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Traylor to leave school for NBA
me and my family. But my family has
always been first and foremost in my
life, and right now, this is the best deci-
sion I can make for the interests of my
entire family."
Traylor had hinted in recent weeks
that he would consider returning for his
senior season only if Brian Ellerbe's
status were upgraded from interim to
permanent coach. On Friday, Mar. 20,
Ellerbe was named Michigan's perma-
nent coach by Athletic Director Tom
Goss.
"The only way I would've returned
to the University of Michigan was if
coach Ellerbe was the coach," Traylor
said. "I didn't want to play for three
coaches in four years.
"But he backed this decision a hun-
dred percent. He just told me to go out
and do my best, and represent the
University in the best way possible. And
that's what I plan to do."
Traylor introduced most of his 13-
person entourage, which included his
grandmother, Jessie Mae Carter - a
fixture at Michigan basketball games
the past couple of years - and other
relatives and friends.
He became emotional and was
moved to tears when mentioning his
mother, who was unable to attend.
Former Michigan teammate Louis
Bullock, who one day earlier had
announced he would return for his own
senior season, was also in attendance,
as were numerous Murray-Wright stu-
dents and faculty.
Traylor, who nearly opted for the pro-
fessional ranks after his sophomore sea-
son, returned to lead the Wolverines to
a 25-9 record during his junior year. He
was a first team all-Big Ten selection,
and was named most valuable player of
the first-ever Big Ten Tournament,
which Michigan won.
Traylor said he had not consulted an
agent, nor had he given much thought
to where he would be drafted, taut he
was excited to move on.
See TRAYLOR, Page 6B
MARG~ARETIMYERS/DVally
After almost turning pro a year ago, Michigan center Robert Traylor announced on
Friday that he would forgo his final year of eligibility and instead opt for the NBA.
Bean town,
baby!
- I'm
An open letter to my professors and GSIs: Dear sirs
and madams, I regret to inform you that, due to cir-
umstances beyond my control, I will not be attend-
ing many of my classes this week. Sorry - make that,
any of my classes this week.
Why, you ask, would a student
such as myself sacrifice his academ-
ic career in the final semester of his
, senior year? It's really quite simple.
I'm going to Boston, baby!
Wooohoooo! BOSTON! BOSTON!
BOSTON ...
Ahem, uh, please forgive my lack
CHRIS of composure. I realize this is a mat-
FARAH ter of the utmost seriousness. I know
Farah's you'll miss my valuable participation
Faucet in class. I know my parents won't be
pleased by the decimation of my
grade point average.
But after Michigan's game against North Dakota on
Saturday, I must admit ... I really couldn't care less. After
all the sacrifices the Wolverines made, after they left
everything they had on the ice in Yost, after they clawed
back from being down by two goals - twice - to beat
the Fighting Sioux - the least I can do is flush my grades
down the tubes.
I know, I know. You academians are too intellectually
sophisticated to care about something as base and brutish
as a hockey game, but I think even you could've appreciat-
ed Michigan's play Saturday night.
After the first period, things didn't look good. Actually,
things looked horrible. The Wolverines looked intimidated
and scared in their own building. The Sioux were literally
See FARAH, Page 4B
WARREN ZINN/Daily
Several Wolverines pile on top of Greg Crozier after he tied Saturday's NCAA West Regional final, 3-3, just 56 seconds into the third period. After trailing 2-0 and 3-
1, the Wolverines completed their comeback when Bobby Hayes scored the winning goal late in the period, sending Michigan to Boston for the final four.
Blue goes south at NCAAs
Swimming and diving win no titles, produce worst finish since 1986
By Rick Freeman
Daily Sports Writer
AUBURN, Ala. Alabama highway com-
missioner Jimmy Butts makes sure every border
has a welcome center/rest stop - southerners
are famous for their hospitality, of course. But
the sight of prisoners in coveralls stamped
'Alabama Department of Corrections' land-
scaping the sun-dappled oases off of
Alabama's pine-lined highways is a little
jarring. Not quite what you'd expect, but
fitting for Michigan at the NCAA Men's
Swimming and Diving Championships
this past weekend.
Things just didn't go as expected for the sev-
enth-ranked Wolverines, as they finished "lower
than a frog's ass." At least, that was how
Michigan's goal all season had been to break
into the top four at nationals. The Wolverines
reasoned that Stanford, Auburn - the defend-
ing champion and host - and Texas would be
too tough to crack. But the list of the other teams
they found just as hard to break was as long as
Mike McWha's face after the
Wolverines placed .ninth
in the 800-yard
freestyle. It is
Michigan's bread-
and-butter, having
won the title in the
event five years in a row.
The sophomore hung on a lane
marker trying to let the pain drain out through
tired legs. He stared blankly at the block 'M' on
After Tom Malchow's fifth-place finish in the
200 butterfly - the event with which he struck
Olympic silver in 1996 - Malchow could only
say, "It just wasn't there," of his performance.
The only Wolverines who didn't seem to be
swimming in chains were Owen von Richter
and Chris Thompson.
In 1995, when Michigan was the team diving
into the pool off the awards stand, von Richter
placed third in the 400 individual medley.
That was the only moment of this year's meet
that resembled the Wolverines' glory days, as
von Richter again walked away with the bronze.
"He put everything on the line;' assistant
coach Eric Namesnik said.
Also putting it on the line, but with less suc-
cess, was junior Brett Wilmot, the only
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