This Halloween, do not conform to the traditional pumpkin uses. After carving a wicked witch, spooky-cat or Scooby Doo, take pumpkin uses a little further by using your scraps to cook some delicious recipes or show off your craft skills.

Pumpkins are some of the essential players in most October festivities. Everyone knows fall would not be complete without the usual display of the scary, silly and spooked pumpkin cutouts on porches and window sills. According to pumpkinfresh.com, 80 percent of the pumpkin supply in the United States is available in October

The first step in creative pumpkin usage is taking the precautions to preserve your pumpkin. After you cut your pumpkin open and clean the inside, rub petroleum jelly on the insides and carved sections of your pumpkin. Vegetable oil can also be substituted for petroleum jelly.  This will make your pumpkin more resistant to rotting.

More creative pumpkin uses

Pumpkin Treat Basket: The traditional candle in the pumpkin trend is officially out of style this year. A new way to get the most out of your design and keep it crafty is by filling it with your favorite candy. Gold wrapped mini-Snickers or Three Musketeers are the perfect candies for this project. They imitate the illumination effect of flickering candlelight perfectly. Of course, any candy will work and the more diverse the treats the better.  The treat could always be the pumpkin itself with the following edible goodies.

Pumpkin Pancakes: There’s nothing better then waking up to warm, buttered, maple-syrup-covered pancakes in the morning. Adding canned, freshly prepared or frozen pumpkin puree helps season up your breakfast. With the exception of the 2 cups of pumpkin puree and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin pancakes are made exactly like regular pancakes. Breakfast will be complete after adding bacon, scrambled eggs and warm apple cider to the menu.

Pumpkin Pudding: Aside from roasted pumpkin seeds there are plenty of ways to get the most out of your pumpkin insides. Using 4 eggs, 1 one-pound can of pumpkin, 1/2 cup light molasses, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger and 1 cup milk, pumpkin pudding is the most simple recipe using pumpkin puree. (Find the whole recipe on cook.com). Best of all, it is healthy as well as delicious. The final product can be kept in any refrigerator in an apartment or dorm.

This Halloween, embrace the orange gourd and do something creative.

—

It’s finally the moment everyone has been waiting for, the infamous Ohio University Halloween weekend. People from all over Ohio and the United States are coming to Athens to celebrate this momentous occasion. Upperclassmen cannot wait to reenact last year and freshmen wait in anticipation to see if it lives up to the hype.

The most commonly asked question of the past few weeks has been, “What are you going to be for Halloween?” and it’s on everyone’s mind. So here’s some advice for anyone who has waited until the last minute and is now in panic mode: relax. The following are a few tips that should make the big decision of what to wear easy, affordable and guaranteed to make others look.

DO:

Go vintage. Sporting a look from the ‘50s through the ‘80s is a great way to have a unique costume while not trying too hard or spending too much money.

Go thrifting in places such as the Athens Underground and the costume shop at 12 S. Court St. The second floor of the costume shop has many rare finds at cheap prices.  Thrift stores such as Goodwill, New-To-You Thrift Shoppe and Re-Use Thrift Store are great places to look for cheap alternatives to otherwise more expensive costumes.

Create group costumes. When in doubt, band together with some friends to create a more elaborate costume. For example, one bowling pin is mediocre. A bowling ball knocking down nine bowling pins is hilarious.

Try using your sense of humor. Even the simplest of costumes can be a success as long as it can make people laugh.

Raid other people’s closets. Everyone has obscure clothes that they never wear, and some are the makings of a brilliant costume.

Be as creative as possible. Simply look around wherever you go for inspiration. Any object can be turned into a costume.

DON’T:

Wear lingerie and call it a costume. No one wants to be asked what his or her costume is and have nothing to say. There’s also the warmth factor that make this “costume” less than ideal.  This year, the weather looks warmer than most.  Either way, don’t take a chance with something super skimpy.

Go to Court Street without a costume.

Make your costume too abstract. You might become distracted from the festivities if you have to explain your costume all night to the drunken masses.

Be any sort of sexy animal. Unless it is something extremely creative like a platypus. In that case, it is acceptable.

Be a dick. Literally, every year people think that they are the first ones to think of being a penis for Halloween. Just to clear it up, yes it has been done before.

Go drag. This is for the guys; Halloween is not an excuse to live out fantasies of womanhood.

—

The Bronx Bombers are at it again this year. After a brief hiatus from the MLB playoffs, the New York Yankees entered this year’s playoffs hungry for their 27th World Series title. After losing four games to the Cleveland Indians in the 2007 American League Division Series and missing the postseason altogether last year, Yankees GM Brian Cashman did what he could to ensure that his team would be as successful as possible this year.

Winning is of utmost importance to Cashman, and missing the postseason is unacceptable. As a result, Cashman, always a big spender during the offseason, spent millions to upgrade his team in hopes that these new additions would help the Yankees revert back to their winning ways. Cashman spent this large sum of money on three key players: pitcher CC Sabathia ($161 million over seven years), first baseman Mark Teixeira ($180 million over eight years) and pitcher A.J. Burnett ($82.5 million over five years).

Much to Cashman’s dismay, New York struggled during the early part of the season. Part of this struggle was due to the absence of their great slugger, Alex Rodriguez, who was sidelined due to hip surgery. Later, Rodriguez was exposed for using performance-enhancing drugs early in his career, which created an overhead distraction to the team and its goal of winning baseball games. Without Rodriguez in the lineup, the Yankees were demolished by their hated rival, the Boston Red Sox.

New York could not find an answer to their woes against Boston, and they lost their first eight games against the Sox. Going into the All-Star break, Boston led the Yanks by three games in the AL East division. It seemed as if the Yankees would once again lose their division, and that their only hope would be to play for a wild card spot in the playoffs.

After the All-Star break however, the Yankees finally found their magic. They won nine of their final 10 games against Boston with a combined score of 70-44, so not only did they win, they won big. This success continued with all of their opponents, not just Boston, and the Yankees finished the regular season with the best record in the league. This, in turn, gives them home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

New York’s final regular season statistics are staggering. The team led the league in runs scored with 915 and home runs with 244. Even more impressive is that this home run hitting was spread throughout the Yankee lineup, as seven players hit at least 20 deep balls.

The individual statistics of some of the players are impressive as well. “I wasn’t about to change my mind now. Not after they got huge seasons from dynasty mainstays Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera,” said Sporting News writer Stan McNeal, who never wavered in selecting the Yankees as his favorite to win the World Series.

Later in the season, Derek Jeter eclipsed Lou Gehrig for most hits all-time as a New York Yankee. Meanwhile, Rivera earned his first career RBI on a bases-loaded walk. Also, Rivera, No. 2 to Trevor Hoffman on baseball’s career saves list, topped 40 saves for the seventh time in his hall-of-fame career.

The newcomers joined the Yankee mainstays in having impressive seasons of their own. Sabathia was tied with the Mariners’ Felix Hernandez for the most wins in the league, 19, while Teixeira’s 39 home runs were tied for the best total in the American League.

After sweeping the Minnesota Twins in the American League Division Series, the Yankees are confident in their abilities. Alex Rodriguez’s postseason struggles seem to be over, making the team deadly at the plate. The starting and relief pitching looks to be dominant as well. “From top to bottom, we’re put together real well,” Sabathia said.

Outsiders like the makeup of this team as well. “They have their most talented [pitching] rotation in a decade and have their most talented, versatile bench in years,” Sports Illustrated’s Joe Sheehan said.

“Joba [Chamberlain] in the eighth [inning], Mo [Rivera] in the ninth [inning], done deal,” former Yankee pitcher Roger Clemens said, referring to New York’s dominant relievers.

However, it is the turnaround by Sabathia and Rodriguez, two players notorious for their postseason failures, that has been the key in propelling the Yankees to win. Previously, Sabathia had a 7.71 ERA in five postseason starts and Rodriguez hit .138 in 58 postseason at-bats. This postseason however, Sabathia is 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA and Rodriguez is hitting .438 with five home runs and 12 RBIs. Rodriguez also had an eight-game RBI streak to tie Lou Gehrig and Ryan Howard for the longest ever in postseason history.

The Yankees fought off the Angels in the ALCS in a tight 4-2 series win that included two extra-inning games. As customary, Sabathia started the series and Rivera closed it out, earning his 37th career postseason save.

As the Yankees head into the 2009 World Series to play the Philadelphia Phillies, they will look to Sabathia, the ALCS MVP, and their sluggers to lead them to a 1-0 series lead. Game one will be Wednesday, Oct. 28, in Yankee Stadium.

This looks to be the Yankees’ year, and the team chemistry looks to be on a high.

“Together as a team, we know how to win,” Rodriguez said.

—

Fantasy football has become so popular that people from almost any demographic area are playing it. Excluding the older generation of people, fantasy sports is an overwhelmingly popular hobby. There is even a league consisting of seven to nine-year-olds called the Aptos Amateur Fantasy Football League. Children of this age hardly know the rules of football, much less the names and abilities of the NFL’s  players. Yet, the fathers of these children organized a draft night for them.  Will these kids pay as much attention to their teams as a typical adult participant would? Probably not, but it is truly amazing how this hobby has affected even younger children.

For the more serious fans, there is a league that is comparable to Poker’s World Series. This league, the World Championship of Fantasy Football, or WCOFF, is the nation’s original high-stakes league. Each participant is required to pay an entrance fee of $2,000, but the payout is enormous; the champion’s purse is $300,000. The draft for the WCOFF takes place annually in Las Vegas, where 70-plus leagues draft for six consecutive hours. As boring and monotonous as this may seem, this is true heaven for the fantasy football fanatic. According to David Dorey, author of Fantasy Football: The Next Level, “All serious fantasy footballers must experience the WCOFF to consider their life complete.”

For those who do not quite have the extra $2,000 to play high-stakes fantasy football, it can easily and cheaply be played from the comforts of home. One can participate in private leagues with a group of friends or family members, or in public leagues with people across the nation. I chose the latter, as I decided to play just before the season began. Luckily, there were public drafts that had not yet occurred. Believe it or not, fantasy football was not always computerized. Several people have been participating in fantasy football since the days of hand-written drafts, including schoolteacher Jerry Stebelton and police officer Dave Madison.

This year marks the 18th year that Stebelton and Madison have competed in fantasy football. They both remember the days when the drafting took all day, as it was all handwritten. They both agree that the drafting process lost its luster after the first hour. As a result, Madison quit after three years, but decided to continue competing once the drafting became computerized. This computerization has been the main factor in popularizing fantasy football; now, even people who keep very busy can participate.

Last year, Madison and his brother entered a league and split the $100 entry fee. They ended up winning their league championship along with the $600 and bobblehead trophy that went with it. This year, Madison and his brother are competing again, but he has low expectations, saying, “This year our league has 14 teams, and our team had the 13th pick in the draft, so we kind of have a crappy team.”

As for Stebelton, this will be his 18th consecutive year of playing fantasy football. He has always participated with a group of friends in a league with two conferences consisting of 11 teams each. It costs him $220 to enter, but the top prize ranges from $3,500-$4,000.

As I have found out from personal experience, fantasy football can also have its negative effects, especially on your fanhood. Madison and Stebleton share my sentiments. For example, if I am facing a fantasy team that has a Steelers player(s), I almost have to root for them to do poorly even though I dearly want the Steelers to win. Madison is a Bengals fan, and he admits to wanting them to run the ball on every play because he was facing a fantasy team that had Carson Palmer. Stebelton also roots for his fantasy team over his favorite NFL team due to the money that is involved.

So, even though it may turn you against your beloved team, fantasy football is a great hobby to participate in, even for the busiest individuals. Thought you didn’t care about every NFL game? You will.

—

Does dying of slutty nurse/sailor/witch overdose sound unappealing this Halloween weekend? No fear, Syfy has the antidote with its annual “31 Days of Halloween” marathon, guaranteed to satisfy both your fears and funny bones.

Syfy is notorious for both its awful original movies (“Aztec Rex,” anyone?) and uncanny ability to waste 90 minutes of peoples’ lives every so often with excruciatingly corny movies starring no-wonder-they’re-not-famous actors. This demonic practice of the geek’s mothership is simply unavoidable during the month of October. Syfy lets loose then, not caring that some viewers would rather see three more Saw sequels (not that that was an invitation, James Wan) than one more movie about killer bugs.

Aside from a few semi-respected horror films with why-did-I-do-that? actors (hello, Kate I’ll-make-a-zillion-romantic-comedies-and-maybe-people-will-forget-The-Skeleton-Key Hudson), this year’s crop also has a few diamonds in the rough. Or, well, at least pebbles that appear slightly shiny if one’s squinting at them from three miles away. Here are a few that fit the obligatory B-Movie categories:

The Remake:

Frankenstein Reborn

This horror film (produced by the The Asylum, an independent horror movie company guilty of many, many awful movies) is heavy on the gore, but not on the lore. The general plotline is familiar: Crazy scientist Dr. Franks does various experiments involving dead people and electricity. He eventually utters that infamous line, “He’s aliiiiiive!” and then really regrets it. In this version, however, his creation doesn’t just go around brooding all over the place. The monster (a vengeful parapalegic who had been prodded with nanotechnology-soaked medical equipment) instead goes out and kills everybody he comes by, especially if they’re hot, scantily-clad girlfriends of his creator. The acting? Awful. The special effects? Ketchupy. But this one gets props for a decent attempt at revitalizing a, um, dead tale.

The Werewolf Movie:

The Beast of Bray Road

How is it that vampires and zombies get all the lovin’ and their clawed, furry cousins are left to suffer through meals of pathetically terrible actors? In yet another werewolf movie, yet another scary beast is spotted but ignored, yet another attractive woman is eaten and yet another hot sheriff is forced to face the facts that, yeah, there’s a big, hairy half-wolf half-man out there feeding on half-naked chicks. Kudos for trying to be cool by basing this on a “true story.” There’s a myth dating back to the early 1800’s about a werewolf in Wisconsin. Wikipedia it. Unfortunately, the scare factor is way outnumbered by the humor factor. After all, apparently werewolves aren’t very wolf-like—instead, they resemble humongous, slobbery monkeys.

The Based-on-an-Ancient-Native-American-Myth Movie:

Bone Eater

Not only did the Americans come and steal all of the Native Americans’ land, but they have also managed to steal their ancient myths and/or rituals and make horrible B-movies out of them. There is nothing original about this film – half Native American sheriff (who, of course, ignores his heritage and is way out of touch with his Grandmother Willow) has to investigate a construction site (which, duh, used to be an ancient burial ground) where three workers mysteriously died after messing with some leftover relics (darn those spiteful Katonahs and their “forgotten” artifacts). Of course, what really happened was that they unleashed a powerful demon-like spirit who is now out to kill everyone, including the Wise Native American and his Pretty Native American Princess daughter. This cornucopia of awfulness was created by the same company that did Frankenstein Reborn, so it had promise. But just taking other people’s ideas and making terrible movies out of them? Never a good idea.

Sequel to a Movie that had Jennifer Aniston in it:

Leprechaun 2

Because the title of this category was probably misread, this fact must be restated: JENNIFER ANISTON IS NOT IN THIS MOVIE. Thank God, too, because she probably would have shot herself afterward if she had been a part of quite possibly one of the worst sequels ever (granted, this was before Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood was made). As if the idea of an evil leprechaun isn’t lame enough, this sequel finds that the evil leprechaun is kinda horny and looking for some unsuspecting, albeit sexy, woman (read: NOT Jennifer Aniston) to be his bride. Death and blood ensue. Oh, and a permanent distaste toward Lucky Charms.

Obligatory Paranormal Documentary:

Children of the Grave (Airs November 1, 4 a.m.)

In all honesty, this documentary about pint-sized ghosts isn’t lame at all—in fact, it’s pretty freaking creepy. This collection of tales explores spooky legends/urban myths ranging from poltergeists to haunted orphanages. There are no awful actors, no excessive blood, and no topless girls in sight. And as everyone knows from movies such as Poltergeist and nearly every movie ever adapted from Japan or Korea: Kids. Are. Creepy. Especially dead ones who come back and try to dismember you on a regular basis.

The WTF Movie:

Reign of the Gargoyles

Yes, that was read correctly: REIGN OF THE GARGOYLES. These aren’t Disney’s gargoyles. These are WWII-soldier-eating, results-of-a-Nazi-experiment, poorly-CGI-animated BEASTS. The premise is pretty self-explanatory: It’s the middle of WWII and a bunch of rookie soldiers are dropped into enemy territory. They expected to see horrific things thanks to their enemies, but they never expected gray, minature-dragon-looking creatures to grab them by their ankles and eat them. This movie is the definition of “you’ve got to be kidding me—they actually MADE a movie like that?!” They don’t come much cornier. Honestly. How in the world does someone convince an actor to star in something like this? Perhaps it’s really a deep, metaphorical jab at Hitler … or, erm, perhaps not.

—

Well it’s that time of year again. With Halloween just around the corner, who doesn’t like to turn on the television to catch a Halloween episode of their favorite sitcom? We’re well into the 13 Nights of Halloween and people everywhere are hoping to stumble upon their old favorites. As you turn the lights down low and flip on the TV, you may notice that most Halloween-inspired episodes circle around similar traits that are sure to have you shaking in your boots.

Trickery is one of the traits found in many episodes. In the “Home Improvement” version, the Taylor family is tired of Tim scaring them each year. This year, they decide to give him a taste of his own medicine. The family misleads Tim into believing their loyal neighbor Wilson has been murdered. The episode ends with the coroner wheeling Wilson (face half-way covered, of course) out on a stretcher. Wilson then pops up and surprises Tim, giving him the fright this time around.

The Connors are at it again in season two “Roseanne” episode “BOO.” Dan and Roseanne compete with each other for “Master of Halloween Fright.” Ultimately, Roseanne takes the cake: scaring Dan, who is waiting to hear about an important business deal.

You might not think a doll running amuck is that scary…until you watch an episode with a ventriloquist dummy. In the “Family Matters” Halloween episode, ventriloquist Steve Urkel’s look-alike dummy comes alive. He goes by “Stevil” and wreaks havoc on the Winslow family on Halloween night. The family joins forces and brings Stevil to rest…until season 9, that is. In episode 7 of that season, Stevil makes a shocking return in “Stevil II: This Time He’s Not Alone.” In round two, Stevil brings along a sidekick, Carlsbad. The dummies try to take over the souls of Urkel and Carl — doing away with anyone who gets in the way.

In “Goosebumps” “Night of the Living Dummy,” evil doll Slappy has a mind of his own. If his name doesn’t send chills down your spine, his actions will. Slappy is found in a dumpster by a girl who brings him home. What started out as a child’s toy quickly turns into an evil villain. Slappy is on a quest to imprison his new “family” and keep them as his own personal slaves.
Ventriloquist dummies may not be scary to some, but they had others throwing their dolls into the back of the closet for the whole month of October…or so I’ve heard, at least.

Another memorable setting that sitcoms use is the school. Many characters are often trapped in their schools because, well, few things are more terrifying than that.

In the Halloween episode of “My So-Called Life,” Angela and her friends are trapped in their school and teleported back to the 1960’s. Angela comes in contact with a boy from that era who has been dead for years.

Again, in the “Boy Meets World” episode, the gang finds themselves trapped in John Adams High. One spooky night, Cory, Topanga, Shawn, Angela, and Kenny get stuck in detention. Things start to get suspicious when Mr. Feeny disappears and “No One Gets out Alive” is written on the blackboard in blood. The students race through the locked hallways, searching for answers. The killer reaches the gang and starts to take them down one-by-one. The only survivors are Shawn, Cory and Topanga — until Shawn awakens from his dream, of course.

Though these frightful episodes might not give you the heebie-jeebies that they used to, it’s still fun to trail down memory lane. Oh what Halloween used to be…

With the leaves changing color and the weather getting colder, what better to do than to hole up in a dimly lit room and read a horrifying novel? Halloween is only a few days away and reading Mark Z. Danielewski’s “House of Leaves” is a perfect way to embrace the season. “House of Leaves” is a truly disquieting novel that transcends description. On the surface it is a horror novel, but beneath it is love, satire, disenfranchisement, and much more.

Forget, for a minute, traditional story telling and literature. “House of Leaves” is not about that. It begins telling the tale of a distraught twenty-something, Johnny Truant. With a rampant sex life and abuse of various drugs, Truant is the ideal anti-hero, never thinking about his future and working a dead-end job at a tattoo parlor. He is looking for a new place to live when his friend, Lude, calls him and tells him about an apartment that just opened up near him. Apparently the old man who lived there, Zampanò, died and left no family or apparent valuables behind.

Truant goes to check out the apartment and everything seems to be in order, except for a few unexplainable gouges about seven inches long in the floor. They are near where Zampanó’s body was found, but the police dismissed it because there seemed to be no sign of struggle. While Truant is looking at the gouges, Lude points out a peculiar mass in the room. Off to the side, there is a giant heap of objects; sporadic and random, writing on everything, no surface left untouched. Immediately upon looking at it, Truant senses that it has some kind of power, some deeper meaning left to be uncovered.

This is where the story starts to deviate. Truant takes some writings from the heap home and begins reading them, and finds a note written by Zampanò just one day before he died. It reads, “Whoever finds and publishes this work shall be entitled to all proceeds. I ask only that my name take its rightful place. Perhaps you will even prosper. If, however, you discover that readers are less than sympathetic and choose to dismiss this enterprise out of hand, then may I suggest you drink plenty of wine and dance in the sheets of your wedding night, for whether you know it or not, now you truly are prosperous. They say truth stands the test of time. I can think of no greater comfort than knowing this document failed such a test.”

One would think that just this alone would be enough to dissuade Truant from continuing. But he reads on, at first only reading a few pieces a day, never for more than an hour at a time. But it slowly progresses until it overtakes his life. Slowly, he becomes a shut in. He never goes out anymore, he boards his windows and buys more locks for his doors. Disorientation and sickness are commonplace. Truant makes it his purpose to transcribe Zampanò’s works and piece them all together. He soon discovers that Zampanò’s writings chronicle the story of Will Navidson, a famous photojournalist who decided to make a documentary of his family’s move into a new house. His documentary became known as “The Navidson Record.” “House of Leaves” contains Zampanò’s full recording of “The Navidson Record,” while following Truant as he finished Zampanò’s work and experiences the unraveling of his own mind.

Danielewski’s artistic approach to this novel gives it a unique feel not found in any other book. He makes use of extensive footnotes to break up the stories in a way that seems schizophrenic. Not that this is a bad thing; the chaotic vibes and staggered structure complement the story in ways that words cannot. Throughout the story references are made to imaginary sources and things that never existed. Oftentimes footnotes themselves have their own footnotes. This creates a confusing feeling and leads one to continuously flip back and forth through pages trying to piece everything together. The general disarray of this may lose and dishearten some, but if one is willing to make the effort to struggle through it, the results are thoroughly rewarding.

Another method of experimentation that Danielewski toys with is page structure. Some pages may have no more than one word on them, and some may be written on sideways, upside-down, or backwards. Words are thrown everywhere in a manner that reflects the feelings of the characters at the time. Danielewski effectively communicates claustrophobic feelings through packing words together and making one feel that there is no space. Yet at other times, agoraphobia is expressed through pages with only one or two words on them, extremely spaced out. Danielewski also utilizes a bit of color; every time the word “house” appears, it is in blue font, leading one to feel that this word holds some power compared to the rest. This visual approach to emotions adds a palpable quality to the terror inherent in his writing. It acts as a catalyst to the disturbance and unease slowly creeping from the pages.

This is not a conventional horror novel. This book does not shock or make the reader fear things rational and perceivable. While reading this novel, one starts to feel that things are different. Life-long truths are suddenly cast in a different light. Is perceived reality really the truth? “House of Leaves” will leave the reader with a feeling of unease that nests deep in his core. As Truant states, toward the beginning of the book, “Old shelters – television, magazines, movies – won’t protect you anymore.” The barriers have been broken. Never again will readers of this novel look at things the same way. Rarely can it be said that a novel has the power to change a life, but “House of Leaves” does just that. It exposes that which society would rather not think about and stresses its importance.

Apart from the stories and copious footnotes themselves, “House of Leaves” features large amounts of added content, like three appendixes that include pictures, poems, letters to Truant from his mother, various quotations and much more. The staggering amount of information and content in this book is enough to make one’s mind swim, and the fact that Danielewski connects it all and delivers a clear message is a literary feat that others would be hard pressed to match. For this being his debut novel, Danielewski delivered a book unmatched in its style and relentless power.

So for those looking for something to fill the void between now and Halloween, pick up this novel and be ready for a shift in perspective. “House of Leaves” will certainly prepare the reader for this weekend’s festivities and all the scares that come with it. If one can contemplate the horrors of the self and the fact that things are not truly as we know them, then one can handle any other horror that our zombie and “Paranormal Activity” obsessed culture can throw at them. Be prepared for things to subtly change form and look differently, and for facts to take on a different meaning. While this may seem unwanted, these changes should be welcome. It’s an opening of the eyes that once embraced, can lead to an understanding that there is more out there than anyone can imagine or perceive.

—

]]> http://mmnq8nh5cj.web.aplus.net/wordpress/entertainment/2009/10/1285/feed http://mmnq8nh5cj.web.aplus.net/wordpress/sports/2009/10/1270 http://mmnq8nh5cj.web.aplus.net/wordpress/sports/2009/10/1270#comments Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:01:14 +0000 Matthew Pentz http://mmnq8nh5cj.web.aplus.net/wordpress/?p=1270

Ohio University cornerback Idris Lawrence tackles Kent State wide receiver Tyshon Good early in the game on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009 at Peden Stadium. Photo by Sean Work for Speakeasy.

]]> http://mmnq8nh5cj.web.aplus.net/wordpress/sports/2009/10/1270/feed http://mmnq8nh5cj.web.aplus.net/wordpress/sports/2009/10/1199 http://mmnq8nh5cj.web.aplus.net/wordpress/sports/2009/10/1199#comments Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:00:43 +0000 Matthew Pentz http://mmnq8nh5cj.web.aplus.net/wordpress/?p=1199 This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series Heart of the Fan -->

Neyland Stadium, Photo by Matthew Pentz.

The first question the group of Ohio fans encountered after making the journey south of the Mason-Dixon Line wasn’t “How do you think your offense will perform against an elite defense?”  Nor was it “Do you think Frank Solich’s past at Nebraska helped him better prepare the team for a game in a hostile environment?”  In reality, the question asked over and over to the traveling Bobcats fans was “Where is Athens, Ohio?”

It is never a good sign when your team is a 23-point underdog on the road against one of the traditional powers of college football, but it’s an even worse sign when no one can even locate your school on the map.  Welcome to SEC country.  A surprising trait about the Tennessee fans was their friendliness – the stereotypical Southern Gentlemen and Belles came to mind. Before and after the game, it really seemed like they wanted the Bobcat fans to feel welcome.  During the game, however, any questioning of the Volunteers or calls that went in their favor was about as dangerous as asking “Who won the Civil War?”

While walking into Neyland Stadium, the first thing to notice is the vastness.  I’ve been to a few 100,000 plus stadiums before, but this is the first one I’ve seen that is completely enclosed, instead of having open ends or sections.  The seats rise up from the field level, seemingly straight up, and even the nosebleed seats seem close to the field, albeit at terrifying angles. The odd sensation makes one feel as though it would be possible to jump from the top row right onto the field.  By kickoff, the stadium was 90 percent orange and the “Pride of the Southland” band had the Vols fans ready to pounce on their smaller conference foes.  Against these odds, the chances of the Bobcats emerging from Knoxville with a win looked pretty slim, especially after a quick opening drive gave the Volunteers a 7-point advantage.

Undaunted, Chris Garrett took back an electrifying kickoff return the length of the field faster than the crowd could sing the chorus of “Rocky Top.”  For those who don’t know what “Rocky Top” is, it is the Tennessee fight song that the fans break out at any opportunity, be it a touchdown or a mere 5-yard gain.  When the momentum is really going, however, it can feel like sitting in the middle of a deafening orange cauldron, with the stadium seating going straight up all around and the Vols fans singing at full volume.  Doubts still lingered in the minds of the Bobcat fans even after that exciting play, but they were erased after Theo Scott found LaVon Brazill in the back of the end zone to give the Bobcats a 14-7 lead.  College football nation was on upset alert.

Scott gave Tennessee one back at the end of the half, though, after he was pressured into an errant screen pass thrown right to the defensive end, putting the Vols back up by 7 at the half.  It was a wonder that the singing of “Rocky Top” wasn’t heard all the way back in Athens.  During the break, the Marching 110 received a standing ovation from the home crowd, and there seemed to be a sense of surprise in the crowd that the “Yankees” knew how to put on a football show of their own.

The Bobcats fought to stay in the game in the second half, and they looked to have been rewarded when a Jonathon Crompton fumble was returned 50 yards to cut the Tennessee lead to 5.  Seemingly back from the dead, the thousand or so traveling fans were louder than the 80,000 home ones.  But just as quickly as it happened, it was taken away.  The call was reviewed and overturned, just like the momentum.

Ohio managed to stay within striking distance the rest of the way, but after Scott’s pass went begging with 40 seconds to play, the Volunteer victory was sealed.  Walking out of Neyland Stadium, the main comment coming from the football disciples of the South was “That was a great game your team played tonight.”  Moral victories mean little when sitting at .500, but if OU shows the same resiliency throughout the MAC schedule, seeing the Bobcats out of bowl contention at the end of the year would be as shocking as the UT fans looked when they went down 14 to 7.

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Students should try to ignore the frequent texts describing the nearest party and walk the family over to Ping Center instead. Some good, old-fashioned Halloween fun will be had. Planet Ping will be entertaining people of all ages between 9 p.m. and 12 a.m., providing hay rides, games, a bonfire, a hypnotist, prizes and the ever-enticing free food. The entertainment is free for Ping members and$6 for non-members.

For those who love the fresh morning air, head to Ping bright and early on Saturday, Oct. 24th, to join the Family Weekend 5K Walk/Run. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the race begins at 8:30 a.m. Though registration is free, money or food donations to support the Athens County Food Bank are encouraged.

The second annual Rise n’ Shine with the ‘Rents Breakfast will be held the same morning at 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. at the Baker Center Ballroom for hungry runners or students and parents who aren’t out as early. The breakfast, sponsored by the Ohio University Program Council (UPC) and the Dean of Students Office, costs $7 for students and $10 for non-students. The menu consists of scrambled eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage links, hash browns and fresh fruit. Students can get on the parents’ good side by starting the morning right with the most important meal of the day.

A variety of other activities are available all day, including cornhole tournaments, a daytime hiking trip to Old Man’s Cave and museum tours to help keep the family fun going.  Students should not forget to stop by Peden Stadium at 2 p.m. to watch Ohio football take on Kent State and cheer the Bobcats to victory.

After the game, take the excitement to the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium for the biggest event of the night. Set up by the UPC, Ben Bailey, a celebrated comedian of 10 years and the host of the popular television show “Cash Cab,” will be performing at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24th. Tickets can be found by going to the UPC Web site, http://www.ohio.edu/orgs/upc/events/specialevents.html, or by calling the ticket office at 740-593-1780. Tickets are also on sale at the Auditorium. Do not miss a great show, and order tickets as soon as possible.

Students and their parents can wrap up the evening by taking the family to a movie, “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.” The movie starts at 9 p.m. and costs $1, cheap enough to take the family out.

After the family decides to head home on Sunday, exchange hugs and kisses, wave goodbye and head back to the dorm. Contemplate doing the homework for the week, feeling confident the family has enjoyed an entertaining weekend and knows their son or daughter has adjusted to college life.

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