A4 - tpe Micni pDily - 1gndayl1y 26, 1999 Preseason second billing not a su rise for Varsity SPORTS By Steve A. Rom Daily Sports Write Always a lrdestai bride? What do Miliar Tom r-dv f t Anthoriy Ih Most likely it team's ferocious d and never a defense that held K to a season-low l football players State's New Year' thnson and wttt And wih hae in com- starting quarter- back Kevin tey a ianuary's Ctrus wrmporlly eoai saeda :s;re nMiLin's next fhg c es - thseasonpetei against Nnch.4 at Michigans talnt lvl-oeta Thts, appl cg ue notnough to gar- ner spetor respt fro pa i pontift- cators. Three I ste premtier college foothail pub carrots --Athlnt, Itndy's and Thc 'Sporting News -hase chosen Mtahrgat to he hr rdesmaid to Penn State, who is cop ecd to h e the sole ectpientothe vostotts seaoon's Big Ten championshtp Michigan's taletit level -one that has heen plagued y questtion marks, following the departure of seven of its starting players frotm a year ago --is only expected to 'ntp the heels "of run- away-favorite Penn State, according to Athlon. So why the sudden acclamation for JoePa's clan? 1 N'ce Sha 'WaU 1 1 S au made c. 1 $1.OO off Meal Size1 Smoothie or Fruit Shake i $.50 off Snack Size I I Smoothie or i I Fruit Shake i I Expires 8131/99 1 522 E. Williams 1. (Next to Cottage Inn) ,Tompson - whro has thren two m ore coree-r iot e r ce ptin 0s5 thao he has touchdown pass- es at the helm, it will surely be the defense that lea awake at night in Another considi from Happy Valle more specifically, Wisconsin). The Nittany Li last year's co-Big champion Badgers ule. In addition, t one significant c (traveling to Purdu Meanwhile, the travel to Madisono that could be rem has to do with the son's crash in Columbus, where defense, the same Michigan was toppled in its lone mean- dentuckys Tim Couch ingful conference away game of te sa- 4 points, durng Penn son. Day Outback Bos 1 Providitg hope for a rather large grtorp tf y- Mi eh ig aon firthfulis the W nldn n un nT a bl e schedule that pits the Wolverines against six teams that ves opponents lying were ranked in the Top 25 at the end of planning. last season - is nothing new. eration given the boys Last season's 0-2 start at the hands of y was scheduling. Or formidable Notre Dame and Syracuse the lack thereof (i.e. was succeeded by eight straight wins. The effort nearly had Michigan ons manage to avoid smelling roses for the second year in a Ten and Rose Bowl row. Although the climb was in large s on this year's sched- part due to the big game threat of San hey will host all but Francisco 49ers-bound Tai Streets, onference match-up Michigan does have quite a bit of talent te). returning at all facets of the game - Maize and Blue will especially offense. on Sept. 25 for a game The Wolverines still lay claim to four niniscent of last sea- of the five staring offensive lineman of a year ago. Including 296-pound junior, Steve Hutchinson, who Lindv s rmks as the best in the nation at the offensise guard Iosition. The experience of tte front-five shouldc give ample protetiot to wlosvr s p aytng quarterhack. After a 1highly oublicizeel cluarterhack controscrsy, MIchigan trachl loydlCarr Ihas conflitrIed i many crrent pubhlica- tns thait sr strtig player -if at any timte ret pe1rormseg up to eohes' expetattons an alewavs lose his job to an owaiting plover on the depth chart. This could he especially true when the player in-waiting hits 460-foot home runs during the off-season, all the while thinking about what it will be like when he finally gets his hands on a pigskin. Other duties facing the O-line will be opening bigger holes for Michigan's running attack, whose 151.3 yards-per- game last season was its worst in 35 years. But, as usual, everything boils down to the fact that no title has ever been won during the humid month of July. The honor of champion is fittingly warrant- ed only after victorious battles on the fall gridiron - the same place where 'bride's mate' Michigan has defeated Penn State by a combined score of 61-8 in the past two seasons. Armstrong delivers Tour de Force American cyclist, near death two years ago, wins storied French race PARIS (AP) - Lance Armstrong rode The finish under brilliant skies could- to victory in the Tour de France on n't have been more different from last Sunday, capping an amazing comeback year's. The 1998 race ended in rain after from cancer and becoming just the sec- a disastrous drug scandal nearly ended ond American to win cycling's showcase the event and placed the entire sport race. under suspicion. Near death two years ago, Armstrong In fact, Armstrong was dogged in the sprinted to the finish line on the Champs- last three weeks by accusations in the Elysees to claim the inspirational victory French media that he used performance- that had seemed certain for days. enhancing drugs. Many people couldn't "The emotion is incredible,' the smil- believe that a cyclist recovering from tes- ing Texan said. "I never expected to be ticular cancer could prevail in one of the here. I never expected to win. It's a won- most grueling competitions in all of derful feeling" sports. There was no proof, however. The sport's ruling body, which tests the cyclists during the race, said the only drug Armstrong used was an approved prescription cream for saddle sores. His victory was simply a remarkable example of grit and determination. "It's a great honor,"Armstrong said of his vic- tory ride into Paris. "For American ERY ,. cycling, and for the cancer community." The only other American to win the Tour de France was Greg LeMond, a three-time champion whose last victory came in 1990. Armstrong's mother, Linda, was shak- ing and waving a small U.S. flag as she watched her son wave from the winner's podium. She called his cancer a "minor setback,' and said "it was never in our minds" that he wouldn't recover. Armstrong went into the audience to hug and kiss his wife, Kristin. "He worked so hard to get this," she said. "He deserves it, every last bit." Armstrong, 27, was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996, and the disease spread to his brain and lungs. After four rounds of chemotherapy and two operations - one to remove a testicle and one for brain lesions - he began his comeback early last year. Boston's final game at Corner is Tigers' 500th series victory DETROIT (AP) -- Tony Clark homered twice and had four RBI, and Dave Mlicki pitched a six-hitter as the Detroit Tigers bet the Boston Red Sox for the 500th time, 9-1 yesterday. The contest also marked the final timre Boston will visit Tiger Stadium, as the 87-year-old venue will be aban- doned at season's end. Clark hit a three-run homer batting left-handed in the sixth and a solo shot batting right-handed in the seventh. Dean Palmer also had a three-run hooer and Gabe Alvarez a solo shot. Boston has lost seven of 11 and is 20- 26 since taking a I 1/2-game lead in the AL East on June 4 Court sentences Peterson in por possession case Former Michigan defensive back William Peterson was sentenced to one year probation in connection with a drug possession charge, The Detroit Free Press reported Tuesday. Peterson was found with four ounces of marijuana when riding with sarp comnerback James Whitley, who W charged wih driving on a suspended license. Peterson was charged earlier in the year with stealing cash from a stripper's purse but the charge was dropped in a plea bargain QB prospect Smoker spurns M' for State* Michigan recruitng target Jeff Smoker, a qurterback from Manhem, Penn., committed Thursday to play at Michigan State in the fall of 2000. Aside from Michigan, Smoker had been recruited by such high-profile pro- grams as Ohio State and North Carolina. "I liked everything about" Michigan State, Smoker told the Lancsr Intelligencer Joumnal. "I just felt e~ fortable there:' - From saff and wire reports ANN ARBOR'S ONLINE GROCE STORE AND DELIVERY SERVICE EVERYTHING YOU CANk GET AT THE GROCERY a. STORE BROUGHT RIGHT TO YOUR FRONT DOOR AND DELIVERY IS FREE! FRESH FRUITS AND. 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