2B - September 8, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com a 28 - September 8, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom ~ -w AP PI Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel had Navy run out of the Ohio Stadium tunnel with the Buckeyes on Saturday. Learning lessons from OSU? Unfortunately, the only inter- team exchange that will be remembered from college football's opening weekend - deemed "Sportsmanship Week" by the NCAA - will undoubtedly be Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount's sucker punch after the Ducks' loss to Boise State. Sure, The Blount Blow deserves the media coverage it has received. I mean, how often does a senior, a sup- posed leader, ANDY get suspended REID for the entire season in the first week? But I wish more people acknowledged the pregame sports- manship initiative. On Saturday all over the coun- try, college football teams lined up midfield, shook hands and passed on a "Good Luck." It's a small, sim- ple gesture that I think could have major dividends. College football is one of the most passionate, emotion-fueled sports there is, and that can defi- nitely getthe better of players mid- game. In 2003, Robert Reynolds, a hot-headed Ohio State linebacker, choked Wisconsin quarterback Jim Sorgi in a dogpile during the game. In 2006, Miami and Florida Inter- national suspended a combined 31 players after an on-field brawl. The problem hasn't escaped Michigan - wide receiver Greg Mathews appeared to kick an Oregon defen- sive back after a reception in 2007. Heck, even I've lost my cool in the heat of the moment. During my senior year of high school, I had a blatant roughing the passer penal- ty after going after our archrival's quarterback. A pregame handshake could - if teams continue to commit to them - humanize the opposing team. Players can look each other in the eyes before the game and see they're people, not just uniforms. Of course, it didn't work for Blount, but let's just put an asterisk on that one and push it to the side. Instead, look to a certain team in Columbus that Michigan fans don't like very much. Say what you will about Jim Tressel and Ohio State (and if you're reading The Michigan Daily, it's probably negative), their pre- game pageantry against Navy on Saturday was a really classy move. Both teams met to shake hands well before the game. Then, the Buckeyes and Midshipmen ran out of the tunnel together, the first time that's ever happened in 88 years of football at Ohio Stadium. When Ohio State runs out of the tunnel, it's a big deal - just try to imagine Western Michigan run- ning through the band and touch- ing the "Go Blue" banner with Michigan. I've been to The 'Shoe. It's not a friendly place. When Texas trav- eled there in 2005, Longhorns fans were so appalled at the Buckeyes' fans that it led to Ohio State Presi- dent Karen Holbook issuing a pub- lic apology. To see 105,000 Buckeyes fans applaud for Navy - whether or not it was accidental, because Ohio State was simultaneously being introduced - was really special. I don't know if the action had any influence on the outcome ofthe game, but to extend such a gesture to the opposing team can only lead to good things for college football as a whole. Michigan's celebration of Sportsmanship Week was much more subdued. In fact, if you weren't payingattention, you prob- ably missed it. A spokesman for the Athletic Department said he wasn't sure if the teams ever talked about a full-team pre-game handshake, but Michigan coach Rich Rodri- guez and Western Michigan coach Bill Cubit met on the 'M' before the coin toss and exchanged well wishes. I wish Michigan would have had the teams meet before the game and made a bigger deal of the hand- shake initiative, but not necessarily blow it up as big as Ohio State did. With so much hype surrounding the Wolverinesgoing into the game, it would be been nice to see them take a breather and meet Western before kickoff. The Wolverines didn't have to sacrifice the sanctity of their pre- game ritual. No one is asking that. But a simple handshake could have gone a long way. - Reid will shake hands with the State News players before the annual Daily-State News flag football game on Oct. 2, but only because he's trying to promote sportsmanship. He can be reached at andyreid@umich.edu. Sophomore Alex Hunt tallied 14 kills in Michigan's three-set sweep over Notre Dame on Sunday. Led bHunts kills, Wolverines' finish undefeated in Cincinnati By MARK BURNS allowed Alex to get some more Daily Sports Writer touches and kills for us." The victory against the Fight- With a year already under her ingIrish, alongwith four-setwins belt, Alex Hunt is emerging as against Tennessee and Xavier, one of Michigan volleyball coach raised the seventh-ranked Wol- Mark Rosen's young up-and-com- verines' perfect record to 5-0. ing hitters. Paz and Hunt led the Michigan . Last season, the sophomore offense in all three matches over didn't reach the double-digit kill the weekend. mark in a match until the 14th "We always try to have a lot game of the season. of balance on our team," junior But on Sunday, Hunt tallied setter Lexi Zimmerman said. double-digit kills for the third "(Alex) has just been on fire the time this year in the team's three- last couple of days and is defi- set sweep over Notre Dame at the nitely hitting the ball with more Xavier Invitational in Cincinnati, confidence." Ohio. Part of the reason for Hunt's "She has done a great job hit- recent hitting surge has to do ting the ball so far this year," with the way the Wolverine Rosen said. "Early on, teams have lineup has been structured over been keying on (senior outside the past two years. Last season, hitter) Juliana (Paz), which has then-senior Beth Karpiak logged a lot of playing time for the Wol- verines, which placed Hunt a lit- tle lower on the depth chart. But with Karpiak's graduation, Hunt has excelled in her newfound role on the court. Additionally, Hunt moved from right side to leftside this year, giv- ing her an opportunity to hit from all areas of the court. With the timely setting of Zimmerman, the combination gives Rosen another weapon in his offense. "Lexi has been distributing the ball really well and giving all of the hitters an opportunity to get some kills on the court," Hunt said. Rosen will look to Hunt to complement Michigan's offensive attack as the Wolverines look to stay undefeated tomorrowagainst Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti. 0 0 0 0