NEW STUDENT EDITION SPOT S SECTION E NEWS: 76-DAILY wwwmichigandally.com Fall 2003 J. BRADY MCCOLLOUGH NC.AAdecides on u I .Frostbitten but still wearng a smile: An introduction to Wolverine sports M ark Bonges had never been a fan of Michigan sports. Really, he wasn't a sports fan at all. His father was a University alum, but Mark - from Evanston, a Chicago suburb - had not even attended a Michigan football game. He only watched the Wolverines on TV when they were playing - gasp -Northwestern. When talking about legends like Bo Schembechler, Desmond Howard and Charles Woodson, you might as well have been speaking in tongues as far ask Mark was concerned. But then he enrolled in Fall 2000. And by some miracle, Mark ordered football season tickets. Whew! That was a close one. By the end of his first semester, Mark had attended every home game and road games at Northwestern and Ohio State. All of a sudden, he knew what it meant to be a Michigan football fan. He'd experienced what some consider the most heartbreaking loss in Michigan history in Evanston (54-51 last-second loss that ended Michigan's chances at an outright Big Ten title) and the ending of the John Cooper era in Columbus (a 38-26 win that pushed Coop's record against Michigan to 2-10-1). Within four months, Mark had become such a "Michigan man" that he would sacrifice anything to help his beloved Wolverines win - including his fingers. Late into one frigid January evening, Mark joined a friend from South Quad in taping up "Don't go pro Dave and Drew" signs all over the Diag and the rest of Central Campus. They shared one pair of gloves. Of course, Terrell and Henson did not return to Michigan, but that's OK, regardless of what Mark's fingers would tell you. Mark made the right decision - one that I am encourag- ing all of you to make. And get this - you can even keep your functioning body parts. Frostbite is not a requirement. Embrace Michigan sports. Let them infect you like a virus eating through your computer's hard drive. Many of you are reaching for your own anti-virus right now. For some, that will be your classes. For others, you'll be much more worried about creating Saturday morning hang- overs than actually showing up for those obnoxious noon football games. Maybe you're so devoted to the notion that professional sports are vastly superior to college, so why even bother? I'm looking at you here, New Yorkers and Long Islanders. It's not our fault the only college athletic event you've ever been to is Fordham basketball or SUNY-Pur- chase football. Put away your anti-virus, whatever it may be. There are the obvious reasons to be a Michigan fan. Michigan wins. The football team has won the most games in college football history. It's won 11 national champi- onships. The basketball team, even after deleting 100-some- thing wins from its record books, won a national title in 1989 and many Big Ten titles. The hockey team has won nine national championships and has become a yearly lock to make the Frozen Four. But then again, the Yankees win a lot, too. So do the Lak- ers. Having a 4.0 GPA makes you a winner in most circles. Becoming a beer pong superstar also makes you a winner about three nights a week. But, we all enjoy winning more than anything, and being a Michigan fan provides that sensa- tion regularly. Michigan has tradition. But not tradition like lesser schools only claim to have. Michigan Stadium - you'll know it as the "Big House" - is the largest football stadium in the country. It's bigger than every pro stadium, and only soccer stadiums in Europe can rival its intimidation factor. Michigan has the best uniforms in just about every sport - hands down. There is nothing like putting on your Michigan football replica jersey (or in the sorority girl's case, the blue shorts with maize "Michigan" printed across the back side) and heading down to Hoover Street. As Schembechler put it, "Tradition is something you can't bottle. You can't buy it at the corner store." However, buying beer at the corner store is also a tradition that many students cherish. Studying at the picturesque law library is a tradition that has stimulated the mind of Michi- gan men and women for ages. As I said, there is more tradi- tion packed into a fall Saturday afternoon at the Big House than anywhere else in the country, but it's easy to find else- where on campus. So, winning and tradition. "I don't have to be a Michigan fan to experience those things," you say, like the all-knowing freshman that you are. You may be right, But when you're sitting at the cafeteria table at your dorm with a total stranger, and you are grasping for something interesting to talk about, knowing who John Navarre is or that the Michigan basketball team is on proba- tion might not be such a bad thing to know. Michigan sports will be the one thing that will connect you to just about every person in that cafeteria. They tran- scend everything else at the University, because they're big- ger than the University. Over the next four years, Michigan sports will take you on the ride of your life. All you have to do is jump on board. Who knows? You might end up with no fingers. By Gennaro FMice Daily Sports Editor' For what it called, "one of the three or four most egre- gious violations of NCAA bylaws in history," the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions banned the University's men's basketball team from next year's postseason on May 8th. The committee also ruled that the program will be placed on probation until November 2006 and lose one of its 13 scholarships each year for four years starting in the 2004-05 academic year. Michigan's violations date all the way back to the early '90s Fab Five era, and involved four former Wolverines - Chris Webber, Robert Traylor, Maurice Taylor and Louis, Bullock - who altogether received over $616,000 from now-deceased booster Ed Martin. University President Mary Sue Coleman admitted that the basketball program deserves additional punish- ment by the NCAA, but not in the form of another year of postseason ban. She says that the University will "completely accept" the probation, loss of scholarships and disassociation aspects, but intends to appeal the postseason sanction. "We've always accepted responsibility for the concerns raised by the NCAA and by the Infractions Committee that are displayed in this report," Coleman said. "We own the wrongdoing, and we own the responsibility." "However, I have to tell you that I am disappointed that the committee's actions will have the effect of punishing our cur- rent, uninvolved student-athletes with this additional one year ban from postseason play' she added. Committee chair Thomas Yeager feels that all sanc- tions were needed, regardless of whom they affected. "The Committee on Infractions cannot shirk its responsi- bility to the entire membership by failing to apply meaning- ful and appropriate sanctions against the University in order to protect the postseason opportunities of current, and as we acknowledge, uninvolved student-athletes," Yeager said by teleconference. The Committee of Infractions is an independent adminis- trative body composed of representatives from NCAA member institutions and the general public. All members either have experience in ath- letic departments or law. Another stipulation in Michi- gan's punishment will be completely disassociating itself from the four play- ers for the next 10 years - the largest disassociation ever hand- ed out by r t h e NCA A . the disas- """s ciat ion, - Michigan cannot sanctions banners from Crisler Arena and eliminating all records of the quartet in any printed materials. Michigan also returned the $450,000 earned from postseason appearances in the '90s. "Although the self-imposed penalties are significant and appropriate, as mitigated for the institution's cooperation and efforts to uncover the facts, as well as the time factor of the time of the violation, the committee concluded that addition- al penalties are warranted," Yeager said. Many Michigan faithful share Coleman's displeasure with the postseason ban, but Yeager says it could have been much worse. "A two-year postseason ban isn't the worst that could've happened by any stretch," Yeager said. "When the committee evaluated all these factors, and gave sufficient weight to the University's cooperation, mitigation, age of the case, self-imposed penalties, we felt it was a two-year case in which one has already Y MOLOSHOK/Daily been served." nd other If the appeal fails, the 2003-04 season n's troubled will be Michigan's second straight cam- face another paign with a postseason ban. But, accord- ason play. ing to point guard Daniel Horton - who will be a sophomore next season - the team remains optimistic, and no one has any intentions to leave the program. "Everybody's coming back (for next season)," Horton said. "I look at (the possible postseason ban) as another chal- lenge. We can show tremendous character if we are able to overcome this and still have a great season." Michigan's postseason ban includes both the NCAA and NIT tournaments, but the Wolverines are eligible to play in the Big Ten Tournament. Most of these violations took place while Steve Fisher - currently head coach at San Diego State - held the head coaching position at Michigan. The NCAA said there were many "red flags" that Fisher should have picked up on dur- ing the time, but found no wrongdoing by the coach. "There was no direct evidence that (Fisher) was involved in the violations. Hence there's no penalty,Yeager said. In July, Webber was on trial for obstruction of justice and receive any assis- t a n c e (in cluding financial) from DANN Bernard Robinson ai members of Mlchlga basketball program1 year without postsei the quartet and is6 barred from giving them any benefit or privilege, either directly or indirectly, that is not avail- able to the general public. The NCAA also expects the University to implement other actions to elimi- nate their involvement in the athletic program, and completely remove them from all University records. Last November, the University self-imposed a number of penalties that went into effect in the 2002-03 season. Besides banning itself from any 2003 post- season play and placing itself on two years of probation, Michigan basically erased all existence of the four afore- mentioned players by forfeiting 112 regular season and tournament games which they took part in, removing four 1996 February: While driving to Ann Arbor after visiting Ed Martin's home in Detroit, five Michigan men's basketball players and one prospective recruit are involved in a car acci- dent. An investigation into the car's owner- shiprr4at sive SUV) arises. June: Michigan and the Big Ten Conference submit a joint investigative report to the NCAA. 1997 March: To counter allegations against the men's basketball program by the NCAA, for- L CASE HISTORY: FROM THE mer Michigan President Lee Bollinger demands that an independent investigation of Martin and his relationship with student-ath- letes be carried out. Octoben During the independent investiga- tion, it is concluded that there is enough evi- dence o Envict Martin of three secondary violations, and a report is submitted to the NCAA. 1999 May: Michigan is informed that after an FBI investigation, officials discovered that Martin, involved in his own gambling ring, had made improper payments to former Michigan bas- ketball student-athletes. 2002 May: Martin pleads guilty to a conspiracy of laundering money in exchange for the other seven counts of his indictment being dropped. He agrees to cooperate fully with further Michigan investigations. July: Representatives of the NCAA and Michigan meet with Martin's attorneys, the FBI and an assistant US attorney to gather information about Martin. Octoben A letter of official inquiry is received by Michigan. Novemben Michigan responds with self- imposed penalties, including a ban on 2003 post-season competition. 2003 February: Michigan appears before the NCAA Division.I Committee on Infractions. May: The Infractions reports is released, dicttating that Michigan refrain from post- season competition in the 2003-'04 season, be placed on probation until 2006 and lose one of their thirteen scholarships for the next four years. COURT TO THE COURTROOM National hockey tide eludes Icers in overtime defeat By Bob Hunt Daily Sports Writer BUFFALO, N.Y. - It seemed like the Michigan hockey team was finally going to take that next step. After coming out and dominating the first period, developing a 2-0 second-period lead, the Wolverines had a berth in the NCAA national title game in their grasp. But for the third straight year, it wasn't meant to be. Minnesota goals late in the second period and early in the third gave freshman Thomas Vanek a chance to score in overtime and defeat the Wolver- ines to advance to its second straight title game. At 8:55 in overtime, Vanek got al3way from junior alternate captain Andy Burnes behind the net before he received the puck and put it between goaltender Al Montoya's right shoulder and the post. The defeat was the seventh national semifinal loss in nine NCAA Frozen Four appearances for the Wolverines in the past 12 years. "We really came in here feeling like we had a chance to win it," Burnes said. "We had the chemistry all year long and the leadership. I still feel like we should have won that game." Michigan got the vast majority of the scoring chances in the first period, outshooting Minnesota 15-5 and scoring at 9:33 when freshman Andrew Ebbett passed the puck off the draw to fellow fresh- man Brandon Kaleniecki, who wristed the puck past Minnesota goaltender Travis Weber's glove. But the Wolverines mustered just one goal in the period in part to some spectacular saves by Weber. "We really needed to score more than one goal in the first period," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "We had them on their heels, and we needed to make those chances count because you knew that it was not going to be a one-sided game." Senior two-year captain Jed Ortmeyer received a pass from freshman Jeff Tambellini right in front and put the puck through Weber's legs, putting the Wolverines up two. But the Golden Gophers con- See HOCKEY, Page 7E DANNY MOLOSHOK/Daily Dwight Helminen (10) and Eric Nystrom (21) lower their heads in dejection as Minnesota celebrates its 3-2 overtime victory. Guevara resigns, Burnett steps up to save program By Jim Weber Daily Sports Writer This isn't how it's supposed to go. Once a program is rebuilt, it's not sup- posed to fall apart again. After taking over a miserable women's basketball program and leading it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament just two years ago, Sue Guevara saw her last two teams take nosedives. Two years in a row, Michigan started the season strong in the nonconference schedule, but ended it limping to the fin- ish. This past season, the Wolverines started off 9-2 before finishing tied for last in the Big Ten (3-13) and 13-16 over- -n1 T n o ainv ra__ fi, I: n 1 rn~ c a a before she became head coach. It was also her last season. Just a cou- ple weeks after the Wolverines were elim- inated in the Big Ten Tournament, Guevara resigned after a meeting with Athletic Director Bill Martin. So what went wrong the past two sea- sons? It appears that what helped Guevara become the winningest coach in Michigan women's basketball history didn't work anymore. Guevara always tried to trans- form her players into leaders that are men- tally tough. But according to players on last year's team, Guevara's style of coach- ing, combined with her frustration in los- ing, resulted in too much criticism. Guevara, who was a two-time Big Ten fr, of te .V-nr Pninati t+e imanr- "I look at an Anne Thorius, who, when the going got tough, she got everybody together and put them on her shoulders," Guevara said of her point guard that led the Wolverines to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in the 2000-01 sea- son. "That is tough." The problem is, no one assumed Tho- rius' role since she graduated. Two years. ago, Michigan moved shooting guard Alayne Ingram to the point, something she struggled with all season. This past season, the point guard duties were han- dled by several freshmen, while captain and preseason All-Big Ten pick LeeAnn Bies struggled throughout the Big Ten season at center. The nst twn eanne xmnlifv why feelings get hurt in the process, so be it. "I talked to a player once because she was upset about the way someone said something to her. And I pulled her off the floor and I said, 'When you play in the Gus Mackers (basketball tournament), don't people talk trash and swear at you and stuff? Do you crumble? Or do you fight? Do you go back at them? What do you do?' " I go back at them,"' the player said, according to Guevara. "Well, then why can't you do the same thing here?"' Guevara asked. "'It's the same thing. You have to block that out."' From bad to worse The problem is, some players thought Guevara hecame overly critical once the I I r