Thursday January 15, 2004 sports.michigandaily.com sports@michigandaily.com PORTS 9A Ryznar offers power, grin and cereal bowls Daily columnist returns to journalism after brief hiatus By Gennaro Rlice Daily Sports Writer It looked as though a highlight-reel hit was inevitable. In the third period of Michigan's 7-1 drubbing of Ohio State on Saturday, left winger Jason Ryznar came to a com- plete stop at center ice and, with his head down, tried to collect the puck. Buckeyes forward Dan Knapp recog- nized Ryznar's vulnerability from across the ice and started toward Michigan's 6- foot-4 left wing with a full head of steam. Oblivious to the 175-pound scar- let-and-gray blur headed his way, Ryz- nar continued to struggle with the puck. Just as Ryznar looked up, contact occurred. A highlight-reel hit had taken place ... only Knapp, not Ryznar, lay on the Yost Ice Arena surface. With a simple double-wristed thrust, Ryznar had propelled Knapp, and his forward momentum, straight backward and into the ice, igniting a raucous cheer from the Michigan student section. The laid back kid from Anchorage, Ala. had laid out another opponent. "(Ryznar's) got that physical pres- ence, and teams are scared, I think, when he's out there," said junior center Andrew Ebbett of his linemate. Ryznar - who missed seven games earlier this season due to his third shoulder injury in two years - looks like he's back at 100 percent. Ohio State saw first-hand what a healthy Ryznar is capable of, as the junior hit the game- winner on Friday night and physically dominated the Buckeyes all weekend. "That's Ryz's game," junior Dwight Helminen said. "He gets out there, and he's a big, strong kid, and he cycles that puck. He's probably the best strong cycler in the country." But, for every blow that Ryznar deliv- ers, Michael Woodford - who plays right wing on Ryznar's line - likes to point out the ones he has received. "We like to give him a hard time because sometimes the smallest guy on the other team will knock him down," Woodford said. "It's kind of an inside joke because last year, when I separated my shoulder, this guy was like 5-foot-7, he hit me and it separated," Ryznar said. "This year, same thing: littlest guy on the ice hit me, and it separated my shoulder." ; . .-- Jason Ryznar's hit turns the tables on Ohio St Joking aside, Woodford praises Ryz- nar's play. "When he's playing his game, he's deadly coming out of the corners - there's no one that can match up to him," Woodford said. Although Ryznar's aggression is very apparent on the ice, teammates describe him as very easygoing off of it. "He's a pretty quiet guy off the ice - he's a jokester, a comedian," Ebbett said. "He's not serious at all, I don't think -he just smiles 24-7." Ryznar lives with teammates Eric Nystrom, Milan Gajic, Andy Burnes, Brandon Rogers, Jeff Tambellini and JEFF LEHNERT/Daily tate's Dan Knapp. Woodford. Burnes - the house's lone senior - feels that, at times, Ryznar is a bit too laid back. "He's definitely a little toddler, you know, terrible two's," Burnes said. "He blows through cereal, and he's not too good about putting his bowls in the dishwasher, either. (He) just throws bowls in the sink, and before you know it, there's about 20 bowls and about 45 spoons in the sink." Ryznar acknowledges Burnes' claim. "It's messy at times, but Burnes keeps it under control - cracks the whip sometimes," Ryznar said. "Burnes is the mom of the house." Ghost story: Will Penn State's Mazzante haunt Michigan? CHRIS BURKE Goin' to Work The time has come. I would like to officially announce my retire- ment from journalism. This is not a decision that came easi- ly for me. I've consulted family and friends. Athletes and fellow columnists. Priests and oracles. But I feel that I've accomplished as much as I could have hoped. Over four years, I have been able to write article after article, lock down a weekly column, and cover women's gymnastics, ice hockey and men's bas- ketball. Retiring at this time gives me time to pursue some other things in life. It will allow me to put a concentrated effort into hobbies and relaxation. Heck, maybe I could even land that 4.0 GPA for a semester. Hopefully, my retirement will lead to some "going away" presents. Perhaps a car, some stock or at least a golden pen. Most importantly, though, my retire- ment will allow me to do this: I OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE MY TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO JOURNALISM! It's a gutsy decision, I know. But anyone can retire. It takes a real man to unretire. I can now consider myself in the company of such sports legends as Michael Jordan, Dominik Hasek, Bill Parcells, Roger Clemens and Mario Lemieux. Those five are probably the most high-profile figures over the last few years that have made unretiring - to quote Billy Madison - "the coolest". Clemens is the latest to come back from retirement. And he played his cards perfectly. Last year, especially during the New York Yankees' playoff run, everything was, "This could be Clemens' last time on the mound." After his final start in the World Series, Clemens left the mound to a standing ovation in Florida. Even the Marlins came out of the dugout to salute the 300-game winner. Clemen1s walked to the edge of the Yankees' dugout, tipped his cap, and left the field for the "last time." Clemens received "going away" presents from opposing teams, and a really expensive car from Yankees' owner George Steinbrenner. Just three days ago, Clemens appeared again and signed a contract with the Houston Astros. When I saw live shots of his signing, I kept waiting for him to look at the camera and yell out, "Made you look!" It seems as though professional ath- letes are confusing the idea of retire- ment with that of taking some time off If someone retires, they aren't sup- posed to return. You're supposed to retire when you don't want to work anymore - when it's time to settle down and take vacations and mow the lawn. So now Roger Clemens is back in baseball, and those who support hiir will tell you that there's nothing that says you have to stay retired. Which is like saying to your significant other, "I know you're listening to what I'm say- ing, but are you really hearing me?" My unretirement probably won't land me much fanfare. I probably won't be offered a huge contract to go and write for a another college newspaper. That's fine. Plenty of no-names have walked the unretirement trail. Guys like Gary Roberts, Doron Sheffor and Joey Kocur (hockey, basketball, hockey, respectively - if you were wondering). I'm happy to be lumped in with the lesser-know unretirement stories -1 can be one of those guys that, when:I finally do retire for good, can say "I have as many unretirements as Roger Clemens." The phrase "retire for good" is kinid of oxymoronic these days, thanks tp professional sports. No matter ... I'm back, baby! And I'll see you right here next week. Unless I decide to reretire. Chris Burke can be reached 4t chrisbur@umich.edu By Eric Ambinder Daily Sports Writer For four years, Cheryl Burnett coached a basketball legend. Tonight, she coaches against one. No. 8 Penn State's (4-0 Big Ten, 11-3 overall) All- American guard Kelly Mazzante needs just 28 points to break the Big Ten record of 2,578 career points - a feat she can accomplish tonight against the Wolver- ines (2-1, 9-7) at Crisler Arena. But the mastermind that helped inspire such an illustrious career may be standing in the way - Bur- nett, who coached Jackie Stiles at Southwest Missouri State before leaving for Michigan. Stiles graduated to the WNBA as the NCAA all- time leading scorer. It was the game of Stiles that Mazzante studied adamantly between her freshman and sophomore years. The same dribble penetration, three-point range and poise of Mazzante are all ghostly reminders of Stiles. But Mazzante should be the scared one. Thanks to Stiles, Burnett had four years to prepare for Mazzante. "I experienced what other teams did to shut (Stiles) down that I thought was extremely challenging, and I will draw from that," said Burnett about her strategy in defending Mazzante. Burnett uses coaching philosophies that allow her team to prepare for the opponents' best player, even when it isn't playing top talent. This groundwork, Bur- nett believes, has trained the Wolverines to handle teams like Penn State and players like Mazzante. "I tell them that if they are playing against the best defender in the country, and they can screen, and they can read, then they can beat that player," Burnett said. "Same defensively. If we're playing against the best offensive players, and we use those defensive rules, we can shut those players down." Penn State coach Rene Portland's offense resembles the one Burnett used for Stiles. In its simplicity, the offense is geared around Maz- zante, and her ability to shoot the ball repeatedly - a style that Portland partly modeled after Michael Jor- dan's Chicago Bulls teams of the 1990s. Mazzante's 259 field goal attempts this season are 83 more than any other teammate. And, like Jordan, Mazzante plays under a blanket of pressure every game. High above Penn State's Bryce Jordan center hangs the "Mazzante Meter," a countdown of points she needs to become the Big Ten's all-time leading scorer. If excelling in front of Stiles's former coach isn't incentive enough, the "Mazzante Meter" reads just 28. While Mazzante will try to break an individual record tonight, the Wolverines will be preoccupied with a collective goal - beating the team that kept them locked in the Big Ten basement most of last year. Michigan lost to Penn State at home last season, 72- 70, in a game it should have won. This crushing loss triggered an eight-game conference losing steak. "I feel that we're real confident and ready to play," junior Tabitha Pool said. "We wanted that (Penn State) game a lot (last year). We had it. We stopped their key players. But, I think that this year we're going to have a better outcome" ". ..800 feet of Gulf Beach Frontage " 2 Large Outdoor Swimming Pools Sailboat, Jet Ski & Parasail Rentals " Lazy River Ride & Water Slide k Huge Beachfront Hot Tub " Volleyball " Suites up to 12 people World's Longest Keg Party * Live Band & DJ ,;<< Wet T-Shirt, Hard Body & Venus Swimwear Contests SPEND A SEMESTER OVERSEAS (and stay in the U.S.) Learn in the vibrant, multi-cultural community of Honolulu. Enjoy a university experience like no other. Be far away, but at home with the language and customs. It all adds up to a semester you'll never forget.