The Clarion, Vol. 82, Issue #15 - Jan. 18, 2017 - Brevard College

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Jan 18, 2017 - is now 2017 and Brevard College is once again in full swing after the winter .... be the 45th President o
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Clarion

Volume 82, Issue 15 Web Edition

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BC Cycling National Champs again! Read about it on page 8.

SERVING BREVARD COLLEGE SINCE 1935

January 18, 2017

level. He was part of the Tennessee State coaching staff for a total of six seasons as well as the Assistant Offensive Line coach for the Arizona Cardinals from 2004-2006 and the Assistant Tight Ends Coach for the Washington Redskins from 2007-2009. During his career, Khayat has been on the sidelines with successful NFL coaches and various Hall of Famers. He’s coached among

the likes of Joe Gibbs, Dennis Green, Jim Zorn, and Mike Holmgren. As the Tornados prepare for the 2017 season, Khayat will look to lead Brevard to its first winning season since the 2009-2010 season. They will open up the season as a member of the Division III USA South Conference. With Khayat the helm, the future for Brevard College football is bright and headed in the right direction.

Khayat becomes 11th BC head football coach By Bryant Baucom Staff Writer

While students were on Christmas break relaxing after completing the fall semester, Brevard was busy at work hiring former NFL tight end Bill Khayat to be the eleventh head football coach in school history. The Camden, New Jersey native was formally introduced in a press conference at the college on Thursday, Jan. 12. During the press conference, Athletic Director Juan Mascaro displayed his enthusiasm in the hiring of Khayat. “We are excited to have someone with Coach Khayat’s vision, energy and charisma for the game of football,” Mascaro said. “He brings a great deal of professional and collegiate coaching experience, along with the drive to make Brevard College a Division III powerhouse. Under Coach Khayat’s leadership, I look forward to the success of our studentathletes in the classroom and on the field.” Khayat will be replacing the all-time winningest football coach at Brevard, Paul Hamilton, who resigned in November following the 2016 season. Bill Khayat returns to coaching following a successful career at Duke University and a stint in the NFL as a tight end. Khayat was AllACC second team in both 1994 and 1995 while becoming the first tight end in 25 years to lead the Blue Devils in receiving. He was also an All-American Honorable Mention in 1994 and set records for both receptions and yards in the Hall of Fame Bowl in 1995. Following his career at Duke, he had a stint in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Oilers, and the Carolina Panthers. Prior to earning the head coaching gig at Brevard, Khayat has 16 years of coaching experience at both the collegiate and professional

Photos courtesy of Brevard College Instagram

New BC Football Coach Bill Khayat spoke at a press conference in the Porter Center on Thursday, Jan. 12 for the first time since being hired.

Campus News

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January 18, 2017

New winter Snow delays first specials around the day of classes area By Asa Gray Staff writer

By Jeni Welch Staff writer



Welcome back, Brevard College students! It is now 2017 and Brevard College is once again in full swing after the winter season’s first snow. Prior to students returning, the campus had roughly six inches of snow. The winter weather typically makes it difficult to enjoy outdoor activities like hiking and paddling. If winter decides to return Brevard has more indoor activities for students both on and off campus. On campus events are always changing and offering new experiences and extracurricular activities for students. On the first Friday of every month, Open Mic Night is held in the Underground starting at 9 p.m. The Campus Activity Board (CAB) holds meetings at 5 p.m. every Wednesday. Be sure to watch the My Brevard calendar and emails for more information on events on and off campus. Pescado’s is having Taco Tuesdays and Burrito Fridays throughout the winter season. After 6 p.m. on Tuesdays, tacos are $1 off and on Fridays, burritos are $1 off. BC students and staff also receive 10 percent discount. As of January 1, Sora’s began their annual buy one get one sushi nights. On Mondays and Thursdays all sushi is BOGO for eat in or carry out along with a 10 percent discount to students. The Rockin’ Bowl Bowling Alley offers dollar bowling games on Wednesdays for Happy Hour between 6 and 7 p.m. and have free shoe rentals that same evening. They also offer BC students $2 shoe rentals and $2 games on Saturdays with student IDs. They also have billiards for only $10 an hour. The Brevard Rock Gym offers a 25 percent discount to all BC faculty, students and alumni. The Co-ed Cinema offers the matinee price for all shows with your student ID. Many other businesses offer student discounts with student IDs as well, such as Cardinals, Creekside Subs, and Jet’s Pizza. A full list can be found on the Brevard website under the Spend Locally link.

Much of the southeastern United States was recently hammered with dangerous snowy and icy conditions. Within the first week of 2017, a wild wintry weather brought a halt to most people’s daily schedules for several days and even delayed the start of classes for the spring semester at Brevard College. Brevard itself was blanketed with a few inches of snow, which was enough to bury all grassy surfaces and sidewalks. Stan Jacobsen, the director of safety, security and risk management at Brevard College, sent out a campus-wide email alerting students and faculty alike to “exercise reasonable caution” and “when walking please be aware of icy areas to avoid slipping and falling.” Gusty winds did not help the stormy situation,

as they were responsible for blowing and drifting snow, which in the most affected areas of the storm had the capability to create temporary white-out conditions. Airports across the eastern seaboard were very attentive of rapidly changing situation. Most, if not all airports, had to delay and cancel flights due to poor visibility. It was practically impossible for travelers to arrive due to very slippery travel conditions. There was some significant ice accumulation reported, up to a half an inch, as far south as Atlanta, Georgia. The refreezing of surfaces was also a primary concern, as any melting that occurred throughout the day likely turned back to ice. Overnight temperatures were bitterly cold, bottoming out in the teens and 20s. Ever since the storm, temperatures have moderated significantly and all signs of winter are now a distant memory. A January thaw is in full force.

Prepare to be mystified Sailesh The Hypnotist has been baffling crowds for more than 20 years, performing in more than 5,000 shows around the world. He has shared the stage with many famous musical acts including Mötley Crüe, Skrillex, Bruno Mars and more. His interactive performances that combine hypnosis, improvisation, music and comedy have won him numerous awards. They include being named Association of the Promotion of Campus Activities’ (APCA) 2014 Hypnotist of the Year and Campus Activities Magazines 2016 Entertainer of the Year. Brevard College has had hypnotists perform on campus before, but this is Sailesh’s first time on campus and the Campus Activities Board (CAB) is very excited for the student body to witness an amazing performance. The hypnotist’s show will be at 9 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19 at Dunham Hall, but CAB has said that Sailesh will also be in Myers Dining Hall at 6:30 p.m. to help get everyone pumped up for the show.

Both CAB and many of the students are looking forward to this event and they are hoping that the student body will take the time to come out and enjoy the show.

Photo courtesy of CAB

Sailesh The Hypnotist

January 18, 2017 | The Clarion

Opinion

Trump 45th President of the United States By Florian Peyssonneaux Staff Writer

Almost three weeks have passed since the beginning of 2017, and things are already taking a very bad turn. For people who thought that this year was going to be better than the last, you might have to wait a while. On Friday Jan. 20, President-Elect Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence will take office after the inauguration ceremony at the Capitol in Washington D.C. As the world holds its breath for this upcoming event, the presidency of Donald Trump is now the biggest concern that people have in mind, because of the all the nonsense that this new government can create. Consequently, the next months are going to be intriguing, because we are facing uncertainty on what Trump is going to do, grab, or piss on. President-Elect Trump has always shown that he is a demagogue with an outsized ego, narcissism, an impulsive mood, and a tendency to contradict his every word in the following sentence, which many may argue is not the best attribute to be leader of a country. I think that one the most disturbing aspects in Trump being President is his will to undo all the work that has been accomplished by President Obama, specifically his intentions to replace current policy with his own obscure “plans.” Starting with ObamaCare, for example, which will, according to Trump be repealed because it is a “complete and total disaster.” The first action he promised to do as President will cause terrible damage to over twenty million Americans who are currently insured under ObamaCare. Trump’s nomination also brings into question the relationships that the U.S has with current allies, and foreign nations. His admiration for dictators such as Vladimir Putin, Bashar alAssad, or Muammar Gaddafi is frightening,

and can bring diplomatic tensions in the world. Trump’s press conference on Jan. 11 gave us a good idea of what kind of a President he is going to be. Donald Trump will be a unique President in a very negative sense. He does everything differently from formers Presidents; as an illustration, Trump still hasn’t released his tax returns, and prefers Twitter to communicate with the American people. Nonetheless, I have to agree on one point with him. In a Tweet that he wrote before his most recent and only press conference since Nov. 8, Trump declared “Are we living in Nazi Germany?” talking about some leaks from the intelligence agencies about “fake news”. Yes, it does look like Nazi Germany when the President-Elect refuses to hear, let alone answer questions from national news channel like CNN, while branding it “a terrible organization” that reports “fake news”. For people who still believe that Donald Trump will be a good President, or that he is not going to do what he intended in his campaign you might be disappointed. Trump is going to be the 45th President of the U.S on Friday, and from that moment we just have to hope that he keeps the relationships with countries like China better than the way he treats the media. On the bright side of Trump’s inauguration hundreds of thousands of people are expected to come to Washington D.C to protest against President Trump and what he stands for. It already started on Jan. 14 with a March for immigrants and refugees, Students walkout on inauguration day, and a historic Women’s March on Jan. 21. I don’t think that we should expect a revolutionary movement, but those people who go out on the streets, who protest, and don’t give up on their ideas are the ones that keep this country free.

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Final Fantasy XV review By Alexis Henley Staff writer



Final Fantasy XV is an open world RPG that follows the story of Prince Noctis and his fellow companions Prompto, Ignis, and Gladiolus. The bond between these long-time friends is the largest aspect that keeps the story afloat. The other aspects such as the romance ends up being only a few cutscenes and the danger that floats around the Prince’s land only materializes substantially near the end. Final Fantasy XV starts with the quartet setting out on a road trip to Altissia, one of the three kingdoms of the world, so that Noctis and Lunafreya’s wedding can take place. Things take a turn, however; when the four receive news that Insomnia, their home, was attacked and Noctis’s father has been assassinated. From there on out the four are tasked with finding ancient weapons passed down Noctis’s family line in order to reclaim his throne. The open world design was heavily inspired by The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The fluidity of battle and the chance of finding an overpowered enemy around the beginning area are just a couple of the aspects in which these two games share similarities. While the world and the fluid combat are certainly nice aspects of the game the biggest attribute that brought in so many players is the so called bromance between the four main characters. From the second you meet the four friends you realize just how close they are and how long they’ve been friends. As a player, I started to feel as if I was a part of their little group and even the smallest details put in speak depths about their relationship. Despite this, the game did have some drawbacks. Since I’m being completely honest here I should mention that this is the first Final Fantasy game I’ve played. I’ve clocked in close to 10 hours of gameplay and I still find myself confused about what exactly is going on. But that is to be expected since I know literally nothing about the lore. However, I learned that to get a full understanding of FFXV itself one must watch Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, which is a movie that came out in August of 2016, and Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV, which is See ‘Final Fantasy XV’ page 5

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January 18, 2017

A college student’s guide to Brevard breweries By Alex Perri

Staff Writer We are blessed here in Western North Carolina by the craft beer gods. Within less than a 50 mile radius of Brevard there are dozens of incredible breweries just waiting to be explored. In fact, three such breweries are located right here in Transylvania County. The college experience is typically characterized with a “quantity over quality” attitude when it comes to beer choices. Cases of PBR, Natty Lite, or Budweiser are sure to fill recycling bins on campuses nationwide come Sunday morning. While those watered down pilsners certainly have their place in the world of the college student, as a BC student though, why not do yourself a favor and check out one of these three breweries in town? Brevard Brewing Company, also known as BBC or simply “the brewery,” BBC is located on Main St. in downtown Brevard and is an easy walk or bike ride from campus. German inspired lagers are the specialty at BBC, and you won’t find a huge selection of hoppy IPAs or darker ales. But there is a well-rounded lineup with a beer sure to please any preference. At 3.75 a pint Brevard Brewing Company has some of the cheapest and most delicious beers in town.

It doesn’t usually host live music on a frequent basis, but it is a great bar for catching up with friends and maybe playing a few rounds of jenga (just be wary of the many profanities scrawled across the wooden blocks.) Oskar Blues Brewery is located a little farther outside of town off of Old Hendersonville Hwy. It is a short 5 minute drive from campus and is also easily accessible from the city bike path. Brevard (technically Pisgah Forest) is lucky to be the east coast home of Oskar Blues Brewery which prides itself on being the “original craft beer in a can.” Oskar Blues is famous for their Dales Pale Ale which falls on the hoppier side of the ales, but the brewery offers an impressive selection of about 15 beers ranging from fruity wheat beers, to dark barrel aged stouts (and everything in-between.) The brewery features a beautiful outdoor patio and an upstairs tap room. It also hosts many events throughout the year ranging from regular live music to larger parties like the Burning Can music festival or their annual New Year's Eve Hootenanny. Make sure to stop by the brewery when the Chub Waggon, the Oskar Blues food truck, is serving to taste one of the best burgers in town. Ecusta Brewing is the newest brewery to come to Brevard and is located on Main St. in Brevard across the street from Brevard Brewing

Photo courtesy of the Ecusta Brewing Facebook page

Ecusta Brewing located on Main St. in downtown Brevard, across from Brevard Brewing Co. and underneath Jaime’s Creole Brasserie.

Co. and underneath Jaime’s Creole Brasserie. Ecusta Brewing also has another taproom in Pisgah Forest, located right at the entrance to Pisgah at the intersection of Asheville Hwy and Pisgah Hwy. At Ecusta’s Main St. location the bar is situated adjacent to a large music venue that hosts local bands weekly. Ecusta’s beer lineup is diverse and changes seasonally, so this is a great place to go if you’re looking to try something new.

Photo courtesy of the Brevard Brewing Co. Facebook page

Brevard Brewing Co. located on Main St. in downtown Brevard and is an easy walk or bike ride from campus.

Photo courtesy of the Oskar Blues Brewery Facebook page

Oskar Blues Brewery is located off of Old Hendersonville Hwy.

January 18, 2017 | The Clarion

Movie Review:

Arts & Life

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Final Fantasy XV Continued from Page 3

a five-episode anime series that came out in March of 2016. It’s understandable needing to play previous games in the series to understand the world but having to go outside the game and watch two separate pieces so that you know more backstory is kind of ridiculous. This so far is the only large drawback from the game. The game looks aesthetically pleasing, has a wonderfully told relationship between the main characters, and an easy to learn battle system. Going in as a new player left me feeling confused at some points due to needing prior knowledge from the movie and the anime; however, the relationships and the world as a whole keeps me interested. I look forward to playing more.

A new classic, ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ By Michael Heiskell Opinion Editor

‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ Directed by Gareth Edwards Starring: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk Sci-Fi, 133 min, PG-13

“Rogue One” is a brilliant and unique Star Wars adventure that pays homage to the series while successfully making things their own. “Rogue One” takes place in the Star Wars universe not long before Episode IV: A New Hope. It tells the tale of Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), the daughter of one of the designers of the Death Star. She is brought into the rebellion by Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) to help steal the Death Star plans that were laid out by her father. The hard part is trying to get past the always powerful Empire and Darth Vader. The new cast of characters are wonderful. Felicity Jones does a great job as the lead role. Her character creates a sense of empathy for the audience. These characters feel like realistic characters that just happen to be in a sci-fi movie. None of them are particularly special or powerful. A group of ordinary people that accomplish spectacular things. This makes them

more relatable this way because they are just people, not possessing the extraordinary powers of people such as Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader. The cast did all of their jobs perfectly, making their characters feel real. The film’s score also creates an overwhelming emotional resonance. As the first Star Wars film composer not named John Williams, Michael Giacchino does a fantastic job. He creates very heartfelt and memorable pieces while also paying homage to the classic score. Some of the new character themes are bound to go down as perfect additions to the Star Wars musical repertoire. I’ll stay spoiler free on this one, but there is a choice that the director made which was to use CGI to bring back actors from the original movies. I won’t say who it is, but I will say that it wasn’t totally successful. It’s cool seeing these characters return to the screen, but the CGI wasn’t quite as good as it should have been. It was approaching the uncanny valley in terms of likeness, and was actually quite a distraction. Overall, this movie was pretty magical. It’s exactly what a Star Wars movie should be: fun and memorable. Star Wars movies have had their ups and downs, but this one represents one of the best in the franchise.

the Clarion Senior Staff Editor in Chief . . . . Calum McAndrew Managing Editor . . . Copy Editor . . . . . . Opinion . . . . . . . . Michael Heiskell Arts & Life . . . . . . Jordon Morgan Sports . . . . . . . . Campus News . . . . Jeni Welch Layout & Design . . . Emma Moore Faculty Advisor . . . . John B. Padgett

Other Staff Tucker Fry Florian Peyssonneaux Alexis Henley Zach Dickerson Caro Addams

Alex Perri Bryant Baucom Amanda Heskett Asa Gray Tyler Thompkins Hayleigh Mann

The Clarion is a student-run college newspaper produced by student journalists enrolled at Brevard College. Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of the staff of The Clarion. Other opinions expressed in this newspaper are those of respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty, staff or administration of Brevard College.

All correspondence should be mailed to: The Clarion, Brevard College, One Brevard College Drive, Brevard, NC 28712, or send E-mail to [email protected] clarion.brevard.edu

 Letters Policy: The Clarion welcomes

letters to the editor. We reserve the right to edit letters for length or content. We do not publish anonymous letters orw those whose authorship cannot be verified.

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Video Game Review:

Arts & Life

‘Life Is Strange’: An incredible journey through time By Jordon Morgan Staff writer



It isn’t often a game like “Life is Strange,” an episodic story-based game released in 2015, comes along. Through its careful and heartfelt approach to its storytelling, it weaves an engrossing tale that not only puts across relevant themes, but handles some of the most sensitive subject matters with a careful hand, presenting them in a way that’s believable. “Life is Strange” follows Maxine Caulfield, a photography student at a prestigious private school known as Blackwell Academy, located in the fictional town of Arcadia Bay, Oregon. Through reasons she cannot explain, Max (as she prefers to be called) has visions of a colossal tornado destroying her town and she also discovers she has the power to reverse, stop, and even go back in time. After discovering this power, Max teams up with her estranged best friend Chloe Price to figure out a way to possibly stop this vision and utilize her power to find a missing student and close friend of Chloe, Rachel Amber. The time power that Max possesses makes for a very interesting game mechanic. It comes in handy during the frequent conversations and puzzle solving situations found in the game. Since the dialogue is partially player chosen, Max has the potential to say things that will either get her in trouble, upset people, or even lead to other people’s untimely ends. The rewind power allows you to go back to the beginning of these scenarios as many times as you wish in order to make them play out how you want them to. For example, in one instance, you somehow need to acquire the keys to an RV from a very dangerous person. If you don’t pick the right dialogue, he won’t show you the keys, so you rewind. Assuming he does lay his keys, you take them right there which of course sets him off, but you rewind to the point where he has no memory of you taking them, but you have them in your possession. The use of this ability often boils down to simple (and sometimes frustrating) trial and error to figure out what exactly it is you need to do. However, this is one of the game's key

strengths, as what you should do and what you could do are not cut and dry. In turn, this ensures that the player has to think carefully about how to proceed and use all their problemsolving skills to their full ability. This also ties into the smaller aspects of the world the game creates as sometimes in your exploration you’ll see something happen to someone in the blink of an eye, after which you can use Max’s power to warn them of the impending event about to happen to them. The game’s environments give every reason for the player to explore their surroundings completely because often, the tiniest object in the furthest corner of the room can be important. Where “Life is Strange” truly shines is in its story. Time travel and manipulation is a tough subject to tackle to begin with, but the game does an excellent job of not letting it get so complex or convoluted that it loses your interest. Even more impressive is its handling of controversial subjects, such as mental illness, bullying, and the overall world of high school drama. Never does the game delve into schlock or exploitative territory and although some of the dialogue and slang that the characters use isn’t completely realistic (sometimes downright silly), it feels like a real high school with real high school problems. The aforementioned subjects that the game brings up are treated with a sensitive hand, it seemingly knows of the struggles people in these situations face and talks about them in a progressive way. The only major issue “Life Is Strange” has is in its presentation and technical performance. The graphics for the game, even on next-gen consoles, are very outdated and the animations can sometimes be very stiff and characters’ faces far too often look like dead, wooden puppets with their wide eyes and minimal lip synching. This leads to a very distracting problem as the emotion of the characters is conveyed well enough through the excellent voice acting, it isn’t as effective as it could be because the faces appear so lifeless. Technical issues aside, “Life Is Strange” is a must-have for players of all kinds. It’s excellent storytelling which can lead to some truly heart-wrenching moments combined with its unique gameplay make its $20 price tag worth every single penny. A game that truly feels as though it treats its subjects with humanity and respect should be encouraged, as it doesn’t happen as often as it should.

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January 18, 2017

Women to march on Washington By Hayleigh Mann Staff Writer

The Unity in Community march held Monday to honor the holiday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, for some BC students, was a preview of the Women’s March on Washington and Sister Marches scheduled to be held the weekend of Jan. 21. The idea of a Women’s March on Washington, set for the day after Inauguration Day, started as a Facebook page just days after the election results and has now grown to an estimated 200,000 people expected to participate. Since its inception, Gloria Steinem and Harry Belafonte have been named as the event’s hosts and more than 200 groups have signed on as supporting partners. The issues they represent are as diverse as the environment, racial and gender equality, legal abortion, a free press, a higher minimum wage, voting rights’, prisoners’ rights, gun safety, and affordable healthcare- to name a few. “Inclusivity isn’t just part of the march- it is the foundation of this march…” Bob Bland, one of the organizers of the March comments on how people who identify as republican that did not agree with President- elect Trump’s language during the campaign season are encouraged to still attend. “…We must have proportional leadership for all, not just women, but when you look at the face of this nation that needs to be the face of our leadership.” More than 300 local marches organized in solidarity will simultaneously occur across all 50 states. According to the Mountain Express Press Release, The Women’s March on Asheville will be held on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 11 a.m. at Pack Square. Regardless of party affiliation, the purpose of peaceful demonstrations nationwide is to send a message to the new Presidential administration as well as to our re-elected federal, state, and local officials. The message is that we are calling for representation in government for all and we will not be forced to tolerate anything less. How do you want to be represented? Who will you tell?

January 18, 2017 | The Clarion

Fine Arts exhibition to open Friday

Arts & Life

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By Elizabeth Harrison

Director of Communications and Media Relations The Brevard College Fine Arts Department opens its first exhibition of the year, “8 Days a Week” on Friday, Jan. 20. The community is invited to an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. in Sims Art Center’s Spiers Gallery. This free exhibit of sculptural works will run through Feb. 17. The show features pieces by Joe Bigley, Travis Donovan and Adam Adcock. The artists use a variety of media – from found objects to traditional fabrication – to critically analyze common metaphors found in the everyday “domestic” scene. Pillows, La-Z-Boys, beds and rocking chairs become meaningful translators of a story and a desire beyond the mundane. The artists bring a range of viewpoints to this theme, from absurdity to contemplative compositions. Adcock says he is proud to initiate in Brevard what he hopes will become a traveling exhibition. “The mountains of North Carolina mean a lot to us for several reasons; a rich heritage of craft in handmade items, a rich culture of hardworking agrarian families, and a place where ‘home life’ is steeped in tradition,” he says. Bigley Donovan, and Adcock shared an undergraduate experience together in Studio Art at Appalachian State University, where they studied under current BC sculpture instructor Kyle Lusk. The three separated paths as they studied art at various graduate programs, but have reconnected with a commonality that is reconstructing new identities; through career, the start of new families, and by creating a new sense of “home.” This transition into new exciting territory creates questions as much as it creates belonging. “This exhibition is full of content, meant to spark feelings,” Adcock says. “We expect that viewers will find a range of reactions spanning from humor to serious contemplation. We hope that viewers will both agree and disagree with some of the ideas, but mostly question the constructs that surround us in the domestic landscape.” Gallery hours for the show are 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. weekdays when the College is in session. All exhibitions are free and open to the public.

‘Marco Polo’: Beautiful to look, a struggle to watch By Jordon Morgan Staff Writer

Netflix’s “Marco Polo” is a sad case of a show being a lavishly produced, well-cast, boring TV show that does little to convince anyone not already interested in its subject matter to give it a chance beyond the first few episodes. Set in the late 13th century, the show follows the eponymous Marco Polo as he is held as a guest (or prisoner if you will) of Kublai Khan, Emperor of the Mongol Empire, and grandson of the famous Genghis Khan. Entranced by his vivid and fantastical descriptions of his empire, Khan takes the young Polo under his wing as he discovers the inner machinations of the Mongolian Empire and its continuous conflict with the Chinese Empire. Along the way, Polo learns from the various important figures in his vicinity, even being taught martial arts from a man nicknamed “One Hundred Eyes.” This is where the show starts to get into its main issues. These figures, on paper, should be fascinating or at least somewhat interesting, but you tend to forget who they were or why you should care as soon as they leave the screen. The only fleshed out characters in the show are Marco and Kublai Khan, and even then, that’s mostly due to them being already famous historical figures with fascinating stories around them. It also doesn’t help that the

pacing of the show feels about as long as the two-plus year journey from Italy to Mongolia. Granted, its subject matter and scope does necessitate a slower place so that the world and its inhabitants are fully explored but “Marco Polo” does not really succeed in making said inhabitants and world interesting enough for you to sit through the entire hour for each episode. That isn’t to say the show isn’t without its merits. The production values are fantastic, making you feel as though you are watching a genuine historical time and setting. Fight sequences are also very well done, they’re smoothly choreographed, well shot, and easy to follow. Finally, when the show focuses on Khan and Polo’s interactions, as well as on Khan’s dealing with his kingdom, the show is at its best. A relationship that starts off with tension but eventually grows into a bond based on respect and understanding, but it isn’t enough to overcompensate the sense of apathy you get from every other character. Shows like “Game of Thrones” prove that you can have a large cast of characters with diverse relationships within the same universe and still find a way to make the viewer want to see more of them. “Marco Polo” simply misses that mark, resulting in a show that is only recommendable to historical junkies who want a look inside of one the world’s most famous empires.

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Sports

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January 18, 2017

Tornados BC Cycling win second DI National Championship fall to the of the 2016-2017 season Newberry Wolves By Calum McAndrew

By Bryant Baucom Staff Writer

The Brevard Tornados men’s basketball team (2-14, 0-10 SAC) came up short against the Wolves of Newberry (11-4, 7-3 SAC) on Saturday by a score of 85-67 despite the 28 point outburst from guard Stevie Williams. Stevie Williams led the Tornado offense, pouring in a game-high 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting while adding in four rebound and three assists. He is currently fourth in the conference in points per game with 18.4 and third in minutes per game at 33.8. The Tornado offense was aided by the contributions of Shelby Parris and Omar El Diraoui. Parris tallied 13 points and five rebounds while El Diraoui stuffed the stat sheet as he recorded nine points, nine rebounds, one block, and one steal. The Wolves offense was led by Mason Spease who recorded 22 points and four rebounds in the contest. Gerald Evans and Marshall Lange both finished with double digits in the scoring column and bolstered the offensive attack of the Wolves. Evans poured in 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting and Lange added in 19 points while shooting 5-of-7 from the field. The first half featured a close contest with the Tornados tying the game at 23 apiece with a little over nine minutes to play. Following the basket, Newberry would go on a 15-0 run to give them a 38-23 lead before the Tornados would cut the lead to seven by halftime. In the second half, the Wolves kept the Tornado offense at bay. With each Brevard basket, Newberry followed with a basket of their own. Newberry would go on to outscore the Tornados 46-35 in the second half. The Tornados shined at the free throw line shooting 80% on 20 attempts with four different players shooting from the charity stripe. The Tornados will return to action against rival Mars Hill tonight, January 18, in an away contest at 8:00pm.

Editor in Chief Less than 100 days since collecting their first gold of the season at the DI USA Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championship, the Brevard College Cycling team have once again emerged as victors, this time at the USA Cycling Collegiate Cyclocross Championship. With victory in early January at the competitions location of Hartford, Conn., this becomes the second division one national championship for the cycling team this season alone. Competing for the Tornados in the team relay on Thursday, Jan. 5, which would eventually hand the Tornados the title were Carson Beckett, Scott McGill, and sisters Allison and Hannah Arensman. These four would set a time of 27:31, which was enough to see off strong challenges from Marian University and Fort Lewis College, and hand the Tornados the championship. Brevard ended the competition with 252 points in the overall team omnium standings, 13 points ahead of runners up Marian University, with Fort Lewis completing the podium with a third place finish. Before the tournament deciding team relay, the Tornados paved the way for their second DI national championship with impressive results in both the mens and womens races on Wednesday, Jan. 4. Allison and Hannah Arensman both finished inside the top five in the individual womens

event, with Janelle Cole finishing close behind in seventh place. For the men, Scott McGill posted an eighth placed finish for the Tornados in the individual races, the best of the men in white and blue. In addition to this, four other BC cyclists would place inside the top 30. All of the BC cyclists were naturally ecstatic to have taken home yet another national championship, and this delight was exemplified in their post championship reactions. “It was an unbelievable experience to come to Hartford and win in such a dominating fashion,” said Scott McGill. “We couldn’t have done it without the extraordinary support we received from our coaches and sponsors. I feel very grateful to be part of such an amazing program and cannot wait for the next adventure with Brevard.” Adding to these sentiments was Janelle Cole, who heaped praise onto her teammates and the program following gold in Hartford. “It’s easy to say ‘I love you guys’ after an incredible team win like today’s. What makes the Brevard team special is our ability to say that before, during and after this intense and incredibly fun week. Challenging conditions were no match for our team’s overwhelming positivity and support, coming together to make every race a success.” It has already been a historic season for the cycling team, but the attention of Head coach Brad Perley will now turn to the road national championship, as they look to complete a hat trick of gold’s in the 2016/17 season.

Photo Courtesy of BC Athletic Media Relations

Tornados cyclists pose on the first place podium for the second time in the 2016-17 season after their victory in Connecticut.