by Crystal Davis | Jan 30, 2012 | News Slider
A case about arson murder was the subject of the first of the HumanDocs film series for this semester, and students were piling in to Ward Hall Wednesday night for the showing of “Incendiary: The Willingham Case.” The case circles around Cameron Todd Willingham who got the raw end of the deal for years, even after death. He was caught in his house one day sleeping as a fire raged through his home. His young daughter and twin babies were also in the house. He woke to the heat of the flames and immediately started searching for his daughter. Willingham said he thought he saw his daughter run outside to her mother, but once Willingham reached his front yard he realized his wife was still running errands and his three children were still inside the house that was now blazing with flames. Neighbors and police officers had to restrain Willingham from running inside the house to save his girls. He was so distraught and desperate to get to his daughters by any means that police officers had to handcuff him, put him on a stretcher and transport him to the local hospital. Willingham suffered minimal burns to his arms, but he never saw his daughters again. They died in the house that day, barricaded by flames. Inexperienced fire investigators said they found evidence of accelerators throughout his home in various areas that led them to believe the fire could have only been caused by arson. Willingham was the lead suspect. Officers and investigators said they made him the prime suspect because people said that Willingham was acting irrational outside the house...
by Hunter Patterson | Jan 29, 2012 | News Slider, Sports
The Bisons had gone winless in two tries before playing Belmont in the ’67-’68 season. Still, Lipscomb was averaging over 90 points a game and won the last four times when playing in Belmont’s gym. Moreover, the Rebels of Belmont had already upset a top-ranked Tennessee Wesleyan just in its first game. However, the Bisons coached by Guy Phillips, would not be able to beat Belmont that time around or the rest of the season for that matter. In the game at Belmont the Bisons lost 102-86 followed up by an uncharacteristically low scoring affair, a 54-46 loss at Lipscomb. There is no word if they were playing a half-court game during that second matchup. The loss at Belmont started the biggest win streak for the Rebels/Bruins during the entire 129 game series. During the first outing, both Coach Phillips and his team were very (overly) optimistic about their chances heading into what was then called a mere “cross-town rivalry” with no boulevard at stake. Take Eddie Montgomery (no, not the taller half of the country music duo Montgomery Gentry) went into the Belmont game thinking they could beat not only the Rebs but also any other team in the country. “We’ve got the offense to blow somebody out of the gym. Our fast-break is working like a charm, and we should be able to run Belmont to death.” The entire article from the December 1967 Babbler can be read below. By Byron Nelson Cross-town rivalry flares up again tomorrow afternoon as the Bisons invade Belmont to take on the Rebels in their Homecoming game at 2 p.m. Traditionally,...
by Hunter Patterson | Jan 27, 2012 | News Slider, Sports
The Battle of the Boulevard. A rivalry often defined by distance, integrity, fierce competitiveness and respect. The schools set just two miles apart on the same boulevard. In all of the NCAA, there are not two schools that sit closer to one another. The game itself has the ability to bring out the best in any player, coach or team. Ever since the McQuiddy gym days, fans have had an extreme impact on the outcome of games. The Battle, while it is only two halves at a time, seems like a war. It’s a war on the court between the players. Ten men at a time, battling not only for a boulevard, but for every inch of the court, every loose ball and every ounce of pride that one may have after a win against that “team down the road.” Lipscomb and Belmont have played 129 times leading up to the February third matchup in Allen Arena on Don Meyer court. While Lipscomb holds the lead in the series 73-56, the two are tied since both schools have gone to the NCAA. Twenty-four of those 73 wins were in the 1980s with the likes of Phil Hutcheson and John Pierce on the team. During that span, Belmont won only six games. However, in the 50s, 60s and 70s, Belmont had the better record. Over the next week, the Battle of the Boulevard will be highlighted with articles dating back from 1960 to 2011. The wins, the losses, the heartbreak, the revelry, and the rivalry. “Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. It brings...
by Hunter Patterson | Jan 27, 2012 | News Slider
This week, we highlight the new theme park coming to town, see some light on the Lipscomb: Next plan for 2016 and give you the low down about Singarama. Wade and Kelly are at the anchor desk this week and Caitlin has entertainment, Jessica has the weather and Hunter has the sports. Please upgrade your...
by Thomas Whisenant | Jan 25, 2012 | News Slider, Opinion
After a day of school when I was younger, I would rush to my grandmother’s house for a bowl of chocolate ice cream. I would sit with her and play dominos for an hour, watch cartoons and try to recreate the moves I saw on Power Rangers every Saturday morning. I would pretend that I had no homework, no spelling tests, no grade sheets and no baths. The dream always ended. My mother would arrive and take me home to the reality of third-grade responsibility and icky vegetables. Regardless of how much I wanted to pretend that life was just like another day at grandmothers, I was always wrong. At some point I had to get to work. And now, Mommy has finally arrived to pick up Congress from grandma’s house. At first, the State of the Union address seemed to be nothing more than a campaign speech in a thousand dollar suit with a bow on top. Under the title “An America Built To Last”, the President unveiled a vision that included insourcing and creating new manufacturing jobs, providing workers with new skills, an increase in American energy production, and stressed a “renewal of American values”. He touted his success in eliminating bin Laden, ending the war in Iraq, cutting deficit spending, reviving the automotive industry and reforming the bureaucracy. He also dodged and sidestepped ‘third-rail’ political issues such as Social Security and Medicare, entitlement programs and debt reduction. While the speech might have been an election year surge, President Obama was not afraid to try to take on and challenge the political status quo. The President chose...
by Cory Woodroof | Jan 24, 2012 | News Slider, Opinion
This past weekend, Republican presidential nominee Newt Gingrich surprised the nation with a staggering win in the South Carolina primary. Gaining about 40% of the overall vote, the conservative former Speaker of the House managed to pull ahead of frontrunner Mitt Romney to win the state’s election. If anything, Gingrich needed the win. With Romney claiming New Hampshire and barely losing out on Iowa –Rick Santorum recently had the race called in his favor- , Gingrich needed a strong showing in SC to reassert himself in the race. Who knew that a major controversy would help lead to Gingrich’s eventual win. Shortly before the first southern primary, Newt Gingrich’s second ex-wife, Marianne Gingrich, came forward during an interview with ABC News, revealing startling claims about the former Speaker’s past. Ms. Gingrich accused Newt of desiring an “open marriage” during their time together in the midst of an affair. We have already seen scandal destroy the campaign of one presidential hopeful. If history was to repeat itself, a storm was brewing for the Gingrich campaign. This time, history decided to be original. Just before the polls opened in South Carolina, the Republican nominee hopefuls held a final debate. The opening question came from the hot topic of the night – the “open marriage” interview. The moderator asked Gingrich if he wished to comment on the issue. Newt gave a stern reply. “No, but I will.” The crowd erupted into a standing ovation. Gingrich continued. “I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to...
