2B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - December 13, 2004 Weis near si SOUTH BEND (AP) - New England Patri- ots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis has told friends he has accepted the Notre Dame coach- ing job, returning to the school he graduated from in 1978. And Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said yesterday the team wants to send Weis out "the right way." Mark Bavaro, a former Notre Dame player who was with the New York Giants while Weis was on the staff, said Weis told him Saturday that he was taking the job at Notre Dame. "He was excited, but he was much more con- cerned about the Cincinnati game today," Bava- ro said yesterday. "That's the way he is, very focused." Dr. Jim Benenati, who roomed with Weis for four years at Notre Dame, said Weis had told him he has agreed to take the job and he was excited about becoming a head coach. "It's the greatest thing that could ever happen to the school, and probably the best thing that could ever happen for Charlie," said Benenati, a radiologist in Miami. The Fighting Irish have been searching for nearly two weeks for a replacement for Tyrone Willingham. A university source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press on Satur- day that Notre Dame was close to a deal with Weis, but it was not a done deal. Asked as he left the field after New England's 35-28 win over Cincinnati for his thoughts on Weis, Brady told CBS, "Even though he's leav- ing I think everyone's going to enjoy these last few games and hopefully we send him out the right way." Weis will attempt to restore Notre Dame to the powerhouse program it was when he attend- ed the university as an undergraduate while Ara Parseghian and Dan Devine coached the Fight- ing Irish. Weis never played for Notre Dame. Associate athletic director John Heisler said Sunday afternoon that the school "was not in a position to make an announcement yet." "We're not prepared to say it's official yet," he said. New England coach Bill Belichick wouldn't comment about Weis' status after the game. Patriots owner Robert Kraft was asked about Weis after New England defeated Cincinnati yesterday about Weis. "Tomorrow, when they announce it," he said, declining further comment. Weis was not available after the game. ESPN reported that Weis has agreed to a six- year contract worth about $2 million a year. inini with Notre Dame Athlete of the Week Name: Stann Waithe Team: Men's track and field Hometown: Towson, Md. Class: Sophomore Why: Waithe wrote his name into Michigan history by setting meet records in both the 200- and 400-meter events during the men's track and field team's Maize and Blue Intrasquad Meet on Saturday. But Waithe's points weren't enough to propel the Blue team to victory. Maize emerged victorious, 660-560. Waithe finished the 200-meter race in 22.06 and paced the 400-meter event with a time of 48.69. 'M' SCHEDULE Date Event 12/14 M Basketball vs. Boston University 12/14 W Basketball at Western Michigan 12/18 12/18 12/18 M Basketball at UCLA W Basketball at Maine M Gymnastics Maize and Blue Intrasquad 12/28 W Basketball vs. Oakland 12/29 Ice Hockey vs. Michigan Tech 12/29 M Basketball vs. Delaware State 12/30 Ice Hockey vs. Michigan State or New Hampshire 12/30 W Basketball vs. Illinois 12/31 M Basketball vs. UNC-Asheville 1/1 Football vs. Texasl 1/1 W Swim/Diving vs. Notre Dame 1/2 Wrestling vs. Central Michigan 1/2 W Basketball vs. Michigan State Daily's NFL Power Ei01 Location Time Ann Arbor 7 p.m. Kalamazoo 7 p.m. Los Angeles 2 p.m. Orono, Maine 2 p.m. Ann Arbor 7 p.m. Ann Arbor 7 p.m. Detroit 4:30 p.m. Ann Arbor 7 p.m. Detroit TBA Ann Arbor 7 p.m. Ann Arbor 1 p.m. Pasadena, Calif. 2 p.m. St. Lucia 3 p.m. Ann Arbor 1 p.m. Ann Arbor 2 p.m. A 4 2. rNew Engiand I( -i ). Rtlanfta iU-3) * Sure, the Pats only beat the * TJ.DuckettscoredfourTDsagainst Bengals by a touchdao. sBut they the Raidersyesterday. Noke. And in qualified tar the playoffs agairst his raokie coaching seasan, Jim Moa New England Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, right, has told friends he may join the Fighting Irish. Weis was considered a candidate for an NFL Willingham was fired on Nov. 30 with a 21-15 head coaching job this year, just as he had been record over three years. Urban Meyer accepted last season. The Patriots' long playoff run last year the Florida job after meeting with Notre Dame hampered Weis' hopes,. though. He interviewed athletic director Kevin White and the Rev. John with the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills, but Jenkins, the incoming university president. an NFL rule prohibits assistants from being hired The Irish then focused on Weis, Bills offen- while their teams are in the playoffs. sive coordinator and former Irish quarterback He could have faced a similar obstacle this year. Tom Clements and Redskins defensive coordi- The door at Notre Dame opened, though, after nator Greg Blache, a former Irish assistant. 4 4. Indianapolis (10-3) 8. NI..Jets (9-4) Ptn Manning eeds just two . "No, they dnt show up against moreTD passes to be Marino's record. . the Steelers. Yes, they're still in line TheColtsalsoclinched a playoff berth for a playoff spot in the incredibly after beatingtheTexans. stacked AFC. Tiger tops tough field, wins Target THOUSANDOAKS,Calif. (AP) - At this rate, Tiger Woods probably can't wait for the 2005 season to start. Woods turned in his most com- plete round of a difficult year yester- day, missing only two fairways and one green in closing with a 5-under 66 for a two-shot victory over Pad- raig Harrington in the Target World Challenge. It was Woods' second straight stroke-play title after going without one on the PGA Tour for the first time in his career. Woods won the Dunlop Phoenix on the Japanese tour last month by eight shots. The Target World Challenge is the last of the silly-season events and doesn't count as an official victory. Still, Woods beat an elite 16-man field with a game that is tarting so look vaguely familiar. "Every shot I wanted to hit, I hit," Woods said. He finished at 16-under 268 and won $1.25 million, which he donated to his foundation. Harrington, who held off Woods at Sherwood Country Club two years ago, got into contention with a 31 on the front nine, then kept pace until a couple of errant shots cost him on the final three holes. The Irishman hit his approach into a hazard on the par-5 16th, but had a chance to play out toward the green. It went into a bush, he had to knock that out left-handed and wound up with a bogey. After a clutch birdie on the 17th to get back within one shot, Harrington drove into rough so thick he had no chance to reach the 18th green. He closed with a bogey for a 66, his only consolation a $750,000 check. Colin Montgomerie, who had a two-shot lead and was trying to win his first stroke-play title in the United States, bogeyed the first hole and never caught up. He shot 71 and finished at 13-under 271 with Jay Haas (69). Miguel Angel Jimenez had a 70 to finish another stroke behind. Woods was coming off his worst season on the PGA Tour. His only victory was the Match Play Champi- onship in late February, he failed to seriously contend on the back nine of any major and he lost his No. I rank- ing to Vijay Singh in September out- side Boston. But the swing changes he began in March appear to be taking hold, and the last month has been proof. So was yesterday. Woods had full command of every shot, and there would not have been much drama if he could have made a putt. He missed six birdie chances inside 15 feet, and his longest putt for par was 8 feet. That might have been the biggest, however. Playing in the group behind Har- Tiger Woods, heating up of late, won the Target World Challenge yesterday. rington, Woods pulled his 2-iron into a tree next to the 16th green and had to punch into the thickwrough guard- ing the green. As he was starting his downswing on a flop shot, a man on the bridge yelled out, "C'mon Woods!" Woods dropped the club in disgust as sheriff's deputies took the man away. He backed off the par putt, and he and cad- die Steve Williams pumped fists when it dropped to protecta two-shot margin. He kept his distance by hitting with- in 20 feet the last two holes. The only green Woods missed was a 5-iron out of thick rough on the 485-yard l1th hole that trickled off the putting sur- face and sat up in the first cut. "I felt very comfortable with my swing," Woods said. It was a good test under pressure, thanks to Harrington. Woods quickly made up ground on Montgomerie with a 10-foot birdie on the opening hole, a bunker shot to 6 feet for birdie on the par-5 second and a 240-yard 6-iron into 30 feet for a two-putt birdie on the par-5 fifth. Harrington proved to be the threat with a 31 on the front. "I figured Monty or Jay was going to put something up on the front," Woods said. "I didn't think Harrington would shoot 5 under. I had to keep pace, and I felt like I did that." Lions blow game at GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - The er, slipping behind center Domi- Green Bay Packers only led for two nic Raiola and shaking off Kabeer seconds yesterday, and that was Gbaja-Biamila on his way to scoring enough to keep their stranglehold the first rushing touchdown Green over the Detroit Lions, who haven't Bay had allowed in 22 quarters. won in Wisconsin since 1991. Hanson added a 36-yard field Ryan Longwell's 23-yard field goal into the wind for a 13-0 half- goal gave Green Bay a 16-13 win time lead. over the Lions and lifted the Pack- The Packers committed six pen- ers (8-5) into first place in the NFC alties for 74 yards in the first half North by a game over Minnesota, and were flagged at least once on all which lost at home to Seattle. three of the Lions' scoring drives. The Lions blew a 13-0 halftime Packers linebacker Paris Lenon, lead and also wasted a prime chance starting on the weak side for Na'il to get into the playoff picture in the Diggs (kidney) had a pickoff cradled muddled NFC, falling to 5-8. in his left arm when his teammate, Longwell's third game-winning field rookie Ahmad Carroll, swiped it goal in five weeks capped a 10-play, 37- away and put it on the grass, result- yard drive after the Packers got the ball ing in an incompletion instead of an back at the Detroit 42 with 3:27 left and interception in the first half. the wind at the their backs. Gusts up to 35 mph wreaked havoc on passes, punts and long snaps and caused a slew of drops. Brett Favre completed just 3 of 15 passes for 28 yards in the first half but he was an amazing 16-of-21 in the swirling winds for 160 yards and a touchdown in the second half. Detroit quarterback Joey Har- rington completed just 5 of 22 pass- es for 47 yards as the Lions relied on rookie running back Kevin Jones, who rushed 33 times for 156 yards and a touchdown. The Packers had a terrible first half, beginning when Longwell slipped on the opening kickoff. Favre entered the game needing 28 yards to tie Dan Marino's NFL record of 13 consecutive 3,000-yard seasons, and he had exactly that amount at halftime. Jason Hanson's 31-yard field goal was the only scoring either team managed in the first quarter, and Detroit coach Steve Mariucci appeared to make a big blunder when he failed to call timeout before the quarter expired with the Lions at the Green Bay 30. Jones reeled off a 6-yard run on third-and-2. Instead of a long field goal try, the Lions had the ball at the 24, and Jones ran it in from Lambeau The Lions committed five pen- alties, including three 15-yarders, on the Packers' opening possession of the third quarter, yet Green Bay couldn't get into the end zone, set- tling for Longwell's 36-yard field goal to pull to 13-3. Running back Ahman Green's 79-yard touchdown catch-and-run was negated by head linesman Paul Weidner's debatable holding call on rookie center Scott Wells. Pushed back to his own 13, Favre drove the Packers downfield against the wind, capping the drive with a 23-yard touchdown toss to Donald Driver that made it 13-10 late in the third quarter. Longwell kicked a 28-yard field ann +o tip t nt VAw"th 10-6"lef 4 4 5 W J 0 Located next to The University of Michigan Football Stadium; beautiful 4-bedroom house built in 1899 (Original Woodwork) sleeps 5/6 students. Completely furnished , full kitchen, dining room, living room. Basement with washer and dryer with 2 large basins. Plenty of storage and 3 FREE PARKING SPACES. Wooded area surrounded by picnic tables and comfortable Adirondack choirs for settling down to read a good book or just plain studying. 4 U-M fans. get in the gym. 4 Green Bay Packers wide receiver Javon Walker (84) hauls in a pass against the Lions yesterday. The Packers defeated the Lions despite trailing throughout the game. FOOD FOR THOUGHT Baby Killer The impact that is felt when you are called Baby Killer after return- ing from war is one that hits you hard, stays with you and con- tinues to grow. For those who ever called someone Baby Killer, think of it any time you hear of a war veteran committing suicide. 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