14 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, July 31, 2000
THOMAS
Continued from Page 13
position during training camp.
"Nobody knew if they made the
team until the last day (of training
camp)," Thomas said. "I was just
aggressive taking the ball to the hole
and I played good defense."
That defense has earned her the
respect of Portland head coach Linda
Hargrove.
"She always has the toughest
defensive assignment," Hargrove
said. "I think she is the second best
rookie in the league."
Thomas is currently IIth in the
WNBA in assists and 14th in steals
and has started every game for the
Fire.
"She does a lot of things that don't
show up in the stat book," Hargrove
said.
After earning a position, Thomas
was able to relax and enjoy the life of
a WNBA player.
"We have a lot of pranksters on this
team, we are always laughing,"
Thomas said. "It was the same way at
Michigan."
On one road trip, Thomas and her
teammates cheered on Tully
Bevilaqua as' she power -walked
across the airport, drawing strange
looks from the summer travelers.
"Corny stuff like that is fun -
everyone gets a good laugh," Thomas
said.
With the WNBA growing every
year, she and her teammates are
enjoying the increasing fan support.
"We get great support from the
fans (in Portland)," Thomas said. "It
is great to see that all this hard work
has paid off."
Thomas has had numerous fans
approach her in restaurants to ask for
autographs and tickets to the next
game.
Despite a comfortable home in
Portland, Thomas still has a soft spot
for Ann Arbor.
"I can't wait until I come back and
see all of my friends," Thomas said.
"Michigan is just a nice place to be."
Thomas plans on returning in the
fall to finish her degree in Business
Administration, with a concentration
in marketing. Upon her return, she
also plans to stay in shape by com-
peting against her old teammates and
lifting weights.
"Physically (playing in the WNBA}
is very tough," Thomas said.
Thomas' stay in Detroit was a brief
one, as Portland left early Tuesday
morning. Hargrove said she thinks
that Thomas can handle the fast-
SPOT RESMCIA OE
MARJORIE ARSHALLDa iy
Stacy Thomas continues to do the little
things to win - now in the WNBA.
paced style of the WNBA.
"She is going to have a tremendous
career in the WNBA," IHargrove said.
"Her athleticism is going to take her
a long way"
Sex war wrong battle for WNBA
By Dan Williams
Daily Spons Estor
AUBURN HILLS - For some bas-
ketball fans, the worthiness of a profes-
sional women's league remains in ques-
tion.
There's no
shortage of crit-
ics of the BASKETBALL
wotnen's game. Commentary
Many believe _ _ _ _
that even a good
men's high school team could defeat a
WNBA franchise.
Sometimes, one will hear a run-of-
the-mill chap make an even bolder
assertion:
'Even I'm good enough to play in the
WNBA' is the oft-uttered phrase that
seems to lead to a heated sexism debate.
And it seems that the WNBA was
possibly trying to address this point in
their latest advertising campaign, featur-
ing the motto "They're better than you
are.
These commercials introduced such
storylines asa rotund white guy laboring
to back down his balding and equally
chunky compatriot on a driveway court.
The intended argument - you're
underestimating the skill of the WNBA
players.
But it comes off as the WNBA
attempting to get into a cheap shot con-
test with its male critics - 'Dare make
fun of our game? At least we're not as
bad as you. You're not nearly as good as
you think you are, fatty.'
While these advertisements are
intended to be light, they are potentially
detrimental to the WNBA's quest to
increase its' fanbase.
Truthfully, the skill gap between men
and women is much larger in basketball
than it is in sports like tennis or soccer,
probably because women simply have a
larger opportunity to participate in the
latter two.
Women's basketball is clearly a grow-
ing sport, and inevitably the skill level
will see a sharp incline in the near
future.
The WN3A should be taking the high
road and not partaking it a basketball
sex war.
The people who believe female bas-
ketball players are incompetent are not
going to be convinced.otherwise, and
the WNBA is going to further alienate
fans by bragging that the best women in
the world are better than portly old
codgers.
Instead, the WNBA should be taking
the angle that it features the best women
it the world playing highly competitive
basketball with regional pride on the
line.
This attitude has already attracted
many fans to the league in its first few
years and as the WNBA continues to
improve, so will its support.
Hawaii changes
mascot, incites rage
HONOLULU (AP)-A University
of Hawaii official has conceded that
the school nixed the football team's
77-year-old rainbow logo because of
concerns about its homosexual theme.
School officials unveiled the new
logo - anI "H" edged in a traditional
Hawaiian design called kapa -- on
Wednesda. And instead of the
Rainbow Warriors, the team will now
be knownt as the Warriors.
"That logo really put a stigma ott
our program at times in regards to it's
part of the gay community, their flags
and so forth," athletic director Hugh
Yoshida told KGMB 9 TV on
Thursday.
"Some of the student athletes had
some feelings in regards to that" But,
Yoshida added, the decision to aban-
don the rainbow was not anti-gay.
MSU, Globetrotters
agree to exhibition
EAST-LANSING, Mich. (AP)
Defending national champion
Michigan State gets a new challenge
in November - a home game
agaitist the HarletGlobetrotters.
"This gamie is an exciting oppor-
tunity for oir fans and will be a
competitive challenge for our team,"
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said
Monday.
"The NCAA national champions
playing against the world famous
larlem Globetrotters is the matchup
of a lifetime."
The garne is Nov. 12, and the
Globetrotters will play at Purdue two
days later. Both games will be
played under NCAA rules,
Globetrotters owner Mannie Jackson
said.
The Globetrotters are lining up
other games against college teams as
part of a fall tour
Montana, 4 others
enter Hall of Fame
CANTON, Ohio (AP) -- This was
49crs Day at the Pro Football Hall of
Fame. Starring, as ever, Joe
Montana.
Before a crowd bedecked in red
49er jerseys, the peerless quarter-
back led the list of inductees, withi
three of the five having played for
San Francisco.
"This is not an ending point," said
Montana, clearly moved by the
unparalleled gathering of football
talent.
"This is a beginning point. This is
the beginni" of lthe rest of my life
with a new team. Take a look at
these guys. What a team it is."
soinin Montana on Saturda
'Aere Ronnie Lott, the great safety
on four Super Bowl champions, and-
Dave Wilcox, a linebacker in thee
60s and 70s.
Howie Long, the Raider-turned-
actor and television host, and
Pittsburgh Steelers president Dan
Roonev were also honored.
Former LB Jones
out for season
Former Michigan football standout
Dhani Jones tore the anterior cruciate
ligament in his left knee on July 26,
ending his rookie season with the New
York Giants.
The injury occurred as Jones ran
downfield on a special teams drill.
Considered a long-shot by some NFL
publications, the linebacker was enjoy-1
ing an impressive training camp after
the Giants selected him in the sixth
round of the 2000 draft.
Jones played for Michigan from
1996-1999.
-ftomstaffjreports
'M' gymnast headed
to Olympic Trials
The Michigan men's gymnastics team
was well-represented at the U.S.
Gymnastics Championships in St. Louis
on Friday.
Four Wolverines competed in the
event, which was a qualifier for the
upcoming U.S. Olympic Trials.
One of the four, junior Justin Toman,
finished in 13th place in the overall
standings. As one of the top 14 gym-
nasts atthenationalchampionship
Toman has advanced o he Olymic@
Trials, which commence August 17th in
Boston.
The highlight of Toman's perfor-
mance was a first-place finish on the
parallel bars, just ahead of teammate
Scott Vetere.
--fiost stuffreports
* DAILY SCOREBOARD
R-uitas'oisinuriday - ,Homc tam i CAPS
MLB Standings
AL-ENTRAL W L, PCT OR OME AWAY ST
o 6A0 vast 4 - 3asE 933a22 Lst 2
cleveland 5249514 9.5 2524 27-25 Lst i
oetroit 4755.460 15 2525 2230 Won 1
Kansascity 4756.4565. 5 2526 22-30 Lost 3
Minnesota 4858.452 16 2531 23-27 won 1
AL-EAST W L PCT G HOME AWAY STK
N0Y Ynkes 5544.555- 221t 293 Lost
Boston n 4.t302.5 27-2 26-24 Lost.
Toronto 5550.523 3 2825 2725 Lost 2
Bantimore 4458.43112.5 27-22 173 -Won1
Tampa Bay 4359.421 13.5 21-28 22-31 Won 4
AL-WEST W L PCT GB HOME AWAY STK
Seattle 6043.582 --3517 252 Won2
Oaiad 5647.54i 4 an-asas-as won
Anaheimo 564s.ssas5 3ias a-as Wo2
Texas 5052.490 10.5 32-23 18-29 LostS
NLCENTRAL W L PCT GB HOME AWAY STK
St. Louis 57i46.553 - 31-20 26-26 Lost 3
Cincinnati 5251.504 5 2626 2625 Won2
Chicago 4755.460 9.5 2726 20-29 Won
Pittsburg 45 57.44111.5 2&26 1731 won2
Milwaukee 4361.413 14.5 23-28 2033 Lost 1
Houston 386536iss s x 235 Lost 2
NL-EAST W L PCT GB HOME AWAY STK
Atlanta 6440.15 - 34--7 3023 Won2
NY Mts 58 44.568 5 34-27 4-2n won 5-
Florida 5053.485 13.5 2026 n2127won1
Montreal 47 53.470 15- 2824 19-29 Lost5
Phladelpsia 4557.441o 18 2228 2329 on
NL-WEST W L PCT G RHOME AWAY STK
Arizona 5846,557 - 3519 2327 Lost1
San Francisco5645.554 .5 3317 2328 Lost 1
Lost Angele 5548.533 2.5 2623 2925 Lost 1
colorado 5052.490 7 3219 1834 Wono1
SanDiego 4558.3612.5 2525 2033 Lost3
1'nsrct s -eut:Ne rttw
NIt_:- i-- a-i M.:t. SFC.V 2
Trn r..-.,as. Pr: ., 5
C 11A 5 -,. fIO siF
Be There All Football Season
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class accommodations to all U of M football away gares.
Price includes Transportation, Hotel and Tickets.
September 23rd, at 1iittotis
October 7th. at Purdue - Sold Out
Nortember 4th. at Northvestern
November 18th, at hio State
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