12 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, March 23, 1999 Recent success will pay off for gymnasts. By Stephen L.Rom Daily Sports Writer As the sun shines on another inevitable spring day in Ann Arbor, raised are the hopes of all who inhabit its environment. The most hopeful are the ones who have been working diligently all throughout it's just- as-guaranteed long GYMNASTICS and frigid winter.C And it is they who Comentaty have the best ----------------- chance of making their dreams come true. Case in point: The Michigan women's gymnastics team. And in light of the recent achievement of the Michigan hockey team - who plays only a half block from Cliff Keen Arena - inspiration in Ann Arbor is currently running high. Now the Wolverines have something that can keep company with their recent team scores, which have also been run- ning high. This has been the case ever since spring break, when the Bulldogs of Georgia packed their ferocious bite and brought it to Crisler Arena. Their goal was to show the up-and-coming Wolverines exactly who were the queens of the women's gymnastics ranks. They did show who was the more elite by winning the battle, but the Wolverines showed that they weren't going to be intimidated. They also put forth an effort that would help them later in the post- season, when they will be met with noth- ing but the best. Consequently, the Wolverines should know that it is somewhat necessary to begin preparing early. And what better time to start than against the No. 1 team in the land? Later, against other quality opponents, Michigan began surpassing its highest team scores of the season. After a team high score against Arizona, Michigan proved to coach Bev Plocki that it was no fluke. Just the following week it matched the feat against UCLA. Soon the season finale with Michigan State came. But with a high ranking in the postseason already solidified, the visit with their neighbors to the west became a mere token appearance. The primary goal became to just stay healthy, as well as to get acclimated with the surroundings (Michigan State will be hosting the Big Ten Championships in only a week's time). So, the Wolverines began their hoped- to-be uneventful evening with a ginger walk into the Jenison Fieldhouse. They might have heard that Rod Stewart was performing just down the road at the Breslin Center. This would have explained any extra levity that accompa- nied them into the building. Notwithstanding, Michigan was soon awakened by the fight the Spartans- brought. In the end, Michigan State ran out of gas, and it was the Wolverines who were left standing - with one Spartan by their side. As the two teams congregated on the floor exercise and sat waiting patiently for the public address announcer to call the names of all the award winners of the night, they heard 14 of the 15 names prefaced with, "From the University of Michigan..." Soon, the last and most important announcement - the final team scores - came, and were met with the same incredulous reaction from the Michigan State friends and family who came out for Senior Day. The discrepancy of 15.500 points between the two team scores is unheard of in gymnastics. All the Spartans could do was look at each other with raised eyebrows and a slight shake of the head. Don't feel sorry for them. Michigan State has lots of young, enthusiastic gymnasts and it will be back. Besides, many of its gymnasts are friends of the Wolverines. This will come in handy, as Michigan will need all the support it can get next week at the Big Tens. No. 5 Penn State is currently packing its bags for East Lansing. The Nittany Lions jumped ahead of the Wolverines in the polls earlier in the season. Since then, No. 6 Michigan hasn't had a sniff of the fifth spot in the RQS rankings. Rest assured, Penn State won't care in the least that the Wolverines have climbed from the pit of inconsistency - and lack of confidence - they were vic- tim to earlier in the season, to the pinna- cle of assertiveness where they currently dwell. But the Wolverines do. If things stay true to form, Michigan will continue what it has been doing for the last six weeks. Their success will help the Wolverines visualize what they must do against their opponent from the east - as well as those from the north, south and west. Well, maybe not the north. LOUIS BROWN/Daily Facing top notch competition will help the Michigan women's gymnastics team as they flip into the postseason. Stop by 1I 01 ic Micb-t laffy or call 764-0554 to have your SENIOR WISH published April 15th deadline March 31 Norm The six years you s pent running up the tab at our\ bar was great business, and we're gonna miss you here. No more seeing you in a drunken stuper and embarrass- ing yourself in everywaypossible. Good luck with collect- ing grbagenextyear. -am (your bartender) Whil Others May Ofer Whl teMyYou A Job, We Can Offer You A Career. At American Express Financial Advisors, we help our financial advisors succeed by providing ongoing training, management opportunities, and a strong compensation and benefits package. If you're looking for a challenging career that offers independence and the opportunity for unlimited growth, contact us for consideration. For more information, call or send your resume to: American Express Financial Advisors Inc. Kenneth W Del Goleto, CFP Field Vice President Financial 1590 Eisenhower Place Advisors Ann Arbor, MI 48108 Bus: 734-477-5280 Fax: 734-677-1384 0 11 n mwrcmla ss Financial Cursitnon 77Y: 18(H) 714T17 OF wFm Minnesota president wants to talk to Haskins MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - University of Minnesota President Mark Yudof said he wants to talk to basketball coach Clem Haskins about allegations that Haskins gave cash to a former player before kicking him off the team. "I do want to talk to him myself because of the gravity of the allega- tions," Yudof said Sunday. "These are extremely serious charges. If there is any bright line in the NCAA rules, it's payments to athletes, but I don't know that Clem did it." Cash payments could bring severe National Collegiate Athletic Association penalties for Haskins as well as the basketball program. Haskins did not return several phone messages left for him Sunday. He has denied any knowledge of academic misconduct. Former player Russ Archambault's allegation against Haskins will become part of the overall investigation begin- ning today into academic fraud allega- tions in the men's basketball program, a university spokeswoman said. "I don't have any information about this claim," said Sandra Gardebring, vice president for institutional relations at the university. "We will treat it like all the other claims and turn it over to the team investigating the charges. They will interview all witnesses and gather related evidence." The university has hired a Minneapolis lawyer and the Kansas law firm of Bond, Schoeneck and King to investigate. The Star Tribune reported on Saturday that Haskins gave Archambault cash - $200 to $300 at a time - while he was a member of the team from 1996 through February of 1998, when he was dismissed by Haskins for leaving his hotel after cur- few the night before a Big Ten game at Illinois. Archambault said he specifically remembered receiving two payments during the Christmas seasons of 1996 and 1997. One of those occasions was confirmed in part by his former tutor Jeanne Payer, who said she drove Archambault to a Twin Cities mall after he told her he received one of the payments. Payer is a sister of Jan Gangelhoff, whose claims that she wrote - papers and did course work for at least 20 cur- rent and former Golden Gopher play- ers triggered an investigation into aca- demic fraud at the university. Payer said Saturday that she also helped with course work for three Gophers players. Archambault's mother, Charlotte, of Fort Yates, N.D., confirmed that her son bought her jeans and boots for Christmas in 1997. She said her son didn't say where he got the money, but she learned recent- ly about alleged payments from Haskins. Archambault, 22, is attending Oglala Lakota College on the Pine Ridge Reservation near Rapid City, S.D. He's trying to make up credits to be eligible to play Division I basketball next season. I 40000000*** LOUS BUWIN/ Dily The Minnesota basketball program Is In a state of turmoil after allegations of aca- demic fraud among current and former players surfaced March 10. Nike needs a student rep and will he on campus soon looking for a junior (or sophomore) who ... . loves sports~ . is dialed in to campus life . has tons of energy " thrives on challenges BUY ONE, GET )(UI. #U