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AUGUST 31, 1992 FEATURES = 9 By Any Means Necessary Junior Tailback Natrone Means Strives For Improvement grandmother as main influences on his personal achievements in football. “Back when I wasn’t that serions about football, they told me the things it could do for me, like pay for an education.” Coming out of Central Cabarrus High School, Means was recruited by every school in the ACC as well as national powers Penn State and Notre Dame. But he said that the University was a natural selection. “Where I’m from, everybody was a Carolina fan. I especially enjoyed the years Lawrence Taylor and Kelvin Bryant played.” Means still has the spirit of that 7-year-old dreamer he used to be. He offers this advice to kids today: “There will be times when you feel like quitting, just giving up, but stick in there and things will pay off in the end. This goes beyond just football. Anything you want to achieve in life will take perseverance.” What Black College Men Want In the 90s I By Lee Richardson ^ Ink Staff Writer •• Now that summer romances have come and gone, there is an air i in the minds of black men (those of ; US who are not “dogs” and who I have yet to find the right young lady f to date steadily) which has us quite ; eager to scof>e out the female that I will nurture and allow a promising relationship to develop and blossom : into something special. Now that the fall semester has commenced, • the match-making and dating desire 1 is rigorous. A number of my ■i ‘constituentscreaiedasurveyofwhat ? black college men are looking for in i a male. These are the seven criteria j ' that stood out in the survey (in no ; ’ particular order): = ' Future Aspirations/Goals- I ' assume that most black males on I campus have an idea or are in the process of determining exactly what they are planning to do after the undergraduate years, and even beyond. Naturally, in the search for a compatible mate, these men are interested in young ladies who know where they’re going in Ufe or at least have a plan of such. A lady who has prepared thoroughly for her future is definitely a mental attraction to black college men. Confidence- There is no one more unaccepted or abused by black college men than an insecure woman-a woman without backbone. You will find most men saying they like a woman with a bitof an attitude- not conceit-just confidence or knowing that they are something to be reckoned with. These days men are looking for an actionary woman who can endure the pressure and sometimes confusion that comes along with being involved in a relatiwiship. Men have even gone so far as to say women who are sure about themselves look good-even sexy. That, in itself, stales what confidence does for a woman. Style- If a relationship hinges on what you have, you shouldn’t be in that relationship. Black college men are not expecting their colleagues of the opposite sex to sport the most expensive clothing. It’s all in the way you wear what you have, and the way that you carry yourself counts. Dress is important to most young ladies also. (Therefore, this criterion is highly accepted, orderly fashion balanced with a casual style.) This works well with guys who have an eye for good taste and finesse. Talent- A woman who seems lo have a unique interest in things like music, singing, sports, and cars, and who can display that interest without “holding back” or being tender are deemed as very attractive. Interpret it how you want, but talent appeared on the questionnaire quite often. Personality- Respect of self, good humor, caring, sharing, and sweetness seem to be attributes of a lady with a wonderful personahty for black college men. Judging character encompasses a lot more than simply stating that someone has a good personality. In fact, it, for most people, probably goes beyond the aspects that surfaced in the survey. Black college men acknowledge this fact by often expressing that “personality” is so abstract. Communication- Relationships are not known to exist long without a firm foundation in trust accompanied by good communication. In the survey, black college men recognized that maybe they were not the best at communication, but they understood its importance in any relationship. Also mentioned was the unattractiveness of “loud” and shy females. Fliysical Appearance- Ok, Ok. Yes, looks are considered highly. But I think we can agree that it goes both ways. Guys genuinely wantan attractive mate. But remembei, there’s different yolks for different folks, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I’m here lo tell you if yon think you’re holdin’, you’re holdin’, and you have something to offCT black col lege men who are honestly in search of a plulonic relationship. Thank you to all the Blaok College Men who contributed to this article, and good luck in finding Ms. Right. Vatrone Means heads for paydirt against the Maryland Terrapins. By Corey Brown ■ Ink Co-Editor Around the nation, thousands of ^young boys participate in little * league football. From this exposure i to competitive sports, many dreams lof greatness are forged in their I minds. J Harrisburg, N.C. was the home i of one such kid who dared to dream. jThat seven-year-old youngster \ turned out to be Tar Heel halfback s Natrone Means. \ “I got started playing football ■ because it was fun and it was just ‘ something to do,” Means said. ? Likeanyboyatageseven,Means was simply into cheering on his favorite team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and idolizing his favorite player, Walter Payton. Thirteen years later, his dreams became reality; Means was on the ’ verge of becoming one of the greatestninning backs in Carolina’s \ history. As an underclassman. Means ; was second in balloting for ACC ^ Rookie of the Year. In his i sophomore year, he became only the 20th runner in Tar Heel history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season, and was selected as a first Team AII-ACC player. As it stands for his upcoming junior season, he’s been named a preseason All-American. Having achieved so much in only two years of college football. Means could cave into the pressures of high expectations, but he refuses to let that happen. I never put too much pressure on myself. In high school I used to let things get to me, but now I just go out and have fun,” Means replied. Means said that he tries to stay focused going into each season. He added, “It might sound crazy, but I just set one goal for myself, and that’s to do better that the previous year.” Improving on a 1,000 yard year will prove to be a tough task, but with a healthy season, nothing should stand in the way of his achieving that goal, he says. The anticipation of another successful year has led some to speculate that Means will forego his senior year and turn professional after the ‘ 9 2 season. When asked about this possibility, Means laughed and replied, “How did I know you were going to ask that question?” “Well, I can’t say anything definite. It really depends on how the cards fall into place for me this year.” On the surface, the 230-pound Means seems somewhat intimidating. But once he opens up, he’s like a big- make that a very big- teddy bear. Means cited his mother and
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