New 'Brian's Song' comes up short
By Mike Scott
Secure in my masculinity after knawing raw meat off a bone, marking my territory and talking about car engines for a few hours, I sat down this past weekend to watch Brian’s Song — both versions — for the first time. Surprisingly, after viewing both the original version and the brand new Disney-fied version, I escaped with said masculinity intact (well, that’s assuming I had some to begin with, but that’s another discussion for another time). Yes, surprisingly I did not break down and cry from watching the notorious old tear-jerker.

Piccolo legacy goes beyond movie image
By Jordan Webster
Around here, quite a few things are done in the name of Brian Piccolo. Golf tournaments, 5K runs, weight lifting and pancake flipping, among several dozen other events each year,serve to fill the coffers of the cancer research fund created in honor of the former Deacon and Chicago Bear. But I won’t lie to you; if I hadn’t committed the last three-plus years of my life to this institution, I wouldn’t be able to pick Pic from the Bears team picture. In fact, prior to last weekend, I still may have failed to do so. I knew Piccolo’s No. 31 had been retired. I knew he had gone on to a short career with the Bears. And I knew we had a dorm that bears his name.

Deacons fall to Western, North Carolina
By Margaret McKenzie
The Demon Deacon women’s basketball team felt the wrath of a pair in-state opponents last week, falling to North Carolina 90-68 Dec. 5 before sharp second-half shooting propelled Western Carolina to a dramatic come-from-behind victory over the Demon Deacons on Nov 29. The loss in Cullowhee marked the first game without leading scorer sophomore Eafton Hill, who has been sidelined with a broken bone in her right foot.

Haas, Bielik headline stellar fall season
By Mike Scott
“The state of the union is strong!”
Pause for both houses of Congress to rise and applaud.
While this line was used by former President Bill Clinton once upon a time to describe the state of the good old U.S. of A., it could definitely be used to describe the state of the Demon Deacon athletic program, as the fall semester has been the setting for numerous impressive performances by Deacs in many different sports.

In session: Klopfer juggles hoops, teaching
By Margaret McKenzie
A feisty 5-foot-4 point guard from Albany, N.Y., senior Val Klopfer is an offensive spark off the bench for the Deacons.
A seasoned point guard, she has incredible vision on the floor and frequently sacrifices her body in the defensive effort. Yet this senior is more than one of the university’s all-time leading free throw shooters. Klopfer is a dedicated student, garnering a position on the ACC Academic Honor Roll in 1999.

Basketball bursts into ACC play over break
By Matt Gallagher
Break? What’s a break? While the rest of the campus goes home for a month-long winter break, the Demon Deacon basketball team plunges into the heart of its schedule. One could argue that this stretch of games could make or break the Deacs’ year, as it showcases the squad’s ACC opener, a game in Madison Square Garden and a trip to Chapel Hill — yes, that Chapel Hill.