March 21, 2012

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@TheAllState #TheAllState /theallstate WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2012 SOCIAL MEDIA THE ALL STATE Student Newspaper of Austin Peay State University Since 1930 • First copy free, additional copies 50 cents each THE ALL STATE THE ALL STATE.ORG By JENELLE GREWELL [email protected] The company Campus Crest Communities, Inc., which runs the Grove housing complex, said the incident resulting in the death of Shardae Wright, 23, on Saturday, March 3, in no way reflects upon the safety and security of the student housing community. “It is important to understand that this event was an isolated incident that occurred between an invited guest and a resident, who apparently knew each other well,” the company said in their statement to The All State through their public relations representative Jason Chudoba. According to news releases sent out by the Clarksville Police Department, after midnight on Saturday, March 3, police officers responded to a shots fired call at Building Six in the Grove. e news release states when officers arrived on the scene, they encountered several shell casings outside the apartment and bullet holes in the door. “Officers entered the apartment and found a deceased female in the bathtub with gunshot wounds,” the news release said. “We responded that somebody had been shot and we tried to figure out who did what,” said Jim Knoll, public information officer for the Clarksville Police Department. e news release states, according to witness accounts, the victim was Alleged homicide occurs at the Grove apartment complex The Grove apartments were the scene of an alleged shooting involving a resident on Saturday, March 3. BRITTANY SPARN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Famous poet , Billy Collins, gives reading , 5 Tennessee law targets abortion patients , 3 APSU tennis teams win 3 conference games, 8 » RANKED 4TH BEST COLLEGE NEWSPAPER IN SOUTH CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 By PHILIP SPARN [email protected] Students who depend on subsidized student loans to help them pay for college are expected to see their interest rates double in July if Congress does not act to keep rates down or frozen at their current level. As a part of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act passed in 2007, students have seen interest rates on new subsidized student loans gradually decrease over the last several years, from 6.8 percent to its current rate at 3.4 percent, according to direct.ed.gov. As with most legislation passed by Congress, some of the benefits of this law and the interest rates are set to last only for a limited time, unless congress extends the law’s benefits permanently or temporarily. Starting July 1, 2012, interest rates on all new Subsidized Direct Student Loans are set to double from 3.4 percent, back to their previous level of 6.8 percent, unless Congress intervenes, according to the Department of Financial Aid at APSU. For the 2011-12 academic year there were 6,227 students at APSU who received these Subsidized Direct student loans, totaling more than $24 million, according to the Department of Education. “This increase may be incremental on paper, but this small jump will end up costing a lot of student borrowers thousands of dollars in the long run,” said State Rep. Joe Pitts, member of the Tennessee House Education Committee, D-Clarksville. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Student loan interest rates set to double unless government acts Security not aff ected, said company offi cials By TIFFANY HALL [email protected] e first ever SGA presidential debate of its kind was held Monday, March 19, with a small turnout of 25 students. The purpose of the debate was for SGA presidential candidates, Jesse Brewer and Drew Smith, to let the students know what they would do if elected. Voting starts on Tuesday, March 27 at 9 a.m. and will end on ursday, March 29 at 11:59 p.m. Brewer is a junior majoring in History and double minoring in Education and Leadership. He is also the current Executive Secretary for the SGA. He has held other leadership positions on campus including working in Student Affairs for two years, being a peer mentor, a freshman orientation mentor and an active member of the Governor’s Ambassador Club. He has held Senate positions for both the College of Arts and Letters and the freshman class. Brewer said that all of the leadership opportunities have opened doors for him to meet and develop relationships with a lot of the faculty and staff members at APSU. He said one of the most important things about being president would be to sit and have conversations, discuss ideas and communicate effectively with the administrators of APSU to get things done. Brewer put a lot of emphasis on how communication is the key to being a successful president. “To be the voice of students,” Brewer said, “the students must be heard.” Candidate Drew Smith is a sophomore majoring in History and minoring in Political Science. He plans to attend law school after graduating from APSU. He serves on the Academic Council, has been a part of SGA’s G.H.O.S.T., an active member of Governor’s Ambassador Club and is a peer mentor on campus. He was nominated and selected as a rising leader for the freshman class last year and was awarded the rising leader for the sophomore class this year. Smith said that while he was not as well-known with all of the administrators or faculty on the campus, he is prepared to do whatever he can to get the students represented. “Freshmen aren’t represented. ey aren’t involved with things happening on campus because they don’t know about them,” Smith said. Brewer said he wants to use social networks, such as Twitter, to communicate with students. He also mentioned the idea of having a SGA scroll board set up in the MUC, where students can tweet their ideas or thoughts to the SGA Twitter and it will show up on the board for everyone to see. “Every student has a thought, but that is as far as it goes. With STAFF REPORT An alleged armed robbery occurred on campus at approximately 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 17. The suspects are described as “three black males in their 20s to early 30s … wearing black, red and white hooded shirts” according to the campus safety notice sent out via the Gov Says email system. The incident allegedly occurred near Drane Street and the Memorial Health Building. According to the campus safety notice, the suspects “flagged down the victim” then “one of the suspects brandished a knife, while another demanded money from the victim.” The suspects then fled on foot in the direction of the “Honors Commons/ Subway area” according to the safety notice. “If you don’t know the person calling you over ... walk away,” said Lt. Carlton Little, campus police officer. He also advised that the sooner someone contacts the police about a crime, the sooner that crime can be solved. According to Little, there are no leads and the investigation is still ongoing. If you have any information about the crime, contact APSU campus police at (931) 221-4848 or (931) 221-7786 or text to (931) 494-6672. Anonymous messages can be submitted at www.apsu. edu/police/reporting. TAS Alleged armed robbery occured on campus, Saturday CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 #STUDENTLOANS #THEGROVE #APDEBATE #SGAELECTIONS SGA presidential candidates Drew Smith (left) and Jesse Brewer (right) debated issues and put forward their campaign platforms to an audience of students and staff at the first ever SGA presidential debate on Monday, March 19. NICOLA TIPPY | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER By ERICKA CONLEY [email protected] e topic of the fourth annual AP Debate Forum was “Is it morally and ethically acceptable to use deadly force to protect yourself or your property regardless of circumstances?” e event was held at 6:30 p.m., March 19, 2012, in the Music/Mass Communications Building. “The purpose of the debate forum is to provide an opportunity for students taking public speaking to practice the skills they are learning in class in a real life setting,” said Stacie Mumpower, Public Speaking Coordinator and instructor in the department of Communications. “Debate topics are current, socially relevant issues that engage students in discussion. The design of the event encourages students to voice their opinions in a more effective way.” e debate forum began with the students on stage addressing the “for” and the “against” sides of the topic. After both sides debated the issue, the audience members were allowed to come on stage and debate the topic as well. The students who participated in the debate forum were selected by an audition process. e students who are interested in being a part of the debate forum must be enrolled in public speaking. e six public speaking students who were on the panel AP Forum lets students debate controversial issues SGA debate 2012 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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The voice of Austin Peay State University students since 1930.

Transcript of March 21, 2012

Page 1: March 21, 2012

@TheAllState#TheAllState

/theallstate

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2012

SOCIAL MEDIA

THE ALL STATEStudent Newspaper of Austin Peay State University Since 1930 • First copy free, additional copies 50 cents eachTHE ALL STATETHE ALL STATE.ORG

By JENELLE [email protected]

The company Campus Crest Communities, Inc., which runs the Grove housing complex, said the incident resulting in the death of Shardae Wright, 23, on Saturday, March 3, in no way reflects upon the safety and security of the student housing community.

“It is important to understand that this event was an isolated incident

that occurred between an invited guest and a resident, who apparently knew each other well,” the company said in their statement to The All State through their public relations representative Jason Chudoba.

According to news releases sent out by the Clarksville Police Department, after midnight on Saturday, March 3, police officers responded to a shots fired call at Building Six in the Grove. � e news release states when offi cers arrived on

the scene, they encountered several shell casings outside the apartment and bullet holes in the door. “Offi cers entered the apartment and found a deceased female in the bathtub with gunshot wounds,” the news release said.

“We responded that somebody had been shot and we tried to fi gure out who did what,” said Jim Knoll, public information officer for the Clarksville Police Department.

� e news release states, according to witness accounts, the victim was

Alleged homicide occurs at the Grove apartment complex

The Grove apartments were the scene of an alleged shooting involving a resident on Saturday, March 3. BRITTANY SPARN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Famous poet, Billy Collins, gives reading, 5 Tennessee law targets abortion patients, 3APSU tennis teams win 3 conference games, 8 »

RANKED 4TH BEST COLLEGE NEWSPAPER IN SOUTH

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

By PHILIP [email protected]

Students who depend on subsidized student loans to help them pay for college are expected to see their interest rates double in July if Congress does not act to keep rates down or frozen at their current level.

As a part of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act passed in 2007, students have seen interest rates on new subsidized student loans gradually decrease over the last several years, from 6.8 percent to its current rate at 3.4 percent, according to direct.ed.gov.

As with most legislation passed by Congress, some of the benefi ts of this law and the interest rates are set to last only for a limited time, unless congress extends the law’s benefi ts permanently or temporarily.

Starting July 1, 2012, interest rates on all new Subsidized Direct Student Loans are set to double from 3.4 percent, back to their previous level of 6.8 percent, unless Congress intervenes, according to the Department of Financial Aid at APSU.

For the 2011-12 academic year there were 6,227 students at APSU who received these Subsidized Direct student loans, totaling more than $24 million, according to the Department of Education.

“This increase may be incremental on paper, but this small jump will end up costing a lot of student borrowers thousands of dollars in the long run,” said State Rep. Joe Pitts, member of the Tennessee House Education Committee, D-Clarksville.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Student loan interest rates set to double unless government acts

Security not aff ected, said company offi cials

By TIFFANY [email protected]

� e fi rst ever SGA presidential debate of its kind was held Monday, March 19, with a small turnout of 25 students. The purpose of the debate was for SGA presidential candidates, Jesse Brewer and Drew Smith, to let the students know what they would do if elected.

Voting starts on Tuesday, March 27 at 9 a.m. and will end on � ursday, March 29 at 11:59 p.m.

Brewer is a junior majoring in History and double minoring in Education and Leadership. He is also the current Executive Secretary for the SGA. He has held other leadership positions

on campus including working in Student Aff airs for two years, being a peer mentor, a freshman orientation mentor and an active member of the Governor’s Ambassador Club. He has held Senate positions for both the College of Arts and Letters and the freshman class.

Brewer said that all of the leadership opportunities have opened doors for him to meet and develop relationships with a lot of the faculty and staff members at APSU. He said one of the most important things about being president would be to sit and have conversations, discuss ideas and communicate eff ectively with the administrators of APSU to get things done.

Brewer put a lot of emphasis on

how communication is the key to being a successful president. “To be the voice of students,” Brewer said, “the students must be heard.”

Candidate Drew Smith is a sophomore majoring in History and minoring in Political Science. He plans to attend law school after graduating from APSU. He serves on the Academic Council, has been a part of SGA’s G.H.O.S.T., an active member of Governor’s Ambassador Club and is a peer mentor on campus. He was nominated and selected as a rising leader for the freshman class last year and was awarded the rising leader for the sophomore class this year.

Smith said that while he was not as well-known with all of the administrators or faculty on

the campus, he is prepared to do whatever he can to get the students represented.

“Freshmen aren’t represented. � ey aren’t involved with things happening on campus because they don’t know about them,” Smith said.

Brewer said he wants to use social networks, such as Twitter, to communicate with students. He also mentioned the idea of having a SGA scroll board set up in the MUC, where students can tweet their ideas or thoughts to the SGA Twitter and it will show up on the board for everyone to see.

“Every student has a thought, but that is as far as it goes. With

STAFF REPORT

An alleged armed robbery occurred on campus at approximately 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 17. The suspects are described as “three black males in their 20s to early 30s … wearing black, red and white hooded shirts” according to the campus safety notice sent out via the Gov Says email system.

The incident allegedly occurred near Drane Street and the Memorial Health Building. According to the campus safety notice, the suspects “flagged down the victim” then “one of the suspects brandished a knife, while another demanded money from the victim.” The suspects then fl ed on foot in the direction of the “Honors Commons/Subway area” according to the safety notice.

“If you don’t know the person calling you over ... walk away,” said Lt. Carlton Little, campus police offi cer. He also advised that the sooner someone contacts the police about a crime, the sooner that crime can be solved.

According to Little, there are no leads and the investigation is still ongoing.

If you have any information about the crime, contact APSU campus police at (931) 221-4848 or (931) 221-7786 or text to (931) 494-6672. Anonymous messages can be submitted at www.apsu.edu/police/reporting. TAS

Alleged armed robbery occured on campus, Saturday

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

#STUDENTLOANS

#THEGROVE

#APDEBATE

#SGAELECTIONS

SGA presidential candidates Drew Smith (left) and Jesse Brewer (right) debated issues and put forward their campaign platforms to an audience of students and sta� at the � rst ever SGA presidential debate on Monday, March 19. NICOLA TIPPY | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

By ERICKA [email protected]

� e topic of the fourth annual AP Debate Forum was “Is it morally and ethically acceptable to use deadly force to protect yourself or your property regardless of circumstances?”

� e event was held at 6:30 p.m., March 19, 2012, in the Music/Mass Communications Building.

“The purpose of the debate forum is to provide an opportunity for students taking public speaking to practice the skills they are learning in class in a real life setting,” said Stacie Mumpower, Public Speaking Coordinator and instructor in the department of Communications. “Debate

topics are current, socially relevant issues that engage students in discussion. The design of the event encourages students to voice their opinions in a more eff ective way.”

� e debate forum began with the students on stage addressing the “for” and the “against” sides of the topic. After both sides debated the issue, the audience members were allowed to come on stage and debate the topic as well.

The students who participated in the debate forum were selected by an audition process. � e students who are interested in being a part of the debate forum must be enrolled in public speaking. � e six public speaking students who were on the panel

AP Forum lets students debate controversial issues

SGA debate 2012

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Page 2: March 21, 2012

NEWSNEWSTHE ALL STATE • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2012

CRIME LOGThe campus

crime log includes arrests

and dispatch call-ins. As mandated

by Tennessee law, the crime log is updated

within two business days of an incident and

new information to an incident available for

public inspection any time during normal business

hours.

2:46 p.m.; Mar. 14; Sundquist Science Complex; theft of property

5:19 p.m.; Mar. 13; Emerald Hills/Two Rivers; vandalism

9:58 a.m.; Mar. 13; Castle Heights hall; contempt of court attachment

5:31 p.m.; Mar. 12; Castle Heights hall; alleged sexual assault

9:58 p.m.; Mar. 11; Blount hall; alcohol violations

9:13 p.m.; Mar. 11; Emerald Hills and Two Rivers lot; aggravated burglary

7:33 p.m.; Mar. 11; Emerald Hills/Two Rivers; aggravated burglary

Visit TheAllState.org to see an interactive of the

campus crime log.

Formoreinforma+onvisit:

www.apsu.edu/sll/gpc

Wear your best western wear

to win PRIZES!

allegedly seen trying to escape her assumed boyfriend, who was later identified as Nicholas Durant. “Durant pointed a firearm at the victim, at which time an eyewitness ran to get help and then heard several gunshots,” states the news release. According to the news release, Durant allegedly fl ed from the scene and went to a friend’s house and disclosed he got into a fight with his girlfriend and shot her.

Knoll said the next steps were to call law enforcement along the alleged escape route, to process the crime scene, get a search warrant and collect evidence.

According to the news release, around 10 a.m. on Friday, March 9, Durant was booked in North

Carolina when North Carolina Highway Patrol spotted his vehicle. According to the news release, Durant was extradited from North Carolina around 2:45 p.m. and, when booked in Montgomery County Jail, was charged with criminal homicide in conjunction with the death of Wright.

Knoll said police are not disclosing the reason why it happened because the investigation is still ongoing. “There’s this misconception that when somebody’s been charged it’s done,” he said. He said it is not done until the trial.

“While situations like this are outside of our control, we are fully committed to the safety and security of our residents and have numerous security measures in place,” the representative for the Grove said. They said they are deeply saddened about the loss of life. TAS

Credo Amouzouvik, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Representative seat in District 7, believes the interest rates for student loans should be kept at their current levels, if not lowered. “It would be better if we could lower them, but we cannot raise them and place an extra burden on the students that cannot aff ord it,” Amouzouvik said.

Current U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. for District 7, did not specifi cally address the upcoming interest rate increase upon � e All State’s request, but the congresswoman’s office did issue this statement by Blackburn in response, “� e Obama Administration needs to join the House Republicans and be focused on legislation that helps job creators create jobs. Student loan forgiveness plans don’t help grow the economy and actually cost the college student more money in the long run.”

Amouzouvik pointed out student loans are behind mortgages as the

second largest contributor to household debt in America. “Education should not be considered a luxury; it should be affordable to everyone without making students accrue massive amounts of debt,” Amouzouvik said. “Higher education, and education as a whole, should be a priority for congress right now. It is going to take a strong education system to have a strong economy that lasts.”

According to Donna Price, the director of student financial aid at APSU, the average debt for APSU students is $24,000 and the upcoming increase in interest rates will increase the amount of debt that students get into.

“Students and parents need to be very careful about their student loan borrowing and make intentional decisions to curb their spending and borrowing if and whenever possible,” Price said. “I also urge every student borrower to keep track of their fi nancial aid status and check back regularly for fi nancial aid developments, programs and opportunities that can help them pay for college expenses.” TAS

HomicideCONTINUED FROM FRONT Loans

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

the scroll board set up, their thoughts can be heard and then be put into action,” Brewer said.

Smith’s plans include an incentive plan for students similar to UT Knoxville’s current incentive plan. When a student goes to a campus event, such as a public speaker or football game, their student ID gets points added to it. All of the points add up to coupons or discounts towards different things.

Smith also brought up the use of the social networking site, Twitter, as a way for students to communicate their ideas to the SGA and Senate. He made it clear it would also be a way for students to stay informed and up to date with diff erent events happening on campus.

Smith said that in the two years he has been at APSU, he feels like there has been a lack of legislation. Students have had complaints that have not been heard or taken care of, according to Smith.

Each candidate was asked what three qualifications they bring to the table. Brewer said his qualifi cations are the “three Ps” – public speaking, professionalism and prioritizing. He said in order to be a great leader, you must have great public speaking skills for anyone to listen; you must always act professional because you are always representing something; and you must prioritize because it is too easy to forget things and get caught up in other activities.

Smith said his three qualifi cations are that he has positive leadership skills, he is friendly and is always involved.

Smith said in order to be a great leader, you must always be positive and make everyone around you see the positive side of everything; you must be friendly or people will not be supportive; and you must be involved so people are aware that you are an active member of the community.

The current SGA President, Trent Gaasch said they are both very qualified, and he hopes they both are able to get their ideas across to the students in an eff ective manner. TAS

SGACONTINUED FROM FRONT

APSU HEADLINES

SGA Spring Elections voting from Tuesday, March 27-29 Asanbe Diversity Symposium speaker to address Down syndrome, March 23

Interfraternity Council receives awards at Southeastern Interfraternity Conference

were: Lauren Cobb, Denise Court, Devin Smith, Bruce Curry, Travis Holt and Rasheedi Price. Three students were “Pro” and three were “Con.”

Rasheedi Price, Sophmore and Political Science major, said, when he fi rst volunteered for the debate, it was just for the extra credit, but his views changed after his little brother was shot two weeks ago. Price chose to be on the “Con” side of the debate, he said, because property can be replaced and a human life cannot.

Since the debate’s inception, there has been the use of social media during the debate. Audience members are able to use their mobile devices to be a part of polls and to post questions about the topic on Facebook and Twitter. The local and campus communities are also encouraged to participate using social media.

After the debate, the event was opened up to the audience. Fifteen people were able to come to the podium and discuss their views on the topic.

The debate was also broadcast l ive on APSU’s Channel 99 television station. TAS

ForumCONTINUED FROM FRONT

AP Debate Forum speakers and Communications department sta� pose for a picture after the conclusion of AP Debate Forum at the MMC concert hall at 6:30pm, Monday, March 19. BRANDON CAUTHEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Page 3: March 21, 2012

NEWS 3PERSPECTIVESPERSPECTIVESTHE ALL STATE • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21 2012

WHO WE ARE

Patrick Armstrong, editor-in-chiefJenelle Grewell, managing editorBrian Bigelow, news editorKristin Kittell, perspectives editorChasity Webb, features editorTrent Singer, sports editorAndre Shipp, multimedia editorJohn Perez, chief copy editorSynthia Clark, photo editorConor Scruton, assistant features editorEunwoo Lee, advertising managerJake Lowary, adviser

THE BASICS

Morgan University Center, room 111P.O. Box 4634, Clarksville, TN 37044phone: (931) 221-7376fax: (931) [email protected] [email protected]

www.theallstate.orgFacebook.com/theallstateTwitter @TheAllStateYouTube

PUBLICATION SCHEDULE

The All State is published every Wednesday of the academic year, except during � nal exams and holidays.Letters to the editor should include author’s full name, email and phone number, plus major and class if applicable. Letters will be checked for authenticity and should be received no later than 4 p.m. on Friday to be considered for publication. Letters may be edited for clarity and grammar.

This is not an official publication of Austin Peay State University. The views herein do not necessarily reflect those of The All State, APSU or the Tennessee Board of Regents.

EDITORIAL BOARD

Today, Tennessee lawmakers are considering House Bill 3808, which will require precise statistical abortion data to be published for public viewing, according to thinkprocess.org. � is data will reveal not only the names of physicians who perform the procedures but also patient information broken down by the county in which the abortion was performed.

I don’t object to this on a pro-choice basis. I object to this because I am pro-woman. � is is one of the most o  ensive and prejudicial pieces of legislation I have ever seen.

Choosing to undergo a medical procedure is a personal matter. In any other instance, a person has the right to choose whether or not to inform others of their procedures.

No one will force you to tell your neighbor you had your wisdom teeth removed or broke your big toe. Why, then, is abortion being singled out?

Data is already collected for any logical purposes by the Department of Health. It serves the community in no way to release personal information about patients which might put them at risk of intimidation or public backlash by abortion opponents.

In a critical election year, it appears to be another purely political measure put into place to discourage social liberals in a southern state.

� is bill is one more mile in the gap between the government and the people.

It seems politicians will travel to any length in order to push their parties’ agendas, public safety and privacy be damned. It is not unheard of for extreme right-wingers to act in violence against abortion doctors and patients. If anything is to be done, it should be further measures of privacy for these people. Instead, our legislators are devising plans that throw them even further into the public eye, all in the name of politics.

Women should not be the victims of political manipulation. � e decision to have an abortion is a heavy one — one no doubt accompanied by much deliberation and emotional stress. It is completely unnecessary to further this trauma by subjecting women to public scrutiny.

Furthermore, it is undeniably suspicious that politicians are only considering publicizing data for a speci� cally female procedure. If this plan is successful, I will personally head the campaign in favor of publishing data regarding all vasectomy and prostate exam information in the area for public viewing — purely for statistical research.

If you appreciate women, I encourage you to contact the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Matthew Hill-R, Jonesboro, through email at [email protected] and let him know how you feel. If you are in favor of the bill, I encourage you to update your Facebook pro� le with all of your recent medical history, as well as your preferred condom brand. TAS

In light of the recent event involving a rogue U.S. soldier killing 16 Afghan civilians, the people of Afghanistan, including their President, Hamid Karzai, have voiced they are “at the end of their rope” with the U.S. occupation. U.S. troops have been advised not to leave their outposts, as there is no guarantee local nationals will not attempt to retaliate.

Tensions are high, and it would seem the world’s greatest military is at the whim and mercy of what is essentially a confederation of 18th century tribesmen.

When I bring this topic up, the reactions I usually get from people range from “We just need to nuke Afghanistan,” to the ubiquitous “We’re � ghting for freedom,” all the way down the spectrum to some crackpot conspiracy theory relating to the “illuminati” and somehow always ending in an endorsement for Ron Paul.

But one thing is for certain: when presented with more inquiries, nobody can really say what we are still doing there and what good we

have really accomplished trying to occupy and build nations like Iraq and Afghanistan.

As a veteran of the Iraq war, I served with the greatest group of men in the world under the American � ag. I fought during the surge, one of the most tense and deadly periods of the Iraq war.

I took life and saw many a good comrade lose his. As time went on, I continued to question why we were in a country that essentially did not want us to be there.

In December 2011, our country saw the last U.S. ground troops leave Iraq. � e general consensus among my comrades and I was disappointment, as if we wasted irreplaceable lives and, in many ways, a part of our own souls for a country

that neither wanted nor deserved our sacri� ces. We did not � ght for our country. We fought for each other. As a private military contractor, I operated in global hot-spots at my own risk for pro� t.

Sure, there were times when I questioned the motives of those who had sent me to do their bidding, but

this was a di  erent kind of combat with di  erent rules and o� en better results. � e choice to go into a danger zone is mine and mine alone, and it is o� en quite pro� table.

But it still kills me to see my friends and loved ones head o  into harms way

for what seems like no good reason, o� en led by those who have never set foot on a battle� eld themselves and � ghting an enemy that blends into the local population.

Americans live fairly sheltered lives. While someone my age or older who grew up in America remembers Pac-Man, GI Joe and 9/11, the average Afghan of equivalent age remembers the last country who invaded them — the Soviet Union.

Try as they might, the Soviets could not quell, unite and colonize Afghanistan. Neither can we.

Over the centuries, Afghanistan has been occupied many times. Few conquerors bothered to subdue all of what is now Afghanistan.

� e region is poor, and all the great conquerors throughout history have had a sense of what was worth � ghting for. Fact is, Afghans are formidable warriors who just dig in and play the waiting game. � ey were not conquered because they were not worth conquering.

As a veteran of war, I can personally tell you it is a horrible thing. I can also tell you wars will never end. However, this war needs to end. It is a waste of money, a waste of resources and most importantly, a waste of our nation’s � nest. TAS

CALEB TATE

� is note is in reference to the article published on February 29 entitled “Gay-Straight Alliance petition students against Chick-� l-A.” I found it an interesting article, yet I was le� confused as to the purpose. � e article seemed to boycott the restaurant chain due to its contribution to charity.

First of all, I have never heard of boycotting anything because they donate to charity. It seems the spirit of the boycott is sadly misunderstood, and an understanding was never sought.

� e key phrase used in the article to describe the charities of issue was “discriminatory policies.” I can only speak of one of the three charities mentioned as I am a recipient of its services. Exodus International

is a very highly respected charitable organization, and they, in fact, do not discriminate in any way.

Proponents of the boycott seem to completely misunderstand the purpose of this charity. When they noticed Chick-� l-A supporting them, they seemed to take an immediate and uneducated approach toward the situation. � e president of the Gay-Straight Alliance mentions in the article how people have a right to do with their money as they please, and that is absolutely true.

However, members of the GSA quite frankly look foolish as they make their public declaration not to support Chick-� l-A, as well as anyone who participates. Signing this petition is simply contributing to ignorance.

� e president of GSA simply misunderstands the mission of Exodus International. � eir mission is simply to allow people who deal with same gender

attractions a way out. Some people do not choose the way out and simply make the choice to act upon their attractions, but for those who deal with same gender attractions and do desire an alternative to homosexuality, Exodus is there to help.

Exodus is not forcing anybody to change who does not want to change, and Exodus indeed does have a viewpoint on homosexuality. Since GSA disagrees with the viewpoint of Exodus, they choose to boycott. I believe this act to be childish. If I disagree with my professor’s political ideas, does that mean I need to boycott my class? � e only thing I will accomplish is a failing grade.

Likewise, the GSA’s attempt to boycott Chick-� l-A will accomplish having a few students sign a paper just for the sake of signing something. Students of APSU, chicken is delicious. Do not allow GSA to convince you otherwise. TAS

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Biased abortion bill violates privacy

KRISTIN [email protected]

,,

Nobody can really answer what we are still doing there and what good we have really accomplished ...”

ANDY [email protected]

War in Afghanistan unwinnable

,,

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise there of; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” — First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

CHRISTY WALKER | CARTOONIST

Page 4: March 21, 2012

Hand Village Meacham Apts. Marion Street Apts. Two Rivers Apts.

Blount Hall Harvill Hall Sevier Hall Castle Heights

Upper-Classmen Housing

Hand Village

$3,300/per semesterUpper-Classmen Honors

Community Bldg 300 and 400 Cum. GPA 3.0

Meacham Apartments

$2,400/per semester100 Building Upper-Class-man Honors Community

Bldg 100Cum. GPA 3.0

Two Rivers Apartments

$2,400/per semester

Marion Street Apartments

$2,400/per semester

Miller Hall

$2,950/per semesterMale Only

Private

Freshmen Housing

Blount Hall

$2,300/per semesterFirst Year Experience

(FYE) Community

Harvill Hall

$2,300/per semester Freshman Honors 26 or

higher ACT Score

Sevier Hall

$2,300/per semesterFemale Only

First Year Experience (FYE) Community

Castle Heights

$2,990/per semesterFirst Year Experience

(FYE) Community

Living Learning Communities:The Department of Housing/Residence Life & Dining Services strives to create residen-tial environments that are conducive to living and learning. To this end, our Living and Learning Communities have been created to help residents better bridge the gap between academics and campus living. The staff who are part of these communities are dedicat-ed to facilitating events that meet the interests and academic demands of the residents. Research shows that those who participate in Living Learning Communities have better grades and retention rates as these students are more connected to their fellow residents and the community around them.

First Year Experience (FYE) Living and Learning Community: This LLC is open to all freshmen students. The goals are to assist students in their transition into college with specialized program centered on transitional issues for first year stu-dents. This program will be open to any student who is living in Blount, Sevier, Harvill or Castle Heights. It will utilize events and activities offered by other groups and activi-ties. (www.apsu.edu/housing/freshman-year-experience)

Service Learning Community (SLC): The goal is to actively involve students in campus and community in service learning projects. This LLC will be sponsored in conjunction with Student Life and Leadership (www.apsu.edu/sll). You can live any-where on campus and be a part of this community.

Upperclassmen Honors Community: This community will be housed in Hand Village 300 and 400 buildings as well as Meacham 100 building. The goal is to provide upperclassmen students (sophomore and above) an environment centered on academic success and programming geared toward their specific needs and interests. The commu-nity is open to all non-freshmen students with a 3.0 cum.GPA or higher, except those stu-dents who wish to live with a roommate not meeting the community requirements. This program will be housing based, but will utilize events and activities offered by other groups/departments. (www.apsu.edu/housing/upperclassmen-honors-community)

How to Apply for Housing:

You can find detailed instructions by clicking this link

http://www.apsu.edu/housing/application

Important Dates to Remember for Re-application:March 16: Deadline for current resident to submit application and prepayment prior to opening RMS for bed space self-selection March 19: Opening 8am - Closing 11pm March 20: Only for current residents residing in Hand Village, Meacham, Two Rivers, and Marion Street that plan to retain the same bed space.March 22: Opening 8am – Closing 6pm June 30: Current residents residing in Castle Heights, Harvill Hall, Blount Hall and Sevier Hall with completed application and $200 prepayment for Fall 2012 can preselect a new bed space. Student must meet required GPA for Honors Buildings.

As always, call us with questions at 931-221-7444 or email the housing office at [email protected] .

Re-apply for housing and be eligible to win

one of five iPads!!

ARE YOU READY FOR NEXT YEAR?

Housing, Residence Life and Dining Services

Page 5: March 21, 2012

FEATURESFEATURESTHE ALL STATE • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2012

Walk-in medical center.

No appointment necessary.

Open Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, 12-6 p.m.

We accept most major insurance plans and

will help with filing insurance claims.

Allergies Minor asthma attacks Colds, flu & fever Cough Dizziness Foreign body removal Insect bites Nausea Minor burns

Minor cuts/lacerations Pink eye Rashes Sore throat Strep Throat Sprains Stitches And much more….

Additional services: On-Site Lab X-Ray Crutches, Splints, Stitches, Vaccinations Women’s and Men’s Health Services Physicals

St. Bethlehem Clinic 2320 Wilma Rudolph Blvd. 931.645.1564

Sango Clinic 2302 Madison Street

931.245.2400

www.DrsCare.com

WINGS FOR WISHES

Come to the 4th annual “Wings for Wishes” event on Friday, March 30, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p. m. The event is being held on campus in the Memorial Health Building “Red Barn” gymnasium, at 601 College St. During “Wings for Wishes,” you can expect all-you-can-eat wings, drinks, dessert and a silent auction. Wristbands can be purchased at the Lowes Drive Zaxby’s in Clarksville or from any active Chi Omega member for $7. If you don’t have time to purchase a band prior to the event, you can purchase one at the door for $10 on the night of the event. “Wings for Wishes” is hosted by the Sigma Kappa Chapter of Chi Omega, and their philanthropy is the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The chapter hopes to raise $15,000 this year which is enough to change the lives of two children.

By TIFFANY [email protected]

Many people fi rst learn of Billy Collins’ peoetry in their English 1010 or 1020 classes, where they can receive “a pale, delight insight on

their fi rst reading of poems,” Collins said. But in person, the poet has much more to off er.

On Friday, March 16, APSU was honored to have Collins on campus to deliver a free-to-attend reading in the Music/Mass Communication Concert Hall. Collins, a former U.S. Poet Laureate, has 13 volumes of poetry and honorable titles from various organizations — including the National Endowment for the Arts — and is a member of the Academy of American Poets. Collins also has two books translated into Italian and a website, Poetry 180, designed to provide students with “a poem a day.”

Collins recited 30 poems to an active audience, who saluted his poems with enthusiastic applause and laughter. � e audience was made up of students and community members alike. Student Andrew Robinson fi rst heard about the event in his fi ction writing class, and many community members caught wind of the event from colleagues and � e Leaf Chronicle.

Collins’ poetry is whimsical, because he can make a serious issue, such as

death, funny. While speaking about one of his poems, Collins said, “Write a poem about your dead parent that makes people laugh; now that’s an assignment.”

Much of Collins’ poetry is humorous and many of his works are autobiographical. Some of the poems the audience enjoyed most were “Another Reason Why I Don’t Keep a Gun in the House,” “What She Said,” “� e Lanyard,” and “Litany.”

Collins uses unique approaches when starting a new poem. In “� e Golden Years,” Collins said he was “awestruck by the phenomena of condos and gated communities that had animal names,” and he found it funny the names of these communities were about animals that were uprooted from their habitats to make room for the developments.

“� e reading was wonderful, hilarious, and witty and I have never enjoyed poetry in one sitting this much,” said student Michael Lardizabal.

Collins, giving advice to aspiring poets, said, “Why don’t you put a dog in your poem? It would be a break from your self- absorption.”

Collins writes all of his poems in one setting and is interested in poems that “maneuver themselves to an unexpected ending.” Collins said he wishes for his readers to experience “disorientation” in his poetry, as well as a desire to “read it again just to take the ride again.” TAS

Former U.S. Poet Laureate gives free reading

Poet Billy Collins addresses the audience during his reading in the Music/Mass Communication Concert Hall. JOSH VAUGHN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

#POETRY

By CONOR [email protected]

In my travels for The All State this semester, I’ve been to both classic must-sees of Clarksville and places more off the beaten path. Last week, I went to a restaurant that falls into the latter category.

Little Saigon is a Vietnamese restaurant at 1191B Fort Campbell Blvd., and can be easy to miss if you aren’t paying attention. It’s tucked away next to a couple other businesses and is rather unassuming in general.

A tip: if you’re driving from campus, look for their sign on the right just after passing the Rural King.

I decided to check this place out after a friend recommended it, and honestly, it’s not hard to convince me to try new Asian food.

I’ve always been a fan of Thai and Japanese food, so I fi gured a Vietnamese restaurant would be right up my alley.

For any readers who haven’t tried Vietnamese food, Little Saigon helpfully off ers a selection of Asian entrées familiar to most Americans – such as chop suey and lo mein – as well as traditional Vietnamese cuisine.

At my friend’s suggestion, I tried the Pho Ga, which is a type of chicken noodle soup very similar to miso soup, for any fans of Japanese food.

It’s hard to go wrong with chicken soup, and my dish was no exception. My meal was reasonably priced, and the amount of food was more than enough to fi ll me up. If you’re a fan of bean sprouts or noodles, this is defi nitely the food for you.

One thing I tried on a whim, but solidly recommend, is the � ai tea. I ordered it out of curiosity, and it ended up being a

combination of cold tea and chocolate. It’s an odd taste to pin down, but I was really a fan of it.

Considering I’m still fairly unfamiliar with Vietnamese food on the whole, readers who know more may want to check out Little Saigon’s reviews on yelp.com and urbanspoon.com for more information.

Just a warning: this is a small, out-of-the-way Asian restaurant, not a big franchise. Personally, I enjoyed it, but I’m also a big fan of the food and have been to plenty of similar restaurants in various towns.

It’s definitely a transition from classic American dining, but if you want a more interesting dinner date this weekend, Little Saigon is defi nitely worth a try. TAS

Conor tries the Pho Ga soup at Little Saigon. SUSAN LIBERTADORE | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Conor samples Little Saigon’s traditional Vietnamese cuisine

Collins comes to APSU to present poetry to Clarksville community

Bear bites woman in rear end as she walks dog9-year-old boy summoned to jury duty in Mass.Campus locked down after umbrella triggers alert

STRANGE HEADLINES

#CONORSTRAVELS

By TIFFANY COMER

[email protected]

Page 6: March 21, 2012

THE ALL STATE • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2012

EXTRASEXTRASTHIS DAY IN HISTORYMAR. 21

1905: Albert Einstein published his theory on special relativity.

1928: Charles Lindbergh was presented the medal of Honor for the first solo trans-Atlntic flight.

1965: Martin Luther King Jr. led 3,200 people in the third civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.

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Page 7: March 21, 2012

SPORTSSPORTSTHE ALL STATE • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2012

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THURSDAY, APRIL 12DOORS OPEN AT 7P.M.; SHOW BEGINS AT 7:30 P.M.CLEMENT AUDITORIUM

FREE AND OPEN TO APSU STUDENTS WITH I.D.MATURE CONTENTAS SEEN ON “CHELSEA LATELY”

LIMITED SEATING AVAILABLE

ASSOCIATED PRESS

DENVER — Peyton Manning wants to play for the Denver Broncos in Act II of his outstanding career.

A person briefed on negotiations said the NFL’s only four-time MVP called Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams and told him that he had picked the Broncos. � e person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter.

Adams released a statement Monday, March 19, confirming the Titans were out of the running and told The Tennessean: “He called me himself and told me he wasn’t coming, that he made his mind up to go with Denver.”

ESPN first reported Manning instructed his agent to negotiate the details of a deal with the Broncos, less than two weeks after the quarterback became a free agent when the Indianapolis Colts released him.

Manning sat out all of 2011 because of multiple neck surgeries, but his success in the past has made him this off season’s most sought-after player.

He was wooed to Denver by Hall of Fame quarterback Elway, who led the Broncos to two Super Bowl championships and now serves as their vice president of football operations. Elway never sounded all that convinced that Tim Tebow was the right answer at the sport’s most important position and now could trade him, even though the popular QB energized the Broncos in leading them to the playoff s last season despite some erratic play.

� e statement from Titans owner Adams said: “I want to thank the whole organization for their eff orts in trying to sign Peyton and also to Peyton for the time he put into the process. Peyton called me this morning to inform me of his decision and obviously I am disappointed, because I thought we would be a perfect fi t.”

The San Francisco 49ers were the other team trying to land Manning.

He was cut loose March 7 by the Colts so they could avoid paying him a $28 million contract bonus. The move marked the end of an era, a 14-year alliance between the team that drafted Manning No. 1 overall and the QB who brought Indianapolis from football irrelevance to the 2007 Super Bowl title and a

second appearance in the NFL championship game three years later.

But with Manning’s rehab continuing, the Colts decided it was time to rebuild from top to bottom, and they are expected to take Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the top pick in April’s draft.

Two days after standing alongside Colts owner Jim Irsay during an emotional farewell news conference, Manning began his free agency tour in the place it appears to be ending: Denver.

Manning landed on Tebow’s turf with all the trappings of star treatment — flown to town on a chartered plane, then spending the day with Elway, coach John Fox and general manager Brian Xanders.

From there, Manning crisscrossed the country in search of a new team, as various clubs courted a guy with more than 50,000 yards passing, nearly 400 touchdowns and 11 Pro Bowl selections.

After Denver, next up was a meeting with the Arizona Cardinals, and he also spent time speaking with — or throwing for — the Titans, 49ers and Miami Dolphins, with TV cameras and even helicopters often on the trail.

Somehow, the 49ers managed to keep their audience with Manning a secret for days, until word emerged that they were in the running for him, too.

In the end, though, Manning decided he wanted to trade in his Colts horseshoe helmet for one adorned by a Bronco.

The move would allow him to stay in the AFC, a conference he knows well and one considered weaker than the NFC at the moment, and would re-establish the tantalizing prospect of playing against his brother, New York Giants quarterback Eli, in a Super Bowl. � ey already have three titles in the family.

As it happens, the next Super Bowl will be hosted by New Orleans, which also is the Mannings’ hometown; their father, Archie, used to play for the Saints. � ink a Manning vs. Manning matchup for the championship in the Big Easy might garner attention?

Manning-to-Denver also creates a fascinating dynamic with Tebow, only months after the former Heisman Trophy winner was the focus of the NFL regular season and perhaps the most talked-about athlete in sports, a polarizing figure both because of

his style of play — as far as possible from a classic, dropback passer — and his outspoken religious beliefs.

After taking over a struggling team, Tebow led the Broncos to comeback victory after comeback victory, struggling for three quarters before starring in the fourth quarter and overtime. With an off ense transformed into a spread option attack built on Tebow’s running, and a strong defense that kept games close, the Broncos won the AFC West title.

Tebowmania reached its apex in the playoffs, when he threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas on the very first play of overtime to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. � e next week, though, Tebow was smothered by the New England Patriots, who easily eliminated the Broncos 45-10.

A little more than two months later, Tebow could be on the trading block.

� at’s not the only domino which could fall now that the off season’s biggest free agency question is seemingly settled.

San Francisco could decide to keep its own free-agent QB, Alex Smith, who went to Miami for a visit with the Dolphins after the 49ers’ fl irtation with Manning became public. If Smith does go back to the Niners, perhaps Miami will look to trade for Tebow, who played in college at Florida.

� e Titans, meanwhile, probably will stick with grooming Jake Locker, who was a fi rst-round draft pick a year ago.

Denver, meanwhile, could try to give Manning some new targets, because they still have millions of dollars in salary-cap space available.

� e Broncos did not exactly have a wealth of wideouts last season, other than � omas, and they lost Eddie Royal to the San Diego Chargers as a free agent. TAS

#MANNINGMANIA

Manning chooses ‘Mile High’ over ‘Rocky Top’

« FOLLOW us on Twitter @TheAllState and use #TheAllState when sharing or retweeting

Page 8: March 21, 2012

#GOVSTENNISSPORTSSPORTS

THE ALL STATE • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2012

SCORE BOARD

UPCOMING HOME CALENDAR

SATURDAY, MARCH 24

Softball - 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.APSU vs. Morehead State

SUNDAY, MARCH 25

Softball - 1 p.m.APSU vs. Morehead State

TUESDAY, MARCH 27

Men’s Tennis - 2 p.m.APSU vs. Eastern Illinois

Women’s Tennis - 2 p.m.APSU vs. Eastern Illinois

Baseball - 6 p.m.APSU vs. Alabama A&M

THURSDAY, MARCH 29

Women’s Tennis - 2 p.m.APSU vs. Murray State

Softball - 5 p.m.APSU vs. Alabama A&M

FRIDAY, MARCH 30

Baseball - 6 p.m.APSU vs. UT Martin

SATURDAY, MARCH 31

Baseball - 2 p.m.APSU vs. UT Martin

SUNDAY, APRIL 1

Baseball - 1 p.m.APSU vs. UT Martin

TUESDAY, APRIL 3

Baseball - 6 p.m.APSU vs. Belmont

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4

Softball - 5 and 7 p.m.APSU vs. UT Martin

FRIDAY, APRIL 6

Men’s Tennis - 2 p.m.APSU vs. Tennessee State

Women’s Tennis - 2 p.m.APSU vs. Tennessee State

SATURDAY, APRIL 7

Track and Field - All DayAPSU Invitational

Men’s Tennis - 2 p.m.APSU vs. Jacksonville State

Women’s Tennis - 2 p.m.APSU vs. Jacksonville State

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11

Baseball - 6 p.m.APSU vs. MTSU

FRIDAY, APRIL 13

Baseball - 6 p.m.APSU vs. Murray State

SATURDAY, APRIL 14

Baseball - 2 p.m.APSU vs. Murray State

Softball - 1 and 3 p.m.APSU vs. Southeast Missouri

SUNDAY, APRIL 15

Baseball - 1 p.m.APSU vs. Murray State

Softball - 1 p.m.APSU vs. Southeast Missouri

FRIDAY, APRIL 27

Track and Field - All DayShowdown on the

Cumberland

Baseball - 6 p.m.APSU vs. Jacksonville State

SATURDAY, APRIL 28

Baseball - 2 p.m.APSU vs. Jacksonville State

Softball - 1 and 3 p.m.APSU vs. Jacksonville State

SUNDAY, APRIL 29

Baseball - 1 p.m.APSU vs. Jacksonville State

Softball - 1 p.m.APSU vs. Jacksonville State

Kentucky

Indiana

Baylor

Xavier

Michigan St.

Louisville

Marquette

Florida

Syracuse

Wisconsin

Cincinnati

Ohio St.

UNC

Ohio

N.C. State

Kansas

1

4

3

10

1

4

3

7

1

4

6

2

1

13

11

2

SOUTH EAST

WEST MIDWEST

#MARCHMADNESS

Final 16 NCAA tourney teams set By TRENT SINGER

[email protected]

The first weekend of the 2012 NCAA tournament lived up to the madness as a plethora of top-ranked teams exited the tournament early.

Perhaps the most surprising upset took place in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Friday, March 16, as No. 15 seed Lehigh defeated Duke, 75-70. C.J. McCollum contributed 30 points to Lehigh’s historic win.

Earlier in the day, No. 2 seed Missouri fell to No. 15 seed Norfolk State, 86-84, sending the Spartans to their first Round of 32 matchup in school history.

Despite the 10 lower-seeded teams that came out victorious in the first round matchups, only three of those

teams, Xavier, Ohio and N.C. State, managed to move into the Sweet 16.

The Sweet 16 will take place Thursday, March 22, and Friday, March 23, and will feature several intriguing matchups.

In the South region’s premiere matchup, top-ranked Kentucky will face No. 4 seed Indiana, as the Wildcats hope to avenge their regular-season loss to the Hoosiers in Atlanta.

Also in the South region, No. 3 seed Baylor will take on No. 10 seed Xavier.

No. 1 seed Michigan State will face No. 4 seed Louisville in the West region’s premiere matchup, hosted in Phoenix.

In the West region’s other matchup, No. 7 seed Florida will play No. 3 seed Marquette.

� e Gators outscored Virginia and

Norfolk State by a combined 155-95 in the tournament’s fi rst two rounds.

In the East region, No. 1 seed Syracuse will play No. 4 seed Wisconsin in Boston.

Also in the East region, No. 6 seed Cincinnati will play Jared Sullinger and the No. 2 seed Ohio State Buckeyes.

In the Midwest region, No. 1 seed North Carolina will play No. 13 seed Ohio in St. Louis, as the Tar Heels hope to make their third Final Four appearance in fi ve years.

No. 11 seed N.C. State will also take on No. 2 seed Kansas in the Midwest semi-fi nals.

If the first week of the NCAA tournament has taught us anything, then we should be in for a treat as the Sweet 16 is sure to be fi lled with many surprises. TAS

#GOBATGOVS

Tennis Govs begin conference play with wins

Above Left: The Bat Govs fell to Evansville, 3-7, on Wednesday, March 14. The team’s record currently sits at 10-9. Above Right: Senior Jon Clinard ended the game hitting 1-of-4. The team will begin conference play Friday through Sunday, March 23-25, against Southeast Missouri. JOSH VAUGHN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

By TRENT [email protected]

The Govs and Lady Govs tennis teams headed into this weekend’s first games of the season against Ohio Valley Conference opponents on Friday, March 16, and Saturday, March 17, with a 1-4 combined record throughout the month, but that didn’t seem to faze either team.

The games took place at the outdoor courts, as the Govs defeated Murray State, 6-1, on Friday and SIU Edwardsville, 7-0, on Saturday.

The Lady Govs also managed to win their fi rst conference game of the season by defeating SIU Edwardsville,

5-2, on Saturday.Winning in dominant fashion,

the Govs defeated Murray State by sweeping the Racers in doubles competition and losing all but one match in singles play.

Head coach Malik Tabet spoke to APSU Sports Information after the game about the significance of the conference victory.

“� is match was important for us to set the tone for conference play,” Tabet said. “I thought we lacked some of the intensity that we had against South Alabama [last week], but overall it was a good match. We got out to a good start in doubles and we carried it over well into singles

play.”Despite struggling in the team’s

losses to Troy and South Alabama, sophomore Jasmin Ademovic regained much-needed confi dence by winning over the weekend in singles play, as well as doubles victories with the help of teammate John Storie.

“We played well at the top of the lineup,” Tabet said. “That said, we have to be better at the bottom. � e bottom of the lineup is where you win championships.”

As the men’s team rolled past SIU Edwardsville, 7-0, on Saturday, the women’s team followed suit, winning 5-2 over the Cougars.

Senior Vanja Tomic won her 11th

consecutive singles match as the Lady Govs faced little to no problem winning their first conference matchup.

Among the team’s winners were freshmen Ornella Di Salvo and Alison Carre, along with sophomore Andra Cornea.

� e women’s team will now look to extend their success on the road against MTSU on Tuesday, March 20, Southeast Missouri on Saturday, March 24, and UT Martin on Sunday, March 25.

Meanwhile, the men’s team will host Eastern Illinois next week on Tuesday, March 27, in another important OVC contest. TAS

Above Left: Following a recent stretch of disappointing losses, sophomore Jasmin Ademovic got back to his winning ways by helping his team win two important victories against Murray State and SIU Edwardsville on Friday, March 16, and Saturday, March 17. Above Right: Senior Vanja Tomic continues to show leadership as the lone senior for the Lady Govs, as the team won its second consecutive game this weekend. BRITTNEY SPARN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Peyton Manning signs with the Denver BroncosRight wing Alexander Radulov returns for the Predators

No. 2 seeds Duke and Missouri exit the NCAA tournament early

TOP SPORTS HEADLINES