
path for feminism.
“It’s about time,” said David Ribar, chair
of the art department who identifies himself
as a male feminist. “How often do you get a
speaker [at Belmont] who is as experienced
[as Conte]… and a feminist?”
Ribar noted that Conte is a feminist and
it does not seem to have affected her relationship with her husband, Phil Bredesen.
As much as feminism is the focus of this
month, it is a term to which society has
attached some negative stereotypes.
“I am troubled that people find it a dirty
word [and] the term ‘feminazi’ makes me
furious,” Smith said. “Feminists are just
people who believe in the equal treatment of
women.”
Belmont’s Women’s History Month
committee is bringing speakers in to bring
the campus to an understanding of feminism
and its causes.
“[From the speakers, I want students to
gain] an appreciation for how far [women]
have come and also a responsibility for
change,” Ribar said.
Ribar said that change has to come from
within the individual. Unless change happens on a personal level, it cannot be effective on a societal level.
“Sometimes it takes a Women’s History
Month to spark thought [about the issue],”
Ribar said. “Sometimes it takes putting
yourself in a place that is a little uncomfortable to get you to see some things from a
new perspective.”
“I want students to be able to look at
their world and use their talents and dreams
… to benefit not only themselves, but people in the community as well,” Smith said.
And there has been positive change in
society toward feminism since the movement took off in the 1960s. Some examples
include the election of Nancy Pelosi as
Speaker of U.S. House of Representatives in
January 2007, a first for women, as well as
advances for women in the corporate and
academic arenas. “A lot of these battles
have been fought… [and] there has been
progress in [gender equality]. I think the
whole idea that women can’t hold jobs in
the corporate society are wiped out,” Ribar
said. “But just because you win some battles
doesn’t mean you have won the war.”
Smith agreed, noting, “We still have a
long way to go.”
Some of the hurdles feminists still have
to jump in society involve individuals’ personal choices.
“Feminism supports reproductive freedom and the inclusion of gays and lesbians
into society among others,” Smith said. “It
is about giving people the freedom to make
Getting there
Getting
there
Other Women’s History Month
events include:
• Monday, March 26, 10 a.m. Massey
Boardroom: Patricia Yancey Martin“Social Justice and Rape Work: Has
Feminism Failed Rape Victims?”
(SEE STORY BELOW)
• Wednesday, March 28, 10 a.m.,
Massey Boardroom: Rev. Gloria
White-Hammond, national chair,
Million Voices for Darfur.
a choice in how people live their lives.”
Feminism and gender equality is a cause
that is over a century old and the speakers
coming to Belmont to speak on topics
involving Women’s History Month are carrying on what began so many years ago.
“This is an invitation to the student body
to dialogue [about feminism],” Ribar said.
“And dialogue means a two-way street, an
exchange.”
“Feminism is revolutionary and it unsettles people,” Smith said. “But someday,
change [will] come.”
Feminism has pros, cons for rape victims
By Rachel Allen
STAFF WRITER
In the United States, college-aged
women are four times more likely to be
raped than any other women are, and it is
estimated that a college with 10,000 female
students will likely experience an average of
350 rapes per year. With college-aged
women being the most common rape targets, one would expect the policies of Rape
Crisis Centers and hospitals to be userfriendly to those victims.
Not always so, says Dr. Patricia Yancey
Martin, a professor of sociology at Florida
State, a topic which she will address fully in
the Living Sociology Speakers Series at 10
a.m. Monday, March 26.
“Organizations that work with rape victims after a rape orient their members to
treat the victims harshly, in ways that often
harm them…I want to make the case that
these organizations will have to change if
we want victims to receive better treatment,” Martin said.
Martin is nationally known for her
research and work in the fields of sociology,
social work and gender studies. She has
published four books, and over ninety articles dealing with various subjects in these
areas, including the profile of rapes and
rapists in college, as well as feminism’s role
“The stigma associated
with rape is still great;
but it is far less than it
was 30 to 40 years ago.”
Patricia Yancey Martin
professor of sociology, author
in combating this crime.
Dr. Martin’s most recent book studies
the organizations that “process” rape victims, and the rape myths that are associated
or propagated by these associations.
“This kind of sociological research is
incredibly useful for helping us understand
what rape victims go through in the ‘processing’ after the rape, if, of course, they
report. Many—due to stigmas—don’t
report. This goes back to those rape myths.
When someone is robbed at gunpoint, we
rarely say…well you shouldn’t have worn
that watch…but with rape…yes…you
should have “known better than to wear that
skirt, have that drink, get a ride home with
that guy, be in that part of town alone, etc,
etc.” said Dr. Andi Stepnick, associate pro-
fessor and chair of the sociology department
at Belmont and protégé of Dr. Martin.
“We are incredibly lucky to have a
scholar of her caliber on our campus. Her
work points to the useful application of
sociological methods and thinking,”
Stepnick said.
Martin said she hopes to outline some of
these methods in her talk, as she feels this
topic is crucial for college students.
“This topic ... and related issues ... are so
important to our society, and particularly to
college students. Sexual assaults are far too
prevalent across our nation.” Martin continued to say that many times the victim of an
assault is unaware of how to deal with the
aftermath, and receives misinformation, or a
stigma, and so is unwilling or unable to deal
with the assault.
“Most young people do not fully understand sexual assault. If it happens to them,
they need to deal with it very head-on. And,
most of the time, due the shame involved,
they deny and avoid rather than confront the
experience,” Martin said.
Martin said she also plans to address the
role that feminism plays in both helping and
hurting rape victims.
“Feminism, while about gender, is also
about inequality generally. It is a body of
thought that helps us ‘critique’ societal
arrangements that foster inequality and produce harm, even when no harm is ‘intended’,” Martin said.
“Feminism has helped bring rape out of
the closet and helped us, as a society, talk
about and try to understand as well as prevent it. The stigma associated with rape is
still great; but it is far less than it was 30 to
40 years ago.”
Martin is a feminist herself, and she has
done extensive research on the topic, which
has shaped the field of sociology.
“It might interest you to know that sociologists didn’t widely study or recognize
gender as a major axis around which social
life was organized. Now, we can’t imagine
not thinking about the way that gender
impacts our lives... Pat work has helped us
understand this dynamic,” said Stepnick.
A final issue Martin said she hopes to
address is the lack of justice that she
believes rape victims get, due not only to
the stigma and rape myths, but also to a system that, in her opinion, gives some advantages to men.
“If you think you may have been raped,
or sexually assaulted in any way, seek help!
Call a rape crisis center; talk about it; deal
with it. Stand up and demand justice for victims of rape. At this point, they do not
receive justice,” Martin said.
Belmont lends helping hands March 31
By Chansin Bird
SENIOR WRITER
Saturday, March 31 is the day for volunteering. Three large, annual events will take
place on or close to Belmont’s campus.
Students can participate in the numerous
opportunities and also earn community service convocation credit.
Bruin Den Day is hosted by the Student
Government Association. Volunteers do
yardwork, window cleaning and any other
outdoor needs Belmont’s surrounding neighbors may have.
“It was started a few years ago by the
[SGA] president at the time,” senior Will
Cromer, the current SGA president, said. “It
is an effort to improve relationships with the
neighbors around Belmont.”
The SGA sent letters to residents asking if
they have any outdoor spring-cleaning projects.
“We line them up and recruit volunteers
from the Belmont student body, alumni and
faculty,” Cromer said. “We divide into teams
and tackle those projects one morning.”
Friday is the deadline to sign up for this
event. Go to the SGA office to get a form
and sign up as an individual, group or organization. It runs from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., and
breakfast and lunch are provided by the
SGA.
“I think it’s important because it sends a
message to the neighbors that when students
come to Belmont they are actually becoming
members of the community and understand
they incur responsibilities and need to give
back,” Cromer said.
Another annual event, Family Literacy
Day, will be held in the lawn area between
Wright/Maddox Halls and the Beaman
Student Life Center. This event, which lasts
from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., is aimed to encourage
children from pre-K through sixth grade to
read.
Volunteers can help set up and clean up
or participate in a reading circle.
Campus groups such as the Student
Athlete Council and sororities will host reading circles. Children will visit a circle, listen
to or read a book and then receive a sticker.
After collecting certain amounts of stickers,
the children can play games, make crafts, eat
treats and pick out a book to take home.
For more information on volunteering,
contact community service coordinator Tim
Stewart at ext. 5431.
INTO Nashville, a student-led ministry
sponsored by University Ministries, will send
volunteers to help The Rape and Sexual
Abuse Center of Nashville’s annual Walk for
Awareness. Shifts are from 7-9:30 a.m. and
9 a.m.-noon..Students can help with every
element of the event such as setting up to
tearing down, setting up water stations and
first-aid stations and passing out water along
the route.
Next week a sign-up sheet will be available in the University Ministries room.
Page 4
The Belmont Vision, March 21, 2007
Pastor, author urges campus to serve world
in the inner cities of Atlanta, Chicago,
By Chansin Bird
SENIOR WRITER
Dr. Tony Campolo, a well-known pastor,
speaker and author, came to Belmont and
challenged students to be transformed people
that transform the world, especially when it
comes to developing poor communities.
He spoke March 12 to 200 business leaders, MBA students and guests of the university about eliminating poverty through faithbased business initiatives.
“Folks loved to hear the way we can deal
with the challenge of urban poverty in
America as well as overseas through starting
small businesses using micro-lending and
social entrepreneurship to make that happen,
particularly through the churches,” said Todd
Lake, Vice President of Spiritual
Development.
Campolo, on campus for three days, also
spoke at the dedication service for the recently installed sculpture on Belmont’s campus
called Money: Servant or Master.
“He did a fantastic job of helping us
reflect on how the prophets in the Old
Testament and the apostles in the New
Testament and Jesus himself called us to live
lives that are driven by love and not money,”
Lake said.
Campolo spoke to a sociology and religion students gathering, and again Tuesday
night he spoke to several hundred students at
“The beginning of the transformation of society begins with
that inflow of the Spirit – where
Christ comes alive within you.”
Tony Campolo
pastor, speaker, author
the intercollegiate Refuge service at Belmont
United Methodist Church. He finished by
speaking to more than 300 people in Neely
Dining Hall at a co-hosted convocation with
Career Services called “Your Work Matters
to God.”
“To become a Christian is to become
involved in the transformation of the world
to the kingdom of God,” Campolo said to
them.
His first main point was that there is a big
difference between believing in Jesus and
surrendering to an inflow of the “Holy
Spirit.”
“The beginning of the transformation of
society begins with that inflow of the Spirit –
where Christ comes alive within you,”
Campolo said. “That’s where it starts: that
inner transformation. When Christ is in you,
the way in which you perceive the world is
very different.”
That changed perception comes from
seeing Jesus in the face of poor people, he
said. Once someone can do that, the
question is not, “Am I noble enough to
serve?” but rather, “Am I worthy enough to
serve?”
Campolo’s second main point was that
every person is predestined to impact the
world. The way he suggested students could
do that is to volunteer.
His organization offers two programs
with which students can get involved. The
first is a summer program. The second option
is Mission Year, a long-term urban ministry
founded in the mid-1990s. The program has
been operating with teams – members can be
married or single, but must be 18-29 in age –
Oakland and Philadelphia.
Twenty-five hours of community service
are required of participants, but there is no
set-in-stone program. They live in a poor
community and go door-to-door praying
blessings on their new neighbors.
Volunteers ask each family if the person
at the door has any special needs they could
pray about that night. Then, after dinner,
volunteers brainstorm how they can connect
the families with helpful services or programs.
“You don’t have to create new programs
in the city,” Campolo said. “They’re already
there! The problem is the people who need
the help don’t go. Jesus said you have to go
to them.”
After volunteers finish praying through
the neighborhood, they do it over again, and
by the end of the year they know everyone.
Campolo said more than 30 percent choose
to continue to live in the neighborhood even
after their mission year is done.
“It was a great event for all of us to think
about how a Christian university can work
for justice by using the various academic disciplines to make a difference here and overseas as well,” Lake said.
More information about Mission Year can
be found at www.missionyear.org.
Live from LA
Rachel Smith, a December
2006 Belmont journalism
graduate, competes in the
Miss USA 2007 Pageant representing Tennessee. In this
file photo, she is shown when
she was crowned Miss
Tennessee USA in her hometown of Clarksville in October.
The Miss USA pageant airs
live at 8 p.m. Friday, March
23, on NBC television from
the Kodak Theater in Los
Angeles.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LEAF-CHRONICLE
@Vanderbilt
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The Belmont Vision, March 21, 2007
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Bruins win big A world without spring
in fans’ hearts
The timing of the cheers in Winston-Salem seemed a little odd. Only
after the No. 2-seeded Georgetown Hoyas had amassed an insurmountable
lead in the second half, the previously timid and surprisingly small navy
and gray cheering sections tucked near the back of Lawrence Joel Veterans
Memorial Coliseum’s lower bowl (what a mouthful) finally started their
first unison chant of the game.
“Hoya…Saxa! Hoya….Saxa,” sides of the student section alternated.
Not to be outdone despite the pending inevitability of defeat for a second
straight year, the Belmont fan section, certainly the most dress-synchronized section in attendance, started
chanting “Belmont…Bruins!”
HENRY NICHOLS
At first, the fairly pedestrian chant
from the faithful from Nashville
seemed like a sad rebuttal of denial.
You’re down by 30 in the second
half…why cheer? Sure, Hoya fans are
spineless for waiting to gloat, but why
make fools of yourselves?
The Georgetown base came back
jeering “Where is Belmont” for 30
seconds before the Belmont base
came back with “What’s a Hoya,” a
chant that drew the rest of the assorted
fan bases to their feet for a standing
ovation to Belmont’s relentless red
sea of underdog determination. For those wondering, the Hoya nickname
comes from “Hoya Saxa”, which is from a mixed Greek and Latin chant
and means “What Rocks!”
As the crowd soon began to appreciate, the Bruins’ fan response was
one not for themselves, but for the team to hear. Despite being out-athleted
and seeing their best-laid plans trampled so easily by what some feel is the
hottest team in the nation, the Bruin Nation was still able to savor a sense of
thanksgiving for their team. While not happy just to be there after a similar
screeching halt last year against UCLA, the men’s basketball team hustled
until the very end, long after their tournament destiny was written on the
wall. When the final buzzer sounded, the Bruin base eschewed a quiet exit
to stick around and give their team a standing ovation. The seven-hour trip
back would be tough, but their team played with class.
For all the other fans and media in attendance, “What Rocks!” was more
likely to be an impression of Belmont as a whole. While fan bases like
Georgetown and UNC go into these arenas expecting to win and refusing to
cheer for anything less, Belmont’s fan base has displayed the audacity to
cheer through both good and bad times. Gracious even in defeat.
Thanks must go out to Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher, who made
sure his school was well represented in the Dance by reserving an entire
hotel for the team and its supporters to occupy during the tournament.
Fisher was front and center in Belmont’s section leading cheers proudly, the
perfect man to represent our university on a national level.
Thanks must go out to women’s basketball seniors Angel Jones and
Destri Bockey, as well as the entire women’s basketball team, for earning
the highest seed in Belmont NCAA history (No. 14) and giving a similarly
valiant effort in a 53-36 loss to No. 3 Georgia Saturday in Minneapolis.
Jones and Bockey, as well as former stars like Jenny Conkle, have helped
build a team that has been arguably more impressive than the men’s team
over the past five years. A run of NCAA berths and media recognition for
our girls is certainly overdue.
Thanks to our greatest group of fans and supporters, the Belmont band,
for their willingness to balance schoolwork with their passion for Belmont
basketball in traveling with the team to both Winston-Salem and
Minneapolis. The teams could travel to Timbuktu and our band would still
find a remotely placed JetBlue special to get them there and heckle whoever
the opponent is.
Thanks must go to Josh Goodwin, Boomer Herndon and Andrew
Preston, a trio of seniors who have been part of both Belmont NCAA
berths. Herndon and Preston gave Belmont its most formidable post platoon
since the D-1 move. Goodwin was a legendary shooter and sparkplug.
Finally, on behalf of the Vision, thanks must go out to athletic director
Mike Strickland, media relations director Greg Sage and anyone else who
has made the Vision’s job easier in covering basketball and doing what we
need to do, and to Dr. Dan McAlexander, who made sure we had what we
needed to make the trip. You are wonderful human beings who make us
feel appreciated and help make the Fourth Estate a meaningful cog in this
university.
Henry Nichols, Vision editor, is a senior journalism major. E-mail: [email protected]
Springtime at Belmont is a
beautiful thing. The trees
MELANIE BENGTSON
around the quad bloom in vivid
green, flowers explode into
brilliant colors all across campus, and musicians of every
sort crowd the lawns and play
their songs until the sun sets.
It’s almost spring here and I
can’t help but smile as I step
outside my door every morning and feel the warm sunshine. For the last week or so,
though, there is a sadness that I
can’t seem to get out of my
head.
tion has AIDS.
We joke about the “Belmont
Before you think that this is
bubble” but it frightens me how
another spoiled American clamortranscendent that idea is. I fall
ing for help for Africa, finish this
into its trap daily, pretending that
column. In all honesty, you can’t
this is actually the real world and
do anything to help the people in
that the middle-school drama that
Zimbabwe. The government – and
consumes our lives will have an
the country’s destiny – is conimpact six months from now.
trolled by Robert Mugabe, a ruthI’ve been convicted by this false
less and selfish dictator who has
reality recently.
his opposition brutally beaten and
Zimbabwean musician Oliver
has sworn off the rest of the
Mtukudzi penned “Mambasa,” a
world. Governments have tried to
song that asks wrenching quesoust Mugabe through economic
tions:
“Tears run dry/We mourn qui- sanctions, which have starved the
people of Zimbabwe. Economic
etly/Death has now lost its meansanctions are a traditional method
ing/Funerals no longer have the
to force rogue leaders to change,
necessary dignity/ Everyone
around us is dying/ Who will sym- but they don’t work.
In the last week or so,
pathize with whom/ Since each of
Zimbabwe has finally broken into
us has death in our homesteads
the news cycle. Mugabe has
daily?/ Who will mourn
cracked down on his opposition,
whom?/Who will bury whom?”
mercilessly beating leaders who
This is the song that plays on
have attempted to speak out
the radio in Zimbabwe – not
“This is Why I’m Hot” (Mims) or against him. According to
Mugabe, if Westerners dare to
“Beer in Mexico” (Kenny
interfere with the situation, they
Chesney). Talk about a reality
will be removed from the country.
check.
The inflation rate in Zimbabwe (He did not specify whether they
would leave alive or dead.)
is 1,700 percent. The average life
Zimbabwe makes me sad. But
expectancy of a woman is 35.
there’s nothing I can do about it
Almost 25 percent of the popula-
but tell you what is happening.
I’m not asking you to do anything
– Zimbabweans don’t need
protests or pity or fundraisers or
media blitzes. They need dignity.
Hope. Prayer. Remembrance.
Robert Mugabe is 83 years
old. He can’t last much longer.
Washington Post journalist
Neely Tucker wrote a book
called Hope in the Driest Season
about his time in Zimbabwe covering all of Africa.Let me close
with a passage from that book,
which I want you to read.
“More than 1,100 people had
flocked into the village’s Catholic
church for sanctuary … We
stepped on bare spots of the floor
that were not strewn with debris.
The pews had been ripped out,
but the slats that had supported
them were still there … I shifted
my weight and a foot slipped off
one plank, but I continued to write
notes, racing to keep up with his
account. I rocked my foot back
and forth. It began bumping
against something. At first, I
thought it was a chicken’s rotted
bones that had somehow not yet
collapsed. Then I leaned down
and peered closer. I blinked. It
was the splintered remains of
what appeared to be an infant’s
rib cage. My toe was resting just
inside, and I had been twitching
my foot against the bowed ribs.”
Enjoy this season at Belmont.
Walk outside, feel the sunshine
and the breeze. But as you laugh
and live and enjoy the blessings
that God has given you freely,
pray for springtime to come to
Zimbabwe.
Melanie Bengtson, managing
editor, is a sophomore developmental politics major. Email:
[email protected]
SGA urges student opinions
To the editor:
This week, the Student
Government Association will present two amendments to the SGA
Constitution. Students will be
asked to vote on these amendments, and their decision will
potentially shape the future of
SGA.
I wanted to take a minute to
explain to you the reasons we
have created these amendments,
and justify the need for their ratification.
Amendment Three would
make our current system of voting
(electronic) constitutionally valid
(the current constitution defines
voting as taking place on paper
ballots). It doesn’t actually change
how we do anything currently or
in the future.
Amendment Two would
require Presidential and VicePresidential candidates to run as a
Letter to the Editor
ticket in SGA elections. The problem with the current system is that
a vice-presidential candidate can
get elected to serve with a presidential candidate that he does not
support and does not agree with
on important issues. The proposed
changes would allow presidential
candidates to choose their running
mate, and thus ensure a harmonious relationship should that ticket be elected. This amendment
was approved nearly unanimously
when congress voted to send it to
a student body vote last month.
Amendment One would
remove class officers from the
Student Government and replace
them with class representatives,
who have the same rights and
duties as other Congress members.
Next, this amendment re-
apportions the Student Congress
to account for Belmont’s recent
growth and diversification. Most
of these changes are minor, and
their intention is to help Congress
better serve you. This amendment
also establishes a mandatory liaison between the branches of SGA
to help us communicate better
internally and, as a result, serve
you better.
Before voting, I encourage you
to go to the web address listed
below and review the constitutional amendments that SGA is
proposing. Then turn out to vote
this week in the SGA elections!
Website:http://www.nicholasw
illiams.net/sga/
Nick Williams
Williams is chairman of
SGA’s judicial review committee.
Page 6
The Belmont Vision, March 21, 2007
Rules don’t always ensure justice
I don’t know how to protest, and it’s an unfortunate state.
Blame it on my bourgeois upbringing or the pervading political climate, I suppose. But I’m a college student, and I feel
like I should exercise my protesting muscles occasionally. I
don’t want to divide the nation or hurt anyone, so I’m going
to protest via parable about a small issue that’s close to home
for me. Call it cryptic or self-indulgent, but it was the best
method I could come up with.
Once there was an old man who planted a tree. It was a
beautiful tree with emerald leaves and wonderful blooms, but
it needed constant pruning. Every day, the man would trim
back certain branches and cut off the blooms that had died.
This wasn’t too hard at first, but the tree grew and grew. The
man got older and the tree got bigger, and soon it was too
much for him to keep up with on his own. He walked to a
nearby village and found five young people. He explained the
situation and offered to pay them to look after the tree for
him. The five villagers agreed and started coming to the
man’s house each day after school. He gave them each a set
of pruning shears and taught them how to spot dead limbs
and branches.
“Treasure this tree,” he said, “and remember this one rule:
use your shears responsibly. Never take this job you’ve been
given for granted.”
The young folks weren’t perfect, but they set their minds
to the task and gradually became competent trimmers. The
work also led them all, old man and youth alike, to become
good friends, and they spent many afternoons working,
laughing, and talking amongst the boughs.
Then one day the old man came to them with a suitcase
and an announcement.
“I must leave for a time on business,” he said. “I want
you to keep looking after the tree while I’m away; I’ll expect
it to be healthy upon my return.”
The five youths nodded vigorously and waved goodbye as
the old man strode down the hill with his luggage in hand.
A few days later, the pruners were hard at work when one
of them found a beautiful bloom nestled deep in the tree’s
branches. He called the other four over and pointed it out to
them. They all agreed it was one of the most magnificent
they’d ever seen, and the one who’d found it had an idea.
“Let’s leave it as a surprise for the old man. We’ll put it
on his doorstep for him to find when he returns.” The friends
assented. One of them clipped the bloom and another placed
it delicately on the man’s front steps. Soon their work was
done and they went home for the evening.
The five friends stood for a moment, stupefied. “We’re
very sorry,” said one of them, “but we didn’t intend to misuse our shears. We just thought it would be fun. The tree is
still healthy, and the bloom was hard to see where it was.”
“I’m sorry, but that’s the rule. I’ll take your shears now,”
replied the old man.
The workers turned slowly and started
back towards the village. Two were overcome
ERIC DETWEILER
by what they had done and lost, and three by
magnitude of the task now set before
“Belmont is the
them. They were too shocked by the sudden
supposed to be a turn of events to notice the old man’s eyes fill
with tears as they departed.
Christian
So there you have it: a silly little story that
environment might just gloss things over and might ring out
But I’ve lost two good coworkers
and a place of empty.
because a rule was interpreted in a way that
learning”
condemned behavior that was intended as
harmless. No one is left happy and the rulebook is blamed for the decision. Shock and
tired frustration take precedence over any personal growth. Our metaphorical tree might
When they arrived the next day, the old man was standing suffer and wither some because of what has occurred, but
by the tree with the bloom in his hands. The friends smiled at discipline was prioritized above mercy and seemingly above
each other knowingly.
what the rules were initially created to protect. Belmont is
“Who did this?” the old man asked solemnly.
supposed to be a Christian environment and a place of learn“Well, we all did, I suppose,” said the one who’d found
ing, and I don’t understand how this incident reflects either
and cut the bloom.
of those values. Even if it’s just a well-disguised business, I
“Yes,” said another. “We thought you’d appreciate a surdon’t know how any company would help itself by coming
prise after your trip. He trimmed it and I placed it on the
down on workers so suddenly and unexpectedly. And I’ve
porch.”
been too paralyzed by 21 years of comfortable living to come
The old man sighed. “I told you to use your shears
up with any recourse except to concoct a vague little tale and
responsibly. Your job was to tend the tree and keep it
wonder if justice has been done. Suggestions welcome. And
healthy, not to trim off healthy blooms. You all should’ve
remember: former Belmont employees never die; they just
known that was wrong. You’re good trimmers, but because
get moved to Thrailkill.
of what’s been done, you two must never touch the tree or
spend the afternoon here again.” He pointed at the one who’d
Senior writer Eric Detweiler is a senior English major. Ecut the bloom and the one who carried it. “And I’ll be watch- mail: [email protected]
ing the rest of you carefully. You may all leave until tomorrow.”
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The Belmont Vision, February 28, 2007
Page 7
sports
Listen to Belmont Bruins baseball via the internet at
(www.belmontbruins.com/athletics/bruinsradio.html).
The live webcasts are brought to you by Belmont’s
campus radio station, The Voice, in conjunction with
Bruins Online.
‘08 brackets beware:
BU Bruins are coming
2006 NCAA Tournament: 78-44 UCLA
2007 NCAA Tournament: 80-55
Georgetown
For a program that has only spent a mere nine
seasons at the NCAA pinnacle of Division 1,
Belmont is certainly a rising star at the mid-major
level. So, you may be asking yourself, “Why do the
Bruins keep getting blown out in the NCAA
Tournament?” Or rather, “When will Belmont break
through and knock out a team of the upper echelon?
After all, isn’t no. 11 seed Winthrop a mid-major
too?”
Patience, folks…Winthrop was a Division One
program for 20 years and lost in their first six trips in
the NCAA
Tournament
JORDAN DRAKE
before they
shocked the
world by
defeating
No. 6 seed
Notre Dame
in the first
round.
Belmont
spent over
four
decades as
an elite
NAIA program (the
lowest level
of collegiate athletics). However, Byrd and Belmont
wanted to compete at the highest level and the
Bruins went straight to being an NCAA Division
One program for the 1997-98 season. Belmont went
from being a man among boys to a boy among men.
Early on, though, the constant double-digit losses
were hard to swallow for Belmont.
The Bruins have made some significant strides in
the last nine seasons. So to be able to look to the
future, fans need to review the steps Belmont took as
a program in recent years to get where they are now.
■ In 1997-98 Belmont entered the
highest level (Division 1) of the
NCAA as an independent school.
■ In 1998-99 the Bruins completed
their first winning season (14-13)
at the NCAA level.
■ In 2001-02 Belmont became a
member of the Atlantic Sun
Conference.
■ In 2003-04 the Bruins defeated No.
23-ranked Missouri. That season
the Bruins played in the post-season for the first time via a trip to
the NIT Tournament.
■ In 2005-06 Belmont broke through
to the NCAA Tournament but lost
to eventual National
Championship Runner-Up UCLA by
34 points.
■ In 2006-07, a return trip to the 65team tournament ended with a
25-point loss (nine points closer)
to a legitimate national title contender in Georgetown.
Baby steps, people, baby steps. Next season, a
possible third consecutive invitation to the Big
Dance could yield a much closer outcome or perhaps a win.
So what does Belmont need to do to keep on
the path towards becoming the nation’s favorite
Cinderella? In other words, what do the Bruins
need to move up a few seed lines to a No.11,
No.12, No.13, or even a No.14? Only rarely does
a No.15 defeat a No. 2 seed (4-for-96 overall).
■ Step 1 – The Bruins must continue to
own the Atlantic Sun Conference
Tournament. Remember, a loss in the
tournament almost certainly translates
(at most) to a NIT Tournament ticket – a
step backwards.
■ Step 2 – Winning the A-Sun conference
regular season title - outright - is a key.
Belmont split the title in 2005-2006
with Lipscomb. This season every midmajor No. 11, 12 and 14 seed won their
respective regular season titles with the
exception of Davidson, who was a
sweet sixteen team last season.
■ Step 3 – Belmont needs to win a few
regular season non-conference games
against major conference opponents.
Belmont will have a few opportunities
scheduled next season like they did
against Big Ten giants Illinois and
Michigan State this past season.
The Belmont nation needs to reflect on this past
season and recognize the achievement of the current
team and departing seniors Andrew Preston, Boomer
Herndon and Josh Goodwin. Did you know that consecutive back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances hasn’t happened for a certain school that is just
a couple miles down the road in 19 seasons?
I must be speaking of Lipscomb, right? No, the
Bisons have never been to the NCAA Tournament.
Now…the only other Division One school is
Vanderbilt, right? But that can’t be the team you
speak of! Well, yes it is. The Commodores have not
been to the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons since 1987-88 and 1988-89.
Now I assure you if Byrd’s Bruins keep improving season by season, the Bruins will taste the sweetness of victory in the NCAA Tournament sooner or
later. How many trips will it take? No one knows. It
could be the next trip or within the next five or within the next ten. However long it takes, make sure you
count your blessings and enjoy the ride right now.
Jordan Drake, sports editor, is a sophomore
entrepreneurship major. E-mail:
[email protected]
PHOTO BY AIMEE MONELL
SENIOR OUTFIELDER WILSON TUCKER COMES HOME AFTER ROUNDING THE BASES FOLLOWING A HOME RUN.
TUCKER IS ON THE VERGE OF BECOMING BELMONT’S GREATEST EVER OFFENSIVE PLAYER.
Baseball cracking
Atlantic Sun elite
By Jordan Drake
SPORTS EDITOR
By taking two of three home
series games from preseason
Atlantic Sun favorite Jacksonville,
Belmont (12-6, 2-1 A-Sun) is making a strong statement early in the
season. A year after failing to earn
a trip to the A-Sun conference
tournament (only the top six
advance) and being picked to finish outside the top six in the preseason again this season, Belmont
is positioning itself to do more
than just qualify for the conference
tourney.
Belmont has won three consecutive weekend season series – all
of which were at home. The Bruins
swept Butler Mar. 3-4, took two of
three from Eastern Illinois Mar. 911 and Jacksonville Mar. 16-18.
Oddly enough, Belmont has fallen
victim in all three mid-week games
during the same time span. The
Bruins were crushed by MTSU 14-
2 Mar. 7, lost to Reinhardt 7-5
Mar.13 and were blown out late
against No.1 ranked and previously
unbeaten Vanderbilt 15-7 Mar.14.
Despite some tough losses, preseason All-Atlantic outfielder
Wilson Tucker is breaking records.
Tucker leads the team in batting
average (.385) and runs batted in
(18). Sophomore third baseman
Derek Wiley paces the team in
home runs (5) and is second on the
team in runs batted in (17) while
sporting a solid batting average
(.318).
Starting pitcher Josh Moffitt
and relief pitcher Ben Meador lead
the Bruins with three wins apiece.
Closer Chris Manning paces the
Bruins with four saves in four
attempts. The sophomore, who was
a preseason All-Atlantic Sun
Second-Team selection, is well on
the way to breaking his own season record of ten saves.
The Wilson ı
Tucker Assault
Senior outfielder Wilson Tucker, a unanimous preseason All-Atlantic
Sun First-Team selection from both the coaches and media, should own
several records by the time the season is over. Stay tuned to each edition
of the Vision for an update of his quest to conquer Belmont’s record
books.
Career records: Belmont has at least 38 games remaining.
Tucker
Leader
Difference
Home runs
27
29
2
Runs Batted In
149
162
13
Hits
224
243
19
48
57
9
1
Doubles
Page 8
The Belmont Vision, March 21, 2007
Belmont basketball enters
DATE
OPPONENT
RESULT
11/09
at #13 Purdue
L 67-43
11/18
TAMU-CC
W 80-67
11/20
at Miss St.
W 67-60
11/24
#17 Cal
L 69-52
11/25
Florida Atl
W 67-65
11/28
E. Kentucky
W 68-61
11/30
NorthFla
W 76-48
12/02
Jacksonville
W 72-58
12/05
Radford
W 72-64
12/16
at #14 Louisville
L 80-51
12/20
at Alabama
L 52-51
01/04
at Kennesaw
W 62-49
01/06
at E. Tenn St.
W 78-69
01/11
Stetson
W 73-47
01/13
Mercer
W 61-38
01/15
IPFW
W 79-74
01/20
at Lipscomb
W 72-55
01/25
at GardWebb
W 77-52
01/27
at Campbell
W 61-54
02/01
E. Tenn St.
W 69-66
02/03
Kennesaw
W 86-75
02/08
at Mercer
L 69-65
02/10
at Stetson
W 72-56
02/17
Lipscomb
W 67-53
02/22
Campbell
W 57-34
02/24
GardWebb
W 54-51
03/01
at Jacksonville
L 65-58
03/03
at NorthFla
W 68-43
03/08
Mercer
W 64-52
03/09
GardWebb
W 57-48
03/10
E. Tenn St.
W 69-57
03/17
vs #14 Georgia
L 53-36
NO
PLAYER
POS
YR
GP
MIN
PTS
REB
AST
22
Alysha Clark
F
So.
30
29.1
17.0
12.6
1.9
20
Amber Rockwell
G
Fr.
32
22.4
9.1
2.8
1.1
1
Shaunda Strayhorn
G
Fr.
26
26.8
9.1
2.7
2.3
41
Jessica Bobbitt
F
So.
32
25.4
7.6
6.6
1.8
21
Laura Cowley
G
Jr.
13
22.6
6.9
2.5
1.4
33
Tereva Moore
F
Fr.
31
23.0
5.5
4.1
1.0
15
Kristin Bunch
G
Fr.
32
18.7
4.4
2.0
1.2
30
Destri Bockey
C
Sr.
31
9.8
4.1
1.4
0.5
32
Brooke Sunday
C
Jr.
32
13.8
3.3
2.5
0.5
5
Brittany Myers
G
Jr.
32
17.3
3.2
2.3
1.3
34
Angela Roof
C
Fr.
20
5.9
2.3
1.4
0.2
23
Angel Jones
G
Sr.
27
10.2
0.7
1.9
0.8
35
LeWanna Holiday
G
So.
2
2.5
0.0
0.5
0.5
“We had one goal of making the NCAA
Tournament and now we have that goal of
going to the NCAA Tournament plus one.
Belmont will be back.”
—Tony Cross, Belmont women’s coach
Belmont Women’s Basketball 2006-2007
Atlantic Sun Conference Regular Season Champions
Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament Champions
NCAA Tournament
Overall record 25-7
Conference record 19-2
The Belmont Vision, March 21, 2007
Page 9
s big time in 06-07 season!
DATE
“I was proud of how hard we played. I
thought that our kids competed for all
40 minutes.”
—Rick Byrd, Belmont men’s coach
Belmont Men’s Basketball 2006-2007
Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament Champions
NCAA Tournament
Overall record 23-10
Conference record 17-4
NO
PLAYER
OPPONENT
RESULT
11/13
UNC-Wil
L 88-83
11/14
at Fordham
W 56-49
11/18
at IUPUI
W 67-61
11/20
Fisk
W 83-54
11/27
at M Tenn St
L 64-57
11/30
North Florida
W 87-32
12/02
Jacksonville
W 76-62
12/04
IUPUI
W 76-66
12/13
at UALR
W 72-57
12/17
at Illinois
L 77-51
12/19
at #25 Mich St
L 67-58
12/28
Rice
W 87-85
12/29
at St Mary’s
01/02
at E Tenn St
W 75-74
01/04
at Kennesaw
W 63-45
L 71-60
01/07
Mercer
W 72-47
01/09
Stetson
W 73-71
01/12
Lipscomb
L 55-50
01/18
at Campbell
L 79-67
01/20
at Gardner Webb
W 70-54
01/25
E Tenn St
L 80-70
01/27
Kennesaw
W 85-66
02/01
at Stetson
W 62-58
02/03
at Mercer
W 84-77
02/09
at Lipscomb
L 70-60
02/15
Gardner Webb
W 87-55
02/17
Campbell
W 92-68
02/22
at Jacksonville
W 86-71
02/24
at North Florida
W 74-54
03/01
Gardner Webb
W 79-61
03/02
at Campbell
W 79-63
03/03
at E Tenn St
W 94-67
03/15
vs #8 G’town
L 80-55
POS
YR
GP
MIN
PTS
REB
AST
24
Justin Hare
G
Jr.
33
31.1
14.3
2.8
2.5
32
Boomer Herndon
C
Sr.
33
16.5
10.8
5.2
0.5
20
Andy Wicke
G
So.
30
25.8
9.4
1.9
2.7
45
Andrew Preston
C
Sr.
33
18.1
8.7
4.9
1.1
30
Matthew Dotson
F
So.
33
21.5
7.0
4.5
1.8
4
Josh Goodwin
G
Sr.
33
24.9
6.0
2.6
1.6
12
Henry Harris
G
So.
33
22.3
5.7
2.7
2.1
21
Shane Dansby
F
So.
33
16.5
5.0
4.4
1.3
3
Keaton Belcher
F
Fr.
33
10.1
3.8
2.3
0.5
33
Will Peeples
F
So.
29
16.3
2.3
3.0
1.8
23
Mike Dejworek
C
Fr.
9
2.9
1.0
0.2
0.2
14
Andrew House
G
So.
18
2.8
0.7
0.5
0.1
25
Patrick Brand
F
So.
9
1.4
0.0
0.2
0.0
Page 10
The Belmont Vision, March 21, 2007
Golf teams hitting mid-season stride
Women near end
of best season ever
By Charlie Toney
STAFF WRITER
The Belmont women’s golf team is poised
to finish the 2007 season strong – continuing to
set new standards for a program on the rise.
Led by sophomore sensation Lorrie Warren,
who set multiple school records as a freshman
last season, the Bruins finished second in
the Bruin Invitational tournament over spring
break.
Lissa Bradford, in her sixth year as coach, is
hopeful that this year’s team can be successful
in the Atlantic Sun tournament in early April.
“2006-07 has been our best season ever,”
said Bradford. “Each tournament is a process
and warm-up for conference. We are hoping to
peak in April and have our best conference finish ever.”
The team has already made huge strides of
improvement this year. Improvement that coach
Bradford is openly proud of. “We have played
three events so far this spring and bettered our
score each time we have teed it up,” she said.
The team has dropped its overall average score
from 323 strokes last season to an impressive
303 thus far in 2007.
Warren, who tied a season-low with a round
of 72 in the Belmont Invitational, brings young
talent to an otherwise experienced team. “Lorrie
has been a boost to our program, but everyone
else has stepped it up too,” said Bradford. “Our
success has been a total team effort.”
While the Bruins certainly have momentum
set in motion by early success, the challenge
ahead will be fulfilling their potential. With two
seniors and one junior, leadership is a strength
the Bruins have over many of their A-Sun
opponents. “We have leaders in many areas.
Some players are stronger in some areas and
push other players to excel in those areas in
which they are weak,” said Bradford. Add in a
sophomore class chock-full of talent and the
2007 team has all the traditional ingredients of
success.
In six out of seven,
men in Top 10
By Charlie Toney
STAFF WRITER
The Belmont men’s golf team has
posted a solid 2006-2007 season thus
far, highlighted by six top-10 finishes
in seven tournaments. The Bruins are
led by senior Jeff Lanier, who began
the spring session ranked 31st nationally. Also, the addition of international
freshmen Bryn Rocke and Simon
Marshall brings new talent and style to
the links.
The Bruins opened their spring slate
with an impressive finish at the Austin
Peay Intercollegiate matchwith a closing round of 304 to nab ninth place at
the Rice Intercollegiate. With a stunning final round score of 68 from junior
Danny Amundson, the team landed
another great tournament finish, captur-
ing fifth place at the Argonaut
Invitational Feb. 27 in Florida.
The Bruin’s consistent and exciting
play has the team poised and balanced
entering the remainder of their schedule. The major test will be the Atlantic
Sun Championship, taking place Apr.
16-18. The Bruins, who have finished
sixth three years in a row at the A-Sun
tournament, hope this year’s team will
push them over the hump.
Coach Brian Costello is in his second season as head coach of the men’s
golf team, after leading the team to two
first place finishes in his initial year as
head coach. Costello is more than
merely happy with his teams play thus
far in 2007. “I’m proud of their effort
as a team,” he said. “Everyone of them
is working to get better and improve
their game. I have definitely been
pleased with their attitude and work
ethic”
The men are back in play April 2-3
hosting the Belmont Invitational.
Sports Notebook/Jordan Drake, Sports Editor
Cross country teams Women’s tennis 6-4
get national awards after weekend split
The United States Track and Field and Cross Country
Coaches Association (USTFCCA) have honored the
Belmont men’s and women’s cross country teams for
excellence in the classroom.
A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and competing in
a NCAA regional final meet are required to be honored as
an All-Academic team. The women’s team posted a 3.71
GPA, which was second only to Utah’s Brigham Young
University among the 145 teams honored. The men’s team
posted a 3.30 GPA and was one of only 86 teams in
Division I honored.
Cross country coaches
sweep A-Sun awards
Women’s coach Seth Sheridan and men’s coach Jeff
Langdon each were honored with coach of the year awards
in the Atlantic Sun. The women won their fifth conference
title in six years, while the men were champions for the
fifth consecutive season.
5-18 season painful
for softball team
The Bruins are suffering through some growing pains
under coach Amy Tudor’s tutelage in her first season,
having dropping their sixth consecutive game.
Back-to-back losses to rival Lipscomb have Belmont in
the conference cellar this season after ending up there last
season. Junior Jess McMillian leads the Bruins with three
home runs. The catcher also leads the team with a .288
batting percentage. Sophomore starting pitcher Sammi
Parks has recorded four of Belmont’s five wins. The versatile athlete starts some games in the infield as well and
posts a 5.12 ERA.
The Bruins picked up and dropped a conference game
Mar. 16 and 17 against Gardner-Webb and North Florida,
respectively. Belmont is now 3-2 in conference play with
match wins over Kennesaw State, Mercer and GardnerWebb.
Men’s track earn
top fives in 8 events
Belmont opened its spring season at the 49er Track and
Field Classic in Charlotte, N.C. Saturday, Mar. 17. The
Bruins tallied five top-five finishes in eight events.
Kenya natives Hillary Cheruivot and Kipkosgei Magut
highlighted the weekend for Belmont. Cheruivot, a freshman, won the 3000-meter steeplechase with a time of
9:35:81 and placed second in the 1500 meters with a time
of 3:54:93. Magut, a junior, finished second in the 3000meter steeplechase and placed fourth in the 1500 meters.
Sophomore John Brigham earned the fifth top-five finish for the Bruins by placing fourth in the 5000 meters.
Women’s track
posts 11 top-fives
Belmont posted 11 top-fives in the Austin Peay Spring
Fling in Clarksville, Tenn. Mar. 17. Clarksville native Lizz
Pollock won the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:02:72.
The sophomore also placed third in the 100-meter hurdles.
Fellow Clarksville native Lynette Rives, also a sophomore,
won the 200-meter title with a time of 25:38. Freshman
Khalia Turner finished second in the 200 meters and junior
Lauren Williams placed second in the 800 meters.
Bruins Schedule
Home games are in bold
All times are Central
Baseball
3/21
3/23
3/24
3/27
3/28
3/30
3/31
Austin Peay
Clarksville
Campbell (DH)
Buies Creek
Campbell
Buies Creek
Murray State
Murray
Western Kentucky Greer Stadium
Gardner-Webb
Greer Stadium
Gardner-Webb (DH) Greer Stadium
TN
NC
NC
KY
6:00 pm
3:00 pm
2:00 pm
2:00 pm
3:00 pm
3:00 pm
1:00 pm
B u i e s C r e e k NC
Clarksville T N
Aquinas Field
Aquinas Field
Aquinas Field
3:00 pm
3:00 pm
1:00 pm
11:00 am
1:30 pm
Softball
3/23
3/28
3/30
3/31
4/3
Campbell (DH)
Austin Peay
Jacksonville (DH)
North Florida (DH)
Alabama A&M (DH)
Men’s Tennis
3/22
3/24
3/25
3/31
4/3
Western Kentucky
Florida Atlantic
Stetson
Jacksonville
Tennessee Tech
Davis Complex
Boca Raton F L
DeLand F L
Davis Complex
Davis Complex
3:00 pm
12:00 pm
11:00 am
2:00 pm
3:00 pm
Davis Complex
Davis Complex
Davis Complex
Davis Complex
2:00 pm
4:30 pm
10:00 am
3:00 pm
Women’s Tennis
3/23
3/30
3/31
4/3
Jacksonville State
Jacksonville
ETSU
Tennessee Tech
Men’s Track and Field
3/24 Rhodes Invitational
Memphis T N
Women’s Track and Field
3/24 R h o d e s I n v i t a t i o n a l
Memphis T N
3/31 C o a c h O I n v i t a t i o n a l
Troy AL
3/31 J S U S p r i n g t i m e
Jacksonville A L
Home losses put
men’s tennis at 2-4
Belmont, after losing consecutive home conference
matches March 16-17 to Gardner-Webb (6-1) and North
Florida (7-0), dropping their season’s record to 1-3 in conference action. The reigning champions of the A-Sun
picked up their first and only conference win Mar. 2
against Mercer. They face Florida Western Kentucky at
home at 3 p.m. Thursday, March 22, and head to Florida
International for a match at noon Saturday, March 24.
Men’s Golf
4/2-3 B e l m o n t I n v i t a t i o n a l
Old Natchez CC
Women’s Golf
4/2-3 McAmis InvitationalGreeneville, TN
FILE PHOTO
With spring sports underway, both the men’s and
women’s team are facing tough opponents.
The Belmont Vision, March 21, 2007
Page 11
Page 12
The Belmont Vision, March 21, 2007
Rhythm and Bruise
Roller Derby revival attracts women from Belmont, Nashville to rink
By Bethany Arthur
STAFF WRITER
Bruises, broken bones and short skirts are the trademarks of Nashville’s rollergirls, the Music City Rhythm
and Bruisers. After a sell-out bout Feb. 10 at the Tennessee
State Fairgrounds, the roller derby team members are getting positive attention along with their bruises.
“We just put some ads on the Internet and it grew from
there,” said Chrissy D’Amico, whose skate name is Killah
B. Killed.
D’Amico is one of the founders of the Nashville derby
teams.
Roller derby is not a new sport; it’s been around since
the early 1930s. Its revival is recent, but unlike the fake,
televised roller derbies of old, this roller derby is completely real. The girls are out there with helmets and pads getting hurt.
“I have a lot of bruises that look like skates and I’ve
bruised my tailbone, but I’ve been lucky,” Jennifer
Pilonsmitch, also known as Smith N. Wesson, said. “We
have one girl who broke her leg and ankle and she’s getting back on skates.”
Pilonsmitch added that most injuries are a result of girls
not knowing the right way to fall.
Different girls joined for different reasons but most say
they joined for the exercise and the sportsmanship.
Pilonsmitch, a graduate student at Vanderbilt, is a former
soccer player. One motivation for her move to roller derby
was that she missed being on a team with other women.
“It looked ridiculous at first. I just wanted the exercise
but now I’m having so much fun,” she said.
As for the uniforms and names, well, they’re just making it up as they go along. There is a registry online that the
girls have to compare their names with so as to not copy
anyone else.
“It’s actually kind of hard because there are so many
names already registered. You have to get really creative,”
“I have a lot of bruises that look
like skates and I’ve bruised my
tailbone, but I’ve been lucky.”
Jennifer Pilonsmitch
aka ‘Smith N. Wesson’
D’Amico said.
The rules, however, are not ad-lib at all. The rules are
posted on the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association website and are very clear, outlining everything from track formation to required skill levels. The Music City Rhythm and
Bruisers haven’t been approved by the WFTDA yet but
they are working on it.
“We are following the rules just waiting to be
approved,” Marissa Bransford said. “We have to be recommended by two teams who have already been accepted by
the WFTDA.”
Bransford, or Squeaky, is a senior at Belmont who
admits to being a little intimidated by the sport at first
because it had been a while since she had even been on
skates.
“We practice twice every week. There are three or four
falls that you have to know before you can play. You get
used to it after a while,” Bransford said while showing off
a bruise covering her kneecap.
The rollergirls are always looking for new teammates.
They are currently accepting all skill levels and promise to
teach the sport safely. D’Amico encourages women to
come to the practice sessions to watch and try out.
“Most girls who try out make it. You just need to be
over 21. Insurance is also good, but if you don’t have it, we
do have league insurance available,” D’Amico said.
PHOTOS BY SIERRA MITCHELL
Knee pads and elbow pads are de rigeur for these
Nashville Rollergirls, who compete in what is definitely
a contact sport. Roller Derby speed skating has been
around since the 1930s and experienced a cult following with televised events in the 1950s and 1960s.
Getting
There
Getting there
The Nashville Rollergirls practice
every Monday and Thursday 7-9
p.m. in the Sports Arena at the
Tennessee State Fairgrounds. The
next scheduled match is the Spring
Splatter Spectacular: Damsels vs.
Rivals April 7 at the Fairgrounds,
Nashville. For info and more details,
e-mail Bootsie Brawlins: [email protected]
On skates and in skirts, the Nashville
Rollergirls, right, practice for competition that demands skill and
endurance. Points come from jamming, a technique that the rules suggest have “inherent risks.”
Spring sounds off in wide variety of musical genres
By Courtney Drake
STAFF WRITER
Want to hear some brass and woodwind
instrumental music? How about opera? Or
maybe you want to hear a jazz ensemble
cover a Boyz II Men song?
Any of this sound interesting? If so, then
you’re in luck, because there are plenty of
musical events throughout the rest of the
semester that are diverse enough to appeal to
many different tastes.
Check out these music events, all of
which provide not only entertainment, but
culture and arts convo credit in most cases:
First Annual Mini Jazz Festival
Jazz Small Group II and the Bass
Ensemble will join together for this concert
featuring instrumental music; 7:30 p.m.,
Wednesday, March 21, Massey Performance
Hall (MPAC); free.
Mini Jazz Festival
This consecutive night of jazz music will
feature the Jazz Ensemble playing instrumental music; 7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 22,
Massey Performance Hall (MPAC); free.
Jazzmin
This is a vocal jazz group that will perform 15 pieces, including solos and small
group performances. The men will even be
covering a Boyz II Men song; Saturday,
March 24, Massey Performance Hall
(MPAC); free.
Percussion Ensemble
The percussion ensemble, led by Chris
Norton, will jam on their percussion instruments for this concert; 7:30 p.m., Monday,
March 26, Massey Performance Hall
(MPAC); free.
Session and Pops Ensemble
Session is a commercial music women’s a
capella choir and Pops is a mixed commercial choir. Both perform popular music; 7:30
p.m., Tuesday, March 27, Massey
Performance Hall (MPAC); free.
Bluegrass and Southbound Ensembles
This concert will feature bluegrass and
country music, respectively. The Bluegrass
ensemble will sing and perform bluegrass
instruments, and Southbound will do the
same while performing country music; 6:30
p.m., Thursday, March 29, Massey
Performance Hall (MPAC); free.
Company
Enjoy a night of singing and dancing to
popular songs by Company, a vocal ensemble; 7:30 p.m., Massey Performance Hall
(MPAC); free, Culture & Arts convo.
Faculty Concert
Hear Dan Landes perform classical
music on the piano; 7:30 p.m., Monday,
April 2, Belmont Mansion; free, no convo.
Phoenix and Rock Ensemble
Some old and new rock music will be
performed by these groups in a mix of instrumental and vocal music; 7:30 p.m., Tuesday,
April 3, Massey Performance Hall (MPAC);
free.
The Belmont Vision, March 21, 2007
Page 13
a&e
Broadway.com’s Top Grossing Shows (March 12-18)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Wicked ($1,388,693)
Mary Poppins ($1,188,689)
Jersey Boys ($1,160,591)
The Lion King ($1,129,632)
Mamma Mia! ($867,128)
If it’s not pop, rock, urban, gospel ...
Musicians who span genres take stage for Belmont’s Other Showcase
By Courtney Drake
STAFF WRITER
Artists who play music that’s
too unique to be qualified under a
single genre don’t have to be relegated to a no-name club. In
Belmont University’s case, they
simply audition for the Other
Showcase, which is dedicated
entirely to music that can’t be categorized and is crewed by Belmont
students. Then, the top four perform in the showcase on Saturday,
March 24, in the Curb Event
Center.
“There’s going to be so much
talent and contrast on stage,” said
C.T. Blackmore, one of the four to
perform in the Other Showcase. “It
will make the showcase unique and
more appealing to a wider audience.”
This year, the showcase will be
different from years past. It has a
new name, The Other [One],
because it will be driven by the
ONE Campaign, which raises
awareness for extreme poverty and
AIDS in Africa, one person at a
time. Additionally, the showcase
will be open to the city, and will be
hosted by singer/songwriter Dave
Barnes, who will represent the
Mocha Club, which encourages
people to give up two Mochas and
donate the money.
“We’re making it more about
the cause which really helps to
unify the show,” said Becca
Oursler, associate producer of the
showcase. “We have great songwriters, and they have a passion for
ONE and will complement each
other.”
Getting there
Getting
there
Belmont’s Other Showcase
is 7-8:30 p.m. Saturday,
March 24, in Curb Event
Center. There are options
for MBU 4000 and culture
and arts convo credit.
“I’m really excited about the
showcase,” said Brooke Annibale,
who will be performing an acoustic
set. “The idea that they’re using it
to support an organization is cool
too because it’s for a good cause.”
Solo artists Clark Richard,
Blackmore and Annibale, as well
as group Darla Farmer, were the
four chosen to perform at the
showcase. They were among 40
applicants who were chosen by
industry professionals based on CD
recordings and live performances.
“I knew I would kick myself if I
wasn’t a part [of the showcase],”
said Richard after he heard Devon
Roberts would be producing the
show. “I’ve worked with him
before and it seems like it would
be more professional.”
And the producers hope it will
be. This year, there will be more
visual elements, the production will
be “spectacular,” and the show will
be more intimate in order to “bring
together the audience and the performer,” said Oursler. “We want
to make the artists look their best.”
The four acts also got a chance
to meet with singer/songwriter
Chad Cates, who recently won a
Dove Award, to write a song
specifically for the ONE
Campaign. They also had a photo
shoot with Jeremy Cowart, who
has worked with a variety of musicians and even television shows
such as The Soup and Dirt. Both
the song and the photos will be
incorporated into the showcase in
some way.
While just being chosen to play
in the showcase does
have its perks, one winner will ultimately be
chosen by seven judges
who are involved in different aspects of the
music industry. The
winner will be
announced at the after
party at the Curb Café
and they will then go on
to play in the Best of
the Best, along with
winners of past showcases.
“We have some
amazing artists, the best
I’ve ever seen,” said
Oursler. “This will be
unlike any other showcase this year.”
After the showcase,
local organizations will
have tables set up in the
Maddox Grand Atrium,
where attendees will have the
chance to get involved.
Organizations include the
Blood:Water Mission, Invisible
Children, Hunger and
Homelessness, Make Trade Fair,
Safe Haven and the Mocha Club.
Cowart will also have copies of his
photogrpahy book available to buy.
Partnering with the ONE
Campaign for the Other
Showcase are, clockwise
from top, C.T. Blackmore,
Clark Richard, Darla Farmer
and Brooke Annibale.
PHOTOS BY JEREMY COWART
Shins’ Ryman gig a stellar show
By Lance Conzett
STAFF WRITER
Anytime that you mention The Shins, it
seems most writers would insert a Garden
State reference, but I think it’s time that we
as a people stop breaking our collective neck
to connect the two. Yes, the scene where
Sam handed Andrew a pair of headphones
blaring “New Slang” was evocative and
shoved The Shins into the spotlight, but that
was three years ago and has nothing to do
with their Mar. 9 performance at Nashville’s
Ryman Auditorium. It’s time to let go.
The arrival of the Shins was heralded by
the opening riff from “Sleeping Lessons”
echoing through the concert hall. Strings of
lights resembling stars were displayed
against an amoebic Rorschach test background. The band built towards the peak of
the song when a curtain dropped, revealing a
massively sized version of the Wincing the
Night Away cover painting. The band worked
through the first four songs off their latest
consensus was that the band stepped up huge
album, if you count the false start of “Pam
from its “underwhelmBerry” which turned
ing” performance two
into “Phantom Limb,”
years ago.
before moving on to
But performance is
older favorites off
only half of a great
Chutes Too Narrow
Ryman concert. The
and Oh, Inverted World
true showing of a great
like “Kissing the
band is whether or not
Lipless” and “New
they can overcome
Slang.” The band’s perbeing detached from
formance was flawless;
the audience. Often,
if the songs didn’t
the band on stage stays
sound as top-notch as
in a dull bubble and
they are on the albums,
refuses to interact with
they sounded even betthe crowd, especially
ter. Likewise, the atmoif they’re restrained to
sphere of the Ryman
reserved seating. The
perfectly complements
PHOTO COURTESY THESHINS.COM Shins, however, took
the band’s sound, particularly their indie-pop After their most recent stint in Nashville, the time to banter with the
Shins are heading to Europe to continue pro- crowd, including
harmonies. I missed
responding to a drunkthem when they came moting Wincing the Night Away.
to Cannery Ballroom in 2005, but the general en Billy Madison reference and prefacing a
song with “We’re going to play one from the
good old days. The Shins’ good old days.
Although they weren’t all that good. And
they were only six years ago.”
An odd phenomenon happens when
bands come to the Ryman Auditorium. The
history of the venue is such a heavy weight
to place on a group of musicians that they
often try to compensate with a country cover
or two. In the past, acts like Bright Eyes
have gone as far as pulling local stars like
Gillian Welch on stage to honor tradition. Of
course, the Shins were no different. The band
expanded their encore to include several covers, including one of the Webb Pierce country standard, “There Stands the Glass.”
After 21 songs from their three albums,
the music started to run together and I was
left wondering after the finale, “So Says I,” if
they had played that song 40 minutes earlier.
But, is it really a bad thing to hear the same
Shins song over and over again? My iTunes
play count says “No, never.”
Page 14
The Belmont Vision, March 21, 2007
Songwriting addition
expands music degrees
By Katie Ragsdale
STAFF WRITER
The Ataris – Welcome The Night
Few bands have the opportunity to be an enormous commercial
success. Fewer bands deserve it. The latter category is where one
can find the Ataris, now with their latest effort, Welcome The
Night. In fact, very much has changed in the group since their
debut album ten years ago. Now, four years since their last
release, The Ataris hope to use their music to attract a slightly
older demographic, and they have slightly succeeded in doing
such. Upon first listen, the album’s title begins to make more
sense as the Ataris have produced their darkest and spaciest
album to date. Whirling guitar sounds complement various effects
and noise manipulations over a vast base of Kristopher Roe’s theatrical vocals. It is important to note that Roe is the only original
member of the Ataris. In fact, he is the only returning member
since So Long, Astoria – every other member for this album is different, thus explaining the striking difference in sound. Welcome The Night boasts only several
impressionable singles, notably “Begin Again From The Beginning” and “Whatever Lies Will
Help You Rest.” However, the album itself proves worthy as a nice vacation from the conventional sounds of today’s alternative. While the group has made leaps and bounds away from
their predictable pop-punk sounds, the fact remains that the band is still called The Ataris.
The name alone is sure to keep some older fans away.
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank might be perfect. It
just depends what you want from your Modest Mouse. For me, I
loved the shorter, more precise songs that were the staple of
2004’s Good News For People Who Love Bad News though this
isn’t to say that the band’s trashier previous albums were not
great, just unfocused. Many Modest Mouse fans that listen to
Ship will complain that the band is continuing their downward
spiral into radio-ready, mainstream material that they accused
the band of with Good News. To me, it’s not about where the
music is going to be played, but it is a matter of how the band
has matured and grown. Pre-Good News albums contained
songs that tended to lose their way. They would start as promising hooky-songs that should end around three minutes, but
instead meandered their way into an overstaying-its-welcome instrumental. Don’t get me
wrong, my favorite Mouse album is The Moon And Antarctica which is guilty of the previous
mentioned offense, but I accept the new Modest Mouse and you should too. Front man Isaac
Brock has found the core of his songs and I feel he knows his songs better now than ever,
where they should go and how they should sound. Of course, the addition of former Smith
Johnny Marr does not hurt in finding a distinctive sound. While the spotlight might be Marr’s
terse riffs and pretty atmospherics, one can’t overlook the rest of the band. Each member
keeps the focus on complementing each other’s work. Never does a drumbeat overpower a
bass line, or do guitar chords drown out the vocals. The musicianship is top-notch and it only
helps Brock to screech with confidence. For those that are down and out about the newer
Modest Mouse, don’t merely tune out but stick through until the end of the album. Around
“Education,” the album starts to hark back to classic Modest Mouse sound. The vaguely outof-tune guitars, washed-out vocals, and spontaneous movement the band has built a reputation
on are present. This Mouse is here to stay and as long as they continue to grow and create
interesting songs, I don’t mind letting them keep that hole in my wall.
- Chase Misenheimer
The Good, The Bad, and The Queen - Self-Titled
Not many will recognize the name, but most will recognize the
music. The Good, The Bad, and The Queen is a four-piece collaboration headed by Damon Albarn (Blur, The Gorillaz). The
self-titled debut from the band gives us moody yet well-written
songs. The first song on the album is reminiscent of The
Gorillaz. The driving bass line gives it away. Though not as forward as The Gorillaz’ “Feel Good, Inc,” the bass gives the song a
groove most Gorillaz junkies will love. Albarn’s vocals never seem
to rise above the music. He has a low, soft vocal that doesn’t
jump around much. The rest of the album feels a bit like a Blur
album on depressants. A good record to check out, but if you are
a Blur or Gorillaz fan you should buy it.
- Bland Clark
Beginning this year, Belmont students
will be able to earn a songwriting degree.
An official description of the program
explains it this way: “Encouraging individuality and creative approaches, the program
will equip students with the essential knowledge and skills necessary to function as a
songwriter in today’s entertainment industry
and with an in-depth understanding of the
various career opportunities available for
songwriters,”
The songwriting major will be associated
with the schools of music business and of
music. Students in the program will have a
varied course load, from music and composition to writing classes and electives.
The Student Leadership Council of the
College of Entertainment and Music
Business contributed to the original planning
of this new program when they became
aware of a growing interest among students
for a songwriting major.
They heard numerous opinions on the
issue from students and informed the dean,
said L.A. Landgraf, 20, member of the council and office manager of the CEMB student
information center. “Our purpose is to create
unity between the faculty and the students,”
she said.
Belmont is catering to the desires of the
students and creating opportunities for students to pursue more specific majors. This
will bring people to Belmont, Landgraf said.
“I think it’s going to be very successful. [...]
It will make a big difference,” she said.
Starting in June, the College of
Entertainment and Music Business will offer
four degrees: songwriting, entertainment
industry studies, music business and audio
engineering studies. When the 2007-08
undergraduate catalog is published, more
information on the songwriting major will be
available.
Most of the specifics are still being
worked out. “I know they are working with
Nashville Songwriters Association
International and with one other songwriting
association. They have good relationships
with them,” Landgraf said.
Middle Tennessee State University in
Murfreesboro is also in the process of offering a similar degree.
“I heard about the songwriting major
because I work for one of the professors in
the recording industry,” said Levi Watson,
19, recording industry major at MTSU. “I
heard him talking about it, and he sent out emails to students already in songwriting
classes asking who’d be interested in a songwriting major.
“There hasn’t been much publicity about
the songwriting program at MTSU at this
point,” Watson said.
“Right now, we don’t have a songwriting
major, we have a songwriting emphasis. It’s
probably going to be the spring of ’08 before
it’s initiated,” said Hal Newman, assistant
professor in the recording industry program
and head of the songwriting sequence at
MTSU.
There are 38 students in MTSU’s emphasis right now, Newman said, who are taking
courses in advanced songwriting, commercial songwriting and publishing. These students are majoring in recording industry,
with a concentration in either music business
or production technology, and an emphasis
in songwriting, he said.
Belmont and MTSU are approaching the
songwriting programs differently, but they
are both still finalizing the details. “It’s just
paper and red tape that takes a little while,”
said Newman. “All this is a work in
progress.”
Mae heads to Music City
perform the songs and it gives you more of a
sense of personal goals – what you want to
As Mae gets ready to head to Nashville
accomplish on tour and how you want the
with Relient K, we took some time to chat
show to look. [. . .] My favorite thing now is
with lead singer Dave Elkins before the
touring because I love the energy that comes
March 25 show at Rcktwn.
from going from city to city every night,
Vision: Because Nashville is such a
hanging out with the same bands and crew
haven for musicians, do you notice that
members, just getting into people’s worlds.
fans here are harder to please than any in
Once we get on the bus we’ll be touring for
other city?
about two years straight.
Elkins:Well, definitely yes. I enjoy that
What’s the direction behind the new
though because
album in comparison to
one thing that I
others you’ve done?
really enjoy about
I think this time
our band is the
around we have relaxed as
musicality, I feel
a band and have found a
like good energy
lot of comfort in writing
and crowd particimusic playing together.
pation is great, but
We’ve played live for
you get a good
four years and we have
sense of energy
really honed into our
when you come to
sound. [. . .] We’re develNashville and you
oping more of an energetknow the people
ic rock guitar driven
PHOTO COURTESY MAE.COM sound within our recordings
in Nashville expect
good musicianship Dan Elkins heads pop/rock outfit Mae.
which translates over into
and performance as opposed to just chaos
the way we tour.
and “rocking out.”
How was the transition from Tooth
Would you consider yourself more of a
and Nail Records to Capitol Records?
touring or studio band? Where is your
Tooth and Nail was great for us and
heart?
hooked us up with great distribution and tour
Here lately, we’ve been off several
support, creating a strong family. But Capitol
months for touring, so we’ve really been
can put us on the radio and get a music video
immersed in this record and have been work- out there. The album we’re putting out is
ing on it for more than a year now. Nothing
going to connect with a lot of people and
rejuvenates a band more than writing a
give us a chance to let them know what
record. After the album is recorded and
we’re about – it’s an exciting time for us.
done, you begin to think how you want to
By Matthew Reynolds
STAFF WRITER
The Belmont Vision, March 21, 2007
Page 15
‘Silent Bear’ showcases short films
By Chansin Bird
Spielberg wants you!
SENIOR WRITER
For the first time, students can
showcase their filming skills at
Belmont. The Silent Bear Film Festival
will be a night of entertainment held in
Thrailkill Hall’s lobby on Sunday,
March 25.
“I’m excited to see a different
aspect of Belmont because we’re so
used to the music,” senior Matthew
Carrier said.
It’s not too late to enter a five-minutes-or-shorter video for the festival.
The deadline for entries has been
extended to Friday.
Criteria for entries require a certain
percentage to be filmed on Belmont’s
campus, and videos must feature the
bear statue.
“Part of it has to be filmed on campus so it’s recognizable to students and
fun to watch because you know where
these places are,” Thrailkill RA and
senior Tyler Torti said. Torti, Carrier
and Cameron Powell are producers of
the event.
There is no minimum time requirement. They will show a funny video
even if it lasts only 20 seconds.
Event sponsors also wanted to challenge students to creatively incorporate
the statue into their videos.
Humor is preferred, and music
videos are allowed. Or, as Torti
explains on the group’s blog, “We'll
take it all...comedy, drama,
action/adventure, horror (as long as it
doesn't involve blood or things eating
For more information on the
first Silent Bear Film Festival,
which might be your next step
toward the Best Director
Oscar, check out
http://www.silentbearfilm.blogs
pot.com/ or join the silent bear
film festival Facebook group.
people) or any other genre you can
think of!
“I’m an actor, and I know how
much fun it can be to go out and be an
idiot on film,” Torti said. “To see other
people enjoy that is really rewarding.”
He expects to have about six entries.
Torti said many people have not turned
in videos yet because they are focused
on school and don’t have much time to
take a break to put a video together
with their friends.
How the Thrailkill RAs put the
event together depends on what is
turned in. There will, however, be food,
judges and awards that have to do with
Tom Cruise and motorcycles. If successful, this may turn into an annual
event, planners said.
“We think we have talented people
here,” Torti said. “We wanted to have
fun with this and see what happens.”
Belmont’s bronze bruin statue stands ready for filmmakers who will show their work
in the March 25 Silent Bear Film Festival in Thrailkill Hall.
practice safe storage
use bubble wrap
cool
close to
campus
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NASHVILLE, TN 37203
615.780.2000
CONVENIENT
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Convenient to Belmont-Hillsboro Areas and Vanderbilt-West End
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Page 16
The Belmont Vision, February 28, 2007
stage
Mark Twain’s Life on the Mississippi
Roxy Regional Theatre
March 23 - April 7
www.roxyregionaltheatre.org
Intimate Apparel
Tennessee Repertory Theatre
March 22 - April 7
www.tnrep.org
Lucky Stiff
Boiler Room Theatre
March 16 - April 14
www.boilerroomtheatre.com
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
Nashville Children’s Theatre
March 6 - April 7
www.nct-dragonsite.org
Evanescence
Gaylord Entertainment Center
March 28
song
Cold War Kids
Mercy Lounge
March 24
www.mercylounge.com
Youth Group
Exit/In
March 25
www.exitin.com
Augustana
Exit/In
March 28
www.exitin.com
Daughtry
Exit/In
April 5
www.exitin.com
Relient K w/ Mae
Rcktwn
March 25
www.rcktwn.com
Anberlin
Rcktwn
April 1
www.rcktwn.com
stuff
Moving Beyond Balance by Snappy
Dance Theater
Tennessee Performing Arts Center
March 31
www.tpac.org
The Black Lips
The End
April 5
www.theendnashville.com
Celtic Woman
Tennessee Performing Arts Center
March 24 - 25
www.tpac.org
the
Vince Gill
Ryman Auditorium
April 4 - 5
www.ryman.com
Lamb of God
City Hall
April 3
www.cityhallnashville.com
The Decemberists
City Hall
April 5
www.cityhallnashville.com
mar. 20
Joss Stone/Introducing Joss Stone (Virgin)
Elliott Yamin/Elliott Yamin (Hickory)
Tracey Thorn/Out of the Woods (Astralwerks)
Marques Houston/Veteran (Umvd Labels)
Jesse Malin/Glitter in the Gutter (Adeline)
Andrew Bird/Armchair Apocrypha (Fat Possum)
Modest Mouse/We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (Sony)
Mafioso
Belcourt Theatre
Through March 25
www.belcourt.org
The Host
Belcourt Theatre
March 23
www.belcourt.org
Matisse, Picasso and the School of
Paris
Frist Center for the Visual Arts
Through June 3
www.fristcenter.org
Mexico and Modern Printmaking
Frist Center for the Visual Arts
Through April 15
www.fristcenter.org
Swan Lake
Nashville Ballet
April 27 - 29
www.nashvilleballet.com
Madame Butterfly
Nashville Opera
April 12 - 14
www.nashvilleopera.org
www.gaylordentertainmentcenter.com
Joe Satriani
Ryman Auditorium
March 27
www.ryman.com
screen
Home by Barry Noland
Plowhaus Artist’s Co-op
Through March 25
www.plowhaus.org
grimey’s top 20
1. Arcade Fire/Neon Bible
2. Air/Pocket Symphony
3. Lovedrug/Everything Starts Where...
4. Bright Eyes/Four Winds
5. Son Volt/The Search
6. Paolo Nutini/These Streets
7. Albert Hammond Jr./Yours to Keep
8. !!!/Myth Takes
9. The Stooges/The Weirdness
10. RJD2/Third Hand
The Lives of Others
Regal Green Hills 16
Currently Playing
www.fandango.com
The Namesake
Regal Green Hills 16
Opens March 30
www.fandango.com
mar. 23
Reign Over Me (Adam Sandler)
Pride (Terrence Howard)
Shooter (Mark Wahlberg)
The Hills Have Eyes II
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
mar. 30
Blades of Glory (Will Ferrell)
The Lookout (Jeff Daniels)
Peaceful Warrior (Nick Nolte)
Meet the Robinsons(Angela Bassett)
11. Dr. Dog/We All Belong
12. Apostle of Hustle/
National Anthem of Nowhere
13. Hotpipes/Hotpipes
14. Explosions in the Sky/
All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
15. Menomena/Friend & Foe
16. Lucinda Williams/West
17. Antibalas/Security
18. The Shins/Wincing the Night Away
19. Tommy Womack/There, I Said It!
20. Patty Griffin/Children Running
Through
album drops...
mar. 27
Tim McGraw/Let It Go (Curb)
Kaiser Chiefs/Yours Truly Angry Mob (Umvd)
Good Charlotte/Good Morning Revival (Sony)
Macy Gray/Big (Geffen)
Various Artists/Now That’s What I Call Music! 24 (Capitol)
Stevie Nicks/Crystal Visions: The Very Best (Reprise/Wea)