Foreign risk surrounds campus

By Chris Miller
Editor in Chief

The approximately 300 international students from 57 different countries at Ferris State University reacted the same way as the rest of the school after the United States was attacked.

According to International Student Advisor Clarissa Garrett, international students felt fear and sorrow. They all seemed to ask the question, "What should I be doing about this situation?"

"Nobody expected this to happen. Being a member of the International Student Organization, we met shortly after to discuss the events," first-year student from San Salvador Ricardo Gonzalez said. "Our organization's president is from Saudi Arabia, and he was extremely worried about what was going to happen next."

"The university was concerned for the safety of all students. We had to pay attention especially to students with Arabic backgrounds and others who physically resemble the culprits of the tragedy," Director of Minority Affairs Raymond Gant said.

"The biggest thing that we told the students was to stay calm in case someone gave them trouble," Garrett said.

FSU President William Sederburg, along with Garrett and Director of International Students Paul Landen, advised the international students that the majority of people at Ferris are mature enough to understand what has taken place.

"We first met with the RSO leaders of the campus, then with the international students," Sederburg said. "We wanted to let the student leaders know that they had a responsibility to inform everyone that none of our international students had anything to do with the tragedy."

According to Garrett, they also informed the international students that there might be a few instances of verbal abuse.

"So far, there have only been a couple of cases of verbal attacks against international students," Garrett said. "They know though to just walk away and not get involved with someone who is acting immature."

Third-year student Mamadou Dolo from Mali, a country in Western Africa, expressed how his country was affected by the terrorist attacks.

"My uncle lives in New York, and he told me that some people from Mali died in the attack," Dolo, a resident assistant in Merrill Hall, said. "I was sitting in the Rock when I found out what happened. Everyone was quiet."

Dolo also explained how much more difficult it is for international students to see family. "Both my father and brother called the day after it happened," Dolo said. "My father wanted to make sure that I was ok."

Garrett expressed that Ferris has received lot of response via e-mail from alumni and parents. She also pointed out that the community has shown that they want to be involved.

"Many families have contacted us. Most of them told me that they would be glad to take in some of the international students in their homes," she said.

"We are very proud of how the students handled the situation. Everyone involved was fearful for the international students' sake," Gant said.

"It was a big shock for me, but I feel really safe here at Ferris, and I feel that the school handled the situation extremely well," Gonzalez said.

Ferris felt that the Department of Public Safety, the Big Rapids Police Department and Residential Life needed to be informed about the security of FSU's international population.

"Once we had a chance to talk to the international students, there were no problems with any incidents reported," Stan Dinius, director of public safety, said. "Everyone kept an eye out, though, in case something came up."

Both Gant and Garrett were also partially in charge of the "Peace and Unity Gathering" prayer service held on Thursday, Sept. 13. According to Gant, the prayer service was an opportunity for faculty, staff and students to join together in reflection towards the incidents in New York and Washington.

"I had a chance to attend that prayer service," Gonzalez said. "It was quite a touching experience to talk with other students and see how they reacted."

"Once again, I was very proud of how everyone came together. Credit must be given to Ferris students who showed that they were mature about the situation," Gant said.

"I would like to urge everyone to make all of our students feel safe. Also, we need to think about not only the international students, but the faculty and staff that are from different origins," Sederburg said.

There is not just one survivor here

By Amy McElmurray
Assistant News Editor

When one hears the word SURVIVOR, a few things come to mind. First, it might be the popular TV series that puts Americans in an unfamiliar land where they must win challenges to be the ultimate survivor. Or, it could be that Destiny's Child song that seems to find its way on to the radio and into local bars. Maybe more recently, it is the American people that are still alive after the horrific tragedies of Sept. 11.

But the SURVIVOR attitude in Big Rapids this past weekend was none of these. It was the more than 100 cancer survivors who marched around the track near Mitchell Creek on Saturday morning.

These survivors brought tears to many onlookers' eyes as they triumphantly walked a full lap of the track wearing matching yellow shirts with buttons which exclaimed that they are in fact survivors. They also carried purple balloons displaying the Relay for Life logo, of which were some let go at the end of the lap, hoping to spread the word about cancer.

The survivors were not the only people gathered at Mitchell Creek. There was a crowd of hundreds there to support the fight against cancer.

Relay for Life is a team event that is designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for the American Cancer Society. The Mecosta County "Race for a Cure" started at 10 a.m. Saturday and kept going for a full 24 hours. Teams were formed by area groups who wanted to do their part in fighting this deadly disease. Each team was required to have at least one person walking laps around the track at all times. Each walker collected pledges of various monetary amounts for their efforts. There were also many booths set up around the track selling items from food, to books, to glow-in-the-dark necklaces for the night laps.

Both students and staff of Ferris State University showed their overwhelming support for the cause. The team, Ferris State United, was created for all the separate groups on campus so they could work together in raising money for the American Cancer Society.

According to Linda Travis, one of the FSU co-chairs, students had raised over $1,000 in pledges as of Friday night, before the event even started. There were over 50 students who helped work the Ferris booth at the track, which consisted of a used book sale and a silent auction.

Some Ferris groups decided to have their own booths at the event for various reasons.

"We wanted to do something," Liz Murawski, a member of Alpha Sigma Tau, stated. "The mother of our past president died this past May of cancer, and we thought this event was a great way to honor her." The group had around 40 members at the track all day long walking laps in memory of the late Toni Meyer. They hope to make this walk an annual event in the hopes of finding a cure.

Another prominent group at the track was the FSU Hockey program. With all the support the hockey team has from the community, they thought the Relay for Life would be a great way to give something back.

"We were looking for a project to do as a team," Head Coach Bob Daniels said. "This is a great cause and is something we can feel good about." All 27 members of this year's team, along with the coaches and equipment managers, were to spend part of the 24 hours walking laps at the track. Coach Daniels wanted to walk with each player, as a way to get to know them better and let them express their thoughts on the "Race for a Cure." The team also had a beanbag toss at their site in order to raise more money. Winners of the toss received free tickets to the hockey game against Waterloo.

Cancer survivor Jane Torry was proud to be able to walk around the track this past weekend. She was able to fight the disease off, unlike many others. Torry has formed a "We Care" support group in Big Rapids for those dealing with breast cancer. She invites anyone wanting help to come to the meetings at the Mecosta County General Hospital meetings are held on the second Monday of each month at 5 p.m. Torry can be contacted at 796-5413 for further details.

Although Torry is a survivor, there are many who don't win the fight. At 8:30 p.m. Saturday, the stadium lights were turned off, and the glow of 2,500 luminaries spread around the edges of the track and lit the path for the walkers. Each luminary was in memory of, or in honor of, someone who has suffered from cancer.

The names of all those honored were read aloud, acknowledging each person's battle. This ceremony is held at each Relay for Life event around the United States; always touching the hearts of those that have lost loved ones.

The American Cancer Society is a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The ACS has invested $2.2 billion in cancer research so far, and will keep investing until a cure is found. Anyone looking for more information can contact the National Cancer Information Center at 1-800-ACS-2345.

Smoke-free halls future possibility

By Laura Chene
News Editor

The housing department, which spent the summer face-lifting North and South Bond and adding a new fire safety feature to every residence hall, may eventually decide to cut out smoking in the residence halls.

Unlike last year, students, including resident hall advisors (RAs), did not find themselves paired with unexpected roommates this year. "Nobody who had a private room assigned to them had their private room taken away," Housing Director Jana Hurley said. Despite that absence, students did find a new addition upon their arrival.

The state regulated that all colleges implement door closures by this December for fire safety reasons. "All the doors have them now," Hurley said. "So if someone leaves in a panic, and he doesn't think to shut the door, it will be done automatically. Cramer hall has had the door closures all along."

Captain Warren Hansen of the Big Rapids City Fire Department agreed that the door closures prevent a lot of fire damage during an actual fire. "It keeps all of the fire contained in one room," Hansen said. Dealing with one room full of smoke is easier than trying to deal with a whole hall full of smoke.

Hurley also mentioned possible future plans to ban smoking in every residence hall for fire safety and environmental reasons. "We're just planning to do away with it for a lot of reasons," Hurley said. The regulation is not something that will be implemented immediately and will be decided after much discussion.

Darrell Singleton II, a senior in public administration, said, "I think it would be a good idea because it would cut down on a lot of damages done to hall furniture." Singleton used to serve as an RA and believed that the ban would be beneficial. "It will make the area a little bit better."

The change would also eliminate various conflicts between smokers, and non-smokers and protect the rights of those who don't smoke. "If it was your home, it would be no problem, but you're sharing your home with hundreds of other people," Singleton said. In some instances nonsmokers do not live on a smoking floor by choice. "Some people are just placed there because that's the last place they were put."

Mark Breeding, a sophomore in automotive service, disagreed that smoking should be banned. "Smoking in the residence halls is good," Breeding said. "You pay a lot of money to live here, and I think you should be able to [smoke]."

"If you don't want people to smoke in your room, that's fine. Your supposed to smoke with you door closed, too, so it pretty much stays in you room," Breeding said.
Hansen said that Ferris is responsible for deciding the smoking policy, but stated that fire risks are reduced any time smoke material is eliminated.

Breeding added that fire is a risk in any home. "If you're smart about it, you're not going to start a fire as long as you don't ash in the garbage," Breeding said.

The second change in residence halls, as mentioned above, affected North Bond, South Bond and Pickell. Pickell, formerly considered the nontraditional hall, used to contain strictly private rooms for students 21 years or older. It now includes both double and single rooms.

North Bond, which used to contain both single and double rooms, now provides all private rooms to students 21 and over. The ratio of hall directors and RAs to students are now better proportioned. Since North and South Bond combined are about double the size of Pickell, it was difficult to achieve that equal ratio last year.
South Bond is now a 24-hour quiet facility. "That was new this year," Hurley said.

This semester, the department will also be in the process of completing the assessment of Cramer. Faculty specialists will inspect the hall and prepare a report with recommendations of tasks to complete, such as painting.

Dental cleanings affordable to students

By Brandi Gregory
Ferris State Torch

The Dental Hygiene students, as a part of their field of study and internship, offer to clean students' teeth for a small fee: $18.

The students are well supervised by instructors in their field, who are masters in dental hygiene. The dental clinic offers cleanings, x-rays, fluoride treatments, polishing and fisher sealants. Fisher sealants are protective coatings that protect teeth from decay.

This program, offered to anyone, is available day and evening by appointment only. If a student already has a dentist, then the dental hygiene students are required to cooperate with what that dentist has already planned. For those without dentists, the students will definitely clean your teeth and provide suggestions as to what you might need done.

Stephanie Mitchell, a second-year dental hygiene student stated, "I enjoy making people feel confident about their smiles." As a transfer student, Mitchell heard about the dental hygiene program through a mutual friend who graduated from dental hygiene right here at Ferris. "I love what I do," she said.

Knowing Ferris State students have the opportunity and the convenience at their hands to receive affordable dental services is rewarding. Many students who are at Ferris take advantage of the opportunity. Not often does a University offer a program providing excellent dental services.

"The program is definitely less expensive," Tara Coffman, also a second-year dental hygiene student, said. "The instructors are helpful," she said. The dental hygiene students guarantee a job well done, while the clients leave the clinic feeling satisfied. "I like what I do," Coffman stated.

The job isn't hard. "We get practice and then move on to patients," Coffman said.

This 35-year-old program allows the students to complete their internship at Ferris without the inconvenience of having to travel off-campus. "This is one of the biggest programs in the country," Department Head Marilyn Stolberg said. The dental hygiene program is beneficial to students on and off-campus in numerous ways. The program provides flexibility for your schedule, the on-campus location, and reasonable prices for traditional and non-traditional students.

For more information please call (231) 591-2260.

Photo by Brian Van Steenkiste, Opinions Editor

"Balloon Man" Louis Paul poses with his new friend, Tony Dixon of Entertainment Unlimited, who is wearing one of his fun creations, "the alligator hat."

The best $1100 Ferris ever spent

By Brian Van Steenkiste
Opinions Editor

Everyone has a special talent, and Louis Paul is no exception. He has an amazing way with balloons, and that probably has something to do with why they call him the "Balloon Man."

The Balloon Man is a 44 year old resident of Cumberland, Md. who has been making balloon sculptures on and off (mostly on) since the age of seven. A hobby that started with an arts and crafts book has blossomed into a full time job. "I love it!" the Balloon Man said. " I get to meet a lot of nice people and have lots of fun!"

The Balloon Man has an energetic personality and instantly makes friends with the people he meets. His sunny and friendly disposition comes naturally to him, and when asked how he maintains his incredibly high level of friendliness at all times, the Balloon Man responded, "I like to treat people the way I want them to treat me."

Paul's philosophy on life may be simple, but his balloon creations are anything but. The Balloon Man described himself as something of a "radical balloonist," and further explained that while he utilizes a special blend of glue and sometimes tapes his creations, many "balloon purists" will not.

The Balloon Man has wove a fascinating barrage of items out of his balloons including life-size go carts, school mascots, lions, panthers, kangaroos, a balloon jacket, an enormous dragon and just about every popular cartoon character one can think of. He recently constructed George Jetson and his dog Astro sitting inside their spaceship out of balloons.

When asked what the craziest thing he had ever created out of balloons was, Paul thought and answered, "I'd have to say the craziest thing was a (huge) battleship for a navy group. It wasn't that interesting (because it was comprised of mainly gray balloons), but it was crazy."

The Balloon Man continues to shatter his fellow balloonologist's taboos by utilizing metal and wooden frames in the construction of his masterpieces. He explained that without support, many of his larger creations would sag under their own weight, and that without them, many of his fine works would be impossible to create.

The Balloon Man has developed his skill through years of practice. "I want to do be able to offer sculptures a lot of people have never seen before," the balloon man said when questioned on his motivations.

In the line of duty, the Balloon Man will often receive strange requests. Since about 80 percent of his shows are done at colleges, the demented minds of young students often come up with lewd and crude balloon requests. He has been asked to make his balloon animals and cartoon characters anatomically correct, and has also been asked to make various creations hold beers or pipes. When asked to perform such balloon blasphemy, the balloon man asks the requester, "How about (making the balloon creation hold) a heart?"

Yes, the Balloon Man works hard to make people smile. After tying balloons for over five straight hours at Ferris, he had to get into a car to drive nine hours to meet his next gig. When asked what the worst part of his job was, Paul replied, "The worst part of it is meeting the deadlines and the long drives."

The Balloon Man is a world class performer, and says his jobs is "a form of entertainment. (It) falls under show business; it's show and business." He has normal office duties, the same as any other businessman. He must answer phone calls, do promotions, reply to letters and answer his email the same as anyone else, and he has the added responsibilities associated with doing 120 to 150 shows per year.

Most of these shows are east of the Mississippi; the bulk of them are at colleges, with the rest being for private parties and corporations. The Balloon Man has recently entertained at the grand opening of the Evergreen Aviation Museum out on the West Coast, and he performed at a picnic at the presidential retreat of Camp David for the support staff that works there.

It's clear that the Balloon Man is a busy individual, but the people who witnessed his act at Ferris are glad he worked them into his schedule. With any luck, the school will bring the Balloon Man back soon, hopefully next semester, and at that time all those who missed him can be sure not to make the same mistake twice.

The Balloon Man has a presence on the world wide web, and his site is located at www.louispaul.net. A schedule of his performances is available there, and some may wish to make the pilgrimage to Central Michigan University when he performs there on Feb. 9, 2002. But be sure to get there early. After all, he is the Balloon Man!

Publicity photo from 19wheels.com.

19 Wheels is set to perform at Top Taggart Field this coming Saturday at 9 p.m. Lead singer Chris Johnston and the band have put out a total of two albums since they sarted in the mid-1990s.

19 Wheels jams at Ferris.

By Matt Cherry
Assistant A&E Editor

A relatively local band that is beginning to gain some notoriety, is going to be playing at Top Taggart Field on Saturday Sept. 22 at 9:00 p.m.

19 Wheels is a band of many talents.They have an interesting blend of many different types of music, ranging from a "ska" beat in one song to a "pop" beat in another. 19 Wheels also adds a "rock" beat into their music.

When asked how he felt about the music, Chris Johnston, lead singer of the band, described the music as a blend of guitar pop rock with the focus on the melody.

The band includes Johnston on guitar, Tim Morzorati on bass, Scott Owens on guitar/keyboards and Rob Dickey playing the drums. All four members do the vocals, with Johnston singing lead.

The band started their career back around the middle of the 1990's when Johnston and Owens, then part of the newly broken-up band "The Hannibals," decided they wanted to keep playing. They soon found Morzorati, then Dickey, and the rest is history.

The band is scattered across the lower half of the state with Johnston calling Detroit home, and Owens living in East Lansing. Morzorati currently lives in Lansing, and Dickley is in Grand Rapids.

When asked why they are so spread out, Johnston said. "It's good to have lots of places to call home." He added that they use the Lansing area as a staging ground, since it's about halfway between Grand Rapids and Detroit.

Now called in some circles as the next big band from Michigan, 19 Wheels is enjoying success throughout the Midwest.

19 Wheels has been a part of quite a few tours, including the ESPN X Games Tour in 1996, and the ESPN Summer Games Tour in 1997. Johnston estimated that the band has played in at least forty states.

They have also toured for the Aware Records Tour, and they make an appearance on two of Aware's compilation albums, Aware 4 and Aware 5.

In addition to touring and playing gigs, the band has released two albums, while making appearances on two others. Their first album, "Six Ways from Sunday," was released January of 1998. Album Network also rated this album as "One of the Year's Ten Best" releases.

Their second album, released last October, is entitled "Sugareen." This album was produced by Verve Pipe's Danny Brown and was the second best release of the year, according to Album Network.

"Sugareen" was also a first for 19 Wheels. The album was produced on their own label, "Standard."

When asked how they find material to put in their album, Johnston said, "We both (Johnston and Owens) like music that's, like, melody driven." And that is just what Johnston and Owens, who write most of the lyrics, put into the music.

As most bands do, they also draw upon life experiences to put feeling into the music. However, Johnston will be the first to tell you that they don't just draw on their life experiences.

They are also not at all conservative when it comes to looks. Johnston commented that they don't just stick to one style of clothing. He also commented on that they are still experimenting with different looks, and that is how they like it.

When asked if they like to play in one city more than another, Johnston said, "I like playing to people who want to hear what we do." He commented further by saying that it was more about the event than the location.

Johnson said, "I love playing at night. Sometimes it's not as magical playing during the day."

He also commented that he was looking forward to playing at Ferris, and he said, "It's a place we've always wanted to get to."

Johnston, and the rest of 19 Wheels, should get exactly what they want when they come to Ferris on Saturday night.

Training this evening in Rankin

By Shannon Vesper
Ferris State Torch

Keeping an organization together and dividing the work properly is often hard to do in large groups. Making sure that events are done properly can also be a hassle. Finding fundraisers can mean an even larger headache.

The student organizations at Ferris have come to the perfect conclusion: Ferris Leaders Executive Training, or FLEX, which are several sessions designed to help out student groups.

FLEX Training is a four session training workshop that will be held in the Rankin Student Center. The training will bring students and their organizations to their full potential. FLEX Training will cover an array of topics to encourage groups and their advisors to become more active.

Any student organization is welcome to attend with their advisor. Individual students are encouraged to come and see how to become a strong leader. The sessions are free of charge, except for the dinner, which you must have been resisted to attend prior to the event. Some spots may be avalible, if you call x2606.

Curtis Zimmerman will be the keynote speaker at the dinner, which is from 5-6:30 p.m. Zimmerman has been a renowned entertainer for the past 23 years. His talents range from juggling to eating fire. His audiences learn how to trust and evaluate their mistakes, instead of failing because of negativity.

The first session runs from 6:35-7:20 p.m. and deals with specifics on how to stop hazing, building media relations tips for RSO's, including traveling tips.

The second session which runs from 7:25-8:10 p.m. will have Zimmerman back to speak about multi-tasking. Other points of interest will include running effective meetings and RSO Judicial Procedures.

The third and final session runs from 8:15-9:00 p.m. In this session, effective delegation will be discussed by Alumni Director Jeremy Mishler. His discussion will focus on how to keep the president of from running the entire organization.

Grant funding for service projects and ways to fundraiser and bring a concert to campus will convey new information to the crowd. Zimmerman will also bring his insight about multi-tasking back to this session.

"FLEX Training will provide each organization that attends the chance to run the most efficient and effective semester possible," Candice Fortman, a public relations major, said.

Student Leadership & Activities, the Ferris LINKS Freshman Mentor Program, the Order of Omega, and dollars from your Student Activity Fee, as allocated by the Student Affairs Programming Committee of Student Governemt, sponsor the Training.

This night will especially benefit RSO's that send members to the FLEX program. They will gain participation points towards the 5-star RSO Recognition Program.

Photo By James Bednarick, Photo Editor

Tessa Miller rushes the net for a forehand volley against Wayne State this past Saturday. Miller won the match 6-0, 6-0.

Lady Bulldog Tennis continues winning ways

By Adam Gasper
Ferris State Torch

The Lady Bulldog Tennis team continued its run at an 18th consecutive conference championship by shutting down GLIAC opponents Findlay, Wayne State, and Hillsdale in weekend action. All matches were held at the FSU Health & Racquet Club.

On Friday, the team took care of visiting Findlay in dominating fashion. At the number one singles spot, Jennifer Garvey defeated Lacy Rader in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0. Number two singles player Barbora Jilkova kept the theme going by skunking Summer Denlinger in another quick match. Suzanne Batten played a solid match at the three singles spot, winning 6-0, 6-1.

Kari Sederburg won her match at the four singles spot, taking care of Kate Mason, 6-1, 6-2. The number five singles match belonged to Tessa Miller as she rolled over Katie Doll 6-0, 6-0. At six singles, Elena Blackman rounded out the Bulldogs dominating singles play with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Tyfanie Barth in the closest match of the day.

In doubles play, Garvey and Jilkova teamed up to beat Rader and Mason 8-1. Senior Hulda Grin teamed up with Batten to take on Denlinger and Welly and defeated them in an 8-0 route. In the day's final match, Miller and Blackman paired up and rolled to an 8-1 victory over Droll and Barth.

Saturday morning's match against Wayne State proved to be more competitive, but the results were much the same. After fighting for a first set tie-break victory, Garvey outlasted Erika Pardon in the second set for a 7-6 (9-7), 6-2 victory. Jilkova continued her outstanding play at the two singles spot with another 6-0, 6-0 victory, this time over Kathy Lulguraj.

Batten was victorious once again, defeating Rachel Koskodan in timely fashion, 6-1, 6-1. The team's only loss was handed to Sederburg, who was defeated 6-3, 6-3 by Simona Iacoban at the four singles spot. Grin and Miller rounded out the singles play with 6-0, 6-0 victories. Grin defeated Jackie Johnston at number five singles while Miller defeated Anna Hume at the sixth spot.

Garvey and Jilkova teamed up once again to continue their domination at the one doubles spot, defeating Pardon and Koskodan 8-2. Batten and Grin fought off Lulguraj and Jacoban for a 9-7 victory, while Miller and Blackman defeated Hume and Monica Cushard 8-4.

On Sunday, Jilkova, Batten, Miller, Blackman, Rachel Prescott and Amanda Miller went a perfect 6-0, while the doubles teams of Garvey-Jilkova, Batten-Grin, and Tessa Miller-Blackman each took their matches to sweep Hillsdale.

Amanda Miller, who played in her first match of the season Sunday, said, "I was nervous at first, but once I got on the court I settled down and played well. I definitely had the adrenaline pumping."

Ferris State continues GLIAC action this week, taking on Lake Superior State Thursday at 3 p.m., Michigan Tech on Friday at 3 p.m. and Northern Michigan Saturday at 10 a.m.

Photo by Jeff Mier, Ferris State Torch

Sophomore tailback Derek Fudge shares a laugh with teammates after an 89-yard reception, the longest of his career.

Marsan the marvelous

By Nicholas Wasmiller
Sports Editor

With a change at quarterback, the Bulldogs moved their GLIAC record to 2-1 with a 38-14 win over Wayne State on Saturday.

New QB starter Tom Marsan led Ferris State with 334 yards passing and four touchdowns, including an 89-yard touchdown pass to running back Derek Fudge to open up the second half and seal the victory.

On Monday, Marsan was named GLIAC offensive player of the week by the conference. Marsan completed 20 of 30 passes and held a passer rating of 147.3. The QB out of Evergreen Park, Ill., also averaged 16.7 yards per pass completion.

Harlon Hill candidate Clarence Coleman caught 11 passes for 167 yards. Coleman's only score came on a spectacular 63-yard touchdown catch that included Coleman leap-frogging a teammate at the 40-yard line before he broke down the right sideline for the score.

Wayne State opened up the game with a 44-yard touchdown pass that put the Warriors up 7-0, nine minutes into the game. The lead was short-lived, however, as the Bulldogs stormed back for 31 straight points.

Coleman's 63-yard touchdown reception tied the game at seven, and the score was quickly followed by a six-play, 48-yard drive that resulted in a 12-yard Derek Fudge touchdown grab from Marsan.

The Bulldogs defense then produced a quick three-and-out series by Wayne State, giving the ball back to their new redshirt freshman QB. The defensive stop included a sack and a run stopped for a five-yard loss.

Marsan then led the Ferris State offense on a seven-play, 49-yard drive that resulted in another 12-yard touchdown pass, this time to senior wideout Doug Searles.

Ferris headed to the locker room at the half with a 21-7 lead, which was quickly increased to 28-7 with Fudge's 89-yard touchdown grab, his second TD of the day.

Just over six minutes into the second half, placekicker Tom Perez knocked through the last points for the offense with a 37-yard field goal. The attempt bounced off the left upright before just barely falling through to increase the lead to 24 points.

Early on in the fourth quarter, the Warriors scored on a one-yard run to bring the score to 31-14. The next Wayne State possession ended in a touchdown as well, this time for the Bulldogs as senior defensive tackle Jason Feasel returned a fumble 40 yards for the final score of the game.

Linebacker Charlie Pierson led the Ferris State defense with nine tackles, including two tackles for loss, and a sack. Defensive end Bo Moore netted two sacks and five tackles for the Dawgs, while linebacker Luke Piepkow and cornerback Devin Hutchings both had interceptions.

Neither team had very much success running the ball, with Ferris edging out the Warriors 35 to 32 in net rushing yards.

Currently, the Bulldogs are tied with four other teams for second place in the GLIAC with a 2-1 record. Grand Valley leads the conference with a 2-0 record, while Saginaw Valley, Indianapolis, Michigan Tech and Hillsdale join the Bulldogs at 2-1.

Next week the Bulldogs take on the Northwood Timberwolves at 7 p.m. The Timberwolves, the preseason pick to win the GLIAC, will try to avenge last year's loss to Ferris, killing any chance for Northwood to capture the 2000 GLIAC championship outright. Northwood ended up sharing that honor with Saginaw Valley.

Game Notes:

Senior flanker Clarence Coleman needs only three more touchdown grabs (35 career receiving TD's in GLIAC conference games) to tie the GLIAC record for most receiving TD's in a career. The record is currenly held by Saginaw Valley State's Brian Dolph.

Sophomore tailback Derek Fudge's 114 receiving yards on four receptions at Wayne State represents a personal career high, surpassing his previous best of 31 yards on three catches in the 2000 season opener at Indiana, Pa. (9/2/00).

Bulldogs can't slip by Elmhurst

By Jason Nelson
Assistant Sports Editor

Blame it on the rain. Like a pop song made famous by two lip singers named Milli Vanilli, the Ferris State women's soccer team just needed something to blame. The FSU team continued its roller-coaster ride through the season last Wednesday.

The Bulldogs, who have put together strings of consecutive losses and wins in the previous weeks, continued their inconsistent play with a 1-0 loss to Elmhurst College in driving rain and a windstorm that wreaked havoc on the field for the entire game.

The Bulldogs have been alternating wins and losses for the past few weeks, and have been unable to get above the .500 mark. What concerns Head Coach Pete Watkins the most has been the recent play of his troops.

"It was a frustrating result against Elmhurst. They just played better through the weather," Watkins said.

In the first half of action, the game was scoreless until Elmhurst forward Rachel Terpstra found a streaking Kary Somers, who rifled a shot past helpless Bulldog goaltender Connie Bigott at 37:20 for the only score of the game.

"We have fallen behind early in each of our last four games. We have been able to win two of them, and it is impressive how we are coming back from deficits, but against good teams we can't afford to do that," Watkins said. "The girls need to be ready to play from the first minute."

In a fairly quiet first half of action, Elmhurst had three shots, all of them on-goal. In contrast, Ferris State had 6 shots with none of them having to be stopped. Ferris State was unable to get on track offensively, seemingly hitting a snag at every opportunity. Elmhurst thoroughly dominated the second half as well. Although the shots were 7-6 in favor of Ferris State, goalie Bigott was forced to make five saves to keep her team within striking distance. Elmhurst goalie Katie Hathaway had to make one save in the second half, and three for the game.

Shots on goal for the Bulldogs were recorded by Sarah Hyde, Emily Rogers, and Amanda Kirkwood. The loss drops the Bulldogs record to a disappointing 3-4-2.

"Holly Alexander gave a great effort, Sarah Ideran played well through tough conditions, and Kristin Bator had a very strong game," Watkins said.

The Bulldogs' next game is today at 4 p.m. against Concordia College. Concordia is the final tune up game for the Bulldogs before they kick off the GLIAC season against Saginaw Valley State University on Oct. 3.

According to Watkins, the Bulldogs will have to play very well to be in the top three in the conference.

"The teams at the bottom last year are very much improved," Watkins said.

Some of the goals for Coach Watkins include coming out with more focus. "Hopefully the girls will have more focus and intensity from the outset," Watkins said. "The defense is doing a great job, and Sarah Hyde is really playing well for us. We need to get some offensive diversity. Right now we have two players (Jen Gaylor and Emily Rogers) scoring the majority of our goals."

With rotating goalies the last few games, it seems that Ferris State has settled on a starting goalie.

"Once the conference season starts, Connie Bigott will be the starting goalie," Watkins said. "Hopefully against Concordia we will bring the right focus to the game."

Photo by Mike Termini, Assistant Photo Editor

Erin Minius (left) and Stephanie Speed teamed up to help out their fellow Lady Bulldogs over Northwood.

Spikers just miss upset of Northwood

By Nicholas Wasmiller
Sports Editor

The Bulldog volleyball team just missed a sweep of this weekend's action, losing to 19th-ranked Northwood in five games.

On Friday, the Bulldogs traveled to Midland to take on the Timberwolves of Northwood. Ferris State took the first game 30-25 before dropping the next two games. The Bulldogs then evened the match at two apiece with a 30-23 game four win. Hoping to end the Timberwolves' 27-match winning streak, Ferris gave a great effort before eventually losing the game 15-11.

Leading the Bulldogs was freshman Ashley Green, with 24 assists. Karla Fairbanks recorded 13 digs, while Alaina Olds netted 11 kills.

Ferris State then traveled to Saginaw Valley on Saturday to take on the Cardinals. The Bulldogs took care of SVSU quickly, beating them 30-17, 30-21, 30-23. The match, which lasted one hour and ten minutes, was one of the quickest of the season for FSU.

Leading the way for the Dawgs was Kate Pickvet with nine kills, and Green with 20 assists. Annie Foster recorded 10 digs for Ferris State.

With the win over SVSU, Ferris State improved to 10-6 on the season, with a 3-2 record in the GLIAC. The Bulldogs are currently in fourth place in the GLIAC North Division, behind Grand Valley (5-0), Northern Michigan (4-1) and Northwood (2-1).

The Bulldogs travel to Ashland on Friday for a 7 p.m. match. On Saturday, Ferris will then go to Findlay to take on the Oilers. The Oilers currently lead the GLIAC South Division with a 5-0 record, 13-3 overall. Meanwhile, Ashland is in last place in the South Division with a 1-4 GLIAC record.

Fighting pornography is a losing battle

By Aaron Hatfield
Ferris State Torch

Pornography has, for a long time, been looked down upon by society. The whole idea of photographing a sexual act or even promoting it for that matter is deemed unfit for today's society. Nowadays, if it is found that you show an interest in pornography, than you are labeled a "pervert" and looked down upon as well.

Pornography is a beautiful thing. Human sexuality is a beautiful thing. Without human sexuality, where would any of us be today? Sure as hell not here! Why then is it wrong to admire the act of human creation?

I am an avid supporter of pornography in all forms. I am not a sheltered, desensitized, conformist who is ashamed to look at or watch sexuality. It is just a form of weakness to be ashamed of such acts.

Those of you against pornography, do you get ashamed or bashful when you feel the primal urge to have sex, or when you begin to lust after someone? If you are human, you shouldn't feel that way.

Not only is pornography leisurely entertainment, but it is also a great teaching aid. How many times have you been making love to that special someone and you've tried to do the position you saw in the porno under your bed, and then you say, "Man, how the hell did they do that?" Come on guys, or ladies, we've all done it! Some of you guys might have even tried to get that "Ron Jeremy face" to turn on the chicks.

Tons of dollars and lots of wasted time have been spent on lawsuits against pornographic material and their producers. Yet, while they are fighting it out with their evil foes, us "perverts" are standing outside picketing, buying and receiving our subscriptions to pornographic magazines, and continuously buying or renting the films.

It's a losing battle. They are fighting the two things they cannot overcome: human instinct and primal urge. It is human instinct to get horny when you see an attractive person's body. It is primal urge that you feel as you seduce your partner. These cannot be overcome unless we rewrite the human playbook, and that isn't happening.

According to the National Coalition, "sex" was the number one term people searched for on the net. "Porn" was the fourth most popular search term and "nude," "xxx," "erotica," and "Playboy" were ranked in the top 20. People are thinking about sex: Christians, guys, girls, parents and grandparents. It is a naturally occurring process.

Sure, I can understand all of a parent's concerns. Also, yes, there is a time and a place to talk about and view pornography-that's mainly a courtesy thing. But, it is irrational to go around banishing all pornographic material.

When kids go through sexual education, they are beginning to have their eyes opened to the wide world of pornography. Why would it be wrong for a kid, exposed to sexual education and who knows how to respect the other sex, to look at pornographic material? It wouldn't be.

Some of the human species need to wake up and feel hot and heavy again. They need to notice that they can still get horny and that, after stumbling on a rather nice pornographic movie, they can still feel those primal urges and that natural human instinct.

Going gaga over Britney

By: Jason Nelson
Assistant Sports Editor

She is truly the teen queen.

Who is this ravishing dark blonde? Could it be Christina Aguilera? Not a chance. Mandy Moore? No MTV VJ today. Perhaps it is Jessica Simpson? Nope, she has a funky lip. Willa Ford? Getting closer.

Although all of those girls are stupendously attractive, only one can be classified as the Teen Queen. (That is, until she turns 20, when she unofficially becomes my wife.)

The winner of the award goes to none other than Britney Spears! I know that the girls reading this are going to be sitting there with their mouths open wondering why in the world every guy is such a pig? I'm sorry-it's in the male genes, I guess.

By the way, ladies, have you ever left the channel on long enough to actually watch one of her videos all the way through? Not only are her videos educational, but they reflect life lessons as well. Besides, I know at least half of you dressed up in the private-school short skirt and high socks after the song "Baby One More Time."

It takes an absolute genius to sing a song like that. Think about it. There are at least three different ways someone could look at that. First of all, she could be talking to those wife-beaters out there whose wives think it is kinky to smack them across the face. Secondly, she could be singing about some weird guy that she likes or something. Thirdly, the Goddess of Pop could be singing about-well, if you're a guy, you know what I am talking about.

Amazing as it may seem, I have read in papers and magazines that our lovely Miss Spears has a beau. If I have heard correctly, it is that cross-dressing lead singer form N' Stink. What a waste. Why not go for some sophisticated, good-looking college guy? Why go out with some guy that sings pathetic love sonnets and dances like JoJo the circus monkey?

We live in a screwed-up world, but when a girl of Britney Spears' category is stooping that low to find a date, something must be wrong. I trace the problem to some of her other songs. I can't stand them. I could barely stand "Baby One More Time," but now her music is like poison to my ears. I would rather hear Frank Sinatra try and sing a version of "Bombs Over Baghdad" before I would listen to Britney.

So then, why is she the teen queen if her music is so bad? Unfortunately, in today's musical world, success is not measured by talent but by looks. In case any of you have been abducted or asleep for oh, the past four years, you would understand that the way Britney Spears looks is what makes her as popular as she is.

Ladies, I apologize for this column. I pray that I don't have any of you in any of my classes. It takes a lot of work to be this shallow when it comes to looks, so please don't hold it against any of my future columns.

What makes this more difficult is the fact that I have not really included what makes Brit so special. Sure she is good-looking, but have you heard her cute, innocent little southern drawl? So ladies, cut guys a break when you hear them talk about Britney Spears. We have had to deal with your visions of Ricky Martin for years