4
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY
SEPTEMBER 12, 2001
14.
Game
on?
Sports world mourns, considers
postponement of more of its events
0
NEW YORK (AP) - Major league baseball postponed
its entire schedule of 15 games last night following terrorist
attacks in New York and Washington.
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig made the decision about
Status of M' sports
Because of terrorist tragedies, the status of Michigan's
sporting events this weekend is up in the air. Here are
the contests that may be affected.
FOOTBALL: Saturday's game between Michigan and Western
Michigan is on for now. A decision wMll be made this afternoon in
a teleconference between 10 NCAA football commissioners.
FIELD HOCKEY: It is uncertain whether Michigan will make a trip
to Connecticut for the Big Ten-Big East Challenge. Coach Mar-
cia Pankratz may schedule a game against Central Michigan on
Sunday instead.
VOLLEYBALL: Today's game in Notre Dame is still on, as of now,
but Michigan is scheduled to host the Nike Invitational in Ann
Arbor this weekend. So far, Montana will not participate and Vir-
ginia Tech is "on the fence," according to Assistant Athletic
Director for Media Relations Bruce Madej. Coach Mark Rosen is
trying to find local teams to fill the spots.
SOCCER: Michigan has not received any response on the status
of both the men's and women's games in Louisville, Ky. and
Storrs, Conn., respectively.
GOLF: Women are still planning on participating in Mary Fossum
Invitational in East Lansing this weekend. But it's uncertain
whether the men will travel to Minneapolis on Monday.
three-and-a-half hours after the attacks began in New York:
"In the interest of security and out of a sense of deep
mourning for the national tragedy that has occurred today,
all major league baseball games for (today) have been can-
celed," Selig said in a statement yesterday.
Selig did not make any decisions about today's games.
"I will continue to monitor the situation on a daily
basis and make ongoing decisions accordingly," Selig
said. "My deepest sympathy and prayers go out to the
families and victims of this horrendous series of
events."
The minor leagues - their regular seasons over - post-
poned postseason games in all nine leagues that were to
play yesterday.
"Out of respect to the families and friends of those
people who lost their lives or were injured in today's
tragic events, we have postponed all playoff games
scheduled for tonight in the United States," Mike Moore
said yesterday. Moore is president of the National Asso-
ciation of Professional Baseball Leagues, the governing
body for the minors.
The International, Pacific Coast, Eastern, Southern,
Texas, California, Florida State, Midwest and South
Atlantic leagues were affected.
One of the minor league baseball teams, the Newark
Bears, has a view of the lower Manhattan skyline, where
smoke filled the air after the World Trade Center was
destroyed.
Major League Soccer postponed all four games that had
been scheduled for tonight.
I
6
AP PHOTOU
Enron Field was not the only empty stadium last night, as every Major League baseball game was cancelled.
In Columbus, the U.S. Women's Cup doubleheader at
Crew Stadium involving the United States against Japan*
and Germany vs. China was postponed.
The PGA Tour canceled tomorrow's start of the World
Golf Championship and two other tournaments.
Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said the American
Express Championship in St. Louis, featuring Tiger Woods
and top players from tours around the world, would begin
Friday with 36 holes.
"This is a sad, sad day in America," Woods said after
playing a practice round, which he began about two hours
before the initial attack on the World Trade Center.
Curry adds new dimension to special teams
By Raphael Goodstein
Daily Sports Editor
For the first time in recent memory, the Michigan punt return unit made a
major contribution, returning five punts for 93 yards against Washington.
Junior Julius Curry returned four of those punts for 78 yards, and was a
shoe-string tackle away from turning one 32-yard return into a touchdown.
"We've done a tremendous job with that team," football coach Lloyd Carr
said. "(Coaches) Bobby Morrison and Brady Hoke have done a tremendous
job in terms of creating enthusiasm for that type of team. It started some-
where last season before Ronald Bellamy got banged up at the end of the
year. This year, that performance on Saturday was as good a punt return team
since I've been in coaching. Julius did a great job."
Michigan has had great return performances before - Charles Woodson,
Amani Toomer and Derrick Alexander all come to mind - but many of their
best returns were individual plays, where they forced opposing players to
__
MARJORIE MARSHALL/Daily
Strong safety Julius Curry sparked Michigan's special teams by returning four
punts for 78 yards to add to his three tackles on defense.
miss tackles.
While Curry's returns where impressive, they were set up by the entire
punt return unit applying pressure on the punter and opening holes for Curry.
"There are a lot of young guys up there playing hard," Carr said. "The
guys who jam our wide receivers - Marlin Jackson, Markus Curry, Zia
Combs - did an excellent job. Brandon Williams came off the corner, Mar-
quise Walker made a great strong move to block the punt. We've got some
guys who take great pride in what they do."
Curry also credited his performance to his teammates.
"The thing about a good punt returner is getting a good rush," he said.
"Some teams are man on one side and zone on another. If we get a team that
is zone on both sides we'll be good. Markus Curry, Marlin Jackson and Zia
Combs did a good job on their gunners."
When asked why the Wolverines suddenly turned it up a notch - both on
defense and special teams - Curry pointed out that the Wolverines play bet-
ter in bigger games than they do when playing, unranked teams.
"Our intensity went to another level knowing we were going against
Washington, one of the top schools in the country," Curry said. "We knew
we had to bring it 10-times harder."
Curry made three tackles as well.
The Washington game was also the first time that the Wolverines have ever
played a game on field turf - an artificial grass which is softer than astroturf -
though Oosterbaan field, the indoor practice facility, uses the surface.
"I like the turf, actually" Curry said. "Our field indoors is good. I liked
Itheirs too, it was softer, it felt more like real grass. It's always good to have
it a bit softer, for harder grasses when you stomp on it, you might get your
:leats caught."
The jury on Curry
Curry is averaging 12.8 yards per return on the season. Only eight Wolverines
have ever averaged better than that:
Player Year Average
1. Desmond Howard * 1991 15.8 yards per return
2. Terry Barr 1955 14.8
3. Tripp Wilborne * 1990 14.7
4. Anthony Carter * 1982 14.2
5. Barry Pierson 1969 14.0
6. Gene Derricote 1946 13.9
7. Anthony Carter * 1980 13.3
* All American
I _ _
Offensive.
Tasteless.
Informative.
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