Page 110 - Phoenix1999-2000

Thursday, February 24, 2000 - Page 6 COIlllMENTARY Staff Professional sports mired in crime Co-Editors-ln_Chier In the olden days, sports used to be about Kristen G. Fraser examines the [ower than'"the percent of non-athletes, Laura Beth Kelley '01 athletes participating in the game that they recent criminal activity in This last argument is the least ccnvinc- leniferD.Sirk.is 'OJ loved with a select number of fans spectat- professional sports. ingofall. Young children across America are ing. Now, the sports industry is riddled with choosing athletes as role models more often Managing Editor Matthew Thomas '01 many problems. While some might label this There are many other athletes who could than they choose teachers, artists, or anyone trend the result of business changes, it seems be added to the list. The high- profile life of else who would fall into the "non-athlete" News Editors that the true crisis lies within the crime prob- the professional athlete somehow often leads category. With all the discussion and worry Staci L.George '03 lems that riddle the world of professional back to drugs, domestic abuse, and count- about violence on television, shouldn't we FrancescaSaylor'OO sports. less OWl charges. be focused on violence in sports? What are Now, this column perhaps belongs in the These issues lead to many questions, we instilling to our future leaders? Features Editor sports section, but it speaks more to the prob- which have mostly been asked in the last two why aren't we doing importantly, More Kate Esposito 'Ot lems of the American people who continue months. When did football become so vio- anything about the problem? Has everyone to support an industry that is obviously over- lent? Why do athletes think that they are Assistant Features Editor run with violence. forgotten the OJ. Simpson "Trial of the Cen- Shauna Dominguez '02 above the law? Why is this continuing to tury?" Everyone was convinced that this In the past two months, two professional happen? Why do we only pay attention to former football player was guilty, yet he was Commentary Editor football players have been arrested for mur- murder when it is committed by a profes- acquitted. Is that the fate that awaits the two Edward Schultheis '03 der. The first is Rae Carruth, who shot his sional athlete? What has happened to the ide- football players? pregnant girlfriend in a drive-by shooting. als of the game? How can people in good I'm not saying that sports is the problem. Assistant Commentary Editor She died some weeks later. conscience continue to support athletic ac- I'm saying that something is most definitely MaHhewHurff'03 The second is more local. Baltimore tivities? wrong with a society that allows aberrant Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis is being There are many columnists and research- behavior to continue unchecked. Especially Sports Editor charged in a double homicide that occurred ers who strive to find the answer. Some Mik.e Yestramski '01 for an industry that affects the youngest gen- in Atlanta. His face has been plastered across blame the violence of the nature of profes- erations of fans. I just hope I don't live to the headlines for weeks, yet no one is at- Assistant Sports Editor sional football for the demise of character. hear the day when I hear a young child say ChrisAnastasia'02 tempting to solve the real problem of this Some say that the statistics for violence COm- "I want to be like Ray Lewis when I grow detrimental social trend. mitted by professional athletes are much up." Photographers BradWidner'03 Anything changed? A look back at last ErinOwen'OJ StalTWriters Anne Butler'OJ semesters plaguing problems Joan Paulkner '02 KristenG. Fraser'OO Now that the second semester of the Michael Wiles looks back at the Dan Gadd '00 1999-2000 school year is officially in full I understand that most of the problems Mark Henry '03 swing, Ithought it would be a good time to nagging issues of present and past that people encounter in the Grill occur Greg Lederer '01 check in on some matters around campus. semesters. during peak times, such as between 7 pm David Lee '03 and 12 am (Fourth Meal hours), but I still Cathy Pendorf '02 As I am sure most of you are aware, pus. I know that this sounds unfair to the think that is not unreasonable to ask for an Tammi Slater '03 The Phoenix voiced many concerns re- freshmen who are not allowed to park on order to take less than 40 minutes to pre- Michael Stokes '09 garding various matters around campus in campus. but Ialso think it is the only way to pare. I mean, more amazing things have Nykole Tyson '03 last semester's issues. insure that those who have the right to park, happened. Of course, the answer here is Lisa Dale-Van Auken '02 Two of the largest points of contention can park. Michael Wiles 'OJ seemed to be lack of parking around cam- But, the problem does not even end there. to hire more staff, at least during the peak hours, in order to serve the students better. pus and the 'service (and quality) of the With the harsh winter, a whole new problem Despite this obvious solution, as it stands, Distribution Rich Suchoski '00 Grill. So, in the spirit of progress and has been introduced to the parking lot: snow Iam sorry to report that there has been little change, Iwill now review some of the pre- removal. When plowing the parking lots, progress in this area as well. Student Adviser Megan K. Martin 'O! This might just be a problem to leave to the ages, much like the smell in Rouzer. ious complaints and see if the situations the snow was pushed in front of the cars, or All in all, not much has' been done to Graduate Assistant Vince Chesney ave improved. behind them, making movement very diffi- improve the various unsatisfactory situa- Let us begin with the parking situation. cult. For $30 a semester, I think that the tions in and around this campus. One might Faculty Adviser st semester, many students expressed their school should at least try to make sure stu- wonder why the students complaints have Terry Dalton ismay over the fact that there never seemed dents can move their cars whenever they been ignored. o be any parking spaces available on cam- want. As a writer for the Phoenix, I think I us. As far as progress goes, there has not been speak for my fellow staff when Isay Ifeel This problem was attributed to the fact any. This might just be a problem to leave to pretty inadequate about the whole thing. I The Phoenix is published biweekly. The at many spaces are filled by cars whose the ages, much like the smell in Rouzer. guess the only thing for us to do now is to opinions expressed do not. necessarily rep- wners do not possess parking penn its. Now, on to the Grill. What does one say think about our failures as we walk from resent those of The Phoenix staff, the fac- If this is true, then the solutions seem to about such a place? Although the staff is our parking spaces and wait for our food ulty, or the administrators ofWMC. e simple: issue tickets to the people that do friendly enough, they still seem to lack effi- in the Grill. Either way, we should have The paper welcomes free-lance submis- at have permission to be parked on cam- ciently. plenty oftime. sions on Macintosh disks in most word pro- to edit for clarity, length, and libel and to Quirks: The registration process Theeditorsreservelheright cessorformats. publish as space permits. All submissions Iopened the Phoenix's final issue of last Anne Butler explains the long. (excludingself-addresseddiskeues)become 4. Expand your horizons! Take a class on a semester and was appalled to find several the property of The Phoenix and cannot be tedious registration process to subject you don't know much about. 1 took reuared. complaints about the registration process by underclassmen. Media Ethics my firstsemester because it Please include a name and phone num- underclassmen. seemed interesting. I didn't know much ber for verification. Names will be withheld Apparently, they are upset because they 2. You have time to take the classes. Se- about it at the time, but eventually Idecided onIybythedi'iCl'etionoftheEditors-in-Otief. were not able to get the classes they wanted niors and Juniors have a semester or two at I liked the subject so much that now I'm and the process took too long. most in order to take the class and often its minoring in journalism. Please allow me to point out the follow- only offered in one of those two semesters. The Phoenixdoesnotdiscriminarebased 5. TaI