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 SOnly avalable through the Computer Showcase EsCRALY 8 S htp://showcasq itcs.umich.edu RANDOLPH COURT APARTMENTS ~ zE2 Bedroom Apartment Homes ~ Ground Floor Ranch Style! Private Entrance! Patio! 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