1OA - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, February 10, 2000
I
UConn players
cleared of blame
FARMINGTON, Conn. -
Connecticut basketball players Tony
Robertson and Doug Wrenn were
cleared yesterday of any criminal
wrongdoing after an investigation into
allegations they offered game tickets in
exchange for clothing, police said.
Robertson and Wrenn were reinstated
to the team Tuesday after a four-day sus-
pension for what coach Jim Calhoun
called a violation of team rules.
The two reportedly had offered game
tickets to employees at a Timberland
store in the Westfarms Mall in exchange
for boots.
A manager at the store reportedly pre-
vented the exchange, and three employ-
ees lost their jobs as a result of the inci-
dent, store officials have said.
Farmington police said no criminal
charges will be brought.
Both players were reserves for the
Huskies.
Rodman makes
return with Mavs
DALLAS (AP)-- It didn't take
long for Dennis Rodman to make
his presence felt in Dallas, on and
off the court.
Playing before a boisterous sell-
out crowd that featured Deion
Sanders and Emmitt Smith sitting
courtside, Rodman grabbed nine
rebounds and took a hard foul that
briefly knocked out Seattle's Ruben
Patterson in just his first half as a
Maverick.
Rodman, who wore No. 70, did-
n't look like a 38-year-old guy who
has been out of the NBA for 10
months.
Harwell to keep
on calling Tigers
DETROIT (AP) - The Detroit
Tigers announced Wednesday that
they have extended Hall of Fame
broadcaster Ernie Harwell's con-
tract through the 2001 season.
Harwell, 81, is in his 60th year as
an announcer. He was the Tigers'
play-by-play radio announcer on
WJR-AM from 1960 through 1991,
when he was fired by the club's
then-president, Bo Schembechler.
The unpopular move prompted
new owner Mike Ilitch to rehire
Harwell for radio broadcasts in
1993.
Women's hoops searching for
top seed in Big Ten Tournament
a
ANDY
LATACK
Counter Latack
By Dena Beth Krischer
Daily Sports Writer
Twenty-two games into the 1998-
99 season, the Michigan women's
basketball team found itself with a
modest 6-6 record in the Big Ten
(14-8 overall).
With four games to go in the sea-
son, the Wolverines needed to win
every game if they wanted a first-
round bye in the Big Ten
Tournament.
But, as fate would have it, the
Wolverines split the last four games
and earned the sixth seed. So, they
had to face I th seeded Minnesota in
the first round.
Michigan won that game but lost
in the second round to the No. 3 seed
Illinois, and with that the Wolverines
were on their way to the Women's
National Invitation Tournament
rather than the Big Dance.
Twenty-two games into this sea-
son, the unranked Wolverines have
pulled together a 8-3 record in the
Big Ten (16-6 overall), and are cur-
rently sharing second place with No.
17 Purdue.
If there is a tie between the two
teams for seeding in the conference
tournament. Michigan has the advan-
tage by virtue of its 74-67 win over
the Boilermakers on Jan. 8.
With five games left to go for the
season, Michigan has got to bring its
"A" game in order to stay ahead of
Purdue, Michigan State, No. 23
Illinois and Wisconsin. All four of
these teams are close to Michigan in
the Big Ten standings. and the
Wolverines still have to face the
Badgers and the Spartans before the
regular season concludes.
The Wolverines now face their-
biggest challenge of the season and
it seems that the odds are against
them. Consider the following:
On the plus side: Three of the five
remaining games are at Crisler
Arena, where Michigan has com-
piled an 8-1 record so far this year.
On the down side: Two of those
home games are rematches against
Indiana and Wisconsin - two road
games that the Wolverines had in
their hands but let slip through their
fingers down the stretch.
Michigan's final home game is
against Northwestern, a team that it
has yet to face this season.
Northwestern is only 3-8 in the
Big Ten (6-15 overall) and has only
one win on the road this entire sea-
son.
But Michigan hasn't seen what
Northwestern has put together with a
new coach, and the Wildcats lead the
all-time series 29-10.
The two road games are against
Michigan State and Iowa - two
teams Michigan has already beaten
this season.
The last time thev met, the
Wolverines squeaked by the Spartans
64-61 on Dec. 30 in Ann Arbor.
However, Michigan hasn't been
quite as successful at the Breslin
Center, with only four wins against
21 losses in Spartan country. That,
and the Spartans lead the in-state
series 41-11.
As for the Hawkeyes, the
Wolverines managed to pull out a
four-point victory despite the "Tale
of Two Halves" performance in
Crisler on Jan. 23.
It should be noted that Michigan
was without sophomore Alayne
Ingram that game. Ingram, the
Wolverines second-leading scorer,
was forced to the sidelines due to a
sprained ankle she suffered in
Madison during the loss to
Wisconsin.
In addition, Iowa was also the first
team Michigan faced after the sud-
den news regarding sophomore
guard/forward Ruth Kipping's sus-
What's next? Black
DANNY KAUICK/Daily
Forward Stacy Thomas is a big reason
why the Michigan women's basketball
team has improved from last year.
pension.
Now that Ingram is back and
healthy and Michigan has let the
Kipping news settle in, the
Wolverines have a decent shot. both
at the basket and at the win, while
taking on the Hawkeves in Iowa City.
But a victory is no sure thing.
Michigan has already lost two cru-
cial contests on the road to teams of
lesser caliber.
Iowa may be tied with
Northwestern for ninth place, but
unless Michigan can come out as
intense as it does against the top
teams, the Wolverines' disturbing
trend of playing down to the level of
their competition may continue.
Twenty-two games into the season
and the Wolverines find themselves
tied for second place.
eyes sap AV
m going to be honest here. This
is not the column I had originally
intended for this space.
I had written a nice little piece
blasting the NCAA for attempting to
over-regulate college basketball, as
evidenced through the recent suspen-
sion of Michigan basketball player
Jamal Crawford for an improper liv-
ing arrangement while in high
school.
Jamal had no idea that he was
doing anything wrong, I argued.
Barry Henthorn, the family friend
with whom Crawford had resided for
a period of time, was in no way con-
nected to the university and was just
helping Crawford out by giving him a
place to stay. Crawford was not
receiving improper benefits or pref-
erential treatment, just a helping
hand.
If that's a crime in the eves of the
NCAA, then the organization is con-
cerning itself too much with bylaws
and sub-committees and not enough
with the kids it is supposed to be
looking after.
But when I came into
The Daily to put the fin- I don'tt
ishing touches on my Bar
work yesterday evening, Henthc
my column had already Ed Ma
become outdated. Only disgui
with this year's 'what-
else-could-possibly-go- just W
wrong' Michigan basket- watc
ball program could such team
an unlikely event tran- baske
spire.
Yesterday, Henthorn's
former secretary filed a lawsuit
against her former boss, alleging that
she was "coerced and induced" into
cosigning leases for a vehicle and
gold jewelry intended for Crawford.
The secretary's lawyer told the
Seattle Post-Intelligencer that she
was tired of doing Henthorn's "dirty
work," implying that the cosigning
was a ploy to keep Ilenthorn's name
off the lease paperwork.
Stop the presses. My column was
now about as relevant as Dick Vitale's
color analysis. Now, it's too early to
tell whether these claims of excessive
gifts are substantiated - Henthorn
called the charges "frivolous" -- but.
the relationship might not have been
as rosy as it was first thought.
More importantly, it doesn't matter
anymore.
I don't care how long Crawford
lived with Henthorn. I don't care if
Barry Henthorn is Ed Martin in dis-
guise, buying .lamal cars and jewelry
as if he were a member of the Fab
Five. I don't want to hear about any
more Palm Pilots, watches and calcu-
lators - items members of the team
were accused of stealing from a fel-
low student. I don't want to read any-
more headlines, battling the pit that
7
G
l
h
l
a'
I" 'potentiar'
forms in my stomach when I open the
sports section every morning.
I just want to watch this team play"
basketball. You know, what it came
here to do. And what it did very well
for the first three months of the sea-
son. Remember?
There was a time, before these dis-
asters began piling up like highway'
wreckage, when all Michigan had to
worry about was playing basketball.
Remember when Michigan was 6-1,
with its only loss a nail-biter to
nationally-ranked Duke in mid-
December?
Or when the Wolverines were 12-3"
overall and tied for first place in the
Big Ten in late January'? Optimism
about this team was through the roof;
The Wolverines were going to make
the NCAA Tournament a year ahead
of when they were expected to. And
selfish as it may be, it was doubly.'
sweet because it was happening in my
senior year.
I could deal with the low points, as
long as they took place on the court.
The Duke game was fol-
lowed up with a road
care if blowout by Boston
rry College. And Michigar
orn is was tied for first place in
rfin in fe conerece jia a
se. I glorious hours before let-
ant to ting another road game
slip away at Iowa.
h this Even after the horrific
play loss to Indiana, the glass
tbaU. could be seen as half-full.'
After all, who wins in'
Bloomington anyway?
But ever since Crisler Arena fan*
first got a glimpse of Crawford in
street clothes prior to the Michiga '
State game, the program has been
lifeless.
These off-court distractions are
sapping the strength of the players.'
And the coaching staff. And the fans.
It's honestly gotten to the point where
people are giving up on a progranr
that, just weeks ago, had the entire
campus electrified.
What happens on the court takes a
backseat to Michigan's troubles off of
it. The players and coaches have so
much on their minds that the game
becomes almost secondary. How cae
you focus on the game when nobod
else is'?
But I pride myself on being a,
optimist. So look at it this way: How
can it get any worse?
Let's hope that it can't. Because thW
fact is that the Michigan basketbal
program could be one black eye away
from being knocked out.
That's sad, with the potential that
this team has. Or had.
- And, Latackfigures he 'I/ end hit'
tenure as a Michigan Jan the war i'
began - -iith an NIT title. E-maik-'
him at /atack~ciimnich.edu
Winter Cup showcases tumblers
By Dan Dingerson
Daily Sports Winter
NCAA Basketball
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This week will tell a tale of two
teams for the Michigan men's vmnas-
tics program. Six members of the team
are flying to Las Vegas to compete this
weekend in the Winter Cup Challenge,
where they will try to secure one of the
three remaining slots on the U.S.
National team.
The remainder of the squad will
train at home for the rest of the week
and have a rare weekend off without
practice.
Team captains. Justin Toman and
Kevin Roulston will compete in the all-
around with freshman Kris Zimmerman
and sophomore Scott Vetere. Tim Dehr
and Kenny Keener will each compete in
one event, the pommel horse and still
rings, respectively.
In an Olympic year, it is unlikely that
I any specialists will be named to the
team, Michigan coach Kurt Golder said.
That means that the three Wolverine
all-arounders are competing for the last
three spots on the team.
"All three of them, ifthev have a good
day, have a chance to be named to the
team," Golder said. referring to Toman,
Roulston and Zimmerman.
Vetere will compete even though he is
already a member of the national team.
The competition will give him more
practice and exposure to the national
judges. Usually, about 10-12 gymnasts
on the national team compete in this
event. Meanwhile Toman -- who has
been on the national team because of an
injury special petition - needs to com-
pete this weekend to qualify for an ofli-
cial spot on the team.
"We have been preparing for the
Winter Cup, and it is something that I
want to do to get back on the national
team," Toman said. "My petition runs
out at the Winter Cup, so I need to be
ready to perform my best."
Gymnasts who qualifv for the U.S.
National Team are eligible to compete in
international competitions while they
are on the team. For example, Vetere
traveled to Japan in December as a
member of the national team.
Michigan was set to send the largest
NCAA contingent to the Winter Cup
Challenge, with eight gymnasts. but the
group was whittled to six due to injuries.
Brad Kenna's season-long recovery
process found him healthy enough to
compete successfully last weekend.
However. a hyperextended elbow
against Ohio State will keep him out of
competition for another 2-3 weeks.
Josh Levin, who has not competed yet
this year due to injury, was diagnosed
with a stress fracture in his back that
will sideline him for the rest of the sea-
son.
Additionally, Daniel Diaz-Luong has
been injured the whole season, and
could not submit a video of his routines
to qualify for the competition.
Besides the potential benefits to the
gymnasts, this meet improves the gym-
nastics progran at Michigan as a whole.
"This meet showcases Michigan
gymnastics and helps a lot with recruit-
ing,' Golder said. "The best gvmnasts
are there. When they see Michigan show
up in large numbers, it does a lot for us,
as we are the premier program in the
judges' eyes"
NBA Standings
E-ATL.ANTIC W L PCT
Ncw Ywk 2S 18.(-k9
rhib~dci,'hiai 26 22,.i42
Orla~ndo 23 26 .419
Bo'fTii 21 27 A43'
New Jri y 19 29.396
v\t'itn ~153 3 i13
E-CENTRAL W L PC2T
Indina 3 I lo A6
Charlotte 2b 20 .365
Trtkntl 2h 20.767
Mtitlwt'mklCl' 26 23 .731
I ctroi 2_1 23 .71 I
cetind 19 29 .396
Atlanta, IS 2's.391
(hliicgo 110 36.217
WMIDWEST W L PCT
'aun Anjoo3117ITA404
Utah 2 S 86V9
'tlttlk.w t 27 I5 .600'
Ck~tw r 19 22 .4).
I 'Ala, ."027 .420~
IHoust'on 20 29 .408t
\hluocl 1I 34 .277
UIPACIFIC W L PCT
I'otband 7 11.771
LA.L- kcrs 36 11.766
Swtr,,twntn _2918 .617
Sete 30 20 .600
Phict-nis 2S 19.596
G3oden 5tc 12.34.261
1..Cliplcr' II 31'3-15
b m.iI i, 1K -.tn i
I,ir, tr IIi,. 1 r t' 1,8ity'
Ctc117. 10..0h, '6
GB HOME AWAY STK
-- ( -(' 13-11 Lo tI
I It'-4 10,13 Lbm 1
4 16-8 1014 ot
7 11-2 s-14 \4Wn 5
41 17-5 4-I,? ) Lt 2
S 1511 4-5Is \Vet02
li 6-14 -11 Lost 2
GB HOME AWAY STK
-- -1 1014 %Wo I
4 19-3 717 Won2
4 16-S 10.12 Wok2
6 14.9 W-14 Lot 2
7 16-7 S-10 Wn 2
12 15-) 4.20 Lost 3
12 1>-10 5-IS Lt I
21 6.16 4-20 IA,.% I
GB
Ii
17
HOME AWAY STK
20-4 11- \.Won I
17-7 1ii1 Won 1
I5-S 1'-10 \on i
16- 3-14 Won 2
-11-11 Q-16 Wolf i
13-13 7-16 Won 1
7.1S b-1o Loi 2
GB HOME AWAY STK
- 17i 20S Won)
.5 224 14-7 Won 2
7 I1-3 11-I5 Won1
V 15-S 1512 L)st2
S 203 i S-14 Won 2
24 - 717 .5.17 Lost 2
25 S-15 3-21 Lot 4
T~lar' Gantc>
sfim X.+t.,it S we w, 1.
-\ 1,1-j-t'ne m
NHL Standings
W-CENTRAL W
5r.Lcif i{ 13
';rhtilt 22
Chicago 18$
(:tloittKt 26
F"Atnon~lron 19
(Otlgiuy 23.
V~nerwty' *15
L
14
17
2s
T
6
6
7
RT
0
4
PTS HOME
74 16-64
69 21-6-2
45 10-12-
45 9-t4-3
AWAY
15s-5-2
1011.4
9-144
AWAY
10- 153-
7-164
s-17-2
7406
L T
21 S
22 13
24 6
't it'
RT PTS HOME
I 61 16-6,
7 58 12.9
2 54 15-74
6 46 8.174
a -- l
W-LPACIFIC VWL TI
Dallas. 2')19 9
t'lxx9ik 29 tS66
>mnliJilt 23 _27 7
L .Afngic-s 3 22 7
\nh~win 2 24 5-
&.No)R~kI MMV L T
bwaonto 5i' IS 6
Cotwt -. 25 11)99
li5lsoon 15 22 I
Buffo 322Z>25r'
Molircil l5I_'L277
RE PfS HOME AWAY
265 ii-10-1 14-9.4
1 65 15-8-2 14.10.4
7 60 1 -i4-2 10-1-4
35 6 110-3 10.12-4
i 7; 1'-11-4 11.1 i-4
RTPf5 HOME AWAY
3 69 19-7.4 11-1 i-'
?2. 61,. 13-5-312-1-4
4 55 1.11-4 9-11-6
1 :52 14-1-4 8-15-3
346q ,- 9.12-S -'
WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS
1999-2000
"JAM TIE GYM"
I
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