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michigandaily.comi/sports
sportsdesk@umich.edu

TUESDAY
FEBRUARY 5, 2002

9


Super week
for struggling
Woodford
By Chris Burke
Daily Sports Writer
This past weekend will be tough to top for
Michael Woodford.
On Saturday night in Detroit, Woodford and his
Michigan hockey teammates shutdown Lake Superi-
or 1-0 to complete a weekend sweep over the Lak-
ers.
Then on Sunday afternoon the Westford, Mass.
native sat down with his Michigan teammates and
watched as the New England Patriots stunned St.
Louis to capture the Super Bowl title.
"That was probably the most exciting thing - I
was going nuts when (St. Louis) tied it up at 17, I
thought it was going to be a bad week in practice,
but (Patriots kicker Adam) Vinatieri came in and
he's automatic from that range," Woodford said.
"Everyone was calling me from back home saying,
'Did you see it?' So it was good, I was happy.
"Everyone's jealous because they're not from
Boston. The Bruins are coming around and so are
the Celtics, so it's good stuff ragging on these guys.
The guys on the team all wanted St. Louis, but as
the game went on they started jumping on the band-
wagon as I was cheering - now I've got bragging
rights."
Woodford wasn't the only one with special inter-
est in the game. Freshman defenseman Brandon
Rogers and assistant coach Billy Powers both reside
in the New England area.
"They've been such a down franchise - even the
Super Bowls they've gotten to, they never really had
a chance to win," said Powers who lives in Cam-
bridge, Mass. "For them to turn the corner and to
have a couple of Michigan guys be a part of it, it
was a great time because you don't expect it from
them. There was a lot of celebrating and late night
phone calls, so it was fun."
But now with the Super Bowl win in the past,
Woodford will try to pull a Patriots-like turnaround
of his own and find the scoring groove that he has
been looking for all year.
It took the forward 20 games to tally a goal After
being shutout for the first three and a half months of

JOE
SMITH

Success no surprise to

DANNY MOLOSHOK/Daily
After watching his hometown New England Patriots capture the Super Bowl title on Sunday, Michigan forward
Michael Woodford is hoping that he can rediscover his scoring touch in the Wolverines' final seven games.

the year, Woodford lit the lamp three times on Dec.
29 as Michigan rallied for a 7-4 win over Michigan
Tech in the consolation game of the Great Lakes
Invitational.
The next weekend, Woodford scored a goal a
piece in two games at Notre Dame to run goal total
to five in a little over a week.
Since then, though, Woodford has struggled
through another seven-game goalless streak.
"I've been struggling a bit with the puck going
into the net," Woodford said. "Hopefully it will start
going in this weekend - I'm getting my chances
and as we wind down, I'd like to capitalize on those
because every goal is a big goal now."
In order to get the youngster going, Michigan
coach Red Berenson has moved Woodford around a
lot, playing him with several different linemates in

order to generate some success.
"I think he plays pretty well with anyone," Beren-
son said. "He can make plays, but I'd like to see him
be more consistent offensively.
"He had a couple of good chances at Joe Louis
(last Saturday). It would have been good to see one
of those go in to see him get back on track. He
might be a streaky scorer, either feast or famine."
The Wolverines are hoping that Woodford can
find some New England magic down the stretch.
But Woodford hopes to capture the magic that took
the Patriots to the Super Bowl and not the curse that
has ravaged another team from the east.
"It was supposed to be this year," said Woodford
when asked when the Boston Red Sox were going to
finally win a World Series. "But they suck, (general
manager Dan) Duquette is awful."

Brady sformer
M ichigan senior captain handled the
Shawn Thompson remem- with golden
bers looking into Tom seasons ago
Brady's eyes in the huddle on several the reigns f
occasions in Brady's fairy-tale senior Griese, and
season - and feeling a certain sense for Brady ti
of calmness. the highly-t
That same feeling came over Hensonv
Thompson and many other former talent, a can
Brady teammates on Sunday night, national rep
as they watched Brady become the college stu
youngest quarterback to lead his baseball co
team to a Super Bowl - and earn But Brad
MVP honors. game and M
Thompson knew Brady was going lowed.
to get the job done, just like he had "He's not
so many times in the maize and blue. Thompson
"He had such a big presence on the big presenc
field and in the huddle that you just presence is
knew in his eyes that he was going to to him and
lead you to a win," Thompson said. the type of
Thompson caught Brady's last pass you.
as a Wolverine, a 25-yard touchdown "Guys w
reception in the 2000 Orange Bowl, Tommy."
capping off a Michigan comeback in A similar
the 35-34 thriller over Alabama. England. E
Just over two years later, Brady is Bowler Dre
the newly respected leader for the enough to p
World Champions - and don't be stuck witht
surprised if it stays that way for a ots there.
while. He realiz
For a Californian, Brady isn't can't buy y
flashy. But he's smart, and as cool as champions]
a cucumber under pressure. Steinbrenn
That's what shined through in the rock his tea
waning minutes of the Super Bowl. up to.
With no timeouts and just over a At the be
minute left, he led the Patriots down Brady wasi
the field with precision passes and as the Patri
savvy time management. back. By m
His 16-for-27, 145-yard perform- pick that co
ance wouldn't necessarily be some- during hise
thing to brag about, but he brought the earned the
Patriots to the promised land by doing "Let me
what he's always done best - playing harder on t]
mistake-free football and making the Tom Brady
big plays when he needed to. in a press c
He didn't get rattled by blitzes. He made hims
didn't become intimidated by the me, by not
supposed "Greatest Show on Turf"- offseason s
even after hearing everyone's expec- worked his
tations of a Rams blowout. Even with Brady m
a $110 million quarterback looking Bowler and
over his shoulder, he remained confi- his work et
dent and composed. and the resl
Brady acted like he's been there his teamma
before, probably because he feels "It could
like he has. better guy,"
"He had just a certain aura about . And nob
him," said Michigan senior defensive when good
end Eric Brackins. "He didn't let his way.
anything get to him or rattle him. He
wasn't cocky, just confident in him-
self."

quarterback controversy
n-boy Drew Henson a few
o. Brady had just received
rom a departed Brian
it could have been easy
o play second-fiddle to
touted Brighton native.
was the man with tons of
non of an arm and a
putation. He was also a
dent with a million dollar
ntract in the bank.
y started nearly every
was the man everyone fol-
t a big rah-rah guy at all,"
said. "But he's got such a
ce in the huddle. Just his
going to make you listen
follow him - and that's
guy you want leading
anted to be just like
r situation arose in New
yen when veteran Pro
ew Bledsoe was healthy
play, coach Bill Belichick
the guy who got the Patri-
zed that just as money
ou love, money can't buy
chips (unless you're George
er). Belichick found a
am could lean on and look
eginning of the year,
fighting for the clipboard
ots' fourth-string quarter-
aid-season, the sixth-round
ompleted just one pass
entire rookie season had
starting job.
tell you, nobody worked
his football team than
, nobody," said Belichick
onference yesterday. "He
elf into a player, believe
just showing up for the
tuff. He showed up and he
butt off."
ade himself a player, a Pro
d a World Champion with
hic, poise in the pocket
pect he commanded from
ates.
n't have happened to a
Thompson said.
ody should be surprised
things continue to come
Joe Smith can be reached at
josephms@umich.edu.

mates

MRichiga's Hall of Fame
honors Carter, Russell

By Joe Smith
Daily Sports Editor

Legendary Michigan football coach
Bo Schembechler knew right away that
he had something special when Antho-
ny Carter suited up for his first workout
with the Wolverines in 1979.
Schembechler had the freshmen in
shorts and wanted to test his quarter-
backs' arms - telling them to simply
overthrow each receiver on a fly route.
Everyone, that is, except Carter.
"He ran under every ball," Schem-
bechler said with a gleam in his eye.
"They couldn't overthrow him. I knew
then he'd be a great one."
It was fitting that Schembechler him-
self was on hand as Carter was honored
last Saturday as one of the eight newest
inductees to the Michigan Hall of Fame.
Edsel Buchanan, Herman Fishman,
Bennie McRae, Elmer Mitchell, Bill
Mogk, Penny Neer and Michael
"Campy" Russell were also honored.
The 2002 inductees were introduced at
halftime of the Michigan-Wisconsin
basketball game on Saturday night.
Carter drew a standing ovation, but
no one clapped more loudly than his
former coach.
"He's just exactly what you'd want in
a Michigan athlete," Schembechler said.
"He was a true gentleman, unselfish,
tremendously popular with his players
and invaluable to his team."
Carter lived up to every expectation
he generated in his memorable first
practice. Just the second Wolverine to
be a three-time All-American, Carter is
known as one of the most prolific
receivers and playmakers in Michigan
history. Widely remembered for scoring

the first time he touched the ball (punt
return against Northwestern) and on his
final catch at home (a long touchdown
reception against Purdue), Carter left a
distinguished mark at Michigan as a
two-time team MVP.
"He was just an outstanding athlete,
and more than that - an outstanding
person," Schembechler said with a grin.
Another notable honoree was
Mitchell, who is famous as the "Father
of Intramurals." Shortly after becoming
Michigan's first basketball coach in
1919, Mitchell started as the Director of
Intramural Sports at Michigan and
became a legend for his invention of
Speedball, coining the "IM" abbrevia-
tion and designing the Intramural
Sports Building on Hoover Street.
Buchanan, arguably one of the best
gymnasts in school history, became the
only NCAA athlete to win three consec-
utive national trampoline champi-
onships (1948-1951).
McRae, Mogk and Neer all made
their presence felt in their particular
sports. McRae starred in football and
track, while Mogk helped Michigan win
See HALL OF FAME, Page 10
[PRING BREAK1

Brackins remembers how Brady


Black History Month 2002

AP PHOTO
Minnesota forward Rick Rickert was named Big Ten Player of the Week after
scoring 53 combined points against Penn State and Indiana last week.
Gophers' oen boy
given Big Ten award
Weekend injuries decimate conference powers

1- 800-SURFS-UPI
www.studentexpress.com

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Calendar of Events

February 7-10
Stage production
"The Meeting" starring Steve Dixon
East Quadrangle Auditorium
Thursday-Friday shows are at 7:00 pm
Saturday 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm
Sunday 2:00 pm
Student tickets $8.00 Non student $18.00
February 8
Keith Boykin
Lecture entitiled: "From Plantation to Abomination:
Race, Lies and Sex in America"
Author of One More River to Cross: Black & Gay
in America
Former Special Assistant to President Clinton
Michigan Union, Anderson Room 6:00 pm
February 9
History and Soul Food
Tour of Detroit African American Museum
the afternoon ends with dinner at East Franklin
Restaurant
Museum admission $3.00, dinner cost not included
Contact: Kim Coleman 763-1499
February 9
Julian Owens
Jazz and Inspiration Vocalist
William Monroe Trotter House 7:30 pm

w

By David Horn
Daily Sports Editor
The best player in the Big Ten last
week was also one of the conference's
youngest: Minnesota's 6-foot-10 fresh-
man forward Rick Rickert. Rickert is
the first freshman to be named the Big
Ten Player of the Week since current
Iowa senior Luke Recker was honored
in Jan. of 1998 while playing at Indiana.
The 18 year old had a hot shooting

gence.
"He's been a little bit of a microcosm
of this team," Minnesota coach Dan
Monson said. "He's been up and down,
but as a freshman you expect that. He's
beginning to get some experience at this
level. We all knew that he was going to
be a very good player in this league,
you just don't know when. Fortunately
it seems to be happening now." .
SPARTANS GETING SPARSER: Michigan
State might finally be getting its season
in rdrAr haviing wo~n fo~ur of its last five

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