0 The Michigan Daily - michigandail' Soph signs wil Kings By SCOTT BELL and JACK HERMAN Daily Sports Editors Michigan star defenseman Jack Johnson finalized a contract with the Los Angeles Kings yesterday afternoon and will likely make his NHL debut Thursday night. Johnson's agent, Pat Brisson, confirmed the deal was made, but did not disclose the terms of the sophomore's contract. "We just wanted to make sure he gets a fair deal in the marketplace," Brisson told The Michigan Daily yesterday. "The Kings treated him well. Sometimes it just takes time." Jack Johnson, Sr. also confirmed the deal in a voicemail he left a reporter last night. The Kings are expected to make the announcement today. Johnson was flying from Denver - where the Wolverines lost to North Dakota 8-5 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Saturday - to Los Angeles last night. The contract was to be signed once the plane landed in Los Ange- les, but the terms for the deal are already worked out, according to Johnson, Sr. y.com Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - 9 Daily Sports for hire For those of you who don't frequent the NCAA job listing website, you might not have realized Michigan has posted an ad lookingfor a new men's basketball coach (seriously, we're not joking, check out our blog at michigandaily.com/thegame for the link). Some of the responsibilities include "coaching," "recruitment of qualified student-athletes," "support of academic progress oftstudent-athletes," "budget management," and "community relations." A bachelor's degree is required, but a graduate on is preferred. Someone with "a thorough knowledge of NCAA rules and regulations" is wanted. Anyway, we'd like to throw the Daily Sports name in the ring for the position. 41E. Huron St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104 Bill Martin Athletic Department UniversityuofMichigan 1000 Snuth State Street Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2201 Mr. Martin: We at Daily Sports would like to officially applyfor theopening of men's bas- ketball coach, job ID 7593. Despiteour lack ofthead coaching experience, we feel wecan be a valuable addition to the Michigan program. We know basketball ust ask the State Nws writersnwhotwecrushad in East Lansingljust a tewweeks agn. adding tourextensive intrastate rivalry trnphy case. Even more important, we know New York. After all, thanks to Tommy, we've taken quite a few trips out there. Asfor the rules and regulations thing, don't worry, we've got that covered, too. We haven't been sued for at least three years, and iftwe are sent totrial, we'll dress up in more thanjust a turtleneck. We promise. Bottom line, we realize thedollar is also important to you Bill, and that's why we want to let you know we work cheap. It won't take much to beat the $1 an hour salary we earn here. And we won't complain about Crisler Arena; it's a step upfrom our place on Huron Street -- and the holes in the wall. Sincerely, Daily Sports PETER sCHOTTENFEL /Daily Sophomore Jack Johnson will likely make his NHL debut for the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks. The CCHA's Offensive Defen- seman of the Year's debut won't occur tonight like he originally planned because he hasn't under- gone an NHLPA-mandated physi- cal yet. Instead, he will most likely play against Vancouver on Thurs- day night in Los Angeles, according to Brisson. Contract negotiations started after the NCAA Tournament loss late Saturday night and continued for about two days until the two sides came to an agreement yester- day afternoon. If he debuts Thursday, Johnson could play in Los Angeles' final five games. The Kings are out of con- tention for a playoff spot. Johnson will return to Ann Arbor after the NHL season to take classes rather than playing for the Kings' minor league team in Man- chester, N.H. "He's only going to be gone for three weeks," Jack Johnson, Sr. told The Michigan Daily Sunday. "He's coming back. He's going to get a degree from Michigan. That's the No. 1 thing: He promised (Michigan coach Red Berenson) he will graduate." The Carolina Hurricanes picked Johnson with the third-overall pick of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft - two spots behind his friend and NHL superstar Sidney Crosby. After Johnson turned down multi- ple contract offers, the Hurricanes traded his rights to the Kings on Oct. 1, 2006. This time, however, Johnson couldn't let the opportunity pass him by. "I thought I was ready for a new challenge," Johnson told the Daily Sunday. "With all my close friends, the seniors, now gone and everything, I thought it was time for me to pretty much go for a new challenge." - Amber Colvin and Nate Sandals contributed to this report. Fans of all kinds at The Fish By COURTNEY RATKOWIAK Daily Sports Writer The Opening Day rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" was interrupt- ed between NOTEBOOK verses with- shouts of, "FI- SHER! FI-SHER!" The fans weren't cheering because they were excited to be at the Fish for the first time this year. Twenty members of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity were supporting senior Matt Fisher in an effort to get him into the game. Last year, the same cheers dur- ing the home opener helped Fisher, a walk-on who made the team as a junior, make his Ann Arbor debut. "The coach admitted last year that we had an influence on him givingFisher an at-bat, sowe'retry- ing to plant the seed that he should be in the game," said junior Rich Nemesi, a member of the fraternity. "I think he likes about 80 percent of the attention, and 20 percent of the time, he wishes we weren't here." Sophomore Kerry Hance, a defensive specialist on the Michi- gan volleyball team, lived in South Quadrangle last year next to sopho- mores Adam Abraham and Mike Wilson. After Friday's volleyball practice, she and her teammates ran to the field to cheer for her for- mer hallmates and her boyfriend, junior Nate Recknagel. "They come to all of our games," Hance said. "We come to all the games that we can, but we also have a (volleyball) spring season, so we're missing all day (Saturday). We try to make it at least to the tail end of the games." Senior Jeff Monahan, a member of the Maize Rage, attended some oflastseason'sregular-seasonbase- ball games and the Big Ten Tourna- ment. Monahan brings a cowbell to games, along with six or seven members of the Maize Rage to "yell nonsense at the other team." "Tobehonest,I'malittleashamed because this is my first opening game at (The Fish)," Monahan said. "I haven't been able to make it out See BASEBALL, Page 10 Junior Nate Recknagel was just one of the many Wolverines who received warm fan support last weekend. Many fans came out for opening weekend at The Fish. ForYour Best Choice in 'New revolving tudent loan Financial Services 'M' checks Free online banking 24/7 SATls oct campus tamcttorg -Three campus branches email: umcu@umcu.org tudoncVlSA credit card phone:734-662-8200 rtU f college student purchase program - E F LINO LN AAFRCURY vi 1i