Page 8-The Michigan Daily- Sports Monday- October 14, 1991
*FULL COURTo
PRESS
Absence of legends
hi~ghli~ghts Madness
by David Schechter
Daily Basketball Writer
Britt, Bodnar, Davis and Hewlett are?
A) A third rate law firm. B) Four really incredible jugglers. C) The
offensive line on Burger King University's IM championship football
team. D) Michigan sports legends.
If you answered a, b, or c then at least you're being optimistic.
Unfortunately these are the names of Michigan sports legends, if you can
stretch the definition of "legend" that far. And aren't you lucky because
tonight you can see these Ann Arbor immortals live at Crisler Arena at
Midnight Madness.
If you're a big Wolverine fan you probably have no clue what
Midnight Madness really is- but you're planning on going anyway.
The event has been poorly publicized to the students. Basically it's a
big pep rally. But other than that you can't be too sure. And unless coach
Steve Fisher is planning to parachute the entire marching band into the
diag at noon today you won't know what to expect until you get there.
So if this whole Midnight Madness thing comes as a surprise to you,
it's not your fault.
Other schools successfully hold similar events to build spirit for
their teams. That may turn out to be the case here, but it's doubtful.
You can't build a tradition like this overnight. Events like these are
best advertised by word of mouth. And as of now, there isn't much to
talk about.
The press release for Midnight Madness has a schedule that includes,
among other things, a half hour of live comedy, and a half hour of a
Karaoke contest. First of all, what does comedy have to do with
Michigan basketball? And secondly, do you know what karaoke means?
Actually, I'd like to applaud the Wolverines and assistant athletic
director Bob DeCarrolis for the effort they're making to further student
involvement in Wolverine basketball. Fans have been fair to poor in
recent years, and they'd like to see that change.
It's hard to condemn something that you've never seen or experienced
before. I'll go and check it out, because I'm curious to see what it's all
about- just like you are.
But don't expect your adrenaline to kick into overdrive when you see
those irresistible legend hoop matchups. Stoyko against Brockington at
the forwards, and ... well you get the idea.
Legends aside, Michigan athletics has been a classy operation that has
never been far from excellence. This year's new recruits are testimony to
that theory. Hopefully the Wolverines will continue that tradition
tonight at 8 p.m.
BUS INFORMATION: Buses will run between Crisler Arena and
these student dormitories beginning at 7:30 p.m. until 1:30 a.m.: East
Quad, Stockwell, Alice Lloyd, Couzens, Bursley, Baits, and South Quad.
ANDERSON
Continued from page 1
his brother Lars, who is a backup
quarterback at Indiana.
It is no wonder then that
Anderson's life centers around
football. He picked it as his career
choice during his childhood, and
he isn't about to change his mind
now.
"As a career, I'm not looking
at anything else besides
football," Anderson said. "I'm
not out there doing internships or
talking to people about other
careers. because if I did that I
think I'd lose focus and realize
that maybe there is something
else out there besides football and
I wouldn't give football 100
percent.
"It may sound childish, and
that I'm not preparing myself for
the future, but in my eyes I am,
because what I really want to do
is play football. I think I really
would feel cheated and I would
feel like I didn't give myself the
right opportunity if I went about
it any other way."
Anderson will graduate in
December with a degree in general
studies. After that he will put all
of his energy into making the
NFL. His passion is something his
father understands.
Don Anderson led
Northwestern in passing yards
with 376 in 1967. Soon after, he
signed with the New Orleans
Saints as a free agent. But a back
injury during training camp killed
all hopes of the NFL.
It took him years to get over
his finished career. He eventually
went on to complete his education
and now has a dental practice in
Illinois. But leaving football
wasn't something he was prepared
to do.
Erick Anderson sends another runner to the turf. Anderson has 51 tackles this season to lead the Wolverines.
lb:..,
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"When it ends, it is
devastating," he said, "because
each boy that plays at the level
that Erick is playing at now has
been known as an athlete since
probably when they were six or
seven. That is their identity, and
when someone tells you that
you're no longer good enough to
play, it's a devastating feeling."
Don Anderson has tried to pre-
pare his sons for that end since the
time they were little. He reminds
them constantly that football
will be over one day. That doesn't
mean they shouldn't give 100
percent to their sport, but they do
need to be aware that sometime
their life is going to have to
change directions.
"I'm going to count on
playing football beyond this year
and I'll deal with what happens if
I don't when that situation
arises," Anderson said. "As far as
preparing myself, I want to look
at it and say, 'I have to make it in
football,' like I have nothing else
to do, because that way I'll know
I've given it everything that I
have and I'll have no regrets and
I'll be able to go on with my life
after football."
Anderson's focus has paid off
nicely for the Wolverines. This
could be the fourth straight year
that Anderson will lead the team
in tackles. His total of 51 this
season puts him on pace to break
his best performance of 116 last
season; his 350 career tackles
place him seventh best on the all-
time Michigan mark. His tackles
have made him a 1990 media all-
Big Ten selection and he's a
candidate for the Butkus Award
as the nation's top linebacker
again.
His 34 straight starts and
consistent play didn't go
unnoticed by his teammates
either. This fall he was named co-
captain along with offensive
tackle Greg Skrepenak.
"Erick's the main guy,"
fellow inside linebacker Steve
Morrison said. "He's like a coach.
He's got a real understanding of
the game and that helps a lot. I
always envision myself
emulating Erick: the way he
handles himself, the way he
plays."
It was an unusual nomination
considering Anderson is one of
the least vocal players on the
team.
"He's not a real outgoing
guy," Michigan defensive
coordinator Lloyd Carr said, "but
I can tell you there's a fire inside
of him. He's done everything any
team could ask of a leader. He's
played hard, he's practiced hard,
his attitude has been tremendous,
and he's a team guy - that's what
I love about him."
"The most effective tool to
use for leadership is your own
play," Anderson said. "If people
can look over and see you playing
well and consistent, then the
leadership sort of takes care of
itself. But I have to be a little bit
more vocal now."
This includes dealing with the
media - a chore Anderson is
enjoying. He has appeared at three
of coach Gary Moeller's weekly
press conference luncheons.
Anderson represents his team
well and has come to symbolize a
Michigan team that doesn't
outwardly express its spirit.
"This is one of the quietest
teams I've been on, which is
good," Anderson said. "You
don't want teams going beyond
their personalities. Different
teams have different personalities
and you don't want a team to be
something that they're not just to
look good. This is by nature a
quiet team, but that doesn't take
away from the way we play. We
play hard with a lot of intensity
and, emotion."
ut then again, the only way
for anyone to understand what
Anderson is really feeling is to
run through the middle of the
Wolverine defense.
Receivers beware.
RESULTS
Indiana 44, Northwestern 6
Iowa 10, Wisconsin 6
Minnesota 6, Purdue 3
Illinois 10, Ohio State 7
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