Will Notre Dame join the Big Ten, mak-
ing the conference even less aptly-
named? Read next week's Daily for Monday
details. June8,998
The- d .f thewro id
No Gufnness and
fries, just effort
By Rick Freeman
Daily Sports Editor
BUFFALO, N.Y. - I never really understood why Rick
Reilly of Sports Illustrated singled out track and field for his
wrath when he wrote about his perfect birthday. I understood
his desire to consume enough Guinness and chili cheese fries
to meet the natural gas needs of the entire upper peninsula.
Who wouldn't want that?
But among his most fervent birthday wishes were, "Track
----------------- canceled," and "Field canceled." And I
Track dida't understand the motivation for his
two passing swipes at a sport that, well,
Commentary probably never did anything to hurt him.
----------------- But after watching four days of the
NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, I think I'm
beginning to understand his frustration. And this is why: Run
the damn race, people! The track isn't getting any faster!
Here's how your Average Everyday NCAA Outdoor Track
and Field Championships race goes.
6:15: Starting blocks placed on track.
6:19: T-shirted volunteers appear behind blocks, stand
around bholding big laundry baskets.
6:23: Runners clad in numerous layers of warmups amble
towards starting blocks.
6:25: Athletes jump up and down repeatedly.
6:28: Hem.
6:31: Haw.
6:35: Athletes remove warmups, place in laundry baskets,
jump up and down.
6:37: Officials try to shoo everyone else off track. This
includes other athletes jumping up and down, athletes running
back and forth and photographers with lenses large enough to
see potato bugs in France.
6:40: Athletes place feet in blocks, assume look of intense
See GUINNESS, Page U
Sullivan,
A
Longe end
careers
By Rick Freeman
IDaily Sports Editor
BUFFALO, N.Y. - The only thing
Kevin Sullivan took home from hisfin.
NCAA Championships this weekend
were the scratches on his right elbow
Michigan's best chance for a national
title came crashing to the UB Stadium
track, just 700 meters from glory.
His friend and teammate John
Mortimer, though, found himself on the
podium twice, helping the men's team to
a 23rd place finish. He finished second
in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and se
enth in the 5,000-meter run. Senior Tant
Longe, Katie McGregor- who finished
second in the 5,000 - and Nicole
Forrester also contributed tothe women's
15th-place team score of 15.
Elizabeth Kampfe missed the podi-
See NCAAS, Page 11
Michigan's Tania Longe wasn't happy with her performance in most events of the heptathion. But lar Elizabeth ampfe - 10000
she decided a seventh-place overall finish wasn't that bad, after all. Twtia LOng - OptathI n
Field of dreams awaits 'M' five
Recruit and four others picked in baseball draft
By T.J. Berka
Daily Sports Editor
Throughout the United States, thou-
sands of little boys dream about becom-
ing major league baseball players.
Five Michigan players took a step
towards obtaining that dream, as they
were selected in Major League Baseball's
1998 first-year player draft, which took
place last Tuesday and Wednesday.
"It is an unbelievable feeling," said
senior outfielder Derek Besco, a 25th-
round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers on
Tuesday. "I was so happy when I found
out that I didn't know what to do. I'm
still floating in the clouds right now."
Drew Henson, a high school senior
who has committed to play football at
Michigan in the fall, was the first player
with Michigan ties to be drafted. The
New York Yankees nabbed him in the
third round. Henson, a third baseman,
holds the national high school record for
career home runs with 68.
The first Michigan student to be
picked in the draft was junior pitcher
Bryan Berryman, who had his name
called by the San Diego Padres in the
seventh round. Berryman was 4-5 this
season with a 6.16 earned run average.
Hard-throwing junior J.J. Putz was the
other Michigan pitcher to be drafted, as
the Minnesota Twins selected him in the
17th round. The 6-5 righthander battled
injuries throughout the season, going 1-
I with an 6.44 ERA.
Putz is currently playing in the Cape
Cod League in Massachusetts, a non-
affiliated professional league popular
among prospects.
Wednesday saw the last Michigan
player, third baseman Mike Cervenak,
get selected. Cervenak, Michigan's lead-
ing hitter this season with a .385 average
and 10 home runs, was picked by the
Oakland Athletics in the 43rd round.
Cervenak, like Putz, is also involved in
summer ball, currently playing in Alaska.
While Berryman, Cervenak and Putz
will likely return next spring - all three
are juniors - Besco is already getting
acclimated to his new job, leaving yes-
terday for a minicamp in Lakeland, Fla.,
before joining the Tigers' A club in
Jamestown, N.Y.
"Playing for the home team make
this moment even more special," said
Besco, a native of Westland, a Detroit
suburb. "It's every player's dream to play
for his hometown team."
Another player who might be playing
baseball soon is Henson. While Henson
was recruited as a quarterback, NCAA
rules allow him to play college football
and minor league baseball if he chooses.
Whether they play this year or in t
future, the five Wolverines are one ste
closer to fulfilling a popular boyhood
dream.
Third baseman Mike Cervenak led the Wolverines in batting average and home runs I
season. The Oakland Athletics noticed Cervenak's play and drafted him Wednesday.