4 Thursday October 23, 2003 michigandaily.com sportsdesk@umich.edu POl aRTSoutDa 1OA 4 Massaquoi looks to the gods for strategy It's official: Avant truly a Michigan fo By Nawed Sikora Daily Sports Editor Ancient Greek and Roman history aren't exactly easy subjects. When it comes to learning about them, it helps to relate the people and events of that time period to what is going on today. Michigan tight end Tim Massaquoi relates them to the sport he plays and loves. Massaquoi, who says his favorite Greek mythological character was Aries, the god of war, associates ancient battles with modern-day bat- tles on the gridiron. "When it comes to war, (Aries) was always scheming," Massaquoi said. "He's got strategies. You know he's thinking about the mental part of war rather than the physical part of it. "You can relate that to football. It's kind of like a chess game." The junior says he wants to become a teacher in these subjects after gradu- ating from Michigan. But before he starts writing up his first lesson, he still has some football to focus on. The season has not gone exactly as planned for Massaquoi, who says he hasn't been performing at his best. He has been criticized for dropping too many passes - some in critical situa- tions that could have made a differ- ence. "I wasn't doing the little things to get open" he said. "That's something I have been working really hard at in practice - getting open and running hard routes." Last season, former Michigan tight end Bennie Joppru was one of John Navarre's favorite targets. Joppru was sure-handed and was often the recipi- Iron Chef By Gennaro Filice Daily Sports Writer ent on third-down situations. But for several reasons, that role was not passed down to Massaquoi. Instead, receiver Jason Avant has become Navarre's main third-down option. Massaquoi feels he is not getting the ball as much because the defense has taken that away from the Wolverines. But with the way Michigan's receivers are playing, he feels that is going to change. "I think it has a lot to do with what the defense gives us," he said. "John has done a good job of reading defens- es, and he's not going to try and force anything. But I think as the season goes on, the defenses are going to start taking away from our receivers with the way they are playing." A graduate of Parkland High School in Allentown, Pa., Massaquoi was regarded as one of the best receivers in the country coming out of high school. But when he came to Ann Arbor, he was asked to take on a different role as tight end. Still, he says he didn't mind being asked to do more, and that he was up to the challenge. "That transition wasn't that hard, as long as I was playing offense" he said. "It meant blocking and getting my weight up, but it was a role I could fill. and a place where I could help the team." Massaquoi's college decision came down to Michigan or Penn State, but he says he chose Ann Arbor because it was not only a great football school, but it was the right fit for him. Leaving his home state was a difficult decision for him, but one he feels was right. Saying no to Penn State, though, meant saying no to Joe Paterno, which B erensonc JONATHON TRIEST/Daily Tight end Tim Massaquoi decided to play for Michigan, turning down coach Joe Paterno and Penn State in the process. Massaquoi says wasn't an easy thing to do. "I didn't tell him I didn't want to play for him," Massaquoi said. "I just told him that Michigan was a better place for me, and he respected that. He's a great man, an intelligent man, and sitting in his office was a great experience." But, like Aries, Massaquoi wants to focus on developing a sense of mental toughness to improve his game. He says it's mental toughness that keeps him strong when he drops a pass or makes a mistake. "I would be hurting," said Mas- saquoi. "But my teammates picked me up, and I just want to come back and concentrate even harder on the next catch." COURTNEY LEWIS The Daily Grind ( 4I was a basketball player," Jason Avant said simply, as if that was all the explanation needed. He was responding to someone who asked him why he didn't play football until his sophomore year of high school. It turns out one of Michigan's best young receivers never wanted to play football at all. He started playing for one reason -his basketball coach, also the school's football coach, made him. "Actually, I quit the first day," Avant said. "He put me at linebacker, and I didn't want to play linebacker. I toughed it out that day, and after that day was over, I told him I wasn't going to play any more. But he put me out there again, and I just did it because I didn't want to stop playing basketball. "I didn't really get my way, but it's just life." Life is working out pretty well for the Chicago native. Avant, who didn't even like football until after his first season was over, instantly made a name for himself on the gridiron, drawing better scholarship offers than he had on the court. Now in his sophomore year, he still plays basketball for fun, but he's fully dedicated to football. While Avant may be the unkown among Michigan's fantastic receiving trio that also includes Braylon Edwards and Steve Breaston, Avant's play has put him right up there with them. He's sec- ond on the team with 32 receptions for 525 yards. Avant has just one touch- down catch to Edwards' seven, but Avant catches the longballs - he aver- ages 16.4 yards per catch and hauled in a 71-yard pass at Iowa. And he seems to catch everything that's thrown his way. Michigan considered playing the ver- satile Avant at safety, and he thinks he could hold his own at running back - his position that first year of high school football - but he loves being a receiver. Avant doesn't mind at all that he does- n't get loads of attention. In fact, he's awfully self-aware. He said he doesn't use the speed of Edwards and Breaston tball player as a motivator -he wants to get faster because "that's one of the things I want to do, not just because of them."And he didn't care that Michigan already had tal- ented receivers when he got here - he focused on his own game. Avant is too busy just being himself to worry about measuring up to anyone else. The 6-foot-1, 203-pound Avant is a physical wideout - "I feel like I have to be the aggressor," he says - who actu- ally likes to block when he doesn't get the ball. And he's known by his teammates as someone who always works hard in practice. He remembers something his high school coach used to tell him: "Proper preparation prevents poor per- formance." Much of his outlook on football and life comes from his days growing up in a hardscrabble Chicago neighborhood. Avant said during his stint at Carver High, he saw athletes "fall by the way- side. A lot of guys had the ability and talent to do things, but their attitude and things off the court hindered their play." Avant, who has an impressive maturi- ty about him, took notice. "That's what changed my whole atti- tude around, and that's who I try to be - I try to be humble, try to stay calm, all those types of things. And it's been working," he said. Avant is quietly confident and very demanding. When Michigan won a sloppy game against Indiana on Sept.27 and some of his older teammates weren't overly concerned with the team's lackluster play, Avant expected more - and he had no qualms about saying so. In his season-and-a-half at Michigan, Avant has earned respect and high praise from coach Lloyd Carr. "He's one of the best players in this league, and before he leaves here he'll be one of the best football players in the country, I believe," Carr said. "He's a guy that, if he could physically do it, you would never take him off the field. There's nothing he can't or won't do to help this football team. "He's an emotional guy that has a great competitive spirit and will to win. He's always looking to get better, and he's a coach's dream, I'll tell you that." There's little doubt now Jason Avant is a football player. 4 14 cooking up new lines 4 Betty Crocker? Nope. Hamburger Helper? No dice. Kraft Easy Mac? Not in this house. Every fall, Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson cooks up the Wolverines' new lines the old fashioned way: from scratch. After losing three key players in the offseason - Danny Richmond to professional hockey, Jed Ort- meyer and John Shouneyia to graduation - and welcoming one of the finest recruiting classes in the nation, who can blame him? A clean slate and fair chance for everyone is in order. With talent running as thick as it ever has, Beren- son says it's going to take some time for him to fig- ure out everybody's niche. "Typically this is the time of year we will make some changes here and there as we go," Berenson said. Over the first couple weeks of the season, Beren- son partook in some shuffling that would make Ickey Woods proud, but recently he found some solid amalgamations. One line in particular stood out last Saturday. In only their second game on the ice together, junior Eric Nystrom, sophomore Jeff Tambellini and freshman T.J. Hensick played brilliantly, as the Wolverines prevailed over Quinnipiac last Saturday, 3-2. Tambellini grabbed all the head- lines, netting every Michigan score with his first career hat trick, but the line's collective work wasn't forgotten. "The way we played with the line is really why Tamby had success," Nystrom said. "T.J. was set- ting him up, and I was kind of stirring some traffic in front of the net, and that's how we have to do it if we want to be successful." "On Saturday night, that line was the differ- ence-maker," Berenson said. "Tambellini was the recipient. Another night it might be Nystrom or Hensick." The line features three completely different play- ing styles, but Berrenson sees big things for this big name trio. "I like the ingredients on the line," Berenson said. "You've got a young, talented centerman (in Hensick) that needs leadership and guidance. We've got one of our captain's on that line with Nystrom, who's a solid two-way player, and then you've got arguably our top goal-scorer on the other side. So, I think it has got the potential to be a real good line." Tambellini likens this situation to his experience last year, when he thrived on the first line as a true fresh- man, leading the team in points (45) and goals (26). "It's a good line," Tambellini said. "It has got a little bit of everything. It's like my line was set up last year with Ortmeyer and Shouneyia. We've got a power forward with Nystrom and a good playmaker with T.J. So, I think it's a real good mix." Although each player in the trio has a different playing style, they share a common approach to the game. Every day after practice, these three are among the last Wolverines to step off the ice. "We all enjoy the game so much. It's so fun to be out here," Tambellini said. "Everyone's got the same mindset." Berenson maintains that no line is set, but Tam- bellini believes this group has staying power. "This line has got a chance to stick, I think throughout the whole year," Tambellini said. "Just the way it sets up - it's going to work." Courtney Lewis can be reached at cmlewis@umich.edu Riley's place established early on in keeper's life By Megan Kolodgy Daily Sports Writer Some things just turn out right. Michigan goalkeeper Beth Riley did not have high hopes for her first field hockey practice. The then-eighth grader simply tagged along with some friends. When the coach looked at the girls expectantly, asking, "So, who wants to be the goalkeeper this year?" Riley kept her mouth shut. Then, she noticed something. Her friends were all pointing at her. She good-naturedly took her position in the box, and from that moment on, it was clear: The goal was the place for Riley. "I've loved it ever since;'she said. It's not difficult to see why Riley, a Pennsylvania native, would enjoy the sport so much. Since August, when the freshman began her athletic career at the University, she has seen action in 11 See RILEY, Page :MA 0 DAVID TUMAN/Daily Michigan junior Eric Nystrom has had success with a new line so far this season. Contrace tive Injection medroxyprogesterone acetate injectable suspension Birtk cor--trol you thin-k ae ourt jus-t L4- x a year 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 (13 weeks). To continue your contraceptive protection, you must retum 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 durin the second haf of your menstrual cycle. DEPO-PROVERA acts by preventing your egg ce Is 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 or pregnancy to occur How effective is DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection? The efficacy of DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection depends on following the recommended dosage schedule exactly (see "How often 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 must be given ONLY during the first 5 days of a normal menstrual period ONLY within the first 5 days after childbirth if not breast-feeding; and, if exclusively breast-feeding, ONLY at the sixth week after childbirth. It is a Iong-term injectable contraceptive when administered at 3-month (I3-week) intervals. DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Inection is over 99% effective, making it one of the most reliable methods of birth control available. This means that the average annual pregnancy rate is less than one for every 100 women who use DEPO-PROVERA. The effectiveness of most contraceptive methods depends in part on how reliably each woman uses the method. The effectiveness of DEPO-PROVERA depends only on the patient retuming every 3 months (13 weeks) for her next injection. Your health-care provider will help you compare DEPO-PROVERA with other contraceptive methods and give you the information you need in order to decide which contraceptive method is the rightchoice 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 be used and the typical rate of pregnancy (which includes 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 Sirregular or scanty menstrual periods " high blood pressure - migraine headaches "*asthma Sepilepsy (convulsions or seizures) Sdiabetes or a family history of diabetes - a history of depression + if you are takin anyprescription or over-the-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 DEPO-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 12 months; about 83% of those who become pregnant will do so in about 15 months; and about 93% of those who become pregnant will do 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 you to become pregnant after you stop using it What are the risks of using DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection? I Irregular Menstrudl 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-PROVERA, you might have one or more of the following changes: irregular or unpredictable bleeding or spotting, an increase or decrease in menstrual bleeding, or no bleeding at all. Unusually heavy or continuous bleeding, however, is not a usual effect of DEPO-PROVERA; and if this hap pens, you should see your heath-care provider right away With continued use of DEPO-PROVERA, bleeding usuall decreases, and many women stop having periods completely In clinical studies of DEPO-PR VERA, 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 23Yes of ruse. The reason tht You r Deriosop0is hecause [DEPO-PROVERA 6.Other 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 persistent pain. pus. or bleeding at the injection site What are the possible side effects of DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection? l.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 .1 pounds over those 2 years, or approximately 4 pounds per year Women who continued for 4 years gained an average total of I 3.8pounds over those 4 years, or approximately 3.5 pounds per year Women who continued for 6 years gained an average total of 16.5 pounds over those 6 years, or approximately 2.75 pounds per year. 2.Dther Side Effects in a clinical study of over 3,900 women who used DEPO-PROVERA for up to 7 years, some women reported 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, swelling 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, urinary tract infections, allergic reactions, fainting, paralysis, osteoporosis, lack of return to fertility, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolus, breast cancer or cervical cancer. If these or any other problems occur during your use of DEPO-PROVERA, discuss them with your health-care rovider: Should any precautions be followed during use of DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection? I Missed 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 2Laborory Test Interoctions If you ae"scihedu led for any laboratory tests, tell your health-cre pnovider that you are using STUDENTS WITH CROHN'S DISEASE OR ULCERATIVE COLITIS Please join Dr. Ellen Zimmermann Associate Professor of Gastroenterology, U of M for an special session discussing: Surgical Options for IBD Next Meeting will be Tbnr rl av rnlak -a l wlatn A Lowest - Method Expected TypIcsl DEPO-PROVERA 0.3 03 Implants (Norplant)4 0.2 *02' Female steriationl 0.2 I 04 i i mi