9 Thursday October 24, 2002 michigandaily.com sportsdesk@umich.edu PO R T Sirhign tilS s 10A Potential not the problem for Avant JOE SMITH By J. Brady McCollough Daily Sports Writer Jason Avant is just patiently waiting for his turn. The true freshman wide receiver has logged significant playing time on spe- cial teams this season, but when it comes to making big plays and FOOTBALL catching the foot- ball - something Notebook . he did with regular- ity at Chicago's Carver Military Acade- my - things haven't gone his way. Despite lining up a few times each game with the first-string offense, Avant has fewer receptions than kicker Philip Brabbs (one). "He's got a great attitude, and he understands that he's playing behind a. senior (Ron Bellamy)," said Willie Simpson, Avant's coach at Carver. There's no question that Avant, who runs a 4.4 40-yard dash and has a 39-inch vertical leap, has the poten- tial to make a quick impact for the Wolverines. "He's a potential Heisman Trophy winner," said Simpson, who still talks to Avant often. "Wait till he and (sopho- more Braylon) Edwards get together next year. Oh my goodness. It's just a matter of when they're going to him. He makes everything look easy." The thing that the 6-foot-1, 206- pounder has done easily at Michigan is put defenders on their backs. He has been compared to former Dallas Cow- boys' wide receiver Michael Irvin for his blocking ability and toughness. The Michigan coaches are using Avant in run-blocking situations with the first unit, and against Purdue, an Avant block on the corner spurred Chris Perry for an eight-yard gain. "Avant is as tough and competitive of a kid as we have," offensive coordinator Terry Malone said. "As a true freshman, it's amazing what he does." "I've never seen a receiver as strong as he is, blocking down field like him," Simpson said. "I haven't seen freshmen around the country block like that." Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said that Avant has been "a little banged up" the past two weeks. The former high school basketball star "made one of the great catches you will ever see on a day when we were not in full pads (at practice)," Carr said. Avant extended himself for the catch, but when he DAVID KATZ/Daily Michigan fullback B.J. Askew has taken over the backup tailback role for the Wolverines, allowing freshman Sean Sanderson to see more time at fullback. came down, he landed awkwardly. "It wasn't enough to keep him out," Carr said. "I can see him playing more as we get into this. He has a great future here." "When they give him a chance, he's going to show what he can do," Simpson said. "Sometimes, you just have to do what the coaches tell you." SOFT SAND: While Perry has been bat- tling an ankle injury the past few weeks, it's been starting fullback B. J. Askew that has taken over at running back. Carr said that one reason for Askew's emer- gence as the backup tailback is that he wasn't able to give Tim Bracken and David Underwood enough carries in nonconference games. The other reason? Carr's desire to get fullback Sean Sanderson on the field. "He has soft hands," Carr said of the redshirt freshman. "If you look at the film on him in the first game and you look at him today, he looks like a different guy. We will get him the ball out there." Nystrom to sport 'A' despite practice fisticuffs 'M' needs to find killer instinct in the trenches E ver since the Wolverines' embar- due to undisciplined play and a lack of rassing Citrus Bowl loss to Ten- weapons, they couldn't muster a come- nessee last January, "finishing" back. Don't expect the same to happen has been a recurrent mantra in the against the Hawkeyes or Buckeyes. Michigan locker room. Fast forward to last Saturday at Pur- Several Michigan players have due. The Wolverines once again made a referred to "finishing" as the big picture game look much closer than it actually of the season, referencing the fact the should have been on the field. Besides Wolverines lost three of their final five the ineptitude on short-yardage situa- games last year after a 6-1 start. tions late in the game, Michigan failed But before Michigan worries about to run out the clock on three separate "finishing the season," it has to finish occasions because it couldn't get that each game off- one yard at a time. elusive first down. This means finishing on short- Purdue threw two interceptions, but yardage situations, like the consecutive after being given a third straight oppor- 3rd-and-1 and 4th-and-1 plays the tunity with great field position inside Wolverines couldn't convert last Satur- Michigan territory, the Boilermakers day at Purdue. Such poor execution kills took advantage - scoring a touchdown drives and momentum, while giving with eight seconds left to cut the Michi- opponents new life. gan lead to 23-21. "It's real frustrating," Michigan The Boilers simply ran out of time. receiver Tyrece Butler said. "We're But the Michigan offense is running out Michigan, we're supposed to be able to of excuses. push you one yard." Whether the Wolverines made "men- Said fellow wideout Ron Bellamy: tal mistakes," the lineman "just couldn't "One yard - that's the difference get the push" or Purdue "threw in a new between championships won or lost." wrinkle," something has to change. For Michigan it's no different. One Yes, as captain Bennie Joppru said, yard could mean the difference between the defense usually has the advantage smelling the roses in Pasadena for the late in the game, since it knows a run is first time in five years and sniffimg the most likely coming to take time off the familiar scent of "freshly squeezed" clock. But the offense is the one that orange juice at the now-Capital One knows the play, it knows the snap count, Bowl yet another year. and it knows what it has to do. With two of Michigan's biggest tests "It's all about leverage, getting under of the year coming up - Iowa and Ohio your defender," said Michigan offensive State - the Wolverines must find their tackle Tony Pape. "If you can set your "killer instinct" and not let opponents guy back a yard then your running back hang on like they have numerous times should be able to get that yard. That's this year. how it works, it comes down to the line." Against Utah on Sept. 21, an ugly and Whether Michigan finishes the sea- sluggish game nearly turned heartbreak- son as Big Ten champs and Rose Bowl ing when the Wolverines failed to finish. bound may come down to one yard. Up 10-7, Michigan ran the clock down And who wants it more. under two minutes, but saw its final drive fall short and culminate in a missed 42-yard field goal attempt. Joe Smith can be reached at The Utes had a chance to win, but josephms@umich.edu. Men's tennis watching individual performance s 0 By Kyle O'Neill Daily Sports Writer As quickly as they were at each other's throats, they were back to being team- mates patting each other on the back. Yesterday in practice, Michigan soph- omore forward Eric Nystrom and senior defenseman Mike Roemensky dropped the gloves and laid into each other for about 30 seconds following a drill. They matched each other blow for blow and neither held the advantage when captain Jed Ortmeyer and sopho- more Jason Ryznar stepped in to break things up. But as soon as the two fighters released their grips, everything was back to normal. "It's an intense time of the year;" Nys- trom said. "Season's starting up and practices are intense. Things like that happen, but it's over. The minute it was over we were joking about it." With the bout so evenly matched, no one could declare a winner. "There was no winner, because it's not whether you win or lose, it's if you show up," Nystrom said. Although Michigan coach Red . --- I r Women's Soccer Sunday, Oct. 27 #13 Michigan vs. Oakland 1 p.m. U-M Soccer Field (State Street) ** Senior Day** Final regular season home game. Autograph Session following the game! Volleyball FridayOct. 25 Michigan vs. Illinois 7 p.m.; Featuring,.. - Mascot Volleyball Game between Games2 and 3 -uograph Sessio following the m atchI Saturday, Oct. 26 Michigan vs. Purdue 7pm. HALLOWEEN at CLIFF KEEN Halloween Costume Contest (for kids and adults)l Free-admission if you wear a costume or show your ticket stub from the football gamel Admission is $4 fora dults and $2 for children & senior citizens. U-M students admitted for FREE! Hockey #6 Michigan vs. Alaska Fairbanks Friday, Oct. 25 7:35 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 7:35 p.m. Yost Ice Arena For ticket information, call (734) 764-0247. Women's Swimming & Diving Thursday, Oct. 24 Michigan vs. Florida 6 p.m. Canham Natatorium Admission is FREE! Berenson said he doesn't encourage fighting amongst his players, he still likes the intensity and would rather see disputes settled with fists then by hitting each other with sticks. For Nystrom, it is this type of inten- sity that has earned him so much respect from the coaches and players. Add that to his leadership abilities and there is little doubt as to why Berenson gave him the honor of being alternate captain in John Shouneyia and Andy Burnes' absences. "I don't think the 'A' is going to change Eric Nystrom," Berenson said. "It might make him feel like he's a little more responsible for the rest of the team, but he's a team player anyway." When Burnes and Shouneyia get back, it is likely that Nystrom will lose the "A" from his jersey, but the time with it as a sophomore is something that Nystrom will carry. with him for years to come. "There's no question it's a good expe- rience and it's a tribute when your coach tells you he thinks you can be a captain," Berenson said. With Alaska-Fairbanks (1-2-1) com- ing to town this weekend, Nystrom knows his leadership will be tested as he remembers last year's homestand against the Nanooks all too well - the Wolver- ines won the first game 7-0, but lost the Saturday game 3-1. "Alaska-Fairbanks is going to be a good team - they're legit to win the league;" Nystrom said. "They're going to come in here and try to run us out of the building. And we just have to play smart and keep it simple." And should Nystrom get into any physical disputes with the Nanooks? "I'll punch as fast as I can and hope I don't get hit." By Paul Feinstein For the Daily Admission is FREE!J For more info. on Michigan Athletics visit MGoBlue.com As the Michigan men's tennis team travels to Madison this weekend, there will be no free watches or hotel stays to be won. In fact, there won't even be any team competition. The Wolverines will use the Omni Hotels Regional Champi- onship on October 24-27, (formerly known as the Rolex Regional Champi- onship), to continue their preparation for the upcoming winter season. The team's main goals for the fall sea- son are practice and development, both of which the Wolverines have been focusing on as of late. " . ° "The fall is the time to find out who we are," Michigan coach Mark Mees said. "The competition also helps us to get our feet back from the many layoffs during the summer and early fall." Of this year's team, not a whole lot is known. On a team featuring only two returning seniors, Chris Rolf and Chris Shaya, there are obviously a lot of ques- tion marks. The only thing that is for sure is the top two singles players. Sophomore No. 1 Michael Rubin and junior No. 2 Anthony Jackson hold those spots. "The only thing clear is our leaders this year are Jackson and Rubin," said Mees, "but I've been really happy with the work ethic I've seen from everyone." Jackson and Rubin will be placed into the main draw of the tournament, while four other players, who are yet to be determined, will be entered into the qual- ifiers' round. "It'll be nice to go and play some other people, to get a sense of where we stand," Mees said. At this point in the season, though, the emphasize is more on hard work than individual success. "I wouldn't single anyone out at this point," said Mees. "All nine guys have worked really hard and made some good strides." Giants tie Series at two IContraceptive Injectionj firth eor\-trol you -tkir~k agou~t jus-t +x- a year 0 0 medroxyprogesterone acetate injectable suspension DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection (medroxyprogesterone acetate injectable suspension, USP) This product is intended to prevent pregnancy. It does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases. What is DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection? DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection is a form of birth control that is given as an intramuscular injection (a shot) in the buttock or upper arm once every 3 months (3 weeks). To continue your contraceptive protection, you must return for your next injection promptly at the end of 3 months (13 weeks). DEPO-PROVERA contains medroxyprogesterone acetate, a chemical similar to (but not the same as) the natural hormone progesterone, which Is produced by your ovaries during the second half of your menstrual cycle DEPO-PROVERA acts by preventing your egg cells from ripening. If an egg is not released from the ovaries during your menstrual cycle, it cannot become fertilized by sperm and result in pregnancy. DEPO-PROVERA also causes changes in the lining of your uterus that make it less likely for pregnancy to octcur How effective is DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection? The efficacy of DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection depends on following the recommended dosage schedule exactly (see "How uften do I get my shot of DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive injection?), To make sure you are not pregnant when you first get DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection, your first injection iust be given ONLY during the first 5 days of a normal menstrual period: ONLY within the first 5 days after childbir th if not breast-feeding: and, if exclusively breast-feeding. ONLY at the sixth week after childbirth. It is a ong -term injectable rontraceptive when administered at 3-month (13-week) intervals. DEO-PROVERA Coitraceptive injection is over 99% effective, making it one of the most reliable methods of birth control available. [his means that the average annual pregnancy rate is less than oiie for every 100 women who use DEPO- PROVERA. The effertiveness of most contraceptive methods depends i part onhow reliably each woman uses the r et hod. The effectiveiess ot REPO-PROVERA depends only on the patient returning every 3 months (13 weeks) for her next enection Your health-care provider will help you corpar DEPO IROVERA with other contraceptive methods and give you the information you need in order to decide which contraceptive method is the right choice for you. The following table shows the percent of women who got pregnant while using different kinds of contraceptive methods. It gives both the lowest expected rate of pregnancy (the rate expected in women who use each method exactly as it should he used) and the typical rate of pregnancy (which ncludes women who became pregnant because they forgot to use their birth control or because they did not follow the directions exactly). Percent of Women Experiencing an Accidental Pregnancy In the First Year of Continuous Use " if you have had cancer of the breast . if you have had a stroke - if you have or have had blood clots (phlebitis) in your legs - if you have problems with your liver or liver disease - if you are allergic to DEPO-PROVERA (medroxyprogesterone acetate or any of its other ingredients). What other things should I consider before using DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection? You will have a physical examination before your doctor prescribes DEPO-PROVERA. It is important to tell your health-care provider if you have any of the following: * a family history of breast cancer - an abnormal mammogram (breast x-ray), fibrocystic breast disease, breast nodules or lumps, or bleeding from your nipples " kidney disease " irregular or scanty menstrual periods high blood pressure Smgraine headaches "asthnma * epilepsy (convulsions or seizures) " diabetes or a family history of diabetes - a history of depression *if you are taking any prescription or overthe-counter medications This product is intended to prevent pregnancy. It does not protect against transmission of HIV (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia, genital herpes, genital warts, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, and syphilis. What if I want to become pregnant after using DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection? Because REPO-PROVERA is a long-acting birth control method, it takes some time after your last injection for its effect to wear off. Based on the results from a large study done in the United States, for women who stop using DEPO-PROVERA in order to become pregnant, it is expected that about half of those who become pregnant will do so in about 10 months after their last injection; about two thirds of those who become pregnant will do so in about I2 months; about 83% of those who become pregnant will do so in about 15 msonths: and about 93% of those who become pregnant will d t so in about 18 months after their last injection. The length of time you use DEPO-PROVERA has no effect on how long it takes iou to become pregnant after you stop using it. What are the risks of using DEPO-bROVERA Contraceptive Injection? Ilrregulir Menstirual Bleeding The side effect reported most frequently by women who use DEPO-PROVERA for contraception is a change in their normal menstrual cycle. During the first year of using DEPO PROVEPA, you might have one or more of the folowing changes: irregular or unpredictable bleeding or spotting, an increase or decrease in menstrual bleeding, or no bleeding at all, Unusually heavy or continuous bleedin however; is not a usual effect of DEPO-PROVERA; and if this happens, you should see your heafth-care provder right away. With continued use of REPO-PROVERA, bleeding usually decreases, and many women stop having periods completely. In clinical studies of DEPO-PROVERA, 55% of the women studied reported no menstrual bleeding (amenorrhea) after I year of use, and 68% of the women studied reported no menstrual bleeding after 2 years of use. The reason that your periods stop is because DEPO-PROVERA causes a resting state in your ovaries. When your ovaries do not release an egg monthly, the rear monthly mi ro th oftluni ningofY oru teruso ne not rccr arid threfore the bleedmnv 6.(ther Risks Women who use hormone-based contraceptives may have an increased risk of blood clots or stroke. Also, if a contraceptive method fails, there is a possibility that the fertilized egg will begin to develop outside of the uterus (ectopic pregnancy). While these events are rare, you should tell your health-care provider if you have any of the problems listed in the next section. What symptoms may signal problems while using DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection? Call your health-care provider immediately if any of these problems occur following an injection of DEPO-PROVERA: " sharp chest pain, coughing up of blood, or sudden shortness of breath (indicating a possible clot in the lung) sudden severe headache or vomiting, dizziness or fainting, problems with your eyesight or speech weakness, or numbness in an arm or leg (indicating a possible stroke) * severe pain or swelling in the calf (indicating a possible clot in the leg) - unusually heavy vaginal bleeding - severe pain or tenderness in the lower abdominal area pesstn ainnusur bleeding at the injection site hatarethepossibleside effects of DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection? I.Weight Gain You may experience a weight gain while you are using DEPO-PROVERA. About two thirds of the women who used DEPO-PROVERA in clinical trials reported a weight gain of about 5 pounds during the first year of use. You may continue to gain weight after the first year Women in one large study who used DEPO-PROVERA for 2 years gained an average total of 8.1 pounds over those 2 years, or approximately 4 pounds per year Women who continued for 4 years gained an average total of 13.8 pounds over those 4 years, or approximately 3.5 pounds per year Women who continued for 6 years gained an average total of I 6.5 pounds over those 6 years, or approximately 2.75 pounds per year 2. Other Side Efects In a clinical study of over 3,900 women who used DEPO-PROVERA for up to 7 years, some women re orted the following effects that may or may not have been related to their use of DEPO-PROVERA: Irregular menstrual bleeding, amenorrhea, headache, nervousness, abdominal cramps, dizziness, weakness or fatigue, decreased sexual desire, leg cramps, nausea, vaginal discharge or irritation, breast swelling and tenderness, bloating, sweling of the hands or feet, backache, depression, insomnia, acne, pelvic pain, no hair growth or excessive hair loss, rash, hot flashes, and joint pain. Other problems were reported by very few of the women in the clinical trials, but some of these could be serious. These include convulsions, jaundice, unnary tract infections, allergic reactions, fainting, paralysis, osteoporosis, lack of return to fertility, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolus, breast cancec or cervical cancer If these or any other problems occur during your use of DEPO-PROVERA, discuss them with your health-care provider Should any precautions be followed during use of DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection? I .Mssed Periods During the time you are using DEPO-PROVERA for contraception, you may skip a period, or your periods may stop completely If you have been receiving your DEPO-PROVERA injections regularly every 3 months (13 weeks), then you are probably not pregnant. However if you think that you may be pregnant, see your health-care provider 2.Lobortory Test lnteructions If you are scheduled for any laboratory tests, tell your health-care provider that you are using DEPO-PROVERA for contraception. Certain blood tests are affected by hormones such as DEPO-PROVFRA. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Just in the nick of time, the San Francisco Giants solved the Kid. David Bell hit a tiebreaking single off rookie sensation Francisco Rodriguez in the eighth inning and the Giants rallied past the Anaheim Angels 4-3 last night, tying the World 2002 Series at two games each. Somehow, the Giants Lowest Method Expected Typical D'-PROVE n0.3 0 iini ts (Nirpsn) 0.2* 1)2' rFrmuie sternlzatun 0.. I:~ ',nsteijnni hi 0h L II