Uft Lid Jim]Dk t ate n CAPS MAJOR LEAGUE SEATTLE 6, BASEBALL Kansas City 5 Detroit 7, Philadelphia 10, TEXAS 6 PITTSBURGH 2 BOSTON 4, Chi. Cubs 6. Baltimore 2 N.Y. METS 4 N.Y. Yankees 4, PRO CHI WHITE SOX 3 HOCKEY Toronto at Buffalo 3, ANAHEIM, inc. OTTAWA 2 Buffalo leads, 2-1 Philadelphia 5, PITTSBURGH 3 Flyers lead, 3-0 COLLEGE BASEBALL N. Carolina 5, N.C. Asheville 2 S, Carolina 12, Wofford 1 Massachusetts 17. Fordham 8 Vermont 8. Maine 4 Maine 6, Vermont 4 Quinnipiac 9, S. Connecticut 2 Assuiption 1, American Int'l. 0 0I Tuesday April 22, 1997 22 - .. - j So long, MicA zan, t's been afun tnp ve years is a long time. And you know what? It's been almost that long Fince I first walked into the Daily. But strangely, it seems no longer ago tnan yesterday afternoon. Sports are a huge reason I came to Michigan. Not that I ever had any hope of competing at the varsity level, but the Fab Five first went to the Final Four my senior year in high school, as I was deciding between Michigan and Montreal's McGill University. It didn't take me long to realize they don't know what basket- ball is in that part of Canada. My decision was made. It's only fitting, then, that the crowning accomplishment of my five-year Daily career was covering the men's basketball team. After all, it was that very team that lured me here in the first place. And covering the basketball team couldn't have been more fun, really. I've roamed all over the Big Ten, from State College to Iowa City, and even got to go to New York. The experience means more to me than any class I've taken, any assignment I've done. One thing I've noticed about the Daily's sports coverage, particularly of the major sports, is the lack of respect and credibility the newspaper seems to get, at least from the coaches involved. Not that I'm criticizing these people, though. There are reasons why this is so. The Daily is a student newspaper, and there is a huge turnover every year. As you advance through the ranks, you WILL are generally rewarded with higher-profile beats. It makes McCAHILL sense. You can't have freshmen covering the football team, Whatcha talkin' but also you can't have someone covering that team for years 'bout Willis? at a time. And therein lies the problem. The reason Steve Fisher or Lloyd Carr don't take the Daily as seriously as they take the big Detroit papers is because they have to deal with different people every year. While Jim Spadafore covers the Michigan basketball team every year for The Detroit News, Fisher never knows who he's going to get from the Daily. He sees the same mistakes being made each year, the same process of adjustment. I know that if I were to cover the basketball team again next year, I'd do a much better job. But the Daily really doesn't have that option. It's a year and out. There's one thing that comes from having to scratch and claw to get even the slightest crumb of respect from coaches like Fisher. What ends up happening is that, in an effort to assert our credibility, in an attempt to gain the respect of those we're covering, we become that team's and coach's harshest critics. Because we feel we are treated as mere mouthpieces, any positive take on the big teams becomes nigh on unacceptable. And while that can be unfair to those involved, it must be said that negative results - losses and scandals -- do make it easier to criticize the team we're covering. An unfortunate way to earn respect, perhaps, but it doesn't often seem that good writing and thorough coverage achie e that goal. (The fact that the big programs operate under more secrecy -- and lately, with much less success - than the Manhattan Project doesn't score any points with the media either, but that's another story.) Not that I'm saying the Daily automatically deserves the same measure of 'respect as the big newspapers with which it competes. But it certainly deserves more than it gets. It's the best college newspaper in the country, as shown by the number of Gold Circle Awards (the college version of the Pulitzer Prize) we pulled in this year. Hell, we had an alumna win the Pulitzer Prize this year (the second to do so in the last decade). We have alumni covering Michigan hockey for the Ann Arbor News, the Pistons and Red Wings for The Detroit News, and even one who's a SportsCenter anchor. That's not too shabby. It's something for coaches and administrators to keep in mind. Anyhow, I couldn't make this column complete without some thanks. I would- n't be writing with the confidence I have today if it hadn't been for some great editors who were here when I started writing for the news staff in the fall of 1992: Henry Goldblatt, Melissa Peerless, Bethany Robertson and Andrew Levy. Almost every single friend I've had here has been made through some connection to the Daily, and what great pals you've been. Thanks in particular to Barry, a great writer, editor and friend (not to mention dog-walker). And to the Canucks, particu- larly Andrew, Shawn, Anne-Marie and Angela -- thanks for everything. To say what you guys mean to me would take many, many more words, if such things were even possible to put in writing. This column is dedicated to Mark Jackson. If I can make even half as many people smile as you did, I'll have lived a worthwhile life. I miss you, man. - This is Will McCahill'final column for The Michigan Daily. He can be reached over e-mail at wmiccfCewnich edui. For a change, State leads 'M' By Josh Kleinbaum Daily Sports Writer It's the civil war of Michigan softball: Michigan versu is Michigan State. The two Big Ten rivals will battle for state bragn rights at 1 p.m. today at Alumni Field. f . . The matchup is typically a David vs. Goliath fight - Michigan, winner of four of the past five conferenc EYEr - -mP'z kn}"fir*r-wr2 . '....r titles, against Michigan State, whichtypically dwells i the lower tier of the Big Ten standings. But the Spartans have something else in mind for thi d° . year's game. Michigan State enters the contest holdin ;...::.. . second place in the conference -- above the Wolverine. "It's a big rivalry, just like it is in all sports," Michiga pitcher Kelly Holmes said. "But this year, it's even +rger, because of how tight the (Big Ten) race is right now Usually we're in first place, and they're vying for a tour nament spot." But this game transcends standings and statistics. Iti not about who is on top of the Big Ten when the game i over. It's about winning. Because sitting in the other dugout is not som stranger who is only seen on the playing field. It's friend. w "My best friend is on the (Michigan State) team, Holmes said. "Everyone on our team has friends on.i team. It makes it exciting, because we've played WWI some of the players." But not all Wolverines see the game as any differen }. :from any other game. Melissa Gentile, Michigan's third baseman, i onfy freshman. She has only played in one Michigan Michigan State game before - the 5-0 whipping th< Wolverines gave the Spartans on March 9 in the -semifi nal game of the Speedline Invitational. Gentile doesn't know State's players off the field"Shi r g-rew up in O'Fallon, Mo., a long way from any pam a a Michigan. And she sees this as just another game. "I hear all this stuff about the big Michigan State rival ry and how we need to beat our in-state rival, but to me Michigan State is just another Minnesota," Gentile -said But Holmes sees a lot more than Minnesota --th MARK FRIEDMAN/Dady team Michigan swept this past weekend--in the green Sophomore Tammy Mika was out at second base on this play, but the Wolverines had more suc- See SOFTBALL, Page 2! cess than she did - they swept a three-game series with Minnesota over the weekend. 'M' needs pitching to pick up pace tonight By Kevin Kasiborski Daily Sports Writer As most students eagerly antici- pate a summer break away from classes, the Michigan baseball eam is also looking forward to a break a break from games. The Wolverines will play Notre Dame at 7 p.m. tonight in Grand Rapids at Old Kent Park, and because of final exams, they origi- nally didn't have another game scheduled until May 1 against [astern Michigan. Michigan has added an April 27 home doublehead- er with Siena Heights, but will still do more practicing than playing over the next two weeks. And that is something Michigan coach Geoff Zahn is grateful for. "We've got some pitchers banged up; we'd like to get them back," Zahn said. "'We haven't been swingin= the hats very well, and we've had some lapses defensively. ISo this period when we arc iot playing could not have come at a bct- ter time, because it will give is a chance to practice and work on things." Practice time is rare during the conference season for the Wolverines. They play Big Ten games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and usually play nonconfer- ence opponents on Tuesday and Wednesday. Zahn gives the players one day off each week, which leaves only one day for practice. "For us to get the number of games in we have to play two mid-week games." Zahn said. "And we have to gie the kids a day off, and that all adds tip to no practice time. When guys go in slumps, they don't have a chance to work out of it. "Now we have a chance to work and practice and get reorganized." The Wolverines' pitching staff is happy not only for the chance to practice, but the chance to heal. Freshman Bryce Ralston has pitched just three innings all season, and sophomores Luke Bonner and J.J. Putz have missed most of the month of April with injuries. Saturday, the Michigan staff was depleted by one more when sopho- more Pete Martay felt something pop in his elbow while warming up for his start against Indiana. Zahn said that although the injury has not been fully diagnosed, it appears serious. and Martay may miss the remainder of the season. "Four guys that we counted on to pitch a lot for us aren't pitching," Zahn said. "Some guys have to bring their level up and start contributing more." One of the pitchers who shoul start seeing more action is senio Marlon Wright; who is scheduled t start for Michigan (12-6 BigTen, 23 17 overall) tonight against -Notr Dame (10-4 Big East, 29-13 overall) Last year the Fighting Irish upende Michigan, 8-2. Notre Dame is a team on a01 The Irish have won their last sever games, 14 of their last 15, and 20o' their last 22. Last weekend,.they swept a three-game series from' con ference foe Villanova by scores of 4 3, 14-3, and 10-8. Notre Dame boasts two pli er with batting averages above .400 Senior Mike Amrhein is hitting healthy .430, has eight doubles,-( home runs and leads the team - 57 RBI. Sophomore Jeff Wagner has a .401 average, 17 doubles anda team-best 12 home runs. "I told our kids, if you come to Michigan, and you can't get up for Notre Dame, or Ohio Stato, om Michigan State, then you had nc See BASEBALL, Page 25 . r I H@M II II .14 r.. ... s.. p. -F.. a . 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