Tide Basketball

The University of Alabama has often been recognized as one of the top powerhouse football programs in the nation. With all of the athletic honor and glory directed towards the football team, many other outstanding sports teams on campus have often become overshadowed and under-appreciated. One of the countless athletic teams that deserve support from the student body is the basketball program. Ever since the teams’ downfall in recent years, student turnout and support at games has fallen noticeably, and the energetic vibe and focus has somewhat diminished. With the arrival of a new coach this year, Alabama basketball has been rejuvenated, and students must come check out the action and show their school spirit. With the schools’ support, Alabama basketball could quickly return to its former glory.

The basketball teams’ new coach, Mr. Anthony Grant, is adorned with a pretty impressive background. After graduating from Miami High School, he became an All-City first-team selection and Player-of-the-Year at the University of Dayton. As a freshman, Grant was a member of the Dayton Squad that advanced all the way to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament before losing out to eventual national champion, Georgetown University (“Anthony Grant”). As a sophomore, Grant and the Flyers once again received a birth to the NCAA Tournament. As a senior, Grant was named a team captain and MVP after leading the squad in scoring and rebounding (“Anthony Grant”). Grant next moved on to coaching, where he coached at both the high school and collegiate levels. At the high school level, Grant's teams captured three state titles, five straight national rankings in USA Today, and an overall record of 172–11 (“Anthony Grant”). At the collegiate level, he assisted in taking the Gators to multiple Sweet Sixteen appearances and eventually a national championship win. With Grant’s impressive resume, there is no doubt that the Alabama basketball team is on its way back to victory.

With this new impressive leadership, Alabama basketball has become ready for a challenge. The teams’ reputation was once respectable, nationally ranked, and noticed, and this has motivated them to challenge these once held standings. During the years under coach, Mark Gottfried, Crimson Tide basketball achieved its highest pinnacle by reaching the Elite Eight in the 2004 NCAA Championship Tournament, and the number one spot in the National AP Poll in 2002 (“Mark Gottfried Biography”). This year’s basketball program is ready to achieve and even go beyond the challenge set by previous Alabama teams.

The players’ hard work and endurance is only half of the equation in high intensity games. The University of Alabama’s fans need to show up and support the ever-rising basketball team. With the support of both students and alumni, the basketball team would become more pumped and able to seal victories. It is shown that students “can have an effect on the outcome of the game with [their] voice being heard by the players and referees on the court” (“Fan Participation”). School spirit should reign heavily over basketball and give them the support and attention needed to win big rivalry games.

Students and Alabama fans alike should also support Crimson Tide basketball because many game tickets can be obtained for very low prices. Single game tickets to large matchups, such as Louisiana State and Florida, only cost ten to twenty dollars (“Single Game Tickets”). Some select student tickets for smaller games can even be found for free. With ticket prices low, and school spirit and talent high, the Alabama basketball team deserves a crowd to support them at the array of scheduled games.

Over the past few seasons, the Crimson Tide basketball team has experienced a plethora of ups and downs. From representing Alabama in the Elite Eight to earning a 5-11 Southeastern Conference record, the basketball team learned its lessons, and as a result has become a stronger team. Now that coach Anthony Grant has taken over, team response has risen significantly, and the players have been re-energized, hoping to succeed. It is only through fan support that the Crimson Tide basketball team can reclaim its once short-lived glory. Students and alumni need to realize that their ever-present school spirit can actually make a difference to the basketball team. A brand new coach, fiery school spirit, and cheap tickets should be more than enough to attract more students, faculty, and alumni to the games. With the University’s support, there is no telling what Crimson Tide basketball can accomplish in the upcoming season.

WORK CITED

“Anthony Grant”. Wikipedia Online. 12 Nov. 2009. .

“Fan participation correlates with Georgia teams' defeats”. Red and Black. Online Newspaper. 16 Feb. 2004. 15 Nov. 2009. .

Jemison, Demtrius. Personal Interview with student basketball player. 12 Nov. 2009.

“Mark Gottfried Biography”. SEC Sports Fan. 15 Nov. 2009. .

“Single Game Tickets”. Official Site of University Athletics. 15 Nov. 2009. <http://www.rolltide.com>.

Using Cell Phones While Driving

Cell phones have brought great convenience for people’s daily life,
and using cell phones have become so popular that many times people do
not realize when, where, and how they are using their cell phones.
Research shows that using cell phones while driving will greatly
increase the risk of a collision by four-hundred percent, putting the
driver and others’ life in danger. Twenty percent of all motor vehicle
accidents are caused by drivers using their cell phones. Using cell
phones while driving is unsafe, irresponsible, and even illegal in
some states; If everyone does their part by not using their phones
while driving, the streets and highways can become a safer place.

Operating a vehicle requires the driver’s full attention to safely
control the vehicle and to be able to respond to events happening on
the roads, and when using a cell phone, whether texting or making a
phone call, it will distract the driver from operating the vehicle
correctly. Driver distractions are the leading cause of most vehicle
crashes and near-crashes; according to a study released by the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech
Transportation Institute, eighty-percent of crashes and sixty-five
percent of all near-crashes involve some forms of driver distraction.
The study also shows nearly 6,000 people died in 2008 in crashes
involving a distracted or inattentive driver, and more than half a
million were injured; and more than 800,000 vehicles were driven by
someone using a hand-held cell phone on any given day in 2008 ("Driver
Distractions -Don’t Be A Statistic"). The Secretary of the Department
of Transportation, Ray LaHood, said, “Every single time someone takes
their eyes or their focus off the road, even for just a few seconds,
they put their lives and the lives of others in danger.”

Many studies have proven using cell phones while driving will decrease
the driver’s performance and slow the reaction time by forty-percent.
The main reason people should not text while driving, is because it
distracts you; The driver has to take at least one hand off of the
steering wheel, which in turn impairs the steering. There have also
been studies that have compared driving distracted by cell phones to
that of being intoxicated; like a study conducted by the University of
Utah reports that a driver on a cell phone is just as impaired as a
driver with a blood alcohol content of .08. Reading and texting
messages while driving cause up to a 400% increase of time spent with
driver’s eyes off the road. It has been reported that drivers are
slower to react to brake lights by eighteen percent when they are
talking on cell phones (“How Driving Distracted can Affect the Lives
of Others”). Jeremy Matthews, who had a car accident involving using
cell phone, explained his experiences of using cell phones while
driving, “I was involved in a car accident because the driver behind
me was using his cell phone and slammed into the my car when I put on
my brakes, but thank for use of seatbelts both the other driver and I
were not injured during the accident.”

College students were found to use cell phones while driving more
frequently than any other age group in a government study, according
an article from the Journal of American College Health (Cramer). Many
of people agree that cell phones are the most important part of their
life; it helps people keep in touch with their co-workers and friends,
synchronized with their everyday schedule, and even update their
social networking sites, such as Facebook. I have found myself many
times stopping in the middle of the crosswalk to let the cars pass
through first, because the drivers were using their cell phone and
were not pay their attention to their surroundings. Since motor
vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death and disability for
young Americans, college students have more responsibilities than
anyone to cease this dangerous habit.

There have been plenty of issues surrounding about the use of cell
phones while driving. The alarming statistics have motivated lawmakers
trying to pass a bill which will make it illegal to use cell phone
while driving. Seven states and the District of Columbia states have
already made it illegal to using cell phones while driving and
seventeen states and the District of Columbia have banned text
messaging while driving. The prohibition of using cell phone while
driving cases many debates (“Cell Phone Laws”). Some people believe
the states that are trying to ban the use of cell phones are violating
the personal rights of the motorist. Chelsea Litras, a student I
interviewed, said, “For someone to try and ban me from texting while
driving is an injustice.” In contrary, Lei Hu, another student I
interviewed, argued “no matter if using a cell phone is a personal
right, when a driver put other lives in danger by using cell phone, it
is not a personal right anymore. It should be banned for the
consideration of the safety of both the driver and others’ life.”

Cell phones have become a necessity of most Americans because of their
useful and reliable applications and features that people now rely on
to get through a day; Drivers have to make the safe decision by
staying focused on the road, and resisting the urge to answer a phone
call to prevent the potential dangers. Statistic data and scientific
studies have proven that using cell phones while driving is unsafe,
even with hand free devices. A car accident, injury, or even death is
not worth reading a text message or checking an email. It is time for
driver’s to act responsible and ethical by putting away the cell phone
until they have arrived to their destination.

Works Cited

"Driver Distractions - Don’t Be A Statistic". California Department of
Motor Vehicles. Nov 15 2009
<http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffdl28.htm>.

“How Driving Distracted can Affect the Lives of Others” Fed Prime
Rate. Nov 15 2009
<http://www.wsjprimerate.us/carinsurance/2009/02/how-driving-dirstracted-can-affect-lives.html>.

"Cell Phone Laws". Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Nov 15 2009
<http://www.iihs.org/laws/cellphonelaws.aspx>.

"New Research Finds Increase in Use of Hand-Held Devices Among All
Drivers". NHTSA. Nov 15 2009 <http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/>.

Dennis, Michael. "Accidents caused by Cell Phone Use". eHow. Nov 15
2009 <http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/>.

"Distracted Driving". National Motorist Association. Nov 15 2009
<http://www.motorists.org/distracted/>.

Cramer, Sheryll. "College students use cell phones while driving more
frequently than found in government study". Journal of American
College Health. Nov 15 2009
<http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-170412949.html>.

Making the Healthy Decisions

College students should become more physically active, in order to promote a healthier lifestyle. As a college student there are a lot of things that can easily persuade one to become unhealthy, such as: eating unhealthy foods, drinking alcohol, and not exercising regularly. Students who make poor choices such as those sink into a sedentary lifestyle. This often occurs in students’ first year of college, known infamously as the freshman 15 or in some cases the freshman 30. If students utilize the resources they have available to them on campus, they will be able to maintain a healthier lifestyle and reduce the risk of obesity. It comes from a slowing metabolism as we age, and because of this have to battle these each and every day.

One major problem that often causes students to gain weight is the heavy consumption of alcohol. The problem with drinking is that it slows down your fat burning metabolism. Alcohol can affect your body profoundly, with even the smallest amount. A study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition stated, “Eight men were given two drinks of vodka and sugar-free lemonade separated by 30 minutes. Each drink contained just less than 90 calories. Fat metabolism was measured before and after consumption of the drink. For several hours after drinking the vodka, whole body lipid oxidation (a measure of how much fat your body is burning) dropped by a massive 73%.” (http://www.hornetjuice.com/how-long-does-alcohol-affect-your-fat-burning-metabolism.html) Many students try to reduce the calories of the alcoholic beverage that they are drinking by drinking shots or a light beer. This however, does not solve the problem; alcohol still reduces the amount of fat a person’s body would burn normally. Heavy consumption of alcohol is detrimental to a student’s health, which is why they should drink in moderation.

Surprisingly, most college students know about the damages of alcohol, yet they still continue to drink. According to a study by two University of Indiana professors, “About 80% of all college students consume alcohol at least once a year with men consuming more than women. About 20% of students are heavy drinkers (Engs, Hanson).” This kind of statistic helps explain why college students are inactive and unhealthy. To help combat this alarming statistic, students should become more physically active in order to help boost their metabolisms.

There are several ways students can become physically active; a lot of them are already on campus and designed especially for students. A perfect example of this would be throwing around a football on the quad with friends or taking advantage of the University of Alabama being a walking campus. A walking campus is a campus where the best way to get around, is usually by walking or biking. Just this small step of having to walk or bike to all your classes everyday or playing sports on the quad can increase a student’s physical activity. The University also has running track markers around the quad and the recreational center; so that people can run around them and know the distance they are running. This gives people more initiative to actually get out and run or walk, even for a short amount of distance.

One major resource students can utilize is the recreational center. It has tons of aerobic machines such as: treadmills, bikes, rowing machines, elliptical trainers, and stair masters. They also have an eighth of a mile indoor running track in the gym. On the bottom floor they have a great selection of weight training equipment for students to use. There is also a rock climbing wall, basketball courts, an indoor soccer court, volleyball courts, racquetball rooms, and even a combat room if you want to practice martial arts, wrestling, or boxing. The rec is also a great way to meet people who want to stay active, which will help students encourage each other to remain physically active.

Another major resource available to students is the intramural sports office. They get together all students who are interested in playing a particular sport to play against each other. There are many different intramural sports students can participate in by forming teams of their choice, or join another team as a free agent. This is the most fun way that there is to stay active on campus. Flag football is the biggest intramural sport at The University of Alabama, hundreds of team’s face-off against one another and the teams with the best records advance to the playoffs. It is a very competitive sport that keeps students physically active on campus.

Students benefit tremendously from staying active on campus. It benefits them physically by burning calories and also mentally by relieving stress from schoolwork. Being active does not have to feel like a pain every day; it can be used in a positive way by channeling one’s energy. Students can make healthier decisions by drinking less alcohol and becoming more active on campus. The resources on campus are readily available to the student body and need to be taken advantage of, especially since students pay for it anyways through tuition. It is imperative that all students become more physically active now because it will greatly benefit their health in the future.

Works Cited
"Alcohol's effect on health of college students: Dr. Ruth Engs." Indiana University. Web. 15 Nov. 2009. .

"How Long Does Alcohol Affect Your Fat Burning Metabolism?" Hornet Juice Sports Drink Metabolizes Fat for Extra Energy and Endurance. Web. 15 Nov. 2009. .

How to Deal with Stress: Without a Cigarette

The University of Alabama has been ranked as one of the top fifty public Universities in America, mostly because of the hard working faculty and students. The University also strives to be the best in such subjects as the fundamentals of business, law and medicine. But along with these great academic expectations comes immense pressure to succeed. For some students, academics come easy, but many others need to pack in countless study hours just to stay afloat. College is a stressful new environment for most students and releasing that stress can lead to bad habits; students use drinking, partying, drugs, and smoking cigarettes to cope with the stressors they face being in college. Many students over the age of 19 begin smoking to test their new found freedom and see smoking as a relaxing habit that effectively releases stress. But what needs to come to the student’s attention is how cigarettes can shorten their lives, and how secondhand smoke endangers their fellow students. Cigarettes are not only detrimental to a growing student’s health, but they can cost thousands of dollars a year, and are the leading cause of lung cancer.

The University of Alabama campus has been taken over by smokers; people smoke everywhere from outside lecture halls, among the football stands, and everywhere on the sidewalks. These smokers’ irritating, noxious smoke wafts from the cancer stick right into the faces of anyone walking behind them. It’s like they don’t even realize that there are others around them who don’t smoke and don’t appreciate the toxic fumes. The motivations behind smoking are confusing and sometimes irrational; using their newfound freedom in college, relieving the stress of daily life, or simply trying to look older and cooler are among the reasons young people pick up this nasty habit. Even if there are deeper reasons behind their compulsion, the students who smoke need to realize that it endangers them greatly, including their fellow students walking by. Smoking related-diseases kill one in ten adults globally, which equates to about four million people. By 2030, if current trends continue, smoking will kill one in six people (Martin). Cigarette use is a trend that will eventually take over someone’s life if not stopped. The scary truth is that smoking statistics show that every eight seconds, someone dies from tobacco use; that translates to approximately five million deaths annually (World Health Organization). Don't become another statistic just to kick nerves or make you look hip because in reality, there are cooler ways to die.

Every time that you light up a cigar, or a cigarette, you’re wasting your money. The average smoker blows through a pack of cigarettes every day. Every one of those five dollar packs eventually adds up to about $2,400 every year; twenty four hundred dollars that could’ve been spent on the price tag of college. The cost of smoking not only affects the customer buying that pack, but it also costs the other state citizens their money as well. The state Medicaid program's total health expenditures caused by tobacco use total around 238 million dollars. Even if you don’t smoke, you’re still paying the medical bills of those who do. Smokers both drain their health and fellow citizens’ bank accounts; the annual state health care costs from tobacco use equal about 1.49 billion dollars. Smoking can affect everyone not only medically but out of pocket as well. (Gentle)

According to Alabama football tradition, the winning team’s students enjoy a victory smoke on the third Saturday in October. Sitting in shock and awe at this year’s Tennessee game as Terrance Cody made the “Rocky Block”, Alabama students lit their cigars to celebrate the victory. But this means every person in the student section who doesn’t smoke automatically inhales the smoke of the cigars. Along with the noxious secondhand smoke come the massive amounts of cigarette and cigar butts generated by the celebrating students. Trash reciprocals are placed through out the entire campus for people to put their trash, but instead the students choose to liter by throwing them on the streets. One fraternity brother walking through the quad stated,” I don’t have to clean it up. We have to give the faculty something to do.” This is unfortunately a common mentality among students. What does this say about our fellow students? Obviously if those students don’t respect our campus, they especially don’t care anything about the health of others either. Smoking is not only disrespectful to us non-smokers, but also destroys our campus grounds and enrages the faculty forced to clean up the resulting mess.

Smoking on UA’s campus has been detrimental to its appearance, harmful to both smokers and non-smokers, and annoying for anyone who has ever had smoke blown in their face. Using it as a copout is just a pathetic way of saying I can’t deal with the pressures of life. If you have to light up to get by, realize that you’re hurting both yourself and the others around you. Have respect not only in yourself but for your fellow peers as well. Smoking isn’t the answer to getting by, try to look at as something that can damage your life and your health permanently. Look at it as something that cannot only harm you, but the environment around you. Look at it as a waste of money not just out of your pocket, but every other tax payer’s as well. There are other ways to enjoy life, don’t light up and burn your life away just to be cool.

Works Cited

Global Smoking Stastics. Terry Martin, 28 Jan. 2007. Web. 6 Nov. 2009. .

Smoking Statistics. World Health Organize, 2009. Web. 6 Nov. 2009. .

Cost of Cigarettes on the Way Up. Elizabeth Gentle, 6 Apr. 2009. Web. 6 Nov. 2009. .

Alabama Atheists and Agnostics

Many people on campus have seen chalk writing, belonging to the AAA, on sidewalks throughout the campus. Maybe you have seen, for example, “Do you believe in God?” written above the AAA facebook group that you can join. If so, maybe you have wondered, “What is the AAA, and why do people in the AAA write messages such as this one?”. With these questions in mind, we did research to learn what the AAA is, infer why the group is the way that it is, and discuss the group’s effectiveness.

First, AAA stands for Alabama Atheists and Agnostics. On AAA’s facebook page, where most of AAA’s activity takes place, the group is described as “a student-led social group for UA’s free-thinking and non-religious community.” It also states that “AAA welcomes students who hold various perspectives on faith and religion, but who have arrived at their beliefs through independent, rational inquiry” (http://www.facebook.com/). The main purpose of this group is to offer a social outlet for the community of atheists and agnostics at the University of Alabama. The AAA claims an open mind and respect for many different opinions and views; however, the group does not believe that all views deserve the same respect. Therefore, certain views are vulnerable to criticism in their discussions. Also, people that join this facebook group can post comments on which other members can comment or criticize. Currently having 432 members, AAA continues to grow with its goal of 1,000 members by 2010. Some of these members believe that through scientific fact, the improbability of a supreme deity is very high, while others only question their religious upbringing. The Alabama Atheists and Agnostics is a group for individuals that share a common value concerning beliefs that are very unique in this society.

While the members of AAA share a common value, they have many differing reasons for joining the group. One new member of AAA posted a comment that implied that he became a member when the chalk writing became a major controversy. He proceeded to state that one of his favorite past times was “ripping on Christians” (http://www.facebook.com/). He believes that by being rude, he brings more attention to the group and makes him feel better about his beliefs. Maybe he feels that by exploiting the different lifestyle and beliefs of Christians from those of himself, he will feel better about how he chooses to life his life. On the other hand, not every member of AAA holds the same purpose. The new member’s post was criticized by a fellow AAA member that did not believe that AAA was not a place to make rude, pointless statements and seek controversy. The latter member stated that he believes that AAA’s purpose is not to offend others; on the contrary, he stated that AAA’s purpose is to extinguish the negative connotation of atheism.

While some members may join either to start or end controversy, others join AAA simply for the fellowship of others with similar views. Members acquire a sense of community and a safe haven for people with these beliefs, especially in an environment where those beliefs are not widely accepted. A new member that learned about the organization through the chalk writing on UA sidewalks stated that she was excited to be able to express her opinions and beliefs in a group with members that share similar ideas just as many other religious organizations do. One member that attends the University of Alabama moved here from Philadelphia, where atheism and agnosticism is much more widely accepted. She was very thankful to find that she is not alone in her beliefs here at the university. These members are just looking for others to share beliefs and opinions rather than methods of initiating controversy.

While the members of AAA all have different reasons for joining this group, all the members maintain a unifying bond that holds true in their opinions. The majority of these members have been negatively affected by organized religion, so they believe that faith-based beliefs and societies that are highly influenced by faith are detrimental to humanity is several ways. While this idea may seem completely absurd to Christians, it is very plausible in the perspective of atheists and agnostics. AAA’s purpose is to enable atheists and agnostics at the university to congregate in a community that is highly influenced by a religion in which they do not believe. Consider how you would feel, for instance, if someone was building your house based on a farfetched plan that credible in your opinion. You would probably be at least somewhat upset. In this way, members of AAA do not feel like religion solely based on faith should make such a major impact on communities as it does today. This common view amongst all members brings this group together and enables them to work effectively.

The Alabama Atheists and Agnostics is an organized, efficient group that will probably continue to grow in the future. Although some views in the group differ, voicing these views in a group of people that may be more open-minded to these views is a major part of AAA. With the chalk writing on the sidewalks, AAA is effectively attracting many new members eager to share their similar beliefs with others. However, even as the group continues to grow, convincing a community that is heavily influenced by faith-based religion that it is wrong is highly improbable.

Works Cited

<http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2234029305&ref=ss#>

Freshmen Forum

The Freshmen Forum is a year-long, highly selective program for incoming freshmen, organized by the Office of Student Affairs at The University of Alabama. This year over 700 applications were received, but only 153 students were selected. The members are divided into 11 committees: Meetings and Event Logistics, Beat Auburn/Beat Hunger, Community Outreach, Finance, Diversity and Global Awareness, Historian/Awards and Recognition, Homecoming, Publicity, Campus Collaborations, Social, and STAR. The main purposes of the Freshmen Forum are to improve the leadership skills of its members and to promote the engagement of freshmen in activities on campus and in the community. During the year, the Freshmen Forum provides substantial community service opportunities for its participants and is expected to create new projects to attract new members.

The Freshmen Forum mainly focuses on civic activities, which includes public awareness and community service. The students of The University of Alabama come from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and more than 70 foreign countries. This high diversity benefits the university in many ways, but it may also cause some problems. For example, many freshmen have very limited knowledge about the state of Alabama and the city of Tuscaloosa (Andreen). One of the Freshmen Forum’s goals is to inform freshmen about a wide range of civic activities from community services to local politics. In college, students tend to get into a “college bubble” with their daily routine – sleep, shower, class, eat, and homework. Most of time, they are shielded out of the society. The Freshmen Forum provides its members a chance to step out of the “bubble” and become more involved in the community activities. The members of the Freshmen Forum are more aware of the community’s news and happenings and also give their feedback to the community. The Freshmen Forum provides guidance for students to get involved with activities to meet the community’s needs, such as the local food bank, the humane society, or local politic activities.

The civic activities organized by the Freshmen Forum help its members to be aware their responsibilities and feel the need of others, increasing their social experience. These are the reasons for many inexperienced college students want to become members, taking their responsibilities and contributing their value to the society. As a former participant of the Freshmen Forum stated that the experience “served as a fun and beneficial catalyst which expanded my desire and passion to fulfill my civic duty, for not only my time at the University, but also for my future after UA” (Fowler). Many members have agreed that they have felt the sense of being needed when doing community services for campus and the community. The Freshmen Forum has been a stepping stone for them:

If it weren’t for Freshmen Forum it would have been really hard for me to find a favorite place to volunteer. It requires each member to serve at least fifteen hours, and also gives us a variety of places to go, such as: Alabama Books for the Black Belt, Up ‘Til Dawn which benefits St. Jude Children’s Research hospital, Community Culture Festival, and more. Being able to have so many different community service opportunities allowed me to find my volunteer passion, working with special children at the RISE Center (Loftin).

Other former members said the program strengthened their leadership skills and influenced them to take on leadership roles in the Student Government Association. Milton Nettles, a former participant, said it gave him “the initial drive and focus [he needed] to make a difference” (Nettles). When people are in an unfamiliar place, it is difficult to make a difference. The Freshmen Forum brings together those students who have the same interests and aspirations.

One downside about the Freshmen Forum organization is the lower level exposure to freshmen, even the whole campus. Josh Langsam, a freshman that I interviewed, said: “I can’t speak for all freshmen but I have no clue what Freshmen Forum is.” Brittney White, another freshman, had heard of the program but could not name anything that it had done for the progression of the freshmen class nor for campus at all. These cases indicated that Freshmen Forum is not getting enough exposure and credit it deserves. We need to do more work to change this situation.

Freshmen Forum members are very active in promoting the interest of the freshmen students. One way to increase the recognition is to have a Freshman Town Hall meeting. This meeting is normally held with several of The University’s vice presidents, and allows every freshman on campus to have a chance to express his or her opinions. Another project is the Beat Auburn/Beat Hunger Food Drive program. The Freshmen Forum was ranked at the first place among the organizations who donated the most last year, helping The University of Alabama raising more than 270,915 pounds of food for the West Alabama Food Bank. The Freshmen Forum has proven to be beneficial to its members as well as the Capstone and Tuscaloosa community.

Works Cited

Andreen, Kathy. "UA Reaches Record 28,807 Students." UA News. 09 Sep 2009. The University of Alabama, Web. 26 Oct 2009. .

Loftin, Elizabeth. Personal INTERVIEW. 27 October 2009.

Hill, Linda. "CCSO Names Freshman Forum Student Organization of the Month at UA." UA News. 24 Aug 2009. The University of Alabama, Web. 27 Oct 2009. .

Nettles, Milton. Interview with Student Involvement and Leadership. The University of Alabama. Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 2009. .

Fowler, James. Interview with Student Involvement and Leadership. The University of Alabama. Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 2009. .

Alabama Crimson Tide Football Team What it Really is

When someone hears the words “University Of Alabama”, Crimson Tide Football is probably the first thing they think about. Its past runs deep through the veins of many who have grown up in the state of Alabama. Those who play or have played for the Crimson Tide are considered celebrities by the hoards of Alabama fans who religiously watch them perform on Saturdays. Although this is true, playing football for the Crimson Tide is not only about fame. By putting in countless hours of practice and hard work while playing at the University of Alabama, the young men of the team obtain an identity that they are able to carry with them throughout college and the years after.

For Crimson Tide Fans, Alabama football is a way of life. One can then easily imagine how much more is involved when you actually play for the Tide. Since its first year of existence, 1892, the Alabama football team has bulldozed through opponents and set many NCAA records. Fifty six post season appearances and eight perfect seasons are just two of the NCAA records the Tide currently owns. In addition, Tide fans never let football fans forget about their twelve national championships (2^nd most), 807 total victories (7^th most), and twenty five conference championships. Obviously, playing for the Tide is a big deal, but it is not always just about the glory. Only eleven Tide players are on the field at once but the Alabama football team has 109 players on its roster. This means that less than a quarter of the team gets to play on any given Saturday. The team is made up of mostly underclassmen with 19 juniors and 24 seniors. Fifty seven of the players played high school football in the state of Alabama. Twelve players are from Florida, eleven are from Georgia, eight are from Mississippi and Tennessee, and there are five from Louisiana. Players also hail from Texas, South Carolina, and Ohio. For the games, only about half of the players dress and the other half is part of the scout team. The season only runs during the fall but spring training starts in early spring and practices go throughout the summer and into the fall. Spring training is capped off with an A-Day Game in April and summer workouts often consist of two-a-days. Through all this, members of the football team carry both the responsibility of playing a collegiate sport and the normal load of an average college student. This leads many to question why these young men, especially those who don’t even play, choose to put themselves under so much stress.

Clearly, there has to be something other than glory that drives the majority of the team’s players who practice just as hard as everyone else but never see the field. Being a part of a team is more than just wearing your free Nike clothes around campus and getting into any party on campus simply because you are on the football team. By being a part of the team, the players learn important life lessons such as managing time, discipline, and the importance of brotherhood. As mentioned earlier, players not only have to worry about succeeding in football but they also have to worry about succeeding in school. The fact that the majority of the players who are on the team do not have any sort of a chance to make a living playing football means that they need to succeed in school in order to make sure that they have a career after college. The ability to manage time is a skill that players can also use after college in their jobs and in their families. Apart from learning to manage their time, players learn discipline and the importance of working hard. They learn how to listen to their coach’s, how to play and practice through pain and fatigue, and also how to work with others. Morgan Ogilvie, a sophomore quarterback for the Crimson Tide, said “It’s tough waking up early, working out, going to class, hurrying to practice, and then doing it all over again the next day. But just like with working out, you don’t get anywhere by just sitting around so I know I’m developing skills that I can use later in life.” In addition, players learn the importance of brotherhood. When you are around the same people during spring training and summer workouts where the hardest part is physically getting into shape, it makes it easier to relate to your teammates because you are all in the same boat. As cheesy as it may sound, you really do form a unique kind of bond with your teammates and that really makes being a part of a team so special.

Still, part of their motivation does lie in the fact that they understand what it means to come play football for the University of Alabama. Many will not go on to play football at the NFL level but make no mistake; they treat their season just like professionals do. Many players will come to play football at the University of Alabama just because it is Alabama. Everybody across the nation knows about our program’s tradition and they want to be a part of it, even if they know they won’t see the field too often. Being a part of the Crimson Tide is something that these men can carry with them even after college. No matter what happens the rest of their lives, they can always say that they wore the crimson and white jerseys. They will pass on stories of their football days to their children and grandchildren, thus giving them a sort of immortal identity as a Crimson Tide player.

As one can see, those who put in the hard work that it takes to be a part of the Crimson Tide football team do not only do it for fame or to learn lessons. Although a select few will make a career out of the sport of football, the majority will not. Collectively, these young men choose to dedicate their time and effort so that they can say that they were more than just a student at Alabama, but were instead a part of something much bigger. They play football because it provides them with an identity that they would otherwise not be able to obtain. Unlike the identity provided by other college groups, such as fraternities, sororities, and other clubs, these men can carry with them their identities as Crimson Tide players long after college.

As a whole, the Alabama football team works for both the athletes that play on it as well as everyone who is associated with it, including fans, the university, students and faculty, and the city of Tuscaloosa. The amount of revenue home football weekends generate for the university are enormous as you have 100,000 plus people coming into town and spending money that goes towards the university and local businesses in the Tuscaloosa area. I know many restaurants and bars survive off the money they make during football season that lasts them all year. Also it gives students a chance to let loose during the weekend after preparing and studying for tests and papers all week. One student I spoke with who is a senior in the Business School, Alvand Khoshgavar, says he makes better grades in the fall because of that same reason. “It gives me motivation to get all my studies done during the week so I can fully enjoy a weekend of watching the Tide play and not thinking about schoolwork at all,” Khoshgavar states.

Alabama Football is a huge part of this university not only during the fall but year around, and for good reason. It does so much for the community and benefits everybody as a whole associated with the University of Alabama. The University of Alabama would not be the university it is today without the help of its football team throughout the years and I strongly believe it will push us to become a top level university across the board in the very near future.

Works cited

Khoshgavar, Alvand. Personal Interview. 28 Oct 2009.

Ogilvie, Morgan. Personal Interview. 1 Nov 2009.

UA Student Fans: A Bond like No Other

There is nothing that brings the people of Alabama together more than Alabama football. It’s more than a simple pastime to the thousands of fans here at the University of Alabama; it’s a way of life. There are thousands upon thousands of Alabama fans that span the entire nation, and nowhere is there a greater concentration of these fans than here in Tuscaloosa. Out of all these fans however, there is a group that stands out from the rest. A group that shares a common experience that cannot be easily be replicated. That group of fans is the student fans of the University of Alabama. One may wonder what brings this group of students together so closely. What makes them different from other UA fans? Alumni are, by necessity, excluded from this elite group of fans because of how the experience changes and evolves into something new every year. Being a student fan means the forging of a bond between each other that cannot be found elsewhere. It is not simply because students all sit in the same section at the football games; it is because they all represent the same thing: The University of Alabama.

Football season is a time of great excitement for all fans of the Crimson Tide, and this is especially true for students of the University of Alabama. There is a feeling of excitement and anticipation of fun that charges the air throughout the campus. Every student of Alabama can feel it all throughout the week leading up to game day. This sense of fun and excitement hits its crescendo on game day. It’s felt by all who visit Tuscaloosa on a game day at the University of Alabama. The thing that makes student fans a step above even the most die-hard fan of the Crimson Tide is the immense feeling of school spirit. The entire student body feels this every time they attend or watch one of Alabama’s games. It’s this immense sense of pride at watching their school win or lose game after game that bonds this group of people together.

Lamar Kirkman is a graduate student at UA who has been a die-hard Alabama fan since he was a child, he was unable to attend UA for his undergraduate years, but has now received the chance to do so in his graduate classes. I asked my brother what it was like being a fan of the Crimson Tide compared to now being a student fan. He said, “There’s a big difference in seeing UA on T.V. and being a part of UA and you can feel it.” (L. Kirkman). Immediately I understood what my brother meant by saying “you can feel it.” I heard a change in the tone of his voice there was a definite feeling of joy. Lamar Kirkman was now a part of the exclusive group many Alabama fans will not be able to experience. He was now one of the 28,000 students who represent the school he loved so dearly. What drew my brother to join was not just his unwavering loyalty to the football team. It was the prestige that came along with being a student of The University of Alabama.

Not every Alabama fan is a student of the university; alumni are excluded from the student fan group, even though they were a part of it at one point and can relate to the experience. In order to find out exactly what the difference is between being an alumni and being a student fan of Alabama, I talk my mother and father Anita and Edric Kirkman, who both graduated from UA in the early 1980’s. I ask them what it is like to be a fan as alumni compared to being a student. My father told me “A lot has changed at the UA since I was there; it is like a completely different campus…I wish I could have gone to school here now, compared to the way it was back then.” I asked him about his experience of being a student fan, “There is nothing like being in the mix and being a part of the Crimson Tide, the students are the voice of UA.” (E. Kirkman). I could tell by talking to my dad that he was somewhat envious of my brother and me because we are reliving his old days of being at the Capstone and being “in the mix.” He told me that now that he is older looking back at his college days, that there was a special bond between him and his fellow classmates and once that time had passed that bond would never be the same.

Everyone in my family was at one point an Alabama student fan. My parents were able to witness what it was like to be a fan as a student and what it is like now as alumni. Both agreed that being a student fan is special and should be taken advantage of if given the opportunity. It is the pride of knowing that they are a part of UA that’s makes the student fans stand out from the rest. It is that pride that bonds them on a deeper level than the rest of the Crimson Tide’s fan base. It is that sense of pride that they will be reminded of every time they say “Roll Tide!”

Alabama Atheists and Agnostics: Misunderstood?

“You don’t need God to be good,” “You’re not alone if you don’t believe in God,” and Voltaire quotes like, “Those who believe in absurdities commit atrocities,” these were just a few of the controversial sayings in chalk scrawled by AAA or Alabama Atheists and Agnostics (“Alabama Atheists and Agnostics chalkings erased”). For obvious reasons, student religious groups and AAA members have been butting heads ever since its creation in 2007. Although, establishing and maintaining an anti-religious group deep in the heart of the Bible belt hasn’t been easy, AAA has a surprisingly large following here at the University of Alabama. But because of their controversial, and some say condescending, messages, the University and its students have thrown AAA into the line of fire. What started as an opposing group of students smearing ice cream onto AAA’s ads escalated when university faculty joined in on the rampage. Being misunderstood and feared of the unknown are what drive students to lash out against AAA when in truth, their ideals aren’t as farfetched as one may think. The Alabama Atheists and Agnostics is a tight-knit group of individuals striving to promote open-mindedness and to provide a safe haven for those who don’t identify with organized religion.

Before we can dive into the fundamentals of AAA, it is important to understand the roots of Atheism and the basic beliefs associated with it. The first self-proclaimed Atheist movement started around the 1700’s and today it is the largest growing religious group in the world. The word “Atheism” comes from the Greek word Atheos, which means the belief in no God, higher being, or deity, atheists believe in logic over belief. Disagreement with Bible doctrine, debate over the creation of Earth, and belief in Darwinism are the dominant pillars of Atheism. Many Atheists also identify with philosophers such as Voltaire, Diderot, and Thomas Pain who were persecuted for their radical ideals throughout history. They don’t focus on single religious figures or doctrines as being faulty, but are against materialism and blind acceptance of the status quo (“History of Atheism”). As with the religion itself, the members of AAA are diverse in their beliefs. According to AAA Vice President Peter Sloan,” Our membership is very diverse…In fact, not everyone in our group identifies themselves as "atheist" or "agnostic." The only requirement for membership is that you be a student at UA and have an open mind!”(Sloan).

Unfortunately not all students are as open minded as the AAA and with the chalk incident on campus last week, it’s apparent that not all students are ready to accept the group. Their somewhat volatile messages offended many students, and not just the devoutly religious ones. It only took a few hours for students who strongly disagreed with the messages to vandalize them with ice cream and water. University faculty and employees also started erasing the messages and not surprisingly, left all pro-Christian messages intact. When asked about his outlook on the group and its future, Sloan replied:
“I think we are still in the early stages, so it's hard to tell. I do think that atheism is becoming much more acceptable in general though, and our group is a small, local part of making that change. We have had extensive coverage in the CW all semester, and we were even on the local TV news the other night… We need to get our name out there as much as possible. People need to know that atheists and agnostics are just like them.” (Sloan)

The AAA also encounters the unique situation of being in the state of Alabama, which lies in the heart of the “Bible Belt”. This has caused tension between the group and the rest of the University since AAA’s creation. Sloan also commented on this subject, “I think we have had some resistance from the University, and certainly from our fellow students, and I'm sure it's because we are in a "red state" like Alabama… If there is one commonality among all our members, it is that they are so surprised and thrilled to have finally found a group like this. It's been really rewarding getting to know the members.” (Sloan) AAA provides a safe place for those who are confused about religion, have no religion at all, or are simply lost and trying to find their way. Not only do they discuss Atheism, but they also incorporate and analyze teachings from religions around the worlds. “Some religious students are confused about the need for non-religious people to gather and discuss faiths that they might not hold and doctrines to which they might not adhere.” (Facebook.com) AAA attempts to respect all people’s stands on religion and is very accepting to new ideas. They try to take those who feel like they're alone in their beliefs and unite them into one.

Overall, Alabama Atheists and Agnostics is a great way to express your feelings on religion and not be scrutinized over it. Despite their seemingly radical beliefs and abrasive advertisements, this group has potential to become incredibly successful in time. They are a newly formed group whose numbers grow daily, but gaining support from the University hasn’t been easy. They encounter persecution from people who disagree with their wide variety of non-religious beliefs. Being in the state of Alabama has only highlighted the misunderstanding surrounding Atheism and spirituality. Though they are still young, and the chalk incident was a major setback, many are starting to feel that it’s ok to come out and move away from their Christian roots and express what they truly believe in. To find out more information about the group, look up their Facebook page titled, Alabama Atheists and Agnostics.

Works Citied

Arnold, Sam. "Alabama Atheists and Agnostics | Facebook." Facebook.com. Web. 27 Oct. 2009. .

Bursch, Karissa. "Alabama Atheists and Agnostics chalking erased." Crimson White [Tuscaloosa] 30 Sept. 2009.

O’Hair, Madalyn Murray. “History of Atheism.” AmericanAtheists.com. Web. 27 Oct. 2009. < http://www.atheists.org/atheism/history_of_atheism>.

Sloan, Peter. "Alabama Atheists and Agnostics." E-mail interview. 26 Oct. 2009.

When it Rains, It Floods

Dear TDOT,

If it rains, it floods! Anyone that has walked anywhere in Tuscaloosa while it is raining or has rained in the past 12 hours knows what that means. It is amazing to me that you allow this problem to progress. As the TDOT Storm Drainage Division, I believe it is your responsibility and obligation to handle this problem. Increased maintenance and additional piping are positive changes that will lead to the overall success in the drainage of Tuscaloosa as a whole as well as the University’s campus. Tuscaloosa’s flooding problem effects many people in a number of ways and can lead to financial and health risks, there are many possible solutions out there and they need to be executed without hesitation.

Fixing up our drainage system is not something that can wait. While the solution to Tuscaloosa’s flooding problem may be costly, the cost of doing nothing will be much greater. I would rather have our public resources used to prevent damages caused by flooding then fixing the damages after flooding has already taken its toll. If you live in Tuscaloosa, you are affected by flooding in some way. It affects many people’s wallets, time, safety and if you walk to classes like me, your shoes! I preformed a survey asking students if they thought flooding was a problem on campus. The result was no surprise. Nineteen out of 20 students checked very bad and the other student checked bad. The slightest drizzle causes large puddles everywhere. I can’t tell you how many times what seems like a light rain has caused water to pile up everywhere making it next to impossible to get to class without destroying my shoes. The average cost of 4 inches of flooding in a household is $11,480 the cost of each sidewalk square to be replaced from erosion due to flooding is $80, not to mention landscaping fees due to flooding as well as underwater flooding which can cause serious health risks to entire communities. Our personal safety is also at risk. Thousands of college students walk to class everyday. When water piles up on our roads it causes cars to hydroplane. I’m sure you don’t want the death of students on your hands and cars can easily hydroplane into an innocent student when it could be easily avoided. With the number of houses, sidewalks and landscapes in Tuscaloosa constant flooding it is eventually going to take toll and be extremely costly.

You solicit that your mission is, “Dedicated to the efficient operation and maintenance of all pipes, channels, creeks, inlets, and other drainage structures within our jurisdiction. In addition, we perform new construction projects to correct drainage problems for the citizens of Tuscaloosa. To protect and improve local water quality, we strive to ensure that only rain goes down the drain.” Actually I don’t believe much of anything is going down the drain. When it does actually storm, the streets turn into the Nile River and the quad transforms into a swamp. It is unacceptable that you promise your dedication to drainage in Tuscaloosa and yet we still have flooding from sprinkling.

So what should you do about this? My first thought would be to send people down there to clean the piping and make sure water is able to flow smoothly down the drains. This is a simple, cheap way to help. Drains are often blocked by illegal landscaping and fencing. Simply driving by and removing any objects blocking drains will help. While these are simple, easy ways to attempt helping out I don’t think they can fix the problem alone. Basically we need to rethink the whole design of the Tuscaloosa drainage system. Additional gutters need to be added at the points of water build-up on streets. Obviously water flows downhill. So, why do I see more drains up by the recreational center then down by the quad, where all the water flows down to and piles up. The street’s water pile up, could also be decreased by fixing the curbs. Larger, deeper curbs could hold a greater amount of water and would also allow the water to run smoother down the curbs to the drains. Sump pumps need to be available in large fields. When that water just sits there in the mud and accumulates different organisms and fungi, it can be harmful to people’s health and also causes a very repulsive smell.

I do believe this problem is your responsibility to address, but you do not have to do it all on your own. As you may know, the University has a great engineering program. If you made suggestions to the engineering board, I’m sure they would be happy to help. Not only would it be helping them by solving the flooding issue but the engineering majors could obtain great real world experience in engineering by calculating solutions to this problem. This could also make your job a lot easier.

Flooding is a problem for everyone. It would make many lives easier if it is improved. If it is not addressed soon it will lead to extremely large economic problems and possibly death. There are solutions out there and people that can help. Please fulfill you obligations and improve the lives of us all in Tuscaloosa.

Sincerely yours,

Group 8