Mondav. July 30. 2001- The Michigan Dail - 15



F

unshine state deaths
mpt investigation
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - College
tball coaches are re-examining their
ing methods following the deaths
three players in Florida during the
st five months.
Last week's death of Florida fresh-
an Eraste Autin from heat stroke
er a voluntary workout prompted
h Steve Spurrier to review the way
conducts running drills.
Florida State's Bobby Bowden and
uth Florida's Jim Leavitt are also
urning apayer.
FloridaState linebacker Devaughn
ing died in February while weight-
g, most likely of a heart arrhyth-
ia. South Florida's Patrick Payton
ed last month in a motorcycle acci-
nt.
"I don't know if there's any one
that has happened in my coach-
g life that has impacted myself
ore," Leavitt said yesterday. "It
akes you realize that you coach, in
mind, not to win championships. I
n't coach to get to bowl games. I
ch to have a chance to be involved
ith these young people's lives. It real-
bqught me back to grips with why I
ach"
e Florida football coaches were in
do to meet with the state's media.
Miami coach Larry Coker got a
are Saturday night when three of his
ayers - running backs Jarrett Payton
d Clinton Portis and defensive line-
Clint Hurtt - escaped with cuts
d bruises in a highway car accident.
"There is a big sigh of relief for the
iversity, those players and, without
estion, their families," Coker said.
Autin's death, in particular, has
hes re-examining their training
ods. The 6-foot-2, 250-pound full-
ck collapsed July 19 shortly after
ing sprints on a hot and muggy
emoon. His body temperature was
easured at 108 degrees. He died
lednesday after six days ina coma.
"We all feel the tremendous loss,"
entral Florida coach Mike Kruczek
id. "It's a tragedy. It really is."
ins close the deal
vth Tigers for Jones
DETROIT (AP) - The Minnesota
wins, looking for a boost in the
sllpen to help their surprising playoff
n, acquired reliever Todd Jones from
te Detroit Tigers on Saturday for
tcher Mark Redman.
"We need some immediate help,"
linnesota general manager Terry Ryan
id. "This is a situation where we have
ce to win and we want to take it.
's a good feeling to be on this side,
sking to add rather than to subtract"
Jones was tied for the AL lead with
I saves last season, comes in.
Jones, who will join the Twins in
ronto on Tuesday, was hoping to be
ealt to a contender before the trade
eadline, but when it happened, it was
ill a shock.
' was an honor to be a Tiger, and to
thrown the last pitch at Tiger Sta-
um" he said.
Jones lost his closer's job to Matt
ndeson early this year. Jones is 4-5
ith I1 saves and a 4.62 ERA.



U


Invasion of Poland
The Ann Arbor News reported that Anne Tho-
rius, a former point guard at Michigan will be
playing professional basketball in Poland.
Terms were not disclosed, but Thorius' con-
tract with Polpharma VBW Clima Gdynia of
Poland is reported to last for two years.
Thorius, the first woman to combine 1,000
career points and 500 career assists at Michi-
gan, was the last player cut from by the Orlan-
do Miracle this past spring.
The Denmark native may use this overseas
professional experience to prep for another
tryout in the WNBA.
Last season Thorius earned Most Valuable
Player and Defensive Player of the Year honors
for the Wolverines.
She averaged 8.4 points and five assists per
game as a senior last year.,
Fun Polphartma facts
* Polpharma is actually a Polish pharmaceutical
firm. www.polpharma.com.pl
U The Polpharma VBW Clima Gdynia won the
Polish championship five times in a six year
stretch (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001).
* Their games are played at the City Arena of
Gdynia (Capacity: 1,500 seats).
* Send all fan mail c/o Anne Thorius
Basketball Investments Gdynia S.S.A.
81-538 Gdynia-Redlowo ul. Olimpijska 5
* One U.S. Dollar is worth approximately 4.4
Polish Zloties.
* The Polpharma VBW Clima Gdynia have a
beautiful home online at http://www.kosz.vbw
clima.com.pl/klub/eng/index.html
The site, which also offers Polish and Por-
tuguese translations, has news, photos and a fan
"klub."

Final cut
Starting with a list of 45 collegiate play-
ers, Michigan's LaVell Blanchard was one
of 13 finalists for 12 spots on the 2001
FIBA World Championship for Young Men
team, which will be playing in Japan this
August.
After two exhibition games in Dallas, Syra-
cuse coach Jim Boeheim, who is coaching
the Young Men team, finalized his roster,
leaving Blanchard as the odd man out.
"This was an extremely difficult decision. I
told the players that no one on this team
deserved to be cut. I wish we could take
all 13 finalists to Japan, however, in inter-
national basketball only 12 players are
allowed to compete," Boeheim said.
The list of finalists originally totaled 14
and included Illinois' Frank Williams, who
withdrew himself from the tryouts with a
broken wrist.
Andy Katz on espn.com wrote that Blan-
chard was squeezed out in part because
Boeheim had too many big guards/small
forwards to choose from, especially with
the departure of Williams, meaning point
guards were at a premium.
Blanchard's performances in the exhibition
games did not help his cause either. He
totaled six points in 25 minutes for the two
games combined. In the second game
against Yugoslavia, Blanchard had two
turnovers in his seven minutes on the floor.
The final roster is made of the following:
Troy Bell (Boston College); Carlos Boozer
(Duke); Caron Butler (Connecticut); Nick
Collison (Kansas); Brian Cook (Illinois);
Chris Duhon (Duke); Reggie Evans (lowa);
Dahntay Jones (Duke); Jason Kapono
(UCLA); Jameer Nelson (St. Joseph's);
Michael Sweetney (Georgetown) and Mar-
cus Taylor (Michigan State).

A'LYSeAoDaily
Former Michigan point guard Anne Thoulus signed a two-
year deal with a Polish professional basketball team.

I . --. I

isconsin lo S ix
players to ineligibility
MADISON (AP) - Five Wiscon- fits ranging from $432.60 to
sin football players and one men's $494.40, which would result in a
basketball player were declared inel- one-game suspension for each play-
igible by the school for receiving er.
reduced-cost housing the It said a football play-
summer before they er who stayed at The
enrolled. Regent in the summer of
But the school has 1999 received a benefit
requested that the NCAA . of $206 and a teammate
reinstate them without who stayed there in the
suspensions. The six ath- summer of 1998
letes were not identified. received a benefit of
University officials $46.35 while the basket-
released the information ball player who stayed
Thursday after an open there in the summer of
records requests by the Milwaukee 1999 received a benefit of $72.10.
Journal Sentinel and the Wisconsin
State Journal.
The school plans to argue that the
individuals should be reinstated
after repaying the amount of the on your next haircut
benefit they received.
The athletes stayed at The Regent, (Regular $12.00)
a private dorm on campus, during
the summers of 1998, 1999 and Simply brIng this coupon to
2000. Supercuts. As usual, no
Melany Newby, the vice chancel- appointments are necessary.
for for legal and executive affairs,
said the NCAA Student-Athlete 715 N. University e 668-8488
Reinstatement Committee probably
will rule before Aug. 11, the day she But come In soon, this offer ends
and school officials are to be in 911N01. Good at particpating shops.
Jackson, Wyo., to appear before the One coupon per customer.
NCAA's Committee on Infractions.
The newspapers said three foot-
ball players who stayed at The
Regent last summer received bene- _ _ _ _ _ __

Be a part of the
Seeking:
Student groups to perform at
MEIJEktMA' NESS during
Welcome to Michigan 2001.
(6000 students attended the event in 2000!)
When:
Friday, August 31, 10pm-2am
(Groups will get a 15-20 min. slot)
For more information or to sign up,
e-mail pvachon@umich.edu
by Friday, August 10.
rpERFIMANCt I4ETMJTNITY: