12 The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, January 11, 2000 FIGHTING Continued from Page 11 Take a look at Michigan's Mike Comrie. The sophomore is the country's second-leading scorer and attracts the most attention on the team. But at 5- foot-14, he's hardly an imposing figure. As a result, Comrie takes a lot of cheap shots from opposing players, cre- ating a dangerous situation. "You've got a dilemma with a player like Comrie, when the other team tries to take advantage of him, and they're doing a lot of things and saying a lot of things, and we have no way of protecting him,' Berenson said. "You really don't have the final hammer, which is someone to go out there and beat the crap out of the guy. "That's what pro hockey has done for years. That's why you have enforcers in pro hockey ---to go out and protect your good players. You don't have that in col- lege, you rely on the referees." The referees do their best to prevent players from getting injured, but they can't be everywhere at once Berenson said fighting is the final check, like the neighborhood cop on every street corner. Flaying college hockey is a big decision for hockey players, partially because the allure of Major Junior Hockey is fairly potent - it's viewed as a quicker route to the NHL. Those that go the college route under- stand that giving up fighting is a sacri- fice they'll have to make. The 2000 NCAA Ice Hockey Rule Book states, "A player shall not fight an opponent or be involved in a fight, on or off the playing surface" While the rule book may disallow fighting, Sertich isn't sure he agrees with the rule. "I'm from the old school, and I get the feeling that if fighting were allowed it would remedy a lot of problems," Sertich said. "There's a false sense of courage behind that mask. But (trying to institute fighting) would be like robbing Peter to pay Paul." Rules are meant to be enforced, but to what extent? That is the question. "Fighting is a real volatile subject," Berenson said. "Some people think it's despicable. But hockey is a contact game with a lot of emotion. In hockey you have a weapon that could be dangerous. "I don't like to see fighting, but I like to see the threat of a fight to keep every- one honest." Women's hoopsters set example for kids 0 ~mmmmmw~z ~,4 w4,~'2mugI5~~9'.. ~ JESSICA JOHNSON/Daily Referee Matt Shegos cleans up the Michigan-Michigan State brawl as Michigan State coach Ron Mason looks on. Brigham Young, latest casualty of Title IX By Joe Dana The Daily Universe PROVO, Utah (U-WIRE) -- Brigham Young All-American Aaron Holker stood in the wrestling room on the second level of the Smith Fieldhouse and thought about the count- less hours he has spent here with his team- mates. "The greatest lessons I learn in life are right in this room," Holker said. But after this season, the sophomore stand- out, who was just beginning to bud as the most dominant wrestler in recent Brigham Young history, will have to go elsewhere to sweat, work and learn his lessons. Holker is part of a growing number of male athletes around the country that have seen an end to their sport on campus. After 36 years of conference play, Brigham Young will close its practice doors for good after this season. Nationwide, more than 200 collegiate wrestling programs have been dropped in the last 15 years. The reason for such cuts is to accommodate policies adapted to Title IX equal rights laws. But fans legal experts and even the leaders within Brigham Young's own administration doors are saying the current Title IX interpre- tation given by the Organization of Civil Rights is hard to swallow, fueling the argument that Holker's end at Brigham Young is not just discouraging, but unconstitutional. "I agree with the concept ofTitle IX, but I'm not sure I agree with the interpretations of how it's being administered," Brigham Young Vice President Fred Skousen said. Skousen said he believes a university shouldn't have to cut a men's sport to meet gender quotas. And that is what Brigham Young has done under pressure from the OCR. The government agency said ultimately univer- sities, even private ones like Brigham Young, must reach "proportionality" - a term that has caused nationwide controversy. Defined, proportionality means opportuni- ties and money given to women in collegiate sports should be equal to the percentage of women on campus. "We're committed to complying with the law. We don't really have a choice," Brigham Young President Merrill J. Bateman said. Though they don'tbelieve a quota is fair, both Bateman and Skousen said the university is adamant about giving equal opportunities to both men and women in sports. After cutting men's gymnastics and wrestling, Brigham Young added a women's softball program that will begin this season. But proportionality skeptics argue that a gender quota does the very thing Title IX preaches against: discriminate one gender over the other. The courts have been hearing their plea nationwide, and the strongest case against the policy is gaining momentum in Bakersfield, Calif. "Proportionality is unfair and illegal," Attorney Mark Martell, of Palo Alto, Calif., said. "These current interpretations of Title IX have nothing to do with equal opportunity. It means unequal opportunity." Martell's client is former California State University Bakersfield wrestler Stephen Neal. He is suing the school's board of trustees for doing what Brigham Young has done to its wrestling program. "We don't have proportionality requirements in engineering, medical school, or other pro- grams and there shouldn't be any in athletics," Martell said. His argument is simple: men are more inter- ested in playing sports than women, and a gen- der quota takes opportunities away from males. Martell won in the district court and in January a ruling will be applied at the state level. If he wins there, then the issue of gender quotas in school sports would likely be placed into the hands of the Supreme Court. "We have to be mature enough to realize that men and women are different," Martell said. If proportionality is declared an illegal quota, then colleges would need to look at other options besides cutting men's sports to ensure equal treatment to student athletes. Brigham Young President Bateman said he believes looking at the "interests and skills test" of the student body is a better solution. "I believe it should be based more on inter- ests than a quota," President Bateman said. A 1997 university study showed the interests were being met. A university employee said the study found that those students that had both the ability and interest to play athletics, 63 per- cent were males and 37 percent were females. The actual varsity participation was almost identical. By Dena Beth Krischer Daily Sports Writer Jessica Rampton, a nine-year-old girl from Ann Arbor, loves Michigan women's basketball. Alison Miller, Michigan's center, is her favorite player. "I like basketball a lot," she said, elated for Michigan's victory over Purdue on Saturday. "I'm thinking about playing when I'm bigger." Frank Rampton, Jessica's father, smiled as his daughter raved about her favorite team and her aspiration to be a "baller". Maybe in 10 years, he will watch his daughter break the Big Ten career steals record set by Michigan forward Stacey Thomas this past Saturday. "I think the girls look up to athletes," Frank Rampton said. "I know for a fact they do. I know very well that the kids listen and the ath- letes set an example." And as much of an influence the athletes have on'the kids, it's reciprocal. Take it from somebody who knows: Percy Stamps, Michigan's P.A. announcer since 1985, says that as a "washed up athlete," he knows "that when you get people behind you, cheering for you, yelling words of encouragement and making a lot of noise, something goes through your body, and you want to perform. It increas- es your intensity level.". Purdue coach Kristy Curry said the 2,106 fans in Crisler didn't affect the Boilermakers' play. That's hardly one-sixth of what they see in Mackey Arena. "What I want is for people to come out and support Michigan because they deserve to be supported," Curry said. "It's great for Michigan, it's great for women's basketball and it's great for the Big Ten." OLSON Continued from Page 11 How do the Wolverines replace the best 174- pound wrestler in college athletics? They can't - figuratively or literally. Michigan does not have a natural 174 wrestler on the roster, as evidenced by the six-point for- feits the Wolverines gave up in the Virginia Duals' remaining matches. That is where the thread comes in. Wrestling statistics are normally dominated by abbrevia- tions such as W, L and WGT. But the most impor- tant one for the Wolverines yesterday was MRI. And last night, the verdict was not in. More salt in the wound. Right now, Olson's knee is in a brace - the future of his season and perhaps his career are locked up in an immobilized left leg. "I was on top of the guy and I decided to give him time to recover," Olson said. "He decided he Michigan showed its talent in Saturday's game, and the Wolverines give some credit to the second biggest crowd they have seen so far this season. "When you see all of the fans and all of the little kids that come to the game, you can't help but think that we have to be role models for them," Michigan forward Raina Goodlow said after contributing 10 points to the 74-67 win over the Boilermakers. "I think it really helps when we have a big crowd," Goodlow said. "You look up and see all of the little kids cheering, and it really helps. You really feel appreciated when you see a lot of fans in the stands." Goodlow has been fortunate enough to be on a first-name basis with her role model, Dena Head, the former point guard for the Utah Starzz. "I got to work with her a lot this summer," Goodlow said, "and I really appreciate what she's done for me." Goodlow defines a role model as "somebody who has a character about themselves, who takes responsibility for being a role model and doesn't go out and do stupid things because they know that everybody's watching." So Goodlow tries to stay humble, but still makes time for those who look up to her. The kids "love us," Goodlow said. "They come up to us and ask for our autographs after the game, some of them e-mail us. We are defi- nitely role models for them." The Wolverines enjoy their notoriety. To them, it's an honor. "They're taking the time to ask for the auto- graph, so you want to give it to them," Goodlow laughs. "It's great, it makes me feel good that, well somebody actually wants my autograph." would finish off the match. "He went after it, it was definitely a cheap- shot. It was frustrating and something the sport doesn't need." Here's a kid who has done everything right on the mat. This season he has grappled to a 19-1 start and the No. I ranking in 174. More important, it doesn't take long to recog- nize the impact of Olson's tenure as captain. Olson seemingly breathes fire from first round to final every time he steps on to the mat - he is just that intense. On a young team, that is invaluable. "Otto is always fired up," McFarland said. "I am hoping this is not season-ending. We'll have to take it if it is. I'm prepared." But is Olson? When you wrestle at Michigan, you don't just practice it - you eat, breathe and live it. Now, what was second nature for Olson may be snatched away for a long time. "I've worked too hard to let it all go," Olson said. 1 0 It also made ND LED thelast T H Eparty TO THE a CRETION OF Ph A UNIVERSAL Gamma **. . **Epsilon i