www.insidevandy.com WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2009 THE VOICE OF VANDERBILT SINCE 1888 121ST YEAR, NO. 1 OPINION: Miller has two words for Vandy guys on how to become real men. SEE PAGE 4 SPORTS: ‘Music City’ memories — photos, stats, stories and more about bowl victory. SEE PAGE 5 While we Come rain or shine were gone JOHNSON CITY MEDICAL CENTER / AP Photo You may have been asleep for the last two weeks, but Vanderbilt was not. Let the Hus- tler help with the transition back to cam- pus. Get caught up on all that happened during the break — and in half a page. SEE PAGE 3 Editor’s note Dear Readers, ZAC HARDY / The Vanderbilt Hustler My name is Sydney Wilmer and I am thrilled First-year students Hannah Chapman and Alexa Kinowski chat outside of Alpha Delta Pi sorority while waiting for the next round during sorority rush on Monday afternoon. and honored to be the newest Editor-in-Chief of e Vanderbilt Hustler and InsideVandy.com. Torrey says Commons ough students in the but being over (on Peabody to begin the process, 522 So you know what is coming, I thought I would Greek community have Campus) made me — even participated in Display tell you about the sta ’s plans and a few changes experience hasn’t feared the new housing more — want to be a part of Round. Last year 600 here at the Hustler. hurt Panhellenic arrangement for the past things,” rst-year student women registered and 547 For the most part, expect more of the same WILMER recruitment. few years, saying it might Allie Semler said. “You have participated. — strong reporting, campus coverage and decrease Greek involvement, classes with upperclassmen, To accommodate students frequently updated online content. My goal, rst and foremost, by SYDNEY WILMER Torrey con dently said, “it but it is harder to get to know making the 20-minute walk is to build on and maintain the quality our sta ers have worked Editor in Chief hasn’t had much of an impact them. I knew through this to Greek Row the O ce of so hard to achieve in the past. But a change in our production one way or the other, based process I would (get to know Greek life set up a lounge in schedule will allow for some exciting new features, including Despite the odds — rain on what I have seen.” them better).” the Student Life Center where a stronger online e ort. Unlike previous semesters, expect two and a very long walk — 522 Several rst-year students Semler is not alone with recruitment participants physical publications a week, one on Monday and one Friday. Vanderbilt women came out agreed, saying the distance this sentiment. First-year could pass the time between I will go ahead and eld the rst question: ere will still for Panhellenic recruitment had no impact on their student Elizabeth Adler went rounds. In addition to be three crosswords and sudoku puzzles a week. To our great Monday morning, which is decision to participate in the so far as to say the experience providing couches, the room relief, Versus, which will run as a stand alone publication every a jump in participation from recruitment process. was the primary factor in her broadcasted episodes of “ e Wednesday, has agreed to include games on the back of each last year, Director of Greek “I knew I wanted to rush decision. O ce.” issue. And for convenience, the puzzles will return to the back Life Kristen Torrey said. So before I came to campus,” “To be honest, I feel like First-year student Brittany page of each edition of the Hustler. at rst look, it seems e said rst-year student Kate we were more likely to rush Cowfer spent part of Tuesday As the semester picks up momentum, the sta and I hope Commons experience has Kerbel. “I didn’t feel any because we weren’t as big afternoon in the lounge to produce a longer publication, more in-depth and feature not had a negative impact on pressure, but I knew I wanted a part of campus life,” said during Philanthropy Round. reporting and, most importantly, more elaborate multimedia the process, she added. to do it.” Adler. “I hadn’t intended on “ is has been a nice place packages on Wednesdays for InsideVandy.com. As has been the “Numbers are down this Others, though, think rushing, but the distance to spend some time while we case for the past few years, you can always turn to InsideVandy. year a smidge but percentage- the experience did have an made me feel like I needed have waited for the parties com for daily updates. With fewer publications, though, we hope wise they are up,” Torrey impact. t o.” to start, especially since it is to be more thorough in this e ort. said. “I’ve always wanted to rush, Of 565 women registered raining,” said Cowfer. ■ Sincerely, Sydney Wilmer COLUMN Commodores leave lasting legacy MIKE KRANZLER out upon the green plain notched 21 victories, only two of which Sports Columnist below. MORE ON came against FCS opponents. In Vanderbilt’s history, Johnson has also led his team to 10 As the Commodore football program the football team’s best victories over SEC opponents, which moves past its rst bowl victory since 1955, four-year record came For a slideshow of happens to be the same number of Vanderbilt’s rst it is important to look back at the legacy from 1972-75, when bowl win in 53 conference victories Vanderbilt had they will leave behind. ese Commodores the team amassed 22 years, go to www. achieved on the eld over the 10 years prior provided a series of brilliant performances victories under head InsideVandy.com to his arrival. culminating in their 16-14 triumph over coaches Bill Pace, Steve Johnson has also been instrumental in Boston College in the Gaylord Hotels Music Sloan and Fred Pancoast. developing National Football League caliber City Bowl on New Year’s Eve. However, nine of those victories came players, as evidenced by the increase in To paraphrase the late Vanderbilt against Football Championship Subdivision Commodore players getting opportunities alumnus Grantland Rice: (formerly known as Division 1-AA) teams in the professional ranks. In the period from Outlined against a grey December sky, in Virginia Military Institute, William and 1972-75, the Commodores had six players the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic Mary, UT-Chattanooga and Tampa (which selected in the NFL draft (which at the time lore they are known as famine, pestilence, no longer elds a football team). At the lasted for 17 rounds), with the highest being destruction and death. ese are only same time, the Commodores only amassed a fourth-round pick. aliases. eir real names are: Johnson, six victories over Southeastern Conference But in the last three years, the team has Cutler, Williams and Moore. ey formed opponents. had six players taken in drafts that have JOHN RUSSELL / VU Media Relations the crest of the Nashville cyclone that swept During coach Bobby Johnson’s tenure, been reduced to seven-round a airs, over another team near the Vanderbilt Vanderbilt’s success has reached new with two of them — Jay Cutler and Chris Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson, left, looks on as team captains Reshard Langford, George Smith and Brad Vierling hoist the Music City Bowl trophy after defeating Boston College, 16-14. Stadium as 40,000 spectators peered down heights on the gridiron. From the 2005 Williams — being taken in the rst round. Vanderbilt earned its rst bowl win since 1955 and won seven games for the rst time since 1982. upon the bewildering panorama spread to 2008 seasons, the Commodores have Please see KRANZLER, page 5 ADMINISTRATION: Former vice chancellor and CFO Brisky announces retirement from Vanderbilt. SEE PAGE 3 28072807 WestWest EndEnd AveAve NashvilleNashville TNTN 3721337213 615-321-4069615-321-4069 2 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 The Vanderbilt Hustler www.insidevandy.com FROM THE BLOG SNAPSHOTS compiled by NORAH SCANLAN WEATHER NEWS BRIEFS WEATHER.COM TODAY Gaza truce proposed by foreign officials after Israeli shell kills 30 Fallen classmates GAZA CITY, Gaza (AP)—France and Egypt announced an initiative to Submitted by bent-not-broken on 01-01-09, 12:08 p.m. stop the fi ghting in Gaza late Tuesday, hours after Israeli mortar I know very few of you have heard of Sally Desprez and Vandy student that shells exploded near a U.N. school sheltering hundreds of people was killed in ‘75, unless you are keeping up with the local news. The man who displaced by the onslaught on Hamas militants. At least 30 HIGH , LOW raped and killed her is coming up for trial later this month and it is important 43 33 Palestinians died, staining streets with blood. Partly cloudy that we, present and past Vandy sisters and brothers, show up when we can French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner released no details of the cease-fi re plan, saying at the U.N. Security Council that the presidents to support the family in court. I knew Sally since junior high, as a shy little THURSDAY of his country and Egypt were awaiting a response from Israel. black kid who did not fi t anywhere. Her boisterous group took me under Israeli offi cials in Jerusalem declined immediate comment on the their wings, gave me a nickname, a place and a clique, that not only lasted announcement, which came amid diplomatic eff orts by the U.S. and through high school, but through college and life.