148 - The Michigan Daily - Tpoff'99 - Thursday, November 11, 1999 Thursday, November 11, 1999 - Tipo AP Top 25 Nov. 8, 1999 Team 1. Connecticut (21) 2. Cincinnati (19) 3. Michigan State (20) 4. Auburn (4) 5. Ohio State (3) 6. North Carolina (3) 7. Temple (2) 8. Florida 9. Arizona 10. Duke 11. Kansas 12. UCLA 13. Stanford 14. Kentucky 15. Utah 16. Illinois - 17. Syracuse 18. St. John's 19. Tennessee 20. DePaul 21. Texas 22. Oklahoma State 23. Purdue 24. Gonzaga 25. Miami (Fla.) ESPN/USA Today Top 25 _98-'99 Rec. 34-2 27-6 33-5 29-4 27-9 24-10 24-11 22-9 22-7 37-2 23-10 22-9 26-7 28-9 28-5 14-18 21-12 28-9 21-9 18-13 19-13 23-11 21-13 28-7 23-7 Pts 1,669 1,630 1X607 1,567 1,432 1,421 1,381 1,341 1,241 1,034 -994 890 752 747 699 688 660 657 531 452 348 257- 252 227 222 Nov. 5, 1999 Team 1. Connecticut (9) 2. Michigan State (8) 3. Cincinnati (8) 4. Auburn 5. North Carolina (2) 6. Ohio State (2) 7. Temple (2) 8. Florida 9. Arizona 10. Duke 11. Kansas 12. Kentucky 13. Stanford 14. UCLA 15. Utah 16. Tennessee 17. Syracuse 18. Illinois 19. St. John's 20. DePaul 21. Purdue 22. Texas '98-'99 Rec. 34-2 33-5 27-6 29-4 24-10 27-9 24-11 22-9 22-7 37-2 23-10 28-9 26-7 22-9 28-5 21-9 21-12 14-18 28-9 18-13 21-13 19-13 28-6 23-7 23-11 Pty 712 688 684 616 594 579 574 570 492 466 381 361 349 345 283 277 276 275 256 177 171 157 140 118 102 One small step for La Veil . An Ann Arbor native comes to play for the team he grew up watching BY DAVID DEN HERDER Coach 32-26 23. 24. 25. Maryland Miami (Fla.) Oklahoma State OTHER9 RECEIVING VOTEs: Maryland 195, WVake Forest 151, Oklahoma 63, Georgia Tech 38, Indiana 22, New Mexico 21, Fresno State 19, Louisville 18, Arkansas 17, North Carolina State 12, Oregon 12, UNLV 12, Virginia 12, Tulsa 11, Weber State 11, Murray St 10, Siena 9, College of Charlston 8, Bradley 7, Rhode Island 7, Detroit Mercy 6, Mississippi State 6, Massachusetts 5, Michigan 5, Delaware 4, New Mexico State 4, Xavier 4, Akron 3, Memphis 2, Georgetown 2, UNC-Charlotte 2, Iowa 1, Missouri 1, Princeton 1 OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Gonzaga 89, Wake Forest 43, Indiana 40, Oklahoma 31, Louisville 28, Georgia Tech 26, North Carolina State 22, Arkansas 20, Alabama 18, Fresno State 15, Detroit 12, Xavier 12, Bradley 11, Virginia 10, Georgetown 6, Butler 5, Siena 5, Tulsa 5, Colorado 4, Delaware 4, Murray State 3, New Mexico 3, Evansville 2, Indiana State 2, Kent 2, Michigan 2, Oregon 2, St. Joseph's (Pa.) 2, Valparaiso 2, Weber State 2, Charleston 1, Mississippi 1, UNC-Charlotte 1 DANNY KAUCK/Daily Senior guard/forward Darius Taylor, who walked on to the Michigan basketball team as a freshman, was rewarded for his hard work with a scholarship this year. Big Ten preseason polls Big Ten coaches top five preseason picks (with 98-99 records) 1. Michigan State (15-1 Big Ten, 33-5 overall) 2. Ohio State (12-4, 27-9) 3. Illinois (3-13,14-18) 4. Purdue (7-9, 21-13) 5. Indiana (9-7, 23-11) Big Ten media top three preseason picks 1. Michigan State 2. Ohio State 3. Illinois Coaches Preseason All-conference Team JOHN GUESS AGENCY INSURANCE FOR EDUCATIONAL EMPLOYEES Many UofM employees have saved on insurance costs f: i Ticket Information Student season tickets for this season are still available. The pack- age costs $100 for 19 games. Students receive a free Maize Rage t-shirt with the purchase. Single-games tickets, which go on sale Nov. 15, will cost $12 and $15. Michigan does have a special $6 single-game ticket for all home games except Duke. Tickets can be ordered at Michigan's Website: mgoblue.com, or by calling the Michigan Ticket Office at 764-0247. Student tickets can be picked up immediately at the office on 1000 S. State St. They say you grow up faster being raised in a college town. The fast- paced lifestyle, the bustling social atmosphere - "everything moves so rapid- ly," says LaVell Blanchard, an Ann Arbor native. "People come in and out, because their parents come in for a few years and leave, so your friends come and go." When Blanchard made the decision to attend Michigan this past summer, it comes as little surprise that, more than the city itself and the acquaintances therein, his family was a big factor in the decision. "Ann Arbor has its advantages and dis- advantages," said Blanchard. "If you want to know about me, you can go to my fami- ly. They've been there for the whole situa- tion." In a town where friends come and go, and in a sport where coaches leave the pic- ture just as quickly as they entered, Blanchard has learned to rely on his par- ents. An only child, he has taken inspiration from the calm sources of stability in his life. "They were always the ones who were there, my mother and father, when things got rough and when things were good." That said, the son's decision to stay was strictly his own. LaVell Blanchard, Sr. has enjoyed watching his son's success (and sometimes non-success) in basketball over the years, but college was a decision he felt best left to the student. "That was a long, drawn-out process," said Blanchard Sr. ofthe past summer. "He was weighing academics, and I just tried to be as supportive as possible. I see so many fathers try to live through their sons, and I didn't want to do that. It was his decision." His decision to go to Michigan - just like it was his decision to pick up a basket- ball and keep dribbling. Blanchard Sr. says he never pressured his son to play hoops, although he didn't take exception to it either. "LaVell knew if it was time to mow the lawn, he could get out of it by going to play basketball," said Blanchard Sr. But it became more and more apparent to the father over the years that hoops were a legitimate passion in his son's life. Name Scoonie Penn Michael Redd Mateen Cleaves Morris Peterson A.J. Gijyton, Yr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Pos. G G G F G Team Ohio State Ohio State Michigan State Michigan State Indiana Last season 16.9 ppg, 4.3 apg 19.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg 11.7 ppg, 7.2 apg 13.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg 16.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg Media Preseason All-conference Team Cleaves (unanimous selection) Redd Penn Peterson Cory Bradford So. G Illinois 15.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg 1999 New Menu Offers Rol-Ups New Dinner Entrees & Much More New Dessert Menu (ika Edy's Ice Cream Shakes & New "Carbolite" from, $Morico Frozen Yogurt Located Downtown On Campus Check Out Our Extensive Breakfast Menu Mr. Greek's Is a Breakfast Served All Day Quick Service Restauranta SUN 8AM TO 8PM " MON-THURS 8AM TO 10PM - FRI-SAT 8AM-12PM U - DANNY KALICK/Daily LaVell Blanchard's presence in the frontcourt could be a giant leap for Michigan's program. "He left home with two gym bags and a bag of potato chips." - LaVell Blandard, Sr., on his son's short move to Michigan "I knew it was starting to get serious, because for a while he didn't have a driver's license," Senior recalls. "He was playing so much that he didn't take the time to take a driving test." There were many teams, some better than others, and many coaches likewise. Countless opponents in various gyms - and Blanchard Jr. has tried to take some- thing from each. "You take a little piece from everybody's game," said Junior. "A little bit of personal- ity from everybody. You see what they did well and you try to incorporate that into your game, and into tihe way you treat peo- ple." Blanchard Jr. has taken a great deal from his father's playbook off the court - and there was even a time when he learned on the court. But Senior remembers that fate- ful day when he ceased to be the teacher - at least under the hoop. "Everything he threw up was going in," says the father, recalling the first one-on- one defeat at the hands of his son. "It was over so fast, like 10-0. 1 accused him of cheating," he said, chuckling. And so,.careful not to abandon his off- the-court kinship with his parents, LaVell moved on to more formidable basketball rivals. "Just being in the gym, playing around I met a lot of the guys on (Michigan's) team," said Blanchard Jr. But at Pioneer High School, kitty corner to Michigan Stadium, he had bigger fish to fry - for the time being. His freshman year in high school, LaVell's basketball team managed but one victory on the season. The next year, the Pioneers mustered four, and his junior year only six. It was a moment shortly after that third dismal season that Blanchard Sr. remem- bers vividly. "In I I th grade," recalls Senior, "he said, 'Dad, I can win this."' And by "this," Junior meant the state championship. The next year, in the face of three- straight losing seasons and in the face of spotlight-sharer Jason Richardson (who took Michigan's Mr. Basketball honors,) Blanchard Jr. guided his Pioneers to a deci- sive victory in the final over Richardson's high school, Saginaw Arthur Hill, and to a Class 'A' state title. "He never talked about the next level," said Blanchard Sr. "He'd always say, well if I could just get through this game." And listening to the father, you can feel the pride within him, hard as he tries to mask it from public view. You get the sense that senior is glad junior stayed in town - if for nothing more than the chance to see him play. "He left home with two gym bags and a bag of potato chips," says the father. "He comes home to wash his clothes, but does- n't say that much. I'll ask him how things are going and he says, 'There'smalways room for improvement."y Plenty, in fact, at Michigan these days. And perhaps for a time it will be challeng- ing at Crisler Arena. But Junior's been through it before, and seems to has the work ethic accomplish his "I think he tries to be a perfectionist sometimes," said LaVell Sr. But should LaVell, Jr. someday return to do laundry - and instead of giving his father the "room for improvement" line, say something to the effect "Dad, I can win this "Then," pauses the father. "Then I'll be scared." Then, Michigan will be back. Kt 21 Fresh 6-foot-4, Las 30 LaVe Freshm 6-foot-7, AnnA DINE IN CARRY OUT 662-6336 215 5 STATE STREET ......-- ....................----- .....-.. -- - -.- - - -- - - - - - - - COMBO SPECIA L SPECIAL OFFER 29$2.00 OFF ANY ORDER OVER $10.99 CONEY, FRIES, 16 OZ. DRINK GROUP ORDERS WELCOME WITH COUPON WITHCOUPON EXPIRES 12/31/99MIEXPIRES 12/31/99 KIMI TSU YOGiAC "You take a little piece from everybody's game," said Blanchard.