Daily forum *i something about Michigan's hockey team bothering you? Srt you disappointed by your favorite team's coverage? just plain bored? stop yelling from the sidelines. Speak your mind sit icnigandaly.com/forum. We'U see you there. nichigandaily.com /sports P;ORTS 9 TUESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2001 C-ya: Seniors Sbid Yost adieu Parents, players reflect By Joe Smith Daily Sports Editor CHRIS DUPREY In a conversation between proud fathers of Michigan hockey players just four years ago, Vince Turco shook his head and told Dick Matzka, "Have a good time, Dick, because it will be over before you know it." Little did Matzka realize how rapidly these emotions would run full circle, as he watched his son, Scott, play his final reg- ular season game at Yost Ice Arena this past Friday night. "The four years went by extremely quickly," said the elder Matzka from the corridor of the rafters in between periods. "It was a blink of an eye" Ask any Michigan senior, and he'll echo the same feelings as he remembers his fairy-tale freshman year that was capped off by a national title - setting a standard for a class that would be nearly impossible to top. "As a freshman, you kind of take it for granted and don't real- ize how hard it is to get to that point," said senior Bill Trainor. But what many of the players' parents didn't take for grant- ed was the chance to come watch their sons on senior night, with many making trips from Minnesota, New Hampshire and Ontario to be there for the special night. Whereas out-of-state parents usually listen to the games on radio or via the Internet, Friday night brought a time for this close-knit group to get together. "There's a real strong chemistry," Dick Matzka said. "All the senior parents are all good friends, we all know each other and at some times we make business deals with each other. It's dis- appointing that it's almost over, but it's bound to happen." More disappointing than the end was how it ended - a 4-4 tie with then-last place Notre Dame. The outcome of the game seemed to put a slight damper on the evening, but the seniors will still not forget the post-game ceremony in which they took their "final lap" around the ice with a Michigan flag in hand. "It was definitely a surreal feeling," Trainor said. "It went by so fast. I'm not sure it'll hit me for a few days yet." But the finality of the season and college careers have already entered the minds of a few seniors, who hope to take advantage of every moment they have left in Ann Arbor. BRENDAN O'DONNELL/Daily Michigan seniors Bob Gassoff (left) and Josh Langfeld pose for a picture the post-game ceremony at this past Friday's senior night. Both Wolverines plan to pursue professional hockey after their days in Ann Arbor are done. "I want to play all 12 of those games and make this as long of a seasoneas we can make it," said Scott Matzka, calculating the amount of possible remaining games it would take to reach the main goal that has eluded him the past two years - anoth- er trip to the national title game. "Just thinking about the end of the season, it will have me trying to put my best foot forward and play the best hockey of my career." Senior leadership becomes even more important this late in the season. That's especially true for the Wolverines, who must find a way to come together as a group, as Matzka put it, in order to reach the promised land. With three regular season games remaining and the CCHA almost definitely out of reach, Michigan is focusing on a strong finish in the CCHA Tournament and a possible NCAA first - round bye. "We tasted it our freshman year, and we know what it takes to get there," Trainor said. "We haven't gotten that far the past few years, so we know how hard it is. We're striving, trying to get back to that." USCHO POLL As of Feb. 19, 2001 From www.uscho.com Team Record PVS PTS 1. Michigan State (32) 25-4-4 1 574 2. Boston College (2) 23-8-1 2 515 3. North Dakota (4) 20-5-7 3 511 4. Minnesota (1) 24-7-2 4 503 5. Michigan 21-9-5 5 393 Ellerbes' legacy should be loyalty o part of Brian Ellerbe's Weidenbach Hall office is left undecorated. Of course, the; 1998 Big Ten Tournament championship apparel stands out the furthest, but other treasures line the walls and cover his desk. My favorite: A simple framed photo of the '98-'99 team, dressed in beach gear at the Maui Invitational in Hawaii. (Especially amusing is Ron Oliver, clad in an NIT sleeveless shirt, but we'll let that go for the time being.) This photo is all you need to know about Brian Ellerbe. He's only had one real winner in four sea- sons, and the '98-'99 squad, at 12-19, was no jugger- naut. Some coaches would bury that photo deep in their desk drawer and never bring it out. Maybe they'd have their wives conveniently misplace it.- But not Ellerbe. He knows what that particular group faced in terms of adversity, and he respects them as students and as athletes for giving it their. best shot. He wants to remember them as a group of hard workers that were fun to be around. 12-19 or 7- 24 - no losing record could spur him to put that picture away. H e's a coach who's fiercely loyal to his guys. He may get on a player during a film session, only to, shield him from a media member who lobs the samne criticism just an hour later. Ellerbe has been remarkably consistent in this approach throughout his Michigan tenure. Releasing some frustrations, as he did after Saturday's home*1oss to Minnesota, is a rarity. He's made a commitment tt avoid placing blame on his "kids" - and he'll stick to it, regardless of the consequences to him personally: Bill Martin's "at the end of the season" pro-- nouncement means Ellerbe's fate will be decided fairly soon. The Big Ten Tournament is three weeks in the distance, and with no postseason forthcorttitig, the day will arrive even faster. If Martin decides that a new coach is the prescrip- tion for the program, then so be it. No one will ague with him. Wins and losses have been more than a struggle. Even the most fervent Ellerbe supporte'r realize the end might be near. Whatever decision Martin makes, the Universiy community must afford Ellerbe respect over these final three games of the season. Ellerbe is owed -' respect because he has conducted himself in such a manner for four years here. The "Fire Ellerbe" chants resonating through Yost and Crisler Arenas this past weekend represent a - sickening freedom of expression.- You don't have to applaud when the Crisler pueic- address announcer says "And your coach, in his fourth season ... Brian Ellerbe!" You do, howevet, owe it to the man - and his family, which sits in the Blue seats, game after game - not to boo. I would consider it a black mark on the face-of- this University if outsiders described Ellerbe's fiial days as shameful, or if it were said that Ellerbe left Ann Arbor on his hands and knees, dodging the dirt that fans were throwing at him. We all fail at something. We've all taken on a challenge at one point or another, failing to produce the desired, required results. And we've all been thankful for the opportunity to leave gracefully, without malice, to retain our self- respect. We've graciously accepted second chances to prove ourselves. Brian Ellerbe deserves a second chance. Maybe here, maybe not, but that's not my decision and I don't want any part of it. Some will remember him as a Michigan coach with a 62-56 record. I'll remember him by the pic- ture he keeps: Exemplary of a respectable man, loyal to those who were loyal to him. Chris Duprey can be reached at cduprey@umich.du. Injuries hamper conference By Michael Kern Daily Sports Fditor BIG TEN STANDINGS JOYCE LEE/Daily The Michigan wrestling team will need to utilize its depth at all weight classes In order to beat the best the Big Ten has to offer on March 34. Big Tens to showcase *top wrefstigaln While major conferences like the ACC and Big East have excelled this season - both have five teams currently in the top 25 - the Big Ten has struggled to keep up. The year began well for the conference with four teams in the top 25 entering Big Ten play. But a series of key injuries have left a number of teams depleted and the conference with just two teams that are a lock for the NCAA Tournament. The biggest dropoff has probably come from Iowa since the loss of leading-scorer Luke Recker. Before he broke his knee and went down for the season, the junior guard was averaging 18 points per game and the Hawkeyes were 16-4. Since then, Iowa is 1-4, including losses to Big Ten cellar-dwellers Northwestern and Michigan. Tonight, the Hawkeyes face another team racked with injuries in Purdue, which has lost leading scorer Rodney Smith and leading rebounder John Allison for the season. The Boilermakers are losers of five straight after starting the season 13-6 and positioning them- selves for a run at the NCAA Tournament. Now, both teams need a win tonight to try to secure their postseason hopes. "I don't know if it is a panic button, but there is a pressure button," Iowa coach Steve Alford said. "I think the loser of this game really hurts their postseason chances greatly. There is going to be a lot of pressure applied to this game." Due largely to season-ending injuries to John- Blair Bickerstaff and Mike Bauer, Minnesota fell off the Big Ten map halfway through the confer- Conference W L Illinois 11 2 Michigan State 9 3 Ohio State 8 5 Wisconsin 7 5 Indiana 7 5 Penn State 6 6 Iowa 6 6 Minnesota 5 8 Purdue 5 8 Michigan 4 9 Northwestern 1 12 Overall Team W L 21 5 20 3 17 9 16 7 16 10 16 7 17 8 17 9 13 11 1014 9 17 Tonight's games: Indiana at MICHIGAN STATE, 7 p.m. Purdue at Iowa, 7 p.m. WRESTLING MaTEN CHAMPIONSHIPS MARCH 3-4 - EVANSTON By Nathan Linsley Daily Sports Writer In mid-January, Michigan's 133- 0pounder Foley Dowd was asked what he thought about the upcoming weekend. "It all comes down to what is going on 'i March," Dowd said. "Rankings go up and down. To me every match is presea- son until the tournaments." The season is about to begin. On March 3, the Wolverines will join a Big Ten Tournament field that features 10 of the top 25 teams in the country, and 65 ranked wrestlers. "In order for us to have a good Big Ten and a good NCAA, we're going to have to have everybody in there winning matches;' coach Joe McFarland said. "And not just some of the guys - we're going to need everybody in there firing." 125 POUNDS: Nine ranked wrestlers will be fighting for the crown. Iowa's Jody Strittmatter was the favorite until he lost in double-overtime to Leroy Vega of Minnesota this weekend. Michigan's A.J. Grant, ranked No 4 in the nation, should qualify for nationals but will face stiff competition in every match. 133 POUNDS: Iowa's Eric Juergens, the defending national champion, emerged from the Big Ten season undefeated. This class could offer upsets from Dowd or Wisconsin's Kevin Black. Both Dowd State in a crucial weight class for the Tournament. 157 POUNDS: Iowa's T.J. Williams is undefeated and Minnesota, Michigan State and Illinois should vie for second. Though Michigan's Pat Owen has been wrestling well in the month of February, he will be the only unranked Wolverine in the tournament. 165 POUNDS: Wisconsin's Donny Pritzlaff, the defending national champi- on, is undefeated in the Big Ten. At 174 pounds last season, Michigan's Charles Martelli had a fantastic Big Ten Tournament, finishing sixth and qualify- ing for nationals. Look for him to move up from his seed again this season. 174 POUNDs: The health of Michigan's Otto Olson improves every day after knee and shoulder problems - that means trouble for everyone else. Iowa and Minnesota will fight for sec- ond in another weight class that could determine the tournament's outcome. 184 POUNDS: This weight class boasts five wrestlers ranked in the top ten. Illinois will need Nate Patrick to contin- ue his success, as he will probably enter as the top seed. Andy Hrovat of Michigan lost close matches to Indiana's Victor Sveda and Minnesota's Damion Hahn, but has been wrestling well lately. 197 POUNDS: Owen Elzen will be the only Minnesota wrestler with a No. I ence slate, losing six of seven games from Jan. 24 to Feb. 14. The injuries have forced the Gophers to play an extremely undersized starting lineup that goes no larger 6-foot-7. Minnesota coach Dan Monson has tried to spread the floor on offense and create matchup problems against larger post- oriented teams. "We've gone to the rope-a-dope, try and spread the court don't touch us, play zone type of game plan," Monson said. The change has had mixed results. The Gophers fell by 20 to Penn State at home last Wednesday when their 3-point shooting went cold, but blew out Michigan three days later, 93- See BIG TEN, Page 10 M . _ . Il~fflen Aresyouinterested in Mafl n0 ObIe ir aI t Iii~fIs now accepting applications for the position of Account Executive. 0 m