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September 13, 20 2
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Vol. CXIII, No. 9
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Webber surrenders,
pleads noi
By Steve Jackson
Daily Sports Editor
"I will fight this case to the end, and I feel
that I will be vindicated," Former Michigan
basketball star Chris Webber said from his
practice facility in Sacramento.
Roughly 24 hours later, Webber took the first
step toward fulfilling that vow, surrendering to
U.S. marshals and pleading innocent to charges
of conspiring to obstruct justice and giving
false testimony before a grand jury.
If convicted, Webber could face a maximum
of five years in jail and $250,000 in fines for
each charge. Webber's father and aunt also
face the same charges, but have yet to be
arraigned.
The government claims that Webber lied to
a grand jury about the $280,000 he allegedly
received from former Michigan booster Ed
Martin from 1988 to
1993. Martin was being
investigated for conspir-
ing to launder money and
running an illegal gam-
bling ring in metro-
Detroit auto plants.
Webber was fingerprint-
ed and photographed
before he stood in front of
U.S. Magistrate Virginia
Webber Morgan, a 1968 University
alum. Steve Fishman, Webber's lawyer, entered
his not guilty plea, and Morgan released him
on a $10,000 unsecured bond.
Webber's only words during the brief hearing
Wednesday were to confirm that he understood
the charges against him.
No money was immediately collected from
Webber, and he is free to travel without restric-
tions in the United States.
A pre-trial conference was scheduled for
Sept. 26 in front of U.S. District Judge Nancy
Edmunds, but it is possible that the case may be
transferred to Judge Robert Cleland, who is
handling the Ed Martin case.
Webber, the 29-year-old All-Star forward for
the Sacramento Kings, hopes to be ready to
play when his team starts its season with an
exhibition game at Dallas on Oct. 8.
Geoff Petrie, the Kings' vice president of
basketball operations, said it is too soon to
say whether Webber will miss any games in
the upcoming season to deal with his legal
problems.
Oct. 8 is also the date of Martin's sentenc-
ing. Martin, who pleaded guilty to charges of
conspiring to launder money on May 28, faces
30-37 months in prison - which could be
shortened if he reveals all the details of his
dealings with Michigan basketball players to
the University.
Martin said he took money from the gam-
bling ring, combined it with other funds and
lent it to Webber and several other former
Michigan basketball players while they were
still amateurs.
Martin, 68, said that money included
t guilty
$280,000 to Webber, $160,000 to Robert Tray-
lor of the New Orleans Hornets, $105,000 to
Maurice Taylor of the Houston Rockets and
$71,000 to Louis Bullock, who plays profes-
sionally in Europe.
Michigan's basketball program has been
under suspicion for violating NCAA guide-
lines relating to improper benefits since 1996,
when a Ford Explorer driven by Traylor con-
taining several other players and recruits
crashed.
That accident sparked the first of three Uni-
versity investigations, which led to the firing of
coach Steve Fisher but turned up no major vio-
lations.
"We are cooperating fully with the investi
See WEBBER, Page 3
Most don't believe old superstitions
Friday the 13th fear,
superstition stem from
scripture passages
By Soojung Chang
Daily Staff Reporter
Do you have a fear of Friday the 13th, or
paraskevidekatriaphobia? Most University
students claim to be unfazed by the suppos-
edly unlucky date.
"I know that bad things are supposed to
happen," LSA junior Kristin Casanova said.
But Casanova will not be taking any spe-
cial precautions today.
"To me it's just another day. The only
thing I associate with Friday the 13th is
horror filmson TV," she said.
LSA sophomore Rodey Wing said he is
not concerned, but he used to play practical
jokes on the day by delivering pumpkins on
people's doorsteps.
Most students questioned were unaware
of the origins of the Friday the 13th super-
stition, although Rackham student Daniel
Marco said that "13 in America is not
regarded as a good number."
And Marco is pretty much on target.
According to an article published on urban-
legends.com titled "Why Friday the 13th is
Unlucky," by David Emery, the Friday the
13th superstition arose from the fact that
the day Friday and the number 13 were
both historically considered ijnlucky.
The controversy about 13 stems from Bib-
lical scripture, as there were 13 present at the
Last Supper, one of whom went on to betray
Jesus Christ. Friday's negative connotation is
also tied to Biblical origins. The crucifixion
of Jesus Christ and Eve's famous sin were
said to have taken place on Friday.
While some believe Friday the 13th is an
unlucky day, others instead believe in other
superstitions.
"My great aunt, she would say you have
tq burn your hair after you get a haircut or
else a bird will make a nest in it and you
will go crazy," Engineering senior Mark
Christian said, adding she also believed that
if you got your shirt wet while washing the
dishes, you would marry an alcoholic.
Rackham student Wendy Grus said her
coworker's superstitions made her suscepti-
ble to practical jokes.
"I convinced her once that her cookie was
cursed and she didn't eat it," Grus said.
"I say that I don't have any supersti-
tions," LSA sophomore Alana Ward said.
"But I'll try not to split the pole when I'm
walking with a friend."
"Splitting the pole," or letting a pole come
in between you while walking with a friend,
will result in the end of your friendship
unless you say "bread and butter" after you
pass the pole, Ward said.
As for the reason why so many people
believe in superstitions, Ward said she
thinks superstitions are just "leftovers from
childhood."
Planes again
banned from
flying over
Big House,
By Steve Jackson
Daily Sports Editor
The skies over America's stadiums are free from adver-
tisements once again. Citing the orange "high" level of alert,
the U.S. Transportation Security Administration renewed its
ban on banner-towing planes flying over major open-air
assemblies on Wednesday, but this ban is only temporary.
The University has been lobbying strongly against the use
of this kind of advertising over and around Michigan Stadi-
um, but this particular victory has not ignited any celebration.
"I have mixed thoughts about the whole thing," Michigan
Athletic Director Bill Martin said. "It's a shame that we have
to live with a higher level of alert because of terrorism. But
we have a lot of fans that are very uneasy about those
planes. So, if this helps people feel safer at Michigan foot-
ball games, then that's a very positive thing."
r reac' f rejoicing in a short-term fix that forbids any
airplanes from coming within a three-mile radius of Michi-
gan Stadium on game days, University officials have simply
re-devoted themselves to the goal of a permanent ban.
"It's like we are in the sixth inning of a baseball game,"
Michigan Vice President for Government Relations Jim
Kosteva said. "It may look like we are in the lead right now,
but we have a lot of work yet to do before we can say that
we'ye won.
"We will continue our efforts, along with Major League
Baseball, the (National Football League) and other major
college programs, to press our case before Congress."
Neither Kosteva nor Martin had any idea how long the
temporary ban will stand, but the Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration said it will hold "listening sessions" to determine the
impact of any long-term plan before a solution is reached.
But University officials feel that Congress, not listening
sessions, is the best place to air their grievances.
Martin said the entire Michigan delegation supports his
cause. He added that he and his representatives are trying to
cut funding for issuing waivers out of the Transportation
Spending Bill.
After the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, all planes were
banned from flying over extreme groups of people. But in
February the TSA began issuing waivers to small businesses
that met certain specifications. Several local aircraft owners
took advantage of these waivers to fly around the Big House
during the Wolverines' first two home football games
against Washington and Western Michigan.
"I feel sorry for the small-business owners that this
ban hurts," Martin said. "But our objective is the safety
of our fans."
Despite the recent outcry from college and professional
See PLANES, Page 2
Photo illustration by JOHN PRATT/Daily
While many ignore the old adage not to walk under ladders, some still believe in many
different superstitions.
The sweetest thing
Family members still
coping with grief
By Shannon Pettyplece
Daily News Editor
I
Some have attended community support
groups, some have lived life a bit more carefree,
and others have started scholarship funds in their
loved ones memory to-
cope with their grief. But
as America moves past the
one-year anniversary of thet
Sept. 11 attacks, and it
slowly fades out of the z
media, family members
and friends of the victims
are still coping with their personal grief - one
year later.
"The last few weeks have been very difficult.
All the talk and stuff in the papers has been very
difficult," Danny Polatsch said. "The planes and
the sounds of ambulances takes a different mean-
ing for me now."
Danny Polatsch lost 'his brother, Larry
Polatsch, and close friend Scott Weingard on
Sept. 11 - all three are University alums. Danny
said the loss of his brother has been so difficult in
the past year that he has not been able to fully
come to terms with the loss of his friend.
"I'm having a rough time with my brother, I
haven't even approached the loss with Scotty,"
Danny said.
Scott's friend said he will be coming back to
the University for a home football game with
other friends of Scott's this semester, which was a
tradition they used to share with Scott.
For Herb Ouida, who lost his son Todd Ouida
See MOVING ON, Page 3
Red Cross volunteerism remains strong
ALYSSA WOOD/Daily
Kelsey Snyder (left) and Makenzie Knue of Ann Arbor enjoy Dairy
Queen ice cream cones yesterday afternoon.
Mag azine recoVnizes
student activism at'U
By Donielle Cunningham
Daily Staff Reporter
By Allison Yang
For the Daily
The combination of the University's
300-plus student organizations and the
vast diversity of its student body
played a large role in Mother Jones'
recent decision to rank the University
No. 2 for campus activism among all
colleges in the nation.
The Mother Jones' ranking was pri-
marily based on the University's law-
suits regarding the use of race as a
organizations acted as interveners in
the cases, which appeared before the
6th Circuit Court of Appeals earlier
this year. Twenty-five representatives
from those organizations presented
their defense along with a petition sup-
ported by the signatures of about
50,000 people in support of the Uni-
versity's policies. The case of Grutter
v. Bollinger, which brings into question
Law School admissions policies, now
awaits acceptance to be heard by the
U.S. Supreme Court.
Although lines are no longer
wrapped around the Red Cross build-
ing with hundreds waiting to offer their
assistance, people remain willing to
offer a helping hand.
"We live in a giving community,"
Beverly Smith, coordinator of volun-
teer services at the University Hospital
said. "We have people here that help in
times of suffering and need, but there
are people that have that sort of spirit
all the time."
One year ago, the Washtenaw Coun-
ty Red Cross was flooded with volun-
teers. About 8,000 people donated
blood in the three-week period after
Sep. 11- almost half of their normal
annual number of 19,000.
"Hundreds of people were waiting in
line each day," said Pamela Reading-,
fimith Adirtor rf ninhlw cinnnrtfofr
faculty and staff blood drive in Novem-
ber 2001 collected more blood for the
Red Cross than the two previous'blood
drives in January and April. But Smith
said their drives are always successful.
Business contributions have
remained consistent throughout the
year. "Vendors and agencies offered
their commercial services to us, and
they have lingered on." She said, "They
will still do some free work for us, but
have become sort of partners with us."
She said she noticed that a lot of
professionals that had available time
during the day, such as doctors and
social workers, were more numerous at
the Red Cross than before Sep. 11.
Not everyone that stepped though
the Red Cross doors was there solely
to donate blood. Many came to offer
their talents in areas such as adminis-
tration and graphic design.
Reading-Smith said that the Red
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