Good Knight
lIefore leaving the IU campus, Bobby
Knight addressed the student body. (o
online to see the transcript of his
michigandaily.com /sports
ax MictwIg mita?
SPRTS
FRIDAY
SEPTEMBER 15, 2000
Michigan returns to Rosy memories in L.A.
By Chris Duprey
Daily Sports Editor
It's easy to distinguish this
Pasadena trip from the others.
No Disneyland. No morning
parade.
No Lawry's Beef Bowl - which is
unfortunate considering Michigan's
offensive line is one of its best ever
on the field, and would have a
,chance at earning that title at the din-
ncr table.
.Yet emotional remnants of previ-
ous trips can't help but exist.
Whether you won the Big Ten and
the right to play in the Rose Bowl, or
had the pure fortune of scheduling a
regular-season road game with
UCLA, the setting is the same.
Keith Jackson will be in the broad-
cast booth for ABC, as he's always
been on New Year's Day. Everything,
from the stadium itself to the San
Gabriel Mountains in the back-
ground, contributes to an atmosphere
Michigan running back Justir. Fargas
said is "bigger than a regular game."
For Fargas and the sight other
Californians on Michigan's roster,
the game is primarily a homecoming.
Brady Hoke, the assistant on
if he could round up every ticket
allotted to Michigan players "they
would all be used."
That's how important Saturday is
Lloyd Carr's staff
scouting California
Saturday's game as;
rot throughout the
past three years.
West Coast play-
ers like Fargas were
a little more willing
to leave home
knowing they
would have their
one moment in the
sun, their chance in
front of the home
fans. That's part of
the reason why
California (nine)
trails only Ohio
(13) and Michigan
(35) in supplying
players toward
Michigan's current
roster.
Hayden Epstein
seemed to speak for
responsible for
talent, has used
a recruiting car-
to these nine.
For everyone
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:lse on the roster, the
game is a pilgrimage
out of the ordinary.
The time and the
place don't seem
quite right for the
trip, yet it must be
made - like going to
the Baseball Hall of
Fame in winter or vis-
iting Punxsutawney,
Penn., in the middle
of July.
Most will be
making their first
trip to Pasadena,
hoping it won't be
their last. For oth-
ers, it's a return to
past glories.
"It's a little bit
different for the
been there," Carr
redshirt juniors.
Michigan's seniors were mere
freshmen when Michigan secured
the national championship on New
Year's Day 1998. This trip will return
them to the same locker room where
Carr gave his now-legendary "You
just won the national championship"
postgame speech.
"It was probably the biggest game
in Michigan history," senior offen-
sive lineman Jeff Backus said.
"Going back there will bring back a
lot of good memories."
The meaning of the trip almost
smothers the opponent itself. As is
tradition in the Rose Bowl, Michigan
is traveling out west to play a Pac-14
team in its own backyard and in its
own time zone.
Intangibly, that puts the
Wolverines at a disadvantage -one
that must be overcome for them to
emerge from Saturday without the
stain of defeat.
And if they can win high-caliber
games like these, maybe they'll
return for a crack at the Beef Bowl
after all.
all of his fellow
guys who have
Californians when he said that even
admitted, referring to his seniors and
Wolverines' victory bid
goes up in Flames, 2-0
I'ap . . o-2gr3 ,7
DAVID KArz/aay
B.J. Askew rumbledrthrough the Rice defense with relative ease, but thertask will
be much tougher for all of the Wolverines when they take on UCLA tomorrow.
'M', Bruins square off
in intriguing skirmisfi
By David Mosse
Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan men's soccer team suf-
fered its second defeat of the young sea-
son, falling 2-0 to Illinois-Chicago in a
scrappy affair at Elbel Field last night.
Facing arguably their biggest test to
date, the Wolverines played the visiting
Flames to a standstill for most of the
night. but two defensive breakdowns in
the latter stages of the second half did
Michigan in.
The first came moments after a con-
troversial non-call. As Flames forward
Eric Lukin penetrated through
S % Michigan's defense. he appeared to be
", taken down inside the box. No penalty
wvas called, much to the chagrin of
Illinois-Chicago head coach Sasha
Begovic, who berated the official.
Minutes later the Flames once again
threatened to score when the official, in
a transparent attempt to appease
Begovic, awarded them a penalty kick.
Lukin, who tormented Michigan's
defense all night long, coolly converted
.he penalty for the 1-0 lead.
"You can't ever blame an official for a
loss" Michigan coach Steve Burns said.
"Especially since we probably got away
with a call right before that."
The goal forced Michigan to stray
fi om their trademark .counter-attacking
style and push forward towards a tying
goal. As a result the Wolverines left
themselves vulnerable at the back and
the Flames took advantage.
A beautiful exchange between Lukin
and freshman forward Nathan Way
sprung Way out of the midfield and his
blistering shot beat Michigan goalkeeper
Pat Murphy for the Flames' second goal.
The defeat was especially disappoint-
ing for the Wolverines, whose record
dropped to 2-2 on the season, because
Michigan had several good chances to
score.
Early in the first half midfielder Ian
Hirschfield had his left-footed shot
deflected over the crossbar by Flames
goalkeeper Chris Jamal and freshman
Mike White's cross sailed across the
goalmouth.
Reserve forward Robert Turpin got
behind the Illinois-Chicago defense 15
minutes in, but his shot was deflected
away by a lunging Jay DeMerit.
Michigan's best opportunity came in
the dying moments of the first half. A
corner kick from the left side found
White, whose powerful header was
stopped by a sprawling Jamal. The
rebound squirted directly in front of the
net but several Wolverines were unable
to pounce on it.
SAM HOLLENSHEAD/Day
Michigan defender Matt Niemeyer duels with an Illinois-Chicago player for posses-
sion of the ball last night at Elbel Field. The Flames defeated the Wolverines, 2-0.
By Stephanie Offen
Daily Spors Editor
This is the one everyone's been wait-
ing for.
Forget Bowling Green. Forget Rice.
Those were easy. Now its time to bring
on the real test.
Before the season began everyone
was.looking past UCLA also. But an
upset of No. 3 Alabama scared the
Michigan faithful. And now that the
sixteenth-ranked Bruins have crept into
the top 25, they've gained back the
respect they lost after finishing last sea-
son, 4-7.
Now that the Wolverines nonconfer-
ence schedule isn't a joke, the team
needs to prove that the past two games
weren't either. Michigan blew out the
weak teams, now its time to bring on
the real competition.
Bring on The Rose Bowl. With a win,
Michigan is that much closer to return-
ing to Pasadena later in the season.
Michigan passing vs. UCLA pass-
ing defense: David Terrell, Marquise
Walker, Ronald Bellamy even... James
Whitely ? Take your pick. But while
Michigan is stocked at wide receiver,
the Bruins only returned one corner-
back, sophomore Ricky Manning.
The statistics for UCLA's victory
over then-No. 3 Alabama are deceiving.
There may have been no passing
touchdowns, and that stirs up memories
of a similar situation last season.
Remember the Orange Bowl?
"If we could have scored a goal in the
first 65-70 minutes it would have been
a far different game:' Burns said. "We
just couldn't capitalize on our opportu-
nities."
In the second half Michigan began to
tire and Illinois-Chicago asserted control
over the game.
Defender Joe Morelli's rocket forced
an acrobatic save from Murphy and
moments later, Way broke behind the
Wolverine defense only to be stopped by
the Michigan keeper.
Despite the loss, Burns expressed
optimism regarding his young squad.
"We got a chance to work on a few
things tonight" said Burns. "I think we
are really coming along as a team."
Burns' sentiments were echoed by his
captain, senior midfielder Jack Stead.
"Illinois-Chicago is a top 30 team in
the nation and we hung with them,"
Stead said. "If we face a team like this in
a couple of weeks, I think we'll pull it
out.
Alabama doesn't win its games in the
air. Alabama running back Shaun
Alexander may have rushed for three
touchdowns in the Wolverines overtime
victory, but Michigan barely allowed
the Crimson Tide over 100 passing
yards.
UCLA did just the same.
A more telling statistic would be
from last weekend. In Fresno State's
almost upset of the Bruins, UCLA
allowed the Bulldogs 249 passing yards
- uncovering a weak, inexperienced
UCLA backfield.
Look for Michigan's 'experienced
receiving core to run all over the
Bruins.
Advantage: Michigan
Michigan rushing vs. UCLA rush-
ing defense: This one may be close.
While Michigan has more running
backs than I can count on one hand, the
Bruins' defense is - in the words on
running back Justin Fargas - "huge
and mean."
Led by senior Denyon Colemai e
UCLA defensive line boast three play-
ers over 300 pounds. And while
Anthony Thomas and Chris Perry may
be large, they have not matched up
against anyone that large this season -
including in practice against their own
squad.
But having five talented backs this
season will allow the Wolverines to
avoid tiring any one player out - tak-
ing too many hits from a 300 pou r.
So while the Bruins may havhe
size, the Wolverines have the talent and
the versatility.
The Wolverines take this one by a
hair.
Advantage- Michigan
UCLA passing vs. Michigan s-
ing defense: Don't get too excite or
this one. Two teams - two backup
quarterbacks.
See MATCHUPS, Page 13
i
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