2B - Monday, November 19, 2007 v.1 t The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Carrs contributions extended beyond the field
The Lloyd Carr era is officially
Some people are probably
rejoicing - and
judging by the
comments on our
website and letters
to the editor we
received last night,mb e
maybe "some"
should probably be
switched to "most."
But even though SCOTT
he may ultimately BELL
be remembered
as the guy who
couldn't topple Jim Tressel and Ohio
State's evil empire in the late stages
of his career, Carr's time at Michigan
has been anything but unsuccessful.
I could recite his great win-loss
record (he's won more than 75 percent
of his games for all you haters), but
Carr's contributions to this program
extend much further than what fans
see on the field 12 Saturdays a year.
Carr was a rarity in college football
- a coach who aimed to educate his
players both on and off the gridiron.
As Michael Rosenberg of the
Detroit Free Press wrote: "Unlike a
lot of coaches, he actually reads books
with letters other than 'X' and 'O.' "
Ad he made his players read those
books, too. In fact, Carr wouldn't
allow players in his office until they
would recite a word from the diction-
ary to him.
'Daly Athletic Bill Martin raved end-
lessly of Carr's intangibles following
Saturday's game.
"He is so intent on the gradua-
tion rates, on these kids' academics,"
Martin said. "And he always, always
brings that up with them at every
meeting."
Carr was and will continue to be
a pioneer for area charities, like C.S.
Mott's Children's Hospital. Fundrais-
ing events he's backed have raised
tens of millions of dollars for different
groups.
Ever go to Carr's Wash for Kids?
Not only did it raise money for those
who needed it, but it put a positive
light on the football team in the com-
munity. Could the next coach be
another great face for the program?
Sure. But he'll have a hell of an act to
follow when you consider everything
Carr has done.
"He does so much for our hospi-
tals in terms of fundraising, making
his time available, that nobody even
knows about," Martin said. "He'll get
a note from somebody who has a sick
second cousin in the hospital. Lloyd
goes and sees that person in the hos-
pital."
Even though Carr will have more
free time to do these things, it won't
be associated with the Michigan foot-
ball program as much.
Carr will likely stay with the pro-
gram is some form, whether it's as an
associate athletic director or a consul-
tant. But the new face of the program
will be whoever takes over as head
coach.
People underestimate what Carr
did for the perception of this pro-
gram. He took over for a coach who
was forced to resign after a drunken
disorderly conduct incident. He took
the football program's new post right
after the Fab Five gave Michigan
sports a new look. That new look
translated to a sketchy reputation as
the years passed, but Carr's programs
never hada hint of controversy.
Recruiting violations? Ha. That was
a laughable thought with Carr at the
helm.
It may sound like I'm praising
somethingthat should be easy, but
running a clean program for 13 years
is quite an accomplishment in itself
consideringcollege football's current
landscape.
So before everyone starts planning
the Welcome Les Miles Rally for a few
months from now, it's only fair to give
Carr the credit he deserves.
He's won five Big Ten Champion-
ships in 13 seasons. He's reminded
Michigan fans what it's like to be a
National Championship contender.
And he's done it all with class.
So before everyone rejoices because
next year's team will runa few less
zone left plays, make sure you give
respect where respect is due.
And it's definitely due for the well-
spoken, articulate coach who has the
respect of nearly everyone whose
respect is worth having within the
coaching fraternity.
- Bell can be reached at
scotteb@umich.edu.
RODRIGO GAYA
Michigan coach Lloyd Carrled the Wolverines to one National Championship and five Big Ten titles in 13 years.
Club rugby unitedin
questfor Nationals"
quetQ faN
LAKERS
From page 1B
goal."
Added junior defenseman Mark
Mitera: "I just don't think we were
ready for the intensity that they
brought. They came out harder than us,
and we just couldn't match that."
The second period, though, saw more
action on the open ice, and Lake Supe-
rior (0-4-0, 2-7-1) couldn't keep up with
the speed of the Wolverines' forwards.
Porter, and his linemates senior Chad
Kolarik and freshman Max Pacioretty,
benefited most from the wide open
play.
The three potent forwards moved
seamlessly through the Laker defense
with crisp, precision passes. Kolarik to
Pacioretty to Porter - Michigan fans
should get used to some combination
of those names for the rest of the sea-
son. With a pass from Porter to Mitera
as the catalyst, Pacioretty struck first
with an easy goal at four minutes in.
Just more than a minute later - the
first line was out again - Porter drew
second blood. His rebound poke-in put
the Wolverines up for good.
"That line, they were a tough line for
Lake State to handle," Berenson said.
"When they're playing well, which
they have in just about every game, it's
always good to get them back out on
the ice. They were strong tonight. They
were good with the puck. As much as
we're trying to play four lines, we've
got that one line that can be special on
any given night."
A win's a win. But if Michigan hopes
to continue tallying victories - espe-
cially with No. 10 Wisconsin and No. 12
Minnesota coming to Ann Arbor next
weekend for the College Hockey Show-
case - the Wolverines will have to find
a way to dress up some ugly wins.
4
4
By MACKENZIE MELVIN
For the Daily
A rookie on the Michigan men's rugby
club team was in for a surprise during his
first match.
He was a big guy and had only played
lineman for his football team in high
school. But during the match, he found him-
self with the ball, and then he found himself
running. When he came off the field, he told
first-year head coach Dave Perpich he had
never ran with the ball in a game before.
"Everyone canrun with the ball," Perpich
said. "Everyone has a shot at the top. There
are no starters or set positions. ... Everybody
who comes out to practice plays."
The underlying theme of the Michigan
Rugby Club, as well as its key to success, is
that the team is a close-knit circle. Whether
in scrums on the field or at socials with their
opponents after matches, every player, no
matter age or experience, has respect for his
teammates.
"Our captain Tex (Aaron Dodd) is very
poignant in making sure the team plays as
a unit and in making sure we are all on the
same page" senior Max Mikulec said. "He is
the one who makes sure that everything we
do we gel together and that helps us on the
field."
The benefits of the team's cohesiveness
were obvious in their defeat over St. John's
University for the Midwest Champion-
ship and a berth to Nationals. Players were
missing from the match because of various
injuries, including senior captain Jacob
Leedekerken because of food poisoning. But
because of the club's dedication to develop-
ing all their players and not just starters,
they pulled off the victory in a tight match,
27-24.
"We had freshmen going that really
stepped up," Leedekerken said. "It showed
that our team was not just 15 but a full team
of 22."
They became a full team of 22 through
hard work and dedication. Every player
commits to practices twice a week, condi-
tioning once a week and training on their
own to increase their strength for games
against larger opponents such as St. John's
University. Some players even stayed on
campus during the summer to practice
together. "We've had a lot of commitment
among the younger and older guys," Leede-
kerken said. "We did a lot of extra practices
outside of the regular practice times, such
as conditioning, working on various plays
and strategies for the games."
Their hard work paid off. The team will
be traveling to California for Nationals this
April, a place it hasn't been since spring
of 2005 when it lost in the semifinals. The
Wolverines are expecting stronger and
faster teams than themselves in April. Until
then, the club hopes to continue to develop
as a full unit and hone their rugby IQ that
got them this far.
"It takes the same kind of commitment
we had at the beginning," Dodd said. "We
hope to use these four months to our advan-
tage and be twice as good as we are now."
Between then and now, the team will also
be going on its spring tour, during which
it travels across the world for matches. In
the past, the Wolverines have been to
places such as Argentina, Ireland and the
Bahamas. Perpich thinks their trip will only
help to bring the team closer together.
"The first time you cross the equator,
you're never going to forget the people you
were with," Perpich said. "That's forever."
The team, which is self-funded, also tries
to incorporate charity projects into their
spring tours. When the tsunami hit Thailand
in 2004, Michigan changed its tour location
from England to the damaged region. The
team competed in matches and also helped
victims. In 2006, the Wolverines traveled to
Mexico to compete against a local select side
and to teach orphans the rules of rugby.
"You get to know a lot about a person
when you travel together," Perpich said.
"You also get to know a person in an 80 min-
ute game of rugby."
The members of the Michigan men's
rugby team has more than gotten to know
one another since the beginning of the sea-
son. It is a close group of brothers that spend
as much time together off the field as on it
- and the bonds they have created will be
beneficial long after Nationals in April have
ended.
SAUER: Junior continues successful season
From page 1B
puck in front of him to keep Michigan in
the game.
"It could've been 5-5 if he wasn't in the
net today," senior captain Kevin Porter
said after Friday's contest. "He played
unbelievable today, especially in the first
and early in the second. He held us in
there, and we got that goal and got the
momentum. He gives us confidence, and
that's when we start to pick it up, when
we see him make great saves."
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY: In
the waning seconds of Saturday night's
contest, junior Travis Turnbull burned
past the defense and took ahard slapshot
toward the Lake Superior goalie - a nor-
mal hockey play.
Except for the fact that the last sec-
ond had long since ticked off the clock in
Michigan's 6-2 win Saturday night. The
final buzzer had clearly sounded well
before Turnbull cocked the shot at goal-
tender Brian Mahoney-Wilson.
"He made a poor decision," Berenson
said. "You know, the buzzer went, and I
thought he had time to hold back on his
shot, and then he took a shot at the goalie.
It's seemingly harmless, but you don't do
that. The buzzer went. The game's over.
Don't do that. That's a poor decision on
his part."
Laker defenseman Steve Oleksy espe-
cially took offense to the late shot and
shoved Turnbull hard into the boards.
Several bare fists connected with
unmasked faces before the refs, who
seemed initially not to notice the fight,
6
i
CHANEL VON HAtBSBURG-LOTH RINGEN/Daily
Junior Travis Turnbull got in trouble for a shot after the buzzer sounded Saturday.
skated over to break it up.
The Lake Superior faithful booed
Turnbull all the way back to the Michi-
gan bench, where he was escorted by the
head ref following the altercation.
Ultimately, Turnbull received two
minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct,
four minutes for roughing after the whis-
tle and a 10-minute misconduct. Oleksy
drew four minutes for roughing after the
whistle.
players and fans alike were obviously
excited to host the nation's No. 1 team
this weekend.
When the Wolverines traveled to
Taffy Abel Arena, Lake Superior was
ready for them. Michigan looked com-
pletely unsettled by the Lakers' overtly
aggressive style of play in the first period
of Friday's contest. Lake Superior scored
the lone goal of that period before losing
Since Turnbu
game misconduc
pended from nf
Hockey Showcas
ADDED MOT
ill's penalty was not a According to Berenson, his team's top
ct, he will not be sus- spot in the USA Today poll could have
ext weekend's College been a major contributor to the Lakers'
e. dominant first-period performance.
IVATION: The Laker "You have to give Lake State credit,"
Berenson said. "They hear all this talk
about Michigan coming into their rink
INTO WEB No. 1 or No. 2. We know that's not real-
istic, but just to say that is good motiva-
DESIGN? tion for Lake State. I mean, their coach
told me that was their best game in three
E-mail grossman@ weeks. They were ready to play, and they
michigandaily.com. got the jump on us with that first goal."
4
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