OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20071001/WLURG39_RTP_20071001_001.2.txt Q4‘-”o’L3.75‘S R572. ‘V. l‘-l ‘AC1 4‘ i <1 -2- m'“,’v.'-1.‘ ;' 33 fl i‘.“i"W mu: AV Want to r to: You can subscribe sending your name, ‘ address and a $45 check Phi , qI...;r:'.Co"mmons . Washin ton .a11d iLee*?University . Lexington, VA 24450 WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY THE RING-TUM PHI. U MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2007 BY THE STUDENTS AND FOR THE STUDENTS SINCE 1897 Shepherd interns share their Senlor Angela Young plays with young children at a school In poverty photo courtesy of Ar%ge|a Young Tanzania, A rica. Alliance sends students to foreign countries to serve impoverished . By John Henderson STAFF wamzn Five of the seven Washington and Lee students who were international interns for the Shepherd Poverty Program spoke about their experiences in Ghana, Tanzania, Po- land, Peru and Brazil last Thursday night in the Commons. Presenters included seniors Angela Young, Katelyn Finley, Katherine Chiasson, Nicole Merrullo and junior Eugina Huang. Each spent eight weeks in a foreign country living with local families and interning for organizations that provide day care, health- care and education to the needy. Though the Shepherd program offers a variety of domestic internships, these stu- “It definitely increased my awareness of how important education is in combating [poverty]. ” Angela Young, Class of 2008 dents chose to explore poverty on an inter- national level. Young, who worked in Tanzania, said she chose an internship abroad “not because poverty here is non—existent. I just think it’s so much more drastic in other places that I just wanted to be there.” All five interns observed poverty first- hand and found ways to help, which is the purpose of the Shepherd Program. “Everyone was sick, and half of them had malaria,” said Chiasson, who served at a public hospital in Ghana. She noted that healthcare is accessible to everyone, but sanitary practices are lacking and work ethic is low. She said that none of the nurses wore gloves and had little concern for their patients’ conditions. Although AIDS, sickness and death char- acterize life in Ghana today, Chiasson is op- timistic and believes the situation will only improve through a greater level of educa- tion. Young worked with children and spent her first three weeks in Dar es Salaam, a See “POVERTY'S” on page 2 Ruscio’s proposal will not eliminate spring internships N X Washington Terms to continue despite shorter Spring semester By Dane Davls STAFF wnmzn Washington Term and New York Term will likely continue to be six weeks long, despite recent proposed changes in Spring Term duration. At information sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, politics professors William Connelly and Mark Rush told students that both programs have been grandfathered in and would “It really makes for a great cross-pollinat- ing intellectual experience By the end of the term, instead of having something to put on your résumé, you have a profound under- standing of local life. ” RICH CLEARY, Class of 2009 remain six weeks long despite a potential four-week’ Spring Term. The announcements come afier concerns over the viability of the two six—week programs in light of President Ken Ruscio’s new proposal for the term. Ruscio’s plan is to shorten spring term from six weeks to four and decrease the number of courses professors are required to teach per year. However, with both Washington Term and New York Term lasting at least six weeks, some questioned the compat- ibility of a four-week term with the two internship programs. Both the Washington Term and New York Term combine in- tense internships in politics and business with equally intensive classes. At the Washington Term meeting, Connelly said that “Having a four-week Washington Term Program wouldn’t be possible. Most internship sites are reluctant to take students for six weeks, let alone four." Connelly went on to say that it was the students who would determine whether the internship program would continue. When Connelly conducted an impromptu survey of whether students would remain interested if the program required them to be in class two weeks after summer vacation began, the results were overwhelmingly positive. Only a few were reluctant to accept that added burden. Junior Rich Cleary, the Washington Term’s work study, said, “The presence of Professor Connelly amidst the field of applicants probably skewed those results.” Cleary also said, “The issue would be to students—[if] they are See “STUDENTS” on page 2 Students for Life localize national ‘4O days’ movement W&L community members gather in library to pray for abortion victims, coordinate activities to increase awareness VOLUME GXI, NUMBER/3/4. By Alllson Chopln surr wmren Wednesday marked the first day of a nationwide pro-life movement called 40 Days for Life. This campaign aims to spread awareness about pro-life is- sues, bring prayers and healing to those who have been affected by abortion and eventually bring an end to all abor- tions. The Students for Life organization at Washington and Lee has been re- sponsible for bringing the movement to Lexington. Last Wednesday at 10 p.m., nine students gathered in the Sacred Space room, a newly consecrated reli- gious meeting place in the library, for reflection and prayer. Students for Life is the first organization to reserve this space for a specific religious purpose. “If you are religious, you believe that prayer makes a difference. Prayer also brings people together,” said senior Jameson Graber, president of SFL. Graber led the group in opening and closing prayer, and sophomore secre- tary Jessica Makona read a devotion. SFL members will continue to meet every night of the 40 days for prayer and meditation. Meetings are open to paign also‘ encourages peaceful vigils and educational community efforts. SFL plans to hold a community-wide vigil on campus at the conclusion of the 40 days on Nov. 4, and the group may also attend a vigil to be held at an “If you are religious, you believe that prayer makes a difference. Prayer also brings people together I personally plan to be there every night to pray for the victims of abortion, both women and children. ’ } JAMESON GRABER, presldent of Students for Llfe all students and faculty. “I personally plan to be there every night to pray for the victims of abor- tions, both women and children,” said Graber. Prayer and fasting are one compo- , nent of 40 Days for Life, but the cam- abortion clinic. A grassroots effort to increase awareness will also be launched. Fly- ers and informational posters will soon appear around campus, and SFL will be working with local churches and schools for educational purposes and to coordinate donation drives to collect diapers and baby clothing. These donations will go to pregnan- cy clinics such as ComfortCare Wom- en’s Health in Staunton, Va. “The first step is to create aware- ness,” Makona said. “It’s hard work, but we have to start somewhere.” The month of October is also Re- spect Life Month, during which pro-life supporters honor the belief that human life is sacred and should be protected at all times, from the moment of concep- tion until natural death. Students for Life plans to coordi- nate other activities throughout the year. Members plan to donate time and money to pregnancy centers, hospices and other pro-life efforts. They will also continue to post weekly “factoids” about abortion and other issues around campus, even after 40 Days for Life has concluded. “Reaching out to other people spreads the effect,” said freshman Alex Sweetser. “Maybe it will reach some- one in the situation, and then it will be saving a life.” SFL members believe that their cause is inherently important to W&L. “Our mission is crucial to any college campus,” Graber said. “Fifiy-two percent of abortions hap- pen to college-age women, so the de- bate is important here. People are un- sure of their stance on this issue, and it is disastrous to be undecided.” After just a few days, the national 40 Days for Life campaign has already created results. According to David Bereit, the na- tional campaign director, word has been received that several abortion clinics and Planned Parenthood loca- tions around the country have closed or stopped operating in cities where the peaceful vigils are taking place. SFL members at W&L hope to echo these efforts and bring the effects closer to home. OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20071001/WLURG39_RTP_20071001_002.2.txt Ml‘! 2 ° THE RING-TUM PHI ° MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2007 Poverty’s , other face Interns alleviate destitution abroad continued from page 1 coastal city of 2.5 million people. Very few people spoke English, so she was forced to learn Swa- hili, which is widely spoken in East Africa. In the following five weeks, she worked in a school and a day- care center in Bagamoyo, a small, impoverished town in rural Tan- zania. She lived with a local fam- ily and taught English and math- Students say they will stay two extra weeks Professors meet with students about upcoming internships continued from page 1 still willing to participate even though school would be out." That same dilemma faces the students applying to the New York Term. At the Wednesday information meeting for the program, Rush and business and ad- ministration professor Kip Pirkle did not mention the potential changes to spring term. Instead, they focused on the advantages of having a six-week internship before most college students are free for the summer. The early experience gained is invaluable not only for the rest of the summer, but also for future job prospects. Students, though, seem to be willing to sacrifice two weeks of summer for the op- portunities both programs afford. Over 70 students turned out for the New York meeting, and about 30 came to the Washington Term meeting. Despite any potential changes, the values and skills gained from both pro- grams still remain. Cleary, speaking of Washington Term, said, “You examine as a class the various ex- periences in Washington. It really makes for a great cross-pollinating intellectual experience.” “Additionally, you have speakers everywhere who give you an even larger pic- ture. By the end of the term, instead of having something to put on your resume, you have a profound understand- ing of local life.” ematics to 90 children, ages two to seven. I “It definitely increased my awareness of how important edu- cation is in combating [poverty],” she said. Finley, who traveled to P0- land, lived in a village and taught English to teenagers. Poland has a growing economy, but poverty is still widespread. Finley said parents believe that English is the key to their children’s success. Finley appreciated the simplic- ity of life in Poland. At the same time, she recognized the high stan- dard of living that Americans take for granted. One day, she said, she hopes to work for the foreign service and facilitate economic development in eastern Europe. Huang worked in a daycare facility and an orphanage in Tru- jillo, on the coast of Peru. She was surprised at the lack of man- “T hey wake up early, finish the day is work, take a little siesta and spend the rest of the day drinking to celebrate some patron saint. ” EUGINA HUANG, class of 2009 agement: at one point she discov- ered children eating paint off the walls. In her four weeks, Eugina Application and usage charges apply. ©2007 US. Cellular Corporation. helped improve health and dietary standards and conducted a book drive. Her travels through the moun- tains showed her that poverty is relative: “ They wake up early, finish the day’s work, take a little siesta, and spend the rest of the day drinking to celebrate some patron saint. And who’s to say that’s poor?” Merrullo interned in Rio, Bra- zil, where she lived on the edge of the “flavelas,” the steep hill- side communities featured in the movie “City of God.” She said most residents would not want to live anywhere else despite a lack of plumbing, running water and electricity. Merrullo worked with children under four in a daycare center. _ Most of the children had never left the flavelas, so she took a group to the zoo across town. “It was amazing just watching their reactions,” she said. “It was such a new thing for them.” Juniors Julie Peterson and Ali- sha Laventure interned in Nica- ragua and Peru, respectively, but they are studying abroad this term and were unable to make presen- tations. The Shepherd Program also offers a variety of domestic in- ternships in fields like education, law, journalism and healthcare. Fran Elrod, Coordinator for the Shepherd Alliance, encourages students to contact her if they are interested in applying for either domestic or international intern- ships in the future. Introducing an enlightening new idea: Your Navigator .from U.S. Cellular? It's a GPS system with a local search function built right into your phone. With voice-guided, turn-by-turn directions, clarity and direction are just a call or a visit away. V 1J.—S. Cellular is wireless where you matter most?“ % ‘S. Cellular getusc.com 1-888-BUY-USCC OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20071001/WLURG39_RTP_20071001_003.2.txt MONDAY, SOCTOBER 1, 2007 THE RING-TUM PHI '3 opinions ' Real world versus Lex Vegas Swiping home all your needs for four years is handy, but it doesn’t translate well when we leave W&L By Grace Andrews C0 LU M N l ST W&L can make us oblivious to how people live in the real world. You’re probably saying to your- self at this exact moment, “what does that mean?” Let’s start with the habit peo- ple in our school have of leaving valuable items, such as wallets, jackets, and shoes in any locale that they wish and then posting a campus notice when they realize that these items are gone. In the real world, when you leave something in a public place, what usually happens after that is called theft. ' For those of you readers shak- ing your head in disbelief, I am speaking from personal expe- rience. Just two weeks ago, I flew home for the weekend and removed my rings to wash my hands in an airport bathroom. I, of course, forgot the rings on the sink counter and did not realize I did so until I was out of the check point. By the time I had gotten a void ticket to go back to the wait- ing area and the ladies’ room, the rings were gone. I enforced the as- sistance of the nice maintenance woman, who did her best to page her colleagues, but to no avail. I even reported it to Nashville air- port lost and found. The rings I lost had very little monetary value but were absolutely priceless in sentimental value, making them irreplaceable. See, I’ve done that before on campus, but of course no one touched them and I was able to rescue them for the same spot in which I abandoned them. So what’s the lesson? Don’t leave your stuff lying around, even if this is W&L; don’t be testing that Honor System. Second, let’s explore the topic of people not locking their room doors or car doors. You see, this is what I’ve called “small-town syndrome.” In smaller towns, like the one I grew up in, people leave everything unlocked and then act confused when they find out things are missing. I know that prior to stepping on campus, I was lock-happy. I was what you may call a lock-a—holic. I’d lock things that there weren’t even keys for. Arriving at W&L three years ago, I was shocked to learn that no one locked their doors, except for those amongst us whom we quickly began to call or safe for you to do so; here all we do is leave things wide open. Students on this campus also have the desire to put themselves in unsafe situations, say like walking to your apartment at 3 a.m. all alone, despite the fact that you live somewhere that involves In smaller towns, people leave everything unlocked and then act confused when they find out things are missing. Prior to stepping on campus, I was lock-happy. I 'd lock things that there weren ’t even keys for. “paranoid” for doing so. Maybe we should have been calling them S-M-A-R-T, because that’s what they are. When’s the last time you saw someone in the “real world" leaving something as valuable as a car unlocked or their house entirely unlocked, even if they’re not home. That’s right! You probably haven’t, because it’s not practical wooded areas and deserted trails (yes, I‘m talking about Woods Creek). livery day, students who live slightly off campus leave at un- godly times with total disregard of their personal safety. lt’s be- cause at W&L, everyone has seen or met everyone. Because we feel like “we know people,” we have no problem walking alone across Cadaver bridge or going the back way from the library to Woods Creek. This is what some may call DANGEROUS! In the real world, we’d be snatched up faster than a balding weather man’s tou- pee during a hurricane. Last but not least, lets us in- vestigate the terrible financial habits some of us learn here at 01’ Dubyanell. You see the swipe card on this campus is one that is comparable to crack! Yes, crack, the highly addictive drug. That’s the only reason I can understand for why people don’t carry cash on this campus. Searching for an actual dollar is like the crowning of an overweight woman as Miss America — never going to hap- pen. I myself enjoy swiping home despite the fact that my parents send me the bill or just remove the money from my personal account. You see, my parents don’t believe in that swiping game and depend on the fact that every cent I spend is my own. That doesn’t keep me from swiping, but instead helps me regulate how much I swipe. In the real world, the swipe system is comparable to hav- ing a credit card, except unlike a personal credit card, your par- ents pay the bill. Such a system teaches people to swipe now and worry later, which can translate into independent adult life, but result in what some of us like to call DEBT! Debt is in no shape, form, or fashion sexy and will ruin your life. So for all you swipe-happy folks out there, get your life to- gether and think before swiping. I’m not saying don’t swipe at all, but don’t be swinging that card around like Jason does his chain- saw You see my friends, the real world is very much unlike W&L. Out there, people very rarely give a damn about you or your items and don’t respect tradi- tions such as the Honor System. For this reason, I implore all of you to remember that when you leave W&L, you’re leaving a safeguarded community, and you should exercise a basic knowl- edge of outside world. A fresh perspective comes to town At a pivotal junction, freshmen can be pioneers forging ahead, defining themselves By Scott Graham Centorino c o L u M N I s T Very few moments in our lives have the power to define who we are. This is true, perhaps, only be- cause such moments are so rare and so testing. Most of you have either lived “the freshman experience” at W&L in the past or are living it as you glance at this ink. All of us have come to under- stand that the first few weeks are not so much days and weeks, but truly one grand moment. It is a separation from all things famil- parents or home, but from our previous world. In fact, very little concretely unites us as a student body. We hail from so many different states and countries, and are pursuing so many different things here and in life, that it is often difficult to see how the wheels are turning on this bandwagon of dissimilarity. I do not mean to repeat the cli- ches of “what divides us is what brings us together,” or that our diversity is our strength. While these are both wonderful expres- sions, they cower against the true nature of our endeavor. We are pioneers. What else would you call a group like this collecting to go on an adventure together? But the men and women on the Oregon Trail did not pause during times of starvation and bombard- ment to note that their strength came from the diversity of their members. The crew of Apollo 11 did not stop during their mission to the moon to remark on how re- markable it was for them to have come from different regions and backgrounds. In every case where challeng- es were faced and met, strength does not come from our diversity, or from our division, but from our strength to dismiss such differ- ences and to ignore them. The pioneers did not stop to reminisce. They were in the heat of a defining moment in their lives, where their own conditions took a backseat to the ultimate goal. To gaze around at each other and marvel distracts us from what we should be looking at - the road ahead. So what do we know? We know what we are doing is piv- otal. We know that others have done it before. We know W&L is iar, an independence not from “Controversial” speaker not to blame Columbia didn ’t want to learn from the Iranian president, only to berate him By Crighton Allen C0 LU M N I SI On Sept. 24, 2007, Iranian President Mah- moud Ahmadinejad spoke before a packed auditorium at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs on the invi- tation of University President Lee Bollinger. Predictably, many people are outraged that so “controversial” a figure garnered an invite to speak before an audience of university stu- dents. While I too am upset about this, I quibble with those who call Ahmadinejad “contro- versial.” Controversy would imply a dispute about the man, and there seems to be a con- sensus that Ahmadinejad’s comments are vile and that his worldview is highly reprehen- sible. ' For those ofyou unfamiliar with this speci- men, let me hit you with some highlights: Ac- cording to Amnesty International, 210 people have been executed this year in Iran, the ma- jority by hanging. According to reports by the Council on Foreign Relations, Iran is a state sponsor of terror and funds such violent group as the Lebanese Hezbollah, Palestinian Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The commander of U.S. force in Iraq, General David Petraeus, reported this month that arms supplies from Iran, including 240mm rockets and rocket propelled grenades (RPGS), are contributing to “a sophistication of attacks that would by no means be possible without Iranian sup- port.” Judging by how he runs his nation, Ahma- dinejad isn’t exactly the guy you ladies want to bring home to meet the parents. What he says is even more disturbing: “They have invented a myth that Jews were massacred and place this above God, re- ligions, and the prophets”; “anybody who recognizes Israel will burn in the fire of the Islamic nation’s fury”; “Iran doesn’t have the issue of homosexuals.” Quick recap of Ahmadinejad: He denies the Holocaust took place, longs deeply for the destruction of Israel, and regards human rights the way you might a leaf. Yet, this man was invited by one of Ameriea’s leading uni- versities to give a lecture. Let me be clear; he has every right to hold these opinions, despite how loathsome they may be, and Bollinger was within his rights and power to invite him. That is not the issue here, however. If I comprehend the underlying concept of a liberal college education correctly, a princi- pal method by which one gains understanding of the world and its workings is by engaging in rational and civil discourse with another Someone 3 mother or father is dead because Ahmadinejad al- lows his nation to overtly sup- port terrorism. That Columbia received this man with his bloody hands is nauseating. whose opinions differ from one’s own. In the case of Ahmadinejad, his discourse can offer neither. The positions he holds in regards to Juda- ism, Israel, and human rights are absolutely untenable, and the president offers zero justi- fication for his beliefs other than an occasion rant of his perversion of Islam. And lest we forget, Iran has financed, armed, and done everything else save actively take up arms alongside the insurgents to aid them in their quest to spread chaos and death in Iraq. The commander of American troops stated on the record that the insurgency would not be at its current strength without Iranian support. Ahmadinejad is not directly culpable, but American servicemen and servicewomen, someone’s mother. father, daughter, son, sis- ter, brother, wife, or husband is dead because Ahmadinejad allows his nation to overtly support terrorism. That Columbia received this man with his hands sodden by American soldiers’ blood is, frankly, nauseating. The Iranian president merely accepted an offer extended to him; the guilty party in this circumstance is clearly Bollinger and the rest of the administration. During his introduction of the president, Bollinger took multiple potshots at Ahma- dinejad calling him, among other things, “a cruel and petty dictator.” Bollinger used the Ivy League reputation ofhis university to at- tract the Iranian leader then pulled a bait-and- switch, using his time on stage to throw in his two cents. If you feel that the man is a dictator with “preposterous and belligerent" views, do not give him another platform to disseminate them further. Also not receiving a free pass is the Dean of the Policy School, John Coatsworth. The day after Admadinejad’s appearance, Dean Coatsworth was asked to justify the invita- tion. He made the remark: “if Hitler were in the United States and. . . if he were willing to engage in a debate and a discussion to be challenged by Columbia students and faculty, we would certainly invite him." ‘ If Hitler is your go-to argument in a de- bate, you lose, period. Also, the Hitler ref- erence adds insult to injury the large Jewish population of Columbia who had to stomach the appearance of a man who calls for the de- struction of their people just days after cel- ebrating a holy day, Yom Kippur. Ahmadinejad has caused enough suffering in the world from far-away Iran. Inviting him to America is nothing short of moronic and offensive. Bollinger should be ashamed and disap- pointed; many in the Columbia University family and America certainly are. a great place to be. After all, we have all taken classes before; we have all had to make new friends and adapt to new environments. What is new? None of us have taken class- es here or lived here, or adapted here. Here is new. But here is now. Years from now, if not next week, you will look back at these times. The upperclassmen read- ing this are already reminiscing. We will not see our first frat party, or first encounter with our room- mate, or even our first class. What we will see is truly “the freshman experience.” We will see a pillar of our nature, a juncture of our own being on this small planet. Do not ask yourself, “How much of this homework should I do if I know the teacher won’t check it? What should I wear to the sorority dinners? or what should I do when I don’t know anyone at the D-hall?” Ask yourself, “where I do I go from here?” Then, and only then can we say we have lived “the freshman experience.” Then, we can begin to define ourselves. . ........................................................ .. WASHWGTQN AND LEE UMVERSITY .......................................................... .. THE RING-TUM PHI. MANAGING EDITOR NEWS ASST. NEWS OPINIONS AR'TS&LIFE EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR COPY EDITOR ASST. COPY EDITORS EDITOR EDITOR EDITOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DESIGN EDITOR DESIGNER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER BUSINESS MANAGER DISTRIBUTION MNGR. ADMINISTRATIVE ASST. JACOB GEIGER JESSICA SHAW GRACE WANG STACEY GRIJALVA SACHA RAAB MICHAEL KEENAN CATHERINE CARLOCK WILL DORRANCE, ANDREW RUBIN KATHY SCOTT CRIGHTON ALLEN GRACE ANDREWS CODY BEAUCHAMP SCOTT CENTORINO ALLISON CHOPIN KEVIN CORN DANE DAVIS BRIAN DEVINE JOHN HENDERSON HANK NATHAN AMOR NEILL THUPARI LARA JORDAN VICTORIA TAYLOR AMY HARBILAS CHARLES PERSONS STROCK MOORE MISSION STATEMENT: It is the mission of THE RING-TUM PHI to accurately, truthfully, and thoroughly report news affecting the Washington and Lee community for students, faculty, parents and alumni. Our goal is to look deeper into news affecting campus life and hold leaders accountable. Through our reporting, we aspire to spark discussions that lead to discovering information that prompts change. THE RING-TUM PHI is published Mondays during the undergraduate school year. THE RING-TUM PHI welcomes all letters. We reserve the right to edit submissions for content and length. Letters and advertising do not necessarily reflect the opinion of THE RING-TUM PHI staff. This newspaper observes current court definitions of libel and obscenity. THE RING-TUM PHI UNIVERSITY COMMONS ROOM. 341 WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA 24450 TELEPHONE: (540) 458-4060 FAX: (540) 458-4059 EMAIL: PH|@WLU.EDU SUBSCRIPTION RATE $45 JULIANNE MIATA OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20071001/WLURG39_RTP_20071001_004.2.txt THE RING—TUM PHI "4 MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2007 The law school hoasts about -Princeton Review rankings Gir- Are the Princeton Review ranl<;ings a valid source for as- scsting college cha1'acteri:‘.tics? At \»’v’¢‘s’Ll-, the answer is appar- ently “yes” and “no.” The School of Law boasts on its website that W&L rates li3=?h in the Princeton Review rankings for both faculty quality student engagement: “The 2007 results placed W&L at the top oftlie ‘Professors Rock (Legally Speaking)" category and sixth in ‘Best Overall Academic ljxpericncc.”’ 5-lowever, the College, for which W&L rates high in less (lu.'il’éll)lC categories (“Lots of Hard siquor." “Lots of Beer,” “l_.i;éle Class/Race Interaction,” and “Alternative Lifestyles Not an Alternative’), still circulates a 2004 report attacking the rankings: “The Princeton Review...is a perfect example ol"..ni ill-constructed opinion stiijvey. Unfortunately, there is no way of preventing this sort of cliicanery frorn being depicted as '~-.!.:ience to the public.” The university isfor tl e l’rin.r_.'etor1 Review ;’t;inlcing.s except when its against them? r‘.=¥'.:i72eone needs to get the story straight. ll/4.-32L must accept the rankings or reject the rankings. It can ’t have it both ways. In other words. the university is for the /’rim:c/on Review rankings except when it’s against them‘? Someone needs to get the story straight. The current inconsistency--touting a ranking system when it's convenient and chastising it when it’s not——can only be rec- ognized as opportunistic. Surely, all methodologies for ranking colleges have their shortcomings, and the Princeton Review’s is chief among them. Yet,.,eitl1er W&L must accept the rankings (both the good and the or it must reject the rzmkings (both the good and lwzti.-ii. It can’t have it both ways. if the rankings trulydo a service to prospective students, \\ :3 :h I personally reject, the proper response is to acknowl- edge and take heed oftheir varied implications. ifthe rankings truly do a disservice to prospective students, vilf-..h I personally accept. the proper response is to supple- nn:.it or replace them with better evidence. Until an honorable institutional decision is made, the Princ- eton Review rankings will remain a cause ofembarrassment for W&L--especially when the administration knowingly cherry- picks them for mere public relations purposes. Thomas Gift Class of20(}7 .—trlingfon, V/1 ii-:lit0r’S note : Below are the sites Tliornas Gilt referenced in his letter. _:’:-’/p.‘//ltnv. wli/.r zllr/ii;jgij.s'.’fs'{r)1'1'cz'r/tzriltggst.us-/2f’ir/*'2_[Vl, if.-j/_tp.‘//“ii: wlu. 63(4)!I//(7/ll(’i1S'.s'(1lVl’V& I. lfr:;x77()/'?rls'.1J(// roe eesrrt: deserve ck Aitiin says that Greek traditions f~ student olevelop memories aita’friendships l tear Editors, i read with dismay and alarm Dane Boston's attack on WrS:.L’s Greek system. In the Sept. I7, Phi, this “sentimental senior” provided the incoming freshman with “a few words of advice as they begin their illustrious careers at Washington and Lee.” After acknowledging the existence and importance of tradition at W&L. Mr. Dane speaks with contempt of the many “unfortunate elements of our institutions” that are allowed to persist because students are “swayed by appeals to obscure comepts of tradition.” Mr. Dane laments the probability that these arcane concepts “limit this place“ in the eyes of prospec- tive students. Dane goes on to declare that “if this place is to survive and thrive in the years to come” these concepts must be “addressed.” for 150 years the Greek system at W&L has provided a nieans for like minded men and now women to enjoy friend- ships and make memories. My own advice to the freshmen would include “live and let live.” There are as many ways to go through W&L as there are stmlents that have and will attend the University. I agree with l\/lr. Dane - “this place will change you.” Be- liei c it or not this has always been true. The Greek system is a time-tested tradition that I believe is important to “this place.” Steve Scully, Class of 1976 Houston, Texas 'l‘raditi0na change Shortening Spring Term won ’t mean less free time or kill the tradition of frequently floating down the Maury By Cody Beauchamp c o L u M N I sr President Ruscio is on to some- thing. If I’m any good at gauging the zeitgeist, the student body met his announcement that he wanted to make sweeping changes to Spring Term with mixed feelings. I’ve heard a lot of people object with horror upon realizing that the beloved term could become shorter. I’ve heard skeptics question wheth- er or not the proposals to “tweak the numbers” will do much. But there’s really no reason to worry, sports fans. In the memo he sent to the fac- ulty that started this current Spring Term discussion, Ruscio actually makes a good case for his changes. He notes that Washington and Lee’s academic structure “simply can’t bear its weight,” and he’s right. It’s virtually impossible to fewer parties and less time. How does that make sense? Obviously the term will be shortened (by two weeks), but since the class require- ments are cut in half, it seems logi- cal that the free time will double. Also, as much as I love float- ing the Maury, I’d much rather hit the beach, float the rivers near my house, or whatever. Getting out of school two weeks earlier means an additional two weeks when classes don’t keep me within driving dis- tance of Lexington. Change isn’t something we do well at W&L. We really are a rather conservative schoo1—not political- ly conservative per so (although the prevalence of those Reagan/Mari- lyn shirts is a little ridiculous), but conservative in the true sense of the word—we don’t change radically. But sometimes we should take a look around and realize change is needed. I love having six weeks every year to cut back with mini- I love having six weeks every year to cut back with minimal responsibility. But I also love the fact that I ’m in a top-flight college. Ultimately, I ’d rather I graduate from a top-flight college than get a really good tan. keep our amazingly—low average class size while at the same time only hiring the most qualified professors and requiring as many credits for graduation as we do. It doesn’t take the entire provost’s of- fice to figure that one out. So what is the‘president’s pro- posal? It’s a lower teaching load for the faculty, a shorter term, and a lower graduation requirement for students. The new plan would require a 5.5 teaching load for the faculty. Don’t get me wrong; that’s still an awful lot for what is essentially a mini—mester, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction. The new plan would lower the graduation requirement to 36 courses. That’s still high for a col- lege of our nature—a liberal arts college—but I certainly won’t complain about a lower class re- quirement. The plan even grandfathers pro- grams that are designed for the six week version of Spring Term. The complaint I hear the most is that shortening Spring Term will make it less fun, that there will be It’s not too early... Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors: ‘Take the first step toward finding your personal, academic, and professional self. Find out more about the self-assessment tools available. Come to Career Services or visit the Student page of careers. wlu.edu WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY mal responsibility. But I also love the fact that I’m in a top-flight col- lege. Ultimately, I’d rather I gradu- ate from a top-flight college than get a really good tan. Ruscio’s plan for changing Spring Term will give the school the ability to not only remain atop- flight school but also climb even higher in prominence. Ruscio calls it being able to lead the conversa- tion in higher education; the stu- dents should call it better jobs for graduating from a better school. I’m a bit afraid I sound like I’m the administration’s patsy; Lord knows I’d rather not. But this time I think they’ve proposed a policy which will improve all of our lives. Graduation will become easier while at the same time the school’s . quality of education will rise. Pro- fessors will have more time to do what they do best—teach. Students will have more time in the Spring to relax while truly focusing on an interesting class. It’s stating the obvious if you re- ally think about it—President Rus- cio is on to something. CAREERSERVICES careers@,wlu.edu 540-458-8595 S o UTHERN INN A Lexington Tradition Since 1932 Serving Contemporary American Cuisine The Area’s Most Extensive Wine List 5:00 p.m. — 10:00 p.m. Monday-Tuesday 11:30 a.m. — 10:00 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday 11:30 a.m. — 9:00 p.m. Sunday 540-463- 3612 Reservations Reccommended g 37 S Main St Lexington, VA 24450 info@southeminn.com The fllntique 9l/la[[ 760 N. Lee Hwy Next. To Tractor Supply A in the Heart. of Liexington, VA 24450 (540) 464-5555 Seliirzgf rm£qu.e furniture and aeeessoriesfor the: Dorm -~ Apartrnent -~ House lvlonday -- Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 pan. Sunday 11:00 am. - 6:00 pm. A Great Place to Entertain Parents!!! .’.I‘:here‘*s Something fo'r-Eueryonen! Diane’s Hair, Beauty & Wellness Salon Visa, Master Card & Discover Behind KFC & Beside the DMV at: 166 Walker Street Lexington, Va 24450 540-464-4247 9:00 — 6:00 Mon-Sat Walk—Ins Are Welcome Perms Tons of Retail Products Waxing Services Men’s & Ladies Cuts Manicures & Pedicures Conditioning Treatments Arbonne Facials and Makeup Hair Straightening and Relaxing Silpada .925 Sterling Silver Jewelry Vitamins and Weight Loss Products Coloring, F oiling and Bleaching Artificial Gel Nail Services Shampoos, Sets & Updos Consultations are Free Corrective Coloring Gift Certificates Hair Extensions Ear Piercing Retouch OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20071001/WLURG39_RTP_20071001_005.2.txt THE RING-TUM PHI 0 MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2007 arts&|ife Sfludent Showcase shots Performers dazzled two full houses in this weekend is impressive talent show MICHAEL KEENAN / Sports Editor Above: Senior Carly Levin serenades an audience with “Love Ridden,” by Fiona Apple, in this past weekend's Student Showcase. There were 15 acts total with 26 student performers.‘ " v Right: Senior Katrina Cork performs a dance choreographed by alumna Shari Boyce. é Weicome to the Largest Online Greek Community in the Worid! FRESH PRODUCE - REAL FRUIT DRINKS - HEALTHY SNACKS CARRY OUT OR EAT IN AT The: unrest Cuuruna CAFE ‘N-‘h/y ‘Prepare.n.’ ~ ‘W/’{errl5' ‘I)az'{y- 57‘-/halt/'Jy,_f‘F}'e5h 59’ ‘Delicious Cafe 11 am — 2 pm MON. - FRI. MON.—FRI. 9 am — 6 pm; SAT. 9 am — 5 pm 110 Vi/est Washington Street 463 . 6954 Downtown Lexington, across from VVSLL OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20071001/WLURG39_RTP_20071001_006.2.txt 6 ~ THE RING-TUM PHI ' M 0 N DAY, OCTOBER 1, 2007 arts&life 5 Phi businesses to the community ;. event AMY HARBILAS / staff photographer Hammond McEver observes with amusement as one contestant, Sarah Tilber, dances her boots off. Contestants had to be moving to the beat at all times throughout the three-hour dance off. ancing Facts Proceeds from event go towards March of Dimes and various iocai literacy projects 0 :The event was hosted by historically black fratern Phi Beta sigma, and pan-Hellenic sorority, Pi Beta ’ ; Event consisted of a six~hour long dance off , Money wasgalso raised by selling t-shirts and raffle tickets for donated items and gift certificates from 2 2 ‘The ‘dance-a~thon wiil hopefutiy become an annua A new idea for fundraisingfun By Carson Haddow sr/arr wanna Where were you Friday night? This past Friday Pi Beta Phi and Phi Beta Sigma host- ed a rockin’ dance party in the Commons. Proceeds from the Dance-a-thon are going towards the sponsorship of March of Dimes, which deals with infant mortality, and vari- ous local literacy projects. The Dance-a-thon was particularly significant because accord- ing to one of the event organizers, “It is mon- umental to have a historically black fraternity joined with a pan-Hellenic sorority.” This cooperation between traditionally distinct alcoves of the Greek world surely indicates both changes in the perceptions of our students and the strong sense of general community here at W&L. What was the big deal at the dance? The dance featured a six hour long, non-stop danceoff, basically a dance till you drop bo- This event not only strength- ened the W&L community, it reinforced our relationships with the area. Carson Haddow, Staff Wrlter nanza. Also included in the night’s activities were raflies, dance prizes and special deals with local restaurants and businesses. The or- ganizers of the event feel that they were able to bring the entire community together for this event. Everyone from the siblings of vis- iting students to Lexington shopkeepers got involved. This event not only strengthened the W&L community, but it also reinforced our relationships with the area and the com- munity of Lexington as well. We were able to give back to the people who have so kindly accepted us into their hometown through the two philanthropic fundraisers; the people of Lexington have been able to get involved in a fun school activity. Since a good commu- nity is one of the foundations of this school, events like the Dance-a-thon are critical. As one of the event organizers put it, “Ev- eryone likes to dance!” Friday night was a great time to boogey. Timb-or Ridge Auto -Center’ E. (3 E E} "v”a.‘i_icy i’i_¥<'e Lexington, VA 24450 {$43) 4:54» 1.99?‘ Foreign and Doriziestic .RLepa.,i.rs Oil change anti Ln.be., .l%"{’, fjoiripitiieir ‘£}i.agnost:Ecs, Mirror and IM.ajar Iiitgirie Repair, metres, Fact l'njec»tisn Service, Transmi.ssien. Service, Coofaait Fiesta, .M.in.s:.3r anti lvi.aj«:>r Tune ~--ups, We can provitie factory aarkrcfiized mairitenarme witliont x=*oicl.ing your1ia.a.tmfe.cnzrc’s warrs.:it);.. .Major r°eciit_ Ciczrciar ..4e?r:*e,o2‘erz‘ We can’t come to PARENTS WEEKEND and would like to sell our room at the WINGATE INN 1100 North Lee Highway 1 NON-SMOKING ROOM 2 QUEEN BEDS THURSDAX OCTOBER 25 — SUNDAZ OCTOBER 28 Three nights are reserved and Two nights are paid for $385.00 — taxes included Please call 404-459-7046 or email susanspratt@mac.com Lexington Animal Hospital Welcomes You and Your Pet!! 20% ofi‘ your first visit with this ad New clients only/limit one per visit. Expires 06/30/2008 Dr. Sheryl H. Carls 28 Bones Place Lexington, VA 540-463-2715 Oil Exchange & Lube 754 North Lee Hwy. Across from Tractor Supply 540-463-5020 Save $1.00 — Show W&L ID NEW CONTEMPORARY MEDIA RANCH On 18th Fairway Lexington Golf and Country Club Luxurious custom-built with top- quality materials, beauty, TLC. $555,000 540-4 61 -I 709 ' See tour at www.1exingtonvafsbo.com OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20071001/WLURG39_RTP_20071001_007.2.txt %. §¢§AR§{E§"3 K %?*»i};i‘£f:”f§‘v§E'§‘*é"£' E£5sN%‘§E:"3i5§ Gain responsibility early and often. ‘ “Best Globai Rania” V wk 2, .:%:7:ip}:t;:vstigim1:; (ziiefit . Ls‘ fn_a.}.s;. E§«;..:%. 4:“ v<.::si;:,3r* 01;» ’ ; .2 1: Banking 9§% sf §a§*iame §fi0 (if tiie f test g;2;i”*(>Wi11g’ ;;’i<3b;;«2,i €;:‘{')":‘ irzii .. $3..-Iiiii comP3|¥i9$~ . miss in ’i.he:_. i'Ii}.Ci'U.t%i}i§f"$C "" #1 5” “*9 i”d“3“’Y , Fm,i.~”%"§§WE WE$E§\E"§ATi$GN Wéfineaday, {}€§Z{}§3€r 3, 200? - 7:06 gm. *1 ~ 9:80 gm. Wééiiams Scéioaé «- Huntiey Haéfl ‘ u f spm TC} .:r:a..:.. WASHENGTON & LEE UNiVERS%TY £}NDERGRAD%.JA Bank Of Amerlca , / Bank of Opportunity” bankofamerica.com/collegerecruiting OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20071001/WLURG39_RTP_20071001_008.2.txt 8 ° THE RING-TUM PHI MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2007 sports Women cruise to sh utout victories Defense allows just seven shots against Bridgewater and Emory & Henry in ODAC matches this week MICHAEL KEENAN / Sports Editor Junior Katie Kern finds the back of the net during Wednesday's 5-0 win over Bridge- water. Kern, who missed most of last season due to injury, has scored four goals In the team's flrst nine games. By Hank Nathan sun warren The Washington and Lee women’s soccer team rebounded in a big way this week. After losing to conference-rival Virginia Wesley- an, the Generals took out their frustration on confer- ence opponents Bridgewater College and Emory & Henry College. “We knew after the loss on Saturday that we needed to step it up this week,” said Katie Kern. “We weren’t sure what to think about Bridgewa- ter coming in, and we were missing some key for- wards, so we knew that everyone was going to have to work hard for each other.” And the team did just that. Without team captain and leading goal scorer Anne Van Devender, who was out with an injury, the Generals focused on a more team—oriented game. From the outset against Bridgewater, W&L em- ployed its aggressive style offense. Within the first two minutes of the game, the Generals narrowly missed a goal after hitting the crossbar. Then, a few minutes later, Haley Bunting put the ball in the back of the net, only to have it taken away because of an offside call. Moments afier, Bunting received an- other opportunity in a one-on-one situation with the Bridgewater goalie, but the shot was just high. Finally, 25 minutes into the game, W&L ended its scoring drought. Kern fired a shot into the lefi side of the net off of a perfectly placed pass by de- fender Marisa Van Brunt who was near midfield. “Marisa played a great ball across into the gap, and I ran onto it, took a touch, and finished it,” said Kern of the sequence that led to the goal. Sixteen minutes later, at 41:21, Taylor Garrett, from midfield, headed the ball down the middle of the field to a seemingly wide open Martha Caulkins. Caulkins broke away from the defense and shot the ball just past the outstretched arms of the Eagles goalie and into the right side of the net, advancing the score to 2-0. Even though they were ahead, W&L still strug- gled to distance themselves from Bridgewater in the flrst half. However, the Generals opened the flood gates at the beginning of the second half, scoring two quick goals, effectively putting the game out of the Eagles’ reach. Karen Lambdin scored off of a cross from Roz Klann at 49:20, and Caulkins put in another goal off of a deflection by a defender at 54:49. Kern added in her second goal from a feed by Caulkins as Bridgewater failed to clear the ball with less than 10 minutes to play. The final score was 5-0. “We rebounded pretty well after the loss on Sat- urday,” Kem stated after the 5-0 victory. “We just have to keep working hard for each other and play our game and we’ll be successful.” W&L carried momentum into its next game at Emory & Henry College on Saturday. Van Brunt opened the scoring after putting in a goal off of an assist by Bunting just four minutes into the game (3:38). Ten minutes later, the same combination hooked up again for another goal. This ignited three more goals which were scored in a span of 15 minutes, giving the Generals a 5-0 half- time lead. In the second half, the team added two more goals, and the final score was 7-0. In the effort, Van Brunt and Klann each scored two goals, while Bunting, Kern and Lambdin each added one. W&L compiled 32 shots compared to two by the Wasps. Moreover, Emory & Henry did not even have a single shot on target which was a testament to the Generals’ stifling defense. W&L is now 7-2 overall and 5-1 in conference through the halfway point of the season. “We have made good progress from the first game of the season,” said Coach Neil Cunningham. “Players have been very open to changes of forma- tions and positions and have adapted well.” TAN FOR $18.88/ MONTH! Caribbean Tan “Where Students 1} Tan 125 Walker St. 540-464-4552 Some restrictions apply. 5 Ask sales assosiate for details! l.i§}f.§ N? 835.} ?.~‘».?’§?t‘».%f:?2€2§. $3113 Lifi ti. tennis htreet iaxéagtea, Esiéfsié it iiiéfi} &i:S3~f3§i8$ E: {one} z:fs:f}l?s»I3"lf3;”t i <7 vi.‘ ax. M. W; §ex§:wg‘%::::r:;::r3;:>;:2::::e: ii: W4.’ :£‘oo"f ? 2* M at 3%} am. ~ 5:31} Spring Break 2008. Sell Trips, Earn Cash and Go Free. Call for group discounts. Best Deals Guaranteed! Jamaica, Cancun, Acapulco, Bahamas, 8. Padre, Florida. 800-648-4949 or www.ststravel.com. The Phi: We win stuff! Want to join us? Contact geigerj@wlu.edu gméa Te ,2eezfa»:ozaru‘f Przem. rcaa Bm«;R & Tm Tor CAFE“. {)?‘(ltfi“ from our compiete menu {Jr Jiritz wzfixr one ofiozrr ALL Y()l)’ 6213/ T Buffets.’ Friday Night Seafood Buffet with Crab Legs 5pm~t0;3m Saturday Night Prime Rib Dimer 5pm~10pm Sunday Baked Chicken, Pork Loin, 8. Pot Roast ttam-9pm f-Triday & Saturday Late Mght Breakfast Bar ‘lflpm-2am araaktast Bar 7 Bays a Week Sam-1 tam Batty Hot Country Bar ttam-‘topm {Deity Soup, Saiad, 8; Fruit Bar Mam-topm Qrcier Breertzjlhst 24 Hours a days, 7 days a week! {farm Cwireri ti./{mix & Sr?idtftéf°i£ I-Irxspitrrlityf L<.rca.ted at 343$ :32 if-(>4. limit. H35, 2516 Mitzi; Lee 1 lwy. l,.cxingt0n._ VA 540463-3478 Great food & at great?“ ceilection of Antique Pedot Cars & Tin Toysé TUSCANY Italian Restaurant (owned and operated by the D ’Avanz0 Family) Chef Luciano D’Avanzo with over 40 years experieence and family proudly offer a romantic atmoshphere and an affordable dining experience with a delicious array of authentic regional italian delicacies. Live Piano nightly! Cozy main dining room with fireplace Banquet/private dining facilities Domestic and imported Wine and beer list Full ABC liquor license Casual attire www. tuscanyitalianrestauran t. com la’avanzo2003@yah00.c0m 540.463.9888 Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner 24 North Main Street in Historic Downtown Lexington SPEAK continue the tradition gllre Best Place under the sun is Also me Best ifleceire 50 Cents Oil Any Combo Meal. ,' Offer expires 11/ 18/2007. Offer good only at the Lexington, VA Wendy's location only. Not valid with any other offer or discount. One I Place llnrler ilre lloon. l.lll£ ilrcrn lovnrrr (onion 4 l Valid 8 pm until Midnight. 531 E. Nelson Street, texlnlon Pint-up window open ‘til midnight l ni‘riiiiil'r'is. I lal lreal, inn lalelt ©2ili5l¥ullllI.VlIir'sIlt.it:i|ml ligr flhihlmidlnrgwhidldflimtuflotnwl lllrnt[rkv;vraiIzral.lrrL {pv- OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20071001/WLURG39_RTP_20071001_009.2.txt MONDAY, OCTOBER 1,2007 THE RING-TUM PHI ° 9 sports Packer a deserving holder of Marina is TD record that will take risks that no other quarterback would by throwing the ball into triple coverage late in the 4"‘ quarter trying to mount a comeback. He will still stop at nothing to avoid going down and instead find an open receiver down "field to move the chains. He does this because he can and it is how he has been since he first came to the Packers in ’92, and that’s how it will be until he announces his retirement from the game. One of my fondest memories of Brett Favre was seeing him throw a touchdown pass to An- dre Rison in Super Bowl XXXI, and seeing him sprint down the field faster than any other player, hands in the air, with an expres- sion of sheer joy and jubilation on his face, not like a larger than life professional athlete, but like Favre among grea By Nelll Thurapl STAFF WRITER gardless of the situation. On October 21, 2003 Favre lost his father, Irvin Favre to a heart at- tack, leaving him questionable for the following night’s game against the Oakland Raiders. However, Favre did what he thought his father would have wanted him to do, and came out on Monday Night Football throwing for 399 yards and 4 . touchdowns in one of the most memorable and emotional per- formances ever in the history of sports. For anyone who watched that game or remembers seeing Brett F avre speak after it, it was hard not to get choked up think- ing about just what Favre was going through and how he over- came such circumstances. Other misfortunes that Favre had to overcome included his wife, Deanna, being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 as well as the physical injuries such as bro- ken fingers, sprained ankles," and the everyday bruises and abuse that comes with the punishment of being an NFL quarterback. Yet throughout all of the adver- sity that Brett Favre has had to face, he still continues to play week-in and week-out, perform- ing with the best the NFL has to offer at a caliber that most professional athletes couldn’t dream of achieving. Although in recent years past, the critics have become quite vocal and numerous in calling for F avre to hang up his cleats, saying that his time had passed, nevertheless, this year Green Bay is a perfect 4-0, sit- ting in first place in the NFC North, thanks in large part to Brett Favre’s management of the game. However, the way Favre manages the game hasn’t changed the way, certain_.ana- lyv uld have’ you belT§%. I e is stilt the famed giiiisliriger Green Bay Packers quar- terback Brett Favre has broken Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino’s record for touchdown passes over the course of a ca- reer this Sunday in Minnesota. . Going into week 4 against the Vikings, Favre had thrown for 420 TD’s and started in an NFL- record 240 consecutive games by a quarterback. Now, F avre stands alone atop one of the most prestigious records in the modern day NFL. Drafted out of the University of Southern Mississippi in 1991 by the Atlanta Falcons, Brett Fa- vre had a rough start to his jour- ney in the NFL which led him to be traded to the Green Bay Pack- ers in February of 1992. After “ three weeks in which in he saw minimal but meaningful play- ing time, in week 4 of the 1992 NFL season Packers coach Mike Holmgren decided to start F avre in place of then injured quarter- back Don Majkowski. Little did we know that over the next 15 years Brett Favre would become one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. During his time in Green Bay, Favre has won a Super Bowl, been named the Most Valuable Player of the NFL three consecutive times—a ‘ feat that no one has matched- -and has become the all-time winningest QB in NFL history, notching 150 wins in his regular season career and counting. However, amidst all the ac- colades and formal recognitions that F avre has received, he is probably most well known for his passion for the game, his charismatic leadership, indomi- Q table will, and overall heart that he demonstratesreach anekevery time he steps onto t.l=re'field, re- game with the kids in the neigh- borhood in his backyard. There was something so sincere and so genuine about him that I knew that I was witnessing something special. Fast forward to the present and Favre has just broken one of the most hallowed records in the history of the NFL. He is with- out a doubt a future, first ballot Hall of Famer that has made his way into the hearts of foot- ball fans across the country and must seriously be considered in the debate of the greatest NFL quarterbacks ever. And although years from now Peyton Man- ning may break Favre’s record and rewrite the history books on his own, Favre will be forever remembered for the many gut- wrenching moments in which he overcame all the odds with his immensely strong will and heart ,agt_l\._ unadulterated love for. the Tru"flifully, 1 dovnjtjfliink he would want it any other way. a young kid playing in a pickup . XC gains momentum Kat Telfeyan leads the cross country team as it beats four D—I teams; men get revenge on ODAC rival Lynchburg By Kevln corn smrr wmnzn The Cross Country teams had a busy week as the women com- peted at the William and Mary Invitational on Saturday, while the men were at the Lehigh Paul Short Invitational on Friday and the VMI Invitational on Saturday. The women took sixth out of ten Division I teams, holding their own as the only Division 111 team present. The men took ninth out thirty—nine teams at the Paul Short Invite and lost by only one point to VMI at the VMI Invite. At the William and Mary In- vitational, the women were once again led by sophomore Kat Telf- eyan who ran in 23:34 to take for- ty-third out of 103 runners. Junior Becca Taylor took sixtieth with a time of 24:23. Finishing just behind her in sixty-second was sophomore Dorothy Todd, who ran in a time of 24:28. Freshmen Christine Balisterri and Katherine Fenwick took sixty-fifth and sev- enty—fifth respectively with times of 24:41 and 25:31. This meet was especially im- portant since it gave the women a look at the Regionals course. Todd commented, “We were able to familiarize ourselves with the course so that when Regionals rolls around, we will know what to expect. Everyone on the team really seemed to enjoy the course; it was a great combination of roll- ing hills, open fields, and wooded trails.” Furthermore, the women were competing amongst SEC and ACC schools. “It was a nice pre- view of the course, and the large ‘field of competitors made us not only push ourselves but get ready for the competition at regionals. I was very proud of the team. We’ve been training hard these past weeks, and jumping in the race with some big name schools gave us some good experience,” stated Telfeyan. Todd added, “The field was entirely Division I with the exception of us, so there were very fast girls in our race that pushed the pace and pulled us along. Being able to hold our own against teams from the ACC and SEC is exciting, so as a team, we were very happy with our 6th place finish.” The men meanwhile took care of business while at the Paul Short Invite by outrunning Lynchburg. Junior Michael Welsh led the team by finishing thirteenth with a time of 26:24, while senior Tom Brower completed the race in a time of 26:59 to take thirty-sixth. Juniors Vance Berry and An- thony Ives crossed the finish line in forty-third with a time of 27:11 and sixty-eighth in a time of 27:38, respectively. Lastly, freshman Michael Shiplett took 106*‘ with at time of 28:05, senior Andrew Friski finished in a time of 28:16 to take 116“‘, and sopho- more Ben Stutts finished 164"‘ in a time of28:5l. “Placing ninth was great, but it wasn’t particularly significant. What really mattered was beat- ing Lynchburg by 97 points and Mary Washington by 115. We’ve obviously taken a big step in fit- ness since NYU, and we’re glad to see that paying off’ commented Brower. Berry added, “We bested ODAC rival Lynchburg by a sig- nificant margin, showing a marked improvement from our last outing at NYU where they got the better of us. It’s been a hotly contested rivalry this year, with the better prepared team winning each out- ing. We’ll look to hold this mo- mentum through the ODAC meet in four weeks.” Also worth noting was Ives’s breakthrough this week. Brower mentioned that Ives “had the kind , of race which we need him to run as our No. 4, plus the 29 second PR (personal record) was pretty‘ incredible.” Lastly, while at the VMI In- vite, ran well with great efforts from freshmen Jack Ivy, Robert George, and David Doobin, soph- omore Elliot O’Brien, and junior Alex Jackson. Doobin commented on the Generals’ finishes, “A lot of us felt like our performance. . .was exactly what we have been train- ing for thus far this season, and that if we can keep on performing at that caliber for the remainder of the season it bodes well. To nearly beat VMI was largely un- expected, and a pleasant surprise, but it was never really our goal. We just wanted to reach our rac- ing potential and we thought that VMI would be way out in front of us.” The meet was also fun for the participants because those not running cheered on their team- mates with entertaining signs, such as “go elliott, fly like a kiwi,” a phrase that can be attributed to freshman Davis Franklin. O’Brien reported the race was even started with a cannon. The men will next be in action October 13 as they participate in the William & Mary Invitational, while the women will compete the same day at the DeSa1es Invi-. tational. Washington and Lee University Pavilion Wednesday. October 3 Special Guest Rose Hill Drive (9 Doors 7pm Show 8pm No Re-entry after 9pm $10 W&L Students $20 Public Tickets on Sale outside the Commons "* and at I GAB'.WLU.EDU Wadi Dining Services issues. reality: Gearhart s Fine Chocolates , ©CA\|L IF/e\lLlL R\/IESTQOO7 Wednesday, October 3“ the Marketplace will feature one of the most memorable dinner experiences of the year, LOCAL FALL HARVEST 2007 Join us in promoting Locally Grown Foods and Sustainable Food Production while supporting Local Business and Agriculture. I The festivities begin at 4:00 P.M. in the Stack House Theater as Joel Salatin, local author & founder of Polyface Farms, presents an Information Session in regards to Local & Global Sustainability Dinner will be served in the Marketplace from 5:00 P.M. — 7:15 P.M. Our thanks to the many farmers, businesses, and organizations that have made this dinner a Polyface Farms, Saunders Brothers’, Everona Dairy, Caromount Farms, Meadow Creek Dairy, Cherry Ridge Farm, Mountain View Farm Products, Big Hill Farm, Swisher Family Farm , Cupp Family Farm, Mona Lisa Pasta, Sweet Things Ice Cream, Wades Mill, Rockbridge Grown, Student Environmental Action League (SEAL) OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20071001/WLURG39_RTP_20071001_010.2.txt MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2007 10 ° THE RING-TUM PHI sports deck Mon Tues WED THuRs FRI SAT SUN vs. Football f;h°"° : p.m. at vs. Flold EMU Roanoke "°°"°V 7:oo p.m. 5:00 p.m. vs. V5- M°n,s v|v|| Roanoke Soccer 4:00 p.m. 11:00 8-m at vs wo|ng|-['5 G|l"f0I'd ' CNU s°°°°' 4:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. vs. at vs. V3- Randolph olleyball Fenuln Gullford QIISSIIS & Macon & “)0 P-'“- 630 P-m- Roanoke Aver,“ v 5130 P-"L 9:00 a.m. vs. 8* women“ Johns Carnegie Tennis H0Pk|n5 M°"°“ 1:00 p_m, i9:00 a.m. at Greens- Golf bow invite at Men’: "A T°'““‘ outheast eglonalsl numbers 2:04:26 Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie’s time in the Berlin Marathon. Gebrse- lassie’s time broke the old world record, previously held by Paul Ter- gat, by 29 seconds. 5 Number of college football teams ranked in the top 10 who lost on Saturday. Oklahoma, Florida, West Virginia, Texas, and Rutgers all fell. No. 1 USC and No. 9 Wisconsin barely escaped with three point wins. 7 Earned runs given up by Mets pitcher Tom Glavine in 1/3 of an inning Sunday. Glavine left the game with the bases loaded and having only retired one batter. The Mets’ loss kept them out of the playoffs. 422 Career touchdowns by Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre. Fa- vre broke Hall of Famer Dan Marino’s record of 420 this weekend by throwing two touchdowns against Minnesota. box “In my mind, I thought he scored. I was like, ‘[Darn], I'm going to be in trouble with my coach- es.’ But then I looked up and saw [cornerback] Brandon Hampton going after the football. I saw my coaches running at me making the signal for a touch ba ck. ” California's Marcus Ezeff on his thoughts after knocking the football free from 0regon’s Cameron colvln at the goal line. The ball bounced out of the end zone, giving cal the ball and ensuring their victory. 7 “I loved holding the touchdown record for the past 13 years. But if someone was going to break it, I'm glad it was someone like you, who has always competed at the highest level and always played to win.” Former Miami Dolphins’ quarterback Dan Marino to Brett Favre in a videotaped message played after Favre broke Marino’s record for career touchdown passes. Correction: Last week's women's soccer article should have stated W&L’s record against Virginia Wesleyan during the 2004-2006 seasons as 1-2-3. Last year's NCAA playoff game against Va. Wes. is offlciaiiy recorded as a tie because the game was determined by penalty kicks. MICHAEL KEENAN / Sports Editor Senior Tara Rubenstein makes a save during Friday night's game against Randolph-Macon. Rubenstein and sophomore goalie Caroline Habliston combined for four saves to preserve the win for the Generals. FH hangs on for win Womenlopen ODAC schedule with win over Randolph-Macon By Michael Keenan SPORTS EDITOR After losing a double overtime heart- break to No. 11 Johns-Hopkins University last Sunday, the Generals began confer- ence play Friday night by defeating Ran- dolph-Macon College 3-2 on Friday night in a hard-fought game. s°°'°s In the preseason ODAC w&l_ 3 coaches poll, the Generals R_MC 2. ranked second to Lynch- burg by just one first-place vote. R-MC entered the season ranked a distant fourth. For the first few minutes of Friday night’s game, it appeared the rankings should have been reversed. R-MC got off to a quick start when freshmen Mary McCarthy scored an unas- sisted goal less than three minutes into the game, causing an eruption of cheers and optimism from the visitor’s bench. “They were ready for this game and really wanted it badly,” said senior Laura Nugent. “They were absolutely intent on beating us.” “Their first goal was a wake-up call,” said sophomore Caroline Habliston. It didn’t take long for the Generals to wake up, though. Just 76 seconds later ju- nior Liz Garson tied the game, ripping a shot past R-MC goalie Ashley Crouch off a penalty comer. ‘‘It was surprising that R-MC scored quickly, but we didn’t let that get us down,” said sophomore Sallie Armstrong. “We responded quickly with Liz Garson’s goal which was so important to keep us from playing frantic and on our heels.” “[Responding with a goal so quickly] was necessary to show that we were actu- ally in this game and to prove to ourselves that we could reorganize and get ourselves into the game,” said Nugent. “We were ex- cited about the game, but it seems like we weren’t totally ready to win and fight for a victory.” Ten minutes later the Generals found back of the net off another penalty comer. This time it was Armstrong taking a quick shot off the short pass. Less than three minutes later, Armstrong took advantage of another penalty corner to score her sec- ond goal of the night. “We have been very focused on [pen- alty comers in practice],” said Nugent. “The stoppers have been taking at least 10-20 stops a day, and Sally and Liz have “[The goal] was shocking, to be hon- est,” said Nugent. “We just weren’t play- ing our game.” Though the Yellow Jackets would mount several more offensive opportuni- ties, the Generals defense held strong. Ha- bliston, in goal for the second half, came up with three bigsaves to preserve the 3-2 lead and give the Generals the victory in their first ODAC contest of the "season. “I thought that R-MC played really well Friday night,” said Armstrong. “They lived up to my expectations and maybe played a little better like they wanted it more than we did.” The Generals return to action on Tues- day evening when they travel to Eastern “We have been very focused on [penalty corners in prac- tice]. T he stoppers have been taking at least 10-20 stops a day, and Sally and Liz have been perfecting their hits. Its rewarding to see our hard work and focus and repetitive drills pay ofl"/ ” Senior Laura Nugent, Defender been perfecting their hits. lt’s rewarding to see our hard work and focus and repetitive drills pay ofil” The Yellow Jackets mounted an offen- sive surge with about ten minutes to play, winning several penalty comers, but the Generals’ defense refused to budge and took a 3-1 lead into halftime. Less than 10 minutes into the second half, R-MC’s Nicole Klee scored off a penalty comer to bring the Yellow Jackets within one. Mennonite to take on the Royals, who were picked third in the preseason poll and have already defeated Lynchburg and Virginia Wesleyan in conference play. “EMU is our biggest game in the near future since they eliminated us from the ODAC tournament last year and have al- ready won against No. 1 Lynchburg this year,” said Habliston. “We have very similar styles of play and will approach the game with composure and looking for payback.” Yellow Jackets sting Generals 42-17 After a closefirst half Randolph-Macon destroys W&L in second half By Brian Devlne STAFF WRITER Last season, Washington and Lee foot- ball enjoyed a good degree of success, winning the Old Dominion Athletic Con- ference and restoring a sense of worth to a program that had been off W&L students’ collective radar for several decades. This season, the Generals notched two impressive, hard-fought out-of-conference victories and looked to be on course to a repeat ODAC title. On Saturday afternoon, in suburban Richmond, the wheels came off. The boys in blue fell 42-17 to a surprisingly strong Randolph-Macon squad picked to finish last in the conference before the season began. The Generals had only themselves to blame as they committed six turnovers and gave up 30 unanswered points. The game started inauspiciously when the host Yellow Jackets scored a touch- down less than two minutes into the con- test. The first half was a competitive affair where each team scored two touchdowns. W&L’s Torn Pacicco had both for the visi- tors on 1- and 2- yard runs and R-MC add- ed to their early lead with a 79-yard kick return by Waddell Howard after Pacicco’s first. Pacicco nearly added a third but fum- bled the football only one yard from the end zone to put an end to an impressive 16-play, 90-yard drive. The score at halftime was the exact same as in last week’s game against Aver- ett, 15-14, after a R-MC field goal. From there on, though, the aftemoon’s affair di- verged remarkably from its predecessor. R-MC kicked off to start the second half, but the ball was fumbled by W&L’s Aaron Fulk and was recovered by R-MC’s Tristan Carr. The Jackets capitalized on the error with a touchdown pass from Brandon Bra- ner to tight end Stuart May. W&L punted on its next possession and then gave up an- other touchdown to go down 14-28. Still within reach at the start of the fourth quarter, W&L quarterback R.J. Var- ner fumbled at his own 5-yard line under pressure on the first play of the final pe- riod. The ball was recovered by R-MC’s Ray Johnson in the end zone to put the hosts up 35-14. From there, Vamer’s afternoon only got worse. He was intercepted on the first play of the next possession and it took Braner only two plays to put his team up 42-14. Chris Prugar tackled Rod Nelson on the one-yard line to save a touchdown, only to see Zak Thornton rush for his third of the day on the very next snap. Vamer then threw his third interception just three plays into the next possession though R-MC was forced to punt. Vamer was replaced by freshman Patrick Rouse for the next series, who led the Generals to their final points, a field goal by Andrew Wilbourn to make the final score 42-17. Vamer was candid about his 8-for- 15, 59-yard afternoon. “We got our butts kicked,” he said plainly. There were few bright spots for the Generals, though Pacicco had over 100 yards rushing for the third straight game and safety Kyle Luby again led the team in tackles with nine. The Blue Menace defense proved al- most entirely unable to stop the Yellow Jacket offense, who punted only five times in the game. R-MC’s Thornton (22 rush, 89 yards) and Braner (10-17, 118 yards, 1 TD) have proven to be one of the better RB—QB pairings in the conference. Their preseason ranking, seventh, was clearly too low, as the Jackets are now 4-1 and un- defeated in conference play. They had not won four games in a season since 2003. Unless the Generals can correct the widespread mistakes that plagued them on Saturday, their preseason ranking, second, may have been too optimistic. The Blue and White will need to commit far fewer turnovers if they hope to win the confer- ence again, as many of their newfound fans expect them to do.