The Michigan Daily - SportsWednesday - September 5, 2001-19A
RAPHAEL
O GOODSTEIN
Not a game: Michigan
* faces diverse challenge
j7oshile it might be hackneyed to
say that sports is a metaphor
for life, a ruling one week
ago in a federal appeals court is an
upset threat to Michigan.
A Georgia-based federal appeals
court ruled that the University of Geor-
gia's admissions policy, which gives
an ever-so-slight preference to non-
white applicants, is unconstitutional -
despite the United States Supreme
Court's 1978 Bakke ruling, which said
universities can use race as a factor so
long as it's not the only factor.
The three-judge panel unanimously
ruled that having more non-white stu-
dents does not ensure a more diverse
student body and said A
that Georgia "did not A team o
even come close" to would not ha
making its case that a national title
greater variety of races fool yourself,
automatically yields a team of 85
diversity. Woodsons.
This contradicts
what a federal judge in Detroit ruled in
December - that Michigan can con-
tinue its affirmative action policy for
undergraduate admissions.
It is only a matter of time before a
race-based admissions ruling shows up
again in the Supreme Court. Both
Georgia - which barred blacks until
1961 and didn't begin meaningful
desegregation until 1970 - and Michi-
gan are likely candidates for such a
case.
Twenty-three years ago, Justice
Lewis Powell Jr:, who ruled in the
Bakke case, wrote that an admissions
case using race must "consider all per-
tinent elements of diversity in light of
the particular qualifications of each
applicant."
The ruling in Georgia endangers the
spirit ofPowell's wisdom.
Imagine if Lloyd Carr never saw or
met recruits, and recruited solely by
40-yard dash times and bench-press
reps. Or imagine if Tommy Amaker
only recruited players solely based on
height and size, without ever meeting
them.
It's tough to imagine, any coach
agreeing to such a policy, yet many
admissions offices take this approach
when they base admissions solely on
grade point average, test scores and an
essay.
When Brian Griese came out of high
school, most coaches looked at him
without seeing a smart, great leader;
Taylor tears
aciClles, out
inmdefiniey
HOUSTON (AP) - Houston
Rockets forward Maurice Taylor
could miss all of next season after
injuring his right Achilles' tendon in
a pickup game in Michigan.
Taylor recently signed a six-year,
$48 million contract.
"He's been evaluated by doctors in
Michigan who believe he has torn
* his right Achilles' tendon," Rockets
general manager Carroll Dawson
said yesterday. "He will be re-evalu-
ated by our team physicians on his
arrival in Houston.
"If he has torn his Achilles, the
surgery will be (today)."
Taylor was in a wheelchair yes-I
terday when he arrived in Houston
on a flight from Detroit, where the
injury occurred during a pickup bas-
ketball game. Team physician Dr.
Walter Lowe said he wanted to see
the level of the tear before making
predictions on recovery.
Taylor called the injury a "big
blow," adding that he hopes to be
back in six months.
The 6-foot-9, 260-pound Taylor
averaged 13 points and 5.5 rebounds
for the Rockets last season.
4IHe was a first-round draft pick
out of Michigan in 1997 and played
his first three NBA seasons for the
Los Angeles Clippers.
vt
rather, they saw a slow, weak quarter-
back who, they thought, would never
make it. Left without a scholarship
offer from Michigan, his dream of
playing for the Wolverines was in
jeopardy.
Undeterred, Griese talked to Coach
Carr and walked on to the team.
Five years later, his teammates
attributed their national title to him.
But more often than not, players like
Griese take the scholarship, rather than
walk on at Michigan. Without this
break in 1992, chances are Michigan
might still be trying to win its first
national title in over 50 years.
'There are numerous stories about
stars slipping through
f 85 Grieses the cracks. Maybe star-
ve won the dom awaited Griese,
- but don't regardless of where he
neither would went.
Charles If so, he still needed
an opportunity. While
his story of hard work
and dedication leading to success is
inspiring, he needed the break he ulti-
mately received..
Many students don't catch such
breaks.
A classroom full of students with
similar backgrounds and perspectives
is not as interesting, intellectually stim-
ulating or educational as a heteroge-
neous one. This is why Michigan is
such a desirable University for many.
Classrooms are like athletic teams in
that everybody brings something to the
table. A team of 85 Grieses would not
have won the national title - but don't
fool yourself, neither would a team of
85 Charles Woodsons.
The 1997 Wolverines needed Wood-
son's talent and Griese's leadership;
one without the other and Michigan
likely would have been back in the
Outback Bowl, facing another four-
loss season.
Four years ago, the football team
found itself at a crossroads. Four-
straight four-loss seasons left many
wondering if Michigan's cachet was
gone.
That year, the Griese-led Wolverines
found themselves in the Rose Bowl,
playing for the national title.
Four years later, the University finds
itself facing another big game with
high stakes.
Raphael Goodstein can be
reached at raphaelg@umich. edu.
Knight Lawsuit sent
to Court of Appeals
BLOOMINGTON (AP) - The ment that Knight's firing was pat of
state Court of Appeals may weigh in a legally private process and that a
on whether Indiana University public trial could harm the people
improperly fired basketball coach involved.
Bob Knight. The recent ruling prevents the ga e
In a ruling released Friday, special from going to trial until the appals
judge Cecile Blau granted the univer- court decides whether to hear-tie
sity's motion to let the higher court case. Blau had ruled in July that a
decide what triggers the law's trial could proceed on the alleg4d
requirement for an open meeting. open meetings violation.
A group of 46 Indiana basketball The university said in a statement
fans claim university president Myles that the ruling is a procedural step.
Brand broke Indiana's Open Door Bloomington attorney for the fads,
Law by holding two secret meetings Roy Graham, said he and Hebr n
with four university trustees the day attorney Gojko Kasich are decidi;g
before Knight was fired last Septem- how to proceed. -;
ber. "If public officials can have these
The university argues that the types of serial meetings to avoidtt e
meetings were not required to be purpose of this law, then every iti-
open because fewer than half of the zen in Indiana should be d6-
nine trustees attended each one. cerned," Graham told 'T e
Attorneys for fans argue that the Herald-Time of Bloomington in a
university intentionally abused the story published Saturday.
purpose of the open meetings law Knight was fired for breaking a no-
when it held back-to-back secret tolerance behavior policy after'e
meetings. grabbed a student by the arnor
Blau's ruling agreed with universi- referring to him by his last namp.
ty attorney Ellen Boshkoff's argu- Knight now coaches at Texas'Tech.
4 .
By Steve Jackson
Daily Sports Writer
Four members of Michigan men's
swimming team returned from the
World University Games in Beijing,
China this week, and all four brought
some hardware home.
Sophomore Dan Ketchum led the
way with a bronze medal in the 200-
meter freestyle and a silver medal as
part of the 800-meter freestyle relay
team.
Freshman Chuck Sayao finished
second in the 400-meter medley --
one spot ahead of his teammate Tim
Siciliano. Brendan Neligan also
earned a bronze medal in the 800-
meter freestyle.
But Siciliano brought home more
than just the 400-meter bronze;
"I got two big North Face jackets
and a fake Rolex," Siciliano said. "It
was crazy. Everything was so cheap
there. I couldn't believe it."
Several members of the national
team also took advantage of inexpen-
sive cab rides to find some "real
food."
"The food at the village wasn't
very good," Siciliano said. "So we
grabbed about six taxis and took a trip
to McDonald's."
Once there, the team stocked up on
power food. Some of the athletes ate
lunch and dinner there everyday.
But all that fast food couldn't
weigh down the Michigan swimmers
- all four stood on the medal podium
at least once during the week.
Ketchum stood for the anthem
twice in his first international meet.
"It was a great honor to represent
my country," Ketchum said. "When
you look around and see all the peo-
ple around you - the best in the
world - that's a great feeling."
International competition is nothing
new for Siciliano. He has competed in
Japan, Sweden, Australia and Canada.
But China was by far his favorite trip.
"The whole experience was weird.
Everything was so different," he said.
"Everything from the traffic and the
people, to food and the toilets."
Michigan swimming has a history
of strong performances at these inter-
national competitions.
"It's a great confidence booster for
the guys," Michigan coach Jon
Urbanchek said. "After you face the
best in the world, coming back to the
(Big Ten) conference is easier."
Even at the highest levels, the
Wolverines have been well represent-
ed. Urbanchek's office contains a
large photo of the six Michigan swim-
mers from the 1996 Olympic team.
Three more Wolverines made the trip
to Sydney last fall for the 2000
Olympic Games.
"I really was impressed by that,"
Siciliano said, who missed last year's
U.S. Olympic trials due to injury.
"Michigan can take you to the next
level. I knew that Urbanchek was the
kind of coach that could take me to
the Olympics and make me the best
swimmer possible."
Individual competitions - even on
the international level - take a back-
seat in the minds of Michigan's
swimmers.
Siciliano and Ketchum are quick to
point out that swimming for the Unit-
ed States was a special honor that
they will never forget, but both were
more nervous during their collegiate
meets.
"I hate to say this, but I think
Michigan swimming has more pres-
tige in my mind," Siciliano said.
The two explained that the history
of the school and the hours spent with
teammates make the experience more
intense at Big Ten and NCAA Cham-
pionships.
ONE FLY CAPTAIN: Urbanchek
announced that senior butterfly and
medley swimmer Eric Wilson will
serve as captain during the 2001-02
campaign.
" ' 'tit? :v.
;. . ,
R
Sophomore Dan Ketchum led the Wolverine contingent at the World University
Games in Beijing. All four Michigan member of the U.S. team earned medals.
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