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(03/28/12 8:34pm)
The Mercer Bears are one of the hottest teams in the country at the moment, finding themselves still playing basketball this late in March. Now with a record of 26-11, the Mercer Bears have set school records in games played (38) and games won, with a chance to extend the games won title with the championship game coming up soon. They have also set the record for most games played for an Atlantic Sun team at 38 as well. Despite the heartbreaking loss to FGCU the Bears are playing with efficient defense and excellent tactics.
Tennessee St. 60, Mercer 68
In the first postseason game for the Mercer Bears since 1985, the men’s basketball team showed up well, winning their first game since the heart-wrenching upset against Florida Gulf Coast in the Atlantic Sun semifinal. Justin Cecil led all scorers with 19 points, but Daniel Coursey had 16 to keep pace. Travis Smith also had 10. They were able to contain Tennessee State’s big man Robert Covington to just 18 points. The Bears were trailing 21-19 at the half, but it was all Bears in the second half. Mercer outscored TSU 49-39, and the Bears grabbed their first postseason win in 110 years. Justin Cecil went on a 7-0 run by himself, taking the Bears back in front before the teams would trade scores for most of the second half.
Georgia State 59, Mercer 64
In their final home game of the season, nitty-gritty play took them to victory. Despite leading 40-27 following the ejection of the Panthers’ head coach Ron Hunter, Mercer would find themselves helpless to stop a 22-9 run from Georgia State that tied the game under five minutes to go in regulation. Justin Cecil would score six of his game-leading 19 in the closing moments, keeping the Bears ahead of a University Center that had a significant percentage of Georgia State fans cheering on the visiting squad. Jakob Gollon had 10 points, and Langston Hall added 12.
Mercer 79, Old Dominion 73
In the most significant comeback by the Bears all season, Mercer trailed by as many as 12 in the second half before a spirited rally and clutch play from Travis Smith, Bud Thomas and Monty Brown stunned the Monarchs on their home floor. The Monarchs claimed that they would easily control the boards against the Bears, but Mercer out-rebounded Old Dominion 35-32, including several key offensive and defensive boards late. Bud Thomas and Monty Brown both would go sprawling out of bounds to save possession for the Bears late. Travis Smith hit a contested three-pointer, along with a key basket late to keep the Bears up after trailing for most of the game. Justin Cecil had 22 points, Langston Hall had 13, and both Travis Smith and Daniel Coursey had 10. Coursey fouled out late but Monty Brown stepped up well, ensuring the Bears would reach the Final Four of the CIT.
Mercer 64, Fairfield 59
After leading the team for three straight games in scoring, Justin Cecil took a step back and let the rest of the Bears show off what they could do. Bud Thomas led the Bears with 13 points, including going 4-for-4 from three-point land. Following a game where three-point shooting proved to be the difference, this was vital that the Bears stayed hot beyond the arc. As a result, Mercer took charge early and never trailed after taking the lead 7-5. In front of a partisan crowd of 1,557, the Bears were able to control the boards again, 35-31. It was the sixth straight game that the Bears led in rebounding, including all four games of the CIT. Monty Brown shot 100 percent from the floor, making all five of his shots for 10 points. Travis Smith had 12. Mercer was outscored slightly in the paint, in transition, on second chance and off turnovers. However, they dominated the Fairfield Stags with a 28-7 advantage from bench scoring.
The Mercer Bears men’s basketball team have booked themselves a place in the CIT Championship game following the first four postseason wins in school history. The 27th win is on the line, which would be the first postseason title for the Bears since winning the conference title in 1985. Hoffman’s bunch will face Utah State.
(03/28/12 8:32pm)
On Monday Mar. 13, The Macon Symphony Orchestra and Mercer University announced Ward Stare as the new music director of MSO’s new conductor and music director as well as Mercer’s distinguished artist and university orchestra conductor. Stare has signed a three-year contract that will split his time between the symphony and Mercer. Terms of the contract haven’t been disclosed as of late. MSO board president Gene Dunwody said the partnership between the symphony and Mercer was what helped create a financial package attractive enough to land a conductor of Stare’s caliber.
Having had a fruitful career thus far, Stare has been an exciting addition to the MSO and Mercer family. At age 18, Stare was appointed as principal trombonist of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and has performed as an orchestral musician with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. Currently, Stare serves as resident conductor of the St. Louis Symphony, a position that was created for him.
At 29, Stare is “already established, but he’s young enough where the energy and the passion is there. He can appeal to a young audience, which Macon desperately needs,” said Dr. John Dickson, Dean of Townsend School of Music at Mercer, in a recent interview. It’s important to have a music director who can appeal to a younger audience, which will continue to help keep classical music alive in Macon. “After a long and intensive search, we have found, in Maestro Stare, a musical artist with the gifts, charisma and vision to lead the MSO toward a bright and successful future while shaping Mercer University’s Orchestra into a world-class chamber ensemble,” adds Dickson.
Sheryl Towers, chief executive officer of the MSO, says “We have a bright, new vision for our orchestra which we think will be embraced by our community.” Stare, being a vital component for bringing this new vision to life, said in a recent interview, “There is so much talent here musically and there is so much energy right now and the desire to grow and push it even further and that sort of chemistry and atmosphere is something that really excited me and made me want to be apart of it,” added Towers.
As far as his job as conductor and music director is concerned, coming up with a program for an orchestra is one of Stare’s favorite challenges. “Putting a program together is like a chef putting together a dinner,” he says. “It’s what flavors you come up with. [In music], it’s what you put alongside interesting pieces. When you listen to a piece that’s unfamiliar and listen to one of the great classics, you often listen to that piece in a different way....Anything I find interesting is something I’ll conduct. I’m always interested in new pieces.”
Stare is excited about the chance to make sweet music with both Mercer University and the Macon Symphony Orchestra. He hopes to share his love of music with the people of Macon. “Music is such a great way to reach out and connect with people and I think that’s it’s greatest power and that’s something which makes me want to get up every morning and be a musician,” said Stare.
Stare’s first public performance in Macon as new conductor and music director will be in September later this year.
(03/28/12 8:02pm)
I have taken this year’s SGA Presidential Election so much more seriously than ever before.
I have always loved Mercer with my whole heart and soul, and looking back, I regret not being as involved as possible.
So this year, instead of simply voting for whom I felt could do a better job, I have actually compared platforms and looked at the related issues.
Yes, this is early on, and elections are a bit of a ways away. However, I have to endorse Mollie Davis and Joshua Lovett’s campaign for SGA President and Vice President.
This is by no means a Cluster endorsement, but the sole ramblings of an opinions writer who has been on this campus for four years and has a developed an idea for what he thinks the campus needs.
Current President Jordan Locke has done a phenomenal job of taking this campus far ahead of what previous administrations have done in my time at Mercer.
He and the current senate were shortchanged by my words, and I am glad to be wrong, now knowing how much they actually do for this campus.
This same work ethic and desire to do what is best for Mercer resounds heavily throughout the platform of Presidential candidate Davis and VP candidate Lovett.
One major sticking point for both campaigns is the future of the Bear Rock Café.
While the other side has plans for what is to happen, Davis and Lovett want to increase the student voice and see what the campus wants to happen with the large, mostly unused space.
This is the major quality with the Davis/Lovett ticket, as despite both of them having ideas for how to continue Mercer’s progress forward, there are plans in order to significantly ramp up the chances that the average Mercer student has to have their voice heard.
There is a major disconnect between Mercer students and athletics, with low student attendance the norm. While this has begun to change, most of it is due to incentives for them being there. Davis and Lovett have an actual plan they want to move forward with.
“Wet” parts of campus for game days and prizes that are more than just a free t-shirt are just the tip of the iceberg for a great idea to get Mercerians out and about at the numerous sporting events.
While the opposite side just wants to have a suggestion box that students can submit ideas to for campus improvements, Davis and Lovett have already addressed several key points that will make most, if not all, Mercer students happy.
Planning on lobbying for extra hours at the Caf and library, places that Mercer students frequent often, is a significant effort that will open up the Mercer administration’s eyes to a student body that badly wants more places to both study and be nourished late at night while studying.
This might seem frivolous, but most students would agree that dining services could significantly improve, and that longer weekend hours at the library would benefit everyone.
Another point that has always bothered me about the majority of students at Mercer is how infrequent they go downtown to see the restaurants and businesses in the area.
This ticket is looking to work with the Chamber of Commerce to better connect the campus with those businesses in order to increase Mercer’s impact upon the community and boost the Mercer-Macon connection.
In essence, I think that Mollie Davis and Josh Lovett are much more Mercer-oriented in their platform and campaign. To me, they’re running to do something, not be something.
This might seem like a slight to the other side, but I just believe that these two truly have the campus’s best interests at heart.
They will continue all of the great things that current President Locke and Vice President Ike Ekeke have started.
Comments, questions or concerns about this column can be sent to garret.mcdowell@gmail.com
(03/28/12 8:01pm)
Any student support that Mercer had was completely destroyed with the stunning upset that Florida Gulf Coast pulled off in the Atlantic Sun semifinals. It’s one thing to have a small band of students, no Hooligans, that are at every game and cheering on their guys in orange and black. That small spark can help drive a team late in the game. However, it is another level entirely when the arena is packed out and is cheering on that team. This kind of atmosphere can do wonders to the emotions and playing ability of the opponents.
Obviously, some teams are road-tested and can withstand the best shots of athletic ability and a raucous crowd. We learned that the hard way with the heart-wrenching loss to Belmont and completely devastating upset by FGCU. Despite this, postseason play is important. It might be unexpected. It might be unnecessary to a season. However, there is no question in any athlete’s, coach’s, or fan’s mind that playing the highest quality opponents better improves play with the experience.
After several years of scheduling tough non-conference opponents, the Mercer Bears’ men’s basketball team has been playing better and better inside the conference. This year, the Bears have set a school record in wins. Making the Atlantic Sun tournament and all has greatly increased the quality of play, leading to this historic season. Naysayers will say that this doesn’t matter. This tournament, the Collegeinsider.com Invitational Tournament (CIT), might be newer and not have the prestige that many want. However, would you rather see your Bears sitting around and doing nothing for the offseason? We all, even those of you who came to one or two games all year, understand that the target is on the Bears’ back next season in Atlantic Sun play.
The Bears are obviously the most talented, most experienced and most dangerous team going into the 2012-2013 season. Expectations are high. However, the gloom of that loss could have translated into next season. With the CIT, the Bears are getting high level opponents in every match for three weeks. At this point, Coach Hoffman and the guys have won four straight. They are on a tear, after wins against Georgia State and Tennessee State at home and then Old Dominion and Fairfield on the road. As a Hooligan, it has been incredible to see the run continue. If that 27th win occurs, the Bears are going to be THE mid-major to look out for next year even more. No one will want to take on the Bears, who will finish the season with winning records both home and away, a stat that puts the Bears in an upper echelon of teams this year like Kentucky.
I feel that every tournament and every game is vital to the development and progress of the team. This goes for all teams. Fairfield also had some serious experience for their younger members. Georgia State, the one team that has traveled best to the University Center lately, has their team’s younger members get ready for a road environment next year when they venture back against VCU and Drexel. Postseason tournaments get these teams the chance to continue to develop and gain national exposure.
As the undisputed frontrunner in the Atlantic Sun next year, the Bears are going to need all the road-testing possible to make it through unscathed. We will miss you Justin Cecil, but most of the team is gaining lots of steam and experience for one hell of a run next year. You might be ready for Mercer’s one big sport to quit, but the guys aren’t, and neither are the Hooligans. It has been one great ride, especially after trailing by 12 at Old Dominion in the second half. If you want to see Mercer win the tourney on their home floor next year, then support and cheer on the Bears. Monty Brown said it best after the Georgia State win: “When you all get crazy, loud, and spirited, it sparks us to play better!” Do your classmates a favor, cheer them on. By the time you read this, it will probably be the day after the championship game, where the Bears will be one of just eight teams still playing. Support them when they come home, win or lose. Next year, all this play will be great for Mercer and all of the other teams who made significant runs in the postseason with younger teams.
(03/14/12 8:57pm)
After another rough season that saw the Mercer Bears miss out on the 2012 General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Women’s Basketball Championship, the Bears strung together back-to-back solid outings to win their last two games of the year.
As a result, the Bears finished at 6-23 overall and 4-14 in the conference, tied with Lipscomb for ninth. They were also 3-4 in February, which is a great place to build for next year. Sophomore guard Briana Williams was named to her second straight All-Atlantic Sun Second Team after leading the conference in scoring again. She scored the most points in any game this year by a Division I player, to which Coach Susie Gardner said “[Briana] showed signs of being unstoppable at times.” Freshman Precious Bridges was named to the All-Atlantic Sun Freshman Team as well.
Lipscomb 61, Mercer 67,
The Bears beat the other team in the Atlantic Sun cellar on February 23 in order to get their second win in five games. The most important mark in this game was Briana Williams scoring her 1000th point as a Mercer Bear, which is a remarkable feat for just a sophomore. She had 14 in the game, but the spotlight was on Ry’van Buchanan and the double-double that carried the squad. Her 22 points on 55.6 percent shooting and 10 rebounds carried the team on a night where Williams shot below average.
The big stat of the night was Mercer overcoming a halftime deficit by committing less than half the number of turnovers that the Bison did, 27-13. Despite the benches being near equal, a more balanced offensive attack from the Bears proved to be the difference.
Belmont 63, Mercer 77
The Mercer Bears continued to show improvement this season in Susie Gardner’s final game of her second season in command. After a victory against Lipscomb, the Bears went on to sweep the season series with the Belmont women. Led by a dominant duo performance of Buchanan and Williams, who scored 28 and 27 respectively, the Bears never trailed Belmont. This was the second time that Mercer tallied 48 in a half this season. They won both contests.
Mercer returns all 13 players on their roster next season. With the back-to-back Atlantic Sun scoring leader Briana Williams, a healthy and experienced set of point guards including All-Freshman Precious Bridges, and an explosive Ry’van Buchanan included, Gardner’s team looks to make a serious challenge at the dominant Florida Gulf Coast Eagles, who graduate several key seniors this May.
Gardner also is looking at this spring and summer as vital to the growth and maturation of her team. She is hoping that Williams will become “one of the elite players in our league,” and that Bridges “did great under the circumstances.”
(03/14/12 8:52pm)
It’s time for that wonderful, wonderful time of the year called March Madness. Five weeks of win or go home basketball happen in this time of the year, with the two weeks of conference tourneys that ultimately matter more for mid-majors than the big schools, and then the Big Dance happens. I know I love soccer, but March Madness is by far the GREATEST time of the year. I’m here today to tell you about the five biggest chances for Cinderella teams in the tournament
like George Mason, VCU and Butler. Then, I will give you my Final Four.
Top Five Chances for Cinderellas (no particular order):
1. Belmont Bruins – Yes, Belmont has a realistic chance to make the Elite Eight. They have the players, experience, shooting percentage, size and favorable draw to make it this far. Georgetown is a beatable team for the Bruins, as they match up well against them. San Diego State and NC State will not be ready for Kerron Johnson and Ian Clark. I think they get by whoever upsets Kansas or they beat Kansas, and UNC will probably put an end to their plans in the Elite Eight though.
2. Harvard Crimson – Jeremy Lin’s alma mater (you know someone had to bring him up) has a pretty good draw with Vanderbilt and Wisconsin in consecutive rounds. Kyle Casey and Keith Wright both average in double figures, and a good win against Florida State shows that they can hang with the big boys. I don’t have them beating Syracuse, but it will be one tough game for the Orange one way or the other.
3. Colorado State Rams – Yes, this Mountain West team has played quite a few big boys, and it has had to roll with the punches often this year. The Rams beat Montana, Colorado, San Diego State, New Mexico and UNLV, all of whom are tournament teams this year. Wes Eikmeier and Dorian Green average 15.6 and 13.5 points per game respectively, but as a team, they shoot the ball efficiently. However, they must get past Murray State and Marquette, both of whom are relatively under the radar at their seeding.
4. New Mexico State Aggies – While people know who the Aggies are, much like the Rams, they still are a lower seed and come in shooting lights out at the WAC tourney. They do have an interesting draw with an injured Indiana squad and a Wichita State in the second round, who stunned everyone a few years ago. Wendell McKines averages just under 19 points per game (18.8) and 10.8 rebounds, with that double-double average being a huge part of the success of the Aggies.
5. Xavier Musketeers – A mid-major squad that has become another Gonzaga in the past decade, the Musketeers are going to be a great draw in the East region. I have them upsetting both overrated Notre Dame and overrated Duke before bowing out versus Baylor. Xavier has experience, and they have won big games this year. They won at Vanderbilt, at home versus Purdue, and they won versus Cincinnati. Despite having lost five of their last 11 games, Xavier’s quartet of players averaging 10 points per game is going to be hungry for a few scalps in the tourney, especially the leading two at 17.0 and 15.5, Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons.
My Final Four: (East) No. 3 Baylor, (West) No. 2 Missouri, (Midwest) No. 1 UNC, (South) No. 3 Florida State
My Champions: Missouri over Florida State, 74-70
To view the entire bracket, visit mercercluster.com and check out every pick. I don’t justify every single one, but if you want to know, comment on the website, email me, post on my twitter page @gmcdowell90.
(03/14/12 8:31pm)
Mercerians and Maconites alike that enjoy Moe’s, Chipotle and even the fast food Taco Bell will be pleased to know that a new location of the famous Athens, Ga. based Barberitos opened on March 5 in Macon. Located at 4921 Riverside Drive, Barberitos will be sure to have a robust patronage, as it has a rabid fanbase from all over the southeast.
The original Barberitos is still open near the University of Georgia’s North Campus. UGA was also where Jittery Joe’s Coffee spawned before eventually heading to Macon and a host of other cities and college campuses.
Barberitos is best known as another Tex-Mex place with the usual burritos and quesadillas. There are now 26 in existence with the creation of the Riverside location, with the other 24 spread out across Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina.
Barberitos is much like a Moe’s, offering a variety of that fare in vegan varieties as well. Something that tends to set them apart is a lack of a freezer on their restaurant premises, ensuring that only the freshest food is made. This might cause the price to go up, but the quality far outshines competitors that have frozen food or premade concoctions.
The name Barberitos comes from the founder’s last name Barber and the word burrito, a dish they are famous for. The company also seems to have many promotions in order to keep attracting new customers, as well as utilizing social media such as Facebook to reach a larger footprint. One of the more recent top posts on the main Barberitos company Facebook page had people begging for the Macon location’s opening, and another post saw a soldier in Afghanistan writing about how much he missed it and wanted that first when he got back in the U.S.
Barberitos is sure to be a hit with Mercer students regardless of its proximity to campus in comparision to similar restaurant chains.
(03/14/12 8:10pm)
After the probationary period from transferring into the NCAA Division I, the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles finally got their due. The FGCU Eagles are the 2011-2012 Atlantic Sun Women’s Basketball Champions after winning each contest of the Atlantic Sun tournament this year.
At 29-2, the FGCU Eagles lost only on the road at Seton Hall by six and at a neutral location to NC State by five. In conference play, the Eagles went 18-0, locking up the number one overall seed and then running the table in the tournament. They are the first Atlantic Sun team since 1993 to win all their conference games both in the season and tournament. They also had the most wins by an Atlantic Sun team since 1998. Both of those marks were set by Florida International.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Head Coach Karl Smesko, the chairman of the Women’s Mid-Major Top 25 where the Eagles were a consistent third all season, said “I’m telling you, this group can win games in the NCAA tournament.” The great team defense and prolific three-point shooting that has carried them all year will continue to do so in the Big Dance. FGCU won the tourney with wins over East Tennessee State, Kennesaw State and Stetson.
2012 General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Women’s Basketball Championship--- First Round
(1) Florida Gulf Coast 79, (8) East Tennessee State 63
(2) Stetson 72, (7) USC-Upstate 59
(3) Belmont 58, (6) Jacksonville 62
(4) North Florida 49, (5) Kennesaw State 51
After the first day saw the top two seeds advance, the second set of games were home to the two upsets of the women’s championships. FGCU and Stetson both received opponents that were not expected to make it out of the first round. The Kennesaw State Owls upset North Florida after being down by as much as seven with three minutes to play. Taylor Mills finished with 16 points, with 13 coming in the closing half to bring the Owls back. Later in the day, sixth seeded Jacksonville overturned a nine-point halftime deficit to stun the Belmont Bruins. JU’s Abril Peeples scored 13 in the second half, pushing her game-high total to 22.
Semifinals
(1) FGCU 76, (5) KSU 53
(2) Stetson 67, (6) Jacksonville 60
The marquee matchup in the Atlantic Sun stayed on target to happen after the top two seeds rolled into the final. Florida Gulf Coast won handily, and Stetson never trailed in their contest. The Eagles had three players in double figures, and it was enough to repulse any effort from Kennesaw. Stetson’s Victoria McGowan, the Atlantic Sun Player of the Year, had 21 in the win.
Finals
(1) FGCU 67, (2) Stetson 39
The FGCU Eagles never trailed in their comprehensive victory over the 2011 Champion Stetson Hatters. From the opening three, their foot was collectively on the throttle, blitzing the Hatters into poor shots and 19 turnovers. Sarah Hansen scored 16, Courtney Chihil had 15 and Eglah Griffin added 11 as the Eagles shot prolifically. Victoria McGowan did have 17 for the Hatters, but it wasn’t enough, as FGCU secured the Atlantic Sun’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
(03/14/12 8:07pm)
One of the more heralded recruits to ever come through Mercer University Baseball under Craig Gibson, Derrick Workman is a sophomore coming off an impressive freshman campaign in which he was named to both the Atlantic Sun All-Freshman Team and the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American Team. Gibson called it “the best freshman campaign I have ever seen.” Workman started all 59 games for the Bears in 2011, and he figures to be a major staple in the Bears’ lineup again in 2012.
Through March 10, Workman was hitting .426 on the year, keeping up with his stellar numbers from last year. When asked what Mercer Baseball means to him, Workman was very thoughtful. “It’s an extremely large part of my life. It dictates my schedule, my body, my eating and sleeping habits, and my day-to-day life. Playing for Mercer gives me the opportunity to compete against some of the nation’s best teams at the Division I level. It allows me to represent a great school and gives me an opportunity to work hard and better myself both on and off the field,” Workman said. He was obviously grateful and humble with his talents. However, in order to get to this point, there needs to be a daily schedule that he follows that gets him going. Hence, Workman walked through a Friday Gameday at home.
9:00 a.m.: Get up and spend some quiet time reading the Bible.
10:00 a.m.: Grab breakfast.
11:00 a.m.: Documentary Film class.
12:00 p.m.: Lunch. Pregame meal consists of pasta, rice, grilled chicken, fruit, lots of bread, some veggies, and finish it all off with some cookies from the cafeteria (Only time he gets to eat before the game).
1:00 p.m.: Geology class.
1:50 p.m.: Go to the locker room to change.
2:10 p.m.: Indoor cages.
3:00 p.m.: Stretch and throw.
3:30-4:30 p.m.: On-field batting practice (followed by opposition’s batting practice).
5:10 p.m.: Pregame infield/outfield.
5:30 p.m.: Hitters scouting reports (followed by stretching).
6:00 p.m.: First pitch.
The game finishes around 9:00 p.m., and head coach Craig Gibson addresses the team. Pitchers and hitters break off to separate groups to go over important parts of the game.
The players proceed to clean up the field until 9:30 p.m.
The team goes to the locker room, blasts some “crunk” music, and has some “great dance-offs”. Workman proceeded to say: “If it’s Friday night, we always play Friday by Rebecca Black to start the festivities, then basically anything from Swedish techno to gangster rap.”
There’s a lot of work that goes into a game day obviously, and this will come to fruition in the bigger games. When asked who he is looking forward to most, Workman said “I like playing against Georgia Tech the most because I have a few close friends I’ve known for a long time on their team. I am really looking forward to the Stetson series this year, for they are currently ranked number one in the nation’s mid-major poll and have been in the normal top 25 both this year and last year. They are a conference rival, so if we want a ring, then that’s who we need to beat.” Workman and company know what they have to do after a close series of games against Mississippi State recently. If Workman and company continue to follow their strenuous day-to-day operations, they could find success in the form of an Atlantic Sun title and a NCAA tournament berth.
(03/14/12 8:04pm)
The Mercer Bears men’s and women’s cross country teams recently announced and began their spring series of races. It was kicked off on Feb. 25 with the Savannah State University Eye Opener series of races.
Mercerians broke the tape in both the men and women’s 5,000 meter race and 5K. Junior Kacie Niemann, who has been the most prolific and consistent runner for the women’s team in her three years, finished with a blistering time of 17:48.72. This was 49 seconds ahead of the second place finisher, Carri Blankenship of UNC-Pembroke. Her times were also a new Mercer record. Christina Kivi also finished in fourth, Iliana Garcia came in at eighth and Caley Cranford rounded out the Bears at 11th.
On the men’s side, the Bears dominated the competition. The Bears finished in seven of the top eight spots for the 5,000 meter run, with only the second place finisher eluding the Bears’ collective charge. Jacob Law blew away the competition with a time of 15:27.16, enough for an eight second lead over Savannah State’s Ruben Israel-McBee and Mercer’s Sony Prosper, who took third by less than five-tenths of a second. Andrew Weems, Jeff Law, Marc Kushinka, Josh Pendley and Chris Svidesskis finished fourth through eighth. Kasib Abdullah and Austin Pfeifer finished at 11th and 12th respectively, and Brandon Gaunt rounded out the Bears at 21st.
Back in the women’s 3,000 meter steeplechase, Kasie Knapper and Kylen Hughes ran very well, finishing with times of 12:37.77 and 13:33.33 respectively. In the men’s 1,500 meter run, two Mercer freshmen competed well in the multi-heat final. Austin Pfeifer finished 10th and Joel Aguilar finished 17th, and Pfeifer missed eighth by less than a second.
The Mercer Bears cross country squads are in action on the weekend of March 23 and 24. They will be headed to the Georgia Relays, hosted by the University of Georgia. The men will be participating in the 10,000 meter run, and the women are planning on competing in the 1,500 meter relay. However, the Bears will compete in the Georgia Tech “Georgia Intercollegiate” meet on March 16 first. Then, they will close out the month of March with the Emory Classic on the weekend of the 30th and 31st.
The men will also run in the Auburn War Eagle Invitational on April 21. At all of the men’s meets, they will be switching out the events in order to better train. “We will be concentrating on long distance races and will not focus on middle-distance at all this year, so we should see some impressive performances at distances 3K and up,” Coach Ryan Bailey said to the Mercer Athletics’ website.
The Bears look to improve on the course this spring in order to perform better in the fall, but after both the men’s and women’s teams earning U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division I All-Academic Status for the second straight year, the runners are obviously preparing well in the classroom. The average GPA for the teams is a 3.48.
(03/14/12 8:03pm)
I first want to say that I stand by several claims I made in the first column. There definitely needs to be more transparency in SGA, for while they are quite open, I do not believe that the campus knows this. There is not much publicity for it beyond the activities that they host and elections that they need in order to stay relevant and legitimate for campus. I even neglected to mention the time and meeting place of SGA in my previous column. For the record, SGA meets every Monday at 5:30 p.m. in Connell Conference Room 2, and it is open to anyone who wants to sit in or has business for SGA.
Furthermore, I want to apologize to everyone who was offended by my previous column. I definitely went off half-cocked and did not fully research and write a proper op-ed.
I should have better explained myself and what I was trying to say. After three years on staff, I should know better than that. I opened a door that was unnecessary in some respects, but on the other hand, I am joining up to critique and break down what works and what doesn’t in SGA. Everyone can grow from this experience, and hopefully Mercer will move forward with a more publicly talked about and observed SGA.
I want to extend a sincere amount of gratitude to both Senators Trenton White and Khoi Le, who have already contacted me in order for me to gain a better understanding of what SGA actually does and has done. I have sincere respect for these two, who have stuck around in the organization their entire time at Mercer, with White becoming President last year in the general elections. I think that these last two years have been significantly better for SGA than my freshman and sophomore years.
I attended SGA for the first time on February 27. I took rather dedicated notes, along with some biting commentary, but I really just want to run down what actually transpires in a meeting. Anyone familiar with parliamentary procedure or Robert’s Rules of Order will feel at home in this environment. Being in a social Greek organization, I know these well. On a quick side note, before any of this even started, Senator Le searched me out and gave me a copy of the fiscal report for SGA, where several thousands of dollars in special funding still sits. As part of an organization that just received funding, I recognize this blessing as something that more students should know about, so students, if you have something for an organization that falls under the special funding guidelines, apply now!
My observations are as follows.
Every session begins with a prayer to make rational and sound decisions that will benefit the student body.
SGA is actively looking over the constitution in order to make it better.
The Academic Affairs committee is trying to increase the amount of different things in the library to benefit Mercerians.
Campus safety issues such as parking and lighting are routinely addressed and picked over.
President’s Round Table is Tuesday, April 3. Every president should try to attend in order to help Mercer grow as a community along with all of the individual groups.
SGA is making their elections more open and better publicized as to make Mercer students more aware before election day.
Vice President Ike Ekeke did a great job in letting the gallery know what was going on at all times, but I if part of this was due to my presence with all of the criticism that had recently occurred.
Spring Taste of Downtown is April 13 at a Mercer Baseball game versus Belmont, so show up, because it’s awesome and we all hate Belmont.
On March 17, the Luck of the Irish festival is in Mercer Village ALL DAY. They have lots of things for students, so we should show up.
Finally, several organizations such as IFC and ResLife have reports, and lots of questions are brought up. The Senators seem more in touch with their student body than I previously thought.
In essence, SGA does a lot more than I gave them credit for. I wholeheartedly agree that we, as a student body, need to take stock and get more involved in what they are doing. Yes, there is a podcast, but only so much can be done from there. Get up students. Get your butts to SGA on Monday afternoons and take stock in what your money is going towards. Those student fees we complain about? Yeah, SGA dispenses those to different projects, and you can have a voice. Only then can Mercer move forward with a student body that actively wants to influence how campus is run. I plan on sitting down with several officials in the coming weeks in order to better show how campus can do more with SGA and vice versa. I hope to see all of you there soon.
Comments and questions about this column can be sent to garret.mcdowell@gmail.com
(02/22/12 9:57pm)
Let’s be honest, 90 percent of campus has never been to an SGA meeting and sat in the gallery. I have not been there, and I deeply regret that. For too long, Mercer students simply sit by and let the Student Government Association do their own thing with little in the way of common student interaction beyond elections that happen a few times during the year. This is not what a representative body needs to be. Blame can definitely fall on both sides of the spectrum, as many can argue that SGA has not tried hard enough to increase the common Mercer student’s influence. However, more needs to be made of it. Who is SGA to decide what is done with over $150,000 in funding? Well, we elect them, do we not? Therefore, should we not have more of an influence in what they do? Can we blame SGA for not reaching out? Maybe as seniors, we are assumed to know how to get in touch with our representatives responsible for us. However, I do not feel that this is an acceptable assumption. In the recent hub-bub surrounding the recycling expansion that was passed, all senators were pleaded to go ask what their constituents felt about the issue. Despite knowing all of the senior senators, I do not remember any of them asking myself or any senior I had asked. I feel like this is a horrible dereliction of duty. I did see several senators asking about opinions from different classes. However, I feel that there is a dangerous unbalance of power in SGA currently. There are individuals who vote as blocks and pass on votes to see how others vote. While I have not been there to witness, I have heard that some members of SGA are so passive, they will pass on an important vote just to see which way to vote from the individuals whom they follow. We can chalk this up to people trying to push their platform though, which is perfectly legitimate since they ran for office and won it based in popular vote, or we can chalk this up to an abuse of power. I do not want to make accusations, but rather I feel that the student body must hold their representatives accountable. SGA meetings on Monday must be better attended. This is a must for Mercer in order to progress as a university. I really believe this. I am planning on attending at least a few SGA sessions before I graduate, if only to be more knowledgeable of what’s going on behind closed doors.I hear that it is bitter and full of vitriol, but many senators feel that this would be calmer if normal people were there. In essence, I know I have previously asked Mercerians to unite and come together via sporting events. However, it is much more urgent that we take stock and get our own voices heard. The voting blocs in SGA might cease to become so uniform, and students might actually get asked for their input. I think it is a great strategy. Go ask who your senators are and expect some feedback about how SGA is doing from them. We cannot remain passive and ignorant of the decisions made by those that we elect into power. Comments, questions or concerns about this column can be sent to garret.mcdowell@gmail.com
(02/22/12 9:51pm)
On Feb. 10, the Mercer University Student Government Association sponsored a series of charter buses for Mercer students to attend the Mercer vs. Kennesaw State men’s basketball game at Kennesaw State.
They also purchased enough tickets for over a hundred students to attend. The goal was to provide the men’s basketball team with great traveling support, especially since this is the best Mercer team in nine years, as well as one of the handful of Mercer squads to win 20 games in a season.
When watching the nationally televised game available via ASun TV, CSS (Comcast Sports Southeast), and ESPN3, the Mercer fans were by far louder and more supportive of their team.
Coach Sonny Smith, one of the two announcers, said that the key to Mercer winning that game was to “take the crowd out of the game.”
Immediately following that statement, the small contingent of Mercer fans were heard over their opponents chanting “Let’s go Mercer!”
Matt Stewart was another announcer present, and he said that the Mercer and Kennesaw fans made it the best environment for a men’s basketball game in the Atlantic Sun all season.
Nevertheless, this was not the first time that Mercer has attempted to increase student attendance at basketball games.
Earlier this season, Coach Bob Hoffman sent out a campus-wide email to alert the students of free food that would be available to them at the basketball game. The email increased the overall attendance at the East Tennessee State game, one that the Bears won 54-46 off a gutsy defensive performance.
Traditionally, the men’s basketball games have far greater attendances than their female counterparts. However, despite a great start to the season, the Mercer Bears just could not consistently fill up their entire gym.
Recently, it has changed, and as each game grows more and more important, more and more students attend.
Sophomore Jake Gollon, who is averaging 10.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, has been impressed.
Gollon has loved the attendance, which is much higher this season. “[The fans] have been great, but I’m never satisfied. We can always improve and get everyone on the same page,” Gollon said.
At the upcoming game versus Lipscomb that will take place on Feb. 23, there have been announcements of games, giveaways and a host of things to increase attendance. Dubbed a Greek night, all members of Greek Life here at Mercer have been encouraged to attend.
The 20 wins for Mercer are phenomenal, and that game is just another piece in the chase for an A-Sun title. Coach Hoffman was humble with his team.
“The administration, the support staff and the whole university supporting us has led us to this point,” he said.
The Kennesaw game feature more than 400 students and alumni of Mercer that turned the road game into a home away from home, as the Bears have not lost against the Owls in four games at this point.
Monty Brown wants that to happen again soon. At the Lipscomb game, he wants the trend of loud and raucous Mercer fans to continue. “Let’s get everybody out to the game on Thursday,” he said.
In essence, there is a feeling that student involvement has not reached its pinnacle this season.
(02/22/12 9:35pm)
Recently, Claude Smith Field was updated with brick terraces for seating and tailgating out past the back fence. Now, the newest addition to this historic field has been added: a new LED jumbotron that is the best in the entire Atlantic Sun conference.
Coach Craig Gibson was very excited about the possibilities. “The addition of the LED board will be a valuable piece for the entire athletic department. We can utilize the LED board with various advertisements and promotions for different events and sponsors,” Gibson said. He was very excited about the ways that this can impact the athletics department as well.
Many Mercerians might feel that this is an unnecessary addition to the already congested layout of the school, and some might feel that this is just not needed. However, Coach Gibson begs to differ. He is very excited for how the baseball additions will change things.
Gibson remarked that this is just a piece in a much larger puzzle of the Mercer Athletics Department. New Athletic Director Jim Cole has kick started a whole trend of renovations and renewals for Mercer sports teams.
Coach Gibson had nothing but praise for him and his impact upon Mercer athletics. “What the athletic department has accomplished under our new athletic director, Jim Cole, has been amazing. He has accomplished very much in a very short period of time. The future is both bright and exciting!”
With all that’s planned for football and baseball, let alone the recent additions of lacrosse, Gibson is right about the impact of Jim Cole.
The improvements for Claude Smith Field are the first ones since 2003, and this is part of the attempt to make all of Mercer’s facilities among the elite in the Atlantic Sun. Phase one of any renovations to Claude Smith Field will begin in the summer following the end of the 2012 Mercer Baseball season. It will be a multi-step process, and Gibson knows a few areas that he wants them to address. “I think we really need to address both the restrooms and the concession areas. Once these areas are taken care of, I believe our attendance will increase,” Gibson said.
Despite these problems, there are several great draws to the field already that will be the foundation of the new field. The LED board is light years ahead of anyone else in the Atlantic Sun. The playing surface is top-notch as well.
“With the addition of the fan friendly area in right field, the batter’s eye in center field, and the scoreboard, we feel as though [Claude Smith Field] is on the way to becoming one of the best in the southeast,” Gibson said. The imminent addition is the change from bleachers to seats with chair-backs, and this will be a better viewing experience for people coming to see the Mercer Bears.
However, a new field is nothing without the players to compete on it. With the addition of non-scholarship football, there will be an influx of dual-sport athletes on this campus. Gibson has already taken this into account. “We have already recruited student-athletes with the possibility of playing football and baseball,” he said. There is a bright future ahead for the Mercer Bears baseball program.
(02/22/12 9:31pm)
In an age where teams continue to change conferences in order to bring the most money to their program with little regard to tradition or historical rivalries/match-ups, Mercer University might face the choice of whether to stay in the Atlantic Sun or not. The Atlantic Sun is a great conference, but as we have recently seen with Belmont trashing their big rivalry with Lipscomb in order to jump ship and head to the Ohio Valley Conference, there might be greener pastures ahead for the Mercer Bears. The A-Sun is by no means a powerhouse in athletics. Yes, Mercer is not the dominant school in the conference, but honestly, neither is Belmont. The Bruins just had one amazing year of Basketball and now everyone thinks that they are amazing. They did win a few conference titles in the past decade, but neither the men nor the women have won the all-sports trophies. Where does Mercer fall? They easily have the best basketball facilities in the Atlantic Sun, which is why the conference extended the Macon arena’s tenure as home of the General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Conference Basketball Tournament through at least 2013. Volleyball championships have also been hosted here in the past few years. The impending renovations of Claude Smith Field will also take the smaller baseball stadium to be the best of the A-Sun here as well. Also, Bear Field is a perfect locale for soccer, and until the Stadium is built, it will host lacrosse games. The Bears have played well here, and despite the small size, the Bears draw decent crowds.I think that Mercer should consider expanding its footprint. Football is about to be added, and the Pioneer League will expand the horizons of Mercer Athletics far beyond what anyone dreamed of. However, there are some things to consider. How will the rising transportation costs affect conferences with a widespread distribution of members? The Atlantic Sun is not that large, but there might be better fits for the Bears.The Southern Conference, the fourth oldest conference in the land, might be a better bet for Mercer. Yes, Mercer alone would turn the SoCon into a 13 team conference, probably necessitating another team to come along with the Bears. Not only are the Bears going to find themselves traveling less, they will have a higher level of competition to go up against. The Bears could face Davidson, Elon, Furman, Samford, and Wofford. These private universities are routinely competing with Mercer for high school seniors that are looking for prestigious private schools to attend after high school. Mercer could also begin a better rivalry than the one with Kennesaw State: a rivalry with our neighbors in Statesboro, Georgia Southern. A rivalry with the Eagles could bode well, especially with the addition of football for Mercer. Furthermore, when wrestling at Mercer becomes a sanctioned NCAA sport, the SoCon sponsors wrestling and a conference champion for it as well. Mercer could also find themselves drawn to it for football, simply due to its chance to be the one non-scholarship school in the SoCon (Davidson plays in the Pioneer League). As for transportation, Mercer would be able to avoid traveling as far north as Northern Kentucky every year (once NKU joins the A-Sun in Summer 2012) and as far south as Fort Myers, where Florida Gulf Coast is based. Instead, the Bears would only go as far north as Boone, N.C. for Appalachian State and as far south as Statesboro for Georgia Southern. In addition, Mercer would find themselves in competitive markets and in more press on national networks due to the nature and history of the SoCon. Appalachian State, Furman, and Georgia Southern are all known for their great play in football. Davidson is known for the phenomenal run to the Elite Eight in men’s basketball that they made recently. The Citadel has been much more than a simple mid-major in baseball, even making a trip to the College World Series in the 1990s. In essence, Mercer could find transport costs limited by changing conferences, and they could find themselves featured on bigger television markets with a switch. This seems like a great fit if Mercer ever considered switching over. Also, the Bears could even stay in the Pioneer League for football, playing Davidson as the two SoCon transplants.There is a likelihood that Mercer could bring in greater athletes and expand far beyond what they have as a founding member of the A-Sun. Personally, I love the Atlantic Sun, but Mercer deserves the best it can get, which might be the SoCon or another similar conference.
(02/22/12 9:28pm)
Recently, the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation endowed Mercer University with $2.5 million to create the new Eula Mae and John Baugh Center for Baptist Leadership. On February 8, President William D. Underwood announced the appointment of Dr. Daniel Vestal to the position of director and as a Distinguished University Professor. For the past 15 years, Dr. Vestal has served as Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Executive Coordinator. He had previously announced that he was stepping down last year, effective at the end of June 2012. Following that, Dr. Vestal will assume the position. Before becoming director of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in 1996, Dr. Vestal was a pastor at Houston, Texas’ Tallowood Baptist Church, Atlanta’s Dunwoody Baptist Church, Midland, Texas’ First Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas’ Southcliff Baptist Church, and Arlington, Texas’ Meadow Lane Baptist Church. Dr. Daniel Vestal has been involved in the Baptist community for more than four decades. He received both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He went on to receive a Master’s of Divinity and a Theological Doctorate from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Vestal also served as the founding member of the trustees of George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University, where he would receive the George W. Truett award for Distinguished Church Service. The Baptist Center will be a major addition to the rapidly growing and expanding McAfee School of Theology, which is based on the Atlanta campus of Mercer University. It will offer chances for learning and researching about Baptist missions, history, ethics and theology. Speaking about the naming of the new Baugh Center, President Underwood said “John Baugh, for many decades provided courageous and principled leadership as a Baptist layperson.”When asked for what the new center and its namesakes meant to him, Dr. Vestal said that “Eula Mae and John Baugh embodied integrity and Christian character. This Center will be a lasting legacy to their lives and will foster research, learning and community within the Baptist family. It will pursue excellence for both lay and clergy leaders by combining spiritual formation, academic study and caring collegiality.” Vestal will teach classes as well as run the Center’s extracurricular functions. Vestal has been published several times, and he has published several essays online on CBF websites. He has been featured in seven different books, and Vestal has published four books himself, with the most recent publication Being the Presence of Christ: A Vision for Transformation.
(02/22/12 9:25pm)
As all college students are well aware, professors know when their students’ papers are full of crap. Try as they might, many students turn in assignments full of BS and then expect their professor to believe they were genuinely trying to answer the question to the best of their ability.
Dr. Bryan Williams of the Political Science department gave the best definition of bullshit in student assignments. “In general, lots of prepositional clauses and adjectives/adverbs mean they’re bullshitting. If they legitimately have something to say, they’ll say it without caveat or modification,” he said.
This is a great rule of thumb. When pages and word counts are up for debate, students are easily tempted to include prepositional phrases galore.
Dr. David A. Davis, English and Southern Studies professor, has seen that as well an overuse of other key terms. “I had a student at another university who filled his work with stock phrases such as ‘Due to the fact that,’ ‘As we all know,’ and ‘It is understood that.’ They made his work stultifying, so I began to highlight them in brown and mark them ‘BS.’ His paper looked like a cow pasture,” he said.
He was not the only one who felt like this. Journalism professor Jay Black said, “When I get a paper that is just full of crap, I just draw some cartoon vomit on the page. If it is really and truly horrible, then I draw a big, stinky cow patty. I haven’t had to do one this semester fortunately.”
Black also has a series of stamps to use on papers that just call students out. However, he did say that most professors will not be likely to give out secrets or anything about how they know when a student is just bullshitting.
Black felt that there was a balance that took into account the student’s overall participation in the class, and how much they could get away with. This relates back to excuses and how much the student could pull off.
Dr. Brian Rood said, “Years ago, I had a student whose grandmother died at least three times in two semesters and had to miss exams because they had to be with family out of state. However, I would see the student out bouncing across campus that day or the following day. I never said anything about it, but hoped that they used the extra time to study for the ‘make-up’ exam.” Rood was more astounded than anything, and this was the same way that Professor Black felt.
In essence, most professors know when someone is pulling their leg, but the trend is that if they are not lying about things, then why punish? Dr. Williams admitted that he almost gave credit to a student in a reading quiz who didn’t blatantly get the question wrong but simply wrote “I didn’t read.” Most of the class guessed and put incorrect, educated guesses, but it proved they did not do their work. Until students change the way they BS papers, professors are going to continue to know.
(02/22/12 9:21pm)
After ending the 13-game losing streak, the Mercer Bears’ Women’s Basketball team looked to three games on the road that would either let them win their way back into postseason contention or fade back away into the cellar of the Atlantic Sun conference standings. Unfortunately, the Bears were unable to consistently score points when needed, dropping games against Kennesaw State and Jacksonville by single digits and a blowout loss to North Florida as well. The Mercer Bears are now 4-23 overall, with a 2-14 record in conference play, eliminating them from postseason contention. Mercer will finish up the 2011-2012 season with a pair of home games against Lipscomb on Thursday, Feb. 23 and Belmont on Saturday, Feb. 25.
KSU 70, Mercer 68
Just one week after setting the new single game record for points in a game by a Mercer Bears’ Women’s Basketball player, sophomore Briana Williams dropped 39 points on the Kennesaw State Owls, but it would prove to be futile as the Bears were unable to convert a late shot into a victory. The Owls won due despite turning the ball over 10 more times than the Bears. Sharmesia Smith scored 10 points in the first half, and Alex Phillips added five more.
The Bears led by as many as five in the second half, but a furious rally evened it up with five minutes left. The game was tied at 12 different points, and the teams exchanged the lead a remarkable 13 times. Kennesaw State dominated the paint, outscoring the Bears 38-16 down low.
UNF 66, Mercer 49
The first game of their final road trip of the season was not to be good for Mercer, as a poor performance down the stretch saw a winnable game become a rout for the North Florida Ospreys.
After being tied at 41, the Bears went on a cold streak. Briana Williams shot just 10 percent from the floor, leaving the Bears needing other offensive weapons. Alicia Williams had 12 points to lead the team and Jasmine Blakemore added 10. North Florida’s Raneisha Lamar had a double-double to inspire the team on their home court. She scored 14 points and collected 13 rebounds.
Just as in the Kennesaw game, the Bears committed fewer turnovers than their opponents yet were unable to turn that advantage into more points. The 25-8 run to end the game will go down as a place where the Bears must focus on what went wrong.
Jacksonville 84, Mercer 78
Once again, the Bears are unable to finish strong, being outscored significantly over the ending minutes of the game. Despite leading in the second half, the Bears dropped the ball. Briana Williams scored 31, her fourth time this season that she has eclipsed the 30-point mark. However, she turned the ball over five times, which is the third time that has happened this season. Sharmesia Smith missed a double-double by a basket, finishing with eight points and 11 boards.
Jacksonville did enjoy a bevy of free throws, shooting 40 times from the stripe, compared to just 15 for Mercer.
In terms of standing within the Atlantic Sun, Briana Williams is just 12 points from 1,000 for her career, and she is just a sophomore. She is currently seventh in the conference for total points in her career, but she is first in points per game this season at 17.3. That also means she is tied for 48th in the nation in scoring. Ry’van Buchanan is scoring 9.5 points per game and Precious Bridges has 8.3, putting them at 22nd and 29th respectively.
Next, the Bears play Lipscomb at home on Feb. 23.
(02/22/12 9:16pm)
Justin Evans is one of the more highly talked about athletes to have ever come to Mercer University. Wearing number five for the lacrosse team is a 5-foot-10 midfielder that also does face offs, where he was listed as an All-American coming out of high school. Evans was state runner-up twice as a starter for Harrison High School in Kennesaw, Ga.
Justin is a biomedical engineering major on the pre-med track. Someday, he wants to either become an orthopedic surgeon or a NCAA Division I face off coach. He is quite humble, speaking about his All-American status: “Becoming an All-American is more due to those around me, because I’ve always had great teammates and a great coaching staff.”
This past week, the Mercer Cluster spent a typical Wednesday with Justin Evans.
Wednesday:
5:30 a.m. - Justin’s roommate has an earlier practice than he, but he gets up early anyway to go watch film and begin repetition work to stay on top of his form.
7:00 a.m. - Justin hits the weight room, where he can do 275 on the bench, a 405 squat and a 255 hang clean.
8:20 a.m. - He heads back for a quick shower, using some Old Spice.
8:35 a.m. - Justin chows down on a fast breakfast: either pancakes or French toast with chocolate milk.
9:00 a.m. - He heads over to Calculus II with Dr. Hartfield.
10:00 a.m. - At this point, Justin has been up since before dawn, so he heads back to his room for a mid-morning nap. Some of us don’t wake up until after then.
11:00 a.m. - After his nap, Justin heads to a Chemistry lecture with Dr. Moore.
12:00 p.m. - Justin heads to the cafeteria for a lunch that is a robust double patty melt. If he is feeling healthy, he’ll go after a salad with lite Caesar. Blue PowerAde is his drink of choice.
1:00 p.m. - Dr. Moses has Justin in his intro to engineering design course.
2:00 p.m. - Justin heads over to the locker room to begin prepping for practice.
2:30 p.m. – Face-offs with Tyler Schott is what he does before official practice.
3:00 p.m. - Justin preps with the scout team, and he runs drills on offense and defense. He gets ready for the upcoming team.
5:00 p.m. - Back to the film room he goes, and Justin gets more preparation for his opponents on Saturday.
5:45 p.m. - Instead of going back to the car, Justin heads to the UC Food Court and picks up a Chick-Fil-A spicy chicken sandwich with some Chick-Fil-A sauce. Also, he does a half sweet tea/half lemonade mixture.
6:00 p.m. - Time to relax! NBA 2K12’s Blacktop mode is what he and his teammates do. Justin picks a team of Kevin Durant, Ray Allen, Kevin Love, Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash. He claims to be “pretty good.”
8:00 p.m. - He heads over to study hall, where he will watch two more hours of film and look at different things such as wing play, opponent tendencies, his own tendencies, fast breaks and how to change up his personal playing style to not be predictable. “It’s all a big chess game.”
10:00 p.m. - Finally, Justin heads to bed, where he sleeps and does it all over again the next morning. It might seem like he does no homework whatsoever, but he said that homework does not happen on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Those days are more set aside for preparations for an upcoming game. It is just another Wednesday for Justin, and he just makes sure he does everything right so Mercer can win games.
(02/09/12 12:40am)
After a very busy recruiting season, the Mercer Bears football team is looking mighty impressive for their inaugural season in the fall of 2013. Much progress has been made on a variety of fronts surrounding the future of the Bears. Head Coach Bobby Lamb was able to grant several insights into where the team is going and where it has already been.
As of National Signing Day, the Mercer Bears had signed 38 individuals to play for the Bears. These 38 were more than happy to play non-scholarship FCS football in 2013 and practice in 2012. An additional 30 more were invited to visit this past weekend, and Coach Lamb expects to have around 50 to 55 commits going into practice next season.
A list of all commits will be published later next month. However, Coach Lamb was very quick to say that the team is strong at several positions. “The position of running back is a surprising talent pool for us. We are especially deep there, and many of those players will be able to also play outside linebacker and safety, making us deeper on both sides of the ball,” Lamb said in front of his recruiting boards, showing a continuing process of recruitment that begins with scouting next year’s class.
As a part of this, he will be holding try-outs for all students who will be able to play in 2013 later this semester. He expects there to be several individuals from the existing student body who will be able to play and compete for a spot on the team. There will be an announcement for a multi-day try-out soon.
When the players get here this fall, they will be able to play and scrimmage on the new field. The synthetic turf is expected to be done by the end of July, and the field house is expected to be constructed by the beginning of September 2012. The Bears will get accustomed to their home field for a full year before actual play begins.
The first tentative season schedule has been put together, and the Bears are looking at up to eight home games in the first season. They will play four inside the conference, and the Bears are looking at adding up to four more nonconference games that will help increase visibility and the experience level.
The uniforms and equipment that Mercer will sport is bound to launch soon, and after the first annual coach’s clinic coming up, the Bears will see their new uniform that will be used in the first season. Along this time period, Coach Lamb is continuing to hire staff and build an impressive team to bring the Bears into their football playing days.
Coach Lamb had much praise for the admissions department and several individuals that were instrumental in bringing such a high number of talented players in. “Tour guides and admissions counselors were very helpful in getting athletes to commit, but Mercer sells itself. This is a beautiful campus, a wonderful atmosphere and a place that prizes academic excellence. All of this, on top of being the first Mercer Bears in 2013 to play football in the modern era, were great selling tools,” Coach Lamb said.
Marketing Director Daniel Tate has been instrumental in selling the Mercer football team to local businesses and the community, making Macon excited about Mercer for something other than a great men’s basketball team. He wants there to be a great experience on game day, which includes tailgating. Currently, Coach Lamb is in talks with the administration about where and what tailgating can consist of for all individuals, including: the community, Greeks and other students.
Finally, Coach Lamb is quite jealous of Bob Hoffman. “I really love Hoffman’s Hooligans. I want there to be a similar experience. I want there to be some rowdy Mercerians behind the visitor’s sideline. I want Lamb’s Lunatics!” Lamb said. With all that is being put into Mercer football, that is a real possibility.