Online Poll
What do you think was the biggest reason for the drop
in student ticket sales?
A) price increase B) the home schedule
C) team's expectations D) difference is minimal
michigandaily.com/sports
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MONDAY
JULY 30, 2001
THE SECOND COMING OF
WINTERS
Former safety finds niche in Arena League and as an 'entrepreneur'
By Joe Smith Daily Sports Editor
4
AUBURN HILLS - "Take it to
the house, Chuck!" a fan said to
Chuck Winters, who was standing
in the end zone, awaiting a kickoff.
With his team, the Detroit Fury,
down by 10 points in the second
half and desperately needing to win
the final home game to make the
playoffs in its inaugural season in
the Arena Football League - Win-
ters knew he had to make some-
thing happen.
And returning kicks was what
Winters - a former Michigan free
safety - loved to do to satisfy that
"offensive hunger" he's had since
his days as a high school running
back at Detroit De Porres. For the
Fury, he averages over 22 yards per
return.
While Winters didn't take it the
full 50 yards for a touchdown, he
returned it to inside his opponents'
10-yard line to set up a Fury touch-
down and help switch the momen-
tum of the game into his team's
favor. He and his teammates went
on to a 66-58 win over the Indiana
Firebirds and a berth into the play-
offs.
It was a big win in a big game -
something Winters, 27, can't
remember being a part of since flag
football.
"The last big game like this was
a flag football game last year,"
Winters said. "We were in a key
game in a tournament. If we lost
we'd go to a loser's bracket on Sun-
day and have to win them all to
win. But we won the game and won
the championship."
But what about any of the Michi-
gan-Ohio State games?
"Michigan was so far away,"
Winters said. "I was out of the
game for five years, but when I was
done I was done. I never had that
hunger to get back into the game.
Flag football for me got the hunger
back."
While out of the game, Winters
became a jack-of-all-trades.
Starting his own clothing line in
New York City, playing minor
league baseball, teaching physical
education at an elementary school
and owning several Hat Zone stores
are just a few of his accomplish-
ments.
But a simple game of flag foot-
ball with his friends helped him
realize it was competition that
drove him and fueled the fire.
That same competitive fire and
hunger made him try out for the
Fury in January, where he was the
lone player taken out of 209 hope-
fuls.
"The tryout was just competing,"
Winters said. "The word means so 1
much to me - it drives me every
day."
It's not just a saying, rather a way
of life for Winters.
THE ROAD LESS TRAvELED
After the game, Winters changes
out of his gear, and when his jersey
is removed one can notice the name
"Malik" tattooed over his heart. It's
in memory of his brother who was
killed in a drive-by shooting in
Detroit in 1997.
Even closer in his heart is Win-
ters' mother. She is the one he was
trying to protect in a highly-publi-
cized confrontation during his sen-
ior year of college when he hit her
abusive ex-husband with a baseball
bat. A
Winters never spent time in jail,
but Michigan coach Lloyd Carr
suspended him for the final games
of his senior year in 1996, includ-
ing the Penn State, Ohio State and
the bowl game. A!
See WINTERS, Page 13 sac
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ative of Detroit, Winters played free safety while at Michigan. Winters collectem
cks and 15 total tackles during his senior year.
Students buy fewer
seats for 2001 footbal
By Benjamin Singer
Daily Sports Editor
The final tally is in for football stu-
dent tickets sold for the 2001 season,
and approximately 3,200 fewer stu-
dents from last year purchased season
tickets.
For the past three years, at least
22,000 students bought tickets for
Michigan Stadium, including last
year's total nearing 22,700. This year
the number dropped to about 19,500.
"When it comes to student tickets, a
lot of factors go into it," Director of
Ticket Operations Marty Bodnar said.
He pointed to the fact that the Ohio
State game is Thanksgiving weekend,
perhaps discouraging people from buy-
ing tickets knowing that they would
miss Michigan's big rivalry game.
Other variables include the first ticket
price increase since 1996, with the cost
jumping from $13.50 a game to $17.50
for students. Also, for the first time
ticket applications were not mailed out,
but instead Athletic Director Bill Mar-
tin sent an email to students' Micl
accounts telling them where they co
pick applications up.
The Athletic Department sets as
22,000 seats for students. When
number of tickets sold exceeds 22,0
single students are scattered throu
out the stadium to outside the stud
section by the north endzone, wh
tickets are open to the public. T
year, with fewer than 22,000 buy
tickets, Michigan is going to s
extra 2,500 seats to the public
price instead of the student discos
which this year ranges from 55 to
percent off the regular price.
Despite the decrease in tickets s
this year, Bodnar said Michigar
going to continue setting aside -22,1
seats for the student section in
future.
For the 19,500 who bought, dor
worry if your tickets aren't ready
yet. Some have already been mallet
out, while others are still in the
process of being printed.
f z 3
f.
k
the selection is
ENDLESS