A different kind of court I's been a wild week off the hardwood for several NCAA notables. For a look at who won't be suiting up, check online. ;P0~rt~mIO TS THURSDAY OCTOBER 12, 2000 michigandaily.comn/sports Icers head north for Anchorage tourney f'I,.. STEPHANIE OFFEN By Amn Gopal D~aily Sports Wrier The Michigan ice hockey team is hit- ting the road this weekend. More precisely, it is hitting the friend- ly skies - the Wolverines are off to Anchorage, Alaska, for the Johnson Nissan Classic, a tournament also featur- ing Michigan State, Merrimack, and host Alaska-Anchorage. Though this is Michigan's first visit to Anchorage, a trip to Alaska has become aneagerly-anticipated yearly tradition for the Wolverines. Players and coaches alike enjoy the opportunity to get away for a few days and develop better team unity. "It's good for team bonding," senior forward Mark Kosick said. "It's always a lot of fun. You're tired when you get home, but hopefully we can go up there, play really well and have fun doing it." As pleased as Kosick is to be returning to Alaska, the experience is even more exciting for Michigan's freshmen. Last weekend, defensemen Andy -Burnes and Mike Komisarek and for- wards Joe Kautz and David Wyzgowski were introduced to top-level Division I hockey in a big way with games against Colgate and North Dakota. This weekend will be another first for the youngsters - their first road trip. "It should be pretty exciting," Komisarek said. "It's the first game on the road for us -I think all the guys are excited." Junior goaltender Josh Blackburn still remembers the excitement of visiting Alaska as a freshman two seasons ago. As a result, he understands the eager- ness of the Wolverines' current crop of freshmen to make this trip and shares some of their sentiments. "I went there my freshman year and 1 grew up there," Blackburn said. "So I look forward to going there again." A trip to Alaska can be quite a shock for someone who has never been there before. A freshman making his initial voyage to the Last Frontier - like Burnes - must rely on his veteran teammates for wisdom and advice on how to deal with the differences between Ann Arbor and Anchorage. "The guys haven't really told me what to expect up there, other than it being cold," Burnes said. "We're expecting to have a little fun - I know it's going to be another week of being a freshman. They haven't told me what they're going to do to me yet, but I Northwestern out ofthe cellar and smelling roses, 4i- BRANDON SEDLC John Shouneyla and the Wolverines may need warmer hats in Anchorage this weekend as they open play in the Johnson Nissan Classic. hear I'm not supposed to go to sleep on the plane, so I'll be ready for some sleep when I get back here." The fatigue factor is one of the biggest obstacles for any team traveling to Alaska. There is a four-hour time differ- ence between Anchorage and Ann Arbor, which is why the team departed for Anchorage yesterday. The players' ability See ALASKA, Page 9A The Northwestern football pro- gram reminds me of The Bad News Bears. Not because the Wildcats are a no-talent, rag-tag squad or because they brought in blue-chipper Tatum O'Neal to save this year's team. It's simply because the Wildcats - like the Bears - are the perennial underdog that you can't help but root for. It's the kind of team you love because a few of years ago there was talk of dropping out of the Big Ten to focus on academics. Yes, academics. But two bowl victories later, the Wildcats remained in the conference. It's the kind of team you love because its idea of potential NCAA violations is when star running back Darnell Autry, a theater major, wanted to try out for a motion picture. Was he receiving special benefits because of his athletic ability? No, he just had an interest in acting. It's the kind of team you love because practice is open to the fans. Friends of the players bring them sandwiches and hugs to give after their hard work. A friend of my parents watched the Wildcats practice a couple weeks ago. It was 4:30 p.m. and practice was about to start. But there were only 12 players throwing around the football. This friend signalled to a team man- ager to come over. "Where is everyone?" he asked. The student manager snickered. "Excuse me," the manager respond- ed. "These are student-athletes. They are in class and will be here soon." Class? Important? But for these con- ference bottom-dwellers - at least in the past - that is why they are going to college. Most of these players won't go on to the NFL, and until this year, these players were going to leave this univer- sity without a bowl ring on their finger. These are true student-athletes. The,,. kind you can't help to root for. The ons you can't help but pull for. Who knew all that pulling would pay off this season? Randy Walker did. In some ways hg is the Tatum O'Neal of the turnaroun* The two-year old coach took last yea 3-8 Northwestern squad (1-7, 10th ih the Big Ten) and turned them complete- ly around. He did some research in the offsea- son because he knew this team needed a makeover - as soon as possible.. Instead of just wallowing in the sor- row of being "that team everyone can, beat," he introduced the team to a com- pletely new offense - one that no Big Ten team has been able to beat. One 1 used when he coached Miami (Ohio) to a conference championship before be came to Northwestern. His no-huddle, spread offense caught both opposing teams and critics off- guard this season as the 22nd-ranked.., Wildcats are currently undefeated in the Big Ten. Nobody thought he could do it. Pollsters picked Northwestern to fin- ish 10th or 11th in the conference. An now the Wildcats may smell roses -r rather than the musty basement of the Big Ten. But there are no Heisman candidates (at least for this year) on this squad. There are no first-round picks in the NFL draft. There is just an enthusiastie head coach and some enthusiasticarld, tricky student-athletes. And that's why I love them. - Stephanie Offen will be pullingfr Northwestern to beat the crap out Purdue this weekend. She can e reached at soffen@urniched. Michigan faces tough 'Tobacco Road' ahead Blyenjamin Singer The Tar Heels handed the Wolverines its only loss, 4- Marcia Pankratz said. "But we're at that level, too. We Daily Sports Writer 2 on Sept. 3. It marked the only time Michigan has play to be challenged." The NCAA tournament hasn't started yet, but it's hard to tell looking at the remainder of Michigan's schedule. The field hockey team has four ranked oppo- nnhts ahead and plays the first three on the road. NThis weekend's trip is to Tobacco Road, where the ACC is as dangerous in field hockey as it is in basket- ball. No. 5 Michigan faces No. 3 North Carolina, fol- owed by a game at No. 4 Wake Forest. In Michigan's third game of the season, North Carolina gave the Michigan defense its toughest chal- enge yet. allowed more than two goals in a game this season. It is also the only match in which a Michigan goalie has seen more than six shots on goal - junior goalie Maureen Tasch faced 16 shots. "We're a totally different team since the first time we faced North Carolina," junior defender Ashley Thomas said. "We make the little adjustments that we have to so we don't face those shots on goal. That's all the way down from the forwards to the backfield to the goalies." Still, Michigan hasn't seen competition like the Tar Heels since, well, the Tar Heels. "Carolina is on another level," Michigan coach Michigan resumes its Big Ten schedule at No. 6 Penn State the following week. The regular season rounds out at home against Michigan State. With the Spartans sporting a mediocre 6-5 record, the game almost seems like a breather before the Big Ten Championships. But with the No. 18 ranking in the country, as Pankratz pointed out, Michigan State is a good team. More importantly, the Spartans are a Big Ten foe. "We have to beat Michigan State to be in the Big Ten See FELD HOCKEY, Page 9A m ~7r' '~ .m IT .1 ti