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8 - Tuesday, November 4, 2008
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Team follows Lee's
lead to voting booth
ByRUTH LINCOLN
Daily Sports Writer
It was the mid-1990s, and a
young C.J. Lee had just seen the
film "Malcolm X."
Lee wasn't even 10 years old,
too young to understand the ide-
als and tactics of the revolutionary
leader, but he noticed how Mal-
colm X dealt with struggles larger
than himself, and the convictions
of a man striving for a cause.
"Regardless if you agree with
him or not, it was something that
was inspiring for me at a young
age," said Lee, a fifth-year senior
guard on the Michigan men's
basketball team. "That kind of
triggered something. I wanted to
know how society works and how
we operate together."
With his interest in politics
sparked, Lee enjoyed taking gov-
ernment classes through middle
school and high school. During his
last high school semester, the line
between basketball and politics
merged - his varsity coach, John
Nally, was also his government
teacher.
Lee followed the political path
through college and now holds a
bachelor's degree in political sci-
ence. He is currently pursuing a
master's degree in the Ford School
of Public Policy.
Lee voted in the 2004 election,
but this election season, the Pitts-
ford, N.Y., native has expanded
his impact. He has stressed to his
teammates the importance of par-
ticipating in the political process
and understandingthe candidates'
stances.
"C.J.'s always talking about
political issues," redshirt junior
forward Zack Gibson said.. "He
knows a lot about that, so it's good
to get some information."
The Wolverines have 11 players
who are eligible to vote in their first
presidential election. Lee has used
the locker room and other casual
settings to emphasize a broader
view of politics, encouraging his
teammates to read as much as pos-
sible, take in multiple perspectives
and make their own decisions.
Lee wouldn't say who he voted
for when he sent in his absentee
ballot in October, but said the big-
gest issue for him personally is
that a candidate shows compas-
sion towards others through their
thoughts and actions. Rather
than forcing one's ideas on anoth-
er, Lee has tried to take a com-
prehensive approach to learning
about candidates' platforms from
direct sources such as their offi-
cial websites.
"I think we need a leader who
can galvanize and rally everyone
and inspire them not only to be
better for themselves, but be bet-
ter for our country," Lee said "I
think we're at a time where peo-
ple are trying to really separate us
based on our differences."
Lee uses a similar mentality
in his locker room discussions.
When moral issues like abor-
tion arise, it's easy for a person to
become defensive, but Lee retains
his focus on the broader picture.
"He didn't really try. to like
force his views, but he said it was
important everyone gets out and
votes," freshman ZackNovak said.
"He wasn't trying to get some
extra votes for his guy. He just let
us make our own decisions."
Novak, a Chesterton, Ind.,
native, registered in Ann Arbor
this fall, saying he didn't want
to send in an absentee ballot. He
said some important issues for
him were the Iraq war, taxes and
abortion, but felt he took some
things away from his discussions
with Lee.
"I paid attention to what he had
to say," Novak said. "He gave me a
new perspective on things."
Novak said he will vote in the
Michigan Union today along with
many other Michigan students.
CLIF REEDER/Daily
Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez defended his coaching staff, which has been criticized in recent weeks, in his weekly
press coference.
Rodriguez: give
coaches a brea k
With hot start, Miller
rebounds from last year
By NICOLE AUERBACH
Daily Sports Writer
For senior forward Tim Miller,
rebound goalsthis season have been
a major rebound from last year.
The left-winger didn't find the
back of the net until the 34th game
of the year last season, but he didn't
waste any time this fall, notch-
ing the game-winner in the season
opener. He remained hot last week-
end against Ohio State, scoring two
gritty goals off rebounds.
"His strongest suit is around the
net," Michigan assistant coach Mel
Pearson said. "He's not going to
score manygoals fromthectop ofthe
circle. He's a big, strong, physical
kid, and that's how he has to play....
That's where Timmy's effective."
Friday's lamp-lighter came with
just 6:22 remaining and the game
tied, and the goal proved to be the
difference in the contest. Sopho-
more forward Aaron Palushaj
passed through traffic to the front
of the net, where Miller dove and
pushed the puck into the left side of
the goal.
"Palushaj's a play-maker," Miller
said. "So I just know if I get to the
net, the puck's going to be on my
stick, or it's going to be close to me.
I just have to work hard to get to the
net."
Miller credits his linemates,
Palushaj and sophomore forward
Louie Caporusso, with setting him
up for his goals last weekend. The
three currently make up Michi-
gan's top line, which means Miller
is seeing a lot more ice time than he
did last year.
Near the end of the first period
By NATE SANDALS
Daily Sports Editor
Two days after his team's 48-42
loss to Purdue, which guaranteed
Michigan's first
losing season NOTEBOOK
since 1967, coach
Rich Rodriguez refused to point
fingers.
Asked directly about the per-
formance of defensive coordinator
Scott Shafer, Rodriguez responded
sharply.
"It's a football team," Rodriguez
said. "To try to single out a player
or a coach, to me that's not right."
The coach wouldn't blame the
defense's 3-3-5 look, a formation
unveiled by Shafer against Pur-
due, for its struggles in the game.
The formation has a fifth defensive
back in place of a fourth defensive
lineman, and is designed to defend
a spread offense.
"Schemes don't. cause you to
miss 21 tackles," Rodriguez said.
"Schemes don't cause you to not
get off a block 25 different times or
stuff like that. It's not like the play-
ers aren't trying hard, but there's
a lot of fundamentals we've got to
work on as well as schemes."
Shafer has come under fire from
fans recently as the defense has
regressed statistically. Michigan
allowed Purdue, the ninth-ranked
offense in the Big Ten going into
Saturday's game, to gain 522 yards.
The Wolverine defense is ranked
last in the conference in every
major statistical category.
ComingtoAnnArborfrom Stan-
ford, Shafer is one of two Michi-
gan assistant coaches who didn't
follow Rodriguez from West Vir-
ginia or coach at Michigan under
Lloyd Carr. The other is lineback-
ers coach Jay Hopson.
Rodriguez shut the door on any
coaching changes before next sea-
son, at least for now.
"Just because we've struggled
at times in different units doesn't
mean they're a bad coach," Rodri-
guez said. "I'm sure a lot of people
are saying that I'm a bad coach.
Everyone can have their opinion."
The coach pointed out that he
and his staff have only been with
the program for 10 months and
said he remains confident that
Michigan will return to its win-
ning ways. But Rodriguez admit-
ted that the process might take
longer than he initially thought.
EYEING THE FAKE: At least one
Michigan player knew Purdue was
running a fake punt late in the
fourth quarter Saturday.
According to punter Zoltan
Mesko, Wolverine long snapper
Sean Griffin noticed that the Boil-
ermakers' long snapper was look-
ing down to aim the ball at upman
Anthony Heygood on that play.
The snapper had his head up on
the rest of Purdue's punt plays on
Saturday.
Heygood rushed down the left
sideline for 61 yards on the fourth-
and-eight play, giving Purdue a
first down at Michigan's seven-
yard line.
The Boilermakers scored a
touchdown three plays later to
take a 42-35 lead.
VOTE OR PRACTICE: Rodri-
guez has clear priorities this elec-
tion day. If the coach arrives at the
polls and sees long lines, he won't
think twice.
"If I have to wait, I'll be at prac-
tice and the vote will be missed,"
Rodriguez said. He wouldn't
divulge which presidential candi-
date he plans to vote for - that is,
if he makes it into the voting booth
tomorrow.
But while the coach won't
adjust his schedule to vote, he has
allowed players to move around
their workout schedules and
encouraged them all to vote.
"They're going to change when
they lift because they need some
time to vote and I said, 'by all
means,' " Rodriguez said. "You
gotta go vote. That's being an
American."
Fifth-year senior defensive end
Tim Jamison has already submit-
ted an absentee ballot to vote in his
native Illinois.
For Jamison, this election feels
more personal than it does for
many other voters.
Jamison met Democratic presi-
dential candidate Barack Obama
when the senator was running for
office in Illinois in 2004.
"He came to my church when he
was running for office four years
ago, so I met him," Jamison said.
"He knew my pastor and I got to
shake his hand. Seeing him run for
president, it's like, 'Hey, I shook
his hand. I got to meet that dude."'
INJURY REPORT: Redshirt
freshman quarterback Steven
Threet had his bell rung by a hel-
met-to-helmet hit in the fourth
quarter of the loss to 'Purdue.
Threet was limited in practice
yesterday, but Rodriguez said
he expects him to be ready to go
against Minnesota on Saturday.
Sophomore cornerback Troy
Woolfolk sprained his ankle in the
first quarter against Purdue but
should also be ready this week.
Rodriguez expects freshman
running back Sam McGuffie and
sophomore safety Mike Williams
to play at Minnesota after missing
the Purdue game with lingering
concussion symptoms.
I
I
Senior forward Tim Miller tallied two goa
Saturday, after a scramble in front
of the Buckeye goal, Miller lifted
the puck over the goalie's shoul-
der off a crisp backhand pass from
Caporusso.
Miller and Caporusso played
together last year,too, butthe Mich-
igan coaching staff added Palushaj
just last week. Berenson said he
hoped the move would help spark
the line, and create a two-line scor-
ing attack. Against the Buckeyes,
the Wolverines received offensive
production from its other top line,
featuring senior Travis Turnbull
and sophomores Matt Rust and
Carl Hagelin.
Miller's line accounted for four
of Michigan's six goals on Saturday,
proving it has instant chemistry.
But perhaps the most impres-
sive sign of the weekend was how
Miller appeared "re-energized,"
according to Pearson.
"Withthosetwoguys,Aaronand
Louie, it's hard not to be excited,"
Pearson said. "They're such good
players and they're high-energy
SAIDOLSALAH/Daily
Is in Michigan's sweep over Ohio State.
guys, and I think that's actually
pulled (Miller) along."
It took almost -five months for
him to record his firstgoal last year,
and Miller didn't notch a single
goal at Yost Ice Arena. Named an
alternate captain before last season
began, the 'A' was taken away mid-
way through the year.
As the pressures mounted, he
visiblytightened up during games.
"You could tell he was -really
squeezing the sap out of his stick,"
senior forward Travis Turnbull
said last year.
But through the first eight games
this fall, a different, more relaxed
Miller has emerged in practice and
in game play. His recent on-ice suc-
cess has translated to an inner con-
fidence.
"He's just night and day," Capo-
russo said. "He's excited to play
hockey. When you're excited and
you want to play and you want
to score, you're going to play a
great game. That's what he's been
doing."
Savich closes fall season with a bang
By ROGER SAUERHAFT
Daily Sports Writer
Milena -Savich couldn't have
had a much better fall freshman
campaign.
Savich finished fourth overall in
the Challenge at Wolfdancer yes-
terday in Austin, Texas, her fourth
top-10 finish in six events. Her
career-best showing improved
what was
already the
best scoring
average by a
freshman in
school his-
tory (76.23).
"She
played great SAVICH
today," Mich- YEAR
igan coach Freshman
Kathy Teich-
ert said. "She MAeiR
missed some
opportuni- HOMETOWN
ties for birdie Carmel, nd.
and I thought
she could
have played a little better yet.
She had a few birdies to offset
a few of the bogeys she had. It's
the sign of a good player to stay
focused and patient."
The Wolverines have been on
a tear this fall, achieving four
top-five finishes in six tourna-
ments.
But yesterday wasn't so suc-
cessful.
Even though Savich placed
fourth and junior Ashley Bauer
carded a 230 (+14), Michigan
finished tied for eighth in the
16-team field with a four-player
aggregate score of 940*(+76).
The course was especially
difficult. Teichert said the pin
locations were challenging and
some coaches were disappointed
with the way the course was set
up. One golfer even eight-putted a
par three.
The Challenge certainlylived up
to its name, as none of the 90 play-
ers at the Wolfdancer Golf Club
broke par in the 54-hole event.
Colorado won the Challenge with
a score of 928 (+64).
Sophomore Min Yean Tan fin-
ished tied for 27th, but she failed
to break 80 in two of her three
rounds. Her highlight was a 75 (+3)
in the second round.
The scores went downhill from
there, with fellow sophomore
Louisa Shu and senior co-captain
Lydia Benitez Col6n each failing
to break 82 in any of their rounds.
Shu, Colon and sophomore Katelin
Davis all finished outside of the
top 50 in individual scoring.
"We didn't get off to a good
start," Teichert said. "We haven't
really gotten off to many good
starts in tournaments but we have
always come back. This tourna-
ment we never were able to get
anything going.
"I felt like our players thought
they hit good shots into greens and
it would kick or not hold. Frustra-
tion built. You keep getting frus-
trated hitting good shots and not
getting rewarded for it."
With their fall season com-
plete, the Wolverines will next
tee it up Feb. 8 at the Lady Puerto
Rico Classic in Rio Grande, Puerto
Rico.
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