14 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, July 17, 2000
Smith to become an Aztec
Bo's final charity golf tourney a success
Memorial event raised millions for adrenal cancer research
By Raphael Goodstein
Daily Sports Editor
Three years ago, senior forward
Brandon Smith committed to play for
Steve Fisher and Michigan.
Fisher was fired in the fall of 1997
before Smith ever got to wear the
baggy Michigan basketball shorts
under the embattled coach.
But now Smith will get to finish
his collegiate career under the tute-
lage of Fisher.
On Wednesday, Smith told The
Aichigan Daily that he's transferring
to San Diego State, where Fisher has
coached since last season.
Ten days ago, Michigan coach
Brian Ellerbe announced Smith's
pending departure. In a statement,
Ellerbe cited Smith's desire to be
closer to his family.
Smith's career at Michigan never
materialized as he envisioned. He
expected to play for Fisher, make
four runs in the NCAA Tournament
and have a healthy, successful career
at Michigan.
None of those expectations panned
out for Smith.
After Fisher was fired amid
swirling rumors, Michigan
regrouped under Ellerbe and made it
to the second round of the NCAA
Tournament in the 1997-98 season,
Smith's freshman season.
That was the most recent timse
Smith or Michigan made the NCAA
Tournament.
The next season, school officials
removed the interim label from
Ellerbe's job title. But the added sta-
bility did not equal success as
Michigan finished 12-19 and missed
postseason play for the first time in
16 years.
A few months later, during the off-
season, Smith suffered a major knee
injury, tearing his anterior knee liga-
ment.
But rather than take a medical red-
shirt and maintain two years of eligi-
bility, Smith rehabbed in time to play
in the last two games of the non-con-
ference schedule and the Big Ten sea-
son.
Smith cited his desire to finish his
career with best friend Josh Asselin
as the reason for not taking a medical
red-shirt.
Michigan finished last season on a
3-1 I skid that culminated with a first
round NIT loss to Notre Dame.
Smith averaged eight points per
game last season and six points per
game for his career.
Smith leaves as a two-year starter
who was popular with his teammates.
He appeared to be a leading candi-
date to be the team's captain.
By Albert Kim
Daily Sports Writer
Lightning flashed, thunder rum-
bled, and the rain came down, wash-
ing away the last nine holes of golf
and thus ending the eighth and final
Millie Schembechler Memorial
Golf Classic at the University golf
course last Monday.
The final tribute to Millie
Schembechler - who died of can-
cer eight years ago - was cut short,
but it was by no means a failure.
Various celebrities and former
Michigan players
were still able to
play nine holes,
and support the
Adrenal Cancer
Re search
Foundation.
All participants .
were reminded of
cancer's frighten-
ing effects, stem-
ming from the Schembechier
death of former
Michigan football captain John
Vitale over the weekend.
"With the death of John Vitale,
this tournament came at a very
poignant time. There is definitely a
need for more research," former
Michigan football player and cur-
rent broadcaster Jim Brandstatter
said.
Millie Schembechler passed away
of adrenal cancer in 1992. Ever
since, legendary Michigan coach
Bo Schembechler has labored to
further the work on cancer.
"it takes a great team effort and
great cause to put something like
this together, and Bo's put together
both," Michigan football coach
Lloyd Carr said.
To date, $2 million has been
raised, and $4 million donated for
cancer research. Schembechler's
goal for this year was to raise $5
million for the adrenal cancer
research fund. Last Monday, there
was no doubt in many people's
minds that his dream was going to
be realized.
"What he's (Bo) done is tremen-
dous. This year we'll put him over
the top," former Pittsburgh Steeler
and Monday Night Football sideline
reporter Lynn Swann said.
In order to make the Memorial
Golf Classic an attractive event,
Schembechler knew that there
would need to be some big names
among the golfers.
So he brought in former
Michigan great Dan Dierdorf, leg-
endary manager Sparky Anderson
and Indiana basketball coach Bob
Knight. These three have played all
eight years of the tournament.
"They have been the backbone of
this tournament since the begin-
ning," Schembechler said.
The amount of respect for Bo was
evident from the different celebri-
ties that were present. NBA great
Isiah Thomas, Michigan Governor
John Engler, LPGA Futures Tour
player Jenn Brody, and many others
had no affiliation to the University
at all. They came just as friends,
and as supporters of a cause.
The Michigan connection includ-
ed former players and All-
Americans Dierdorf, Jim Mandich,
Bump Elliot, Rick Leach, Anthony
"the Catch" Carter, hockey coach
Red Berenson, interim Athletic
Director Bill Martin, U.S. Open
qualifier Mike Harris and
Brandstatter.
"It's a great tourney for a great
cause, for a great man and a great
woman," Thomas said.
Those who knew Millie
Schembechler all remembered her
with fondness and extreme respect.
"She was a wonderful lady. She
would blush at all the attention, but
I think she would be proud. All that
suffering she went through has
helped many people," Michigan
football radio voice Frank Beckmas
said.
The format of the tournament
was simple, with a shotgun start at
9:45 A.M. There were 36 celebri-
ties on hand, each with a group of
four other players. The mood was
light, and jovial. All of the partici-
pants were in good form, and auto-
graphs for the fans were in abun-
dance.
One person who felt the event
was important enough to put aside
the affairs of an entire state for
day was Governor Engler. He
focused more on what Bo has done
for the state of Michigan in general.
"It's a super cause. Adrenal can-
cer is somewhat rare, but what Bo
has done has made Michigan the
pre-eminent leader in adrenal can-
cer research," Engler said.
For Bo, it has been a very satis-
fying and successful eight yearsq
"Every tournament has been suc-
cessfiul and I never thought it'd get
this large, and go this long. After a
while I stopped sending brochures
and invitations and just sent invoic-
es," Schembechler said.
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