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(06/09/08 8:04pm)
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Strahan retired Monday after a 15-year NFL career with the New York Giants that was capped by a Super Bowl title four months ago.\nThe 36-year-old Strahan, the NFL's active leader in sacks, informed the front office in the morning without telling his coaches and teammates.\n"I'm just finding out about it; let me get organized," coach Tom Coughlin said after a team workout.\nStrahan is walking away from a $4 million salary for the final year of his contract. He has long said he wants a job in television.\nTony Agnone, Strahan's agent, did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press. Strahan's retirement was first reported by Foxsports.com\n"It was important that my teammates knew which way I was going before they got on the field to start the work to defend our title," Strahan told the Web site. "It's time. I'm done."\nStrahan seriously considered retirement before the start of last season, missing almost all of training camp while coming to a decision.\nHe returned days before the season, anchoring a defensive line that was instrumental in hounding New England quarterback Tom Brady in New York's stunning Super Bowl 17-14 victory over the previously unbeaten Patriots.\n"I knew it was going to (eventually) happen," quarterback Eli Manning said. "He had a tremendous career. If that is the case, he picked a great season to go out on."\nFellow Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora was told of the retirement as he walked to the locker room after practice.\n"I talked to Mike last week and he told me he was still unsure," Umenyiora said. "He was really, really thinking about it, but I didn't think he was going to do it today."\nStrahan was the Giants' leader in the locker room. He taught the young defensive ends how to play the position. He was also a gym rat, spending as much time working out as the youngest free agent trying to win a roster spot.\n"It's a very, very sad day for me personally," Umenyiora said. "I loved him like a brother. You put in 15 strong years in the NFL, man that is something in this day and age is impossible to do."\nLast season, Strahan was outstanding. He started 15 of 16 games, had 46 tackles and nine sacks.\n"I am very happy for him," said receiver Amani Toomer, who played 12 seasons with Strahan. "I think he is going to find a way on his feet. I just wish him the best."\nA second-round pick in the 1993 draft, Strahan is the Giants' career sacks leader with 141½. Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor had the old mark of 132½, although that total does not included 9½ the linebacker had as a rookie in 1981, the year before sacks became an official statistic.\nStrahan set the single-season mark of 22½ sacks in 2001, getting the last one in the final game of the season when Brett Favre mysteriously fell late in the game, and No. 92 got credit for the sack. Favre announced his retirement shortly after the Giants' Super Bowl win.\nJustin Tuck is the leading candidate to move into Strahan's starting spot.\n"The guy has had a great career, 15 years, a first ballot Hall of Famer," he said. "I'm not surprised, just how he did it. I thought he was more of a news conference guy, you know, the whole world watching."\nUmenyiora felt Strahan was playing so well he would return this season.\n"He retired at the top of his game," he said. "A lot of us don't get the chance to do that"
(02/05/08 5:17am)
LUBBOCK, Texas – Bob Knight, known as much for his fiery temper as his basketball brilliance, resigned Monday at Texas Tech, handing the team over to his son.\nIt was a stunning midseason move by the winningest men’s coach in major college basketball, who gave no hint a change was coming. Pat Knight, a Red Raiders assistant and former IU basketball player, was appointed his father’s successor in 2005.\n“There’s a transition that’s going to take place here from me to Pat and I’ve dwelt on this all year long ... how it would be best for him and for the team and for what we can do in the long run to make this the best thing for Texas Tech,” Knight told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, which first reported the resignation.\nThe 67-year-old Knight informed Texas Tech athletic director Gerald Myers of his decision in a meeting around noon Monday, Texas Tech chancellor Kent Hance told The Associated Press. Knight then called Hance and told him.\n“He’s ready,” Pat Knight said during his weekly radio show. “He’s tired.”\nKnight told the newspaper he informed the team before practice Monday.\nThe Red Raiders beat Oklahoma State 67-60 on Saturday, giving Knight his 902nd victory. He won national titles at Indiana in 1976, ‘81 and ‘87.\n“I guess you can never be surprised at some of the things Bob does,” former UCLA coach John Wooden told the AP. “I don’t think there’s ever been a better teacher of the game of basketball than Bob. I don’t always approve of his methods, but his players for the most part are very loyal to him. I would say that no player that ever played for him would not say he did not come out a stronger person.”\nIn September, Knight signed a three-year contract extension that runs through the 2011-12 season.\n“I didn’t know, I’ve never really known when I was going to step down from this job. As I thought about it, my first thought was at the end of this season,” Knight told the Lubbock paper. “My thinking was .. the best thing for the long run for this team would be for Pat and his staff to coach these remaining 10 games.”\nKnight arrived at Texas Tech in March 2001, six months after being fired by Indiana for what school officials there called a “pattern of unacceptable behavior.”\nNCAA president Myles Brand, the former Indiana University president who fired Knight, declined to comment on the resignation, spokesman Erik Christianson said Monday night.\nKnight has been a college coach for 42 years. He broke in at Army in 1965, but made his mark in 29 years at Indiana.\n“I am very fortunate and blessed to have played for him,” former IU star and current New Mexico coach Steve Alford said. “He made me a better man and for that I am grateful.” \nKnight got his 100th victory at Army, then moved to Indiana, where his Hoosiers went 662-239 from 1971-2000.\nHis first NCAA title came in 1976 when IU went undefeated, a feat no team has accomplished since. \n“Today was the most relaxed and relieved I’ve seen him in a long time,” Pat Knight said during his show. “He thought about doing it a year ago but he didn’t want people to think he was just staying for the record. So he kind of pushed himself to go one more year.”
(02/01/08 6:05am)
The IU men’s tennis team will look to continue its winning ways when it heads to Iowa City, Iowa this weekend for its Big Ten opener.\nThe match will be held at the noon Saturday at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Center. This will also be the site for this year’s Big Ten Tournament, held April 24-27. \nIU’s record is 4-0 and the team has not allowed a single point in its matches thus far. Nearly all of the singles matches have been won impressively in straight sets.\nIowa’s record stands is 1-0 after defeating Northern Illinois 6-1 this past weekend. IU leads the all-time series 45-15. The Hoosiers defeated Iowa in both contests last year, the first victory coming in the regular season (6-1) and the second in the Big Ten Tournament (4-3). \nFreshman Phillip Eilers has been especially impressive this season and will play No. 1 singles for the Hoosiers on Saturday. Eilers has played the No. 1 position in three of his four starts this season. \nSenior Thomas Richter will play No. 2 singles for the Hoosiers as he and Eilers will face a tough 1-2 punch in Iowa’s senior duo of Bart van Monsjou and J.P. Ritchie. \nFollowing this weekend’s match against the Hawkeyes, the Hoosiers will face their out-of-conference rival Kentucky next week. IU will host the match, which will begin at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 5.
(02/01/08 6:04am)
After dropping its first two matches of the Big Ten season, the IU wrestling team gets two chances to bounce back for its first conference victory this weekend against Ohio State and Michigan State.\nThe first contest of the weekend pits the No. 16 Hoosiers (11-4, 0-2) against the No. 7 Buckeyes (14-3, 2-1) at 7 p.m. Friday. Last year, Ohio State took down the cream and crimson in Columbus 19-14. The Buckeyes’ only loss this season came to the No. 1 Iowa Hawkeyes by a score of 24-10. Ohio State has picked up wins against No. 8 Penn State and No. 13 Wisconsin, both teams the Hoosiers have dropped matches to this season.\nTwo days after facing the Buckeyes, IU is set to do battle with Michigan State at 2 p.m. Sunday. The Spartans (3-7, 0-2) come into the contest with a decisive edge in the all-time series, leading 44-19-3. But the Spartans have lost three straight and will face the Badgers before traveling to Bloomington Sunday.\nIn addition to picking up two conference wins, this weekend has special meaning for the Hoosiers. One win this weekend will give IU coach Duane Goldman his milestone 200th win.\nAlso, freshman Kurt Kinser will look to inch closer to the school record of 20 pins in a season. Kinser enters Friday’s match with a 13-match win streak to go along with 17 pins, which ties him for the most in Division-1 wrestling. \nOther Hoosiers to keep an eye on this weekend are sophomores Angel Escobedo and Nathan Everhart. Escobedo, ranked No. 2 in the nation in the 125-pound weight class, will attempt to extend his perfect season. Everhart, who was previously projected to miss the rest of the season with a foot injury, returned to IU’s lineup Jan. 25 against Wisconsin.
(08/05/07 10:34pm)
SAN DIEGO – With a short swing, a half stare and an emphatic clap of his hands, Barry Bonds rounded the bases. After so many days and so many tries, he had finally caught Hammerin’ Hank.\n“The hard part is over right now,” Bonds said.\nHigh above the field in a private box, baseball commissioner Bud Selig was a reluctant witness to history. Choosing to overlook the steroid allegations that have dogged the San Francisco slugger, Selig watched Bonds tie Hank Aaron’s home run record – his mouth agape, hands stuffed in pockets and nary a cheer on his lips.\nNo. 755 was a strong shot for all the doubters, an opposite-field drive of 382 feet to left-center, moving Bonds within one swing of having baseball’s pinnacle of power all to himself. It came on a 2-1, 91 mph fastball Saturday night.\n“This is the hardest thing I’ve had to do in my entire career,” he said. “I had rashes on my head, I felt like I was getting sick at times.”\nIt had been eight days and 28 plate appearances since Bonds hit his 754th home run, and he came out for early batting practice Saturday, hoping to break his slump. He did it quickly, leading off the second inning.\n“No matter what anybody thinks of the controversy surrounding this event, Mr. Bonds’ achievement is noteworthy and remarkable,” Selig said in a statement.\nSelig said either he or a representative would attend the Giants’ next few games “out of respect for the tradition of the game, the magnitude of the record and the fact that all citizens in this country are innocent until proven guilty.”\nBonds said he hadn’t spoken to Selig, but welcomed him anytime.\nAaron was not in attendance. The Hall of Famer had previously said he would not follow the chase in person.\n“It’s a little bit different than any other milestone I’ve ever gone through,” Bonds said. “It’s Hank Aaron. I can’t explain the feeling of it, it’s just Hank Aaron.”\nBonds drew a mixed reaction from the crowd at Petco Park after he homered off Clay Hensley. Several fans held up asterisk signs and the San Francisco slugger was booed as he headed to left field at the end of the inning.\nBonds walked his next three times up and left the game in the eighth for a pinch-runner. He raised his helmet with his left hand, then his right, and drew a standing ovation from many fans who chanted his name.\n“I want to thank the fans. They have been outstanding,” Bonds said. “It’s been a fun ride. I really appreciate the way San Diego handled it and the way their fans handled it.”\nThe Padres won 3-2 in 12 innings.\nBonds said he would not start Sunday, which would give him a chance to break the record at home beginning Monday night.\nBonds hit the tying homer off a former Giants draft pick who was suspended in 2005 for violating baseball’s minor league steroids policy.\n“I don’t think we’re here to discuss those matters,” Bonds said.\nBonds’ milestone shot clunked off an advertising sign on the facade and fell into the navy blue bleachers below – right under the main scoreboard featuring a giant photo of the smiling slugger.\nA fan sitting in that area threw back a ball onto the field, but that was not the historic one. Instead, the souvenir wound up in the hands of 33-year-old plumber Adam Hughes of La Jolla, and he was whisked to a secure area so the specially marked ball could be authenticated.\nHughes said he hadn’t decided what to do with the prize.\n“I don’t know what direction I am going,” he said.\nEven with Bonds at 755, there is bound to be a split among many fans over who is the real home run champ.\nThere will be some who always consider Babe Ruth as the best – those old films of him wearing a crown will last forever. Others will give that honor to Aaron, as much for his slugging as his quiet dignity in breaking Ruth’s record in 1974.\nWhile steroids tinged Bonds’ chase, race was the predominant issue when Aaron took aim at Ruth’s mark of 714.\nAaron dealt with hate mail and death threats from racist fans who thought a black man was not worthy of breaking the record set by a white hero, the beloved Babe. Bonds, too, has said he deals with racial issues and that threats have been made on his life at times.
(07/22/07 11:53pm)
CHICAGO – Barry Bonds is finally willing to recognize his own countdown to the home run record.\nHe hit two more over the fences and, suddenly, is just two swings from tying Hank Aaron. And those commemorative balls now being worked in for Bonds’ at-bats serve as constant reminders that he’s right on the cusp of making history – and breaking the most hallowed record in sports.\n“It’s real now,” Bonds said after hitting his 752nd and 753rd home runs Thursday in the San Francisco Giants’ 9-8 loss to the Chicago Cubs.\n“I had to get over them switching those baseballs. Any time that happens, I kind of go into a slide. It’s tough because you actually really realize something’s going on and you don’t really want to think about it. ... But when they stop it for a second and switch baseballs, it’s very hard to not know something’s happening right in front of you.”\nHe was ready, all right, breaking out of his longest offensive funk in six years on a pair of fresh, rested legs.\nThe San Francisco slugger returned to the starting lineup for the first time in four games after sitting to let his sore lower body recover.\nHe didn’t just clear the fences in the second inning when he crushed the specially monogrammed ball for his 18th homer of the season and first in 25 at-bats, he cleared the bleachers altogether on a blustery day. There were wind gusts of 20 mph at first pitch.\nBonds sent the first pitch from Cubs starter Ted Lilly high over the right-field fence leading off the inning – the first drive out of Wrigley Field to reach Sheffield Avenue all season. Then he homered again in the seventh on a 3-2 pitch from Will Ohman, a three-run shot that stuck in the basket of the wall in left-center. Ohman became the 443rd pitcher to give up a home run to Bonds, who has 19 homers on the year.\nIt was Bonds’ 71st multihomer game, second behind Babe Ruth’s 72, and second this season. He went 3-for-3 with three runs scored.\nEven Bonds is having a tough time enjoying the home runs with the last-place Giants losing day after day.\n“Obviously he’s our guy who’s going to produce,” losing pitcher Matt Morris said. “I don’t know what the goal here is anymore – to win games? He’s our biggest threat. Today he produced and it still wasn’t good enough. I think it’s more about how we’re playing than what Barry’s got going on the side. That is something he’s been dealing with for a long time. We’re almost waiting to get it over with.”\nBonds’ first homer pulled the Giants within 4-1 and was San Francisco’s first hit off Lilly, who surrendered his third career homer to Bonds. The next homer got the Giants within one and gave Bonds six RBIs on the day, his most since driving in six runs Sept. 22 last year at Milwaukee. It was his seventh career game with at least six RBIs.\nThe second homer also moved Bonds past Carlton Fisk for most longballs by a player in a year he turns at least 43. Fisk hit 18 at age 43 in 1990 and 18 more the following year at 44. Bonds – who turns 43 on Tuesday – needs two more homers not only to match Hammerin’ Hank’s record, but also to tie Fisk’s 72 homers after turning 40.\nThe fans both cheered and booed when his second-inning ball sailed out in the direction of a beer billboard reading “755 BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL.” Dave Davison, a 39-year-old regular at Wrigley, retrieved the specially monogrammed ball in the middle of the street after it bounced off someone else’s arm.\nAnd it wasn’t the first souvenir for Davison, who has retrieved more than 4,200 keepsake balls including one other from Bonds. He might be a willing seller this time, but had already turned down an offer for $5,000.\n“I’d have to seriously consider anything over $25,000,” Davison said. “I’ll be happy to keep it.”\nTyler Olson, a 13-year-old from Freeport, Ill., came up with No. 753. The teen declined comment.\n“I was just hoping they were going to throw the balls back like they said. I guess they lied,” Bonds said. “I was going to put them in my trophy room.”\nBonds hadn’t homered since the first inning July 3 at Cincinnati and also ended a seven-game hitless stretch. In the third, Lilly had no choice but to go right after him again – and Bonds looped a bases-loaded, two-run single into left-center.\nLilly didn’t mind being connected to Bonds, who faces suspicions that his pursuit was fueled by steroids.\n“He’s one of the most special players the game has ever had,” Lilly said. “A lot of the negative attention has been unfortunate, not only for him but for the game. I don’t know what the facts are in his history. I respect him.”\nAs Bonds made his way out in street clothes afterward, he greeted and hugged Rev. Jesse Jackson near the Giants’ dugout and they pecked each other on the cheek.\nBonds was mired in a season-worst 0-for-21 slump, two off his career high set during his rookie season in 1986. The latest was his longest hitless stretch since one of the same length from April 5-12, 2001 – the year he broke Mark McGwire’s single-season home run record with 73.\n“It’s not too often you can keep him down,” the Cubs’ Cliff Floyd said. “I knew sooner or later he was going to break out.”
(07/02/07 12:28am)
SAN FRANCISCO – \nBarry Bonds hit his 750th career home run Friday night, pulling the San Francisco slugger within five of tying Hank Aaron’s record.\nThe 42-year-old Bonds watched the ball sail over the wall in right-center, then lowered his head and began his trot. The solo shot against Arizona starter Livan Hernandez leading off the eighth inning tied the game at three. The main center-field scoreboard immediately featured a road sign reading “Bonds 750” in the middle and “Road to History” on either side.\nBonds drove a 3-2 pitch an estimated 380 feet for his 16th home run of the season and first in exactly a week since connecting off Yankees reliever Scott Proctor on June 22. It was Bonds’ first homer in 14 at-bats and 23 plate appearances and the fourth of his career against Hernandez, a former Giant, who last surrendered a home run to Bonds on Aug. 24, 2006. Bonds had an RBI single in the first Friday night, drew his 79th walk in the third and popped out in the sixth.\nHe received a standing ovation when he walked to left field in the top of the ninth, tipping his hat to the crowd. Bonds’ batboy son Nikolai is nursing an ankle injury and wasn’t at home plate to greet him with a hug as is their typical routine.\nThe home run came an inning after a fan gave everybody a scare when he hopped the fence and ran out to Bonds in left field. The seven-time NL MVP calmly greeted the man and walked him off and into the custody of security personnel.\nThe fan came out over the short fence along the left-field line and scurried to Bonds while Orlando Hudson was batting. Bonds didn’t flinch, putting his arm around the man and walking him off the field – and fans began chants of “Barry! Barry!”\nThe Giants have said they will beef up security during Bonds’ chase of Aaron’s 755. The club did a trial run with metal detectors at some gates Friday leading up to All-Star game festivities next month.
(04/20/07 4:00am)
SAN FRANCISCO – Rich Aurilia spent his first nine big league seasons as a fan favorite in San Francisco. Now, in his second stint with the Giants after three years away, he is as beloved as ever.\nAurilia provided the key hit for the second time in 15 1/2 hours. His two-run, sixth-inning double broke a tie and helped Noah Lowry to his first win of the season, a 6-2 victory over the struggling St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday.\n“It makes me feel good in the sense that I had success here in the past,” said Aurilia, who was thrilled it worked out for him to return this season. “I’m not getting any younger, but I feel I can still play and contribute to a winning team.”\nAurilia singled in the winning run in the bottom of the 12th in a 6-5 win Wednesday night, then doubled to right to spoil what had been a good effort by St. Louis starter Kip Wells.\nRandy Winn drove in two runs, including a sacrifice fly in San Francisco’s three-run sixth, which also featured Dave Roberts’ one-out infield single followed by a stolen base.
(12/01/06 6:31pm)
Earl Calloway, Rod Wilmont and A.J. Ratliff sat on IU's bench for much of the second half during the Hoosiers' 54-51 loss to Duke University Tuesday night.\nCertainly, you'd expect at least some combination of these three to see the floor during crunch time in such a tough nonconference affair.\nSo was IU coach Kelvin Sampson sending a message to the trio?\n"Oh, there was a message," Sampson said Thursday afternoon.\n"I threw five guys out there to start the game, they didn't play very well," Sampson said. "You know, I just didn't see a lot of confidence with that group. ... We competed the second half. You look out there and you've got a walk-on and you've got two freshmen on your perimeter, but it doesn't matter. Those guys played good. That's what matters."\nSampson was referring to the likes of senior Errek Suhr and freshmen Joey Shaw and Armon Bassett. Each played in lieu of Calloway, Wilmont and Ratliff while they rode the pine in Sampson's proverbial doghouse.\nWhat does this all mean for the Hoosiers?\nFirst, let's get a few things straight: This team needs Earl Calloway on the floor. It needs Wilmont out there, too. And Ratliff's defense is essential to Hoosiers' success. \nDuring the NCAA Tournament last season, Calloway was nothing short of spectacular. Same goes for IU's Nov. 13 win against Lafayette College earlier this year. The senior guard scored 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting and had nine assists as well.\nHe's a scorer and leader. His quickness helps, too.\nWilmont is this team's spark plug. He's instant energy any time he's on the court. Rod is IU's Red Bull if you will. He's also a great three-point shooter and the team's most prolific scorer.\nRatliff's offensive prowess isn't quite that of Rod's or Earl's (although the potential seems to be there), but his wingspan gives him an advantage over most opponents he guards.\nAll three need to be an integral part of this team if the Hoosiers expect to be successful this season.\nSome have raised concerns on the Basketblog (by the way, thanks to all that made the live blog a success during the IU-Duke game) that Sampson's philosophy of pulling his players out of a game when they commit mistakes is detrimental to the team. If a player is constantly worrying about screwing up and getting yanked from the game, he'll be too preoccupied with looking over his shoulder at Sampson to play relaxed.\nThe first-year coach seemed to quell that notion Thursday afternoon during a press conference.\n"Making mistakes isn't a crime. It's OK to make mistakes," Sampson said. "But don't repeat it. That's the message you send these kids. And don't get mad at them because they didn't play good. I can't do that. That doesn't help anybody. I spent most of the day yesterday ... Earl came by, Rod came by. They wanna know, 'Coach, what can I do?' You know that's their attitude. They wanna help the team."\nSampson said that all three of them (Calloway, Wilmont and Ratliff) are kids of high character and will respond to his "message."\nSampson also said he expects Calloway to play a lot better in IU's Saturday night matchup with the University of North Carolina-Charlotte at Assembly Hall. \nOnce Calloway, Wilmont and Ratliff start to minimize these mistakes and get back to where they need to be -- and Suhr, Shaw and Bassett continue to impress -- Sampson will have a lot more depth at the guard position. \nThat's a good thing. Options are nice.\nBut first, the trio must respond to their coach's message. Will it happen Saturday night against Charlotte?\nMaybe, maybe not.\nWhenever it does happen, this team will be a lot better for it.
(05/22/06 2:00am)
OAKLAND, Calif. -- The agonizing wait is over for Barry Bonds. He and the Babe are even at 714.\nBonds tied Babe Ruth for second place on the career home run list Saturday, ending a nine-game homerless stretch with a shot into the first deck of the elevated stands in right-center during San Francisco's 4-2, 10-inning victory over the Oakland Athletics.\n"This is a great accomplishment because of Babe Ruth and what he brought to the game of baseball and his legacy in the game of baseball," Bonds said. "This and a World Series ring to me would be the ultimate. He changed the game of baseball. ... It's just great to be in the same class."\nThe second-inning drive landed about eight rows up in the seats overlooking the high fence just to the left of the out-of-town scoreboard. Though the A's don't provide estimated distances on home runs, this one appeared to travel about 400 feet -- far from being one of Bonds' trademark behemoth drives.\nBooed when he was introduced before the game, the Giants' star received a long standing ovation after his home run, and the game was delayed about 90 seconds.\nNext up is Hank Aaron's record of 755.\n"This took a lot off me. It's good," Bonds said. "A lot of relief. Well, until something else comes up."\nBonds, dogged by allegations of steroid use and repeated taunts on the road, was immediately greeted by his teammates after circling the bases. They surrounded him at the top of the dugout as Bonds tipped his cap and blew a kiss to his wife and two daughters sitting in the first row.\nBonds had gone 29 at-bats without a homer since hitting No. 713 with a 450-foot shot May 7 in Philadelphia. His 16-year-old son, Nikolai, a Giants bat boy, was waiting for him at home plate and they embraced.\n"I like the fact that ball was hit, that ball was crushed," San Francisco manager Felipe Alou said.\nThe Giants plan to commemorate No. 715 in their own ballpark. Major League Baseball has said it won't do anything special to celebrate Bonds moving into second place, and a commissioner's office spokesman said baseball had no comment Saturday.\nBonds had hoped to reach his latest milestone home run at home in San Francisco, where he hit Nos. 500, 600 and 700 along with 660 and 661 to tie and pass his godfather, Willie Mays. In 2001, Bonds hit the final three of his 73 homers at home to break Mark McGwire's single-season record of 70.\n"I'm just glad it happened in the Bay," Bonds said. "East Bay, West Bay. I'm just glad it happened here."\nStill, the slugger had to be happy to hit No. 714 back in the Bay Area in front of his family and friends. Only six days earlier, Bonds suggested he was being haunted by "two ghosts" _ a reference to Ruth and Aaron.\nRuth passed Sam Thompson to move into second place on June 20, 1921, when he hit his 127th home run. Aaron passed Ruth in April 1974 -- and now Hammerin' Hank's mark is the only one left for Bonds to chase.\nYet Bonds has said that could be a long shot considering he turns 42 on July 24, is playing on a surgically repaired right knee and with bone chips floating around in his left elbow.\nThe allegations of cheating have put a cloud over Bonds' rapid rise up the home run chart. He hit his 500th homer on April 17, 2001, on the way to a record 73 that season, and reached 700 on Sept. 17, 2004, a stretch unmatched by any player at the end of his career.\n"He's the greatest hitter I've played against and one of the best of this era," Oakland's Jay Payton said. "It's part of history and it's exciting to be part of that."\nNo matter the controversy, his home fans still adore him, chanting his name when he comes to bat and waving yellow rubber chickens whenever an opposing manager makes the most unpopular choice to intentionally walk him.\nIt is Bonds, after all, who is the biggest reason 3 million fans a year pack the seats at the Giants' sparkling waterfront ballpark, which opened in 2000.
(03/08/06 5:17am)
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Barry Bonds' alleged steroid use is the story of spring training again, no matter how hard he and the San Francisco Giants try to avoid it and keep the focus on his chase of the home run record.\nBonds used a vast array of performance-enhancing drugs -- including steroids and human growth hormone -- for at least five seasons beginning in 1998, according to a book written by two San Francisco Chronicle reporters.\nAn excerpt from "Game of Shadows," which details the slugger's extensive doping program, appears in the March 13 issue of Sports Illustrated.\n"I won't even look at it. For what? There's no need to," Bonds said Tuesday after a workout at Scottsdale Stadium. The Giants said Bonds would not comment further.\nThe 41-year-old Bonds, who testified before a California federal grand jury investigating steroid use by top athletes, repeatedly has denied using performance-enhancing drugs.\n"I've read what was reported," Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, told The Associated Press. "Barry is looking forward to playing this year and the improved health of his knee, and being as productive as he's ever been."\nPhone messages left by the AP seeking comment from Bonds' attorney and publicist were not immediately returned Tuesday.\nBaseball did not ban performance-enhancing drugs until after the 2002 season, though there has long been suspicion that some star players such as Bonds were taking steroids to gain an edge. \nAuthors Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, who led the newspaper's coverage of the BALCO scandal, recount in remarkable detail the specifics of Bonds' drug regimen, which they write started in 1998 with injections of Winstrol, a powerful steroid also linked to Rafael Palmeiro.\nAccording to the book, Bonds was using two undetectable designer steroids, informally known as the cream and the clear, plus insulin, human growth hormone and other performance enhancers by 2001, when he hit 73 home runs for the Giants to break Mark McGwire's single-season record of 70 set in 1998.\nBALCO, the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative founded by Victor Conte, kept track of Bonds' drug use in detail, with folders and calendars that chronicled everything from schedules and quantities to his testosterone levels. Much of that information was obtained by federal agents when they raided the lab in September 2003.\nAccording to reports in The Chronicle, Bonds testified to the grand jury in late 2003 that he used a clear substance and a cream given to him by his personal trainer, Greg Anderson, who pleaded guilty in the BALCO case last July to steroid distribution and money laundering. Bonds said he didn't know that what he was using was a steroid, the newspaper reported.\nIn October, Anderson was sentenced to three months in prison and three months in home confinement. Conte was among three other men who also pleaded guilty to their role in supplying steroids to elite athletes.\nAccording to the book, Bonds used several substances in various forms by injecting himself with a syringe, taking injections from Anderson, gulping pills, putting liquid drops under his tongue or rubbing cream on his skin.\nBonds became so experienced and well-versed with the regimen that he occasionally overruled Anderson and took control of his own doping schedule, the book says.\nThe Chronicle reporters, who based the book on a two-year investigation, included an extensive summary on their sources, including court documents, affidavits filed by BALCO investigators, documents written by federal agents, grand jury testimony, audio recordings and interviews with more than 200 people.\n-- Associated Press Baseball Writers Mike Fitzpatrick and Ben Walker and AP Sports Writers Gregg Bell and David Ginsburg contributed to this story.
(09/13/05 5:07am)
SAN FRANCISCO -- Barry Bonds is just a foot or two shy of his old sluggin' self.\nIn his season debut for San Francisco, Bonds strode to the plate Monday night and tipped his batting helmet to the roaring, flashbulb-popping crowd, worked a 3-2 count and lined a double to left-center that fell just shy of clearing the wall.\nIt appeared at first that Bonds had slammed a homer in his first-at bat since last October, but wait! A fan had caught the ball, collecting it into the stands for a ground-rule double.\nThe scoreboard briefly flashed "704" -- which turned out to be premature.\nPlaying for the first time following three surgeries this year on his troublesome right knee, Bonds scored moments later on Ray Durham's single to right.\nBonds led off the second inning for the Giants, stretching his bat above his head as he walked out of the dugout then tipping his batting helmet to the fans before stepping into the batter's box against San Diego's Adam Eaton.\nThus began a wild, 11-pitch at-bat in which Eaton, who has given up three of Bonds' 703 career home runs, challenged Bonds and the crowd was on its feet all the way.\nThe sequence: ball one low and outside, ball two low and outside -- "Boo!" from the crowd. Called strike one, called strike two -- Bonds mouthing the word "Wow" in disbelief at the call. Foul ball into the second deck, another foul behind him into the second-tier seats, two straight towering fouls into the right-field stands, ball low and away, a foul to left.\nThen the double.\nThe 41-year-old Bonds, resuming his quest for Hank Aaron's career home run record of 755, received a warm ovation when he took his spot in left field, tipping his hat to the cheering crowd.\nA lengthy tribute and highlight show of the superstar played on the main center-field scoreboard before the first pitch, ending with "Welcome Back, Barry." Bonds is clearly still plenty loved in the Bay Area despite the steroids controversy surrounding him, though everybody expects far worse treatment on the road.\nThe Giants activated their star slugger from the 60-day disabled list earlier in the day after Bonds spent months rehabilitating his knee. He was in the starting lineup in left field and batting cleanup in the opener of a three-game series against the NL West-leading Padres.
(12/07/04 5:15am)
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- California coach Jeff Tedford and the commissioner of the Pac-10 Conference called for coaches to make their votes public after California was dropped below No. 6 by six voters in the final poll.\n"It's something we need to know," said Tedford, who signed a five-year contract extension Monday. "One of the worst things that could happen is the votes being kept secret. If we had it to do all over again, I would hope that we'd make them public."\nCal (10-1) slipped behind Texas in the final Bowl Championship Series standings, in part because the Bears lost so much ground in both The Associated Press and coaches polls over the last few weeks.\nThe BCS drop caused Cal to miss out on the school's first Rose Bowl in 45 years. The Golden Bears are bound for San Diego and the Holiday Bowl instead.\nThe American Football Coaches Association conducts the balloting for the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll. The coaches voted twice this year to keep their ballots secret.\n"Those votes should be called out," Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen said in a phone interview. "We ought to know who did that, because that's wrong."\nIn the AP and coaches poll, Cal finished fourth. In the coaches poll, the Bears were five points ahead of No. 5 Texas, which will play Michigan in Pasadena on New Year's Day. The Bears were 62 points ahead of No. 6 Texas in the AP poll.\nSix coaches picked the Bears seventh or lower in the final poll: four at No. 7 and two in the eighth slot. In the previous week's poll, nobody picked Cal lower than sixth. The latest vote came after Cal's 26-16 win at Southern Mississippi Saturday night.\nThe AP made public its poll Sunday, listing each voter's name, news organization and votes for Nos. 1-25.\nNone of the AP media voters had Cal ranked lower than sixth. Eight had the Bears sixth, and in each case they were behind some combination of Southern California, Oklahoma, Auburn, Texas and Utah.\n"I certainly have a question of some of them," Hansen said of the coaches' votes. "Something pretty unusual happened between last week and this week. I'd like to have the Cal football team be able to know which coaches thought they weren't in the top six teams."\nAFCA president Grant Teaff said the ballots from the final coaches poll will not be released. He said he didn't believe there was anything suspicious about the final voting.\n"We do very good due diligence to run a credible poll," he said. "I understand their obvious concerns. I'm not oblivious to that"
(04/15/04 4:50pm)
SAN FRANCISCO -- So, what's next for Barry Bonds? He doesn't even want to think about it. Not yet, anyway.\nBonds was so busy passing his godfather in his climb up the home run list, he didn't ponder what might happen once he accomplished the feat.\nWith his seemingly effortless swing and powerful 39-year-old body still going strong, anything appears possible for the San Francisco slugger.\n"I'm not going to try to figure out what's next," said Bonds, who homered on consecutive days to reach No. 661 and pass Willie Mays for third place. "I'm just trying to stay healthy and win a championship."\nBabe Ruth (714) and Hank Aaron (755) still loom in Bonds' path, of course. But first, Bonds wants to enjoy his latest historic homer.\nAfter all of his accomplishments, he believes he's finally earned the admiration of his godfather.\n"Barry doesn't need approval from me, because I've been there since he was five," said Mays, a teammate of Bonds' late father, Bobby. "Whatever he does, right or wrong, I'm going to be there for him. ... Barry knows how much I love him."\nBonds has won a record six NL MVP awards and set the single-season home run record with 73 in 2001, but he may never consider his career complete without a World Series ring. He fell six outs short of the title in 2002 and came back the next spring proclaiming his determination to give the Giants another chance to win it all.\nHe reiterated that sentiment Monday after splashing home run No. 660 into McCovey Cove to tie Mays. His solo shot Tuesday landed in nearly the same place -- and was recovered by the same fan -- in the water over the right-field fence.\n"A championship. That's it," Bonds said. "I don't have any personal goals."\nSomeone asked Bonds if he believes he now has room to offer Mays a pointer or two.\nMays quickly piped in before Bonds could speak.\n"That's kind of taboo, man," the Hall of Famer said.\n"No," Bonds said emphatically, giving his answer with a quick glance at his godfather.\nYet only an inning before Bonds' Monday blast, he pulled catcher A.J. Pierzynski aside for a short pep talk.\n"He told me not to worry that I'd been struggling, that there was a reason I was batting behind him," Pierzynski recalled. "It was an all-time moment."\nDuring this special 29 and a half-hour span, many San Francisco fans forgot about the steroid scandal surrounding their star slugger and focused instead on his marvelous milestone.\nBonds' teammates have shown their support since the questions began to surface this offseason about whether Bonds got a boost from banned substances. He has repeatedly denied steroid use.\n"Whenever someone or something is on top, somebody wants to bring it down for their own notoriety," Giants outfielder Dustan Mohr said. "You're not going to bring down baseball. It's the best game on earth. Guys should get more credit for the work they do in the offseason rather than someone accusing them of taking shortcuts. Fans only see us from 7 to 10 p.m."\nMays has refused to speak about the steroid controversy. He's more interested in getting Bonds to shed his prickly personality and become more fan friendly late in his career.\nMays didn't hit his 660th homer until he was in the twilight of his career at 42 and 3 months -- Aug. 17, 1973. Since he retired after that season, many players who were tagged with the title of being the next Willie Mays have fallen woefully short.\n"I still think he's the greatest baseball player of all time, bottom line," Bonds said. "They were saying my dad was the next Willie Mays. They just got the name wrong, from Bobby to Barry."\nEverybody's curious just how long it will be before Bonds decides he's done.\n"I have a little bit of a timetable, and when I reach that timetable, that's it. It's over," said Bonds, who has expressed his plans to play out his contract, which runs through the 2006 season.\nBonds was asked if he'd thought about where he ranks among the best athletes ever, not just the baseball greats.\n"Everyone's era is different," he said. "There are going to be great baseball players in every era. So, as long as you're proud of the achievements in your career, that's all that matters. If someone ever hits 73 home runs, I'll be there for them."\nBonds' milestones have been frequent of late. His 500th homer came less than three years ago. Then there was the run to 73 in 2001, a record eight home runs in the 2002 postseason run, No. 600 last season and then this week's memorable shots.\nHis teammates are enjoying all the fanfare.\n"It's neat to be part of history," said J.T. Snow, who scored in front of Bonds on his home run Monday. "It's something the grandkids will talk about, and I was on base. I hope the people of San Francisco appreciate what they have here. Every day is a history lesson."\nAnd there very well may be more to follow.
(08/27/03 6:54am)
NEW YORK -- Michael Chang played his final match before retirement with the same flair and energy he's shown for years -- his feet just didn't move as quickly at age 31 as they used to.\nChang, feisty as ever, lost to 15th-seeded Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 6-3, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 Tuesday, in the first round of the U.S. Open., then walked back onto the court and waved goodbye to a standing ovation in Arthur Ashe Stadium.\n"Am I supposed to be able to explain my emotions?" Chang said. "New York has been such a special place to me. This is the only tournament I was able to play 17 straight times in my career.\n"I started my career here as a 15-year-old, and New York welcomed me. No doubt in part because I was born in Hoboken, New Jersey."\nWorld No. 1 and top-seeded Andre Agassi easily defeated Alex Corretja 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 in 1 hour, 26 minutes on center court. The 33-year-old Agassi blew kisses and bowed for the fans as he walked off the court.\n"It doesn't matter what you're ranked, you've got to come out here and beat these guys every day and prove yourself every day," Agassi said.\nIn women's play, second-seeded Justine Henin-Hardenne defeated Aniko Kapros 7-5, 6-3 in the second meeting between the aggressive baseliners who kept pounding away in long rallies until someone hit a winner or committed an error.\nChang was able to stay in his match with behind-the-back trickery, booming first serves and the emotion from an adoring crowd.\nGonzalez overpowered the former French Open champion with 15 aces and 62 winners. Chang, who received a wild-card entry into the tournament, won the French in 1989 at 17 and had a top ranking of No. 2.\nChang announced in January the Open would be his last event. He said his inability to maintain a high level on the court led to his decision. Plus, playing 15 years on the pro tour has taken its toll.\n"He's one of the gutsiest players who's ever played," John McEnroe said.\nChang said it was important to have fun in his final season regardless of his results. He won only two matches in 2003.\n"I think it was emotional for me," Chang said. "I think I try to keep my mind on other things in order to be able to keep my composure out there. I really think if you walk away from the tour feeling like 'I should have done that and should have done that' and you have regrets and don't walk away with a smile, something's not right."\nHenin-Hardenne lost to Kapros in the first round of the 2002 French Open -- their only previous meeting -- 4-6, 6-1, 6-0.\n"The first match is always tough, especially in Grand Slams," Henin-Hardenne said. "I tried to forget about what happened last year at the French Open."\nThey each made several spectacular saves on balls that seemed untouchable, and Henin-Hardenne hit 27 winners against the 129th-ranked Kapros. Kapros, a qualifier, broke Henin-Hardenne's serve twice in the 54-minute first set, but Henin-Hardenne began putting more pressure on her opponent and won 14 points at the net.\nIn other women's matches Tuesday, No. 15-seeded Ai Sugiyama beat Conchita Martinez Granados 6-1, 6-0; No. 32 Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian defeated Marlene Weingartner 6-3, 6-1, and Mary Pierce advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Stephanie Gehrlein. No. 30-seeded Magui Serna defeated Cho Yoon-jeong 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, No. 22 Jelena Dokic beat Emmanuelle Gagliardi 6-4, 6-2, and seventh-seeded Anastasia Myskina won in three sets against Henrieta Nagyova.\nIn men's action, 11th-seeded Paradorn Srichaphan beat Cyril Saulnier 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (4); No. 33 Juan Ignacio Chela defeated Roko Karanusic 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-3, and eighth-seeded Rainer Schuettler eliminated Wayne Arthurs 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. No. 28 Yevgeny Kafelnikov beat Kristof Vliegen 3-6, 7-6 (1), 6-2, 6-2, and 12th-seeded Sjeng Schalken won in straight sets over Julien Boutter.\nWith Serena and Venus Williams sidelined with injuries, there has been much hype about the chance for an all-Belgian final between Henin-Hardenne, the French Open champion, and world No. 1 Kim Clijsters.\n"It's still very early to talk about any player who can win this tournament," Henin-Hardenne said.\nThe top-seeded Clijsters defeated wild-card Amber Liu of the United States 6-2, 6-3 Monday night to reach the second round. Clijsters has never won a Grand Slam.
(08/07/03 2:00am)
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - After snapping yet another photo, Valeri Liukin made eye contact with his daughter on the medal stand and pumped his right arm.\nShe was up there for bronze, but this was a victory sign.\nNastia Liukin won gold in the balance beam and earned bronze in the uneven bars and floor exercise as the U.S. women's gymnastics team wrapped up a successful week at the Pan American Games by taking three of four individual events Tuesday night.\nChellsie Memmel won gold in the uneven bars. Tia Orlando waited the entire night to perform the floor exercise as the final competitor, and she won, too.\nThe only thing the Americans didn't win was the vault.\n"It was just an amazing meet," said Memmel, 15, of West Allis, Wis., who scored a 9.575 on the bars.\nShe can add her latest triumph to the golds she earned in the all-around and team competitions.\n"I definitely did better than I expected," she said. "I just wanted to hit my routines."\nThe Americans won the team competition Saturday, President Bush called with congratulations Sunday, Memmel won the all-around Monday, edging Liukin. And oh what a finish Tuesday.\nCuba's comeback girl, Leyanet Gonzales, opened the meet by winning the vault, scoring a 9.512.\nThe 24-year-old Gonzales is married to Cuban gymnastics star Eric Lopez, and they have a toddler son, Eric Jr.\nGonzales briefly retired, but returned to the gym after giving birth and got back into competition.\nMemmel also added a bronze in the balance beam. Orlando, of Macungie, Pa., scored a 9.587 to win on the floor. Her teammates cheered wildly when her score finally appeared.\n"We sat there forever," she said. "I was getting antsy. I would stand and I would sit. I was trying to keep my focus. Everything just kind of fell into place."\nThe U.S. women's team earned the first gold medal for the Americans here, beating Canada and Brazil in the team competition.\nLiukin, born in Russia and one of two 13-year-olds gymnasts in the U.S. delegation, won the U.S. junior title in June, but is too young to compete in the world championships later this month or next year's Athens Olympics.\nLiukin, who weighs 66 pounds, is coached by her father, Valeri, in Plano, Texas. Her dad won four medals, two golds, at the 1988 Olympics. Her mother, Anna, was the world rhythmic champion in 1987.\n"I'm really happy," Valeri said. "She's really tired already. It's her first big meet. This much work right away is not easy. She held up and I'm very proud of her."\nIt was at age 13 that Valeri emerged among the world's elite, though he admits he wasn't as poised as his daughter.\n"He told me he became a national champion at that age," she said. "To me it's so cool we share the same thing in a year of our lives."\nThe U.S. male competitors watched as the 31-year-old Lopez won gold in every event he entered Tuesday to leave the Pan Ams with six total. He also won the all-around and the team event.\nLopez has 18 Pan Ams golds for his career. He was first in pommel horse, rings, vault and parallel bars.\nDespite his incredible success at the Pan Ams, Lopez has yet to win an Olympic medal.\n"I want to close my career with an Olympic medal of any color," Lopez said. "Then I can retire at the top."\nThe U.S. men collected two individual medals, by Clay Strother of Jasper, Texas. He won silver in the floor exercise and bronze in pommel horse.
(02/04/03 5:53am)
Oakland, Calif -- The agent for Barret Robbins confirmed Monday that the Oakland Raiders' All-Pro center has bipolar disorder, and that he expressed "remorse and deep sadness" for missing the Super Bowl.\nRobbins remains hospitalized because of his condition, agent Drew Pittman said in a statement to ESPN.\n"Barret would like to express his remorse and deep sadness for the events surrounding the Super Bowl," the statement said. "He knows many people have been hurt by his actions, including his family, his teammates, the Raider organization, the Raider Nation, and the game of football."\nThe statement, which also acknowledged that alcohol was a factor in Robbins' troubles, marked the first time he has commented publicly since he disappeared Jan. 25, the day before the Raiders' 48-21 Super Bowl loss to Tampa Bay in San Diego.\nRobbins missed two meetings and a walkthrough, and Raiders coach Bill Callahan said Robbins was incoherent and didn't know where he was when he showed up Saturday night. Callahan dismissed him, and Adam Treu started in his place.\nThe 6-foot-3-inch, 320-pound Robbins has a history of depression and reportedly had stopped taking his medication. A friend who told a newspaper he'd been drinking with Robbins the night before the game said Robbins was despondent and talked about suicide.\nPittman said Robbins' football future is uncertain, but last week Callahan left open the possibility that he could return to the team.\nPittman has not returned multiple calls from The Associated Press.\nRaiders senior assistant Bruce Allen said he had no response to Pittman's statement, except that the team has "been monitoring the situation from the beginning."\nRobbins was harshly criticized by teammates at first, but the revelations about his medical problems, as well as his apology, has muted some of the resentment.\n"If he has a health problem, it's a different situation," left guard Frank Middleton said Monday after returning from the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. Middleton had not heard about Robbins' apology.\n"It does change some things," he said.\nRobbins, 29, made the Pro Bowl for the first time this season, his eighth in the NFL, but did not play in the game Sunday in Honolulu. A year after missing the final 14 games of 2001 with an injured right knee, he was a pivotal part of an offensive line that helped the Raiders produce the league's top offense.
(12/02/02 4:11am)
Playing in their second tournament in less than a week the IU women's basketball team split a pair of games at the Great Alaska Shootout in Anchorage, Ala.\nThe Hoosiers lost in the Championship game against Nevada 68-56 Nov. 27. A day earlier, IU defeated Eastern Kentucky 61-49. In the championship, sophomore guard Jenny DeMuth poured in 26 points and added seven rebounds, but it was not enough as IU suffered its first loss of the season. The Hoosiers fell to 3-1 on the year. \nIt truly was a tale of two halves. The Hoosiers led 24-8 with just under seven minutes to play in the first half and led by eleven at half. But in the second half the lead would slip away. The Wolfpack exploded with a 31-6 run to open the half, and IU never regained control.\n"I'm really disappointed with our defensive performance in the second half," coach Kathi Bennett said. "We just collapsed. They made their run early in the half, and we fell apart. The adversity actually made us worse, not better." \nIU shot 44 percent from the field in the first half, while Nevada shot a mere 30 percent. In the second, the Wolfpack shot over 50 percent from the field compared to IU's 32 percent. Nevada, who returned three starters from last year, improved to 2-1. \nDeMuth was the lone Hoosier to score in double-figures, but freshman center Angela Hawkins grabbed eleven rebounds. Senior Lisa Eckart chipped in eight points. DeMuth is averaging a little over 19 points per game as a sophomore and is taking reign of the leadership role.\n"I really don't know what happened to us out there," DeMuth said. "In the second half, they were able to just get the ball in the post whenever they wanted and get easy baskets. We didn't pressure their passes enough."\nIU outrebounded Nevada, but that would not help the Hoosiers. The Wolfpack used an offensive explosion to claim the Great Alaska title, their first and marked the first year that Nevada played in the tournament. DeMuth earned All-Tournament honors, while Nevada senior Laura Ingham, a native of Anchorage, tallied a career-best 19 points and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. \nNevada's victory over the host school Alaska Anchorage on Nov. 26 advanced them to the title game.\nDespite committing 39 turnovers, the Hoosiers defeated Eastern Kentucky and won their third consecutive game. IU committed 22 turnovers by halftime, one more than they had committed in two full games prior to Nov. 26.\nDeMuth said Eastern Kentucky was a good experience for IU. She said they are going to see other teams like this, and for them to play like they did and still win is a good thing. She added this serves as a rude awakening and shows them that they have got to be tough with the ball.\nSenior guard Kristen Bodine notched a game-high 17 points, while Hawkins scored ten points and corralled a career-high 13 rebounds. Demuth added 15 points and 11 rebounds to go along with five steals. \nWith the win, Bennett became the second-fastest IU head coach to reach the 40-win mark. Bennett accomplished the act in 65 games.\nThe previous weekend, IU won the Hampton Inn/Fazoli's Classic championship by outlasting Ball State in the title game on Nov. 23. The Hoosiers, who have won three out of their first four games, could not muster enough to win the tournament and said they have a long way to go, especially defensively. \n"In Alaska our defense wasn't working well together," senior Jill Hartman said. "We need to spend a lot of time working on that. We have been working on that in practice now and need to continue to do so. We learned from Alaska, it was a real disappointment but now we know the areas that need more work"
(11/18/02 4:32am)
The IU ice hockey team started the Great Midwest Hockey League season with a pair of road losses against the University of Michigan and Oakland University.\nThe Hoosiers struck at the end of the first period on Friday against Michigan when freshman forward Pete Johnson scored his fourth of the year on a pass from sophomore defenseman Todd Lorenger.\nMichigan responded immediately, less than two minutes into the period. Junior forward Matt Howard again put the Hoosiers ahead in the second, but Michigan answered shortly after with a powerplay goal and added another powerplay goal to go up 3-2 in the third.\nGraduate forward Tom Orr tied the score with just five minutes remaining in the game. Coach Rich Holdeman said he expected the game to end in a tie after Orr's goal.\n"When we tied it 3-3 with five to go, I thought it would end a tie, but they really turned it up a notch and our guys kind of lost composure," he said.\nMichigan scored the game-winner with just 2:21 to go in the third, giving the Wolverines a 4-3 victory over IU.\n"They (Michigan) are a good team up and down," Holdeman said "They've got a lot of guys who can score. But I didn't feel that we were outmanned at all, it was a pretty even game."\nOakland presented a different challenge to IU Saturday. The Grizzlies went up early in the first and added another before sophomore forward Matt Ritz gave IU its lone goal in the second. The Hoosiers lost 1-4. Holdeman said Oakland used a trap-style of play that waited for IU to make turnovers.\n"They played a smart game," Holdeman said "They sat back, looked for turnovers and capitalized on their chances."\nHoldeman said the common theme in both games was a lack of composure for the young Hoosier team. He said IU lost confidence after senior goalie Charlie Pulley misplayed a puck that resulted in a 3-1 lead for Oakland. IU has played in five games decided by two goals or less and has lost three of those.\nIU will try to avoid an 0-4 GMHL start next weekend at home against Michigan Friday and Ferris State Saturday.
(11/13/02 4:02am)
Senior quarterback Tommy Jones was named the starter for Saturday's game against No. 16 Penn State. Jones will replace senior Gibran Hamdan who had started the previous eight games.\nJones entered the season as the starter but was hurt in the Utah game of the year. Hamdan played against Kentucky the following week while Jones was sidelined. Hamdan was named the permanent starter on Sept. 17.\nJones has had two appearances in the past three weeks, one against Illinois on Oct. 26, and the other this past weekend against Michigan State.\nThe announcement came at coach Gerry DiNardo's weekly press conference. DiNardo said it has more to do with Jones play in the last couple of games than it did with Hamdan's lack of play.\n"I thought he played his best game last week against Michigan State," DiNardo said. "I think his attitude has been fabulous under very difficult circumstances."\nJones got into the blowout loss against Michigan State in the middle of the third quarter. He led IU on two touchdown drives. He finished the day 12 of 23 for 157 yards and a touchdown.\nDiNardo said that since neither Jones nor Hamdan was the incumbent quarterback at the beginning of the season and both are seniors that this decision was fair and right.\nWhen DiNardo informed Jones of his decision shortly before the press conference, DiNardo said Jones replied, "Okay, see you at practice."\nJones won the job out of training camp but was sidelined with a concussion he suffered against Utah. This year he is 47-of-98 for 631 yards. He has thrown seven touchdowns and four interceptions.