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Friday, January 19, 2007

SPORTS, Page 8OPINIONS, Page 4

Saban will pay off

Humphrey heals quickly

ENTERTAINMENT, Page 7Vol. 113, Issue 71

www.cw.ua.eduonline

Guerrilla crew holds improv show

Weekend taxi money not there yet

Smoking ban alters eateries’ atmosphere

CW/ Kasey Wakeley

Construction to Hackberry Lane will move utility lines and make room for new science buildings and the science quad.

CHANGEofscenery

New system records class lectures, slides for downloadTegrity system records lectures for access on UA students’ computers, cell phones, MP3 players, WebCTBY MEGHAN MENARDSenior Staff Reporter When Sam Conyers studies for his art history final, he’ll have more to help him than his notes and textbook — he’ll be using Tegrity Campus 2.0, a lecture-recording

program being tested by the College of Arts & Sciences. The junior majoring in health and nutrition is a student in Andrea Taylor’s art history class, in which Tegrity is used to record each class lecture. Once installed on the computer, the program uses a wireless microphone to record the instructor’s lecture. It also records the instructor’s use of the computer, which includes every slide show used in class, Taylor said.

The program then posts the entire lecture onto WebCT for students’ one-step access, she said. Students can listen to class lectures on MP3 players, computers and Motorola Razr cell phones. Tegrity specializes in classroom technol-ogy for colleges and universities, according to the company’s Web site. About 20 professors agreed to try the

Andera Taylor teaches her Survey of Art I class in Farrah Hall. Taylor is one of 20 professors using the new Tegrity system.

CW/ T.G. PaschalSee TEGRITY, Page 3

Senator plans to create student organization to help fund cab project BY ELLEN BURKE Student Life Editor■ burke@cw.ua.edu

Students can still expect to see taxicabs on the Strip, SGA College of Arts & Sciences Sen. William Bloom said, but those anticipating their arrival might have to wait until after this semester.

The resolution calling for weekend taxicabs cleared the SGA Senate on Sept. 14, and Bloom told The Crimson White in September taxis could come to the Strip as early as the end of January. On Tuesday, however, Bloom said the project will take lon-ger than anticipated because funding for the project hasn’t been finalized. “We want to fund the taxi-cabs through the SGA but don’t want it to appear that we’re giv-ing money to ourselves that is

supposed to be for students,” Bloom said. “We don’t want to set a bad precedent that can be used and abused by future administrations.” To determine the feasabil-ity the project, Bloom said he

wants to form a student orga-nization. He said he plans to start the process of forming the organization by the end of the month. The cost to fund the program will depend on how

many students use the service, Bloom said. If enough stu-dents use cabs, the program won’t cost SGA any money, he said, because SGA will only have to pay the taxicab com-pany if the cab doesn’t make its hourly rate. For example, if the hourly rate per cab is $50 and the cab makes $35 in one hour, SGA would pay the company $15, he said. Deluxe Radio Cab Co. is still interested in coming to the Strip, Bloom said, but he

said he has stopped talking to all cab companies and won’t meet with them again until of funding has been secured. Changes in businesses on the Strip won’t affect plans for the taxicabs, he said. “If the Strip does end up being an end as we know it, the cabs would follow wher-ever the students may go,” Bloom said. Corey Ellis, a sophomore majoring in secondary educa-

See TAXICABS, Page 2

“We want to fund the taxicabs through the SGA but don’t want it to appear that we’re giving money to ourselves that is supposed to be for students,”

— WILLIAM BLOOMSGA A&S senator

Ordinance takes smokers out of dining room, into the cold winter weatherBY CHRISTY CONNER Senior Staff Reporter■ conner@cw.ua.edu A little past primetime, smoke clouds restaurants across the city. Tuscaloosa’s new smok-ing ban went into effect this month, keeping smokers from lighting up until the strike of 10 p.m. while having a bite to eat in restaurants that serve alcohol and forcing fixers onto patios at restaurants that do not serve alcohol. In the nearly three weeks since the city started enforc-ing the ordinance, business owners said they have had a few complaints but have not lost a lot of business.

Students who do not smoke say they think the ban is fair, and those who do smoke, well, they just hate the January cold. Carey Tucker, the manager of Mugshots Bar and Grill, said customers complained a little when the ordinance started because they did not know about the new rules. “We had a couple of com-plaints about it around the beginning of January,” Tucker said. “But in the last two weeks since people have started to find out, no one else has com-plained to our staff about it.” Although there has not been a decline in business, Tucker said he has seen an increase in the amount of families com-ing in to eat at the establish-ment. “The smoking ban has made [Mugshots] not as much of

Hackberry Lane is being rerouted. Half of Campus Drive is being closed.

A science quad is being built. The Capstone’s facing a

BY JAMES JAILLET Staff Reporter■ jaillet@cw.ua.edu

ackberry Lane will soon take a new course through the UA campus.

The Tuscaloosa City Council voted in December

to move utilities that are beneath the road. UA officials decided to reroute the road to move the utilities and make way for the new science buildings and science quad around Shelby Hall, said Tim Leopard, assis-tant vice president of construction administration. From the Biology Building,

Hackberry’s new route will run to the building’s north, going around the east of the new science buildings and Shelby Hall. It will reconnect with Hackberry’s current route in front of the Riverside East residence hall. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of H

CW/ Mike Faulk

UA senior Randy Ford, right, smokes with a friend outside of Qdoba. A new city smoking ban keeps restaurant patrons from smoking inside before 10 p.m.

See SMOKING, Page 2See HACKBERRY, Page 3

■ SGA

2 Friday, January 19, 2007 ■ NEWS

ANNOUNCEMENTSGet on Board Day applications due today Spring Get On Board Day applications and registration fees are due today by 4:45 p.m. to the CCSO office in room 341 of the Ferguson Center. Applications are available at ccso.ua.edu. Registration fees are $15 for registered student organizations and $20 for UA departments. Spring Get On Board Day is Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Ferguson Ballroom. For more information, contact CCSO Vice President of Admistration Alex Karagas at ccsovpadm@sa.ua.edu or 348-2276.

Famed musicians coming to UAA fusion of bluegrass, classical and modern music will be

presented by renowned musicians Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile on Jan. 28 as part of the UA School of Music’s Celebrity Series. The performance will be held at 3 p.m. in the Moody Music Building. Meyer and Thile’s performance is sponsored by the Gloria Narramore Moody Foundation, which has brought world-renowned artists to Tuscaloosa since 1988. Celebrity Series season subscriptions are $72 and $55, and single ticket prices are $22 and $15 for the general public and $7 for students. For ticket information, call the School of Music box office at 348-7111.

The Crimson White is the community newspaper of The University of Alabama. The Crimson White is an editorially free newspaper produced by students. The University of Alabama cannot influence editorial decisions and editorial opin-ions are those of the editorial board and do not represent the official opinions of the University. Advertising offices of The Crimson White are on the first floor, Student Publications Building, 923 University Blvd. The advertising mailing address is P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. The Crimson White (USPS 138020) is published weekly June, July and August, and is published four times a week September through April except for spring break, Thanksgiving, Labor Day and the months of May and December. The Crimson White is provided for free up to three issues. Any other papers are $1.00. The subscription rate for The Crimson White is $125 per year. Checks should be made payable to The University of Alabama and sent to: The Crimson White Subscription Department, P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. The Crimson White is entered as periodical postage at Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Crimson White, P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. All material contained herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright © 2006 by The Crimson White and protected under the “Work Made for Hire” and “Periodical Publication” categories of the U.S. copyright laws. Material herein may not be reprinted without the expressed, written permission of The Crimson White.

Corolla photos to be taken Wednesday Students will be able to have their photo taken for the 2007 Corolla yearbook at Wednesday’s Spring Get on Board Day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Ferguson Ballroom. The 2007 book, “Restoration,” will also be on sale, and preview material will be on display. Corolla will also be taking yearbook photos on at the Ferg Thursday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. in front of Starbucks. For more information, call 348-6076. To order, call 348-6032 or visit corolla.ua.edu.

“It’s funny because right at 10 p.m., everyone wants an ashtray.”

— Buffalo Phil’s bartender Mikal LaGrone on how customers are dealing with the smoking ban.

See “Smoking ban alters eateries’ atmosphere,”Page 1.

INbriefTo submit a brief, e-mail news@cw.ua.edu

CAMPUS

QUOTE OF THE DAY

WEATHER

Saturday48º/38º

Sunday52º/41º

Today50º/30º

Partly cloudy with calm winds.

20 percent chance of rain.

Periods of rain.

who go to the Strip would pre-fer to carpool rather than take a taxicab home. “When bars are farther away, students would probably use the cabs more,” he said. Juanda Bell, a graduate student in speech pathology, said she isn’t sure if the use of taxicabs will increase once more bars and restaurants are downtown. “Everyone has one special hangout,” she said, “and their hangout might not be down-town.” If the taxicab resolution is put into action, cabs aren’t the only additional type of trans-portation students can expect to see around campus in the future. UA spokeswoman Cathy Andreen said routes for the transit system are now being finalized. “Transit buses will not come on the Strip by the bars,” Andreen said, “but [the buses] will go on the street behind ten Hoor by Publix [on Campus Drive].” The transit system, right now, will be an on-campus system, Andreen said. While riders will not be screened to determine if they have been drinking, riders who are “rowdy” will be asked to leave the bus, she said. Because the transit system will not run to off-campus locations, Bloom said some students might choose to take a taxicab home on the week-ends instead. “With cabs, you can go where you want on your own time,” he said. Another benefit of taxicabs on the Strip, Bell said, is that they should decrease the num-ber of DUIs on the weekends. Bell said she would take a taxicab home if she had been drinking, but otherwise said she wouldn’t use the service. Prices to ride in the cabs haven’t been decided, but the company involved said they would work with SGA on rates for students, Bloom said. An exact date of when stu-dents can expect taxicabs on the Strip isn’t yet known. “I would like [taxicabs] to be on the Strip by the end of this semester,” Bloom said. “It’s indeed a possibility but not a guarantee.”

TAXICABSContinued from Page 1

The Crimson White is ...■ Marlin Caddell - editor, caddell@cw.ua.edu, 348-8049■ Mike Faulk - managing editor: news, faulk@cw.ua.edu■ Callie Corley - co-editor for design, corley@cw.ua.edu■Tiff Schwarz - co-editor for design, schwarz@cw.ua.edu■ Matt McLeod - assistant managing editor: design, mcleod@cw.ua.edu■ Jordan Pittman - opinions editor, pittman@cw.ua.edu■ T.G. Paschal - photo editor, paschal@cw.ua.edu■ Leslie Roop- assistant photo editor, roop@cw.ua.edu■ Ben Flanagan - managing editor: outreach flanagan@cw.ua.edu■ Zach Summers - graphics editor, summers@cw.ua.edu■ Ellen Burke - student life editor, burke@cw.ua.edu■ Corey Craft - entertainment editor, craft@cw.ua.edu■ Kristie Busam - campus affairs editor, busam@cw.ua.edu

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a bar atmosphere anymore,” he said. “It definitely seems more family-oriented since the ban.” The smoking ban forces smokers outside. Some non-smokers said they think the law is fair to both smokers and nonsmokers. Josh Davenport, a fresh-man majoring in computer engineering, said he has to leave restaurants if people are smoking around him because of severe allergies. “The cigarette smoke makes me so sick,” Davenport said. “I think that the smok-ing ban will actually be a nice change.” Some, however, think the ban is a major incon-venience in winter. Shane Blalock, a sophomore major-ing in business, said he usu-ally does not like to smoke while eating. He said the ban, however,

has made smoking uncom-fortable because it forces him outside and into the cold. “For the most part, I’m not too annoyed with the ban,” Blalock said. “But it is really frustrating having to go out-side when it’s so cold every time I want to have a ciga-rette.” He said he thinks many people will not be appre-hensive to the ban when the weather warms. “I know a lot of my friends that are annoyed by the ban, but I don’t see them sharing the same feelings as soon as it gets warmer again,” he said. “Then it will be nice to sit outside to have a ciga-rette.” Another reason he thinks the smoking ban has left many smokers upset is the timing of its enactment, he said. Blalock said he thinks if the law had been passed during the spring or sum-mer, many smokers would not be complaining.

“If they had done it that way, it would have given people time to get used to the idea of going outside for a cigarette before it was win-ter,” he said. “Instead, they sprung this on us while we were all gone for break and then tried to welcome us back by forcing us outside in the cold to smoke. It’s just ridiculous.” Jessica Mitchem, a junior majoring in journalism, said while she does not smoke, she knows a lot of smokers upset with the ban. But she said she thinks it is nice to be able to not smell cigarette smoke in restaurants while eating. “I definitely don’t mind breathing the clean air in for a change,” Mitchem said. Buffalo Phil’s bartend-er Mikal LaGrone said the restaurant’s business hasn’t declined because of the ban, but he said some customers were bothered by the new rules. “I have overheard a couple

of conversations betweencustomers about how ridicu-lous they think the smokingban is,” he said. “But I haveyet to hear about anyonecomplaining to the staff.” And smokers seem eagerfor the clock to strike 10, hesaid. “It’s funny because right at10 p.m., everyone wants anashtray,” LaGrone said.

SMOKINGContinued from Page 1

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software in their classrooms, Taylor said. “It’s basically something being piloted within the col-lege to try it out and see how it works and see what the response is from professors and students,” she said. “If it is something that works well then they are going to start using it throughout the cam-pus.” Taylor said to record her classes she logs on to WebCT and clicks on the Tegrity icon. “They try to make it as user-friendly as possible,” she said. “My students have been amazed. It’s kind of over-whelming at first. “I can actually hear what she said in class, and not have to rely on someone else’s notes,” Conyers said. “I think it’s real-ly good for studying. You can go back and access the entire semester of classes.” Her students are interested in the technology, Taylor said. “Most of the students today have grown up with cutting-edge technology with every year something new coming out,” she said. The program gives students a better understanding of a course’s material, and she said she would recommend it to other professors, especially those with large classes. “It’s been a big help so far,” Taylor said. “I get less e-mails.

I used to get 50 e-mails a day from students asking ques-tions. I think this will cut down on that because the informa-tion is always available for them online.” She has not encountered any problems with the pro-gram yet but said she is wor-ried it could affect attendance later, though she has an atten-dance policy. “I have a hard time believ-ing that someone that’s not going to come to class ever is actually going to sit at home and watch the classes,” she said. “If it were me, I don’t think I’d watch two and a half hours of classes each week.” While Conyers would rec-ommend the program to his other professors, he said it does entice students to miss class. “If you can get the actual class online at home, then what’s the point in going to school?” he said. Though the program might affect the attendance of some students, Conyers said his attendance practices have remained the same. “I’m going to attend class either way,” he said. “[Tegrity]’s just good to have.” Vesper Matthews, a soph-omore majoring in Spanish and anthropology and one of Taylor’s students, said she has not listened to the lectures online but will this weekend. “I wish we could have it in every class, especially the ones that use PowerPoints frequently,” she said.

She said knowing the lec-tures are online helps her when she is tired in class. “Once we get further into the semester, I will be able to go back and look up anything that was fuzzy,” Matthews said. The lectures online have not affected her attendance, she said. “I will still come to every class,” she said. “You get to know your professor better.

You learn the material better if you’re in the classroom.” Lisa Davis, a sophomore majoring in accounting and one of Taylor’s students, said that with the slides of pictures online, she no longer has to carry around her heavy book. “I’m the type that has to get every little thing down, and it stresses me out,” she said. “If I had time today, I would go back and listen to compare my notes.”

TEGRITYContinued from Page 1

us,” Leopard said. “This is just the first phase of the master plan. It’s going to take awhile, but it’s going to turn out very nice.” Campus Drive will be split, with one section running from its intersection with University Drive to Seventh Avenue and the other section running from its future intersection with Hackberry Lane and continuing its same path away from the UA campus. The part in between will no longer be a road open to cars but instead will consist of a multiuse pathway. Drivers wanting to get to Hackberry Lane from the western end of Campus Drive must head north on McCorvey Drive to its intersection with Hackberry. All of this is being done to make the space needed for the 200,000 square foot building that will connect with the east-ern wing of Shelby Hall, Leopard said. The new building will be home to biol-

ogy, chemistry and computer science classes and labs. The building will also have a wing devoted to research, he said. The plans to change this area of cam-pus in such a big way have some students worried about future traffic flow, while other students are excited to have the new buildings on campus. Amber Cowart, a freshman majoring in political science, said she can understand the concern about the future flow of traf-fic on campus but is also excited about having the new buildings on campus. “Our campus is old, and it’s all about tradition,” she said. “But I am glad that we are getting the chance at having the new buildings around. It’s kind of like mesh-ing all of the old with a lot of the new, and that will be cool to have on campus. It will be starting a whole new tradition.” Max Scruggs, a sophomore majoring in metallurgical engineering, said he thinks the buildings are a good idea but is wor-ried about the already hectic traffic on campus. “For a person that has a car on cam-pus, it’s going to be tough,” he said. “It

is a great thing, but traffic-wise, it may be not so good. If you look at it from the standpoint of new buildings are good, a lively campus is good, but dealing with all of the work and putting up with the traffic backups that the work is going to cause almost casts a shadow on all the good stuff.” Josh Roberts, a freshman majoring in biology, said traffic may be worse but thinks the change of scenery will be a nice amenity. “I’m eager to see what it’s all going to look like,” he said. “I like change — change is good sometimes. If Hackberry is rerouted, it may make traffic flow better in that area, but while the work is going on it’s going to suck. I think it’s a good idea, though I’m curious to see how it’s going to turn out.” Until the semester ends, however, no traffic delays should be expected. Hackberry Lane’s new road is in the pro-cess of being built until the semester ends, at which time the section of Campus Drive that is being done away with will be closed and destroyed.

HACKBERRYContinued from Page 1

She remains at UA as part-time teacherBY AMANDA PETERSON Assistant Campus Affairs Editor■ peterson@cw.ua.edu

Cheree Causey, for-mer director of Blackburn Institute, no longer works full time for the University, but that doesn’t mean that she has left. “I’m a three-time UA grad,” Causey said. “It won’t be that easy for me to stay away from here.” Causey decided on Dec. 2 to take a position with the Susanna Wesley Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports charities and was named in honor of John Wesley’s mother. She now works with organizations such as Urban Ministries in Birmingham, an organi-zation that repairs houses for people who can’t afford them. She said her favorite part of the new job is working with healthcare and wellness providers and organizations. Causey’s background is in healthcare, so she said that she enjoys discussing “blood pressure and cholesterol and those really boring things.” While students and faculty who know Causey said they

are sad to see her leave, they are also happy about her new opportunity. Sarah Kate Sullivan, student chairwoman for Blackburn Institute, called Causey’s new job, “A way to actually go out and do some of what we talk about as part of Blackburn.” Causey said she has a chance to carry out the vision of Blackburn to improve the state. “This is my way to do that,” she said. “I know that I’m going off to do some really great stuff.” But Causey hasn’t com-pletely left campus; she teaches a human and envi-ronmental sciences class about volunteerism and civic responsibility. She also hears from students all the time, with e-mails and messages updating her about their lives. She has no worries about the future of Blackburn, though. “I knew the institution was going to be fine or I wouldn’t have left,” Causey said. “There were great people working with Blackburn before I came along, and there will be great people working with it from this point on.” Marc Shook, a Blackburn alumnus who has been work-ing with the institute, is the interim director of the insti-

tute, but he said the change to interim director for him was not a hard turnover. “I had sole responsibility for the spring events before her departure,” Shook said. “The logistics for the events had been in place since before the school year began.” Shook said the director’s role would be re-evaluated after the institute’s Winter Symposium to decide wheth-er Shook will remain in the role or if a new director will be hired. In Causey’s eight years working with the institute, Sullivan said Causey “has put the Blackburn Institute on the forefront and made it a force to be reckoned with.” Steven Spiehler, student chairman of the Blackburn Institute, described Causey as a “down to earth, approach-able” leader who challenged the Blackburn students to see every side of a problem or issue. “She’s been a really good

directional leader who’s been really in tune with the over-all vision of the institute,” Spiehler said. He also said Causey has been a “great link” between different groups for Blackburn, and Causey is hoping that those skills will

continue helping her net-work in her new role at the Susanna Wesley Foundation. She said she would have a chance to connect driven students and departments at the Capstone with charities and organizations that they can work with or help. She also said she hopes she will be able to create intern-ships with the foundation in the future for college stu-dents. “I said to the students, ‘I’m not leaving you. I’m coming back for you,’ ” Causey said. “I see it now as a chance to create partnerships and grow the Alabama network.”

Causey leaves position as Blackburn directorYou should know Cheree Causey

Cheree Causey is a three-time UA grad.

She was director of the Blackburn Institute for eight years.

Her first job at UA was with the Rec Center.

She is a member of XXXI.

“I said to the students, ‘I’m not leaving you. I’m coming back for you.’ I see it now as a chance to create partnerships and grow the Alabama network”

— CHEREE CAUSEYon leaving UA

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Editorial Board

The Crimson White welcomes your view on the issues. Letters to the editor must be less than 300 words and guest columns less than 700. Send submissions to letters@cw.ua.edu. Submissions must include the author’s name and daytime phone number. Phone numbers are for verification and will not be published. Students should also include their year in school and major. For more information, call 348-6144 or e-mail letters@cw.ua.edu. The CW reserves the right to edit all submissions.

OpinionsFriday, January 19, 2007

Our View

What’s your view? Send letters or guest columns to letters@cw.ua.edu. Students should include name, year, major and daytime phone number. More information is available at the bottom of the page.

Jordan Pittman ■ Editor pittman@cw.ua.edu

4

Marlin Caddell EditorJordan Pittman Opinions Editor

Mike Faulk Managing Editor: NewsTiff Schwarz Co-editor for Design

Our View is the consensus of The CW editorial board.

CW/ Jacob Summers

When Alabama’s hire of Nick Saban broke and details of his monster contract were released, many people were in sticker shock. After all, $32 million is a heck of a lot of money. As you probably know by now, Saban is the high-est paid college football coach of all time. That amount of money made us stand back and look at the priorities of this institution to acquire a good new coach. But, as we found out through the story that ran in Thursday’s edition of The Crimson White, Saban has the potential to bring more to the University than his name. Saban can bring us big bucks. In a couple of games alone, Saban can help the Tide bring in more than the $32 million in his contract. The money from the UA football pro-gram is not only essential to the University itself, it helps Tuscaloosa and all of west Alabama. When the football team is doing well, much more revenue is generated here. From T-shirts and memorabilia to football tickets and hotel stays, Saban’s reputation and staying name power can bring a substantial return on the University’s hefty investment. The University is taking a gamble on Saban, but they aren’t just throwing their money at any old stock. Saban is a solid player in this market — the Exxon-Mobil or Coca-Cola of stocks. His worth has only gone up over the years. First of all, he’s already brought a level of excitement to Alabama football that hasn’t been seen in quite a while. When people are fired up about football, they spend more money. Saban also has an amazing track record. He led LSU to a national championship, and if he can do it for those guys, he could do it for anybody. The University has made the right decision by bringing Saban here. Alabama will make a big return on its $32 million investment once he gives the football team its 13th national championship.

Saban worth the high cost

Academic achievement should be rewarded

The letter in Thursday’s paper by Bilal Ahmad (“UA should treat students fair-ly”) was slightly confusing. Ahmad said the University does not treat students fair-ly. While I understand that not everyone can live in Riverside or Lakeside, that doesn’t mean those who do are “spoiled.” I’m in the honors program, but I’m still paying full price to live in Riverside. And any freshman can live in Riverside North, assuming they have the money to pay for it. The University sure didn’t pay for mine. The University is paying for my tuition, however, but that’s basi-cally been my only reward. Yes, I’m living in Riverside, but it’s much more expen-sive than most of the other dorms. That said, I think if you have a limited number of nice dorms, you have to have some criteria for being able to live there. The University could have gone two ways here: seniority or grades. The obvious choice

is grades because most seniors don’t want to live on campus anyway, and the University is requiring freshmen to live on campus (which brings out another debate entirely). To be honest, the nicer dorms are part of the incen-tive to lure high-achieving freshmen here, and I can’t blame the University there. It helped lure me, and I live in Tuscaloosa anyway. I do have to give Ahmad’s letter some credit, though: classes are often difficult to get into. Yes, honor stu-dents do have priority, but I’ve had to change two of my classes early this semes-ter and it’s been a pain to find an open class that I can actually use. It can be annoying, honor student or not. Overall, I think it’s unfair to say the University is treating some students better than others. I think some people have earned the privilege of staying in nicer dorms, but most still have to pay more for it. Remember, a lot of schools don’t even have nice dorms like Riverside at all, so I still count us lucky.

D. Andrew RichardsonFreshman, telecommunica-tions and film

Letter to the Editor

Risin’ up, back on the street, “American Idol” start-ed its sixth season this week and I still don’t get the phe-nomenon. I’ve only seen it a few times, so I turned to the Internet and its wisdom to guide me to understanding the show. “I’m so happy!” shouts one precious, four-eyed subur-ban chick who recorded the final minutes of the show’s fifth season, when Taylor Hicks was announced the winner, with a camcorder. Cradled in her mother’s arms, she cries profusely, gasping for air, unable to speak while Hicks does his victory song routine. “Really,” I thought, “am I missing something, or has America lost its mind?” Considering two of the five “American Idol” winners were from Birmingham, I knew the answer had to be right under my nose. Knowing that 63.5 million votes were cast in the show’s final round, more than the amount cast for George W. Bush in the 2004 election, someone in this place has to enlighten me. I get the premise. It’s about chasing the American dream; it’s about nobodies becoming somebodies. But the show doesn’t bring anything new

to the table, aside from the fact that Ed McMahon didn’t send any child performers crying off stage when he did “Star Search.” And by God, some of them, such as Britney Spears, deserved it. “American Idol” is more painful than a Ben Stiller movie. Whereas Stiller’s char-acter may flood the lawn of his in-laws with feces, the show’s producers invite clue-less, bumbling characters on to ruin songs and embarrass themselves during their one minute of fame. If I were that into psychological abuse, I’d just take a job at Gitmo. It’s a karaoke show: They aren’t looking for artists, they’re looking for perform-ers. I’m not going to judge people who just want to add their voices to other peo-

ple’s work. I’ve tried a similar argument with UA Judicial Affairs ever since I turned in my humbly-titled essay “Mike Faulk’s Letter from the Birmingham Jail.” It wasn’t actually my letter, but it was too inspiring to not try tak-ing credit for it. Simon Cowell is the only thing I like about the show just because he’s honest about the terrible, soulless business he is 100 percent invested in. You have to fit some kind of popular image to make it in the pop scene, and if you’re fat or ugly or both, you’d better hope your hometown is Birmingham. You’d think the public is tired of ugly programming, what with images of peo-ple suffering in third-world countries, leaders being hanged and Nancy Grace’s barking mug being broad-cast every day. “American Idol” is so popular that there are even other shows specifi-cally centered on it, like “Idol Tonight” on the TV Guide Channel. Aging programs such as “American Idol” should start slipping in ratings by their sixth season, but that doesn’t look like it’s happening. The Associated Press reported Wednesday that Tuesday’s season premiere on Fox

drew an estimated 37.3 mil-lion viewers, making it the most-watched episode in the show’s history. “There’s always that hope that the next iteration of ‘American Idol’ will show some weakness,” said Nancy Tellem, president of the CBS Paramount Network that brought us the “Survivor” phenomenon, in an inter-view with AP, “and clearly it hasn’t.” I don’t know if I share that hope, but replacing it with the CBS idea of entertain-ment where people, split into tribes based on race, starve on an island and get naked for some Oreos is an inter-esting look at the human psyche. I wonder if they’d do the same to watch the season finale of “American Idol.” Maybe I’m out of touch with America or reality shows just aren’t the kind of programs I’d take out to dinner. I’ll mind my own business from now on, let girls cry for Hicks, wonder why they canceled “Arrested Development,” and never watch television ever again.

Mike Faulk is the managing editor: news of The Crimson White. His column runs on Fridays.

I don’t understand ‘American Idol’

Mike Faulkfaulk@cw.ua.edu

Pura Vida

From T-shirts and memorabilia to football tickets and hotel stays, Saban’s reputation and staying name power can bring a substantial return on the University’s hefty investment.

BY BRIAN OLIU

Editor’s note: This is an open letter to new Alabama football head coach Nick Saban.

Hello. Allow me to intro-duce myself. My name is Brian Oliu, and I teach English at the University, where you have recently accepted the head coach position. May I be one of the first people to welcome you to the wonderful UA campus. We are very excited to have you here, mostly because our previous coach, while a dapper dude with a blonde trophy wife and a cute hot dog commercial, was one of the worst in-game coaches I’ve ever witnessed in my 24 years on this earth. I am convinced that his play-book was lifted directly from “Tecmo Super Bowl” from the Nintendo Entertainment System. Therefore, if you, perchance, try a pitch out or run some slant plays, you will be her-alded as a genius, and the Alabama football community will believe that the ghost of The Bear himself has entered

through a mucus membrane while you were sleeping the sleep of the king of kings. Furthermore, I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but my paycheck averages out to about $1,000 a month for teaching two sections of English. According to ESPN, your deal is for eight years and $32 million. By doing some quick math (not my forte), you will make about $333,333 a month. So, I was wondering if I could borrow some money; maybe we can go to Jimmy Johns two or three times a month and you can pay. I always get a Slim 4, which is the cheapest thing on the menu. I don’t even need chips, and I can drink water. Or maybe you’d be kind enough to buy my friends and me a Beast from Snappy Tomato on away game days. It’s only $22 for a pizza the size of a cof-fee table, and we sure would appreciate it. While Mike Shula put a great emphasis on running up the middle on third-and-long, he also put a great emphasis on athlete academics here.

My colleagues and I have had excellent interactions with recent UA student-athletes, and we have been informed that this was not always the case. Your graduation rates at LSU were quite good; we certainly hope that your relationship with the (amazing) Center of Athletic Student Services will continue this trend. I know for a fact that you are an intelli-gent man and therefore know the importance of surround-ing yourself with intelligent players. Though you were part of the brain trust who drafted Ronnie Brown. I also promise to boo when you decide to punt on fourth-and-21 from our own 26 yard line, run a draw play to run out the clock at the end of a half, have any play that goes for less than four yards, call an end zone fade on third-and-goal and design a play that makes John Parker Wilson throw what could be classified as a “precision pass.” Basically, I want you to run your game plan exactly like a combination between “Madden 2007” and our

Sunday flag football games. No punting, multiple onside kicks, fake extra point tries, fake punts, hook and ladders and the modified Statue of Liberty. Come on — the guy from Boise State would totally do it. I have a good friend who has elaborate plays come to him in dreams; he serves as a conduit between God and/or the Bear and the earth. In his words, he believes he is “something like God’s picture phone, or, more accu-rately, his new enV.” What we are trying to say is, “Yes, Nick Saban, we are available at a minimal fee.” I wish you the best of luck settling in here in Tuscaloosa. If you are interested, I live next door to Wanda, a frail old woman who is very sweet, has no furniture and wears a bathrobe 24/7. She is looking for a roommate, and I think it’d work out perfectly. I’ll let you know if she’s interested. We could carpool to cam-pus.

Brian Oliu is a graduate stu-dent in creative writing.

Welcome to Tuscaloosa, coach Saban

5NEWS ■ Friday, January 19, 2007

Process is complicated and impersonal, Smith says in school address

BY MEGHAN MENARDSenior Staff Reporter

A more personalized aca-demic advising process and dramatically lower textbook costs are what SGA President Justice Smyth said he will strive for in his last months in office. In his State of the School address Thursday, Smyth described the academic advising process as com-plicated, impersonal and in dire need of change. Textbooks, he said, can account for 20 percent of a student’s education cost.

“Students pay too much, and I will do all that I can to make sure that every student pays less at this time next year,” Smyth said. In addition to changing the advising process and lower-ing textbook prices, Smyth proposed a joint meeting of the SGA Senate and Faculty Senate. “This will be unprece-dented in University history and, if renewed on an annual basis can serve as a frame-work for greater cooperation in the future between the two bodies,” he said. Smyth spoke of the new Students First Testing Strategy pilot program, in which Monday, Wednesday and Friday classes test on the first and third weeks of the month while Tuesday and

Thursday classes test on the month’s second and fourth weeks. He also talked up the SGA’s calculator rental program. He said his administra-tion and the UA adminis-tration are developing a renter program to help the 70 percent of students who live off campus make better decisions on where to live. “While we can’t guaran-tee your security, we can educate the student body on the rights and privileges they are entitled to by virtue of being a tenant in Alabama,” he said. Smyth said his final months will not be prolonged self-congratulation. “We cannot rest on what has been accomplished,” he said.

Smyth: Advising process needs change ■ SGA

CW/ Megan Menard

SGA president Justice Smyth gave his State of the School speech Thursday night in the Ferguson Center.

INbrieffrom staff and wire reports ...

Re-opening of ten Hoor elevator delayed The elevator of ten Hoor Hall will remain closed because of last-minute construction diffi-culties. The elevator had been scheduled to return to opera-tion Thursday. UA spokeswoman Cathy Andreen said a construction crew encountered problems Thursday morning when installing a new jack for the elevator. The jack must be replaced to comply with the recent changes to the state e l e v a t o r code. The eleva-tor has been closed since spring class-es began last week. Several sec-ond- and third- floor phi-losophy and political science classes were moved to the first floor to accommodate dis-abled students. Andreen said the elevator is tentatively expected to be run-ning again by Monday.

— Lauren CabralCheerleader counts the days until she becomes a cancer survivorBY JACOB SUMMERS Staff Reporter■ summers@cw.ua.edu

Meg Ingram was afraid she wouldn’t make it to every football game last semester — because of cancer, not a lack of tickets. Ingram was diagnosed in July 2006. A month later, she went through surgery to remove a cancerous growth in her brain and will remain in treatment until September. Ingram, a sophomore majoring in nursing and cheerleader at the Capstone, was diagnosed with cancer after she developed a piercing headache during cheerlead-ing camp, she said. The headache was the result of a cancerous growth on her brain, she said, and one month later, she under-went surgery to remove the growth. At first, Ingram said she was afraid she would have to miss the football games and wouldn’t be able to cheer like she had planned. Ingram made it to every game but one and was able to cheer in three. “Auburn was one of those [games I cheered in],” Ingram said. “Basically, I told the doc-tors ‘I’m going to that game and you can get over it.’” Driven by her experience,

Ingram said she changed her major from marketing to nurs-ing and spoke at the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life Kickoff event Thursday night. The event, in which stu-dents ban together in teams to raise funds for cancer patients over the course of several months, is held every year on several campuses. The pro-gram began in 1985 around a track in Tacoma, Wash. After the funds have been raised, students then camp out and take turns walking laps all night for those who have fought, survived or died of cancer. “It’s a unique activity that offers up an opportunity to take up the fight,” said Relay for Life chairman Jeffrey Waters, a junior majoring in management. Waters said the kickoff was meant to provide an opening for those who want to be team captains to learn how to raise funds and start the process. Adam Harbison, a senior majoring in healthcare man-agement, said he anticipated 40 teams for the event. Fifty people signed up. “Hopefully, we’ll exceed that and we’ll get more as it leads up to the event,” Harbison said. The money raised, Ingram said, fund research for treatment and lodging for patients who must travel to chemotherapy. “I had to take the semes-ter off because I was in Birmingham for six weeks with therapy,” Ingram said.

“I got to stay in Hope Lodge, a place for patients, for free. The American Cancer Society sponsored it. “They’re great. It meant that we didn’t have to find an apartment in Birmingham at the last minute.” Ingram is in remission, but said she will remain in che-motherapy until September and continue to be scanned to make sure the cancer stays away. If her scans do not show more cancerous growths, she said she will be officially declared a cancer survivor. “Cancer’s nothing to end your life,” Ingram said. “It sucks, but then you keep going.” The event will be held on April 20 on the Quad from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, e-mail Waters at water004@bama.ua.edu.

CW/ T.G. Paschal

Relay for Life kicks off fundraising Log on to www.cw.ua.edu.

Ahmadinejad warns Iran is ready for possibilities over nuclear row, condemns his critics

TEHRAN, Iran — President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lashed out at a U.S. military buildup in the Gulf, saying Thursday that Iran is ready for any possibility in the standoff over its nuclear program. The president made clear he was not backing down in his tough rhetoric toward the United States, despite criticism at home. Conservatives and reformists alike have openly challenged Ahmadinejad’s nuclear diplomacy tactics, many saying his fiery anti-Western remarks are doing more harm than good. Ahmadinejad said their calls for compromise echo “the words of the enemy.” At the same time, Ahmadinejad’s top national security official, Ali Larijani, sharply denounced U.S. poli-cy in Iraq, saying Washington is fueling Shiite-Sunni hatred. Washington has accused Iran of backing militants fuel-ing Iraq’s violence, increasing tensions amid the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program, which the U.S. says aims to produce nuclear weapons. The United States sent an aircraft carrier to the Gulf this week — the second to deploy in the region — a buildup that Defense Secretary Robert Gates said was intended to impress on Iran that the four-year war in Iraq has not made America vulnerable. In an apparent reaction to the deployment, Ahmadinejad vowed Thursday that Iran would not back down over its nuclear program, which Tehran says is being devel-oped only to produce energy.

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6 NEWS ■ Friday, January 19, 2007

Board offers way for stu-dents to find jobs around Tuscaloosa and abroad BY MEGHAN MENARD Senior Staff Reporter■ menard@cw.ua.edu Chris Alman found a part-time job — but he didn’t find his job by filling out applica-tions at businesses around Tuscaloosa. The UA Financial Aid Office’s online job board helped Chris Alman, a soph-omore majoring in finance, find a part-time job in three easy steps. Alman said he found a job at FedEx Ground after he logged onto myBama, clicked on the student tab and scrolled down to the job search link. “If you’re looking for a part-time job, there is plenty up

there,” he said. Alman said someone told him about the online job board, and after he saw the available job, he called the given contact number. “I would like to see more employers use it,” he said. “A lot of them are on-campus jobs, and I was looking for something a little better.” The job board lists on-campus departments and Tuscaloosa businesses in need of part-time employ-ees during the academic year, Don Simmons, associ-ate director of operations of student financial aid said. National and international businesses who need full-time employees during the summer also post jobs, he said. “We have everything from manufacturing to retail to childcare to health care, any type of business that’s in

Tuscaloosa,” Simmons said. “For the summer we have camp-type positions and those will be national parks or camps all across the country. We’ve got them from Hawaii to Alaska to Washington State to the East Coast.” Around 500 business-es were involved last year, Simmons said, and the Financial Aid office solicits about 5,000 businesses for open jobs every year. The job board has existed for at least 15 years and has been online for 10. The job location and development program is the federal pro-gram that helps fund the find-ing of jobs for students who do not meet the work-study program criteria, Simmons said. The job board is needed, he said, because only around 500 students can participate in the work–study program.

“We don’t get enough allo-cation, nor do most schools, to award every student that would like to have work-study and likewise, not all students are eligible for work-study,” he said. “We need to be able to give jobs to as many students that are actively seeking jobs and that’s the real importance of this job board.” To solicit businesses, finan-cial aid administrators send postcards, e-mails and mag-nets with the football sched-ule, among other things, to let the public know about the free service available, Simmons said. “We are working on Web access for the businesses right now by which they can go online and post their jobs; then we review them,” he said. A computer lab in the finan-cial aid office, which is locat-

ed in the Student Services Center, is open for students to access the job board. The lab is open from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday, Simmons said. At the beginning of each semester the financial aid office sends an e-mail to let students know about the job board, said Eunice Taylor, assistant director of student employment services. Anna Pendleton, a fresh-man majoring in English edu-cation, said she thinks the job board is interesting because it lists jobs across the country. “Being from Colorado, I was looking for something closer to home for the sum-mer and there were a lot of

jobs listed,” she said. Braxton Jet, a junior major-ing in advertising and public relations, said he is looking for a part-time job by word of mouth and that he had not heard about the job board. “That sounds like a good idea,” he said. “I think it’s better because a lot of stu-dents want a job but they don’t have time to go around to different businesses look-ing for one. This way they can see employers that are cur-rently looking for students.” Businesses interested in posting available posi-tions can find out how at parttimejobs.ssc.ua.edu or call the financial aid office at 348-2971.

Financial Aid offers Web site for student jobs

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BIRMINGHAM — Alabama’s elderly inmate population has nearly tripled over the past decade, continuing to put a strain on the prison healthcare budget and flum-moxing officials who have been trying to get a hold on the problem for years. According to a report done for the Southern Legislative Conference, Alabama has 3,588 elderly inmates, a 193 percent increase from the 1,223 elderly inmates in the state in 1997. The total inmate popula-tion in the state increased 29 percent over the same peri-od. The SLC defined elder-ly prisoners as those 50 or

older for its study, which was released last week. Ruth Naglich, associ-ate commissioner of Health Services for the Alabama Department of Corrections, said the report’s findings didn’t surprise state correc-tions officials, who have been dealing with the issue for years. Alabama spent about $20 million a year on health care for prisoners in the mid-1990s, but that number rose to more than $50 million last year. That figure does not include $10 million spent on mental health care following the settlement of a lawsuit. In Alabama, 75 percent of prisoners ages 42 to 55 need either outside hospital care

or extra care behind bars, Naglich said. Officials say new inmates, regardless of their age, often enter the system with serious health problems. “Sometimes we’re the first physician they’ve seen since they were children,” Naglich told The Birmingham News in a story for Monday’s edi-tions. Due to prisoners’ lifestyles before incarceration and the stresses of prison life, the typ-ical 50-year-old inmate has the same health problems as an average 65-year-old on the outside, the report said. The report attributed the rise in older inmates to an aging population and strict sentencing laws that keep criminals in prison longer

and found that the num-ber of elderly inmates in 16 Southern states increased 136 percent during the past decade. Only Louisiana and Missouri had bigger increases than Alabama, posting 199 and 195 percent, respective-ly. Because of strict sentencing laws, 40 percent of Alabama’s prisoners were sentenced to 20 or more years, versus 20 percent nationally, DOC Commissioner Richard Allen said. The state has a 300-bed prison in Hamilton that’s exclusively for aged and infirm prisoners, but it can accommodate only a fraction of the state’s elderly prisoners.

Aging inmates, healthcare costs growing

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EntertainmentFriday, January 19, 2007 7

Corey Craft ■ Editor craft@cw.ua.edu

Tonight’s shows mark the addition of improv troupe to APO’s lineupBY PHIL OWEN Assistant Entertainment Editor■ owen@cw.ua.edu

Theatre honors fraternity Alpha Psi Omega will present two special Guerrilla Theatre performances Saturday night at Capture Studio Café to mark the regular addi-tion of improv to the group’s shows. The event will consist entirely of acts by APO’s improv troupe, The Minefield Players Improv Troupe. The event will take place at Capture Studio Café, which is located next to City Hall and the Children’s Hands-On Museum. There will be two shows, one at 8 p.m. and another at 10 — each lasting at least 45 minutes. There will be no admission charge. The entire night is dedicat-ed to improv APO President Allison Moy said. “Before it was just two people that didn’t work together all the time,” Moy said. Now, she said, a five- to eight-person improv group will perform at Guerrilla Theatre events. Saturday’s two shows, though, will not be identical performances. “I promise nothing, because it’s improv, and you never know what’s going to come out of people’s mouths,” Moy said.

Saturday’s perform-ers will include three sea-soned Guerrilla improv-ers — Moy, Austin McDonald and Chris Geiger — along with APO freshman pledg-es Sarah Hughes and Jake Hougaboom. This is the first time Capture has hosted an APO event. Café owner Brian Dill said Moy is one of his regu-lar customers, so “we just talked, and I said we would be interested in hosting an improv show.” Dill said while some tables would remain in the café

for the show, rows of chairs would also be set out to fit more people in the room. Dill said there should be space for about 50 people. Those who come to see the show will be able to buy food and drinks from the café. Moy said she is enthusias-tic about Saturday’s perfor-mances. “It’s crazy, and I’m excited, and I don’t know what to expect,” she said. “Improv is just so much fun. That’s why we call it playing.”

Guerrilla improv show Saturday nightIf you go ...What: Guerrilla Theatre Improv ShowWhen: Saturday at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.Where: Capture Studio CaféCost: free

Alpha Psi Omega pledge class performs at a Guerrilla Theatre last semester at the Bama Theatre.

CW/ Leslie Roop

INbrieffrom wire reports ...

‘America Idol’ season premiere is most-watched in show’s 6-year history

LOS ANGELES — “American Idol” is back and bigger than ever. The Fox TV talent con-test’s season premiere was the most-watched in its six-year history, drawing an estimated 37.3 million viewers Tuesday, according to preliminary ratings from Nielsen Media Research. That represents a 5 per-cent increase over last year’s record premiere audience of 35.5 million, qualifying it as the best debut ever for Fox, the network said. Final ratings will be released next week. “‘American Idol’ continues to make entertainment his-tory,” Simon Fuller, the series’ creator and executive pro-ducer, said in a statement Wednesday. “ T h e s e a m a z i n g numbers from our season-six pre-m i e r e defy all reasonable expectations.” The top-rated show, which also airs Wednesday, is break-ing television’s laws of gravity that bring declining viewer-ship for aging shows. It’s gotten a boost from its high-profile alumni, includ-ing hot recording stars Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood and “Dreamgirls” star and Golden Globe winner Jennifer Hudson.

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SportsFriday, January 19, 2007 8

Jessie Patterson ■ Editor patterson@cw.ua.edu

Pain-free Humphrey leads Tide gymnastsBY DAN SELLERS Assistant Sports Editor■ sellers@cw.ua.edu

Terin Humphrey looked like her usual self last Friday night. She nailed a 9.925 on the uneven bars — her signature event — and finished third in the all-around. Just another day in the gym, right? Not exactly. Not even three months ago, Humphrey underwent dou-ble elbow surgery to remove bone chips. Nobody expected Humphrey to even compete in the season opener, much less perform at her usual level. “When Terin had her sur-gery on Halloween, I in no way thought she would be ready for the beginning of the season,” head coach Sarah Patterson said. “To see her be better now at this point in the season than she was at the end of last sea-son, I think speaks volumes for her as an athlete.” Humphrey said it felt great to be back on the competition mat. “I think nobody expected me to come back so ready to compete,” she said. “It felt great to be out there again in front of however many peo-ple we had out there. I just went out there and did the

best I could. If I have to take a couple steps back, then I’ll be ready to.” Humphrey started expe-riencing pain in her elbows during last season, and finally elected to have surgery. Even she didn’t expect to be back by the first meet, but she didn’t know that her elbows would feel so good, so soon. “Having the surgery made my elbows feel twice as bet-ter,” Humphrey said. “I start-

ed to be pain-free whenever I came back, so I just kept going.” Junior gymnast Kaitlin White actually underwent the same double elbow surgery when she was about 12 years old. She said Humphrey’s rehab went at a much faster pace than hers. “Honestly, I didn’t think she would be back in time,” White said. “From me going through the experience, I had to take

my time, but she stepped up and did her job. We’re glad to have her.” The only rough spot in the opening meet for Humphrey was her floor routine, which may have cost her the all-around title. A fall resulted in a score of 9.4, but Patterson said despite the fall, Humphrey had improved in her floor delivery. “On that floor exercise rou-tine, she smiled more than she used to,” Patterson said. “She put more into that floor exer-cise. And that was something we talked about; she just com-pletely ran out of gas.” Humphrey, the 2005 NCAA uneven bars national champi-on, will need to be full strength tonight as Alabama takes on the No. 1 Florida Gators

at the O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla. Not only is the competition a tough task for the Tide, but they will have to do it with-out one of their freshmen. Jacqueline Shealy had surgery Tuesday to repair an ACL tear, but she is out for the season. “I think our weakness is

our depth,” Humphrey said. “Losing [Jacqueline] was big for us, so that means a couple of people need to step up and be ready, because they might be called on.” The Tide returns to Coleman Coliseum on Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. for the “Drive 4 the Cause” meet against the Auburn.

CW/ T.G. Paschal

Terin Humphrey leads the Tide three months after surgery on her elbow. Humphrey was the 2005 NCAA uneven bars national champion.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

The Alabama swimming and diving teams wrap up their regular season start-ing at 2 p.m. Saturday in a SEC tri-meet against Florida and South Carolina in the Alabama Aquatic Center starting at 2 p.m. In addition to being Alabama’s last home event of the 2007 season, it will be Senior Day as the Crimson Tide pays tribute to the 12 athletes who will be compet-ing for the last time in the Don Gambril Olympic Pool. The Tide will honor its five senior men — Apostolis Tsagkarakis, Tim Hansen, Luke Dickson, Hunor Ma’te’ and Vlad Polyakov and seven senior women Melina

Bassino, Victoria Genova, Tara Theilemann, Bridgett Belyea, Amanda Gilbert, Selma Beji and Karissa Tuthill during a pre-meet ceremony and then it’s back to work. “It’s going to be a big day for our seniors who have meant so much to this pro-gram and to us as coaches,” head coach Eric McIlquham said. “But it’s also a big meet for us. This is our last chance to get up and compete before the championship season gets here. We have some things we still need to get done and this weekend is going to be a big part of that.” There are four All-Americans and three school record holders among the

Tide’s senior class as well as two Olympians and an NCAA Champion. During their tenure at the Capstone, Alabama has posted five NCAA top-25 finishes. Academically, they have led the Tide to even greater heights. Florida’s men are ranked 11th while Alabama comes in at No. 18 and the Gamecocks are receiving votes in this week’s national coaches’ poll. On the women’s side of the meet, the Gators are ninth this week while Alabama and South Carolina figure just outside the top 25.

Tide swimmers hold tri-meet

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