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His view: Video-game art in the Smithsonian

(01/16/14 8:08pm)

Years of debate over whether or not video games are an art might finally be over. The Smithsonian American Art Museum has recently added "Flower," by Jenova Chen and Kellee Santiago of thatgamecompany and "Halo 2600," by Ed Fries, to their permanent collection.Controversy started in 2005 when Roger Ebert proclaimed that video games could never be art after reviewing "Doom," a movie based on a popular video game from 1993.Other factors have caused resistance to video games being accepted in the art world. Growing up, my parents taught me that playing them would rot my brain. Many other children are taught that video games are bad from an early age as well. I understand I could be doing something more productive, but the shaming doesn't end there.With recent shootings and terrorist attacks, the media and government are quick to use video games as a scapegoat. These groups cite games displaying gratuitous violence and sex, such as "Call of Duty" or "Grand Theft Auto," to back their claims. These claims are inaccurate and assume what might be true about one part holds true of all of its parts.Could I convince you that all books are turning people into sad*stic nymphomaniacs by citing "Fifty Shades of Grey" and the genre of erotic literature? Such a claim would be taken as a farce.These factors are used as fodder for people to not take video games as a serious anything, much less art.Though some video games might feel like Dadaism, it would be a shame to assume this medium is being created to satiate the lust of a debased generation determined to spoil itself.This relatively new and controversial form of art exposes audiences to new trains of thought and empathy. Video games break the fourth wall by allowing the audience to experience through action and manipulation.This new mode of art manipulation helps in fostering a deeper understanding of concepts and feelings the game is trying to express. Forcing audiences to make decisions that might break social norms and procedure, video games can lead to dramatic evaluations of ethics and morality. By combining manipulation with cinematography, music and literature, video games create an artistic experience like no other."Flower" allows players an escape to nature. The audience takes control of a sweeping wind as it picks up flower petals."Flower" brings about relaxation with all the Zen, therapeutic remedies that looking at a piece of landscape art has. Finally, the ability to watch art unfold just as fast as Bob Ross can paint it!However, "Flower" goes beyond aesthetic value. The game slowly transitions from a rural to metropolitan setting. With the same task of traversing the land and making flowers bloom, "Flower" communicates a need to find harmony between nature and urban life.It is clear that "Flower" is an aesthetic medium used to express ideas and shared feelings in a visually compelling way. In other words, it's art. And there are other good, artistic games out there created by inspired thinkers with artistic minds trying to share their message with an audience.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2014/01/his-view-video-game-art-in-the-smithsonian

Her view: Auburn University needs a 'Come to Jesus' meeting

(01/14/14 10:16pm)

Everybody has bad days. Everyone has those mornings where your alarm clock goes off and you hit snooze 20 times and then finally drag yourself from bed, to shower, to class in a daze that, for once, probably has nothing to do with a hangover.It's just how life is. We're all sleep-deprived college students. We all get grumpy sometimes. We all have days where we'd rather pretend humanity doesn't exist and the only world we know is Netflix and drawn curtains. I get it. I do. I'm totally there approximately 97 percent of the time.That does not, however, give you, me or anyone else permission to be a total ass to other people.The South is generally a pretty friendly place overall, and from my experience, Auburn tends to be really good about exemplifying that Southern Hospitality. But it's week two and I've already found myself angry and without a lot of residual hope for humanity due to some of the interactions I've seen on this campus.Don't be rude to the men and women who drive the Tiger Transit. Don't talk down to the people working in campus dining; they're all working and just doing their jobs. Hell, don't talk down to anybody. The moment you think you're better than someone else is the moment you're decidedly the opposite. That's the moment you lose my respect.You're here in college presumably to, like me, get an education that will help you try to make your dreams into a reality. Do you really think someone dreamed up standing behind the counter of a Starbucks counter all day? I mean, maybe, and if so I'm not dissing that, but seriously--just think about people. Take two seconds to consider someone's life other than your own.You don't know what everyone else has been going through. There's literally (not figuratively, just so we clear up that little discrepancy right off the bat) no reason to be rude to anyone, even if they were rude to you first. It's wholly unnecessary and childish.Auburn, we're all tired. We've all got things outside of school and work to deal with. We could probably all use more sleep. But we can all definitely put forth a little more effort to be kind to everyone we meet.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2014/01/her-view-auburn-university-needs-a-come-to-jesus-meeting

OPINION: Gay marriage and chocolate ice cream

(10/17/13 5:48pm)

Growing up in Auburn was like growing up in a box. More specifically, a cardboard box with holes in it.You can see light shining through, but not the whole picture.You can hear everything being said around you, but it's all the same.Raised extremely conservative, a classic "Southern Belle," if you will, the opinions I grew accustomed to were all the same.Girls act this way; boys act that way. One day you get married, have kids, then you die. Act like a lady throughout.Don't make the family look bad.It wasn't until my junior year of high school that I was officially questioned about my own "opinions." My first answer was silence. I didn't know.Then the essay era began.Analyze the author's tone. How does it convey feministic views?The protagonist is also the antagonist, how is this possible?How would a narcissist have behaved differently?Write a four-page paper on abortion.Write about gay marriage.Include your own opinion.For many years, I remained unsure. I tried to avoid the uncomfortable topics, mainly because I didn't want go against my parents in a kitchen-table debate with no real ammo.I also feared I might be rooting for the wrong team.When I couldn't keep quiet any longer, abortion became the first controversial topic of discussion, and it was easy. No abortion. Babies are innocent.My parents were proud.Then gay marriage became the big topic in question.I was raised Baptist. I believe in God. The Bible is my guide too.But I have gay friends, both girls and guys.They don't seem different from any other person I've ever met: they drink water and breathe air.One day, I was talking to one of my closest friends about getting married. Just the usual bridesmaid-dress this and wedding-venue that.Suddenly, she stopped laughing and her smile faded. She glanced at her feet and then looked back up at me with a strange look on her face, "Too bad I'll never have a wedding."And my heart broke.I love my faith and I love my family. But I also love my friends. They've never judged me, even when most would have; how could I possibly judge them? I am not God. I cannot play God.The Bible has many moral codes, and I respect them all. I do not judge.If it's the "sanctity" of marriage in jeopardy, then rename another legally binding contract.Divorce is legal. Where in the Bible does it condone that luxury?Why are we even using the Bible vs. law comparison anyway? Not everyone that's gay is a Christian. How do you logically enforce a law based on a religion when this government blatantly speaks out against theocracies?Despite these thoughts, I wasn't truly convinced of my stance on gay marriage until recently when sitting with a friend, eating chocolate ice cream.It's funny how something as simple as ice cream can trigger a political epiphany.My friend was enjoying his vanilla ice cream next to me when I realized how sad I would be if chocolate was unavailable.Even worse, what if I wasn't allowed to eat chocolate ice cream? But the worst nightmare imaginable is what if I was only allowed to eat vanilla?Gag me.The government cannot choose, or change, one's preferences.We symbolize freedom. Our country is a beautiful, ever-changing democracy with many great laws in place, and a few yet to exist.Church and state are separate. Not to say one is more right than the other, but not relevant in relation to one another.I wish America, and especially the South, could see that.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/10/opinion-gay-marriage-and-chocolate-ice-cream

American soccer: ain't it a kick in the head

(10/04/13 1:30pm)

I am writing this column to warn you, American sports fan, of what is about to happen in this country.Hopefully, you will read this and get on board before you get blindsided.You may have noticed a change in sports programming across the major networks and cable channels. There have been more and more instances of an 11 vs.11 game that uses a round ball instead of a brown, egg-shaped one. In an act of pure defiance to American sports ideals, the players' hands are rarely used. The clock counts up instead of down.I know this sport may seem foreign to you. That's completely understandable because up until the last few decades, the sport we know here in North America as soccer was a completely foreign game.But times have changed. Soccer is now spreading like wildfire in the United States. Seattle's Century Link Field was filled to capacity for a regular season match in a league that is less than two decades old.American fans now have more television access to the world-famous English Premier League than people who actually live in England.The movement is showing no signs of slowing down, either.What was once considered a fad for "hipster sports fans" is now, according to research compiled by ESPN, the second most popular sport in the United States for people ages 12-25.So what should you do in light of all this change, American sports fan?Embrace it. Give the sport a chance.It's no surprise the Southeast, the stronghold of college football, is behind the rest of the country when it comes to soccer. So, if are from this area, you might not have had much access to the game growing up.But the game is growing rapidly, and we have more access to it than ever before.So why not do what so many people in the South are doing and start paying soccer some attention?Do you hate the constant commercials of football or the slow pace of baseball?Soccer is constant, commercial-free action for two 45-minute stretches -- it only takes about two hours to watch a match on television.Get upset when your favorite sport is in its offseason?There is always top-level soccer on. The world's best leagues run from August to May, and the summer is filled with international and MLS competition for American fans.Love college sports?Soccer is the closest thing the rest of the world has to the passion and tradition of college football and basketball.I could go on and on about why you should start watching soccer, but there is probably not enough space in this entire paper for all of what I want to say.If you love sports, turn to NBC Sports on Saturday morning --before college football begins, of course -- and start watching a couple of Premier League matches.You can move on later in the week to some Champions League action, where the best clubs in the world go toe-to-toe.You may be surprised with how much you enjoy watching a sport that has been ignored in America for so long.But if you try it out and you don't enjoy it, that's fine. On behalf of all American soccer fans, we would like to thank you for giving "The Beautiful Game" a chance. Like every other sport on the planet, it's not for everyone.But don't knock it until you try it.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/10/american-soccer-aint-it-a-kick-in-the-head

Tree or wire structure, the tradition lives on

(10/04/13 1:32pm)

I stood on Toomer's Corner among the hanging toilet paper with tears trickling down my cheeks.The tissue-decorated wires looked so pitiful against the night sky. Cheerful children were running around, oblivious to the missing pieces of this tradition.The overall atmosphere was still joyful, but there was a new, almost melancholy damper on the usually happy celebration.Overheard were remarks from new fans and old fans, as well as from those simply wandering the streets:"What are these wires?""Why can't they just put up fake trees?""The toilet paper just falls off the wires! This is so lame."And I have to agree.Although I was not around when the trees were planted in the late 1930s or even when they began to be rolled in the 1970s, the removal of these two iconic trees last April signified the end to an important part of my childhood.I had grown up throwing toilet paper into the branches of these oaks, and now my future children won't be able to roll the same trees.By the 2014 football season, however, renovations of this corner with new trees and enlarged walkways should be completed.Wizened alumni rolling the wires were reflecting on the similarities of this event and the wires they had rolled decades ago in observance of victories past.The Auburn wires recently strung up were almost nostalgic to them, reminding them of the power lines they used to roll.The rolling of Toomer's isn't supposed to be a pitiful occurrence.It isn't supposed to be even remotely sad.It's not about what structure we're rolling --be it a tree or a wire -- but about why we're celebrating in the first place.This tradition was never about the toilet paper, nor even solely about the sports team; instead, it was about uniting fans and players alike in honor of a shared love for Auburn University.So after our next victory, I, for one, will proudly throw my toilet paper over the Toomer's wires, even if it does slide off to the other side.I will not mourn the loss of the majestic history, but will rejoice in the moment.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/10/tree-or-wire-structure-the-tradition-lives-on

Life on campus better than you think

(09/19/13 3:08pm)

Most Auburn freshmen live on campus in the residence halls.Few sophom*ores or juniors live on campus, and even fewer seniors live on campus.I am in that small percentage of Auburn seniors who live in the residence halls. I have lived on campus all four years in college.Most people look at me funny when I say I live on campus. I have private security, personal trash collection, complimentary cleaning services and I don't have to cook -- what more could you ask for?There are four housing areas on campus now -- South Donahue, the Village, the Quad and the Hill.Each housing area has its own personality and each area is set up differently.In the Hill, there are 12 residence halls, all in a cluster focused around the dining hall, Terrell (some pronounce it Ter-rail, I don't judge).The Quad has 10 residence halls divided into upper and lower sections. These halls are on central campus.The Village has eight residence halls and a dining hall.The South Donahue Residence Hall is one hall, but houses 418 students.Many people do not see the silver lining, but living on campus has perks. I have unlimited hot water, fantastic WiFi (who are we kidding, it's not THAT great) and Antarctic air conditioning. My air conditioner has two settings -- soul-freezingly cold or off.After living on campus for three years, you learn the prime time for laundry, the best food places, the best parking places and the quickest way to the Haley Center. You learn which washers don't have nasty encrusted into them and which dryers are portals to hell.Harvard University estimated 97 percent of their undergraduate students live on campus. There's a reason for that, and it has to do with academics. Living in the dorms provides structure because you never leave the University setting. I think, living on campus provides students with an academic structure. Since I live on campus, everything is more convenient.I can walk to the library or hitch a ride on the Security Shuttle (known in other social circles as the drunk bus).Most students think parking on Auburn's campus is a nightmare.Since I live in the dorms, I can park right outside and merrily skip to my room. I mostly walk everywhere and central campus is right across the street.But let me be frank, living on campus has a downside. I can't tell you how many times I've been woken up from a delightful nap by the banshee lady trapped in the fire alarm because someone tried to microwave their Pop-Tart with the wrapper still on, or tried to see if their popcorn could begin nuclear fusion.If I had the choice, I would not live anywhere else in Auburn. Living on Auburn's campus is like a home away from home. I do not see my room as a concrete prison, like some on-campus residents.When you get to the front door with your Tiger Card, there is always a smiling face to greet you or some sobbing fool who has been locked out for a day and a night.Living on campus is what you make of it.You can hate the structure and be miserable, or embrace the community you share with the other residents, and make the best of it. When you live on campus, you realize there is something always going on.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/09/life-on-campus-better-than-you-think

OPINION: Tiger Transit complaints

(09/16/13 9:00pm)

Waiting for 20 minutes for the possibility at riding a bus should not be a reality.Anyone who has to ride the west campus Tiger Transit route knows my pain.I should not have to wake up and get on the bus 40 minutes before my class starts, an 8 a.m. class no less, to get a seat.Although it's expected to have many students riding the buses the first week of class, it's now September, and the west campus buses are still packed, causing various stops to be skipped because people are already standing up.I understand Tiger Transit has gone through some changes, such as hiring many new bus drivers, but their inexperience is not the problem.There are not enough buses on the west campus route at prime points in the day.For example, at 2 p.m. at the Student Center, there was a mob of students wanting to get on the west campus bus, as if the driver was handing out free ice cream. I was not fortunate enough to get on that bus and had to wait for another one.There were only three buses on the west campus route at that time, while at other parts of the day there were as many as five buses on the route at a time.I understand it costs more money to run more buses and that patience is a virtue, but west campus has never had this problem before this semester.Thousands of students live in apartments off Glenn Avenue and Hemlock Drive, so there should be enough buses to accommodate those people without making them wait for another bus or two in order to get to class.Some students' stops get skipped because the bus that arrives is already full (little repetitive) and they end up just walking to class.Other routes, including Haley West, Old Row, Webster Road and Wire Road are also reportedly overcrowded.Although there are problems with the number of buses on the west campus route, Tiger Transit does do a phenomenal job caring for the students' needs on the buses and the drivers are some of the sweetest people I have ever met.All I ask is to put more buses on the west campus route throughout the entire day.That would alleviate stress for students getting to and from class, making Auburn a happier place than it already is.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/09/opinion-tiger-transit-complaints

Be your own Pied Piper

(09/12/13 2:43am)

Every wild fantasy - read "stupid idea" - I've ever had has come true in Auburn.Giving credit where credit is due: Auburn and the University, compared to everywhere else in the world that I've ever been (and I'm an Air Force brat, so that number is pretty damn high), host some of the most helpful, outgoing and supportive communities, social circles and individuals.Want to start a small business? Go for it. The folks at Auburn City Hall will get you squared away.Want to start a student organization? Utilize Auburn University's O-Board and AUInvolve resources, or just email John-Michael Roehm at roehmjm@auburn.edu.Want to be a radio DJ? Sign-up at WEGL 91.1 FM or ask the Auburn University New Media Club if they'd be interested in producing a podcast. Seriously, you just add your name to a list and attend a few meetings.I have done all of these things, and they aren't hard to do.Auburn has helped me take everything I've ever wanted to do and turned it into what I am doing, and often times helped me get paid for doing it.But, there is a caveat.For all of the interesting and creative avenues available to students and locals, there are those whom simply see students and the Auburn youth as free-labor, easily manipulated "apprentices" of sorts - and as a demographic to exploit for profit.They are the "Pied Pipers" of our small community.Because Auburn has a scene ripe for the picking - scattered and with a lack of leadership - all it takes is a new face with a lot of talk to make us all dance to their tune and think we've finally found our own personal patron.This is where the moral kicks in, the big, inflated, bouncy-castle of a message that I want to blow up in your mind: DO NOT BUILD YOUR IDEA AROUND A CORE PERSONALITY.It's like every bad band break-up you've ever read about, and a lot that you haven't. There are those that want to be heroes and those that love to take part in hero-worship.DIY culture, generally and in Auburn, only benefits from a collective of folks that share ideals, principles, and the same idea of what makes something cool as hell. But all of those things can get flushed faster than you can say "local arts" if the organization or group becomes a monument to one member's ego - and there is no use saying that "it'll never happen here", because it already has.Out of the decade and some change that I've been a member of the Auburn community I have seen some great ideas go from talk to reality, and some go from talk to hurt feelings and a desire to never take part in local enterprise again. Cool stuff happens in Auburn, all of the time, but the best stuff, the stuff that lasts, centers around an idea and some honest-to-God students putting their souls into their work.So my PSA of the semester, my swan song of my time at Auburn: if you want to do something, start doing it.But if in your travels you encounter some folks who seem too eager to help you, who seem to want something for helping you even before they lend a hand - and who you've heard a lot about but have never really seen anything they've done - you should be cautious. That isn't to say there aren't helpful people in Auburn and you should throw every opportunity to the curb; just be careful.Find other people just like you and make something wonderful together. Don't let someone hovering in the wings tell you what you should do and how you should do it unless they really garner your respect and you genuinely feel like they know what they are talking about.Auburn University - and college in general - really is about experimenting and learning what makes you happy, but it isn't about throwing away the best years of your life to someone telling you what you should care about. Just stick to your guns.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/09/be-your-own-pied-piper

His view: My college bucket list has been finished

(09/05/13 9:43pm)

As bass singer Avi Kaplan of Pentatonix's voice reverberated through the speakers and the audience members' chests, a deeper roar was growing in mine.I didn't understand what it was until the end of UPC's concert Thursday, Aug. 29, but when I did, it came upon me so suddenly I had no choice but to yield to its fury.Hoping my 1,000 other Auburn Family members would help me, I cracked open my lips and expelled the breathtaking cry,"Waaaaaaaar..."And incredibly, those around me were caught up in the involuntary, powerful moment and joined me, their voices melding into something majestic.As I guided them into the crescendo, culminating in "...eagle, hey!" I had finally done what many Auburn freshmen dream of doing: I led the Auburn game day cry.It lasted only 6 seconds.But within those 6 seconds, I checked off almost everything on my Auburn University bucket list, and it had only taken six years to do so.With my graduation looming, it made me conscious of time and how fleeting it is. People say they blink and are forty; imagine how quickly your four, or six, years of college will fly by.I hope you have the chance to experience the successes I've had and the mistakes I've made.I've failed classes, used all my GAPs, wished I had more and learned lessons from years of immaturity.I've gone to football games, lost my voice, bled blue and orange and bled red in boyish scuffles defending the honor of Auburn's football team against LSU fans.I've had nights I'll never forget and some I'll never remember at bars and fraternity houses.I've broken nearly every rule while living in the dorms, but nothing illegal in an on-campus dorm.I've made enemies and forgiven them, and made friends who I hope will last a lifetime.I've loved and lost, loved and lost and chosen to stoically love again.I've gone from an out-of-state student confused whether the mascot was Aubie or an eagle to a member of the Auburn Family explaining the story of both to others.I read the creed and believe in it wholeheartedly, hoping my peers set their life to its course because it won't lead them astray.Poet Robert Herrick told the virgins to make much of time, and Robin Williams told us it meant carpe diem, "seize the day."So, make the most of your time left at Auburn, because when it's gone, you'll never get it back, and while you'll always be an Auburn alumnus or alumna, you will never be an Auburn student again.I wish I would have joined an a capella club, been more active in intramural sports, cultivated new interests, studied abroad, found something to devote my life to and engendered more friendships that will last a lifetime.But my time is coming to an end, and wishing wounds the heart. Your time may be ending as well, or just beginning, but make the most of it, and ensure the pages of your story at Auburn are written in indelible ink.That's what college is: sweet, poignant and then? Over.Leave a legacy, and learn something beyond the major on your diploma, something that lasts forever.The thing I've learned at Auburn, and not from any single event, person or class, but the culmination of everything?I believe in Auburn and love it.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/09/his-view-my-college-bucket-list-has-been-finished

His view: Fall season brings excitement, energy to Auburn

(08/29/13 3:41pm)

Summer is certainly an exciting time for college students throughout the country.Whether students are taking vacations to exotic locations, studying abroad, getting internships or just spending lazy days with their friends back home, the summer is always a welcome relief from the stresses of the school year.As a kid, there was no question that the summer was my favorite time of the year. While summer is still great fun, the two years spent at this University have taught me one important thing about the seasons: No other time of the year can compete with the fall in Auburn.The dreariness of the spring semester and the sweltering summer semesters pale in comparison to the excitement and atmosphere on campus during the fall semester.It goes without saying that football season brings a lot of energy to Auburn's campus.But, looking past the football side of it, the atmosphere on football Saturday in Auburn is something a 500-word column just can't do justice. You have to be here to experience it.What other time of the year does a minimum of 100,000 people descend upon this small town all for the same reason?Have you ever experienced every sidewalk within a 2-mile radius of campus completely blocked by parked cars other than on a game day?For those rowdy fans enjoying their pre-game tailgates, authorities are more lenient than usual to our shenanigans on game days.I mean, when else will you have the opportunity to down a beer in front of the Student Center or enjoy a cigarette on our newly "Smoke-Free" campus?As last year showed us, Auburn football can have its worst season in 60 years, and we'll still be voted the best tailgating school in the nation by Yahoo.Tailgating is a major reason why fall is the best season in Auburn, but it's just a start.Whether you're making that slightly tipsy walk to an 8 a.m., or simply enjoying lunch out on the green, the weather in Auburn is never better than during the fall.On those days when the temperature lows are in the mid-'50s, and the highs just break into the '70s, the struggle to dress for the temperature becomes irrelevant.You can dress however you choose and know that you'll be comfortable.The cool weather also is an excuse to indulge in whatever hot coffee drink you prefer. Auburn's abundance of quality coffee shops makes certain that you'll never run out of new drinks to try.For those who prefer a night in with friends, the cool weather makes bonfires, camping or hanging out on someone's front porch as a chill way to spend the night.Then there's partying.Not that anybody needed an excuse to party, but with Halloween, fall concerts and game days approaching, the fall festivities in Auburn are sure to be excellent as always.As students get settled into their fall schedules and those dog days of August mercifully pass, one can't help but look ahead to the upcoming fall season with eagerness and excitement.The best season is upon us yet again.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/08/his-view-fall-season-brings-excitement-energy-to-auburn

Her view: There has to be a better way to park

(08/29/13 3:31pm)

Parking. It seems to be an issue on every college campus, and Auburn is no exception.The parking system is definitely skewed. How is it that parking passes are only given out basedon a lottery system? At Auburn, I think we need a more systematic way to handle this situation.By doing so, there would be fewer student complaints and frustration.It is evident that in most majors at Auburn, the only way to advance into a higher program is by meeting a minimum GPA requirement and seniority. I think parking passes should follow a similar regulation. Why not make parking permits available based on GPA and seniority? It only seems fair and reasonable.As a senior, I feel parking should not be a hassle, as I have already had to deal with it for three years. The system for registering for classes is based on seniority and number of hours, so why shouldn't parking have the same standards?A parking lottery does not make sense. I am a senior with good academic standing, why should I not be able to get parking when an incoming freshman can.I am not the only one. Many of my friends this year are facing the same problem and are disappointed and frustrated.Aside from parking on campus during regular school hours, game day parking is something that has always frustrated me as well. I love game day weekends in Auburn, but I could do without all the hassles of parking. If you asked other students, they would feel the same way.As proud as I am to say it, Auburn was recently voted No. 1 for tailgating.Auburn even has a new plan to make game day even better. They are planning to open up an extra 2,000 free parking spaces around campus just for game day.How is the University able to do this for game day, when there are not even enough parking spaces for students during the week?I realize Auburn football is important, but weekly classes and academics should be a priority.That being said, parking plays an important role.Students who commute or drive to campus every day should not have to worry about parking, or getting ticketed when their focus should be on getting to class.If the University is able to open 2,000 extra spaces for game day why can't this be applied during the academic school year?If this is not an option, then there needs to be a better system in place.Upperclassmen in good academic standing should not be penalized.If a better system was in place with clearer rules, I believe a great deal of hassle, complaints and confusion would be minimized.I believe in Auburn and love it, minus the parking.Parking is an issue that I understand will never be completely resolved, and people will always have an issue with it.However, without making the parking tag selection process more systematic, I don't see how the situation can improve.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/08/her-view-there-has-to-be-a-better-way-to-park

His view: Philosophical problems with pop radio, DJ Khaled

(08/23/13 4:11pm)

Imagine a world in which you were forced to remain close with your first batch of friends.The best man or the maid of honor at your wedding would be determined by which kindergarten classmate was best at sharing blocks.You'd forever be tethered to the pale kid down the block whose videogame consoles more than made up for his inherent weirdness and predilection for eating paste.This is the world proposed by the recent hit single "No New Friends" by DJ Khaled featuring Drake, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne, or at least a literal interpretation of it."No New Friends" heavily advocates loyalty to both friends and birthplace through repetition of the phrase no new friends.The message should seem laughable coming from a group of men with wildly different backgrounds and origins.But it seems to have caught on. DJ Khaled, 37, is a Miami-based radio personality; Drake, 26, was formerly a teen-actor and is from Toronto; Rick Ross, 37, was a correctional officer in Florida before stardom and Lil Wayne, 30, has been a fixture in music since his days as part of teen-rap group The Hot Boys in New Orleans.However, "No New Friends" has been on The Billboard Hot 100 for 16 weeks and peaked at No. 37 on the chart.The song has definitely found an audience.While the authenticity of the song's central theme does seem a little shaky, it would be hard to imagine sentiments supporting loyalty and close-knit friendships might not be the most harmful things to broadcast."No New Friends" isn't just a song title but also an older mantra within rap and hip-hop, and one that has caught on with people in a way that might not be positive.Chief Keef, a Chicago-based rapper, has endorsed the no new friends mindset in his music, and it would seem like that isn't a good thing.Keef has been a constant source of controversy with multiple arrests, alleged drug use and a brief incarceration in January 2013 for violating his probation.The rapper's lyrics often boast of his southside Chicago origins, and his record label, Interscope Records, have given Keef his own subsidiary record label, Glory Boyz Entertainmen, in 2011.True to the no new friends mentality, the current roster of Glory Boyz Entertainment is populated with Keef 's friends.It would be hard to think that it is in the 18-year-old's best interest to continue to surround himself with, and pledge loyalty to, people that would likely make a possible beneficial change in lifestyle more difficult.Ultimately, "No New Friends" is just a piece of pop music, and isn't any more sinister or revelatory than any other chart topper, but its message is problematic.At its best, the idea of no new friends is impractical and at least slightly insincere.At its worst, the song's mentality could be a recipe for disaster.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/08/his-view-philosophical-problems-with-pop-radio-dj-khaled

His view: Auburn recruiting is better than ever

(07/28/13 3:29am)

In just two months after being hired, Gus Malzahn was able to bring together an impressive coaching staff that managed to finish with the nation's No. 8 overall recruiting class.Malzahn was able to hold together the class of 2013 that witnessed the firing of the coaching staff that gained its pledges. If that wasn't a feat by itself, Malzahn then added some of the country's best players on top of it. If he can finish No. 8 overall in nearly 65 days, I believe 2014 will be a monumental recruiting year for Auburn.The summer began with a bang when Auburn gained five commitments in May, then slowed to a screeching halt. I was even considering writing a column on the lack of recruiting news coming out of Auburn, but decided against it because of the lack of recruiting news everywhere.Recruiting is a yearlong process for teams, but the dog days of summer are normally slower than the fall in commitment numbers. Then Auburn held its final summer football camp of the year, and everything changed.In one weekend Auburn hosted more than 500 recruits from across the southeast and the visits paid off, landing the Tigers five commitments.Once again co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Dameyune Craig flashed his recruiting talents by reeling in the nation's top junior college receiver in D'haquille Williams. The four-star talent is Craig's eighth commitment as the leading recruiter in the class of 2014.The feat earned him the No. 1 position on 24/7Sports' recruiter rankings for the class of 2014.Craig's role in securing pledges from linebacker Tre Williams, defensive end Justin Thornton and linebacker Deshaun Davis showcases his ability to influence defensive players even as an offensive coach.Forming relationships with recruits and their families can be the most beneficial deciding factor for players, more important than wins, facilities or location. Coach Craig seems to be the best at forming these crucial relationships.D'haquille Williams told AuburnSports.com he can't talk to everyone about problems he may have off the field, but Coach Craig is someone he can open up to, and it helped earn his commitment.I know a student who worked with Craig at Florida State and said he treats everyone with the same caring, passionate and mentoring personality he would with a recruit. As soon as we hired Craig, my friend texted me to say Auburn just hired the greatest recruiter in the country, and he was right.As the recruiting season continues to heat up toward signing day in February, the combination of Malzahn, Craig and the Auburn experience should prove to be more than enough to sway some of the nation's remaining top recruits. Don't be surprised if Auburn can once again finish with a top-10 class, and with a few key commitments, possibly higher.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/07/his-view-auburn-recruiting-is-better-than-ever

His view: Hurry-Up and Stop Complaining

(07/28/13 3:24am)

During last week's SEC Media Days, between Jadeveon Clowney confirming that opposing quarterbacks are scared of him and Will Muschamp tongue lashing the Ohio State coaching staff for reporting the Gators for recruiting violations, Bret Bielema had a bone to pick.The first year Arkansas head coach wasn't complaining about inheriting a team with a measly 4-8 record in arguably the toughest division in the country, or the fact that his Razorbacks have never won an SEC Championship. He was just upset that other coaches would dare put their player's health at risk by running a fast paced, hurry-up offense."It's something that I really feel strongly about, Bielema said. "It's not rhetoric. If you want to play hurry-up offense, play it. I'll play you. I don't care. But it doesn't mean that I cannot try to protect my players offensively and defensively."Don't get me wrong, if the health of a player is being threatened by a certain style of play, I would support a rule change to effectively protect the players. But does running more plays at a faster pace really put those players at risk?In a recent study done by Dave Bartoo, a national college football attrition expert and analytics consultant, data shows that teams that run more plays actually have a better chance of staying healthy. According to Bartoo, the top 15 "fast" teams in automatic qualifying conferences, that is, the teams that ran the most plays per game, suffered 24 fewer starts lost to injury than the 15 "slowest" teams. Not to mention that the "fast" teams ran 2,697 more plays than the "slow" teams.Nick Saban has long been an outspoken adversary to the hurry-up, no-huddle offense, and for good reason. His renowned defense centers entirely on depth and situational substitutions, two ideas that the hurry-up offense completely undermines. With the arrival of Gus Malzahn at Auburn and Kevin Sumlin at Texas A&M, both firm believers in the hurry-up offense, Saban has realized that two of his divisional rivals pose an immediate threat to his traditional success, and he's doing everything he can to stop them.After all, the Crimson Tide's lone loss last year came at the hands of Sumlin's Aggies. At the midweek coaches teleconference last year after Alabama's win against Ole Miss, Saban had something to say about the dangers of the fast paced attack."The team gets in the same formation group. You can't substitute defensive players. You go on a 14-, 16- or 18-play drive, and they're snapping the ball as fast as you can go, and you look out there and all your players are walking around and can't even get lined up. That's when guys have a much greater chance of getting hurt... when they're not ready to play," Saban said.But what about the offensive players? They are on the field for just as many plays, if not more, as the defense is. How are they able to get lined up and "ready to play?" Teams that emphasize the hurry-up philosophy must be well conditioned to be able to implement their style of play effectively. Should they be penalized for being in better shape than their opponents?If the NCAA allows vocal coaches to shape the rules of the game, simply because a different style of offense doesn't meld with their defensive agenda, then where will it stop?In my opinion, Malzahn said it best."(Fast football) is where college football is going," he said. "And I like it."

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/07/his-view-hurry-up-and-stop-complaining

His view: Is Manziel similar to Newton?

(07/28/13 3:22am)

Cam Newton and Johnny Manziel have many similarities. They both were basically the heart and soul of their teams, both had successful first seasons, both won the Heisman Trophy and both drew a considerable amount of media attention.The difference is how the media has portrayed the two.Manziel is beginning to get negative attention for the things he has been doing, but it is very mild in comparison to what Cam received.It is hard to imagine that the hate of Cam by opposing team's fans and the constant abuse from the media could have been any worse than it was during his short time at Auburn. But, what if Cam acted like Manziel has acted since winning the Heisman?Think about it?What if Cam tweeted that he could not wait to leave Auburn? What if he decided to take online classes instead of attending classes like a regular student or was seen at major sporting events all over the country on a consistent basis?Allegations would have come from everywhere, and Paul Finebaum would have been working overtime.Naysayers would have said he is not really a student, they would have asked who is paying for him to go to these events and would have said he didn't care about Auburn.But Cam didn't do those things, and as a matter of fact he didn't do anything to raise concern while he was at Auburn, and he still received more criticism than Johnny Football has.I know Manziel is beginning to take some negativity for the things he did this summer, but it is not nearly as bad as what Cam had to endure and still has to endure.Analysts said Manziel is just a kid that has been thrown into the spotlight too soon, and implied Cam was just a thug.Honestly, I understand that Manziel's every move is being watched now, but he has not handled the situation he has been dealt well at all. Nobody appears to be holding him accountable for his actions.He has made mistake after mistake, but he is still being portrayed as the great "Johnny Football".However, this could change once the season starts and he has to play Alabama in the second week of the season.He and Texas A&M are going to learn firsthand that you cannot act like Manziel has acted and expect to compete in the SEC.Alabama has proven time and time again you can maybe beat them once, but you will not beat it twice.Not only does the Crimson Tide have a year's worth of film on Manziel, but also he has proven that he has everything on his mind but playing football.It takes an enormous amount of focus to compete in the SEC, especially when you have a target on your back like Manziel will this coming season.Cam understood this and stayed out of trouble during his time at Auburn.Manziel has not learned this yet, but he will once Alabama embarrasses him in front of millions, and his draft status goes way down.I also do not think Alabama will be the only team to show Manziel the error of his ways this season.Who knows, an improved Auburn team may show him a thing or two also.I really do not wish failure on Manziel, but I have been very disappointed in the way he has handled his fame, and I believe he will pay for it this season.Also, I do not like how some players are given chance after chance after chance and still continue to make stupid mistakes, while other players are thrown under the bus after only one.This fact will probably never change, and that is very sad.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/07/his-view-is-manziel-similar-to-newton

His view: Next year is make or break for the athletic department

(07/19/13 2:28am)

Auburn's next athletic year will be one of its most important ever.The train wreck of football, baseball and basketball seasons put Auburn on the short list of the SEC's worst teams. Mix in firing coaches, Selena Roberts and Spice, the athletic department had a difficult few months, but this next sports year is make or break.Every school has had a down year, but the ones that return to the top and do it immediately are consistently the best schools in every sport.It's become obvious the athletic department knows it cannot repeat a year like last.The athletic department's tenacity in hiring new coaches, and the amount of money Auburn is investing in them shows how important winning this year is. Sunny Galloway will be the second highest paid baseball coach in the SEC, and with the combined salaries of the football staff nearing $6 million, winning is the only option.The hardest part of becoming a top tier athletic university is getting there.Once at the top it becomes easier to consistently win. Schools such as Florida and Ohio State are ranked high in many sports every year. Recruits flock to their basketball teams because of their success, guaranteeing wins for years to come.The same idea goes for schools at the bottom.A university can fall into a losing cycle, something that takes years and years to escape from.Luckily Auburn has the resources to make sure it doesn't fall into that cycle, but this next year will be extremely important for the University's image. Winning will show Auburn is back on track to be one of the most competitive schools in the country, but losing next year would once again make Auburn the joke of the SEC.Even though in recent years the schools prone to losing in big SEC sports are becoming more competitive, they're still known as losing schools. Kentucky and Vanderbilt were always the bottom two universities in football rankings in the SEC.Auburn's wins and prestige over the past 10 years will keep them out of this SEC grave-yard, but another losing season will put them on the bottom while Vanderbilt continues to improve.The Tigers don't have time to rebuild.Sure it will take a few years for Malzahn to make Auburn a top tier SEC school, but he must be able to at least compete this year. Going 0-8 in the conference in 2012 is embarrassing, and being nearly mercy ruled in most of them makes it even worse.Winning on the football field also takes some of the pressure off basketball and baseball to be successful. After the 2012 season, fans just wanted to see one big sport win and were disappointed by the two teams. Losing in the first games of the SEC Tournament hurt Auburn's image, and after a year like this Auburn just needs to be competitive again.Some big SEC wins this year in all of the sports will help people be one step closer to forgetting the embarrassment of last year. Auburn will rebound, and all will be good on the Plains once again. I'm not asking for an immediate national championship, just a competitive and relevant athletic school.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/07/his-view-next-year-is-make-or-break-for-the-athletic-department

Her view: Racial differences still create segregation, even in college

(07/19/13 2:21am)

College is meant to shape and educate us as individuals, the transition between youth and adulthood.At first glance, campuses are extremely diverse, consisting of different ethnicities and cultures. But do we, as students, take advantage of the cultures that we are immersed in? Or do we come into this new experience with preconceived notions and stereotypes that lead us to only befriend those who look, dress and act like ourselves?As much as we would like to over- look the fact and make the claims that segregation is a thing of the past and racism is long gone, it's just not true. For all of our progress, including having a multi-racial president in office, America is still largely divided, specifically in the Southern states.This year an analysis of the 2010 U.S. Census Date revealed Southern cities, including Birmingham; Houston; Memphis, Tenn.; New Orleans; and Miami, among the 21 most racially segregated major cities in the nation.My high school was comprised of only 30 percent Caucasians. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a culture of multiple ethnicities. Even as a minority within my school, I never experienced racism or the segregation of cultures that seems so much more common in college. I have come to realize acceptance of multicultural relationships and friendships are not as orthodox or well received by everyone. I have quickly found out that not only are some people unaccepting of biracial relationships and multicultural interaction; it often provokes anger and strong emotion.Since I've begun my college career, I have been in utter shock at the lack of interaction between races. Greek systems are racially divided, classrooms seem to be a seating chart based on skin color, and when I go out on the weekend, I find clusters of colors divided around the bar.Difference in skin color is a result of the same scientific explanation as difference in hair color, melanin. Different skin pigments create different skin color, the exact same way different pigments create blonds and brunettes. I have yet to find the blond-only sorority on campus, and I see multitudes of hair colors interacting everyday.So why does this stop at hair and not transition to the acceptance of different skin color as well?Of course, our race is a part of who we are, but it shouldn't define who we are.Our experience as the Auburn Family is not based simply on a college education or around a football team. Being a part of this Family is an opportunity to utilize a complete learning experience, including the learning opportunities available from our diverse Auburn Family members.We are young; we have our entire lives ahead of us, and a great big world to explore. For the most part, students are not taking advantage of the opportunity to open their mindsto the stories and experiences of others. We are moving away from home to attend college, yet remain in our comfort zones, avoiding the very individuals who actually give us the opportunity to learn something new, useful and beneficial that isn't taught in the classrooms.We are all a part of the Auburn Family, with our own unique backgrounds, stories, ideas and knowledge.Next time you go to class, sit next to someone who looks nothing like you, who dresses nothing like you, who talks nothing like you, and open your mind to something more valuable than an education. Learn his or her story, strike up a conversation and leave your comfort zone.Change begins one person at a time.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/07/her-view-racial-differences-still-create-segregation-even-in-college

His view: Tennis: the spectator sport for all

(07/12/13 12:32am)

Two weeks ago and a few days' change, our mates across the pond hosted the biggest and best Grand Slam in tennis: Wimbledon.I'm not going to lie, I don't really keep up with the women's side of the tournament, and that's nothing against the ladies out there. It's just a lot easier to tune in to a five set match (men's) than a three set match that could be over in less than an hour (women's), so I'm going to be focusing on the men's singles.For those of you who didn't keep up with the tournament, Andy Murray, who is Scottish and British, became the first British man to win their home Grand Slam in 77 years.I mean, most of the British people alive don't even remember the last male champion, Fred Perry, who won in 1936. That's way back when Hitler was in power, people, but I digress.While Murray's victory in three sets over world No. 1 Novak Djokovic was immensely impressive, it was also a bit disappointing.When I, and many other Americans, woke up early Sunday morning to watch the finals, we were hoping for a four, and if we were lucky, five set match that would see both players pushed to their limits.Unfortunately that was not the case, and the British wait was over in the minimum three sets.Where the men's final was a bit anticlimactic, the men's semifinals were anything but. The first match last Friday, July 5, saw Djokovic pitted against top ranked Argentinian Juan Martin Del Potro.\0x2028 It was the match of the tournament, there's no doubt about it. \0x2028It went to five sets, and two of the sets were determined by tiebreakers, with each competitor taking one of those.The match lasted four hours and 43 minutes, which was the longest semifinal ever at Wimbledon.It was back and forth the whole way, but in the end the conditioning of Djokovic paid off, and he emerged victorious over a completely gassed Del Potro.The other men's semifinal was exciting as well, coming later in the day.Murray faced Polish international Jerzy Janowicz in Friday's second semifinal, and while Murray showed some obvious frustration when he lost the first set, he pulled his game together and won the next three sets and consequently, the match.All that being said if you got to watch a large share of Wimbledon, good for you. Tennis is one of the oldest sports in existence, and has been around this long for a reason. It's spectacular, and those who play it at the highest level can do some incredible things on the court that you have to see to believe.If you missed Wimbledon, that's a bummer for you, but hey, it comes around once a year. Plus, the U.S. Open Grand Slam event will begin August 26, and it's held in Queens, N.Y.So I urge you to watch, if only one semi-final match. You never know, it might hook you on a new (to you) fascinating sport.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/07/his-view-tennis-the-spectator-sport-for-all

Her view: Rock out with your ewok out and embrace your inner nerd

(07/12/13 12:31am)

The first step is admitting you have a problem. My name is Raye, and I'm a nerd. Well, allegedly, anyway. Hardly a day goes by when that adjective isn't thrown my way for some reason or another.I could quote Lord of the Rings to you in three different Elvish languages, and my wedding rings are replicas of the ones worn by Galadriel in the movies. In high school, I wore Arwen's necklace to homecoming.I reference Star Wars almost daily, and I have a Deathly Hallows bracelet. I dressed up in costume with friends for the midnight release of The Hobbit. I still play all my old Nintendo 64 games, and I could school you in Mario Party.Lately, though, I've noticed the word "nerd" is becoming synonymous with "hipsters who want to seem smart." I saw a chick in a Death Star t-shirt and frameless black glasses on Facebook with the caption, "live long and prosper." I almost died.Loving the new Star Trek movies doesn't make you a nerd. Popping the lenses out of plastic black glasses doesn't make you look smart.We're all making fun of you. Well, except the people who are doing it with you, but they think you're a poser, and they were doing it before it was cool. \0x2028 I get it; I really do. People want to be trendy, and that's fine. I bought a pair of wedges the other day because every girl at Sky Bar last week was wearing them, and they look pretty cute. I can't walk in them, but that's another column for another time.My question is this: why do you have to sacrifice your individuality to be in fashion or cool? And why is "nerd" the new thing? Being a nerd has been historically the opposite of cool, and the true nerds out there are still being shunned.How many of you would be willing to openly talk about your World of Warcraft raids or your character in Dungeons and Dragons? Anybody? I didn't think so.Pop-culture knowledge and Internet memes do not a nerd make. Leave me and the other true nerds alone, hipsters. Stop stealing the only thing that's ours. Go take more Instagram pictures of that vegan dinner you had last night. (By the way, we know you ate a hamburger afterwards. That couldn't feed a hamster, and you're not fooling anyone.)Just be you. Why would you want to be anybody else? When you stop giving a damn what the rest of the world thinks I promise you'll be happier. Stop doing things because it's what's "in." If you like it? Great. But don't just do it to fit in.There are a million squares and circles and triangles out there. You don't have to be one of them. Embrace your weirdness, be amorphous and may the Force be with you.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/07/her-view-rock-out-with-your-ewok-out-and-embrace-your-inner-nerd

His view: Championship games played on campus?

(06/30/13 3:14am)

Last week while watching the epic game seven of the NBA finals, one could not help but notice the awesome championship atmosphere that surrounded the game.Miami's fan base became a part of the championship run, witnessed it first hand and then celebrated on their home court.This raises a question. Should the college football national championship be played on college campuses, giving one team home field advantage?It would not be hard to accomplish, even with the new The College Football Playoff starting in 2014.The two semi-final games could be played in the traditional bowls, and then have the highest ranked team host the national championship game.Simple, right? To quote ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso, "Not so fast my friend."It is not that easy. There are negatives to this scenario.The biggest issue is small college towns like Auburn, Clemson, S.C., and Athens, Ga., can't accommodate all the media, game sponsors and fans that would swarm into these towns for the game.Also, the weather, even in the South, is not the best in January when the game would be played. Most players and coaches welcome playing in a dome stadium or a town with great weather like Los Angeles or Miami, instead of Ohio State or Michigan.It would also give the home team an advantage by being able to practice and watch film in their own facilities, while the visiting team would have subpar accommodations right before the biggest game of their season.Even with these negative points it still makes a lot of sense to have the championship game on a college campus.A major benefit would be making the game easier to attend for fans, at least for the home teams fans. While a lot of Auburn fans traveled to Arizona in 2011, many did not, especially students.Imagine what it would have been like for Auburn to have won the national championship game in Jordan Hare Stadium? It would have been an unbelievable atmosphere that many more Auburn fans would have been able to experience.BCS game attendance has struggled the past few years. Having the national championship game on campuses would probably solve that problem.Imagine the huge economic boost it would have given Auburn and the state of Alabama to host a national championship game.Not to mention the economic boost of being able to host national championship games in 2010 and 2011. Both years Auburn and Alabama were ranked No. 1 before the national championship game, giving them home field advantage.While this is a nice thought, it will never happen.There is too much money being spent by the four BCS bowls (Orange, Rose, Sugar and Fiesta bowls) for the game to be moved to college campuses.However, the national championship game should be moved to college campuses.The positives out weigh the negatives.College football is great because of the college campuses, stadiums, traditions, fans and most of all the students.None of these things are being represented in the biggest game of the year.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/06/his-view-championship-games-played-on-campus

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