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sportsdesk@umich.edu
Brannen denied
800-meter title
By Ellen McGarrity
Daily Sports Writer
Late Saturday night, runners
Tarn Leach and Sean Moore
seemed anxious and hopeful as
they waited to hear the results
of the NCAA Outdoor Track
Championships in Sacramento,
Calif. Leach and Moore's sea-
son ended a few weeks ago,
but teammates Nate Brannen
and Nick Willis advanced to
the national meet. They had
good reason to anticipate
favorable results, as Brannen
and Willis each took first in
the preliminary rounds of their
events earlier this week - the
800-meter and 1,500-meter
runs, respectively. Leach and
Moore expected at least one
phone call from a national
champion.
But when the phone rang
back in Ann Arbor and Moore
answered, he bowed his head to
some disheartening information.
"It's not good," said Moore,
answering Leach's curious
face.
A weekend that began with
promise had ended in disap-
pointment.
The news that caused
Moore's face to fall was that
neither teammate would return
a champion. In fact, one didn't
even have a fighting chance.
Willis was the first to race
Saturday, participating in the
1,500 meter run.
"Nick got out in third or
fourth position right outside
where he was supposed to be,"
Michigan coach Ron Warhurst
said. "And then somebody
stepped on him from behind.
He tripped and his shoe was
half off so he couldn't run. He
had to stop, put his shoe back
on and then finish up - he
was last."
The freshman was on a roll
heading into this final test of
speed. He took first in the
NCAA preliminaries on
Wednesday, beating the pack
by 20 meters. And just two
weeks ago at the NCAA
Mideast Regionals, Willis won
in similar fashion.
-"It was really unfortunate
because Willis was so strong
this year," teammate Alex
L'Heureux said. "I don't think
he's beatable in the nation -
and then to have such bad
luck."
Brannen was fortunate
enough not to get tripped up,
but he crossed the finish line
fifth in the 800-meter run.
"I got out pretty fast, but
there were two groups and I
was in the (second group),"
Brannen said. "The other
group pulled away in front and
by the time I noticed, they had
10 meters on me. In the back-
stretch I tried to make that up,
but I just had nothing left."
Warhurst said that Brannen
didn't move when he should
MONDAY
JUNE 16, 2003
Charges against
Webber reduced,
By Gennaro Filice
Daily Sports Editor
During Thursday's pre-trial hearing, federal prosecu-
tors dropped obstruction of justice charges against
Sacramento King and former Michigan star Chris.Web-
ber and his father, Mayce Webber. But, Chris's attorney
Steve Fishman said the duo still faces four counts of
perjury.
The obstruction of justice charges were dropped when
the defense made a motion for a Bill
of Particulars, which asked Judge
Nancy Edmunds to make the prosecu-
tion clarify exactly what it was that
they were claiming the Webbers had
done. Without key witness and former
Michigan basketball booster Ed Mar-
tin, who died last February, Assistant
U.S. Attorney Keith Corbett said that
the prosecution would dismiss the Chris Webber
obstructions count.
"(Webber now) faces fewer counts rather than more
counts," Fishman said. "Any time you get rid of one the-
ory of the prosecution, it's significant."
Last month, the prosecution dismissed both perjury
and obstruction of justice charges against Webber's
aunt, Charlene Johnson, for the same reason.
"According to the government, (charges against John-
son) were dropped because Mr. Martin is no longer here
to give his version of events," Fishman said.
All three Webbers were indicted last September on
charges of lying to a federal grand jury in 2000. The
grand jury was investigating an illegal gambling ring
run in Detroit auto plants by Martin. The allegations
said Webber received some of Martin's illegal proceeds
while attending Detroit Country Day High School and
Michigan (1988-1993). The trio denied receiving any
type of loan from Martin.
But in May 2002, Martin pleaded guilty to giving
$616,000 to Webber and three other Michigan basket-
ball players (Robert Traylor, Maurice Taylor and Louis
Bullock). According to Martin, Webber received
$280,000 - by far the largest sum of the four.
See WEBBER, Page 12
Sophomore Nate Brannen missed his chance to hold both1
outdoor 800-meter NCAA titles, but finished in fifth place.
have, and this caused the gap
between him and the winning
pack to become too great to
catch.
"He had a lot of pressure
going into the race," L'Heureux
said. "Coming out as the
indoor 800-meter champion
and being top dog, he was
expected to win the outdoor. I
don't know how he dealt with
(the pressure), but coming in
fifth in nationals - I don't
think there's anything wrong
with that."
Having just watched Willis
race, Brannen may have been
thrown by his teammate's fal-
ter.
"That can play some mind
tricks on you," L'Heureux said.
"(Nate and Nick) are so con-
nected to each other. When one
does well, the other one seems
to do well."
Although Brannen didn't
claim first, his time of 1:47.45
was fast enough to earn him
All-American status.
Brannen and Willis leave for
Europe next week, and will
attempt to achieve Olympic
qualifying times for their
respective countries, Canada
and New Zealand. Brannen
will run the 800-meter and
Willis the 1,500-meter run. The
See TRACK, Page 12
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