on the SIDELINES

Poms pay for trip, take second\nAfter having its funding cancelled, the IU pom squad was determined to make it to the 2002 College Nationals of the Universal Cheerleaders Association. The squad was notified Nov. 24 that its budget would not be sufficient to fund the planned trip to Orlando, Fla. The team was forced to raise $17,000 if it wanted to make the trip it had been preparing for all year.\nThe determination to pay for the trip carried over into the competition, as the pom squad finished second Saturday in the Dance Division IA competition, which was held at the Disney Wide World of Sports Fieldhouse. IU lost to Orange Coast College of California. Fellow Big Ten competitors Michigan State and Minnesota finished third and fourth, respectively.\nIU's crimson cheerleading squad also competed Friday at the Disney-MGM Studios. The all-female squad finished fourth in the All-Girl Division I Finals. Morehead State won the competition, followed by Memphis and Southwest Texas State.\nThe championships are scheduled to be televised on ESPN in March.\nRandle El appears in first of three senior games\nIU's most exciting and best known football player, Antwaan Randle El, made his first appearance in a college All-Star game Saturday.\nRandle El participated in the East-West Shrine Game at Pac Bell Park in San Francisco. Randle El saw playing time at a variety of positions, including wide receiver. Randle El played receiver in the first Hoosier game against NC State.\nAt quarterback, Randle El went 10-of-21 for 119 yards and had two interceptions. \nRandle El next appears in the Senior Bowl Jan. 26 in Mobile, Ala. \nRavens, Packers advance in Playoffs\nThe Baltimore Ravens held the Miami Dolphins to a mere 151 yards in a 20-3 victory Sunday afternoon.\nThe Ravens face the Pittsburgh Steelers next Sunday in the second round. The Steelers won the AFC Central title, but split this year's series against the Ravens.\nMiami scored first on a field goal, but that ended up being the Dolphins' only score. The three points came after a Ravens fumble.\nThe Packers beat the 49ers 25-15 at Lambeau Field Sunday, improving their record in home playoff games to 13-0.\nPackers quarterback Brett Favre threw two touchdown passes as Green Bay advanced to a second-round playoff game against the St. Louis Rams. In temperatures 34 degrees or lower, Favre is 31-0 at home.\nOn top of the two scores, Favre was 22-of-29 for 269 yards and had one interception. After the interception, Favre took the Packers 93 yards to the end zone.