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Variety .....................................4Sports .....................................6Classifieds ..............................7.................................................

Frustrations with Favre:Will the all-star join Minnesota?

PROS And COnS, PAGe 6

A second chance at successMankato College Access Program works to help underrepresented students in higher education

Sometimes students on the brink of college success need just a little push to get them over the edge.

The Mankato College Access Program (MA-CAP)is designed to help these students pursue their academic aspirations through a structured and conducive learning environment. The MA-CAP program works closely with Mankato East and West High Schools to identify underrepresented students who show potential for success but have not met the requirements for admission to Minnesota State. The focal point of the MA-CAP program is to prepare students for college life and responsibility.

Since its creation in 2006, MA-CAP has grown at an exponential rate. Although the

program began with 14 students, 66 participants are expected during the 2009 school year. Twelve of the original fourteen students have successfully stayed with the program and are looking forward to graduation.

Abdul Qanyre, one of these twelve, said participating in the program helped him fit in better

at MSU. “It’s helped me learn about

a lot of things,” he said. “We learn about culture and time management; we’re like a family.”

Students considered for the program go through an intensive evaluation that illustrates where they need help academically.

This allows MA-CAP staff to conform to the needs of each student and provide the most effective scholastic plan. Once accepted into the program, participants undergo a four-day academic boot camp that acclimatizes them to life as a student and includes group running at 6 a.m. as well as a variety of classes, ranging from American racial minorities

to reading and writing development.

Once boot camp is completed, the week ends with a family cookout at Highland Park that brings together students, parents and faculty members.

Once the semester begins, students are under a watchful eye by MA-CAP staff. Students are

STEVEN PIROSOstaff writer

submitted photoMankato College Access Program students and staff enjoy the weather at a local Mankato park.

Inspiring women to leadMSU faculty members organize a leadershipprogram for women

After previously attending a well-respected Pennsylvania women’s leadership institute, four female faculty at Minnesota State wanted to give back to women in the region by offering something similar — an opportunity for women to gain valuable leadership skills right here.

“It was a very powerful, intense four weeks and I came away from it with a lot of enriching information and a new-found confidence that I wanted to share with others,” said Jean Haar of her experience attending the Bryn Mawr Higher Education Resource Services (HERs) Institute in Philadelphia during the summer of 2006.

Each year, President Davenport offers this opportunity to one MSU female faculty or staff member through the President’s Commission on the Status of Women. But the few who have had this opportunity don’t want to be the only ones who benefit from an experience that some have called “life changing.”

So last summer, Haar, along with Jennifer Guyer-Wood and others, successfully proposed, created and organized their own version at MSU — the upcoming Midwest Women’s Leadership Institute (MWLI).

With the help of the MSU

It’s the middle of summer and Minnesota State is humming with commotion. The parking lots are crammed to capacity while campus volunteers frantically shuttle from one building to the next, guiding strings of people toward destinations unknown.

Strangers to the hilltop peer wearily through construction ladders and newly-paned glass, their eyes searching frantically for the purple and gold signs whose bold print promises salvation in the form

of direction. It’s orientation and new

freshmen are arriving.As in the past and

undoubtedly, in the future, the early months of summer break offer every incoming MSU student a two-day asylum complete with campus tours and information.

“I guess I’m just excited to get started,” said Nicole Helgren, an incoming freshman from Omaha, Neb. “I’m going to school here for nursing. I wanted to get out of Nebraska for college, and MSU just seemed right when I toured in the fall. I’m actually dorming with a friend

NICOLE SMITHeditor in chief

Freshmen orientation in full swingMATT SAUERstaff writer

wale agboola• msu reporterIncoming MSU students get a taste of the freedom that comes with college life while visiting campus for freshman orientation.

Women/ page 2

Success/ page 2

Orientation/ page 2

See page 4 for Reporter’s guide to summer music festivals

Page 2 • Reporter News Wednesday, June 17, 2009Wednesday, June 17, 2009 News Reporter • Page 3

Individual Room Leases only $305!

on a two-year academic contract that monitors their performance and requires mandatory academic advising twice a week as well as personalized tutoring programs to further ensure their success. Parents stay highly involved by participating on a five-person Board of Directors where they can share their opinions and help plan upcoming events.

In the end, it’s about helping students succeed in college, said Jimmie Gunn, a former MSU football player and graduate student who works as an Academic Support Supervisor for the program.

“It’s all about the students in the MA-CAP program,” Gunn said. “It’s always been my dream to work with underrepresented kids.”

SUCCESS Personalized tutoring programs help students

continued from 1

Marketing department, Haar said the small group of women created everything for the event — the first of its kind at MSU — from its name and website to the curriculum and schedule.

MSU will host the weeklong program, designed for women in higher education who want to lead, June 21 – June 27 on campus.

Thirteen participants, spanning from local female faculty to visitors from as far away as Michigan, have signed up to reside in the Julias A. Sears Hall for the week and attend the featured seminars, workshops and keynote speakers.

“I seriously think there is a regional need for something like this and many people have expressed that to us,” Haar said.

An MSU professor and director of the Center for Engaged Leadership, Haar said she believes the institute is an important step toward adhering to the needs of women in the area, given the limited opportunities for women to grow as leaders.

“I hope that being here for a week allows them [the participants] to take a step back from the rest of their lives so they can really focus on themselves,” said Guyer-

Wood, the MSU Director of Alumni Relations & Special Events. She has put time and effort into spreading the value of this type of learning environment and credits her personal experience to the position of leadership she is currently in.

“After I came back from the institute, I developed some great skills and opened my mind to other opportunities,” she said. “It really helped me get to where I am now.”

MWLI is tailored so each day will have a different focus of effective leadership development, ranging from the individual and the organization, to higher education and developing a plan.

A different keynote speaker will be featured each day, including MSU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Scott Olson and leadership consultant and self-assessment expert Jean Kummerow.

Kummerow is recognized nationally as an expert on the leading self-development tool, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator instrument, and will use it to evaluate the attendees.

Participants will also learn how to stay focused by building a leadership plan to

determine goals and map out their process. By the end of the week, participants will have something concrete to take away from them, including gained leadership skills and a personal plan of future goals and aspirations, Guyer-Wood said.

To help sustain the impact of the institute, each participant will be assigned an advisor to check in with regularly, and part of the training will include a social networking workshop so they learn the best ways to create a support system and stay connected.

All of these tangible aspects may be important, but Haar hopes participants will take away more than just a new set of skills.

“We really want to get across the message that leadership is different for everyone and you can still be who you are and be a leader,” she said. “I hope women who attend will take away from this event the confidence that they can lead and the initiative and desire to want to provide the leadership that’s needed in higher education.”

from high school too, so I’m hoping that will help with meeting new people.”

Most of the high school graduates bustling throughout MSU’s campus on orientation days seem to share the same enthusiasm for their transition into college life, especially the social scene.

Bloomington native Paul Bren said he anticipates the parties the most.

“I’m moving in with some friends that went to school here last year,” Bren said. “We all play instruments and I helped them out at some of their parties last year, played some old eighties music and Led Zeppelin stuff.”

Bren isn’t too concerned about the course load.

“As far as classes go I’m not too worried, from what people are telling me they’re not any harder than high school,” he said. “My biggest challenge will probably be making it to class.”

Bren’s excitement mirrors that of most new college students, and much of the orientation “party” information seemed to reflect MSU’s acceptance that college students won’t be keeping their weekends quiet anytime soon.

Orientation loads incoming freshmen with informational

packets, branded pens, and pages of brochures that promise to ease their assimilation into college life. Nevertheless, many share the first signs of homesickness and the pre-college jitters that few new students are able to shake off.

“Orientation makes you think about the fact that you’re leaving home,” said Anna Wilson, a prospective psychology student from Wisconsin. “I’m the first to leave home, so it’s definitely weird to think I’ll be living somewhere else for the first time in eighteen years. My parents both seem a little sad about it, but they’re really excited for me too. Neither of them went to college, so I think it’s a big deal to them.”

Anna’s father, Peter, seemed to agree with his daughter’s analysis.

“On the one hand, you’re very excited and proud of your children,” he said. “But on the other you realize that for the first time you won’t have them under your roof or your watch. It’s definitely sobering, but in the end I’m just really happy for Anna.”

ORIENTATION Most new freshmen seem eager, excited for the start of the semester continued from 1

WOMEN Weeklong leadership conference will have a different focus each day, ranging from indi-vidual to educational leadership continued from 1

Page 2 • Reporter News Wednesday, June 17, 2009Wednesday, June 17, 2009 News Reporter • Page 3

Centennial Student Union Room 293Mankato, MN 56001 • (507) 389-1776

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• If you have a complaint, suggestion or would like to point out an error made in the Reporter, call Editor in Chief Nicole Smith at (507) 389-5454. The Reporter will correct any errors of fact or misspelled names in this space. Formal grievances against the Reporter are handled by the Newspaper Board, which can be contacted at (507) 389-2611.• The Minnesota State University Mankato Reporter is a student-run newspaper published twice a week, coming out on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Reporter generates 78 percent of its own income through advertising and receives approximately 22 percent from Student Activities fees. The Reporter is free to all students and faculty, but to start a subscription, please call us at (507) 389-1776. Subscriptions for the academic school year are $35.00 and subscribers will receive the paper within three to five days after publishing. • Letters exceeding 400 words may not be accepted. The Reporter reserves the right to edit letters to fit space or correct punctuation. The Reporter reserves the right to publish, or not publish, at its discretion. Letters must contain year, major or affiliation with the university, or lack thereof. All letters must contain phone numbers for verification purposes.

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phOTO EDITOR: Wale Agboola

SUpERVISORS OUR pOLICIES & OThER INFORMATIONBUSINESS MANAgER:

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Free from the chains of weekly quizzes, papers and study sessions, many students at Minnesota State have hit the proverbial paradox that accompanies the open schedule of the summer months — boredom.

Students have begun to arise— after a near-month of post-final partying — from unwashed mounds of used laundry and empty Doritos bags only to find a world full of time and sunlight, but empty of purpose.

Nevertheless, those who have stuck around Mankato for the summer months are finding successful ways to make money, continue their education or simply pass the time by enjoying a free schedule.

The more scholastic-inclined of those students are cutting some slack off their normal semester schedules by taking summer classes.

“I’m getting a couple pre-requisite classes out of the way this summer,” said sophomore psychology major Sara Hatle. “It’s nice to get some of the boring classes you really don’t need out of the way during the summers so you can focus on your major classes during the regular school year.”

Others, like junior Andy Groehner, are chalking up brownie points toward their career goals by working as interns.

“It’s great experience,” said Groehner, who interns at a

local accounting firm. “I’m working toward my

business degree so I figured I might as well start working at a place that could hire me later on. It’s a slave’s wage, but at least it’ll pay off in the long run.”

The entertainment industry also seems to be a prime medium for students looking to escape the monotony of a jobless or uneventful summer lifestyle.

“Movies,” said sophomore Kate Baxter. “Me and some friends made it a point to see a new movie every week this summer. We’ve seen ‘Management’, ‘Angels and Demons’ and ‘Star Trek’ so far. We’re going to ‘Up’ today.”

“I just got back from Valley Fair over the weekend,” said Andrew Bourdon, a sophomore taking summer classes. “We got stuck on the [Steel] Venom and my buddy ended up [getting sick] all over the platform when we got off. It was a fun time.”

Valley Fair is located in Shakopee, Minn. and currently has a “Starlight Admission” special in which

tickets are priced at $19.99 when purchased after 5 p.m. The amusement park also offers student discounts at certain times of the summer, according to their website.

Other students on campus have taken to the gyms and trails throughout Mankato, burning away the calories they gathered from their winter hibernations.

“I’ve been trying to work out a lot, the MSU gym has been my friend,” said Trayce Stephens, a health and nursing student. “I usually try to go a few times a week; it keeps me from going stir crazy.”

MSU’s gym and recreation area in the Taylor Center is open to students most days of the week, even if they’re not taking a summer course.

“I’ve biked Red Jacket Trail four days this week,” said Jim Louvre, an accounting major. “I got chubby over spring break and it kind of stuck around. I’ll usually ride about ten miles then roll around downtown or get Dairy Queen after. I guess that kind of beats the point, though.”

Keeping busy during breakStudents in Mankato find interesting ways to pass the summertimeMATT SAUERstaff writer

Minnesota State is lifting its suspension of academic programs in Mexico following the Center for Disease Control’s revised travel recommendations for the H1N1 flu virus.

Effective immediately, students will once again be able to study in Mexico after the April ban. MSU canceled its programs because of the risk of contracting the H1N1 virus, more commonly called the swine flu. Six students were set to study in Mexico over the summer and while two chose to wait, the others decided to spend the summer in Ecuador instead.

The university will continue to advise all students traveling abroad about health and safety techniques before they leave and, if the location is deemed unsafe, bring them home on short notice.

“We will closely monitor the flu situation around the

world to see if and when the situation might warrant action on behalf of the university,” said Caryn Lindsay, director of international programs at Minnesota State Mankato.

Mexico’s economy suffered from the H1N1 outbreak when the government closed businesses and schools. The Department of Modern Languages’ partner school in Guanajuato, the Academia Falcón, was forced to close its doors because the loss of revenue made it impossible to stay open.

“It wasn’t just because of MSU students not going to Mexico,” said Spanish professor Karl Heise, program director for study abroad in Spain and Latin America. “MSU came a couple of weeks late with the decision. We were just a part of the situation.”

Heise said he doesn’t believe Academia Falcón will be able to reopen in the near future, if ever.

MSU lifts Mexico study abroad banREPORTER STAFF

Youth sports camp to honor Betty YoungREPORTER STAFF

A new sports camp for youth will feature basketball, soccer, football and track and field for K-12 students. This free camp, the Dr. Betty Young Youth Sports Camp and Clinic will be held June 27 at Minnesota State.

The MSU Athletic Department and the Office of Institutional Diversity will sponsor the program that will be held at Meyers Field House

from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The program is dedicated to the long-time MSU family and consumer science professor Betty Young, who died in February.

The camp was created with the goal of helping young athletes learn new sports skills and positive mental and physical values.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009 Variety Reporter • Page 5

Varietyreporter-arts@mnsu.edu Wednesday, June 17, 2009 (507) 389-5157

A GUIDE TO SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVALS

Lollapalooza—— - Aug. 7-9

Rothbury - July 2-5

Pitchfork Music Festival - July 17-19

All Points West - July 31 - Aug. 2

The highlight of the summer music festival season has to be Lollapalooza.

C3 Promotions, the company behind Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits, really knows how to satisfy upwards of 100,000 attendees with a blend of perfect site planning, great scheduling and di-verse talent.

Taking place in Chicago’s beauti-

ful downtown venue, Grant Park, Lollapalooza features arena-filling headliners Snoop Dogg, Depeche Mode, Tool, Beastie Boys, Kings of Leon and the Killers.

But the true essence of summer music festivals is the middle-tier bands audiences gravitate toward mid-day and Lollapalooza is

stacked with great ones. Animal Collective, Vampire Weekend, the Decemberists, Atmosphere, Fleet Foxes, No Age and Passion Pit are sure to excite current fans while recruiting plenty of

new ones with their respective sets.

The festival is also site to a rare

Midwest performance for Velvet Under-ground frontman and solo legend Lou Reed. The “Street Hustler” will surely take those in attendance for a walk on the wild side.

Website: www.lollapalooza.com

Michigan’s Rothbury music festival has been compared to Bonnaroo and with good reason.

Yet, the hippie minds behind Roth-bury tend to be a bit more polished than Bonnaroo’s.

With jaw-dropping scenery, camping and VIP packages, and an array of fun and interesting activities planned, the Great Lakes State’s festival has already caught up with its more established con-temporaries in only its second year.

The festival is headlined by The Dead in its only summer performance for the year, Bob Dylan and his Band, Willie Nelson & Family, Damnian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley and Nas, and the Black Crowes.

Middle-tier acts Man Man, the Hold Steady, Cold War Kids and

party-starter Girl Talk.Website: www.rothburyfestival.

com

Pitchfork.com, the groundbreaking, semi-elitist indie music “e-zine,” had so much fun curating 2005’s Intonation mu-sic festival that it decided to take over for Intonation and start the Pitchfork (“P4K” to all the trendy kids) music festival.

Since the festival’s inception, the

online magazine has produced a quality festival in downtown Chicago’s Union Park for a fraction of the price its larger counterparts charge. They can do this, of course, by having great relationships with the bands they schedule by mostly being responsible for their popularity

and not contracting multi-million-dollar headliners.

Its Write the Night series on the first night allows fans to submit their ideal setlists for the band’s playing that day, which are Jesus Lizard, Yo La Tengo, Tortoise and Built to Spill.

The second and third days will feature the likes of the Flaming Lips, Thermals, Pharoahe Monch, Wavves, Black Lips, Yeasayer and DOOM.

Website: www.pitchforkmusicfestival.com

All Points West gives music lovers a reason to travel to New Jersey (it’s about time there was a reason) as the festival is arguably the hippest of all the summer

fests. Indie kids everywhere are giddy with

anticipation over the festival’s headlining acts Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Vampire Weekend,

Coldplay, MGMT, Beastie Boys. Gogol Bordello and My Bloody Valentine and comedy sets from “30 Rock”’s Judah Friedlander, Arj Barker, Michael Showal-

ter and Todd Barry.Website: www.apwfestival.com

Festivals / page 5

web photos

NATE BRENNAN | variety editor

Wednesday, June 17, 2009 Variety Reporter • Page 5

Variety“The Hangover”Zach Galifianakis,

Ed Helms

The winner of funniest summer movie (so far) is “The Hangover” from the director of college favorite “Old School.” Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper give gut-bustingly funny performances as three guys who lose the Bachelor after a wild Bachelor party in Las Vegas and must find him, except they can’t remember anything from the night before.

The Velvet Underground“White Light/White Heat”

Lou Reed, the street hustler Bob Dylan, tells dirty and dangerous tales of urban life and heroine usage in ‘60s New York City on “White Light/White Heat.” The genius of the album is its hypnotic nature, consummated in its epic, 17-minute climax “Sister Ray.”

“Up” Disney/Pixar

Disney/Pixar’s latest future Best Animated Feature Film Oscar nomination comes in the form of a beautiful tale of an elderly man named Carl who takes his house for a balloon ride to South America to fulfill the promise he gave to his departed wife. Unfortunately his overly outgoing boy scout neighbor accidentally tags along for the ride and Carl is forced to take care of him along the journey.

In the wake of the death of Wilco member Jay Bennett, who was considered the genius behind the genius Wilco album “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot,” the album is even more beauti-ful. Sweeping melodies and bittersweet vocals decorate this album that’s among the best of the decade.

The quick fix

Wilco“Yankee Hotel

Foxtrot”

Summer ParkingPark Free In:

Lot 1, Lot 3, Lot 13, Lot 15,Purple & Orange Permit Areas & Free Lot 23

Gold Permit Stalls Enforced When Classes

Are In SessionGold permit holders are not restricted

and can park in any Gold Permit lot with more than 80 stalls, including: Lot 7,

Lot 11 & 11a & Gold Lot 5.

Enforced Stalls:

Gold permit areas, handicap stalls,

meters, facilities management,

vendor stalls & delivery stalls.

SummerGold Permits:

On sale for $46 in the following lots: Lot 7(by

Blakeslee Stadium), Maywood Curbside Gold,

Rugby Gold, McElroy Curbside Gold. Approval

needed, e-mail:david.cowan@mnsu.edu.

On sale through 8/21/09.

Music fans have become accustomed to flocking to renowned fests like Tennessee’s Bonnaroo, California’s Coachella, and Chicago’s Lollapalooza like mosquitoes to a flame. And now the 10,000 Lakes Festival (10KLF) is giving Minnesotans a music festival of their own to brag about.

For thousands of festival goers, the 600-acre Soo Pass Ranch in Detroit Lakes, Minn. will be considered home from

July 22-25. The four-stage venue offers four

campgrounds for guests to camp out when not

attending one of the many music performances.

“It’s world class music at a world class venue,”

David Weissman, publicist for the 10KLF explains. In just it’s seventh year, the lineup may be the most impressive and diverse yet, offering fans a unique

experience with headlining bands Dave Matthews Band, Wilco and Widespread Panic as well as popular Minnesota artists like Mason Jennings, Atmosphere and Trampled by Turtles.

The camping grounds, which Weissman calls “one of the best spots for going to a camping fest” even include showers and bathrooms with running water.

Website: www.10klf.com.

JASON JENKINSstaff writer

10,000 Lakes Festival - July 22-25

Solstice - June 21

Moondance Jam - July 15-18

Midwest performance for Velvet Under-ground frontman and solo legend Lou Reed. The “Street Hustler” will surely take those in attendance for a walk on the wild side.

Website: www.lollapalooza.com

Middle-tier acts Man Man, the Hold Steady, Cold War Kids and

party-starter Girl Talk.Website: www.rothburyfestival.

com

FESTIVALS Music fests rule summer entertainment

The second and third days will feature the likes of the Flaming Lips, Thermals, Pharoahe Monch, Wavves, Black Lips, Yeasayer and DOOM.

Website: www.pitchforkmusicfestival.com

ter and Todd Barry.Website: www.apwfestival.com

Walker, Minn.’s classic rock festival Moondance Jam is a classic-rock-radio-lover’s dream.

Acts range from country songstress Sheryl Crow to metal

monoliths Judas Priest to hairbangers Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy to ‘70s favorites Journey and Yes.

Website: www.moon-dancejam.com

For those not wishing to travel far, but still take part in the season’s festival mania, Mankato’s Solstice festival will lure you in with a full day of local and regional acts perform-

ing at Land of Memories Park. History Fest, an event where attendees get to interact with expressions of various periods in history, is just one of many artistic endeavors boasted at the

2009 Solstice festival.Website: www.solstice-

mankato.com

continued from 5

Wednesday, June 17, 2009 Sports Reporter • Page 7

Sportsreporter-sports@mnsu.edu Wednesday, June 17, 2009 (507) 389-5227

WE MEET AGAIN OLD FRIENDMinnesota Vikings fans have seen a lot of Brett Favre over the

last 17 years. Can they put up with him for just one more?

The question has been lingering for more than a year now. Will Brett Favre make the Vikings better? If so, is it worth the risk? The former Green Bay Packer has torched the Vikings many times throughout his career and some fans on both sides just can’t see him doing the Lambeau Leap in a purple uniform. There are certainly questions that need to be answered after Favre’s recent interview with Joe Buck. But, it is clear the questions won’t stop until he signs with the Vikings. This could be a Viking fan’s dream, or it could be a nightmare. Here’s a list of the pros and cons of the possibility of Favre going purple.

PROS The last time Minnesota Vikings were in the news for

something positive was — well, that’s a good question. Vikings owner Zygi Wilf is trying to turn this team into a proven winner and that’s where Favre comes in. Whether the Vikings want the media frenzy to happen or not, it’s going to happen if Favre becomes a Viking. The move will make tons of money for the Vikings with Favre jerseys being sold left and right. Viking fans won’t have to wait until Sunday morning to see if FOX has bought out the remaining seats just so fans can watch the team on cable. Another plus for Vikings fans is that ESPN analyst Erin Andrews could make an appearance at training camp in Mankato. If you watch ESPN, you know exactly what that means.

Bringing a future Hall of Fame quarterback on the team who holds the all-time record for career touchdowns (464) should improve the team. Favre knows the Vikings offense like the back of his hand. He said in the Joe Buck interview that he could “teach the offense.” Favre did only have 22 touchdowns last season, but it was a completely new offense and he was playing out of his element in New York. Favre will have the tools in Minnesota to succeed with Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin, and Bernard Berrian. Not to mention the defense has been lights-out over the last few seasons. This could be the one player that the Vikings need to bring them over the top. Head coach Brad Childress is in the final year of his contract, and it’s very likely if he doesn’t get out of the first round of the playoffs, he will be fired. He is looking for the best possible chance of winning and he believes that chance is Favre.

But the question in this argument has often been, does Favre just want to come back because he wants to get revenge on the Packers? Who cares? That’s a better reason than fans have heard in a long time for a player to come back. If Favre wants to shove a Super Bowl ring down the Packers face for letting him go, then so be it. Vikings fans should be happy that he picked us to get revenge on the Pack. It gives the Vikings the chance they haven’t had in quite some time — to win a Super Bowl. The Vikings haven’t won a championship since… Oh, that’s right, they never have. If Vikings fans can handle not winning a championship, then fine. But if they are real fans and would like a championship, they shouldn’t be complaining after Favre throws 30 touchdowns in a purple uniform.

KYLE RATKE | sports editor

CONS The Vikings have a lot of leaders on the team, but there are still

players that have shown signs of immaturity such as tackle Bryant McKinnie and rookie wide receiver Harvin. Attention might not be something that Vikings necessarily want for their young players. The pressure media puts on teams and players is often overlooked, and it could make or break the careers of some young players. With such a young foundation, that could be the last thing the Vikings need. On the bright side, Childress has done a very good job keeping everything under control and there doesn’t seem to be any problems yet from players.

Favre is an aging quarterback with multiple lingering injuries (shoulder, elbow, neck). What makes the Vikings think that this

39-year-old quarterback can start to play like the old Favre? Favre was the easy target to blame during the Jets melt-down last year, as he threw 22 interceptions last season. As much as people may dislike Tavaris Jackson, he played well when the Vikings needed him to during the end of the regular season. The Vikings also just gave a

fourth-round draft pick to Houston for Sage Rosenfels. If the Vikings were to sign Favre, it could mean a wasted draft pick. Childress has made some questionable calls in his coaching career and this could be a desperation pick up for the old ball coach. Vikings fans know that Childress hasn’t been the brightest coach over the last few years. This could make or break him, too.

If Favre does want to play for the Vikings to get back at the Packers, the Vikings could be in trouble. Min-

nesota only plays twice against the Packers, so if this is true what would Favre do during the other 14 weeks? If Favre really wants to play for the Vikings to win games, then most fans would like him to utter

the words, “ I want to win.” He needs to do this not only for himself, but also for the team. It doesn’t look as if it’s going both ways right now. Favre is teasing a state that is

hungry for a championship and the timing seems to be right as they already have the league’s best running back. Favre could

be setting the Vikings up for another disappointing season. And imagine this: the Vikings lose the NFC North to the Packers. That could ruffle some feathers and likely tarnish Favre’s legacy even more. But Favre has said that he doesn’t care about his legacy, so what does he have to lose? While the Vikings on the other hand, have everything to lose.

?

web photo

Wednesday, June 17, 2009 Sports Reporter • Page 7

I’ve been on both sides of this issue in the last year or so. At first, I thought it would be a great way to stick it to the Packers and maybe even get past the first game of the playoffs.

But after more deliberation last winter, I started to realize that Brett would be an upgrade at quarterback. I just don’t trust our receiving corps yet. Berrian had his moments last year, but after him, I just don’t see more than two or three guys that Brett, Tavaris or Sage could count on over the course of 16-plus games. I’m not worried about our running game, obviously, and I’m not in a panic over the Williams Wall situation either.

Would I sign Brett at this point? It pains me to say it, but yes. I think it would make for an interesting year for the purple, and

who knows, anything can happen over the course of a season. I’ve never hated Brett Favre, just the Green Bay Packers. I don’t think we’ll be any worse for having him. Maybe my whole justifica-tion is the revenge factor, just like Brett, but I just can’t resist the thought of Brett giving them a payback in purple. Summer

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Two Mavericks were selected in last weeks Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

The first player from MSU taken was junior right-handed pitcher Chris Odegaard. The Arizona Diamondbacks drafted Odegaard in the 23rd round.

The Minnesota Twins picked Odegaard in the exact same spot last year.

Odegaard holds a 13-8 record with the Mavericks in his three seasons and is seventh on MSU’s career list with 192 strikeouts.

The pitcher struggled last season, finishing 4-5 with a 5.98 ERA.

The second player chosen in the draft that sported a Maverick uniform was senior third baseman Geno Glynn.

The Tampa Bay Rays selected Glynn in the 43rd round.

The third baseman hit .376 with eight home runs and a team-high of 58 RBIs last season with the Mavericks. In his two years in Mankato, Glynn finished with a .347 batting average.

MSU has now had 30 players drafted in the school’s history.

MSU graduate Nathan Kafka signed with the Midwest Sliders of the Frontier League, while Jimmy Dale signed with the Texarkana Gunslingers of the Continental Baseball League.Football

Two teams from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference

were in the Sporting News Division ll Preseason Top-25 Poll.

One of those teams was the University of Minnesota-Duluth who was ranked third, and the other is MSU, who is predicted to finish 18th in the country for the 2009 season. Men’s basketball

The men’s basketball team finished 19th in the national

attendance rankings, with an average of 1,870 fans per game during the 2008-09 season. There were five teams from the NSIC that were in the top 20.Women’s

basketball The women’s team finished

ninth in attendance in a season in which they won the national championship. The Mavericks drew an average of 1,457 fans per game. There were three other teams that were in the top 10 from the NSIC.Academics

While having success in most sports last year, the Mavericks more importantly had success in the classroom during the last school year.

The average grade point average for the spring semester was 3.17.

The women’s golf team led the way with a 3.57 average.

The 12 women’s teams averaged a 3.34 GPA while the 11 men’s teams averaged a 2.94 GPA. More than 205 student-athletes were named to the Dean’s List, while 71 Mavericks

maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average for the spring semester.Alumni

The Mankato MoonDogs will have former MSU baseball coach Dean Bowyer throw out the first pitch for their June 18th game against the Thunder Bay Border Cats for MoonDogs College Night.

Bowyer won more than 1,000 games for the Mavericks in more than 30 seasons with the team. Former assistant Matt Magers took over the head coaching duties this past season.

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Sports shorts: two Mavericks drafted

Bowyer

OUR TAKEReporter’s finest weigh in on the Favre frenzy

PAT DELANEYstaff writer

DANA CLARKtechnology supervisor

The Minnesota Vikings are a playoff team right now. They were last year and they were also NFC North division champs. There has been one lingering problem over the last few years for the Vikings though — the quarterback situation.

Look, we can continue to wait for Tarvaris Jackson to fill our need, or sign a career backup in Sage Rosenfels, but when it comes down to it the best option for the purple is a guy who has been there.

Lets not forget Brett Favre was a Pro-bowl quarterback last year on a Jets team that isn’t nearly as good as the Vikings.

Fans can still hold a grudge against Favre for torching the Vikings year after year, but if they are true fans of the Minnesota Vikings, then there is no question that they would want Favre.

He would bring us over the top and give us that one missing piece that we’ve needed for the last few years. Love him or hate him, Favre gives us the best chance of winning.

Page 8 • Reporter Advertisement Wednesday, June 17, 2009