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Mercer Memories: Meredith Talmage
Meredith Talmage, Mercer alumna, received her BA in English with a concentration in secondary education and a minor in art in 2009. Upon graduation, she spent a few years in Macon with the Wesley Foundation. Finishing her teaching certification through Mercer in 2014, she began her first year as a high school English teacher in the fall of 2014. Looking back on her years at Mercer, Talmage’s favorite memories are innumerable. In her words, “My years at Mercer have been some of best to date.” What she remembers the most, however, is the seemingly ordinary moments, such as “sledding down the hill in front of the UC,” of which many current upperclassmen have fond memories. She remembers all the Mercer must-do’s: “going to nearly every event that involved a free t-shirt, ‘studying’ at the library till 2:00 a.m. (and) late night Taco Bell/Waffle House runs.” Of course, there was more to her years at Mercer than the silly moments. Talmage also enjoyed the academics that Mercer had to offer. Mercer prides itself on its low faculty-to-student ratio, providing students close relationships with the professors in the learning environment. Talmage agrees, “Regardless of subject matter, I felt like the teachers were actively committed to making students successful. Even in my largest classes in lecture halls, I never felt like a number.” Acknowledging a common struggle among students, she recalls, “Although 8:00 a.m. classes were hard to get up for, I genuinely enjoyed going to my classes.” Since Talmage majored in English, she gave glowing recommendations of the English department. Reminiscing about her upper-level classes, she said, “I fell in love with literature in a whole new way thanks to the wonderful English department.” One class in particular, a course on William Shakespeare, came to mind: “I might not have known how much I could love sweet William if it was not for Dr. Senasi.” One of Mercer’s greatest qualities, however, is its “sense of belonging,” which Talmage claimed makes this university special. In the short time since Talmage graduated, Mercer has seen several vast changes. Last spring, Talmage made a day trip to Mercer and was surprised to find that the campus had improved its already beautiful appearance. She remembers enjoying the beauty of the campus while studying on Porter Patch (what is now Cruz Plaza) and the Quad, but now it is “even more beautiful.” The expansion of the sidewalk in front of the University Center, the fountain on Cruz Plaza and the Bear statue in front of the University Center were all additions that impressed her. Also new to Mercer’s campus is the football team and stadium. Talmage only wishes that this addition could have been made sooner. “I love football and would have loved to go to the games in college,” she said, adding with characteristic Mercer spirit, “Go Bears!” Though much has changed, one thing remains the same: that Mercer “professors are still making a difference and educating students as they did for me. As a teacher now,” Talmage reflected, “I think back to their influence and hope that I make them proud.” Continuing the Mercer legacy, she continued, “Also I hope I can send some well-prepared high school students their way.” Summing up her experience, Talmage declared, “I am so grateful to Mercer and its staff for all the memories, relationships and knowledge I gained in my time there. I am proud to be a Mercerian.”
Pet health matters to local business
Everyone has heard the old adage—you are what you eat. It turns out the same saying goes for your pet. TailsSpin, a pet food and accessories store, knows all too well the importance of feeding dogs healthy, all-natural ingredients. Feeding dogs certain foods, like those containing corn, wheat and soy, could cause allergies, skin problems or worse, said Britt Hallmark, an employee at TailsSpin and a dog owner. “A lot of the food you find on the market is not actually catered to a dog’s digestive system,” said Joey Betancourt, the manager of the store at 570 Mulberry St. Natural foods help with digestion. TailsSpin carries only foods that are good for dogs, cats and even fish and turtles, Betancourt said proudly. They also advocate for a feeding method called rotation. “Rotation means changing the dog’s diet pretty consistently. Don’t feed them the same thing for a long period of time,” Hallmark said. The key is trying to recreate an indoor migration, like their ancestral relatives, the wolf, Betancourt said. At certain times of the year, migrating wolves eat large mammals. At other times, they may eat poultry, fish or small mammals. Betancourt explains to every new shopper that consistently changing a dog’s food helps keep a balanced diet and prevents against nutrient deficiencies. “The healthier a dog is on the inside, it shows on the outside. The healthier the dog is, the longer he gets to live,” Betancourt said. Customers generally hear about the store through word of mouth, but Betancourt said that people are wising up to the benefits of natural dog food. He has worked at the store for a little over two years and just recently has seen business pick up, but he doesn’t call it a revolution. “It’s been there the whole time,” Betancourt said. “It’s us as humans who are just now beginning to realize.” But what about the price? A pet shouldn’t be eating a nicer, more expensive meal than his owner, should he? Betancourt warns never to look at the up-front cost. A $50 bag of dog food might last two months while Pedigree and other corn-, wheat- or soy-filled products may last only a month. Essentially, the price evens out, but the store does sell food for a dollar a pound to cater to the hungrier “gluttonous” dogs. Besides caring for the health of the pet, TailsSpin cares about the pet owners as well. All pet food brands that announce recalls are removed from the shelves—permanently. “We want people to have the peace of mind that there has been a thoughtfulness behind placing it (each item) in the store,” said Hallmark. TailsSpin was recognized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Blue Ribbon Small Business Award in February 2014. Once a month, TailsSpin offers up its three self-service dog washing bays for charitable organizations to raise money for their cause, dog-related or otherwise. The business also says thank you to people who rescue pets from shelters by giving them an adoption package, which includes a free bag of dog food, a name tag and 10 percent off anything in the store. “I don’t expect everybody to come back here. It might be TailsSpin’s thing, but it’s not my thing,” Betancourt said. “I just want everybody's pets to be happy and healthy.” TailsSpin has two other locations in Savannah. If you want to stop by TailsSpin to wander through the aisles of natural pet food, they are open 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and until 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Daniel Coursey continues his success in d-league
As the Mercer Men’s Basketball continues its success in the Southern Conference, a former member of the team is also continuing his success on the court. Daniel Coursey, a vital member Mercer team from 2010 to 2014, has been with the Erie BayHawks since he was drafted last November. This opportunity with the developmental league gives Coursey an ample amount of experience to take his basketball career even further. During his time with the Bayhawks, Coursey has made quite a name for himself. Out of the 25 games in which he has participated, Coursey has started in 22, averaging 25.5 minutes a game. He is also averaging 10.32 points and 6.28 rebounds. Coursey is pleased with his performance so far, but he thinks he can contribute to the team even more. “So far, I've personally done well, but we haven’t performed well as a team,” said Coursey. “We've lost a lot of games recently, and it makes it a lot tougher to play.” Recently, Coursey has greatly contributed to the Bayhawks with stellar performances. On Dec. 14, Coursey contributed 28 points and 12 rebounds against the Reno Bighorns. More recently, Coursey collected 24 points along with 10 rebounds against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in early January. While Coursey is continuing to improve every aspect of his play, he is especially pleased with his newfound jump shot. “I think my jump shot has most improved,” said Coursey. “I didn't really have one during my time at Mercer and now it's how I score a lot of my points.” According to his statistics, his jump shot has especially improved his points scoring ability. Although his offense has been a key asset to his success with the Bayhawks, Coursey believes that his defense also is a huge part of his success. “Since being in the developmental league, I have learned that I can play good defense,” said Coursey. “Both blocking shots and rebounding are the two biggest things I can do to help the team.” Overall, Coursey has been enjoying his time in the developmental league, but he believes it to be much different than college basketball. “Relating the two, the D league is much faster than college basketball,” said Coursey. “Everyone in it is an NBA caliber player, and everyone is trying to get a call up, so it's much more competitive. Also, the overall size of players is a lot bigger than in college, which makes a huge difference in the game.” Coursey is not exactly sure what his plans are after his first season, but he does know that he wants to continue playing the game that he loves. “Right now, I just want to keep playing basketball,” said Coursey. “I just want to make the best of the opportunity at hand.”
Mercer Softball Team prepares for Southern Conference
With the start of a new semester now behind, spring sports are now coming out of hibernation and getting ready for their seasons to start. One such team, the softball team, hit the ground running with training and started practicing just as soon as they came back from the winter break. Its first game is only a month after the start of school, but senior third baseman Kaylynn Sloat says that the team is pretty confident in its abilities. “We have the talent, we have the work ethic, we have the coaches, and we have the staff. We just need to play to our ability,” said Sloat. This will be the first time that the softball team has played since Mercer University switched conferences from the Atlantic Sun Conference to the Southern Conference, and Sloat says that the change brings some good for the team. “I feel like the A-Sun was a harder conference than the SoCon will be, but there is still some good competition in the SoCon, only with fewer teams.” This year also welcomes in a fairly new team for the Lady Bears, with only two seniors and a junior making up the seniority of the team. The rest are a “good mix” of freshmen and sophomores, said Sloat. “I think last year, for me at least, I looked to the seniors. They were just really good leaders, and now it’s time for me and Riley [Carter] to fill that leadership role. It’s a good feeling and it puts pressure on yourself.” Last year, the Mercer Women’s Softball Team went 39-19 overall. In the A-Sun, the Bears went 18-8 and lost in the Atlantic Sun Championship. When asked whether Sloat believed that this would be the team’s year to stand out like football and basketball last year, she said yes. “I really think so. Last year, we came really close… We should have went to the NCAA tournament, but to go to that you have to win conference, and we should have won that, too.” Sloat says that the team’s strength comes from the fact that they all get along well, as well as coaches who understand strategy. “[They’re] really good with not letting our defense be stagnant, you know, they’re also moving somebody here or there, so we have that competition amongst each other,” said Sloat. “So we’re always trying to fire each other up. It’s good competition.” Sloat says that, though there’s always room for improvement, the only critique that she has of the team is that their “bats could always get hotter.” “We just want to make sure we peak going into the tournament,” said Sloat. “We don’t want to peak midseason.” Sloat thinks that their biggest competition during the season will be from Chattanooga’s team. “They’ve always been pretty good. Last year’s competition was Georgia Southern, but we ended up run-rolling them, so it just depends.” The Bears will take the field for the first time in 2015 on Feb. 6 for the Mercer Softball Invitational.
Men's tennis bounces back
Beginning practice on Jan. 5 and competing in its first matches on Jan. 10, the Mercer Men’s Tennis Team has had trouble finding success. First, the team was defeated by Georgia Tech, followed by the University of Arkansas and the University of Tennessee. The team finally found success after defeating Southern Illinois University. Even after the lack of success, neither the coach nor the players are discouraged in the least. Eric Hayes, a relative newcomer to the team, started coaching Mercer’s tennis team last year. He explains that all of the initial losses are against nationally ranked schools. Hayes explains that facing teams of such caliber would help prepare the players for their much easier conference schedule. Hayes describes that playing the bigger, stronger teams “toughen us up.” The team is right behind its new coach on the matter. Arnav and Arsav Mohanty, juniors working on their business majors, confirm that, regarding the sequence of losses, they have “no worries, not at all.” Arnav says with confidence, “We’re getting better every match, and we’re getting better as a team.” One of the newest additions to the team, international freshman Sam Philp, confirms that he is bonding well with the team. The bond is apparent, as the members of the team spend much of their free time together, joking and laughing comfortably before and after matches. Philp explains that the team has great chemistry. As well as within the players, the team’s bonding extends to their new coach. “We’re starting to mesh,” Arsav says of the team and Coach Hayes. “It’s a bit different with a new coach.” Contrasted with the previous coach, Coach Hayes is more experienced and has higher expectations, according to Arnav. “He pushes us, but he wants us to do well,” said Arnav. “He’s going in the right direction. And he’s funny. He’s gotten to know the players, we’ve gotten to know him, and we get along much better. He’s been a good addition to this team.” Coach Hayes explained how different he is from the past coaches. “It’s only my second year here, so we are changing our philosophy,” said Hayes. As he builds his team, he and his players have plenty of hope for the future despite the losses that started off this season. “We’re looking forward to these next few matches,” says Philp. “We’ll get some wins, and that’ll be good for us. We’re looking to continue our one-game-winning streak.” The win was especially great because a couple of the top players were injured, but the rest of the team still managed to pull through for the win. The players could not emphasize enough how much they would love to have a crowd of supportive Mercer students attend their home matches. Their next home match is Friday, Feb. 6, at 2:30 p.m., when they will play against Kennesaw State University. The team’s schedule, both previous scores and upcoming matches, can be found on the Mercer Athletics website or on Mercer’s new app for students, MU Mobile.
Fan of the Week: Nikki Atkinson
Nikki Atkinson is a fifth-year Mercer student as well as an avid Mercer Bears fan. She enjoys watching and supporting Mercer athletics and has since her freshman year. Attending and cheering at Mercer sporting events has been a large part of Atkinson’s college career. In her first four years at Mercer, she was a member of the Mercer Women’s Soccer Team and was a part of several successful seasons while on the team. In her senior season, the team went 10-8-3 and made it to the conference semifinals. In both her junior and sophomore seasons, the team got second in conference, losing in the championship. In her freshman season, the team won the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship and made it to the first round of the Women’s College Cup. Atkinson is a Peachtree City native and chose Mercer not only for its sports but also for other aspects it has to offer. “I chose Mercer because it is well known for having great academics,” Atkinson said. “I knew I wanted study math, and the math department at Mercer has always been very strong.” Along with her academics, cheering for and supporting the athletic teams on campus have been a huge part of Atkinson’s time at Mercer. “Being a Mercer Bear is more than just being a player on the field or a fan in the stands,” said Atkinson. “It’s a community of people brought together by the success of great academics, athletics and character. There is nothing I would rather be than a Mercer Bear.” Atkinson’s favorite sport to play is soccer, and she has been playing since a young age and has continued throughout college. Rightfully so, Atkinson admits that the Mercer Women’s Soccer Team is her favorite team on campus. Atkinson was proud of the women’s team as they won the Southern Conference Championship in its first year as members. She is excited to see the team and program continue to grow and succeed. Although her time at Mercer has been filled with wonderful memories, Atkinson reveals that her favorite memory has nothing to do with soccer. “My favorite memory as a Mercer Bear was when I watched the Bears beat Duke with hundreds of people in Mercer Village,” said Atkinson. “I really enjoy watching basketball, and this game was great to watch.” Head Football Coach Bobby Lamb is Atkinson’s favorite coach in the Athletic Department. “He is my favorite because he tells the best jokes, and he is the least intimidating,” Atkinson said. “Coach Lamb is definitely the easiest coach to talk to.” Football player Tony Perella is Atkinson’s favorite Mercer Athlete. “He’s a great guy and never fails to make people smile,” said Atkinson. Atkinson’s favorite part about supporting Mercer Athletics is the relationships and friendships that she has formed as a result. She respects the fact that the athletes genuinely want the other programs to do well. “I support Mercer athletics because all of the athletes really support and cheer for each other,” said Atkinson.
Who will be crowned as the next Super Bowl Champion?
Super Bowl week is finally here, and it’s time to talk about the actual game instead of the “Deflategate” scandal. The defending Super Bowl champion, the Seattle Seahawks, will be taking on the AFC champion, the New England Patriots, in what could be a great matchup. The Seahawks are looking to become the first team to repeat since the Patriots did it in 2004, and that is attributed due to their highly touted defense. This particular defense has led the league in scoring defense for the past two seasons. The Seahawks’ defense is lead by the Legion of Boom, which is the nickname given to their spectacular secondary, consisting of high caliber players who generally terrorize the opposing quarterback. Something to look for will be how the Legion of Boom will perform against the Patriots’ perennial MVP candidate quarterback Tom Brady and his tight end, Rob Gronkowski. Together, the two connected for 12 touchdowns on the season. Brady has been very efficient this postseason with six touchdowns and only two interceptions. Gronkowski has been on the receiving end of two of those touchdowns as the duo looks to continue their success in the Super Bowl. Brady will be starting in his sixth Super Bowl, and he is one of only two quarterbacks to accomplish that feat. The Patriots have struggled at times this season against more mobile quarterbacks, which is something that Seattle’s quarterback, Russell Wilson, brings to the table. Wilson is coming off his worst game in his professional career after throwing four interceptions against the Packers. However, he did lead the comeback that got the Seahawks into the Super Bowl. Wilson is in his third season as a pro and is already in his second Super Bowl. Wilson does not have any great targets to throw to, such as Gronkowski, but he does have Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch in the backfield. Lynch is coming off an excellent game against the Packers, having gained 157 yards on the ground. Lynch will be looking to carry that same momentum into the Super Bowl. The most interesting match-up may not even be on the field for this game because both head coaches have tremendous resumes. Bill Belicheck of the New England Patriots has the most playoff wins of any coach in the history of the NFL with 21. He also ties the record for most Super Bowl appearances by a coach. Belicheck takes lots of risks in playing-calling, which is something that the Seahawks must prepare for. On the other side of the stadium, Pete Carroll, who led the Seahawks to their first Super Bowl victory in franchise history, is also considered among the top coaches in the NFL. He is one of only three coaches to win a National Championship and also to win a Super Bowl. Carroll produced possibly the gutsiest play call of the post-season with a fake field goal that propelled them past the Packers. Sunday's game sets up for one of the best in recent memory on paper. Hopefully, the teams will be able to live up to all the hype and put on a performance for the ages. It should be a close matchup that comes down to the last possession, as both teams seem even from the coach to the players. Tune in on Sunday for the game and, of course, the Super Bowl commercials.
Player of the Week: Precious Bridges
Senior Precious Bridges has been a vital part in the success of the Mercer Women’s Basketball Team in recent years. The West Palm Beach native has been a starter since 2011, her freshman year with the Bears. She chose Mercer based on academics and athletics and has not been let down. "It has been and is outstanding," Bridges says. "I have had a great time at Mercer, and luckily, it is still going." During her freshman year, Bridges was named to the Atlantic Sun All-Freshman team after averaging 31.1 minutes per game throughout the season and accumulating 12 double-doubles during the season. By her sophomore year, Bridges won the league-scoring title with an average of 16.8 points a game. She was also named to both the A-Sun All-Conference first team and the A-Sun Championship All-Tournament Team. In her junior season, Bridges lead her team and was fifth in the A-Sun in points per game with 14.8. Bridges was also selected to the Atlantic Sun’s Preseason All-Conference Team. Now, in the midst of her senior season, Bridges has started all 20 games and is averaging 20.6 points per game. Throughout conference play, she is averaging 17.2 points per game. The team is currently 11-9 overall, 3-1 in conference. The team began conference play with a three-game win streak, defeating Western Carolina University, UNC Greensboro and Wofford College. The team is ranked fourth in Southern Conference, trailing Chattanooga, Samford and ETSU. This season, Bridges was named the Southern Conference player of the week for two consecutive weeks. Bridges received player of the week from Jan. 6 and Jan. 13 for her performances in the games and statistics. Earlier in the season, she was also named player of the week. Bridges leads the league in both scoring, with 413 total points, and in minutes played. She is thirteenth in the league for rebounds with 113 and third with a total of 72 assists. Bridges is also second in free throw percentage with .826. Bridges, so far, said that her senior season has been her best so far. Describing her four years, she said, "It has been tough, but now it is really smoothing out." This season, her favorite memory is scoring 43 points in the team’s double overtime win against St. Louis. Throughout her time at Mercer, her favorite experience was to travel to Africa with her team during the summer. They went to work with young kids and even played basketball with them. This year marks the first year for Mercer to compete in the Southern Conference, making competition even more exciting for the Bears. Bridges is excited for the rest of the season and hopes to lead her team to win the Southern Conference Championship. Bridges enjoys fashion, including online shopping, and changing her hairstyle frequently. Before games, she likes to listen to Beyoncé to get pumped up. While getting ready, she has created a ritual of putting on her left shoe and sock before her right. Her top five favorite movies are “Love and Basketball,” “Taken 3,” “The Equalizer,” “The Blind Side” and “Frozen.” Her favorite TV show is “Being Mary Jane,” with her favorite artist being Beyoncé. While Bridges has had many role models in her life, there are two people who seem to stand out. “I look up to both my mother and Jamierra Faulkner, a rookie for the Chicago Sky.” Bridges studies both communications and criminal justice while she minors in media studies. She plans to graduate in May. Post-graduation, she wants to pursue a career as a homicide detective but always to be involved with basketball. She has also thought about pursuing a professional basketball career overseas.
Mercer Men's Lacrosse Team prepares for SoCon debute
After a record-breaking season in 2014, the Mercer Men’s Lacrosse Team is prepared to take on the Southern Conference in 2015. In 2014, the Bears finished first in regular season play during the first lacrosse championship in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Overall, the Bears finished 7-7, losing in the semifinal of the championship to the University of Richmond Spiders 14-6. In their record-breaking year, the team placed six members on All-Conference teams, four of whom will be returning for the 2015 season. Chris Baxa, Mike Nugent, Timmy Geran and Colin Massa earned All-Conference Second Team honors for the season and will contribute greatly to the team’s future success. Massa also earned honors on the All-Freshman team during his first season as a Mercer Bear. Kyle Hannan, the team’s head coach, also claimed A-Sun Coach of the Year during his second year of coaching for the Bears. Nugent, the goalkeeper of the team, is ready to get back on the field. “Right now, I'm looking most forward to just getting back into playing games,” said Nugent. “Preseason always makes you anxious to get back out there, but overall I'm looking forward to competing for a SoCon Championship.” Last season alone, Nugent recorded 163 saves, 71 of which were in conference play. He started in 12 out of a total of 14 games and was a huge contributor to the team’s success. Nugent is excited to take on the newer opponents in the Southern Conference, but he is more excited to take on long-time rival High Point University. “I think our biggest competition in the SoCon will be High Point,” said Nugent. “Every year, it is a close game between us, and this year they were ranked as number one in the preseason, so we are looking to take them down.” While the Southern Conference will offer a great deal of competition for the Bears, they also have some non conference games scheduled that will be tough competition. “I think our biggest competition outside the SoCon this season will be the Air Force Academy,” said Nugent. “They went to the tournament last year and will be joining the SoCon for the 2016 season, so i think that game as a lot on the line.” While the Bears have good leadership and experience returning for the 2015 season, the team also has 15 freshmen added to the roster. Even though a third of the team is made up of freshmen, Nugent has faith in this particular group of players. “I think the freshmen on the team bring a lot of depth to the roster and will definitely help contribute to team’s success,” said Nugent. The Bears have a good number of players returning for the Bears including the four selected to the All-Conference Second Team last season. Nugent is most excited to see his teammate and captain, Timmy Geran, take the field for his final season. “A good asset to our team this year will be Timmy Geran, our captain who has stepped up big time for us this year,” said Nugent. “He is providing the team with good leadership. Overall, though, I think the whole team will contribute. We can only get better if everyone on the roster commits to our teams goals.” The Bears first game will take place on Jan. 30 against the University of Tampa Spartans. The game is scheduled to take place at 4:30 p.m. on our home field.
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The Grey American Sniper
Clint Eastwood pushes movie-goers to their limits in the film adaptation of Chris Kyle’s 2012 memoir "American Sniper". Eastwood, as one would expect, takes certain liberties in telling Kyle’s story and deviates from the memoir several times. However, Kyle’s own tendency to embellish cast doubts on the accuracy of the memoir— unsubstantiated claims of beating up former Minnesota Governor and pro-wrestler Jesse Venture, shooting looters following Hurricane Katrina, and the killing of two carjackers—and are never mentioned in the film. The film portrays Kyle as a humble and troubled hero who clings to his own humanity while he weathers a constant and torrential storm of emotions. However, the memoir leaves readers with a bitter taste: Kyle says he had no reservations about killing. “I hate the damn savages,” he wrote about those he killed. There was no moral debate in the memoir. The memoir pants a puffed-up, black-and-white picture of Kyle and his exploits. Eastwood, by not staying true to every detail in the memoir, creates a more accurate account of the U.S. Military’s most decorated sniper, as well as war, and humanity, by exploring “the grey”: the moral ambiguity Kyle suppressed beneath the surface and eventually, ignored. For a while now, I’ve been fairly anti-war. I’ve always felt that soldiers, entering the military by choice, offer themselves up to become pawns in a geopolitical chess game. With my brother now a U.S Marine and my best friend joining the Coast Guard, I’ve felt conflicted. The men on the other side of the guns fight for the same reasons that you do. They bleed the same color that you bleed. And they die under the same sun. Why? Because you pledge allegiance to different arbitrary political borders. To a certain extent, I still feel that way. But, Eastwood’s account has changed my outlook slightly. I now feel that soldiers are unwittingly lured into a maze. They are told that glory and riches lie beyond the structure and that American freedom is on the line. Behind the entrance, they wait. The veil is lifted and they charge into the maze. Eventually, they begin to claw and scratch at walls because they can’t go back. They must find their own way out. They play the game. With every movement towards the end, the kills become easier and everything becomes black and white. Grey dies in the maze. But, those under the helmets act in the same manner that we would. If I entered that maze, I’d take those same shots. I’d take them because I’m afraid of dying. We have our own mazes with our own marches. Their march is just more cold, broken, and unforgiving. Their maze is one of higher stakes. But, that kind of glory just leaves you hollow. Service and duty become just words. By the time Kyle put his thoughts to the page, he no longer felt. Who could blame him? The men who sent him there turned Chris Kyle and countless others into maze-running machines who buried “the grey” long ago.
Bear Bites: Smok'n Pig
The red roofs and lit-up neon sign facing the road with the word “Bar-B-Que” all in flames are unmistakable. Connected to the Macon Mall on Eisenhower Parkway is Smok’n Pig BBQ. Members of our group had heard the name before. It was always mentioned in a reverent tone. We entered the parking lot with high hopes. Walking through the entrance, we examined our surroundings. The theme of the restaurant is geared toward casual gatherings; rocking chairs line the entrance, plaid picnic-like mats are at every table, and nearly every inch of the Smok’n Pig is wood-paneled. We were seated without wait. The menu, as you could imagine, was pork-heavy. Pulled pork platters, pork sandwiches and ribs dominate. However, those who don’t eat pork aren’t left out of the equation. Chicken, beef, or veggie plates are also available. Our server came to the table, and we placed our orders. She came back throughout the meal enough to provide good service but not enough to annoy. All of the servers, who passed with trays by the armful, always smiled. The meals arrived, and we began. The gamut of sauces (Original, Sweet, Sweet and Spicy, Carolina, Hot and Southern Mustard) located either on the rotating holsters or in an empty six-pack cardboard container of Yuengling, were all very impressive and complemented the pork well. The Southern Mustard in particular provided a strong, smooth taste with spicy undertones. The pork was not marinated or cooked with any of the sauces. This provides the customer with control over sauce, which is a problem at some BBQ institutions. The brunswick stew--a tomato-based dish thin strips of pork and veggies--deliciously surprised everyone at the table. The peach cobbler wasn’t nearly as impressive but good nonetheless. The price, for the amount of food placed in front of you, will make your brain numb. Kaydren Orcutt, a member of our party, could not eat her pulled pork sandwich with one hand and had difficulties even when using two. However, there were some issues with the meal. The coleslaw did not excite. The baked apples were sliced too large, and pesky skin remained on the pieces of apples. As mentioned before, the pork was not cooked or marinated in any of the sauces. Because of this, the pork was dry. It was not dry enough for you to start slamming sandwiches down in disgust but enough to force you to take multiple trips to the sauces. The salad and dessert bar policy was ridiculous. It is a dollar cheaper to purchase the salad and dessert bar instead of just the dessert bar. In no scenario did that make any sense to anyone at the table. The meal was pleasing overall. If you want a lot of good BBQ at a reasonable price, you’ve found it. Simply put: It’s more than a meal. It’s two. The Smok’n Pig is open everyday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and if you don’t leave with leftovers, you’re doing it wrong.