Thursday September 18, 2003 www. michigandaily.com sports@michigandaily. com RheTSullhn naU 7A Autzen noise gives Ducks big advantage Weekend advice: Don't talk smack about the quack By J. Brady McCollough Daily Sports Editor Some say it's the rabid fans. Others claim it's the superior design of the stadium. But no matter what theory you have about why Oregon's Autzen Stadium is a special place to spend a Saturday afternoon, there's one under- lying consensus: It's deafening. Per capita, Autzen is the loudest venue in all of college football. With its recent expansion, which culminated before this season, its capacity is a mere 55,000 - half the size of the Big House. But in this case, Oregon fans and players would agree wholehearted- ly that size does not matter. "The emotion, it's just going to be electrified to be honest" Oregon line- backer Kevin Mitchell said. "Until I got here and played in those games, I never realized. You can't talk, you can't even hear yourself yell. You have to commu- nicate with even talking. With Michi- gan coming, it's just going to be crazy." Shaped like an amphitheatre, Autzen was designed to get the most out of the noise its fans make. It received its first national acclaim in 2000, when the Ducks - backed by their home crowd - knocked off the nation's No. 6 team in back-to-back weeks (first UCLA then Washington). Today, the Autzen mystique draws comparison to stadiums that nearly double it in size, including "The Swamp" at Florida and "Death Val- ley" at Louisiana State. The third-ranked Wolverines are 3-0 Skyview Aerial Photography Despite holding just 55,000 people, Autzen Stadium boasts one of the nation's loudest, most boisterous crowds. against the Ducks in their history, but they've never made the trek to the Northwest. Oregon fans have had this game circled on their calendars ever since the game was scheduled in the late 1990s, creating an overwhelming game-week atmosphere. Men's hoops lands newest big man By BobHunt Daily Sports Writer The additional sanctions for the Michigan basketball team don't seem to be hurting recruiting. Coach Tommy Amaker scored big with his second 2004 commitment Tuesday in Grand Ledge product Al Horford. The 6-foot-9 power forward, ranked No. 55 in the nation by insid- ers.com and No. 90 by rivals.com, is the son of former NBA draft pick Tio Horford. He picked Michigan over Kansas, Florida, Ohio State and Michi- gan State. Horford visited Michigan last weekend along with guard Joe Crawford of Detroit Renaissance High School and decided to commit even though the Lawrence Journal-World News reported in August that he would visit Kansas in October. Horford averaged 19 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks per game last season at Grand Ledge High School. But the Detroit News second- team All-Stater selection got most of his attention this summer, when he starred for the AAU Michigan Mus- tangs. Horford would not comment on his commitment until a press conference scheduled for today at 11 a.m. "Everybody around here is pretty excited," Oregon wide receiver Demetrius Williams said. "People are treating it like it's a bowl week. To the community, it's a pretty big game." To Michigan coach Lloyd Carr's dis- may - he'd prefer his team play on the West Coast only on New Year's Day - the Wolverines are making their third voyage to the West Coast in the past four years. The team leaves tonight with hopes of erasing bad memories from losses at UCLA (2000) and at Washington (2001). "They are very difficult to beat at home," Carr said. "The crowd is, from every report I get, from every coach I've spoken with, a real factor. You have to learn to communicate without talking, because talking doesn't do you any good. So (I'm excited) from the standpoint of for the first time this season, this team will have to show what they can do when they have thousands of people cheering against them." When asked if he had learned any- thing from his two previous trips to the West Coast, Michigan captain Carl Diggs said he is still trying to figure out what it takes to win there. "We still have a lot to prove," Diggs said. "Saturdaywas a big game, but it's over now. We haven't played on the road yet, so we haven't proved any- thing yet. We need to go out to Oregon and play a good game." "If we take them lightly," said Michigan defensive end Larry Stevens, "it will be a long plane ride back." COURTNEY LEWIS Full Court Press ,some of you fans out there ght be struggling to hold back your smirks as you get pumped up for a heated battle between your Wolver- ines and the Oregon ... Ducks? Some of you may think that a duck isn't quite a worthy mascot for a foot- ball team. You might think that ducks don't do much other than paddle around in their little ponds. And you might hold back laughter as you ask, 'Who could possibly be afraid of a duck?' I, of course, would never suggest that the duck is, shall I say, a wimpy, mas- cot. I, and the good people of Eugene, know that a duck can be a fine mascot. So maybe it seems odd for a bunch of big, sweaty football players to be named after a small type of waterfowl. It's true, they don't exactly bring to mind thoughts of ferocity and intimidation. But ducks are certainly noble and graceful animals - birds - whatever. What's not to like about ducks? They're excellent at fishing for example. And I think they have waterproof feathers, which is pretty cool. With their fantastic flying ability, they can make quick escapes when danger arises (such as, say, if they think they might be devoured by a traditional football powerhouse). What could you possibly have against ducks? They've never bothered anybody. For example, I bet you've never heard of anyone that has been attacked by a duck. Of course, you cynics out there might say that's the point, but let's move on. There have been plenty of beloved, honorable, ducks in history; I'm sure of it. I just can't think of any right now. Wait, yes I can! Who doesn't like Daisy and Donald Duck? And don't forget Daffy. Although I did always find Daffy rather annoying. What's up with spray- ing saliva every time he talks? But wait, what about the Ugly Duckling? Well, I guess even he wasn't a duck in the end. Come on, now. If you think about it, I bet you'll find that ducks have provided you with many happy memories. Your rubber ducky. Or throwing breadcrumbs in a pond to feed ducks. And everybody likes Duck-Duck-Goose. Besides, mascots don't have much to do with the actual team, anyway.Yes, the football ducks, like real ducks, do much better through the air than on the ground. But it's not like the players try to psyche themselves up in the locker- rooms by walking (waddling?) around and quacking. (Speaking of locker- rooms, maybe it doesn't matter what you call yourself when you have a state- of-the-art lockerroom where you can watch one of three 60-inch plasma TV's and connect to the Internet directly from your locker, as the Oregon Ducks do). What? You're still not convinced? Didn't any of you see "The Mighty Ducks?" Don't you remember Coach Bombay telling his rag-tag District 5 team that a duck would make a great mascot? Pointing out that ducks never have to fight? Okay, that might not be the image you want your football team projecting, but hey, the "flying V" worked, right? Except against Iceland. Seriously now, wipe those smirks off your faces and take a good look at Ore- gon's mascot. Take the "Velcro Duck- ie" the Oregon athletic website sells to "rally" the fans, for example. With a somewhat-sharp beak and those big, cartoonish eyes. Imagine it's ferocious roar ... err ... quack? You wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley, would you? 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