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michigandaily.com/sports
WEDNESDAY
SEPTEMBER 26, 2001
10
4
Wildcats want to run
option to Big Ten title
He's back! Jordan
By Jeff Philips
Daily Sports Editor
After cruising through its noncon-
ference schedule, Big Ten favorite
Northwestern will face its first test of
the season when it takes on Michigan
State Saturday.
The Wildcats defeated UNLV 37-
28 three weeks ago and Duke 44-7 last
week and its offense has shown no
signs of slowing down.
The spread offense, instituted by the
Wildcats in 1999 created one of the
most potent offensive attacks in the
country, despite facing defenses that
know what is coming.
"(Offensive coordinator) Kevin
(Wilson) convinced me that it was the
right direction to go (with)," coach
Randy Walker said.
The success that Northwestern has
made running the spread has caused
teams around the country to want a
piece of the action. Several teams
instituted the spread during the fall,
but have had minimal success.
Perhaps most notably, Wisconsin
coach Barry Alvarez made a point to
run a few series of the spread in the
Badgers' bowl game. Wisconsin con-
tinues to experiment with the spread.
"I'm not sure it is for everybody,"
Walker said. "In the situation we were
in at quarterback and receivers and
everything, it was a good fit for us."
DONE EXPERIMENTING: After an ugly
showing against North Carolina State
three weeks ago, Indiana knew its
Antwaan Randle El experiment was in
trouble. Randle El was stuffed at each
of the positions he played - quarter-
back, receiver and running back.
So is the experiment over?
"Yes," coach Cam Camerson said.
In response to the loss, he was
moved back to quarterback against
Utah, but the result was the same - a
28-26 loss to the Utes.
Cameron doesn't believe that the
return to quarterback for Randle El
was the difference for his team's play.
"It was unforced errors that kept us
from being successful in that first
game, and you owe it to your football
team to go in another direction,"
Cameron said.
It now appears that Randle El will
play quarterback for the Hoosiers for
what appears to be the remainder of
the season.
INTRODUCING CHARLES ROGERs: After
sitting out last season due to academic
ineligibility, highly-touted Michigan
State receiver Charles Rogers intro-
duced himself to the college world
Saturday against Notre Dame on
national television. Rogers caught four
passes for 116 yards and the game
winning touchdown. His performance
earned him Big Ten Co-Offensive
Player of the Week honors.
Rogers believes he has benefited
from sitting out a year.
"Last year was a big year for me,
talking to Plaxico Burress, Renaldo
Hill, and Ivory McCoy - people that
have been in my situation before,"
Rogers said. "They really helped me
out, let me know what to expect."
unretires
WASHINGTON (AP) - Michael
Jordan made his comeback official
Tuesday, announcing he will return to
play in the NBA and sign a two-year
contract with the Washington Wizards.
"I am returning as a player to the
game I love," said Jordan, 38 and more
than three years removed from what
seemed to be a storybook ending to his
career.
Jordan will donate his entire salary
for the upcoming season to relief agen-
cies working with the victims of the
terrorist attacks on Washington and
New York, said Estee Portnoy, a
spokeswoman for SFX, Jordan's man-
agement agency.
"I am especially excited about the
Washington Wizards, and I'm con-
vinced we have the foundation on
which to build a playoff-contention
team," Jordan said in a statement
issued through his management
agency.
"The opportunity to teach our young
players and help them elevate their
game to a higher level, and to thank the
... again
fans in Washington for their loyalty
and support, strongly influenced my
decision."
The five-time league MVP, who
retired for a second time in 1999 after
leading the Chicago Bulls to their sixth
title, announced his comeback after
clearing up a licensing issue with one
of his sponsors - a disagreement that
caused the official announcement to
come a day later than expected.
Jordan never completely ruled out a
comeback when he retired in January
1999, hedging his bets with the state-
ment that he was "99.9 percent" certain
he would never play again. Leaving the
door open, even by one-tenth of 1 per-
cent, meant Jordan could always kick it
back open without going back on his
word.
Now, he has.
"I am happy to welcome Michael
Jordan, the player, back to the NBA,
although, as commissioner, I am sorry
to lose him in the board room," NBA
commissioner David Stern said.
See JORDAN, Page 11
AP PHOTO
Michael Jordan announced that not only will he return to the NBA, but he will do
so for free. He will donate his salary to the World Trade Center relief effort.
e golf team hosts abbreviated tournament
By Courtney Lewis
Daily Sports Writer
This weekend's Wolverine Invitational will be the
only chance for the men's golf team to play in front
of a home crowd this season. Besides having family
and friends in the gallery, the Wolverines will have
the rare advantage of competing on their own course.
"You're not going to take an out-
standing team and beat them just
because it's your home course, but
it separates you from the teams that
are at about the same level you're
at," coach Jim Carras said.
The advantage lies not just in
knowing the layout of the course
and the feel of the greens, but also
in the comfort level.
U-M GOLF
Who: The Wolverine In
of 20, including sevenE
Notre Dame.
When: 9 a.m. Friday; 8
Latest: This is Michiga
of the season.
keep the Wolverines from letting that familiarity lull
them into a sense of overconfidence.
The experienced quartet of Andrew Chapman,
Andy Matthews, Kyle Kilcherman and David
Nichols will play for Michigan, joined by a player to
be determined later this week. Although only five
players will officially represent the Wolverines, all
nine members of the host team are permitted to play.
This gives Michigan's younger
players a taste of tournament com-
COURSE petition.
vitational - a field When the Wolverines hit the
Big Ten teams and links Friday, it will have been
three weeks since their last tourna-
a.m. Sundam ment. The team did not play in the
in'sonly home meet PSI Net Collegiate Invitational
September 17-18 because of the
September 11th terrorist attacks. It then had a sched-
uled weekend off. Michigan is ready to resume com-
petitive play, but there will be lingering reminders
that things aren't quite back to normal.
Seton Hall was scheduled to play this weekend, but
"It's sleeping in their own beds, being familiar with
their entire surroundings. They're home," Carras said.
But a 20-team field including Baylor, Louisville,
Notre Dame and seven members of the Big Ten will
AP PHOTO
Antwaan Randle-El, the multi-talented leader of the Hoosiers, has been a jack of
all trades this season. But it looks like he's now at quarterback to stay.
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has pulled out because of travel concerns and because
- with its campus 15 miles from the World Trade
Center site and smoke still visible rising from the
rubble - the team is not yet ready t return to golf.
The format of the Wolverine Invitational has also
changed. The tournament was supposed to consist of
three 18-hole rounds, but because of the home foot-
ball game now scheduled for Saturday, the middle
round has been eliminated.
Instead, the entire field will gather for a tailgate
party on Saturday, attend the football game, and then
have dinner together.
The day off is not the ideal schedule, but Carras
sees it as a chance for camaraderie that's not always
present between teams. He's not sure how the mid-
tournament respite will affect the teams when play
continues on Sunday.
"We've never had to do it before," Carras said,
"but then we've never been attacked before."
The Wolverines will be making the best of a tough
situation.
"That's what life's all about," Carras said.
SBrady to
3 startfor
Bledsoe
BOSTON (AP) - Drew Bled-
soe's doctors determined his organs
were not damaged on a tackle that
caused internal bleeding in his chest,
New England coach Bill Belichick
said yesterday. Michigan alumnus
Tom Brady will start in his place.
The Patriots' quarterback still was
expected to miss at least two games,
but he could be released from the
hospital as soon as this afternoon.
"There's no damage that's been
detected to any internal organ or ribs
or anything like that, or lungs,"
Belichick said.
A chest tube doctors inserted to
alleviate bleeding probably will be
SEDLOFF/Daily removed today and Bledsoe should
orthwest- be released in the next day or two,
wa. Belichick said.
Bledsoe was injured when line-
backer Mo Lewis hit him full-speed
in the fourth quarter of New York's
10-3 victory on Sunday.
ci Although Bledsoe played one
more series, he was taken to Massa-
chusetts General Hospital when he
became uncomfortable 45 minutes
love to get after the game.
s really are He spent Sunday night in inten-
assion." sive care, though Belichick said it
on-student might have been because all the
t matchup standard beds in the hospital were
g for their full. By the time Belichick visited
him on Monday, though, Bledsoe
ence race, was in a standard room.
st Iowa, a "He was in relatively good spirits
ay in order and looked a lot better than he did
to making the other night," the coach said.
Belichick said he did not know
has a ten- how long Bledsoe will be out, but
e. a sloppy that he doesn't expect him back in
team that the next two weeks. It is possible
ball alive Bledsoe will be on the sideline - but
force you inactive - before then to help with
g a lot of signals.
1'V
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~pots
I
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Attention
CHORAL SINGERS
You are invited to join the
University Musical Society
CHORAL UNION
Thomas Sheets, conductor
2001-2002 Season
Handel: Messiah Ann Arbor SO
Ives: Symphony No. 4 San Francisco SO
Brahms: German Requiem Ann Arbor SO
Beethoven: Missa Solemnis Detroit SO
The UMS Choral Union does it all!
Under the leadership of Thomas Sheets,
the 135-voice Choral Union appears
regularly in Ann Arbor with major
orchestras and conductors in critically
acclaimed performances of choral
masterworks. The 72-voice Concert Choir
performs music of other genres; and our
Charles Paradis
Daily Sports Writer
This is the biggest home weekend for
Michigan volleyball (0-2 Big Ten, 3-5
overall) and all its fans.
This Friday marks the tenth annual
"Rock the House." Michigan is an
impressive 7-2 in "Rock the House"
matches, including a six-match win
streak dating back to 1995.
coach Mark Rosen said. "Wel
a lot of students out. Students
the key for emotion and for pa
All fans - student and n
alike - will witness a grea
between two teams looking
first conference wins.
To get back in the confer
Michigan must first get pa;
team that keeps the ball in pl
to pressure its opponents in
BRANDOON
The volleyball team didn't play well last weekend, dropping a match to No
ern. It will try to rebound this weekend at home against Minnesota and lo
Ciff Keen set to
Rock this weekern
"Rock the House"
always draws impres-
sive crowds. The
largest attendance
ever at Cliff Keen
Arena took place
when Michigan
CLIFF KEEN ARENA
Who: Michigan (0-2 Big Ten, 3-5 overall)
vs. Iowa
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Latest: Michigan suffered an embarrasing
loss to Northwestern last week, and hopes
mistakes.
"Iowa h
dency to b
team - a
keeps thet
and they f
into makin
I
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