12 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, April 5, 2000
Through detours, netters persevere
.l
Field hockey to
host 2000 Big' Ten
conference tourney
The NCAA runner-up Michigan
field hockey team will host the 2000
Big Ten Conference Tournament next
season. The tournament, which the
team won last year, will take place
Nov. 3-5 at Phyllis Ocker Field.
The tournament will start with three
first-round games on Friday, Nov. 3.
The semifinal games will take place
Saturday with the championship game
on Sunday.
The winner of the tournament earns
an automatic berth to the NCAA tour-
namnnt.
This season, Indiana added field
hockey as a varsity sport, which now
gives the Big Ten seven schools with
field hockey squads.
Ali seven will compete in the con-
ferncc tournament at the end of the
seasonin With the addition of Indiana,
the-tsp seed will now earn a first
round bye.
- From staff reports
By Joe Smith
Daily Sports writer
What if?
This question has haunted almost
everyone at least once in their lives.
But especially in the collegiate ath-
letic world, where time flies by so fast
- leaving an athlete only four years to
accomplish every goal she wants to
reach. One injury,
one illness, one
missed opportunity TENNIS
can lead others to Commentary
beg the question,
'What could have happened?'
What if Michigan's Chris Webber
hadn't called timeout?
What if talented blueliner Dave
Huntzicker did not get injured in the
Wolverine's playoff game against
Colgate - leaving the Michigan's
defense undermanned and exhausted in
their run for the 2000 Frozen Four?
All these questions have been asked
by the Michigan faithful around cam-
pus at one time or another - but one
other question could be asked about a
sport that doesn't get the same type of
attention as basketball or hockey.
The Michigan women's tennis team
has gone through a lot this year.
Injuries, illnesses and tragedy have
affected the number of personnel at
each match.
What if the Wolverines consistently
put their best lineup out on the court ?
Starting this year with great promise,
the Wolverines had a strong core of
seniors returning from last year, all of
whom were key contributors to the
1997 Big Ten Championship team as
freshmen. Having only four wins in the
1998-99 season, which was marred by
injuries and four one-point defeats --
the Wolverines were determined and
hungry to make their last season their
best.
An impressive tandem of freshmen
made their mark early on in the-year,
with freshman Joanne Musgrove sec-
ond on the team with 14 victories, and
fellow freshman Jen Duprez close
behind with 10. Duprez also con-
tributed in doubles competition, find-
ing her niche.
Racing off to a 4-0 start, expecta-
tions were high as the Wolverines
matched their win total from last year
- and it was only February.
Senior Erryn Weggenman returned
after a severe wrist injury sidelined her
for 15 months. Weggenman brought
experience and .750 doubles winning
percentage to the already deep team.
Senior co-captain Danielle Lund also
returned after the team's 4-0 start,
bringing all of the pieces into place.
Then it happened.
After three tough losses to some of
the toughest teams in the country,
tragedy struck the team.
Weggenman's younger brother died
in a car accident in early March, and the
senior went to her home in Portland,
Ore. to be with her family - where she
remained for almost a month.
Sophomore Jen Vaughn's hip injury
couldn't have come at a worse time.
Soon after Weggenman's absence was
made known, Vaughn's injury restricted
her from playing at her usual spots at
No. 5 singles and at No. 2 doubles.
That's not all.
An illness to Duprez, Vaughn's dou-
ble's partner from earlier this year, nul-
lified the Wolverine's depth - the.
perennial players at the No. 5 and 6
spots in singles, along with three key
players in doubles were unable to par-
ticipate.
The results were obvious. After a 4-
0 start, the Wolverines (1-3 Big Ten, 7-
7 overall) dropp'ed seven out of their
next 10 matches.
The record is misleading, for the
defeats were by close margins, and if
the Wolverines had their full lineup
intact, who knows what might have
happened.
Unfortunately, 'What if' is a ques-
tion that doesn't mean anything right
now, for it is impossible to change the
past.
But the season is far from over.
The Wolverines have the toughest
part of their schedule behind them, and
a four game road swing against beat-
able Big Ten foes lie ahead.
Weggenman should be returning to the
lineup fairly soon, and once Duprez's
illness gets cleared up, she'll be fired
up to get back on the courts once again.
If the Wolverines can make a run at
the end of the season, and win at least
four out of their last six matches, they
can be .500 in the Big Ten and receive
a respectable seed in the Big Ten
Tournament.
"These next few matches will be
important for us," Michigan coach
Bitsy Ritt said. "The time is now if we
want to get a good seed in the confer-
ence tournament and reach our goal of
making it to the NCAA's"
There's no question the Wolverines
can do it after dealing with the adver-
sity confronting them this season.
But Michigan has to look past the
prevailing question of "What if?" and
take the more aggressive and confident
attitude of "What's next?"
APHUOOILPMHOTU
The Tar Heels celebrate another win on the road to their 2000 Final Four berth.
Maurice Taylor, Travis Conlan and Jerod Ward would only be so lucky.
Th"200FialFor
Strangly fai ilia
CBS reports worst
rating since 1982
NEW YORK (AP) - It was not a
shining moment for CBS.
The national rating for Monday
nightfs NCAA men's basketball tourna-
ment championship game between
Michigan State and Florida was 14.1,
the worst since the network began airing
the e etin 1982.
It 'represents a drop of 18 percent
frot last year's title-game rating of 1.2,
the previous low.
The tournament as a whole finished
with an average rating of 6.4, down 6
percent from 1999's 6.8, also the previ-
ous low mark.
It wasn't good news for CBS, which
agreed in November to retain the rights
for the three-week tournament by pay-
ing S6 billion for an 11 -year contract,
which takes effect in 2003.
Michigan State's 89-76 victory over
Florida drew a 23 share -representing
the percentage of in-use television sets
tuned to a particular show - down from
tote 27 garnered by Connecticut's upset
of Duke a year ago.
I The ratings - the percentage of the
nation's estimated 100.8 million TV
}homes tuned to a telecast - are the lat-
est in a string of declining numbers for
basketball broadcasts.
Red Wings first,
second-round playof f
tickets on sale today
DETR OIT (AP) - The Detroit
ed Wings will begin selling tickets
for the first two rounds of the play-
offs today.
People can buy up to four tickets
r one first round game and four
ickets for one second round game.
Tickts cost S45 and S65 each, or
5.0 for standing room.
,. The tickets will go on sale 10 a.m.
%oday at the Joe Louis Arena box
ffiee, Hockeytown Authentics and
icketMaster outlets.
,A. wristband policy will be in
ffecf [a Joe Louis and Hockeytown
thendtics.
a A limited quantity of numbered
eristbands will be distributed begin-
Png at" 1 a.m. Tuesday.
. Tickets bought for unplayed
aames can be refunded following the
,orIcusion of the playoffs.
3 ALYSCREoRD
P'Results as of 11 p.m. - Home team in CAPS.
MLB scores
,teee }'s results: aWL 2
MilwauIee 5. C'c.'n::.n 1
-tat '-M 6 Tampa 8ay5 San Francsco 3. Foaa+ 0
,Eostor 2 S. t 0 Los Angeles 10. MomsraL 4
T' i~as :2 Chicago 8 ot*S~on 5. POst5&kSG.4 2
. 'ar~eesat A^rPMlate Cdoakb5, Ausoa 3
,ceroit at O,sra.. rnr Phladlpahsa at AwZOsa. tsare
NHL scores
'easterda}'s results: Boston at pronda
. t A Wsht on 4 PittsBurgh at Toronto
pjlfi ((lj5. A "IrT I;3 Catgary at StL Loui
' . ra 6a 5 Bo5COn 4 Anathioi at Chicago
ibdaoCY s gae Csoraoo at Edonton
'n14tonrtret Iiat tNV Rangers L4 ings at Vanoiwer
""- 'NBA Standings
=ATLANTEC W L PCT GB HOME AWAY STK
'rtniam ' 4626 .639 - 28-7 18-19 Won 3
ew York 4528 .616 1.5 29-8 16-20 Losti
4PTtadelphia 4231 .575 4.5 25-11 17-20 Lost 3
:rlndo 37 36 .507 9.5 23.13 14-23 Won6
'JMew Jersey 3142 .42515.5 22-16 9-26 Lost 2
;oston 3043.41116.5 22-13 &30 Lost?
4Vashington 2647 .35620.5 15-21 11-26 Won 1
-CENTRAL W L PCT GB HOME AWAY 1SK
Indtana 4924.671 - 325 17-19 Won 2
charIptte 4131:569 7.5 26.10 121 Won 6
Toronto 4033.548 9 23-14 17-19 Lost 3
2)strit 37 35 :514 11.5 24.13 1322 Won 1:
Riotless Spartans proud of selves
EAST LANSING (AP) - Even the chill of snow flurries in
April couldn't dampen the mood here yesterday, one day after
the Michigan State men's basketball team won its first NCAA
championship in 21 years.
Despite the cold, students crowded around T-shirt vendors
who sprouted up throughout town and congratulated them-
selves for celebrating the victory in a way that - by most
accounts -- didn't get out of hand.
"People didn't want to have their image tarnished anymore,"
sophomore Dan Bartlett said.
Still, at least one merchant saw shades of the riot that marred
the 1999 NCAA Final Four, when partiers shattered windows,
lit bonfires and overturned cars after the Spartans lost to Duke.
At a 7-1 1 convenience store near Cedar Village, an apart-
ment complex known for its raucous parties, revelers began
opening beers and filling their pockets with merchandise just
after midnight yesterday, assistant manager Jeff Cook said.
"There were so many people you could hardly walk in the
store," Cook said. "When we told them to stop, they started
throwing 40-ounce bottles at the clerk, so we decided to shut
the 'store down."
Cook said the store was closed for about three hours. He said
he doesn't yet know how much merchandise was stolen.
"If (the basketball team) lost, I was expecting it," he said.
"But if they won, I thought everything would be OK."
It was a far different story a few blocks away at Bagel Fragel.
A baker working all night was instructed to call if she saw any
problems, but owner Terri Bettinger said evervthing was calm.
"It was all just minor things like broken beer bottles, which
you have every Friday night," Bettinger said.
Bettinger, who is head of the East Lansing Merchants'
Association, said most of the merchants she talked to agreed
that this year's celebration was a positive one.
Police arrested 26 people for misdemeanors, including 13
charges of disorderly conduct and eight charges for minors
who were found possessing alcohol.
East Lansing Police Capt. Tom Wibert said the attitude of
students seemed to change in the year after the 1999 riot.
"A lot of students were truly embarrassed over what hap-
pened last year and their attitude showed it this year. It was a
celebration. That was the attitude of the crowd," he said.
Bartlett attended both celebrations and said he had a better
time this year.
"Last year was unbelievable, but I think this year was more
fun because I didn't have to worry about being hit in the head
with a beer bottle," he said.
ost around these parts, with all
the screaming headlines and heli-
copter cams, was the unique
nature of this year's Final Four.
There was of course the fiction-like
team, hand-picked by the tournament
committee for
national glory
and high ratings.s
That was the big
story of this tour-'
nament - it was,
supposed to be.w
But the other - <,,
Final Four con- DAVID
testants didn't'
quite mesh with DEN HERDER
standard tourna- Double
ment procedure. Dow n
Most notice-
able was Wisconsin. The experts had
been squawking all season about the
likelihood of two Big Ten teams mak-
ing it to Indianapolis, but the thought of
Bennett Ball in the Final Four was bor-
dering on ludicrous.
Florida was a talented but young
group that, despite a great SEC season,
looked destined for failure in the
NCAAs, facing Illinois, No. 1 Duke
and Oklahoma State all in early rounds.
Even so, it is North Carolina's twist-
ed tale that should spark the most
intrigue and conversation while loung-
ing on the Diag grass these last few
weeks of school.
Because their saga, friends, is one
that hits home.
Nevermind the bizarre kinship North
Carolina and Michigan may have as
two of the original Nike schools.
Forget about the fact that our new
jersey designs are virtually identical,
part of an elite college hoops clique dis-
tinguished by logo alone.
The scenario is the tie that binds.
As the 1999-2000 season opened, the
Tar Heels were widely regarded as a
crew to beat. They were led by an expe-
rienced Final Four coach and a talented
NBA prospect in Ed Coda.
Brendan Haywood gave them might
in the middle, while a sweet young
shooter (Joseph Forte) and another siz-
able swingman (Jason Chapel) shored
up the Carolina lineup.
The season started out well. Except
for understandable losses to Michigan
State and Cincinnati, it seemed time for
another great run in Chapel Hill. But
when the ACC schedule showed up, the
Tar Heels disappeared.
Dropping four straight in January,
they finished the ACC season with a 9-
7 mark - 18-13 overall - and found
themselves on the NCAA bubble.
Now stop for just a minute, and trav-
el with me back in time.
Dateline Ann Arbor, four years in the
past.
As the 1996-97 season opened, the *
Wolverines were widely regarded as a
crew to beat. They were led by an expe-
rienced Final Four coach and a talented
NBA prospect in Maurice Taylor.
Robert Traylor gave them might in
the middle, while a sweet young shoot-
er (Louis Bullock) and another sizable
swingman (Maceo Baston) shored up
the Michigan lineup.
The season started out well. Except
for a one-point loss to Memphis, it
seemed time for another great run in
Ann Arbor. But when the Big Ten
schedule showed up, the Wolverines
disappeared.
Dropping five straight in late
February and early March, they fin-
ished the Big Ten season with a 9-9
mark - 19-1Il overall - and found -
themselves on the NCAA bubble.
Hmm.
It's too bad the similarities stop there.
While both teams seemed to bring their
'A' game only to nationally televised
events, one got the chance to make a
run at the Final Fou. The other had to
settle for the bittersweet distinction of
NIT champions.
Yes, Michigan probably should have
been selected for the Tournament in
1997. And no, Carolina probably
should not have been this year.
But should'ves and could'ves define
college athletics. Even in this grand an ,
pure basketball tournament, where 63
seemingly fair games are played until
one seemingly undisputed champion is-
crowned, there is plenty of room for
controversy.
Because in the end, who decides a
team's worthiness?
In the end, subjectivity rules the day.
I know that in the coming years there
will be a real push for a college footbaWt
playoff- the only major college sport
left without one.
"Let's get rid of all these ambiguous
bowls and polls,' the experts will say
"Playoffs are the only fair way. Look at
March Madness."
I hope those experts will remember_,
the 1997 Michigan basketball team
before they ruin my New Year's Day.
Sure, Steve Fisher could have been a
four-time Final Four coach. And Bill
Guthridge could only have been a one-
time Final Four coach. We'll never 'S
know.
College sports aren't fair.
And there's probably nothing wrong
with that.
- David Den Herder can be reached ar
ddenQ)umnich.edu.
Telluride Lecture
iI
34
The Great Disruption
Social ConsequenCes of an Information Society
Francis Fukuyama, Hirst Professor of Public Policy,
The Institute of Public Policy, George Mason University
Pr
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