88 - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - October 26, 1998 I BIG TEN Continued from Page 1B not essential. "The way we play, and how basket- ball has moved, the guy that has to anchor in the lane is not as conducive to play today,' Indiana coach Bob Knight said. The sport of basketball allows players the freedom to improvise and define their positions by their play - more so than in other sports. Like most coaches, Knight understands that the position isn't the thing -. it's the player. Put another way, it's not the frost- ing that counts, but the cream filling:. When a reporter asked Knight if freshman Dane Fife - former Wolverine Dugan Fife's younger brother - would play point or shooting guard, Knight responded tersely. "We don't split our guards up like that," he said. "Fife might play cen- ter" Also rankling Knight were the con- ference's numerical inaccuracies. "I don't understand why we have 11 teams in the league and call it the Big Ten,' Knight said. Maybe it's the college sports ver- sion of a bakers' dozen. Staff Picks - all picks made against the spread. Correct selections appear in bold. SHARAT RAJU .i JIM ROSE JOIN THE MOST PROMISING PROFESSION OF THE 21ST CENTURY Prospective Teacher Education Meeting Tuesday, November 10, 1998 6:00 p.m. Schorling Auditorium Room 1202 School of Education Building Call 764-7563 for more information. Game (HOME TEAM IN CAPS) MICHIGAN (-15) vs. Indiana NEBRASKA (-19) vs. Missouri PURDUE (-28) vs. Illinois Wisconsin (-7) vs. IOWA NOTRE DAME (-22) vs. Army TENNESSEE (-16) vs. Alabama Ohio State (-28) vs. NORTHWESTERN UCLA (-14.5) vs. CALIFORNIA WEST VIRGINA (-5.5.) vs. Miami (Fla.) Michigan State (-7,5) vs. MINNESOTA Florida State (-12.5) vs. GEORGIA TECH LOUISIANA STATE (-9) vs. Miss. State Best Bet Last Week Overall (best bet) Indiana Missouri Purdue Wisconsin Army Tennessee Ohio State UCLA West Virginia Minnesota Florida State Louisiana State Wisconsin 9-3 (1-0) 48-36-1 (5-2) Indiana Nebraska Illinois Wisconsin Notre Dame Tennessee Northwestern UCLA West Virginia Michigan State Florida State Louisiana State Wisconsin 6-6 (1-0) 37-47-1 (2-5) MARK SNYDER Indiana Missouri Illinois Wisconsin Notre Dame Tennessee Ohio State UCLA Miami (Fla.) Michigan State Florida State Louislana State Miami (Fla.) 7-5 (1-0) 37-47-1 (4-3) Guest Selector BRIAN ELLERBE Michigan Missouri Purdue Wisconsin Army Tennessee Northwestern UCLA West Virginia Michigan State Florida State Louisiana State Army 8-4 (1-0)* 45-39-1 (2-4)* 0 0 * Brian Ellerbe coaches the Michigan basketball team Hoop Scoops Preseason mediapDoll 1. Michigan State 2. Purdue 3. Indiana Preseason coaches poll 1. Michigan State 2. Indiana 3. Purdue AlftBi Ten team (coaches & media Increasing focus on education dominates Big Ten discussions A Mayor who willingly helps provide a bridge between town and gown. Mateen Cleaves, Michigan State Louis Bullock, Michigan Michael Redd, Ohio State A.J. Guyton, Indiana Evan Eschmeyer, Northwestern e By Josh Kleinbaum Daily Sports Editor CHICAGO - Who would have thought that, from a group of coaches including the always-entertaining Bobby Knight, Northwestern's Kevin O'Neill would have the most interesting thing to say? "As soon as college basketball coaches quit cheating, then we won't have all of these problems," O'Neill said yesterday at the Big Ten basketball media day. "That's the central issue." The problems O'Neill was talking about were the same ones Big Ten com- missioner Jim Delany discussed this summer. Specifically, there are two major issues: Making education the pri- mary priority for college basketball play- ers, and taking potential players - the recruits - out of the grasp of clothing apparel companies such as Nike. Delany brought these issues to the forefront of the college basketball world when he proposed a reform package, which included declaring all freshmen ineligible and limiting recruitment to during the school year. Michigan Athletic Director Tom Goss has been actively involved with the issue as well. Since Delany introduced his proposal, Goss has supported it wholeheartedly. Goss, along with University President Lee Bollinger, co- wrote an op-ed article in the New York Times in September calling for Delany's ideas to be adopted by the NCAA. The NCAA responded by naming a 27-member working group to look into reforming college basketball, and Goss is on the committee. Delany's reform package aims to accomplish two things. It would force the athletes to focus on their studies dur- ing their first year, giving them a jump- start to fulfill graduation requirements. "If all freshmen were ineligible, they would be better prepared to graduate," Purdue coach Gene Keady said. "Freshmen need to sit out for maturation purposes." While Delany's ideas are a hit with some of his coaches, others don't see freshman ineligibility as a viable option. "If we couldn't have our freshmen this season, we'd have the same horseshit team we had last year," O'Neill said. Indiana's Knight, who met reporters at the conference's preseason media day for the first time in three years, thinks it's a good idea, but unrealistic. "I don't forsee freshman eligibility ever changing because of the number of schools that benefit from freshman eligi- bility," Knight said. Knight does think that the second half of Delany's proposal would work. This reform limits recruiting during the school year. This eliminates the need for summer camps, which are frequently sponsored by apparel companies such as Nike and, according to Delany's report, are "too often corrupt." "What the NCAA should do - but they never will because it's too simple - is say college coaches can only evaluate kids in that kid's high school gym, under supervision of his high school coach, or at home or away games or state tourna- ments," Knight said. "Keep college coaches out of the summer." Most coaches agreed on this issue, with the exception of O'Neill, who said he "enjoys" summer recruiting. "High schools have been out of the' summer recruiting mix" Delany said. "I'd like to see higher involvement by high schools, and less involvement by us and the apparel companies" BRING ON THE CHALLENGE: The Big Ten and the ACC are extremely close to solidifying the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, a preseason tournament which would feature all nine ACC teams and nine of the Ii Big Ten teams. "Both conferences have an interest in doing it, and ESPN has an interest," Delany said. "But we have not reached the point to make an announcement." The three parties almost had the deal solidified in order to make an announce- ment at media day yesterday, but ran into a financial stumbling block, Delany said. NAME GAME: While Notre Dame isn't any closer to joining the Big Ten then it was during the summer - the university has twice met with the confer- ence to discuss the issue - Knight is hopeful something will budge. Why? So the Big Ten will change its name. "I don't know why we have I I teams in this league and call it the Big Ten," Knight said. "It's a tragedy. If somebody else is added, I hope a name is adopted for this conference that accurately por- trays the makeup of the league." Mayor Ingrid Sheldon welcomes U-M graduate students to Ann Arbor during a September 1998 program at Rackham Auditorium. Paid for by the Ingrid Sheldon for Mayor Committee Doug F. Ziesemer, Treasurer, 576 Glendale Circle, Ann Arbor, MI 48103 320 South State St. - Ann Arbor (LOCATED ABOVE DECKER DRUGS - 213-7685) Mon- Sat (noon -8) & Sun (1-6) BUY ONE USED CD GET ONE FREE WITH THIS COUPON ONLY - EXPIRES NOVEMBER 30th I -----s REC SPORTS INTRAMURALS The University of Michigan Department of Recreational Sports INTRAMURALSPORTS PROGRAM WHAT'S HAPPENIIN WC U II WALLYBALL 0r /2// j mppp/ ENTRIES TAKEN: Monday 10/26 ONLY 11:00 AM to 5:30 PM ENTRY FEE: $40 per team MANAGER"S MEETING: MANDATORY Weds 10/28, 7:00 PM, IMSB PLAY BEGINS: Thurs 10/29 IMSB 1J ; 4000000,- FLAG FOOTBALL ENTRIES TAKEN: Monday 10/26 ONLY 11:00 AM to 5:30 PM, IMSB ENTRY FEE: $70 per team MANAGER'S MEETING: MANDATORY Weds 10/28, 6 & 9 PM, IMSB PLAY BEGINS: Thurs 10/29 Mitchell Fields ..."Bobby said that Judy got itfrom Rick":.. "then Rick gave it to Marcy"... ,.."John, George and Ramona all have it now"... "my dad even gave it to my mom"... ."I think I got it from my mother"... I , YNOT.COM, Socially transmitted and highly contagious! PRE-SEASON BROOMBALL ENTRIES TAKEN: Mon 11/9 - Weds 11/11 11:00 AM to 4:30 PM, IMSB ENTRY FEE: $30 per team MANAGER'S MEETING: MANDATORY Thurs 111/12, 6:00 PM, IMSB TOURNAMENT BEGINS: Sun 11/15, Yost Ice Arena WRESTLING ENTRIES DUE: Thurs 11/12, 4:30 PM, I ENTRY FEE: $35 per team $5 per individual MANAGER'S MEETIT MANDATORY Thurs 11/12, 7:00 PM, IN TOURNAMENT DATE Tues - Thurs 11/17 - 11/ Sport Coliseum MSB NG MSB :S 19 40000000- 400-0000", _________________________________________________________ I I v--- w _ __ _ _