Cold pizza is no longer just a quick breakfast after an all night study session; it’s also ESPN2’s show that airs weekday mornings. Cold Pizza began in late October 2003 as a show that would bring everything to its audience from sports to lifestyle. The broad approach was narrowed down to mainly sports-oriented pieces. Now it’s one of ESPN2’s most popular shows, especially in the 18 to 30-something bracket of viewers. The program features interviews with college and pro athletes, coaches and other notable figures, as well as a session featuring the “feasty boys” who demonstrate tailgate-cooking recipes.

During football season, a portion of the New York-based crew travels to various colleges around the country to highlight some of the top teams. Their ninth week brought them to UM last Friday, where co-hosts and producers alike exclaimed they were in paradise shooting on location from outside the UC.

“We don’t really decide where we’re going until the week before,” said Tony Burton, one of the show’s producers. “It makes it easier when we can manage to stay in the same time zone since it’s a live show. Miami was an easy choice because it’s almost like a vacation for us, and the football program is amazing.”

One of the show’s two female anchors, Thea Andrews, explained the best part of her job was being able to travel and meet very accomplished people who have done so many interesting things.

“I’m originally from Canada where hockey is the number one sport,” Andrews said. “I’ve come to love football too. I’m fascinated by the business of sports and the cultural role that they play in society.”

Earlier in the week, Andrews taped a segment with football Head Coach Larry Coker.

“He’s so reserved and relaxed, which is uncommon in most head coaches I’ve met,” Andrews said. “The players must have a great deal of respect for him.”

Sideline veteran Zach Leibowitz finds a symbol on each campus that he is on and then presents it on Cold Pizza in a humorous way.

“At Michigan it was the brass letter M, at Wisconsin it was the band, and in Miami I will do a segment on the school’s mascot, Sebastian the Ibis,” Leibowitz said.

One of the more comical features of the show are the two stout feasty boys who walk through a tailgate recipe usually having some kind of relation to the region from which they are broadcasting. For Miami, feasty boys Jon Mayer and Jim Stump stood in UM shirts cooking succulent seafood pouches containing mussels and other items.

Joining the food segment was former Hurricane football player Jesse Armsted, who was on the ‘Canes National Champtionship teams in 1989 and 1991. He played for the New York Giants for nine years, the Washington Redskins for two years and is currently a Carolina Panther.

“It’s good to be back here and it reminds me the thing that I miss most about playing college ball is the friendships that were made and being able to walk around and talk to people about the game,” Armsted said.

Armsted concluded with a few words of advice for current ‘Canes, especially athletes. “Getting your degree is a must because no matter what happens, whether you continue to play professionally or not, you will always have that degree,” he said. “Most of all, just enjoy the game.”

Cold Pizza airs on ESPN2 Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Stacey Arnold can be contacted at s.arnold@umiami.edu.

Although the whole University celebrates Homecoming, for alumni, Homecoming means the chance for them to return to their campus home. There were several reunion parties on campus last Friday – the Young Alumni, 25-year, 30-year, 40-year and even 50-year reunion. All gave alumni the chance to catch up with old friends, meet some new people from their year, remember the old times here at UM and take note of all the changes.

Diane Nelson Chapin ’64, who helped organize the Sexy Sixties Reunion – the 40-year party – and served as President of Women’s Student Government, said that “campus is much more beautiful now” and the “quality of study has improved” along with the students. Chapin recalled that in the early ’60s they had a curfew.

At the Friday Night Fever – 25- and 30-year reunions – alumni remembered being able to walk onto the football practice field. Ken Kurs ’79, whose father was a professor on campus, remembers getting to met Ted Hendwards, one of the four UM players to have their number retired.

Robert Ringleheim ’74 remembered swimming in the lake to get back the footballs his friends threw into it, although they “weren’t supposed to do it then either.”

Many alumni who came back to campus noted that there are many more buildings, campus is more modern and the dorms are now air-conditioned.

Young Alumni Courtney Chapin ’03, finishing up the Special Education program at UM, and John Cangiolosi ’00, now in the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science graduate program, met at UM while living next door in Pearson Residential college and recently got engaged.

The Jitterbug Club ’50s reunion was the biggest party of the night. There was a ’50s theme with film clips playing, doo-wop rock and roll music from a full horn band and soda pop girls on skates as hostesses.

Gerald “Jerry” Kogan ’55 graduated from both UM’s undergraduate and law school. Kogan, who was Student Government vice president at UM in the ’50s talked about his time here and said that he and many of his friends still keep in contact. Kogan also met his wife, Irene, on campus when she served as senior editor of the Ibis yearbook. Both were members of Iron Arrow Society.

Betty Woollen Dunnuck ’65 was here when the student union – what current students know as the University Center – was brand new. Dunnuck said that she and many of her classmates are still friends today. In fact, she met her husband at UM on a blind date.

“While my life afterwards has been fantastic, this was the best time of my life,” Dunnuck said.

Candice Castaneda can be contacted at c.castaneda2@umiami.edu.

Iron Arrow launches campaign to preserve UM history

UM’s Iron Arrow Society, founded in conjunction with the University’s opening, is sponsoring the Hurricanes Heritage Campaign that is aimed at preserving UM history for future generations. The campaign will initiate the procurement of historical items and UM memorabilia to create an archival collection that will be housed in the Coral Gables campus. A reception was held last week, during the Iron Arrow tapping, to kick off the campaign and honor past Iron Arrow Chief Rhea Warren, the longest-serving chief in Iron Arrow’s history. He was recognized for his donations to the campaign, which included scrapbooks documenting a specific time in the organization’s past. Iron Arrow is the highest honor attainable at UM and the oldest tradition, demonstrating a powerful influence in maintaining the traditions and history of UM as a whole.

For more information about the Hurricanes Heritage Campaign, contact Norm C. Parsons, Jr. at 305-284-4566 or at nparsons@miami.edu.

(U-WIRE) MINNEAPOLIS – Much to his chagrin, a University of Minnesota professor gained national media attention and received offers for book deals in recent weeks for creating a new diet.

“It’s really silly,” said David Bernlohr, head of the department of biochemistry, molecular biology and biophysics.

“It has gotten so much attention, and it was never my goal to do that,” he said.

Bernlohr, who studies obesity and teaches medical students about metabolism, said he created the now-famous Northwoods Diet about a year ago. In six months, he said, he lost 40 pounds.

But he did not exercise. And he still snacked on chocolate and peanuts and enjoyed the occasional light beer, he said. He did moderate the amount of carbohydrates he consumed, he said.

For breakfast, he ate carbohydrates to increase his body’s insulin production, he said. For lunch, he ate what he calls a transitional meal, which still included some carbohydrates, but also contained more proteins and lipids, generally a slice of pizza. Then for supper, Bernlohr tried to eliminate carbohydrates. He said he tried to stop eating after 7 p.m.

People took notice when Bernlohr shed the weight and began asking him if he was on the Atkins or South Beach diet.

“If the beautiful people in South Florida can have South Beach, the good, hard-working people of Minnesota can have Northwoods,”

The College of Biological Sciences’ alumni magazine made a small reference to the Northwoods Diet in a recent article on Bernlohr’s laboratory. Bernlohr said he is now receiving calls from “Dateline NBC” and National Public Radio.

Too often people are looking for a magical weight-loss cure, Bernlohr said. But if people want to lose weight, they just need to exercise more and reduce their calorie intake, he said.

The Butler Volunteer Services Center is sponsoring the Holiday Hope Tree Project, providing holiday gifts to economically disadvantaged children in the Miami community. Stop by the UC Information desk to pick up a child’s request card and return the unwrapped gift to the Information Desk by Dec. 1. For more information, contact Butler Volunteer Services Center at 305-284-4483 or email volunteerservices@miami.edu.

Architecture of Miami, ARC 323/584, is a three-credit course from Dec. 16-29, reviewing Miami’s architectural styles, from the simple wood structures of early settlers to reinforced-concrete tropical high-rise towers. For additional information please call 305-284-5253; please also consult you academic advisor.

In a crazy night filled with Homecoming floats, burning boats and first-class performers, students, faculty and alumni gathered on campus last Friday night for Hurricane Howl, the culminating night of a week’s worth of Homecoming events. It was a jam-packed event that began with the annual homecoming parade, followed by the boat burning ceremony and finished off with a concert featuring Wyclef Jean and the Refugee All Stars.

At about 7:30 p.m., the steady beating of the drum of the Iron Arrow Society – the most prestigious honor society on campus – signaled the beginning of the parade. Student-designed floats proceeded down Stanford Drive as onlookers marveled at student organizations’ creative efforts. The parade theme this year was “Traditions Through the Decades” and a panel of alumni and faculty members judged each float as they passed by.

Leading the parade this year were the UM student athletes and coaches who participated in the summer Olympic games in Athens, followed by President Donna Shalala. Sebastian the Ibis also joined in.

Finesse Mitchell, a 1994 UM graduate and a regular on Saturday Night Live, introduced each float.

BOAT BURNING

As soon as the last float passed by, spectators were led to the banks of Lake Osceola for the boat burning ceremony, where they were handed candles and led in the singing of the school’s Alma Mater.

Soon after, a raft-like boat was sent into the middle of the lake and set on fire. Tradition holds that if the mast hits the water before the boat sinks UM will win its Homecoming football game. Everyone watched as sparks shot out of the boat before a sudden, unexpected explosion set it on fire, making the call on the mast a bit indecisive – perhaps an omen for the next day’s Homecoming game loss.

A large fireworks display followed the boat burning and everyone crowded along the banks to catch a glimpse of the colorful sparks that lit up the clear night sky.

“The fireworks were beautiful once I got a good view away from the trees that were blocking my view,” Shani Simpson, senior, said.

NEW CHANGES

This year’s Homecoming event was a work in progress since last semester.

“Months and months of blood, sweat and tears went into planning and preparing for Friday’s event,” Erin Jenkins, Homecoming Executive Committee [HEC] member, said.

Many of the months were focused on revamping homecoming and giving it a different feel. Organizers said they tried to create a carnival atmosphere that had something to offer everyone.

“We completely renovated homecoming this year, but kept in tack all the traditions of the past,” Asgar Ali, HEC member, said.

Some of these changes included having bumper cars and laser tag set up for students and others to enjoy. Another change this year was the addition of ‘Canes Kidsville specifically for children. Kidsville included a petting zoo, bouncing house and sea of balls.

“Kidsville was nice because it gave the parents a chance to have their kids entertained and allowed them to do their own thing,” Natalie Rico, HEC member, said. “The kids were happy, they had candy and they were entertained.”

While students, parents and members of the community were enjoying these changes, alumni were enjoying reuniting with old friends at the different reunion dinners for those who graduated from the university 25, 30 and even 50 years ago.

“It’s been a fun evening. We saw the parade earlier and that was really well done,” said Bill Weymer, a 1954 graduate who came down from North Carolina with his wife to celebrate his 50th class reunion.

“My wife went to Clemson and that’s who we’re playing in the homecoming game – I don’t know, we might end up getting a divorce,” Weymer said jokingly.

WYCLEF JEAN

The Wyclef Jean concert started shortly after 10 p.m. on a packed Green.

Jean performed some of his hit songs, and students from the audience were called up to dance on stage or sing a chorus from his songs. One lucky student won a signed guitar by Wyclef Jean from a raffle sponsored by Hurricane Productions.

“Wyclef is a very good performer and he served a diverse crowd,” Jazmane Morgan, junior, said. “That’s what I really enjoyed about it because everyone was able to appreciate his music.”

Students and alumni agreed that Jean’s performance and Friday night’s event overall was a success compared to previous years.

“This was actually my first Homecoming event even when I did attend the University of Miami,” Mitchell said. “They were never this big, first of all. We had different acts but nobody who really made you come out because back in the day, it’s wasn’t like this.”

Hurricane Howl wrapped up at midnight, but many didn’t want the festivities to end.

“I think school spirit was high than in most years,” Simpson said. “Sometimes we can seem a little apathetic, but when it’s Homecoming time you pull out all the stops to make sure your spirit is shown.”

Angelique Thomas can be contacted at athomas@miami.edu.