Online Poll Which of these players most deserved an All-Star selection? A) Brad Radke B) Bobby Abreu C) Greg Maddux D) Rob Nen micnigandaily.com/sports SPORiS MONDAY JULY 9, 2001 - .. -. J N se reasons why the NB has gone to hell Have you ever heard a married person say that one of the many pleasures of tying the knot is that they don't have to play the field anymore? I have. I've also heard recently employed friends tell me that the best part of their job is simply that it's work and scores of other examples that prove the same point. But what happened to a high-school athlete's notion that the best part of sign- ing a letter of intent is the end of the recruiting process? The point that I'm getting at is No. 4,037 in my ever-grow- ing list of reasons that the NBA has gone to hell. It's a list that, in no particu- lar order, contains the WNBA, Michael Jordan retiring, Michael Jordan trying to come back along with a nursing home full of former stars and, of course, the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, for the most recent addition - this year's free agent signing period. Has anyone not heard about the knock on Antonio Davis' door at 12:01 a.m. on July 1, the first day that teams could negotiate with free agents? It was Orlando's front office, getting an early start on trying to nab the newly available Davis. Let's go full circle here as I attempt to maintain some semblance of journalistic integrity while giving you my ultimate point. Get ready basketball fans, because Chris Webber may be suiting up for your school - er, team - next season. Please tell me that I'm not the only person who is amused by watching the NBA offseason turn into a far less inter- esting version of college recruiting. Why is Webber letting himself go through this again? Why is he telling media sources that there are 12-15 teams that he's trying to choose between so that they can print meaningless sto- ries informing the public that he's no closer to a decision than he was yester- day, when they last printed a story say- ing that he had no idea where he was See SCHWARTZ, Page 15 'Cold War'sales ays, 0,000 plus By Steve Jackson Daily Sports I at The hottest ticket of the summer isn't N*Sync or the Dave Matthews Band, and it certainly isn't the Detroit Tigers. That honor belongs to an outdoor hockey game that won't take place until this fall. A record-setting sellout crowd of 72,027 is expected when the Wolverines faces off against Michigan State on Saturday, Oct. 6 in Spartan Stadium. The collegiate attendance record of 21,575 was set when these same two intra-state rivals met for the 1984 Great Lakes Invitational. The current world record for hockey attendance is 55,000, set in Moscow's Lenin Stadium in 1957 when Sweden and the Soviet Union did battle in a World Championship game. The top American mark was set by the NHL's Tampa Bay Light- ning, who attracted 28,183 hockey fans to the ThunderDome in St. Petersburg, Fla. Expect all those records to fall in October. "This is unbelievable," Michigan State Athletic Director Clarence Underwood said in a released statement. "It's amaz- ing how the fans have embraced this event. There's no doubt that this event will become one of the signature moments in Spartan history." Dr. Underwood made the decision to halt sales Saturday after the Michigan State Ticket Office reported 61,000 tickets had been sold in just nine business days. The Spartan Ticket Office is holding 10,000 seats for its students, who will be sitting in their usual seats for football games. A limited number of seats also remain to fill requests from Michigan State's season-ticket holders. The Michigan Ticket Office shut down its ticket sales on Hot item Tickets to the 'Cold War' have been anything but cold. After selling over 60,000 tickets in nine business days Michigan State put a freeze on ticket sales. Here is how those sales progressed. Day Total Ticket Sales Day one June 25 32,000 Day five June 29 49,000 Day eight July 5 56,100 Day nine July 6 61,000 $~$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$ Courtesy of the Mchigan state Athletic Separtm In East Lansing, people began camping out at 10 p.m. the night before tickets went on sale for "The Cold War." Friday. The Wolverines acquired an additional 1,000 tick Friday morning, bringing Michigan's total to 6,000. Tho lasted until 11 a.m. "Right now we've sold all that were are going to sell," sa Shari Wilcox, who was coordinating Cold War sales fo Michigan Ticket Office. About 500 tickets remain on hold for Michigan's stude season-ticket holders. It is possible that tickets could go back on sale if studen and season-ticket holders fail to purchase the 11,027 seats th are reserved for them. But according to both ticket office tickets for the general public should be off the market f good. The excitement of this event began even before tickets w on sale. People began camping outside of Jenison Fieldhouse Tick Office at 10 p.m. the previous night to purchase tickets "The Cold War." When the doors opened, the mob snatched up 3,000 ticke from the walk-up window in the first two hours. After the first day, an incredible 32,000 tickets were sol That number included the initial 5,000 tickets allotted I Michigan and another 20,000 that were earmarked for Sparta season-ticket holders. All of the prime $18 seats were sold during the first day well. The foot-traffic slowed in East Lansing, but the ph kept things buoy, as four-digit sales became the daily norm the next several days. By Thursday, sales had reached 56,100 - topping tl world record mark after eight business days. See TICKETS, Page 1! SrSave 10% off any hair care products . Nexxus " Paul MitcheIlI " KSM Products Simply bring this coupon to Supercuts 715 N. University " 668-8488 Open 7 Days But come in soon, this offer ends 8125101. Good at partidpating shops. Not valid any other offer. One coupon per custome . SUPRCUTS t:' . : c Sticking Around this Summer? Make Easy Money with FLEXIBLE HOURS Michigan Telefund ' $7 per hour + bonuses 611 Church, 4th floor 998-7420 Apply On-line! www.telefund.umich.edu $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$