NCC Portfolio: Cody Norman

CODY G. NORMAN

Next Stop: Cleveland, Ohio

George Mason University, New Century College Portfolio

No part of me even wanted to visit Mason. Back before I applied to Mason in 2009, I had my

heart set on playing baseball at Christopher NewportUniversity in Newport News, Va. My parents beggedme to give Mason a try and test the waters, just tomake sure I was 100 percent certain.

After being dragged to Fairfax for the first time, Ispent two hours on campus and almost immediatelyhad a change of heart. is is where I wanted to be.

Baseball or not, I wanted to get my education atMason.

As much as I tried to convince myself I was readyto leave home, I was never really sure I would make it.

I am a writer, not a talker. I do not do well with

making new friends and talking to new people.But, almost immediately, Mason challenged me to

step outside of my comfort zone to attempt greatness.Since arriving at Mason in 2009, I have attempted

things that no one before me had ever attempted. Ifailed as often as I succeeded but, perhaps more im-portantly, I challenged myself to accomplish things Inever imagined were possible.

As I prepare to graduate in December of this year,I look back at my time at Fairfax and hope that I havemade a positive impact on this university, just as it hasmade a positive impact on me.

STORY BY CODY NORMAN

Forever in the Debt ofGeorge Mason University

Aug. 2009 - May 2010

Aug. 2010 - May 2011

Aug. 2011 - May 2012

Aug. 2012 - Dec. 2012

Freshman

Sophomore

Junior

Senior

/CodyGNorman

@Cody_Gaines

[email protected]

Portfolio_Layout 1 10/30/2012 8:20 PM Page 1

2 April 2, 2012

Reader’s Guide

Organized based on the competencies set forth by NewCentury College, this portfolio will use sports writingand reporting as the controlling metepahor. Becausethe center of my life is communication, my answer tothe Central Question can be found under the Commu-nication tab above.

As someone with extensive experience in sports writingand reporting on many levels, I will address the follow-ing NCC competencies:-Communication-Critical inking-Group Collaboration-Aesthetic Awareness

Within this portfolio, you will find a variety of evidencepulled from my academic archive that demonstratesmy personal and academic growth since I enrolled inGeorge Mason University in the Fal of 2009.

Under the tab laebeled Attestations, you will find testa-ments from a variety of different professionals whohave graciously offered to attest to my ability as a jour-nalist and a person in all facets of academia.

is portfolio demonstrates my creativity, providing acreative home for my creative work in sports journal-ism.

roughout the portfolio, it is evident what meansmost to me: family & friends, my pride in America, mypride in Mason Nation and the experience I have ob-tained since enrolling in 2009.

My goal is and will always remain to change the world...

3.5Years that it hastaken Cody Normanto graduate fromMasonAfter coming in to Mason with a full semes-ter-worth of credits, Norman was able tocomplete his undergraduate degree in 3.5years. He began working toward his gradu-ate degree during the final semester, Fall2012, of his undergraduate education.

Reader’s GuideCody G. Norman

215 Summer Breeze Lane • Fredericksburg, VA 22406 • (540)538-7475 • [email protected]

CODY G. NORMAN

PROFILEDependable, hard-working, goal-oriented and conscientious are key character traits I portray consistently in the classroom,during employment, and in personal activities. Seeking a challenging internship for the Summer of 2012 that will better pre-

pare me for employment upon graduation in Dec. 2012.

EDUCATIONGeorge Mason University Fairfax, VACandidate for a Bachelor of Arts Degree, Spring 2013

Major: Integrative Studies w/ a focus in Sports Journalism and Sports WritingRecognized as a member of the Dean’s List following the Fall ’09 and Spring ’10 semesters

RELATED WORK EXPERIENCEOctober 2011-December 2012– Editor-in-Chief, Courtside SeatsPublished the first ever issue of Courtside Seats, a magazine publication dedicated solely to the men’s and women’s basketballteams at George Mason University on Nov. 30, 2011.Designed and maintain the online portion, updating the site after every basketball game with a story, pictures and video frompostgame press conferences.

August 2012 – Editor-in-Chief, Broadside (George Mason University Campus Newspaper)Managed staff of seven editors to produce a 20-page newspaper on a weekly basis for campus circulation.Redesigned newspaper from broadsheet to tabloid style, much to the approval of the administration.Edited stories in every section and met with editors and/or writers to help improve writing mechanics for the newspaper.

January 2012-May 2012 – Managing Editor, Broadside (George Mason University Campus Newspaper)Managed staff of seven editors to produce a 12+ page newspaper on a weekly basis for campus circulation.Edited stories in every section and met with editors and/or writers to help improve writing mechanics for the newspaper.Credentialed member of the media for all home and away games for Mason basketball.

March 2011-Present – Radio co-host, e SpotCastHost a sports talk radio show with several colleagues on the campus radio station three days per week for two hours per day.Broadcasted a men’s basketball pregame show from courtside for home and away games, including CAA Tournament gamesin Richmond.

April 2010 – Published author of Finding Love in AgonyCo-wrote a collection of poetry published by Publish America with Daniel Hollowell in April 2010.

INTERNSHIPSSeptember 2011-December 2011 – Network desk intern at USA TodayWorked on the night desk, editing stories and posting them to the website.Wrote captions and worked on photo galleries to be posted to the website.

June 2010 – Media outreach intern for the Old Spice Chris Cooley Football CampInteracted with Redskins Tightend Chris Cooley and Pro Camps Worldwide to help produce a quality sports camp for youngkids.

January 2011-May 2011 – Assistant Produce for Mike Wise Show on WJFK 106.7 e Fan on CBS RadioParticipated in pre-show meetings and offered topic suggestions and opinions.Interacted with listeners who called in to offer suggestions and/or ask questions.Transcribed interviews for Mike Wise to use in his columns for e Washington Post.

One word at a time


3April 2, 2012Family & Friends Cody G. Norman

Perhaps the most frightening prospect aboutleaving home and coming to Mason as a studentin Aug. 2009 was the uncertainty -- not aboutwhat lies ahead, but about who lies ahead. Be-cause I am very introverted and shy, I was con-cerned with my ability, or lack thereof, to ventureout of my comfort zone to make new friends.Project Peak and UNIV 100 helped me to breakout of my shell, meet new people and accom-plish things I never thought were possible.

August 2009

UNIV 101: FreshmanOrientationAdjusting to life as a student at George Mason University


4 April 2, 2012 Family & FriendsCody G. Norman

NCLC 491: Personal Convictions Essay

To Whom It May Concern:

I have been an avid con-sumer of General Mills Inc.cereals for the last thirteenyears and have been quitedelighted with the measuresthat have been taken in or-der to promote a healthierlifestyle for consumers. ewhole grains, vitamins,minerals, fiber and othernutrients delivered by Gen-eral Mills products speaksvolumes about the GeneralMills company and I ap-plaud you for the manifesteffort in these aspects.However, over the last sev-eral weeks I have been com-pletely and utterly dissatis-fied with the facade ofseveral key components inmy most beloved cereal,Lucky Charms.

Recently, I have been ex-periencing an undeniablecraving for the magically de-licious taste provided by SirCharms and the LuckyCharms cereal. My desirefor the aforementioned ce-real stemmed from the ob-servance of a rather inter-esting commercial whichcontained a catchy tune list-ing all of the marshmallowsinhabiting every box ofLucky Charms. Being incollege, I rushed right to thedining hall to quench myyearning for the cereal andbegan to set aside a heart,star, horseshoe, clover andblue moon, a pot of goldand a rainbow and a swirlyred balloon.

As I scavenged throughmy bowl for each of themarshmallow shapes, I be-came increasingly dis-

tressed andvowed to continue mysearch until each shape wasdiscovered. I am currentlyon bowl number twenty-sixand have yet to obtain thepot of gold and/or a purplehorseshoe. However, I haveingested a marshmallow-shaped hourglass. As youmight imagine, it has beenvery bothersome to me thatI cannot seem to find thepot of gold or a purplehorseshoe; therefore, I havedecided to take my issuesdirectly to the producer andvoice my concerns.

As I conclude this letter, Iwould like to make my is-sues extremely clear and letGeneral Mills Inc. know thatI am sincerely saddened bytheir misleading advertise-ments. If the company is nolonger going to include thepot of gold in their cereal, itis pertinent that the catchytune be reassembled. Be-low is a suggested restruc-turing of the song. I wouldgreatly appreciate it if youwould seriously considermy proposition and reviseyour tune as you see fit.

Hearts, stars and hour-glasses

Clovers and blue moons.Rainbows with no pot of

goldAnd a swirly red balloon

ank you for your timeand thoughtful considera-tion.

Sincerely,

Cody Norman, A Concerned Citizen

Lucky CharmsLetter

OPINION

I believe in my father.I also believe in honor and

respect. And I believe in get-ting back in the box, no mat-ter how many times I strikeout. I believe in workinghard, getting dirty and doingwhatever it takes to win inthe game of life.

But those are all things hetaught me.

I’m told sometimes thatI’m just like my father, some-times in an accusatory tone.But I always take it as a com-pliment, moving on whileaccepting that line as anhonorable tribute. After all,my father is the best guy Iknow.

at would not have beenmy answer several years ago.

ere is always that stagein a young man’s life, thestage where father and sonjust cannot get on the samepage. I was grounded on anumber of occasions for get-ting a C on my report card.Why couldn’t I be average? Icannot be expected to boastexemplary grades in allcourses.

at was never the point. It was not about As or Bs.

It wasn’t about being aver-age.

It was about accepting av-erage. It was about refusingto admit fault and placingthe blame on everyone butmyself.

Still, no matter how stub-born I grew, he never let mecoast by on mediocrity, al-ways challenging me to bethe best I could be – chal-lenging me to be an All-Starin whatever it was that Iwanted to be.

And no matter how farapart we were in our beliefs,he never left my side, stand-ing right there beside me aswe – my father and I –knocked the next pitch outof the park. No matter howmany times the world forcedme out, sending me back tothe bench with little left inthe tank, it was my father –my coach – who was there todust me off and send meback out between the chalk.

For years I watched, I lis-tened, as he carved his nameinto the Hall of Fame. And indoing so, he has served asmy inspiration. My mentor.My coach. My friend.

My father.Like I said, he is the best

guy I know.

This I Believe...

Tune in to The SpotCastevery Monday, Wednesday & Friday

from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.on WGMURadio.com

Cody Norman, Daniel Zimmet, Mark Mansdoerfer & Stephen KlineClick on the picture to hear the interview with President and Mrs. Merten on April 27


5April 2, 2012Family & Friends Cody G. Norman

Shortly after shuffling the co-hosts of WGMU’s only sports talk radio show, the Morning Breakdown rebranded and be-came The SpotCast. Joining Cody Norman and Daniel Zimmet on the show, roommates Mark Mansdoerfer andStephen Kline grabbed a seat on the who which, at the time, appeared Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8a.m. to 10 a.m. Now, the show has made one final adjustment so the guys are featured Monday, Wednesday and Fri-day evening from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The six hours per week on WGMU makes The SpotCast the most frequent show onWGMU Radio.

April 2012

WGMU Radio: The SpotCast


6 April 2, 2012 Proud To Be An AmericanCody G. Norman

Colonel Matthew Habersat at the foot of his daugh-ter’s bed, repeating the words,“I love you” as tears rolleddown his cheeks.

Anna Haber was just 11years old when her fatherbroke the news: He was beingdeployed to Stuttgart, Ger-many and would be away forfour months. She lay in bedthat night, watching her fa-ther cry for just the secondtime in her life, but she wasstill too young to really under-stand.

“At that age, it doesn’t setin until the next day whenyour dad isn’t there,” saidAnna, now a junior marketingmajor at Mason. “At thatpoint, you can’t just call andtell him to come home.”

Col. Haber spent fourmonths in Germany, leavinghis wife to care for both Annaand her younger brother,Michael. Both children werebecoming increasingly in-volved in sports and choir butJane Haber, Anna’s mother,did what she had to do tokeep everything as normal aspossible.

“It helps having goodkids,” Mrs. Haber said. “Youhave no choice. You just dowhat you have to do. But thekids made it easy.”

Still, though, his time inGermany would pale in com-parison to what was coming.

Col. Haber watched froma classroom in Fort Leaven-worth, Kansas as news outletsfrom across the nationshowed clips of AmericanAirlines Flight 11 slamminginto the center of the northtower of the World TradeCenter. Shortly thereafter, hewatched an obscenely famil-iar shape tear through thesouth tower.

“e moment I saw that, Iknew it changed everything,”Col. Haber said. “It changedeverything in my life. Itchanged the way my kidsgrew up and the way theylived their life. at momentchanged everything.”

Shortly after Sept. 11, Col.Haber was deployed for a six-month tour to Iraq, againleaving his wife to take care ofhis two children.

“e military is a danger-ous profession,” Col. Habersaid. “When you sign up, youknow you could go to war andbe away from your family. Butit’s not real until it happens.”

e time away from hisfamily was a struggle. It wassomething, he says, he neverimagined he would havedone in the moments prior tothe attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.Still, in order to avoid anothermove prior to Anna’s senioryear in high school, Col.Haber volunteered for a sec-ond deployment to Iraq.

“I felt really guilty,” Annasaid. “Being a military kid, Iknew I could easily handlemoving for my senior year.You just do what you have todo and don’t think twiceabout it. But he decided hewas leaving –and he was leav-ing because of me — and I feltreally guilty about it.”

Col. Haber continued:“e one thing that I fearedwas that, God forbid, some-thing happened to me. Notbecause of what would hap-pen to me, but because Annawould live the rest of her lifeand blame herself.”

Col. Haber deployed forIraq on Feb. 1, 2009, duringthe spring of Anna’s junioryear in high school.

As gratitude to her father,Anna tried a variety of new

things during her senior year.

Anna captained the varsitycheerleading squad and wasvoted homecoming queen,both things her father said henever dreamed of happeningwhen he left, and later joinedMichael in singing the Na-tional Anthem at a basketballgame.

“Without actually saying,‘ank you,’ it was my way ofshowing Dad I appreciatedthe fact that he volunteered soI could stay in Vegas,” Annasaid. “It was all just a bigthank you.”

Col. Haber stayed con-nected with his family withfrequent Skype calls, often-times calling his wife at soccergames or while the family wasin the midst of dancing toMichael Jackson, slidingalong the wood floors in theirhouse.

“When he can see us jok-ing around and laughing, itmakes him feel good too,”Anna said.

About six months in to his

second tour, Col. Haber re-turned home for a two-weekrest and relaxation period.e family spent much oftheir traveling throughoutCalifornia, taking collegetours throughout the state sothat Col. Haber had some in-put in his daughter’s collegedecision.

e rest and relaxation pe-riod end all too soon and thefamily, again, had to saygoodbye to Col. Haber as hewas deployed to finish the lasteight months of a 14-monthtour. While saying farewell atthe airport, Anna hugged herfather tightly, not allowinghim to leave her arms.

“at is when you realizeit’s impacting your kids,” Col.Haber said. “It’s impactingyour wife, too. It’s hard.”

After completing the finaleight months of his tour, Col.Haber returned home to hisfamily.

“Coming home is the best

feeling in the world,” Col.

Haber said. “It feels good tobe in a country where peopleappreciate you. It’s just over-whelming and you can’t waitto get home.”

He received his new or-ders for the Pentagon inWashington D.C. e Habersmoved into their home inChantilly, their sixteenthhome in Col. Haber’s 25 yearsin service, shortly beforeAnna arrived for the first dayof classes at Mason.

And despite having an ex-cuse for family turmoil, theHaber family is closer thanever. Col. Haber recently re-

tired from the U.S. Air Force

after 25 years of service andthe family is now building apermanent home in Chan-tilly.

“It makes you truly appre-ciate the family you havewhen you have them,” Annasaid. “We say, ‘I love you,’every time we get off thephone or when we see eachother. And every single timethat we say it, we truly meanit.”


Father-Daughter Bond Unbroken by DeploymentMilitary Lifestyle Helps Strengthen the Haber Family

Anna Haber“At that age, it doesn’t set inuntil the next day when your

dad isn’t there. At that point, you can’t just call and tell him to come home.


7April 2, 2012Cody G. Norman

”Moments before the first

plane struck the North Towerof the World Trade Center onSept. 11, 2001, a young DanielLasko stood in Harrisonburg,Pa., ready to take the oath ofenlistment into the UnitedStates Marine Corps, swear-ing to protect his country.

He swore to support anddefend the Constitution ofthe United States against allenemies, foreign and domes-tic, and he swore to bear truefaith and allegiance to thered, white and blue.

Lasko was born in 1982 inEaston, Pa., and grew up anathlete, playing baseball atthe high school level. He waswell-equipped for theMarines at age 19 and madethe decision to enlist, seeing itas an opportunity to serve hiscountry.

Before beginning his en-listment, Lasko was senthome to be with his familyuntil he could be transportedsouth to Parris Island in PortRoyal, S.C. After viewing theviolent attacks, some individ-uals may have begun to re-think their decision to volun-teer for military duty.

But not Daniel Lasko.He boarded a bus to Port

Royal and began the 13-weekcamp on Sept. 17, just six daysafter the attacks. He gradu-ated from boot camp in Janu-ary of 2002 and was stationedin Camp Lejeune, N.C.

“Initially, my plan was tocomplete the standard fouryears of active duty and moveon,” Lasko said in a recent in-terview with the website OurMilitary Heroes. “As I got fur-ther into my duty, I started toenjoy it. I was climbing up theladder and gaining rankquickly in three years. Makingit a career was now an optionfor me as I was gaining expe-riences, traveling and makingnew friends along the way.”

In 2004, Lasko was de-ployed with the 22nd MarineExpeditionary Unit toAfghanistan.

After just one month inAfghanistan, Lasko was oper-ating a machine gun aboard aseven-ton armored vehiclewhen it rolled over two im-provised explosive devices,severely injuring his left foot.

“To me, it felt like a slowmotion movie,” Lasko said.

“Two bright flashes of lightand then total darkness.”

Lasko spent over a yearbetween the National NavalMedical Center and WalterReed National Military Med-ical Center in Bethesda, Md.,enduring more than 15 sur-geries on the leg before hav-ing it amputated below theknee.

In January 2009, he gradu-ated from NorthamptonCommunity College wherehe majored in criminal jus-tice. He spent time workingfor Rep. Allyson Schwartz. D.Pa., as a caseworker specializ-ing in veterans affairs whilecompeting in marathons andtriathlons across the globe.

On Friday, Sept. 2, Laskojoined his teammates on theWounded Warrior Amputeesoftball team on George Ma-son University campus tocompete against the Dia-mond Dream Foundation. Hehas been a member of theteam for two months, travel-ing the nation once a monthto play softball.

“e first time I took thefield with these nine guys, Igot goose bumps,” he said. “I

knew we were all the same.We are all veterans. We are alldisabled. We all have ampu-tations. It’s a perfect fit forme.”

ough Lasko and histeammates are no longer ableto defend their county on thebattle field, they have made ittheir mission to make theAmerican public aware of thesacrifices and resilience ofour military, proving they willrise above any challenge.

ey received a warmwelcome in Fairfax from fans,with respect and admirationin the forefront during Satur-day’s game.

As the ten year anniver-sary of Sept. 11, 2001 passes,so does the anniversary of theday that Corporal DanielLasko, one of the many bravemen who have given every-thing to protect our country,gave his life to the UnitedStates Marine Corps.


Wounded Warriors

A robed figure of Libertas,Roman goddess of freedom,stands tall in New York Har-bor. Dedicated in 1886 by thepeople of France, Libertasbears a torch upon which isinscribed the date of theAmerican Declaration of In-dependence: July 4, 1776. Abroken chain lies at her feetas this statue, the Statue ofLiberty, serves as a represen-tation of the American cul-ture and welcomes immi-grants arriving from abroad.

But what does it mean tobe an American?

As you stand atop the hill,watching the guard paceback and forth with such pre-cision as he guards the Tombof the Unknown Soldier, theskyline of Washington D.C.faintly peers through thetrees. More than 400,000headstones mark our na-tion’s fallen heroes, lying inthe forefront of the nation’scapital.

Pausing for a moment topay my respects to my great-grandfather, Captain JamesE. Herbert, I was overcomeby the sacrifice made by eachof these young men andwomen. Each of the head-stones, markers thatstretched across the 624-acremass of rolling hills, signifiedthe true cost of our nation’sgreatest quality.

Freedom is not free.Freedom comes at the

significant cost of the morethan 400,000 people whohave been laid to rest in Ar-lington National Cemetery. Itcomes at the price of broth-ers and sisters, mothers andfathers, friends, husbandsand wives. It comes at theprice of these brave Ameri-can people.

With the 11-year anniver-sary of the terrorist attacks on

Sept. 11 rapidly approaching,I made my way to the head-quarters of the U.S. Depart-ment of Defense and stoodaffixed at the charred blackstone that is stacked amongthe foundation of the Penta-gon. Nearly 11 years earlier,American Airlines Flight 77tore through the first floor ofthe Pentagon and stole thelives of people, each ofwhom are marked by a can-tilevered bench atop a lightpool of flowing water. Eachunit provides a permanenttribute to each victim wholost their life in the Pentagon,both on the airplane and inthe building, on that tragicday.

With the image of Ameri-can flags draped acrossbuildings in the distance, Iwas surmounted by thethoughts and memories ofthose who perished. I wasovercome by images of eachplane slamming into theWorld Trade Center, roaringthrough the Pentagon andfalling short into a field nearShanksville, Pennsylvania.

Freedom is not free.Freedom comes at a sig-

nificant cost and, as I sat gaz-ing upon the Pentagon Me-morial and the tombstonesin Arlington Cemetery, I real-ized what it means to be anAmerican.

e name of American,which belongs to us all in ournational capacity, must al-ways acclaim the just pride ofpatriotism. Patriotism bringsenergy, faith and devotionthat will light our countryand all who serve it. Being anAmerican allows us to livefree and always remember.

Never forget.


Proud to Be an American“Corporal Daniel Lasko

To me, it feltlike a slowmotionmovie. Twobright flashesof light andthen totaldarkness.

Proud To Be An American


8 April 2, 2012

2,977 illumanarias -- one for each victim of the attacks --and 60 floating lanterns -- one for each country who lost acitizen -- were used to honor those affected by thetragedies of Sept. 11, 2001. Perhaps the most touchingportion of the event, students began arriving more than anhour before the event began to assist in lighting each ofthe 2,977 illumanarias.

Sept. 11, 2012

Sept. 11Commemorative EventWhen Broadside discovered theuniversity was not hosting an event tocommemorate the tragedies of Sept.11, the newspaper staff took it uponthemselves to gather students for theoccasion.

Proud To Be An AmericanCody G. Norman


9April 2, 2012

Professors Promote Diplomacy Through SportCraig Esherick, Bob Baker and Pam Baker Use Sport to Change Foreign View on American Culture

e power and the impactof sport is undeniable.

Serving many functions inour lives, sport works to de-velop communication skillsand promote teamwork, allthe while bringing communi-ties together as one. Perhapslesser known, sport can alsopromote a world of peace andcross-cultural understandingthat is stronger than any bar-rier languages and culturesmay build.

“You don’t need to speakthe same language becauseyou are out there just playingand competing in sports,” saidCraig Esherick, Associate Di-rector of the Center for SportManagement.

In many ways, the lan-guage of sport is the only uni-versal language in the world.

rough a grant awardedby SportsUnited, a division ofthe U.S. Department of State’sBureau of Educational andCultural Affairs, Mason pro-fessors Esherick, Dr. BobBaker and Dr. Pam Baker havebeen working in a diplomaticeffort to promote peace andshape the world view onAmerica and its citizens.

“More than anything, weovercome linguistic chal-lenges by having strong inter-

ests in the American culture,”said Marlon Moreno, a Mexi-can coach who visited theUnited States as part of theprogram in mid-August.

Esherick and Bob Bakerbegan working with the StateDepartment on a new sportinitiative in the fall of 2009,beginning a program with In-dia that would send the duoto India on two separate occa-sions and allowing them tohost an instructional and cul-tural program on campus.

“It’s a relatively new areaof interest to use sport forthese cultural exchange, com-munity development andeconomic development,” saidBob Baker, who directs theCenter for Sport Manage-ment. “All of this becausesport is such a significant so-cial institution.”

ey continued their workfor the duration of the firstgrant before earning a coop-erative agreement worthabout $2.2 million to date thathas allowed them to host 28different groups of peoplefrom around the world.

“Part of the proposal re-quired us to address the insti-tution’s commitment to diver-sity,” Bob Baker said. “at’sreally easy to do at Mason.”

After solidifying the coop-erative agreement, Esherickand Bob Baker brought PamBaker aboard – as a way to in-troduce the foreign sportsdiplomats to inclusive sport,which focuses on ways to in-clude people with disabilitiesin sport. e three professorsalso brought a program host,Socrates Manuel, and a pro-gram facilitator, B.J. D’Urso, tothe team to make delivery ofthe program possible.

Despite not getting the op-portunity to choose their visi-tors, the team handles all thelogistics of the trip and facili-tates a program that allowseach group the opportunity toexperience elements ofAmerican culture and sportsuch as high school athleticprograms, collegiate athleticprograms, the professional in-dustry, sport-specific training,team building, tours Wash-ington, DC or other locations,and a home hospitality din-ner.

“We try to expose them tothe industry in this country,”Bob Baker said. “We givethem an idea of how the in-dustry was created in thiscountry so they can go backand mimic that in their owncountry.”

As diplomats for theUnited States, Esherick, BobBaker and Pam Baker work toensure that each of theirgroups has a positive experi-ence in the states.

ey provide pre- andpost-program surveys to eachof the participants to gage theperception of American peo-ple and American culture,and have found a uniqueniche designed to impact theworld through sport.

“e purpose of this pro-gram is to have these peoplego back and spread a positiveword about America andAmerican people,” Bob Bakersaid. “In terms of the evalua-tion, both qualitative and

quantitative, there is a signifi-cant difference in their im-pressions of the U.S.”

While putting together amajority of these programs,Esherick and the Bakers haveexposed the university to awide variety of individuals.ey have solicited help frommore than 20 faculty mem-bers and coaches within theuniversity and have had helpfrom many more student ath-letes, Sport Management stu-dents and students of othermajors throughout Mason.Staff members from numer-ous offices across campushave also made this projectpossible to deliver.

“We have always found

people who have said, ‘Wewill find a way to make itwork,’” Bob Baker said. “athas been the [Modusoperandi] at Mason. We canfind people who are willing tofind a way to make it workand will not just say, ‘No.’”

Realizing the undeniablesuccess of this program, theDepartment of State contin-ues to invest money in usingsport as a tool for diplomacy.

“is is an area of globalinterest and it is huge,” BobBaker said. “And Mason’sCenter for Sport Managementis right in front of it.”


Join Project PeakProject Peak is a two-phase, one-credit course,

offered only in your first semester at Mason. The firstphase consists of a five-day wilderness adventure tripheld the week before the fall semester begins and thesecond phase is the class portion, which meets once

per week for the duration of the fall semester.

Cody G. NormanProud To Be An American


10 April 2, 2012 Mason PrideCody G. Norman

Courtside SeatsAfter developing the “Just Hewitt” meme during a New Century College course, Cody Norman and Stephen Kline joinedforces to create Mason’s first and only Sports Illustrated-type basketball magazine. The magazine, along with the web-site and mobile application, have grown rapidly throughout the athletic department due to the nature and quality of sto-ries published. Courtside Seats prides itself on providing readers with content they cannot find elsewhere -- content thatis not timely and will never be outdated.

Nov. 2011


11April 2, 2012Cody G. NormanMason Pride

Since being elected Editor-in-Chief by his peers in April2012, Norman has completely transformed Broadside. Inprevious years, Broadside was formatted as a traditionalnewspaper (left) and it has been redesigned as a tabloid-sizenewspaper (right) to provide a more interactive, visually ap-pealing layout for students. Social media “likes” and “fol-lows” have nearly quadrupled as the paper puts a strongeremphasis on interacting with other students via socialmedia.

April 2012

Drastic ChangesIn nearly four years at Mason, CodyNorman has brought aboutsignificant changes to the campusnewspaper, Broadside

Oct. 2008

Aug. 2012


12 April 2, 2012 Mason PrideCody G. Norman

One Lucky ChairHeading into their final season of Mason basketball, Alan and SallyMerten have one last goal: to add another chair to their collection

In the far corner of MasonHall office D103, there sits amodest-looking bar stool. It’san old chair with nicks up anddown the legs and a flattenedcushion on the seat. Certainlynot an object with pristine vi-sual appeal, but an objectwith as much history as itsbody alludes.

“I bring all the new re-cruits into my office to showthem this chair,” said Presi-dent Alan Merten. “I tell themthat I need a few more like it.”

Back on March 26, 2006,right in the midst of the Patri-ots legendary run into the Fi-nal Four, Merten sat in thatchair as he watched his teamknock off the No. 1 seededConnecticut Huskies in theirElite Eight match-up in D.C.

He was seated in the lateAbe Pollin’s box at the MCICenter, taking in the gamefrom what would become hislucky chair.

at same lucky chair thatnow sits in his office.

“Before I left the box andheaded down to the floor, Itold Mr. Pollin, ‘at’s mylucky chair,’” Merten said.“And it showed up in my of-fice sometime the next day.”

When Merten and his wifeSally took over as presidentand first lady of George Ma-son University in July of 1996,the university schooled just24,000 students, most ofwhom commuted fromwithin the Northern Virginiaarea. It has since become thefastest-growing university inVirginia, eclipsing the 30,000-student mark.

One of his first duties aspresident was to replace themen’s basketball coach, PaulWesthead. While he was not

directly involved with thesearch process, Merten madeit clear to the athletic depart-ment that any potential hirehad to interview with himfirst.

“I believe, and Sally be-lieves, that there is a strong re-lationship between the uni-versity and athletics,” Mertensaid.

Shortly after the searchbegan, Jim Larranaga, coachof Bowling Green State Uni-versity, met with Merten andwas offered the coaching jobat Mason.

“Jim told us that he wasgoing to build a program andthat he wasn’t here for theshort term,” Mrs. Merten said.“He said he would take us tothe NCAA Tournament inthree seasons and we made itin two. So he made good onhis promise, just as he makesgood on all of his promises.”

e new coach and presi-dent, along with their wives,developed an almost imme-diate friendship.

“My wife and I were veryimpressed with PresidentMerten’s leadership ability,”said Larranaga, the Patriots’head coach for the last 14 sea-sons. “He would interact withdeans of the colleges andthen come out and be a hugefan of the basketball team.”

“Sally was always therewith him. It was a team ef-fort.”

As their friendship off thecourt progressed, Larranaga’ssuccess on the court was in-credible.

With one week left to playin his second season as headcoach, Larranaga and the Pa-triots clinched at least a shareof their first CAA title in the

history of the university.Without hesitation, Mertenordered an airplane and hadit fly around the universitywith a banner that read,“George Mason University:CAA Champions.”

“Most people would havewaited to see if we won it out-right,” Larranaga recalled.“But his thinking was that,whether we won or tied, wewere going to win our firstregular season conferencechampionship and weshould be proud.”

e Mertens have at-tended nearly every homebasketball game throughouttheir tenure, sitting in theircourtside seats at half court.

“Long before everybodyelse jumped on the band-wagon, he was promotinghow good we were,” Lar-ranaga said. “He talked to thenational media about howproud he was, not just of thebasketball success, but of thesuccess academically.”

en, the unthinkable oc-curred in March of 2006.

e Patriots rode a hotstreak throughout the NCAAtournament, reaching theschool’s first and only FinalFour.

ey were in the midst ofan incredible run and theMertens were there the entire

way, flying on the plane withthe team to almost everygame.

“Most presidents don’t flyon the planes because theydon’t have that kind of rela-tionship with the coach or theplayers,” Larranaga said. “ButPresident Merten wouldcome out to our practices. Hecared that much about ourprogram.”

rough all of the noisesurrounding the men’s bas-ketball program, Merten andhis staff were primed to takeadvantage of the spotlightand morph the university intoone of the biggest, fastest-growing universities in thestate of Virginia.

“People wanted to writeabout us and they’d run out ofthings to say about our bas-ketball team,” Merten said.“Every morning we wouldmeet and discuss how wewere going to take advantageof all the media attention,how we were going to get ouracademic programs out there.And, somehow, we did. Wewere in newspapers and ontelevisions all over the world.”

With all of the exposurecame a rapid inflation in ad-missions requests. ere were350 percent more inquires, 54percent of which came fromout-of-state students. More

and more people flooded theInternet, applying for thechance to enroll in Mason.

“March of 2006 was thebest [public relations] monththat George Mason, the man,ever had,” Merten said. “Hehad more attention in onemonth than he did in 250years.”

Since then, the universityhas continued its hastygrowth, consistently appear-ing in the U.S. News andWorld Report’s list of Up-and-Coming Schools in America.e campus has nowbranched out to Arlingtonand Prince William as Mertenand the administration havepoured more than $450 mil-lion into construction.

Over the last five years onthe court, Mason has com-piled a 107-57 record. ey’vehelped legitimize the CAA,earning a trip to three post-season tournaments.

e 2010-11 Patriotsnotched the longest winstreak in school history, win-ning the regular season con-ference title on their way to athird round appearance inthe NCAA tournament.

Yet, with everything thatMerten has accomplishedwhile employed as presidentof Mason, he remains hum-bled by the pace at which this

university has grown.Each game, with four min-

utes left to play in either half,he rises to a thunderous ova-tion from the student sec-tions. He points his air-pow-ered gun into the stands andsends a t-shirt into the handsof one lucky fan.

“It reminds me of what I’mhere for. And that’s the stu-dents,” Merten said. “is is avery special place and a veryspecial university. It hasmeant a lot to Sally and me tobe able to play a role in mak-ing this a better university. Tosee what we’ve created, par-ticularly what we’ve createdin respect to the enthusiasmfrom the student body, it’sjust been incredible.”

As the time nears that theMertens’ tenure as presidentand first lady will end, so toodoes their time sitting court-side at Mason basketballgames.

is is their last basketballseason, their last CAA tourna-ment, and their last NCAAtournament.

But it is also their lastchance to find another seat toplace in the far corner of Ma-son Hall office D103.



13April 2, 2012Cody G. NormanMason Pride

Playing in the Name of MasonBehind Doc Nix and the Green Machine, the Patriot Center has become a true homecourt advantage

College basketball fansacross the nation packed intothe Quicken Loans Arena lastMarch. Expecting to see greatbasketball, those fans weregreeted with a welcome sur-prise. A strange man in afunny suit danced along thestands, directing his band insuch a unique fashion thatpeople wide and far lined upfor photographs with a regu-lar in the post-tournament“One Shining Moment.”

Despite the Patriots’ nail-biting victory over Villanovain the second round, or evendespite the gut-wrenchingdefeat at the hands of OhioState in the subsequentround, George Mason Uni-versity won the 2011 NCAATournament.

At least in the mind of DocNix.

“In the realm of Ws and Lsand stats on the box score, wedidn’t win,” Doc Nix said.“But in terms of showing upand represent ing ourselvesand what we’re about, I thinkwe did win.”

Known for his Mason-themed zoot suits, Dr.Michael Nickens, more com-monly known as Doc Nix, hasattracted a nation- wide audi-

ence and has, in many ways,become the face of Masonbasketball. “Taking it up anotch and wearing some-thing that stands out just giveseveryone that cue and givesme permission to get in frontof people and encouragethem to clap and sing along,”Doc Nix said. “It’s kind of acode for, ‘Pay attention to this. is is part of the perform-ance.’”

While continuing his workas an assistant professor inthe School of Music, his alterego has charmed the NCAAlandscape for six years, bring-ing doubt to which persona isthe most real. “It’s like asking,‘Is Bruce Wayne the real guyor is Batman the real guy? IsClark Kent the real guy or isSuperman the real guy? Is Dr.Michael Nickens the real guyor is Doc Nix the real guy?’ It’shard to say what’s what,” DocNix said.

As a drum major at WestPotomac High School, DocNix noticed that, as a memberof the marching band, hecould control an entire foot-ball stadium from one spot onthe field. He brought the ideato Fairfax just one year afterMason’s historical run to the

Final Four and continues tobreathe life into a crowdedarena.

Despite the Patriots’ in-ability to unseat No. 5 NotreDame in the fi rst round of the2008 NCAA Tournament, DocNix made a huge splash in thecollege basketball landscapeas the Green Machine wasrecognized by a number ofsports writers as the mostspir- ited pep band in the na-tion.

“We were at one game –and we were never really inthe game,” Doc Nix said. “Wewere at one game and lost,but we still made enough ofan impact to earn that kind ofshout-out. Man, that feels sogood.”

Last season, Doc Nix and anumber of other band direc-tors within the CAA beganhosting an event called“Breakfast with the Bands”that is held on the Saturdaymorn- ing of the CAA Tourna-ment in Richmond.

Providing a unique linkbetween music and athletics,the Green Machine won the2006 NCAA Final Four “Battleof the Bands” and werenamed the 2008 and 2009CAA “Best Pep Band” by

CAAZone. com all the whileproviding one of the besthome court advantages in theentire nation.

Doc Nix and the GreenMachine have been a drivingforce behind the Patriots’ in-credible success inside thePatriot Center. ey played anintegral role in the Patriots’18-game home winningstreak that lasted almost twofull years. eir fl awless ren-ditions of “Livin’ on a Prayer”and “Killing in the Name”echo throughout the arena,giving Mason what Paul He-witt called a “solid 5-point ad-vantage.” “In a league wheremost conference games aredecided by 10 points or less,that’s big,” Hewitt said.

“is is as good of a homefi eld advantage as I’ve beenaround. is is as good as itgets.” Wherever the band maytravel, they always return withmore fans. And, ac- cording toDoc Nix, they return homewith more people who recog-nize George Mason Univer-sity as the school that has“that strange guy that wearsthe funny suits directing theirband.”


VisitCourtsideSeats.onmason.com ordownload the mobileapplication by scanning the QR code to the right.

Pick up a copy of the new and improved Broadside every Monday.Visit us at our office located in the lower level of StudentUnion Building II (The Hub).


14 April 2, 2012

As he walked through the pathwaycreated by cheerleaders and teammatesto receive his framed jersey on SeniorNight, guard Cam Long had one armwrapped around his mother, Myrtle, andthe other around his brother, Rendell.

Just seven years earlier, Long was in-volved in an incident in Palm Bay, Flor.that forced his mother to send him morethan 850 miles north to live with hisbrother in Woodbridge. Rendell, Long’seldest brother by about 15 years, was aformer football player at Florida StateUniversity and took his troubled siblinginto his home as a sophomore in highschool.

“Just [Rendell] being able to help memove up here and not allowing me to bethe knucklehead I was in Florida was re-ally a great thing for me,” Long said. “Itjust showed how much my brother reallyloved me.”

During his sophomore season atFreedom High School, Long’s coach andformer Mason basketball player AhmadDorsett called coach Jim Larranaga withsome recruiting advice.

“He told me that he had a sophomoredown there that he thought was going tobe big time,” Larranaga recalled. “[Long]was 6-foot-4; he was athletic; he couldshoot the basketball. And it came duringa year that we were going to be graduat-ing all of our guards. Signing a pointguard that year was huge for us.”

Following several visits to George Ma-son University, Long signed with the Pa-triots during the early signing period andbecame a member of the basketball teamin 2007.

Just three games into his sophomoreseason at Mason, Long contemplated ap-plying for transfer. He was unhappy withthe way he was being used on the courtand thought he would have been bettersuited as a score-first guard.

“Sometimes people think they de-serve a lot of things,” Long said. “Ithought I was a great player and I didn’tfeel like I was getting the respect that Ideserved.”

He approached the coaching staffwith his objections on one of the team’searly road trips.

“at is not an uncommon event, for

a player to question his decision. But,when [Long] came in to talk me, he toldme that he didn’t think that I trusted him.And I told him, ‘Listen, you’re in thestarting lineup and you’re playing morethan 30 minutes a game. ere is no big-ger sign of how much confidence I havein you than how much I play you.”

Long responded: “ere is a big dif-ference between playing 30 minutes ofmy game and playing 30 minutes of [Lar-ranaga’s] game.”

He described the conversation asboth confusing and understanding.

“I found out that they wanted thesame things I wanted,” Long said.”And,after sitting down to talk with them, I feltmore free.”

e next evening – on Nov. 22, 2007 –in a game against the East Carolina Pi-rates, Long played a much different bas-ketball game and enjoyed the best gameof his early collegiate career, going for 10points, eight rebounds and six assists.

After making the decision to remain aPatriot for the remainder of his collegecareer, Long began to endure crampingissues during his sophomore and juniorseasons. Mason athletic trainer DebiCorbatto tried everything. ey calledpeople within the NBA to see how theydealt with cramping issues at the profes-sional level and submitted Long to bloodtests on a weekly basis, leaving his bodyfeeling very weak a majority of the time.

“ere was just so much frustrationgoing on with that,” he said. “It wassomething that you thought would nevergo away. It took away my aggressivenessduring games. I thought the harder Iplayed, the faster the cramps wouldcome.”

Larranaga and Corbatto discoveredthat one of the underlying issues was aresult of poor dieting. ere were notenough carbohydrates and protein in hisdiet so the cramps were a result of hisbody not having enough energy.

About mid-way through his juniorseason, Corbatto began treating Longwith a very simple medicine: he wasasked to begin eating cups of Jell-O be-fore and at halftime of every game.

“We never could figure out exactlywhat was causing it,” Long said. “But we

just noticed that I was gradually able toplay more. It went from 20 minutes to 25minutes. And now, all of a sudden, I’mplaying 35 minutes with no issues. It’sbeen a huge sigh of relief.”

Over the last four years, Long has putup rather awe-inspiring numbers. He ison pace to finish his career in the top 15of nearly every offensive statistical cate-gory, most recently surpassing the mil-lennium mark in scoring earlier this sea-son.

After he finishes his career with thePatriots, Long hopes to get an opportu-nity to continue his basketball career inthe NBA.

“e NBA would definitely be a greatthing,” Long said. “Like any other basket-ball player, that has always been mydream.”

His back-up plan, however, is very un-like most other basketball players. If bas-ketball does not work out for him in thelong run, Long plans to move some-where warm and take up a career in thereal estate business.

For now, though, Long remains thehumble leader of the Patriots who pre-pare to challenge for the CAA Confer-ence Tournament championship whileboth Myrtle and Rendell Long cheer himon from the stands.


Long Road to Success Washington WizardsMidnight TipoffWhen the Washington Wizards visited thePatriot Center back in Oct. 2010, I wasable to get press credentials to cover theevent for Broadside. Upon arriving at theevent, I spotted my favorite coach of alltime, Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spar-tans. While many of the other reporterswere speaking to Flip Saunders and otherWizards players, I was writing a uniquestory using Coach Izzo as my focus.

Oct. 2010

Mason PrideCody G. Norman


15April 2, 2012

Former Mason Basketball Player on “The Next”Jordan Baird Competes for a $1.5 Million Recording Contract and a Chance to Open Up for the Jonas brothers

A crowd of several thou-sand of his newest fans roaredwith excitement as JordanBaird was called to the stage.

It was early August andBaird had just been an-nounced the winning con-testant on the Baltimore showof “e Next”. He glowed withexcitement as he pacedacross the stage to thank hismentor, Joe Jonas, and ac-knowledged the crowd for al-lowing him to move forwardin the competition.

e moment was surreal.“I was pumped,” Baird

said. “e whole place wasgoing crazy. But then I gotbackstage and they told methey were not actually disclos-ing the winner.”

Not knowing his standingwithin the competition, Bairdwas forced to watch the showon television to find out if hewould be advancing.

As senior co-pastors ofe Life Church in Manassas,Baird’s parents hosted a view-ing party at the church wheremany members of the com-munity gathered, awaiting theresults. For a second time onthe show, Baird sat with hisfamily and anxiously antici-pated the announcement.

Finally, after enduring the

hour-long show, Baird heardthe news he had been waitingfor: he would be moving on tocompete in the semifinals atOrpheum eater in Los An-geles.

“e place went crazy. Itwas berserk,” Baird said. “Itwas really cool to be there andto be able to share that witheverybody.”

Nearly a month before thewinning announcement,Baird was taken by surprisewhen Jonas arrived in Manas-sas. While teaching a musicclass for children at thechurch, Jonas unexpectedlywalked through the door –met by a chorus of screamingteenagers – and revealed thathe would be mentoring Bairdthroughout the duration ofthe show.

“When he walked in, I waspumped,” Baird said. “I reallythought we would be the bestfit for each other.”

Baird and Jonas were aperfect fit for one another be-cause they share a similar lifestory.

Both men grew up singingin the church where their fa-thers served as pastors. eyare the middle of three broth-ers and both played highschool sports, honing a com-

petitive spirit that has trans-lated into the music industry.

“He really brought a lot ofhis experience,” Baird said.“He is the man when it comesto performing and singing onstage – and singing to theladies.”

Jonas spent nearly 72hours in Gainesville, Baird’shometown, and immersedhimself into his mentee’slifestyle. In between songpreparation, Baird and Jonasfound time to attend church,play table tennis and hit thegym for a game of basketball.

“He really helped me withmy stage presence and fillingup the room,” Baird said. “It’sa different world once you gethere and his experience reallybenefits me throughout theshow.”

Performing on a nationalstage, however, is nothingnew for Baird.

Aside from singing the Na-tional Anthem in front of9,800 fans before last year’shomecoming game, Bairdmade the top-40 in the 2009season of “American Idol”. Inthe summer of 2011, he waseliminated from the X-Factorafter just one performance.

“I have done [American]Idol and I have done X-Factor,

and I got cut from those,”Baird said. “But this is thebiggest platform I have everhad. Win or lose, I still havemillions of people who haveseen me sing. I will still havethis huge momentum, thishuge following. It’s a great op-portunity.”

Even despite his previoussuccess, Baird and his fathergive a lot of credit to the expe-rience and education he hasreceived as a music major atMason.

“Before [Mason], he wasnot ready for this stage,”Baird’s father said. “Eventhough the music is very dif-ferent in style, his performingat [Mason], his teachers, hischoir directors had to be inplace. ey have played an in-credible role, whether theyare aware of that or not.”

Much unlike any othermusic competition on televi-sion, “e Next” is what Bairddescribes as a “quick-hitter.” Itgives contestants an opportu-nity to perform on live televi-sion at least three times, withthe live-show portion of thecompetition beginning andending within one week.

“You’ve got to bring it andyou’ve got to be ready to put itall out there when you get the

chance,” Baird said. “at’sjust the nature of the show.”

Instead of discoveringnew, unpolished talent, “eNext” found their niche infinding local heroes with ahuge following of regionalfans – proven artists on thebrink of success.

“[e Next] set me up todo well,” Baird said. “Givingme Joe was a huge plus for mebecause his music targets thesame demographic as I wouldprobably target with mine.”

With the competition nar-rowed to just seven contest-ants, Baird will begin hisquest for the grand prize, a$1.5 million recording con-tract and an opening act in hismentor’s tour, at 9 p.m. onSept. 27.

“I’m going in to this think-ing I’m going to win,” Bairdsaid. “at’s the approach Itake; that’s the approach I al-ways take. I’m a competitiveperson. But winning doesn’tjust mean taking the wholething. Winning can come in acouple different forms.”

With the show’s non-elim-ination form, Baird will per-form again at 9 p.m. on Oct. 2before the two-hour finale at8 p.m. on Oct. 4.

“Jordan is a special kid,”Baird’s father said. “I thinkthis is his time, whatever thatmeans. He is doing what he’ssupposed to be doing andhaving a blast doing it. He wasmade for this moment.”


Do Not be Satisfied with Getting an Education.Experience Your Education.

The New Century College Integrative Studies Program encourages students to engage in active learning, in-dependent inquiry, and research that responds to the needs and opportunities of a diverse society. Stu-dents gain new knowledge through interdisciplinary classwork in a variety of subjects and apply what

they’ve learned in real-world extended classroom experiences.

Cody G. NormanMason Pride


NCLC 345: Create a Meme

This meme, created in NCLC 345, served as theinspiration for Courtside Seats. It demonstratesmy ability to think creatively, as this idea was

transformed into a self-sustaining business modelwithin the Office of Student Media at Mason.


17April 2, 2012Work Experience Cody G. Norman

As the NBA lockout cast itsshadow over the game of bas-ketball this fall, some collegessaw the lack of professionalbasketball as an opportunityto pounce on hoops-starvedfans.

And through various mar-keting techniques, severalschools capitalized on the op-portunity to enhance their fanbase.

“It makes sense for us toattempt to fill that void,” saidWayne Hogan, associate ath-letic director at Georgia Tech,which competes in the At-lantic Coast Conference.

In order to appeal to awider audience, the YellowJackets have moved 10 of theirhome games into the PhilipsArena, home of the NBA'sHawks in downtown Atlanta.And despite the NBA ownersand players reaching a tenta-tive labor agreement, GeorgiaTech will keep their full slateof games at Phillips Arena inhopes of boosting a fan basethat had dwindled in recentyears.

“We feel the temporarymove downtown combinedwith the NBA lockout gives usan opportunity to cultivate anexpanded fan base,” Hogansaid. “We hope we might wina few [NBA fans] over andthey might find our productequally appealing.”

Georgia Tech is certainlynot the only school to try totake advantage of the lockout.

And it's not just major-confer-ence teams looking to cash in.

In Boston, where profes-sional teams like the NFL'sNew England Patriots, theNBA's Celtics, the MLB's RedSox and the NHL's Bruins rulethe landscape, college teamsstruggle to find their placeamong the professional behe-moths.

Northeastern, a memberof the Colonial Athletic Asso-ciation, is trying its best tosqueeze its way into the mix.

“We’re in a battle year inand year out with some greatsports team,” said MatthewMcDonald, assistant directorof athletics and communica-tion at Northeastern. “ismay be our opportunity togenerate excitement for col-lege basketball.”

So far, it seems to be work-ing.

“Northeastern is providinga great product at a greatprice,” said Terry Connors, alongtime Celtics’ seasonticket holder who recentlypurchased season tickets tosee the Huskies.

Connors kept his seasontickets with the Celtics, butwas one of the first Boston-natives to take advantage ofthe unique offer from North-eastern. His brother, MikeConnors, is an assistant coachfor the Drexel Dragons, a CAAopponent. And Huskies’coach Bill Coen is a graduateof the same school, Hamilton

College, as Terry Connors.“It all fits well for me,”

Terry Connors said. “It givesme a chance to go out and seesome great college basketball.e CAA has been on the risesince 2006, so this is a greatopportunity to get out thereand see those guys compete.”

American University, an-other mid-major programfrom Washington that is look-ing to stand out in a city thathas top-flight college pro-grams such as Georgetownand Maryland, as well as theNBA's Washington Wizards,has reaped some benefit fromthe NBA's extended time off.

e school was awarded asix-game package to have itsgames broadcast on ComcastSports Network, which is usu-ally the home to game cover-age of the Wizards. roughthe Eagles’ preexisting rela-tionship with the network,they will get Washington Wiz-ards’ broadcasters StevenBuckhantz and Phil Chenier,along with Washington Postcolumnist John Feinstein, toserve as their play-by-play an-nouncers.

Two of those games havealready been aired, but theystill have two more scheduledin December, one in Januaryand another in February, de-spite the fact that the Wizardswill be back in action laterthis month.

“It makes our fans, ourbasketball coach, and our

university very excited,” saidKeith Gill, athletic director atAmerican. “Being able to gettop flight broadcasters re-flects our commitment to be-ing the best.”

Florida State, also a mem-ber of the ACC, has taken theopportunity to collect spon-sorship money for the entireathletic program. Just as theirfootball program was able totake advantage of the NFLlockout, the basketball teamhas been able to increase ad-vertising revenue for the pro-gram.

“It has actually been atwo-part process for us,” saidJason Dennard, director ofmarketing at Florida State.

Even as the NBA seasonreturns on Christmas Day,collegiate programs are hop-ing to continue their recentsuccess, attracting fans andmonetary support to a morestable college basketball sys-tem.

“People like to invest theirmoney where it makes themfeel good,” Dennard said.“And, right now, they feelgood investing in college ath-letics instead of the NFL orNBA after their lockouts.”


Colleges Capitalizing on NBA Lockout

2011 NCAATournament CoverageWhen the Mason Patriots made the NCAATournament in 2011, I was given the op-portunity to join the team as a member ofthe media in their travels to Cleveland,Ohio. Despite a second round loss to theOhio State Buckeyes, the tournament pro-vided me with an outstanding opportunityto network with professionals such as BobRyan (Boston Globe).

March 2011


18 April 2, 2012 Cody G. Norman

When I first walked in tothe USA Today building inMcLean, Va., I was amazed bythe beauty of the buildingand, admittedly, found it a bitcomical that there were somany security check-points tokeep me from entering thebuilding. e entire buildingwas quiet and filled with menand women dressed in nicebusiness attire, bringing to lifewhat I have always picturedas a true business setting. Iwalked into the sports office,which was filled with memo-rabilia and posters of a varietyof teams around the nation,and was awestruck by the firstprofessional newsroom that Ihad ever seen. I immediatelyknew that I wanted to moveforward with the internship,having the opportunity tomeet a few of my favorite writ-ers who work for USA Today.

On my first day of work, I

put on my shirt and tie andheaded off to the professionalwork setting. However, to mysurprise, I arrived to see aroom full of employees fromthe sports network desk whowere dressed in sweatpantsand sweatshirts. at was thefirst of many misconceptionsabout this place. I had alwayspictured USA Today as a high-tech, professional setting withthe ability to put out news asquickly as anyone in the na-tion. I was sadly mistaken.e building was full of an-tique laptops that were slowerthan any desktop in the John-son Center, making it ex-tremely difficult to accom-plish some of the mostsimplistic tasks. After workingwith Cesar Bristo, whoshowed me the ins and outsof the web writing program,Newsgate, for about an hourbefore I was scheduled to be-

gin work. Yet, when the othersarrived, each of my threepeers wanted to re-teacheverything I just learned with-out consulting each other – orme – to find out what I alreadyknew. Miscommunication, oreven a lack of communica-tion, became a commontheme throughout the entireexperience.

Unfortunately, I am notentirely sure that I was able totake a whole lot from this ex-perience. I was not chal-lenged in any way, as I wasconsistently ask to performthe same tasks over and overagain. Most unfortunately,the tasks that I was beingasked to do required little tono knowledge of journalismor communication. I was,however, able to obtain a by-line on USAToday.com andcan now put this internshipexperience on a resume for

future employers. at is, per-haps, the most value I wasable to get out of the intern-ship.

e entire experience wasfull of challenges. First andforemost, the hours were solate at night that it would havebeen difficult for anyone tobalance a 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. shiftwith classwork, student me-dia, a radio show and work atthe campus bookstore, but Idid learn how to better organ-ize my time in an effectivemanner that would cause theleast amount of stress in mylife. Early on in the semester, Iwas stressing myself out somuch that I wound up in thehospital with an anxiety at-tack, so it was a big step forme to learn how to organizemy time and prioritize certainthings in my life. My morals,as well, were challenged inthe workplace when my

coworkers began speakingnegatively about the boss andwatching pornographicmovies in the office. But I wasable to combat these obsta-cles and take the internshipfor what it was, and puttingthe onus on myself to figureout how I was going to makethe experience worth the longhours.

With some of the things Ihave learned with USA Todayduring the internship experi-ence, I can work to become amore well-rounded journal-ist. First, I will continue tohone my skills as a sportsjournalist, venturing outsidemy comfort zone to reallychallenge myself as a writerand reporter. I will be takingclasses in the Spring of 2012,the first semester of my senioryear, that will focus on mycommunication skills, whilealso enrolling in a Spanish

course that may help me tocommunicate with profes-sional athletes in the future. Ialso plan to enroll in severalclasses that teach photogra-phy, television broadcastingand other communicationclasses that will help me tobecome a better speaker, onthe radio and in person, andwriter. rough my experi-ences at the office with USAToday, I have realized the im-portance of becoming a mas-ter of multiple crafts and test-ing the waters in a variety ofdifferent news mediums,while mastering the art ofproofreading and revision.

NCLC 490: 106.7 The Fan Internship ReflectionAccording to everything

that I heard on 106.7 e Fanprior to signing on to do aninternship with them this se-mester, interns were nottreated very well and seemedto be harassed a bit on-air. Iexpected the job with MikeWise and Holden Kushner tobe a very similar situation inwhich I would serve as theshows “whipping boy” for anentire semester in order to de-velop a few contacts withinthe sports media world and,to be honest, I was very nerv-ous. e experience was newto me and I was not 100 per-cent sure what to expect.

However, from the firstday I arrived at the station inFairfax, I was treated respect-fully and was able to use thepositive work environment tobenefit each of the goals I set

forth prior to beginning theinternship in February. I wasgiven an opportunity to speakwith and get to know Wash-ington Post columnist MikeWise, who has made a careerin the field I hope to enterupon graduation. Being ableto pick his brain for littlethings – from the overuse ofthe “race card” and constantcomparison athletes makebetween themselves andslaves, to the effectiveness ofGeorge Mason’s hiring ofcoach Paul Hewitt to head thebasketball program – it was anextremely valuable experi-ence that helped me to growas a reporter in the field ofsports journalism. Mike is atrue professional and is a per-fect example of what it meansto be a multi-platform jour-nalist. As he has moved be-

yond print journalism to testthe waters in radio, onlineand television, Mike has in-spired me to become a morewell-rounded journalist. Heexplained the importance oftaking every opportunity tonetwork, using the mediaroom as a means to meet peo-ple within the profession.

rough Mike, I was ableto develop a preliminary net-work with sports communi-cation professionals, specifi-cally within the radiobusiness. I got significant op-portunity to observe the inter-action between co-hosts andthe producer during pre-show meetings to determinewhat leadership roles, cre-ative mindsets and decisionmaking techniques best fit inradio broadcast. I developed aprofessional relationship with

co-hosts Mike Wise andHolden Kushner, producerChris Johnson and otherhosts at the station includingCakes (from the Junkies) andLaVar Arrington (former Red-skins linebacker and host ofLaVar and Dukes).

My background alreadycovers an incredible amountof experience within the blo-gosphere, as I have been ableto adapt to the ever changingmarket of sports journalism tobecome a successful blogger.I am currently the lead blog-ger for RightDownEuclid.comwithin the FanSided network;I am the founder and lonecontributor to a recently es-tablished George Mason Uni-versity basketball blog whichhas seen more than 700unique visits in its first monthof activity. I have been able to

start developing rela-tionships with ath-letes at the profes-sional and collegiatelevel as the sports editor forMason’s campus newspaper,Broadside. My backgroundhas allowed me the opportu-nity to experience the profes-sionalism of the sports mediaenvironment, as I have been acredentialed member of themedia for the Colonial Ath-letic Association and NCAAbasketball tournaments inRichmond, Va. and Cleve-land, Ohio.

With all of the things Ihave learned with Mike Wiseduring the radio show, I canwork to become a more well-rounded journalist. First, I willcontinue to hone by skills as aradio talk show host through-out the next semester (at

least) as a co-host for theMorning Breakdown andSports Break. rough my ex-periences at the radio stationwith Mike, I have realized theimportance of becoming amaster of multiple crafts andtesting the waters in a varietyof different news mediums.And I am extremely thankfulfor the opportunity to havespent time learning underone of the greatest sportsjournalists in the WashingtonDC area.

NCLC 390: USA Today Internship Reflection

*These pieces have been severelyedited for brevity. They were nearlytwice this length when originalturned in for class but did not fit inthe alotted space without editing.

Work Experience


19April 2, 2012Attestations Cody G. Norman

To whom it may concern,Please accept this letter

as a personalrecommendation for CodyNorman. Cody worked as anintern for our organization,ProCamps, Inc., during thespring and summer of 2010on our events in theWashington DC area. Duringhis time with us, Cody had asignificant impact on thesuccess of our business andour individual event.

roughout his time withthe company, Cody workedon a variety of key projectsincluding assistance withorganizing, planning, andmarketing eventsrepresenting Chris Cooley ofthe Washington Redskins.With many projects beingleft up to Cody’s autonomy,he displayed great character,reliability, and timeliness inhis work. With his help, oursummer event for ChrisCooley was a spectacularsuccess.

Another notable aspect ofthis internship is that Codywas here for the bettermentof himself in his drive forexperience, being that littleto no compensation wasreceived for his efforts.roughout his time here,Cody showed himself to be aperson of detail, fortitude,and foresight.

From my observation,Cody not only provedhimself to his supervisorshere at ProCamps, but was

also well respected by hisfellow interns.

We feel extremelyfortunate to have had Codyas part of our team as he wasa perfect fit with ourcorporate culture. All of hishard work and dedication toour goals speak highly of hischaracter and work ethic.

Please feel free to contactme if you have any furtherquestions regarding CodyNorman.

LETTER FROM ADAM TRICK, PRO CAMPS INCORPORATED

To Whom it MayConcern:

I am writing on behalf ofCody Norman, a student atGeorge Mason Universitywho interned with USATODAY Sports in the Fall of2011. His internship waswith the organization’sDigital Desk, which isprimarily responsible for thepublishing, programmingand packaging of digitalcontent to multipleplatforms.

Despite a full plate ofschoolwork, as well asresponsibilities with hisschool newspaper and radiostation, Cody was theconsummate intern duringhis time with USA TODAY.

What impressed me most

about Cody was his workethic. He has the ability tohandle an endless lists oftasks in a timely mannerand, more importantly, in aprofessional fashion.

Cody quickly learned ourpublishing tools andunderstood the importanceof adding material forpackaging purposes. Hecame up with good storyideas and followed throughto get several bylines on USATODAY Sports’ web site.

And he did all that whileperforming his duties as beatwriter for the George Masonmen’s basketball team andcreating a special 40-pagemagazine to preview theteam’s season.

I have all the faith in Codyand know that he is at thebeginning of a successfulcareer in sports journalism. Istrongly believe that Codywould be a valuable additionto any organization andrecommend him to thefullest.

I would gladly fulfill anyrequest for furtherinformation.

LETTER FROM TIM GARDNER,ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR

Dear SelectionCommittee,

It is without hesitationthat I write this letter ofrecommendation for CodyNorman who is applying toGeorge Mason Universitygraduate program. I first metCody in fall 2009 when hewas enrolled in mycommunication newspaperworkshop course at GeorgeMason University. It wasobvious to me that Cody wasan exceptional student: Hewas extremely bright, had aprofessional demeanor, andwas disciplined anddedicated when completingassignments as BroadsideAssistant Sports Editor. Hisarticles were thorough,organized, clear and concise.

Cody’s standard ofexcellence and body of workwith Student Media isunmatched. He has servedas Broadside Sports Editorand Managing Editor, andcurrently serves asBroadside Editor-in-Chief.He hosts a weekly talk showon WGMU radio, and servesas editor-in-chief forCourtside Seats, a magazineabout Mason’s basketballthat he founded in 2011.is semester, he will addhosting a cable talk showabout Mason sports to hisaccomplishments.

Working with Cody is agift. He is both a team playerand a leader. He is tenaciousabout getting the facts,

committed to a highstandard in excellence inwhatever he creates andrelentless in creating apositive work environmentfor his staff. Cody is aprofessional, start to finish.

Academically, Cody hasexcellent research andwriting skills, as well ashaving outstanding criticalthinking skills. Cody is bothintuitive and reflective andhas excellent skills insynthesizing information.Cody is extremely bright andan amazingly fast learner ---regardless of subject.

Cody is first amongequals. He has an uncannyability to know how to workwith each staff member. Heknows when they need helpand he knows when they cannavigate a story on theirown. He is well respected byhis staff and is considered astudent leader on campus byboth students andadministrators. It is notunusual for me to hear fromadministrators about Cody’sexcellent work product andhis high degree ofprofessionalism andsuperior leadership skills.

As Student MediaDirector, I have worked withhundreds of talentedstudents over the past tenplus years; however, Cody isin a class by himself. Noquestion that he is anexcellent candidate forgraduate school and has the

requisite skills, knowledgeand attitude to succeed. Heis the type of student that willtake advantage of everylearning opportunitypresented to him in graduateschool.

ank you for thisopportunity to write aboutCody. He is the best. Pleasecontact me by phone (703895-0226) or by email([email protected]) if youneed additional information.

ETTER FROM KATHRYN MANGUS,DIRECTOR OF STUDENT MEDIA

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Tune in to the Courtside Seats pregame show45 minutes before select men’s basketball games this season on WGMURadio.com

Cody Norman & Daniel Zimmet will be broadcasted live from courtside for ALL men’sbasketball home games and scheduled away games.

Click on the picture to hear the Mason Madness show from Oct. 12



Documents

NCC Portfolio: Cody Norman