*I
Women's Swimming
vs. Michigan State
Sunday, 2 p.m.
Canham Natatorium
he Michigan Daily
SPORTS
Gymnastics
vs. Ohio State
Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Crisler Arena
Friday, January 27, 1989
P
Page 10
0
Adam Benson
Hedging
-,i
Steve
Blonder
Bud cools Tempie cheer
with benching of star
Imagine Bo Schembechier playing Mark Messner only in run situations,
or Bill Frieder using Glen Rice off the bench for additional scoring punch.
Unthinkable? Well, women's basketball coach Bud VanDeWege's
startling benching of guard Tempie Brown produced a similar shock wave.
Before this season, there were not enough accolades for Brown, a pre-
season All-Big Ten selection and one of the team's tri-captains.
In this weekend's matchup with Michigan State, Brown will not start for
the fourth straight time. This change may be more than just lighting a fire
under a slumping player. Last weekend, she played only 14 minutes against
Northwestern and 18 minutes against Wisconsin. Michigan lost both
games.
In replacing Brown, VanDeWege uses one of two first-year players, Char
Durand or Leah Wooldridge.
COACH. bring back Tempie Brown. Please.
If any one player on this team can bring you wins, bring you fans, and
bring you tournament bids, it is Brown. She is the foundation of what can
be a superpower program.
When this season began, Brown spoke about this team and herself with
great certainty, and why shouldn't she? Last season, Brown averaged 14.8
points per game and was the Big Ten's seventh leading scorer.
Brown's leadership continued off the court as well. One of the most
spirited players on the team, Brown radiates star quality. It may as well be
written in neon on her uniform. Just her presence creates distractions to
opponents, allowing other players to show off their talents.
But in January 1989, more than Brown's offensive totals have been
quieted. She exhibits the debilitating effects of the slump that has benched
her in her reponses maybe even more than in her play.
SHE WON'T be an All-Big Ten selection when this season is over,
and her team will most likely be in the second half of the conference
standings - again.
"It hurts. I'm upset, but I'm not upset at anyone but myself," said Brown
about her lack of playing time. "I'm not producing the way I should. I'm
not being the factor that this team needs and that's what is frustrating to
me."
While Durand and Wooldridge have both played well in place of Brown,
opposing coaches are openly wondering why VanDeWege moved Brown to
the bench.-After last weekend's losses, one Big Ten coach asked if Tempie
had been hurt or had been in some kind of trouble. This coach could not
understand how Brown could be sat down.
It has been rumored that one opposing Big Ten team told its team's star
player that she would lose the individual battle with Brown when this team
played Michigan..Upon finding out that Brown had been benched, the coach
told the player to relax.
The word from VanDeWege is that Tempie has been inconsistent,
particularly on defense. Brown and her teammates do not question her
demotion or VanDeWege's judgment, but players are just as certain that a
torrid-shooting Tempie makes Michigan a more competitive team. The
players are conscious of her absence and they miss her leadership and her
dependability.
In the Wisconsin loss, Michigan shot 33 percent from the field. Tempie
Brown can shoot 33 percent with the arena lights turned out. If Michigan
hopes to be competitive in the Big Ten, it has to be with Tempie Brown in
the lineup. Brown's defense is not bad enough so that she has to be benched.
That is not enough of a reason to bench this team's best player.
Imagine again. This time the Michigan women's basketball team is
playing national power Iowa in Crisler Arena. Michigan trails the Hawkeyes
by one, three seconds left, the ball is inbounded to ... Brown? Well ... Bud?
Michigan coach Bill Frieder isn't fretting over Crisler Arena fans' furor.
Cold sreaKs collide
in WTTest LI
BY STEVE BLONDER
Two teams in the midst of losing streaks
will collide Sunday in West Lafayette, and
something will have to give.
Michigan, favored by many to compete for
the Big Ten title, has lost three of its last
four games and needs a victory to keep its
faint title hopes alive.
Defending Big Ten champion Purdue has
gotten off to a rocky start, sporting a 2-4
record in conference play. The Boilermakers
have lost three in a row.
"The Purdue game is crucial," Michigan
coach Bill Frieder said. "Somehow we need to
find a way to win it. We're gonna beat Purdue
no matter what."
Purdue returns two strong inside players in
Steve Scheffler and Melvin McCants, who
was recruited heavily by Michigan. The two
are averaging a combined 27 points per game.
"Those guys are physical, and we have
problems with physical players," Frieder said.
"We've got to contain Scheffler and McCants
inside, and we can't let their three-point
shooters get away from us."
afayette
Junior guard Tony Jones, who connected
on six of 12 three-pointers Wednesday night
in a loss to Michigan State, is the only other
Boilermaker averaging double figures.
Part of Michigan's battle is a mental one.
For the past two games, the Wolverines have
let their opponents dictate tempo, and
Michigan has been unable to unleash its
potent running game.
"We have to take control of the game, and
be the aggressor. We can't let them dictate
everything," Frieder said.
Frieder said he won't name a starting line-
up before tomorrow, as he is still searching
for the right combination. He said Mark
Hughes could expect to see considerable
playing time, and that Demetrius Calip and
Kirk Taylor could be a part of the game,
rather than watching from the bench.
"We have to go with Taylor and Calip
more. We need to give Rumeal Robinson
more rest," Frieder said. "We can't expect him
to do all of the things we want of him
offensively and guard the other team's best
player for 40 minutes."
Fans fired up to
see Frieder flee
Crisler Arena crowds have been telling Bill Frieder
to throw his trademark towel in some other town.
These fans, who proudly carry "Fire Frieder" and
"We hate Bobby Knight, but at least he can coach
signs, have expanded their vocal chords recently,
booing Frieder at every occasion. Monday, the crowd
jeered Frieder louder than archnemesis Bob Knight.
Some campus-area apartments now have "Firs
Frieder" signs hanging in the windows.
TO FRIED ER, the reason Michigan has only
one win against a Top 20 team since November isn't
his coaching, but rather a leadership void on his team.
"Also, this team lacks mental toughness and
concentration. We preach it to our kids all of the
time," Frieder said Thursday.
All Frieder can make for this year's squad is
excuses. With five potential NBA first-round draft
choices on the roster, the Wolverines should be sitting
pretty atop the Big Ten. Are they? No. They seem t
be stuck somewhere near the middle of the pack.
DISCIPLINE, or rather a lack thereof, separates
Michigan from teams enjoying success.
How many of Denny Crum's Louisville players
have been suspended this year for alcohol use, or not
finishing their assignments when the boss ordered?
How many of John Thompson's players can't
remember to play their position when an opposing
defense plays with intensity?
But Michigan? Three Wolverine guards found
themselves sitting out a few games with suspensions,
as Frieder tried to emulate Knight.
Terry Mills drifts farther away from the basket
when teams play defense on him with intensity. The
rest of the Michigan frontline disappears totally.
THE TEAM plays like it doesn't know which
way to turn.
"There is no question we've been beating
ourselves," Frieder said. "We are not finding ways to
win these games, but rather we're finding ways to lose
them. Maybe it's something with the players."
Maybe, but maybe not.
Michael Dukakis hit Michigan's problem right qn
the head during his ill-fated campaign when he said, "A
fish rots from the head down."
Great teams reflect the personality of the coach, and
right now, Michigan reflects a dead fish.
Michigan State's 1979 championship team was a
group of down-to-earth guys who just worked harder
than everyone else. And they had a little Magic.
Knight's 1987 Indiana squad played with discipline
and as if bringing a national championship trophy to
Bloomington was the only goal.
FRIEDER works as hard as any of his contem-
poraries. Other coaches continually praise his work
ethic. Thursday, though, Frieder told a small group of
reporters that his team needs to play harder. Apparently
they have yet to follow the example set by their coach.
Some pre-season expectations called for Michigan
to become the third Big Ten team to win a national
championship this decade. Judging from recent perfor-
mances, those expectations will remain unfulfilled.
If you ask Frieder, he will tell you those
expectations were misguided - that his team
shouldn't be considered one of the top two or three
teams in the nation.
But the fans see something different. They see a
wealth of talent not being developed. Or substitution
patterns that seem illogical at best. Observers see a
team blessed with tremendous size, a team that can't
seem to get the ball inside.
FRIEDER, however, remains confused.
"I don't know what this crowd wants. I have gone
74-7 at Crisler over the last five years. We've brought
a lot of good basketball here."
A lot of teams, though, can win games at home. A
great team is one that can also win on the road.
The Michigan coach is not yet ready to throw in the
towel on this season, because "one way or another
we're gonna be in the NCAA tournament."
And Frieder refuses to give in to the fans.
"Tell those people I ain't gonna get fired and I ain't
gonna quit. They can leave if they don't like it."
They don't like it, but I don't see them leaving.
M' women's basketball
team needs a victory
&}k
T-SHIRT
PRINTING
COTTON
HANES BEEFY-T
&
HEV. WT SWEATS
1002 PONTIAC TR.
k 994-136.
Tigers re-sign
Pettis, Murphy
DETROIT (AP) - The Detroit
Tigers signed center fielder Gary
Pettis to a one-year contract for a
reported $440,000 on Thursday, a
day after signing another Gold Glove
outfielder, Dwayne Murphy.
Both veterans had filed for
arbitration.
Pettis sought $475,000 while
Detroit offered $400,000, the
amount he received in 1988, Tigers
spokesperson Greg Shea said.
Murphy, 33, signed a one-year
contract Wednesday for $400,000, a
$25,000 increase from 1988.
BY LORY KNAPP
The Michigan women's basketball team
needs a win.
Currently winless in six Big Ten contests,
the Wolverines hope for a victory this
weekend when they travel to East Lansing to
play Michigan State.
Perhaps playing the state rival Spartans
will be just the impetus needed to lift the
Wolverines out of their slump, which has
included a 35.3 shooting percentage while
averaging the most turnovers in the Big Ten.
"Anytime Michigan and Michigan State
meet, both teams are coming to play," said
Michigan State head coach Karen Langeland.
"This game will be close, just like the last 28
times we've played each other."
While the team is struggling, so too are
the individuals. Guard Tempie Brown, who
has not played well since Christmas, will not
start against State.
"Tempie is in an awful slump," said head
coach Bud VanDeWege, "but she certainly
will return to form."
Sophomore guard Carol Szczechowski has
not played well of late either. In her last two
games, against Northwestern and Wisconsin,
Szczechowski has combined for only two
points and four rebounds including a scoreless
Wisconsin game.
"(Szczechowski) is struggling, plain and
simple," VanDeWege said. "Her confidence is
shaken, just like the teams'."
Langeland added: "They (Michigan) are a
better team than their 0-6 record indicates.
They happen to be in a very tough division."
Michigan State, who finished fourth in the
Big Ten last season, (12-6, 16-12), is also
having a rough time this season - currently
3-2 in the Big Ten.
"They (the Spartans) are not enjoying the
same level of success as last year, but they
are still an upper division team," VanDeWege
said.
Leading State's scoring attack is
sophomore guard Eileen Shea, who is
averaging 12 points per game. Shea is also
leading the the division in free-throw
percentage.
I
763 110
AUDITION
S
All T ale nt WelIc ome
Comedy, Drama, Musical, Dance
JAN. 29
r.
t 0 0
THE CAMPUS WIDE TALENT CONT
lanuary is Asian American
Awareness 9Mionti
You are cordially invited to the
Fourth Annual
SI AMEICANSU'DEN -
FACUZ1y-STAfF§TF CEPTION
Friday, January 27, 1989
4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Pendleton Room, Michigan Union
EST
up sheet
Times to be scheduled on sign
outside the office.