Christina Murphy

It's over

2007-10-30T18:40:00.000-05:00

The Daily Campus produces a campuswide newspaper available to anyone in the Southern Methoidst University community. It is also available online.
On Tuesday morning, The Daily Campus released a huge cover story on the former SMU football coach, Phil Bennett and the previously released decision to fire him as head coach. The headline read, "It's over." This headline caught my attention as I was walking down the stairs in Hyer Hall when I looked around to see everyone reading the article with a mere shock value written on each face. Although, everyone in the SMU community knew that the coach hasn't had a winning season in his era, students and faculty were eager to read why, as was I.
"We've been close. But you all know...close doesn't count," Bennett said. When I read this comment, I genuinely nodded in agreement. However, I disagree with how to article was introduced, the message conveyed and the stat report on the back page of the paper titled, "The Bennett Era," presenting wins and losses.
I think Mark Norris, Editor in chief, of the Daily Campus, needs to rethink his strategies on how to communicate a story which affected not just the athletes but the whole student body and community. First he needs to evaluate his headline. Withstanding my opinion on the decision made on the coach, I truly believe, it was unethical and inaccurate, for Norris to make the bold statement, "It's over." Phil Bennett, yes the former coach, will remain the coach for the rest of the season. Athletic director, Steve Orsini, fired him mid season but is letting him coach the final four games.
The article should have been focused on this quote: "I don't want them playng for me," Bennett said. "I want them playing number one for their selves, their team, their program and this university."
The headline should have acknowledged the character represented in the article by both Phil Bennett and Steve Orsini. I feel that Mark Norris, like many others, was excited about the decision to fire Phil Bennett so he agressively and inadequitely, failed his written portion, in my opinion. It confused me. His points didn't follow his bold statement in the headline.
Former editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Eugene Roberts Jr., once iterated that a reporters job is to gather information and write the most informative story to the community it will likely affect. I'm pretty sure Roberts' philosophy was not to lose credability over a headline, rather lose it in the article itself where the information will say it all.
A headline should be ethical, it is not a trademark tease.
As an avid sports enthusiest and once, a girls basketball teammate who lost her coach mid season, I am very critical of the way journalists handle job loss in athletic departments. There are many factors that contribute to such dramatic decisions but for the members of the SMU community, hopefully this will be a positive end that will flourish with a new beginning. Norris should work on his ability to connect with his readers by making information worth knowing.

Inspiring A New Kind Of Affection

2007-10-10T12:52:00.000-05:00

Cowboys quarterback, Tony Romo has his spurs kicking one might say. He is on the go. He is unstoppable. But most of all, 27 year old Romo is just one of the guys. The Dallas Morning News wrote an article about the star after the way he handled himself when he threw aan interception aat Buffalo stadium in New York, costing his team an unnecassary touchdown for the Bills. The article highlights the flaws Romo had in the exhibition, rather than all his heroism on the field.
The game came down to the final seconds, when Romo and his teammates were down by two points. All that was need at crunch time was a three point conversion to win the game.
The young quarterback had a lot of pressure on him beginning in the first quarter when all of his mistakes came alive. I watched the game and noticed how composed of an athlete he is. It wasn't until I read this article that I really found a new appreciation for someone like that. The Cowboys are on top of the world right now. The whole program and it's supporters are behind the new coach and his new team. It is fun to watch the games when you know the team has honesty, wit and sportsmanship.
The article that spiked the cover of Wednesdays' paper, mentions that the cowboys success isn't due to talent. That is just one aspect. They point out how much the team values the personality that Romo has.
A young quarterback can easily develop a temper through frustration both on and off the field. It is easy for any athlete to internalize every emotion and misconception, especially when portrayed through the media. Romo has been a pure example to not only his teammates but athletes young and old. He sets the tone just right by offering a quaality display of balance between life and football. The article outlines how Romo seperates the two and combines the aspect of friendship all the time. The guys on his team are his buddies, both offense and defense.
I think the Dallas Morning News made an incredible decision to write this story after a well earned, hard fought game by the Cowboys. It wasn't about intelligence or athleticism, it was about personality. That is the one real trait in all of us.
This was perfect timing for something so defined to become a story because last week, we as a nation, saw olympic runner, Marion Jones, hand in her 'Sydney games' gold medals due to dishonesty with illegal performence enhancements. This not only affected the vision on American athletes but it demeaned all credability for athletes striving to be the best they can.

Ahmadinejad visits the U.S.

2007-09-23T22:04:00.000-05:00

CNN world news is a nationally televised, 24 hour station presenting upfront, to the minute issues worth knowing. I normally turn to this station each night before I go to bed for my daily world news. The stations primary news focus is the 'war on terror.'
It wasn't until Sunday evening that I was informed of the initial visit, Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, will make to the city of New York. He will arrive to a group of protestors who are prepare to verbally attack the leader. Many of the protestors are Jewish and are trying to make a statement for their cultural background. More specifically, the Iranian leader will come to announce on national television that Iran is neither building a nuclear bomb nor headed to war with the Unitied States.
Columbia University officials will welcome Ahmadinejad, after inviting him for the second time to their campus. The Jewish leader will be given an unwelcoming feeling when he arrives on the campus, Monday. Students and Protestors alike will gather to demonstrate civil rights. 40 elected city officials of New York and civic leaders did not approve of his decision to partake in the campus forum. However, university President, Lee Bollinger, has denied requests to cancel his visit but did promise to conduct the forum in a tough manor by raising very controverisal questions such as those on Terrorism, the Holocaust, and Religion.
CNN really impressed me with their coverage on the story by primarily focusing on Columbia University and the effect the Iranian leader will have on students. Sometimes, it is too easy to forget about those of us who are the future. People, like me, in universities all over the globe, are trying to get a grip on the world and it starts with live forum involvement, especially those focusing on the war and other national issues happening around us. It is so important that we begin to understand and take into account what is going on outside our individual bubbles because it offers a platform for us to discuss and prepare for the world that we will enter, the concrete jungle that we don't want to get lost in.

Where's Madeleine?

2007-09-10T09:08:00.000-05:00

The McCann family of London, England, are under suspician after their little girl, Madeleine, dissapeared early last Spring while the family was on Vacation. The family is being accused of having to do with the death of their daughter, not the dissapearence. Everything seems very ambiguous, however, as the family fled the vacation spot of Bermuda and headed back to London. NBC's, The Today Show, followed this story very closely Monday morning, treating it more as a confusion rather than an investigation, calling it, "obsurde." I think what the Today Show failed to mention was that the McCann family has two other small children to take care of. This makes the balancing act in parent hood down right tough.
This seems like a perfectly good reason to be suspicious, however, the parents are heartbroken over the horrific fact that their daughter may have been taken. Like any parent with other children, life must go on as normal as possible to protect the mental stability of the existing family members.
I think the news media needs to be more sensitive to the parents. Accusations, such as this one are inevitable but there are different ways of presenting it and an ethical aspect of respect that everyone is entitled to.

The Cowboy Show

2007-09-10T08:30:00.000-05:00

With a new head coach, a new game plan, and a new future for Tony Romo and Co., the Dallas Cowboys opened the 07-08 season with much to talk about. The New York Giants traveled to Dallas in hopes to get the Cowboys season off to a rocky start. However, with the mentality that Jerry Jones and his Cowboys have right now, that very task is seemingly impossible.
The Dallas Morning News has covered the new Wade Phillips era in both Sunday and Mondays front page of the paper. It is definitely taken Dallas fans alike down a whole new road focusing on a whole new idea; chemistry. Quarterback Tony Romo and tight end Jason Witten displayed the new phenom Sunday evening at Texas Stadium. The cowboys ran over the Giants, 45-35.

So everything seems great, right. New season, new chemistry, new offense. But defense wins games. What the Dallas Morning news fails to mention, is that the Cowboys defense was unable to stop the Giants making plays and turning them into points. After reading Sundays paper, early sunday morning, I convinced myself to watch the game because, writer, Brad Townsend, got me excited about the new franchise and it's "super goals." Will the Cowboys make the Super Bowl? Will we see a season like the one we saw in 1992? All these questions will be answered with time, patience, and defense. As for Romo, it is his time to get both sides of the game going; offense and defense. I'd like to see a story after the next few games about an individuals level of emotional ability to create coexertion of the offense and defense to really demonstrate the true chemistry between not only the team as a whole but the fans as well.

SMU opens with sobering mission

2007-08-29T22:53:00.001-05:00

If you know anything about SMU, you know it specializes in its renound social scene and hands on curriculum. And I'll let you in on a secret, I am right in the heart of it, a true sorority girl to the T! I am a Kappa Kappa Gamma. This is my affiliation to the SMU Greek society on campus which prides intself in long standing tradition through philanthropy, outstanding performance in the classroom and on the fields, and a social scene that almost makes you think twice about the statement, "classes are getting in the way of college."
When you see a headline pin point 3 student deaths in a matter of five months at your University, the glass begins to look half empty to many including myself. Not only was I personally affected by the tragedies which occured last Spring of 2007, but I was and to some extent, still oblivious to the drug and alcohol abuse on this campus.
As I briefly mentioned that I am apart of the greek system on the SMU campus, I will admit that I am stunned and saddened to see such brutality and abuse so close to home. These kids whose lives were cut so short were a part of my community. Everyone on this traditional campus and in this blessed community has stepped back to capture a breath of fresh air. This breath has ultimately taken over to create a new direction for this small society.
I am pleased to see that President Turner, Professor Halperin, and professor Henson have voluntarely reached out to the students, families, faculty, and alumni to create a hopeful strategy for a new beginning.
"Clearly when you have more than one [death], we should have been having some discussion and I don't recollect that that occured," said Halperin in an interview with the Dallas Morning News. Halperin directs SMU's human rights education program. He is obviously passionate, yet extremely concerned for his students well being. What goes on outside room 106 is not his worry after his class sections. I see where professor Halperin is coming from. He demonstrates that we have a growing deadly disease on our campus and anyone blind to that fact is a potential candidate and for obvious reasons, beginning with the social standing of out student body.
When I came accross President Turner's statement, "All of us must do more, and more often, to make an impact," I readily heard the call to help. I feel it begins with me and I feel that any studend who read or will read this articale will likely reciprocate this understanding.
The university reportedly developed a task force comfronting the concern. It is made up of students, faculty, family members and those who support the issue at large. I pray that it works and I will do anything to help it's cause.

Jake, Jordan, aand Meaghan-may you rest in peace.

Thoughts

2007-08-29T22:19:00.000-05:00

Ever since I moved to Dallas to begin my journey at SMU, I have turned to The Dallas Morning News for my information and upkeep in the news. I used to read the Register Guard or even the Oregonian if you will in my hometown of Eugene Oregon to get my daily dose of what was making headlines. I think both papers in Oregon are solid media centers for the state. They provided me with access to knowledge worth knowing and talking about.

At home, I was one of my four friends who paid attention to the news. I was never the kid who wanted to watch Goof Troop or Duck Tales. CNN headline news and NBC nightly news were my forerunners. However, I did Watch Kathy Lee become Kelly Ripa, Tom Brokaw turn into Brian Williams, Meredith Vierra turn into Katie Couric and what could have been Rosie O'Donnell turned Bob Barker. But luckily, I got out in time. Every little brief and burn were captured and captured fully to the attention it required. But when shit hits the fan, it's time to get moving. So I moved in my own direction, Dallas!

At this point in my life, I like to think of everything as a learning experience. Seems pretty origonal, i know, but it's the truth. It's not about who you are, where your from, what grade you got, what grade she got, what sorority your affiliated with. It's more! It's about me! It's about making something of myself to change a little part of, not only myself, but the world. I am so thaankful for my past, present and what i can't see in my future. That is the excitement I love! Don't you?

As I have slowly worked my way into the Journalism program here at SMU, I have encountered a few locked rooms along the way full of unanswered questions. I have learned to simply live the questions themsleves as if they were written in a very foreign language. I can't search for the answers which cannot be given to me now because I would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, I will gradually without even knowing it, live my way into the answer.