Page 10-Thursday, February 8, 1979-The Michigan Daily DIETZ TOP WOMAN SCORER: Flashy frosh leads Blue By LIZ MAC Diane Dietz is a living contradiction to the common misconception that women basketball players can't shoot. "Shooting's the main thing," laughed the freshwoman guard. "We just can't make the shots look as good (as the men)." Dietz has consistently given fine per- formances on offense making her position as leading scorer on the women's basketball team pretty un- shakable. ; "I'VE ALWAYS shot a lot," said the : Bloomfield Hills native. "I've worked on my shooting, especially from the left side, since about seventh grade." Dietz currently holds a 17.2 points per game average, quite an accomplish- ment on a team that sports a high- powered offense and three strong .shooters: Dietz, Abby Currier, and Katie McNamara. "I like a fast breaking offense," Dietz said. "In getting shots off, I feel it's an advantage to keep running. "We can tire out most other teams. And if that .doesn't work, we do slow down and set it up." "BEING ON A fast breaking team adds dimension to Diane's game," commented Coach Gloria Soluk. "She sets down the court fast and can take her man one on one." "I know .I made the team on my of- fense," explained Dietz. "When we started practice, Coach said, 'Katie, Abby, Diane - you guys are going to shoot.' "When you develop a shot, once it's there, you're not going to lose it. It may be off some days, but you really don't lose it." With the reputation of being a shooting artist comes the challenge of dealing with the opponents' hyped-up defense. Players like Dietz are forced to add a little mobility to their game. "YOU HAVE to move," she said. "You look inside to the center or else pull out and hit from the outside."' Then there's the slump to deal with - the bane of athletes everywhere. "If my shots are off and I can't figure out why, I try to move in close or take some fast break shots. That gives me more confidence from the outside. "I also kind of divide the game up and think of the second half as-a whole new game. There have been games when I'd score a few points in the first half and' about 20 in the second." If the last few games are any in- dication, Dietz will play in today's Big Ten tournament game against Iowa in the point guard position. She's pleased with this recent change from the wing. "YOU'RE RUNNING the offense on point guard; it's a whole different game. You don't score as much, but to me it feels great to pass off to someone who does." S o luk expresses confidence in Dietz's cagers ballhandling. "Her greatest attribute is that she is extremely heady; she's smart and I can depend on her out, there.' Although Dietz admits that offense comes naturally for her, she is quick to draw attention to sharpshooting team- mate Currier. Both are outside shooters, but Dietz says Currier is "like a picture. I've never seen anyone shoot so consistently." Is Dietz ever bothered by the fact that a pro career is next to non-existent or that there's a lack of recognition com- pared to the men' "It doesn't bother me," she said. "I didn't come here only for basketball; I'm making a career for myself. Basketball makes school that much more fun. I love it." For the team, there's the Big Ten tournament starting today, and the state tourney in March to look forward to. For Dietz, there's three more years of hoop to look forward to, and for the fans, three more years of keen shooting displays. Don't Miss the Annual KIWANIS SALE Thursday 10 A.M. to 8 P.M. Friday 12 Noon to 8 P.M. Saturday9A.M. to2 P.M. KIWANIS ACTIVITY CENTER, (Corner West Washington and First Sts.) Three full floors of good buys on furniture, housewares, clothing, shoes, books, records, toys, bicycles, etc. Last' of the -Ninth By RICK MADDOCK There's two down and it's a three-two count on Graig Nettles. Here's the pitch .. N OTHER WORDS, folks, this is the last of the Last of the Ninth. Actually, it's tough to reflect on four years of sportswriting and schooling here at the big U of M. There was a lot more writing than schooling, as a matter of fact I had my first story assignment before I attended a class. The story was a preview of Southeastern Conference football. I picked Auburn to edge out Alabama, but as it turned out, Auburn was terrible that year. I came here because of the sports program, which I'm somewhat ashamed to admit now. There were other factors involved in my decision to come here, but the main factor was the glamour of Big Ten sports. Now, I'm not saying that I wish I had not come here, because the opportunity to cover these sports is something that most schools don't offer. Two changes in attitude took place in me over the course of the years. The first was a growing disenchantment with the big business atmosphere of the Michigan athletic department. As I became more and more involved as a sportswriter, I also noticed another conceptual problem. What is a student sportswriter supposed to do when he is spectating a sport that he sometimes covers? This latter thought hit me in the Fall of 1976 when attending a Michigan hockey game. Here I was a member of the hockey beat, covering about half the games, but at the same time, a student attending the school with the right to cheer for it. Then something happened to help me take my mind offof the aforemen- tioned problems. The hockey team was so hot that it began to melt the ice. The local icers made it all the way to the NCAA finals at Olympia Stadium, shocking all of the collegiate hockey world. The cinderella team almost pulled a story-book finish, as they fought back- from a three-goal deficit, tying number one Wisconsin near the end of the game. I can still see Wolverine Dan Hoene getting off a weak shot that stopped* in the crease, Badger goalie Julian Baretta was still recovering from an ,earlier save, and there was the puck inches from putting the glass slipper on Coach Dan Farrell and his team. As it turned out the puck got slapped out of there, and Michigan lost in overtime. Still, out of all the college contests I've seen, that hockey game was the best as far as the actual contest was concerned. The nice thing about it was that the game finished above the hoopla, somewhat of a rarity in this day and age of marketing. Back in Ann Arbor, it's my junior year and I'm on the basketball beat. The first encounter I and my fellow writers had with Johnny Orr was a lec- ture about a story in The Daily concerning basketball players who didn't graduate. We listened for about an hour,and the message was clear. Orr repeated it to the press after Michigan beat Minnesota at Crisler on national television. "We want you to write nice things about our basketball team," Orr said. Well, Coach, sometimes that isn't our job, dammit. You have a public relations department and there is no reason for the sports pages of the newspapers covering your team to turn into extensions.of that office. Down deep, I feel sorry for Orr. He has put a lot of pressure upon himself and had a lot put on him by others. In some respects it has affected him, and I'm afraid the main culprit for this negative side effect is that the importan- ce of the game has been over-emphasized. Ah, yes, once again, it all falls on the shoulders of big business. Money, money, money. I realize-that it takes money to build and maintain comfortable struc- tures like Crisler Arena (which, as far as I'm concerned, is the best place on campus to watch a sporting event). It takes money to support non-revenue sports, which football and basketball do. But for every positive factor that one can name from all of this money - Michigan football netted five million dollars this past year - I'll name one negative one. All I have to do is to look at one John Orr, a nice man who is being torn up inside. Is it worth it? The first basketball practice I viewed became a tragic memory within fifteen minutes. Phil Hubbard came down wrong on a tender knee and he yelped out in pain. He didn't play for the rest of the year. Now he gets flak. because he has a bad knee. He's another guy who doesn't deserve the bad treatment he's been getting. - Talk about bad treatment, then you're talking about covering the Michigan football team. I don't mean the sports information people, because they do everything they can, but they get bad treatment, too. Bo Schem- bechler does not even tell them about all the injuries. That's the thing that really ticks me off about Bo. He treats football as if it's a life-or-death matter. It ain't Fort Knox, Bo. It's only a football team, a college one at that. So why don't you start treating it that way and enjoy life a little more? I worked three long years here to get the honor of covering the football team. But I soon found out that it wasn't an honor. Sure, it was great to sit in the press box, to attend the Monday luncheons and to go to Pasadena. It wasn't so great when I had to do a feature on a player, only to find out that I had to go through sports information, which had to go through Bo, for the okay. They're big boys, Bo, and they have to learn to handle the press, especially if they go on to professional football. You're like an over- protective mother. You don't give them enough credit. They can handle themselves with the media. At least give them the chance.. Finally, if there are any ADR's (average Daily readers) left, who are wondering about my dilemma, I'll explain how I solved it. I don't really cheer all that much anymore, except in special cases. The Michigan State basketball game was one instance. I --ate those green folks, mainly because In have a lot of friends who are State fans. It was so nice to see Keith Smith drop that foul shot in. The way I usually cheer is for individuals on the teams; people I know, either from meeting them in the dorm from freshman year, in classes' or through interviewing them.' I'd 'like to close by saying thanks to those who helped me out when I needed information or credentials and to ex- plain to those I've criticized that I only E, MIT; MBA, Harvard) o so in hopes of helping out. And lastly, tative I'd like to tell the Geeter to hold his tofdifference from head up. Slumps don't last forever, and next as to whether they either does collegelife Photo by Bob Kal.mbach MICHIGAN FRESHWOMAN Diane Dietz (right) prepares to throw a bounce pass past Kim Cunningham (32) of Adrian in a game played earlier this year at Crisler Arena. The Michigan women won the game, 80-76, as Dietz scored 24 points in the game. Cunningham, a sophomore forward, scored 12 points before fouling out in a losing effort. , The NEW and the ONLY If you want to get into nuclear engineering, start by get- ting into the Nuclear Navy. The Navy operates more than half the reactors in America. Our nuclear training is the most comprehensive. You start by earning your commission as a Navy Officer. Then we give you a year of advanced nuclear training. During your career,'you'll get practical, hands-on experi- ence with our nuclear powered fleet. If that sounds like the kind of responsibility you're looking for, speak to:- THE OFFICER INFORMATION TEAM U of M-Engineering Placement Office 9 February 1979 or Call (313) 226-7789 IN THE AREA IS NOW AT TOMMY'S HOLIDAY CAMP We also have a new FOOTBALL game. Open Sun-Thurs 11:3C 632 Packard Fri. & Sat. 11:30-3 30-2 am tam . With this ad you are entitled to 25C worth of pinball. i T alk to us last. 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