'M' says farewell to sanctions

The Michigan Daily - Monday, April 17, 2006 - 7C

By Chris Burke
September 25,2003
It turns out the Michigan basketball team will be able to
play for something more than pride this season.
The NCAA's postseason ban on the Michigan program
has been lifted, and the Wolverines will be eligible for the
2004 NCAA Tournament and the NIT, a source close to
the Michigan basketball family told The Michigan Daily
late last night.
An official announcement is expected sometime
today.
The Detroit Free Press also reported a "person at U-M
familiar with the situation" confirming that the ban has
been lifted.
Michigan's appeal of the postseason ban was the final
issue up in the air regarding the NCAA's investigation into
the program's scandal involving booster Ed Martin.
In the early- to mid-1990s, Martin had given more than
$600,000 to players on the Michigan basketball team.
Prior to the 2002-03 basketball season, the University
imposed penalties upon itself, forfeiting 112 games, as
well as returning more than $400,000 to the NCAA, tak-
ing championship banners down and placing the program
on two years probation.
Last May, the NCAA Infractions Committee cited the
severity of Michigan's violations and handed down pun-
ishments to the Michigan program that included the post-
season ban, four years of probation and the loss of one
scholarship a year for the next four seasons.
The ruling also demanded that the players who were
known to receive money from Martin - Chris Webber,
Maurice Taylor, Robert Traylor and Louis Bullock - be
dissociated from the University for 10 years.
"In total, this is one of the three or four most egregious
violations of NCAA bylaws in the history of the asso-
ciation," NCAA Infractions Committee Chair Thomas

Yeager said at the time. "The Committee on Infractions
cannot shirk its responsibility to the entire membership
by failing to apply meaningful and appropriate sanctions
against the University in order to protect the postseason
opportunities of current and, as we acknowledge, unin-
volved student-athletes."
At that point, the University decided to appeal just the
postseason ban, despite the fact that appeals are rarely
upheld by the NCAA.
"We believe the additional postseason ban is counter to
the core mission of the NCAA enforcement," Michigan
Athletic Director Bill Martin said in May. "Our current
student-athletes were not involved in any way."
Michigan went through with the appeal in hopes of
minimizing the punishment to current players. Now,
thanks to the unexpected reversal, the Wolverines have
the opportunity to make the NCAA Tournament for the
first time since 1998.
Late last night, Michigan coach Tommy Amaker
returned from a recruiting trip and met with his team.
While Michigan awaited word from the NCAA appeals
committee, the situation jumped back into the public
limelight recently. Former Michigan player Chris Web-
ber - who received $280,000 from Martin - plead
guilty to perjury on Sept. 16. Webber was then sentenced
to 300 hours of community service in the Detroit area.
On Sept. 19, University officials requested that a federal
judge demand Chris Webber reimburse the school with
$695,000.
Martin, ironically, passed away on Feb. 14, the day that
Michigan representatives appeared before the NCAA to
plead its case.
Michigan was one of last season's biggest surprises,
posting a 17-13- (10-6 Big Ten) record. The expected
announcement also comes on the heels of an anonymous
donor's gift that provided returning student season ticket
holders with free season tickets for the upcoming year.

SOFTBALL
Continued from page 6C
done yesterday - gave our team a
lot of confidence," Bruin first base-
man Lisa Dodd said.
UCLA (40-20) had already estab-
lished momentum and looked to be in
control of the game after jumping ahead
in the second inning. With the bases
empty and two outs, Dodd - UCLA's
No. 8 hitter - took a 0-1 pitch from
Michigan starter junior Jennie Rit-
ter over sophomore Rebekah Milian's
glove and over the leftfield fence.
After Michigan tied the game up,
the best chance for UCLA to seal its
third consecutive national champi-
onship came in the ninth inning.
Kristen Dedmon blooped a
leadoff double just short of a div-
ing Giampaolo, and was subse-
quently moved to third base by
way of a Krista Colburn bunt.
Dodd then found her way to
first base after Ritter walked her
on four straight pitches. Ritter
rebounded by getting Ashley Her-
rera to pop up to Haas at second
base. Duran - who was 2-for-3
on the night coming to the plate
- was intentionally walked. Rit-
ter and the Wolverines escaped
the inning after Tara Henry hit a
sharp grounder to Leutele, who
threw it to an outstretched Findlay
to secure the third out.
"I knew we could get out of it
because we had gotten out of it
before," Ritter said. "I wasn't wor-
ried because I know my defense

does a great job."
Ritter improved her season record
to 38-4. She allowed four hits and
five walks, striking out four in the
process. Findlay's three hits and
four RBI's on the night propelled
her to Most Outstanding Player
honors for the series. She ended
the tournament with a .409 batting
average, with nine hits and eight
RBIs - both tops for the series.
Findlay, along with Ritter, senior
Jessica Merchant and junior Stepha-
nie Bercaw were named to the All-
Tournament team.
"It's just a great team and I
couldn't have asked for a bette
team to play for," Findlay said. "I
would take this team over any indi-
vidual awards, because this team
has meant the world to me."
The final out was recorded in the
bottom of the 10th when Ritter got
Dedmon to pop the ball up. Mer-
chant and Leutele both went for the
ball, but Merchant ended up being
the Wolverine who came away with
it. The dugout cleared and mobbed
Ritter in the middle of the field-r
except for Merchant, who ran ovey
and tackled Findlay.
The win gave Michigan its first
ever national championship in soft,
ball, and was only the second for
a women's program. It is the 52nd
overall championship by a Michi-
gan varsity program.
Michigan's victory also marks
the first time a team east of the Mis-
sissippi River has won a national
championship in softball.

ILE PHOTO
Due to his involvement with booster Ed Martin, Chris
Webber was dissociated from the University for 10 years.


Edwards fuels 30'

By Gennaro Filce
November 1, 2004
With less than nine minutes left on Saturday,
the Big House was as quiet as it has been in years.
DeAndra Cobb's 64-yard touchdown run gave
Michigan State a seemingly insurmountable 27-10
lead. But the Wolverines weren't quite ready to fold
in the 97th meeting with their in-state rival.
"One of the things
that we always talk about "This is the gre
around here (is) the things I've ever played
that it takes to be a cham- feeling is unexr
pionship team," Michigan It's one of the 2
coach Lloyd Carr said. victories I've ev
"There's a lot of things you part of, and ma
have to be able to do: You of the greatest
have to continue to believe University of M
in yourself when things -S
look bleak."
True freshman quarter-
back Chad Henne, who fin-_
ished 24-of-35 for 273 yards and a career-high four
touchdowns, adhered to Carr's demands for opti-
mism: "We were sitting on the sideline and every-
body was down, and I was thinking in my head,
'There's still a chance' "
And following an unbelievable finish to regula-
tion, three Braylon Edwards touchdowns and three
dvertime 'periods, the Wolverines had completed
one of the most improbable wins in school history,
prevailing 45-37.
Michigan moved from 12th to 10th in the Associ-
ated Press rankings and remained unbeaten in the
Big Ten.
Michigan (6-0 Big Ten, 8-1 overall) began on
the comeback trail in its drive following Cobb's
touchdown. The Wolverines put together a nine-
play, 86-yard drive that ended with a 24-yard Gar-
rett Rivas field goal with 6:27 left to bring Michigan
within 14. The drive was fueled by a 46-yard bomb
to Edwards, who had struggled in the game's first
three quarters.
On the ensuing kickoff, sophomore fullback
Brian Thompson recovered Rivas's onside kick.
"It was not meant for us to lose," Edwards said.
"If you get an onside kick, it's like maybe we're sup-
posed to win. It's divine intervention - it comes
from above. I got down on my knees and thanked

d
gi
v4
a
:e
en

God. I said, 'God, you put us in a situation to make
it happen.' "
Henne got the Wolverines in the endzone in just
15 seconds, completing an 11-yard pass to Mike
Hart - which was coupled with a 15-yard face-
mask penalty against Michigan State - and then
airing it out to Edwards for a 36-yard touchdown.
On the reception, Michigan State cornerback Jaren
Hayes had positioning, but Edwards just reached
over Hayes's head and ripped
test game the ball away before coming
[in. The down in the endzone.
)lainable. After two penalties on
reatest Michigan State's next drive
er been a - a problem that marred coach
ybe one John L. Smith's team all day as
ever at the it accumulated 14 penalties for
ichigan 123 yards - the Spartans punt-
nior cornerback ed to Michigan with 3:24 left.
Marlin Jackson Hart started the drive with
a 26-yard run up the Michigan
sideline. Immediately following
the run, Edwards reflected the mounting excitement
with a shimmy at the Michigan State 20-yard line.
And on the very next play, Edwards sent Michigan
Stadium into absolute pandemonium, as he once
again beat Hayes in single coverage for a 21-yard
touchdown, tying the game at 27.
"(Edwards) made some unbelievable catches, and
if he doesn't make those plays, we're not standing
here," Carr said. "He was an All-American today,
and he's been an All-American all year long."
Michigan State (3-2, 4-4) tried to end the game
with a 51-yard field goal into a strong wind as time
expired, but kicker Dave Rayner missed short and
left.
In overtime, Michigan State won the coin toss
and elected to play defense first. The Wolverines
failed to get a first down in their drive and took a 30-
27 lead on a 34-yard field goal by Rivas. Michigan
State drove the ball effectively in its possession and
faced a third-and-one from the four-yard line. The
Spartans sent Cobb, who finished with a career-high
205 yards rushing, straight up the gut. But Michi-
gan's defensive line got a great push, and senior Roy
Manning tackled Cobb for a two-yard loss. Rayner
converted a 23-yard field goal to send the game into
a second overtime.
Michigan State had the initial drive that time

victory
around. After a 15-yard completion from Damon
Dowdell - who played the entire second half after
Spartan starter Drew Stanton dislocated his right
shoulder on a second-quarter hit by LaMarr Wood-
ley - to Agim Shabaj, Michigan State rode Jason
Teague into the endzone, giving the junior the ball
three straight times.
The Wolverines tied the game at 37 with a five-
play drive that ended in the corner of the endzone on
a third-and-goal touchdown grab by an outstretched
Jason Avant, who had dislocated his finger earlier
in the game.
In the third overtime, Michigan had the first pos-
session. On third-and-nine, Henne found Edwards
wide open over the middle, and the senior scam-
pered into the endzone for a 24-yard touchdown.
"They were trying to decide who was going to
take me," Edwards said "Toward the end of the
game, they were manning Roderick Maples up,
so whenever Hayes was on me, they would switch
and put Maples back on me. So I think Hayes was
expecting Maples to come over and he didn't, so
they were probably a little off guard:"
Following two sub-par games, Edwards put his
name back in the Heisman Trophy race with 11
catches and 189 yards for three touchdowns. Most
of Edwards's production came in the fourth quarter
and overtime.
"I knew what number they were going to dial, and
I knew I had to answer the call," Edwards said.
After a spectacular two-point conversion catch
by Tim Massaquoi (by NCAA rules, teams must go
for two after the second overtime period), Michigan
held a 45-37 lead.
Michigan State couldn't do much on what would
be its final drive, and again shot itself in the foot with
a big offensive pass interference penalty on tight end
Eric Knott. On fourth down, Dowdell made one
last heave to the endzone, but senior Markus Curry
broke up the pass intended for wide receiver Aaron
Alexander and the celebration began.
"We just kept fighting," junior safety Ernest
Shazor said. "Coach Carr kept telling us we could
do it, and we believe in coach Carr 100 percent."
The Wolverines received another stellar perfor-
mance from Mike Hart. The true freshman rushed
for 224 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries, becom-
ing the first Wolverine ever to rush for 200 yards in
three consecutive games.

FILELHU
Braylon Edwards's three touchdown catches helped spur Michigan's comeback from a 17-point
deficit in its triple overtime win over Michigan State.

Cagers topple rival

By Seth Klempner
January 27,2003

Senior Gavin Groninger ran out to center court to meet
freshman Daniel Horton and hoist him above his shoulders
seconds after the Wolverines clinched their first victory
against Michigan State in five years. The image of the two
embracing at center court for a moment before they were
rushed by fans and players alike, arms stretched towards
the heavens, will surely be implanted in the mind's eye of
the Michigan basketball program for years to come.
The sold-out crowd in Crisler Arena was on its feet in
anticipation of redemption in the waning seconds of the
Wolverines' 60-58 win over Michigan State - a win that
ended five years of dominance on the part of the Spar-
tans, who had rattled off eight straight wins and several
blowouts.
With six and a half minutes left, Michigan State sopho-
more Chris Hill slashed to the hole for an uncontested
lay-up. The bucket capped a 12-2 run by the Spartans and
gave them their biggest lead of the game at 52-47. Hill,
who did not start the game, finished as Michigan State's
leading scorer with 20 points and six assists.
But that would be the top of the hill for the Spartans,
who relinquished the lead to the Wolverines at 4:36 and
never got it back.
Michigan countered with a run of its own, scoring 11
unanswered points and holding Michigan State scoreless

for a six-minute span.
"We had the five-point lead, I don't thini
job of taking the best shots that we could
State coach Tom Izzo said. We "panicked
couple of long shots (at the end of the) sho
of times."
Referring to a play where freshman Da
hustled Michigan State freshman Paul D
ball late in the game, Izzo said it was "er
disappointing to me and our program and t
are what this team hasn't learned yet"
In the Big Ten season, staunch defens
cal for the Wolverines in the Big Ten, who
game defensive stands to extend or reclaim
them to win the game on the free-throw lit
Two quick lay-ups by freshmen Lester/
ton got Michigan back in it, and then a H
knotted the game at 52 a piece with 4:36 le
A minute later, senior captain LaVelll
did not make a basket in the game, let a th
corner that sucked the air out of Crisler.
team's leading scorer, came up short, cont
drought that left him 0-for-5 in the game.
Horton was the answer to the scoring
made a beeline around high screen, caught
son's pass, and let go a 3-pointer over Hill t
to find the bottom of the net. The bucket g
four-point lead with 1:24 remaining and c

Sparty by two
explode in jubilation.
k we did the best "That was a tough shot that he hit going away from the
get," Michigan basket, but maybe that is the mark of a great player," Izzo
and threw up a said. "Sometimes it is with scoring, and sometimes with'
t clock a couple passing and there are not a lot of guys who can do both.
"He has Mateen (Cleaves) qualities, he has a calming
niel Horton out- effect on his team. I am very impressed with Daniel."
avis for a loose Horton's classmates should have been equally impres-
nbarrassing and sive to Izzo. The five played with the poise and maturity of
hose little things veterans, providing key buckets in clutch situations. In all,
the rookie class scored more than two-thirds of Michigan's,
e has been typi- points.
have used late- "This is pretty big and it's just as physical;" Horton, as
leads, allowing Texas native, said of comparisons to the Texas-Oklahoma
ne. football rivalry. "The only difference is the fans aren't
Abram and Hor- fighting each other in the stands. I see now that it is a very
orton free throw special rivalry in the state."
eft. With one minute remaining, freshman Chris Hunter;
Blanchard, who stepped up and blocked an Erazem Lorbek dunk that
iree go from the was inches away from being in the cylinder. The block
Blanchard, the got Michigan the ball back, allowing it to stretch the lead
inuing a scoring beyond Michigan State's reach. Hill hit two 3-pointers in;
the final 30 seconds, but they would not be enough for the
dearth when he floundering Spartans, who are now 2-4 in the Big Ten.
Bernard Robin- Yesterday's win went a long way in restoring the rivalry,
hat was destined according to Izzo, who now believes that the teams are
gave Michigan a "perfectly even." But it also did a big job in redeeming the;
aused Crisler to previous three years of losing to all the Michigan seniors.y

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FILE PHOTO
Daniel Horton is hoisted up by Gavin Groninger following Michigan's two-point win.

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