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(12/11/00 6:35am)
So I'm sitting in the press box at Ericsson Stadium. I've filled up on complimentary BBQ beef, chicken sandwiches and soft drinks all weekend. I've eaten enough cookies to single-handedly keep those Keebler elves busy through February. I got the chance to broadcast a final four game in what can only be described as an extremely nice booth.\nAnd still I'm not happy. No, I'm not the spoiled media type. Well, at least not yet. I'm not upset that they only had Pepsi to drink, or that the chocolate cookies with mint chips (which were excellent, by the way) were just a tad on the crunchy side. I'm pissed off that the NCAA treats the world's most popular game with such disdain. It seems that college soccer is truly the NCAA's red-headed stepchild. How so, you ask? Well, I'll use my soapbox one last time to show what the NCAA is doing and how it can, or already has, solved the problem. \n1) The venue of the final four \nEricsson Stadium is top notch in every way. I'll give the NCAA some credit on this one. The stadium can fit plenty of fans, has top-notch press facilities, locker rooms, concessions and probably some more facets that I probably haven't had the chance to benefit from the past two years. That being said, there are some problems, mainly that the championship for soccer is being played in a football stadium. The beauty of the game is somewhat diminished when the pitch is marked up with yard lines, the Carolina Panther logo, torn up 'through the hashes,' and painted green to make it look better. Fortunately, the NCAA has remedied the situation by moving the championships to Columbus Crew Stadium for the next few seasons. It is America's premier soccer-only venue, plus it will make the stands actually look full, which brings me to my next point. \n2) Championship attendance \nFriday night's crowd was announced at more than 10,000. First of all, that's pitiful for a double-header of soccer action which is supposed to be the showcase event of the sport. Secondly, if there were 10,000 people in that stadium, they counted the media, ushers, concession workers, the stone panthers on the outside of the stadium and people who drove past the stadium while the games were taking place. \n3) Poor timing \nThe NCAA must realize that if you play soccer in December, even in Charlotte, it's probably going to be too cold to bring people out to the event. The worst tragedy of all is that the "academic friendly" NCAA schedules this event every year at the worst possible time for the student-athletes involved in the matches -- the weekend before finals. Now I don't care about my finals (just kidding Mom), but I also don't have to carry a certain GPA to write for the paper. The NCAA obviously would rather attempt to make money off its players (and keep in mind its trying to break even, not make a profit) then to make sure they are in the best situation possible academically. \n4) Exposure/Promotion \nI didn't think it was possible, but the NCAA took a step backwards this year in its coverage of the College Cup. Last year the NCAA found a way to get ESPN2 to cover one of the quarterfinal matches live on Friday night, fitting it in between "X-Treme MotoCross Bloopers" and "LPGA 2Night." But this year, "EXPN" chose to show both games tape-delayed Saturday afternoon. And even in doing so, the IU-Creighton game was chopped and spliced to fit into ESPN's two-hour time-frame for the game. Now, I don't want to tick off any lacrosse fans, but for the love of God ESPN! \nSo what's the master plan? Well, I think it's quite simple. It's a plan that has been bantered about for quite awhile, and I believe that it's a good one. It's a "split-season." You play half the season in the fall and you finish in the spring. Here's what it does. \nIt will ensure that the game is played in at least above-freezing weather, making it more fan-friendly. Thus, attendance is increased, making the NCAA happy because it makes more money and gets better promotion, while at the same time giving the games that "big-match" feel. \nWith the NCAA's two-year Charlotte experiment more or less failing, putting the game in the Midwest, which is rapidly becoming soccer-crazy, should boost attendance even more. It should also become easier to deal with from an academic standpoint because the championship could be played earlier in the academic semester. \nWith the season being split in half, each "half-season" will not be as lengthy, meaning the championship can be moved up earlier in the semester. \nPromotion is still up to ESPN, but I would think the NCAA could somehow include in the rights package a way to ensure that all three College Cup games would go over the air live. \nThe problems of the college soccer game are many, but the NCAA has to first take the initiative to make the game better. But since soccer seems to be the organization's "red-headed stepchild," I can only guess the sport will continue to struggle in the years to come, which is too bad considering that all it would take to improve it is a little thought and attention.
(12/08/00 6:14am)
Just minutes after winning last season's national championship, my thoughts drifted to the future. \nAfter hearing Nick Garcia announcing his choice to jump to MLS, I knew the 2000 edition of the soccer Hoosiers would be vastly different than the two squads who brought the hardware home to Bloomington. \nGone was practically the entire starting defense: Garcia, and senior backs B.J. Snow and Dennis Fadeski graduated. With defense winning championships, this was sure cause for concern. But let's not forget we also lost two MLS-quality players on the offensive side, the Ukrainian duo of Aleksy Korol and Yuri Lavrinenko. I hated to think it, but the dreaded phrase that makes sports fans everywhere cringe entered my brain ... "rebuilding year."\nThankfully, IU soccer doesn't rebuild, it just retools. And the accomplishments of this year's group of "retools" are what dynasties are made of.\nTo most people, this season would not be one to look back on with much affection. Not to sound negative, but this season the Hoosiers have done the following: lost their own tournament, accumulated six losses and two losing streaks, lost a conference game for the first time in five seasons, suffered their most lopsided loss in more than a decade and did not play a home game in the NCAA tournament for the first time in eight postseasons. \nSure, not the most impressive season we've had by any means, but perhaps we're a little spoiled. What was impressive was the way the team came together throughout the season.\nAfter losing its first two games, the squad went on the road to face two top 10 teams. Time to crumble, right? Time to hand over the trophy, right? Not so fast, my friends. \nHow do two come-from-behind 2-1 victories over two teams from the best conference in the country sound?\nAfter the 4-1 loss to Creighton, the players looked as if they had been beaten six ways to Sunday. Two days later Indiana came out and took it to an overmatched Florida International team. Although the Hoosiers won only 1-0, it was easy to see the bounce was back in their cleats. \nDays before the biggest conference game of the season at Penn State, starting keeping T.J. Hannig went down with a knee injury. Change the game plan? Pack five guys in the box to help out reserve keeper Colin Rogers? Not a chance. The Hoosiers kept their cool and their game plan, Rogers made eight saves, and the offense fixed its scoring woes in a 3-2 to help give Indiana yet another Big Ten regular season championship. \nAfter losing two games in California to end the season, the Hoosiers went down to Ohio State, though the Buckeyes were thoroughly outplayed for the last 80 minutes of the game. For the NCAA draw the Hoosiers weren't necessarily wondering where they were, but if they were going, which is usually not a big concern for a two-time defending national champion. \nNo sweat. Indiana rolled through the eighth-seeded San Jose State Spartans like it wasn't even there. Hannig looked like he was back in the post-season form he exhibited the past three years. One down, two to go. Then more trouble as Hannig re-aggravated his knee injury sidelining him. \nNo problemo. Rogers stepped in and, after allowing an early goal, shut down Pac-10 champion Washington in Seattle. The 2-1 victory sent the Hoosiers packing once again, this time to Chapel Hill to face the nation's top team, the University of North Carolina. Um, did I mention starting midfielder Marcus Chorvat would be forced to sit out the game after receiving a red card? Oh yeah, sweeper Josh Rife also injured his hamstring during the week. And Phil Presser's knee had so much wrapping it could be mistaken for a mummy.\nNo worries. All Indiana did was shut out an offense that hadn't been blanked all season. The Hoosiers managed to at least neutralize Carolina's "air attack," despite giving up an average of 13 inches per player in height. And Chris Carrieri, UNC's top scorer got "Swanned," a word that will quickly become synonymous with being shut down.\nSo now they head to Charlotte to once again defend their championship. And even though the road to the College Cup has been longer than ever, it could also be the most rewarding trip the Hoosiers have made in their recent rash of final four appearances. And if people still doubt the Hoosiers have what it takes to win it all once again, well, there are three teams sitting at home that think the Hoosiers have their spot this weekend. The Hoosiers only have two more teams to go through to prove that it doesn't matter who is playing for IU, but it's the fight and tradition of those wearing the red and white that matters most.
(12/04/00 5:30am)
You know what? Dorothy was right… there really is no place like home. After traveling more than 10,000 miles during the first three rounds of the NCAA tournament, the men's soccer team finally caught a break. \nThis weekend, IU will travel to Charlotte, N.C. to play what I look at as a home game. Sure, everyone knows the Hoosiers officially call Bill Armstrong Stadium home. But if Bloomington is the Hoosiers' listed residence, the College Cup is at least their winter vacation house.\nThe NCAA thought they had changed the locks on the house three weeks ago, giving IU the toughest draw in the tournament. But the Hoosiers found the key the NCAA hid in the potted plant, went around back, threw the key into the garden and then busted through the door like your high school football team's offensive line at the after-graduation kegger. \nThe final foot through the door came Saturday when IU put the lockdown on top-seeded North Carolina. Thanks to some clutch goalkeeping by junior Colin Rogers and a physical defense that marked up tighter than a Ricky Martin shirt, the Hoosiers blanked a dangerous Tar Heel offense that had not been shutout all season, the second time in the tournament IU had accomplished such a feat.\nAnd after all was said and done, the Hoosiers had sent another "favorite" home for good and had sent the NCAA a message that no matter where they were sent and no matter who they played, you can't keep a good Hoosier down.\nAnd in another stroke of good luck, it looks like the NCAA will be crying on its collective pillow once again, as the ACC and Southeast teams failed to advance to Charlotte. Instead, three other underrated and overlooked teams -- sixth-seeded Southern Methodist University, Creighton and Connecticut -- will be enjoying the sun and fun (or most likely the cold and drizzle) of North Carolina. To the uneducated eye, this lineup doesn't look like it will provide much excitement because of lack of big-name schools. But Friday and Sunday (or as ESPN would like you to think, Saturday and Sunday) will provide fans with the best soccer played all season, I guarantee it. People might not watch or attend, but that's their fault… and the NCAA's not promoting the game enough, but that's another column altogether.\nBut more important than who else made it or who will or will not watch is the fact that the Hoosiers have indeed made it back home, thanks in large part to the experience factor, a factor which is often overlooked. An experienced team not rattle easily under any circumstance, and can therefore play confident and loose. Confident and loose teams play their type of soccer. Teams that can impose their style of play on the other team will win more times than not. Just ask North Carolina.\nI'll admit, I thought IU's road to Charlotte would be much different. The Hoosiers' trip turned out to be more of an epic journey… kind of like Beowulf, but different. But all that matters in the end is that the Hoosiers are back where they belong, and they can smell the home cookin' already. As Dorothy might say, "There's no place like Charlotte"
(12/01/00 5:31am)
For some reason, the familiar strains of that Barenaked Ladies song "It's All Been Done" have been racing through my head all week long. It might have invaded the minds of some of the men's soccer team as well. After all, this weekend's quarterfinal match against the North Carolina Tarheels is eerily similar to the road they took on the way to their fourth national championship just two years ago. Uh oh, it's flashback time ...\n The time was early December 1998. The economy was thriving, the Yankees had just won the World Series and kids everywhere were bopping along to such hits as "How's It Going To Be" and "Tubthumping." Okay, I still don't know how that last part happened, but I digress. Anyway, I remember making an all-night drive with about a dozen cohorts to Clemson, S.C. on a Sunday morning to witness what, in all actuality, was the unofficial national championship game:\nNo. 1 Clemson versus No. 2 IU.\nACC powerhouse Clemson featured a prolific goal scorer in the person of junior forward Wojtek Krakowiak. IU was led by the talented trio of Aleksey Korol, Dema Kovelenko and Yuri Lavrinenko, who, with their powers combined, created the formidable "Ukrainian Connection."\nOkay, time to come back to the present. But notice the similarities ...\nIt's December 2000. The nation has no president, but is still financially strong. The Yankees just won the World Series. And the country is just nuts over that Baha Men ditty "Who Let the Dogs Out." \nOnce again, don't ask me how that one happened. But anyway, I find myself traveling down to the Carolinas with a car full of cohorts, this time to Chapel Hill, N.C., to see what could turn out to be the game from which the national champion will emerge:\nNo. 1 North Carolina versus IU.\nACC powerhouse North Carolina is led by a talented scorer in the person of junior forward Chris Carrieri. The Hoosier offense features the three-headed monster of Ryan Mack, Pat Noonan and Matt Fundenberger.\nScary, isn't it?\nAll of this leads me to list the reasons why the Hoosiers should book their hotel rooms for Charlotte next weekend. Due to space restrictions, I cannot list every reason, but here's my abbreviated version.\n1) The "Clemson '98 Experience." What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and what didn't kill us in '98 shouldn't bite us this year either. The main difference between these two scenarios is that in '98 we played two home games in the tournament and were one of the heavy favorites for, what was then, Richmond, Va. This year, according to most experts, we come in as true underdogs after playing the first two rounds on the road, which leads me to ...\n2) "The Great Western Road Show" (sponsored, in part, by the NCAA). I know I complained a good deal about it, but playing the first two games of the tournament on the road might have been more of a blessing than a curse. By now, the team is certainly used to traveling and knows the rhythm and routine of playing away from home. \n3) "A-C-C, Schmay-C-C." Just ask Maryland and Virginia how intimidated we are of playing ACC schools on the road. Both fell to the Hoosiers 2-1 back in September at the Maryland Classic. Both victories were in come-from-behind fashion, showing that this squad has the "intestinal fortitude" to grind out wins against tough opponents on the road. And, by the way, Virginia was ranked No. 1 when we beat them. Coincidence? I think not.\n4) Tradition and Experience. IU has traveled the road to the College Cup before, 13 times to be exact. The Tar Heels also have quite the soccer tradition, making it to the national semifinals an incredible 19 consecutive seasons. Unfortunately for North Carolina, the soccer team I speak of belongs to the women, not the men. While I'm sure the UNC men's side has played their share of big contests at Fetzer Field, the pressure of this game will match nothing they've faced in the past. For the IU players, this type of game is what they expect when they sign on the dotted line to play in Bloomington.\n5) Insignificant Stat of the Week -- Every time IU has won the national championship, they have given themselves the chance to defend their title by making it to the College Cup the following year. Sure, this stat really doesn't mean anything, but it's kind of cool to bring up! Coincidence, perhaps. But it also shows that Hoosier teams have ripped the word "complacency" out of their collective dictionary. Whatever successes have been achieved, they are never enough, and you gotta' love that.\nSo there you have it. Deja vu and five big reasons why this will not be the last road trip of the year for the Hoosiers, or yours truly. But this time I think the Chumbawumba tape will stay in Bloomington. Then again ... "I get knocked down, but I get up again. You're never gonna' keep me down ..." Damn, that's catchy stuff!
(11/27/00 6:44am)
To whom it may concern,\nGreetings from lovely Bloomington. Now, I hate to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but I truly believe that you, the fine people at the NCAA, have something against our fine soccer team here at IU. You can throw phrases like "competitive balance" and "a variety of factors determine these sites" at me, but I'm not buying it. I know that the only factors you care about are money, exposure and money. And once I lay down the following facts, I believe that even the NCAA (whoops, that's you) will see the pattern of bias that has been shown against the Hoosiers by your selection committee during the past two weeks.\n1) When you stress the importance of regional matchups in the first round, you choose to send IU out west. Granted, our finish at the end of the regular season might not have warranted a home game, and I can accept that. But did you really believe that IU was a bad enough team to have to face a seeded team? The nation's only undefeated team, nonetheless! Maybe you wanted to show the nation that San Jose State was a bunch of frauds, and that we were the team to do it. For some reason, I highly doubt that.\n2) OK, so we destroy San Jose State. You reward us by sending us out west once again to face Washington. Why send us west when the teams have basically equal records and IU showed complete dominance in the first round and Washington squeaked by UAB in four overtimes? Why not have the game at Bill Armstrong Stadium, where the average attendance this year was more than 2,000, instead of at Washington, where all they could muster for a tournament game was 1,800? Then again, why did you choose to match us against a team that would be hell-bent on revenge after we sent them home for good in the same round the year before?\n3) Heaven forbid we make it to the third round, but we have. So you pit us against North Carolina, the top seed in the tournament. If the first two haven't finished us off, certainly the Tar Heels would, right? Now that UNC has made it through the cakewalk you called their first two rounds, they can execute "plan C" in the grand scheme of wiping out the Hoosiers.\n4) I must give you credit for one thing -- last year's College Cup in Charlotte, N.C., was perfect, with the exception of dismal attendance. What better way to ensure an attendance boost than to have as many teams from the Southeast as possible? And you don't have to hide it guys, because you already showed your hand by giving Virginia, who finished the season 14-5-1, the 7th seed in the tournament. What, with your perfect spacing of teams from the Carolinas and the ACC in this year's bracket, you've got two of those teams in the quarterfinals, with a chance of Clemson making it as well -- a job well done! \nI must admit your plan was absolutely brilliant. I mean, who wants to see an IU team that's not coached by a man who doesn't throw chairs and tantrums? Why not give some other team a chance at the title? After all, shouldn't some other team have a chance at winning it since we've taken the last two? Unfortunately for you, there's one problem with your plan -- the Hoosiers aren't cooperating.\nWith all of their traveling during the past week, the Hoosiers have easily racked up enough frequent flyer miles to make the trip to Chapel Hill, N.C., next weekend ... and Charlotte the weekend after that. We know that doesn't fit into your grand scheme of a perfect College Cup, but I think you'll find that the Hoosiers will be a perfect fit. Why not feature a team that has fought its way through a simply hellacious draw, travelling more than 10,000 miles in the process? I think a team that is chasing its third consecutive title with a legendary coach is a heck of a story, even if you do not.\nMaybe this letter is all wrong. Maybe a man on the grassy knoll is responsible for the Hoosiers' crappy draw. Maybe there are structural problems with Bill Armstrong Stadium that I don't know about, preventing us from hosting a tournament game. All I know is that I simply can't wait to ask you all about it ... in Charlotte.
(11/21/00 5:00am)
I arrived in San Jose and tried to adjust accordingly. Although I was promised sun and warmth, I quickly found out shorts are not necessarily appropriate attire year-round in "Cali." Getting to the hotel at 5:45 p.m., I turned on the television to find out the Duke-Villanova game that started at seven was actually almost over. The time change was worse than I thought, but I did get a kick out of watching the 11 p.m. PST SportsCenter at 11 p.m. The time change allowed me to get to the second half of the Stanford-Fullerton match Saturday night, where I was fortunate enough to listen to the best hecklers I've come across so far at a soccer match. Although I was 2,000 miles from home, for the first time, I felt I was truly among my people.\nFast forward to game time of the IU-San Jose State match. Even in warmups it was apparent the Hoosiers were in their element. They looked like the fine-tuned machine that has won 13 of its last 14 tournament games, going through drills like those little baseball warriors in the Tom Emansky baseball training skills video. \nOn the other hand, San Jose State looked a little tight. Not necessarily bad, but shaky enough to wonder just who the heck they played to stay undefeated all year.\nThe game, a 4-0 Hoosier win, was textbook IU soccer. \n"Defense and set plays, those have to be your staples come tournament time," IU coach Jerry Yeagley said. \nThe players obviously took his words to heart. During the match, IU capitalized on two set plays, which were set up by an opportunistic offensive attack. While the Hoosiers might not have dominated possession, during the times they did have the ball they knew what to do with it. \nAnd then there was the defense. The Hoosiers turned "San Jo" into a bunch of epileptic, nearsighted snipers -- jumpy with the trigger and nowhere close with the shot. The few times the Spartans did get a quality chance in the second half, they saw an extremely confident goalkeeper T.J. Hannig charging at them or making a hard save look easy.\nEarlier in the week San Jose State coach Gary St. Clair said his team's speed might triumph over IU's size and physical style of play. I'll give St. Clair this -- his team was one of, if not the quickest, IU played all year. But it's hard to be speedy when you're on the ground. End result: Physical 4, Quick 0.\nWhile the result of the game didn't shock me, the San Jose State press conference sure did. San Jose State was obviously a confident squad not used to losing, and that showed with some of the post-game comments. Take this tidbit from senior defender Ryan Suarez.\n"I'd love to play them again," Suarez said. "I think we'd beat them again. I felt that we dominated a good part of the game."\nOne note to Ryan: To beat a team again you have to beat them the first time. If watching those four goals going into the back of the net wasn't reminder enough, glance at the scoreboard every once in awhile.\nAnd then a nugget of wisdom from the man who bore the brunt of the IU defensive attack, senior midfielder Jorge Martinez. \n"We were just unlucky," Martinez said. "We were real unlucky because we dominated the game. We were on their half of the field most of the game, but we just couldn't put them away."\nThe Spartans just don't get it. Sure, they might have dominated possession. But the last time I checked, the winner of a game is decided on goal differential. Not the number of minutes a team holds the ball. Not the number of shots missed by at least five feet in any direction. And not the number of times an errant shot hit a kid in the first row -- which, by my unofficial count, San Jose State won 1-0.\n"Sometimes life can be cruel," coach Gary St. Clair said. Yes, and sometimes you just get beat by a better team.\nSaturday, the Hoosiers will try to train the Huskies of Washington in Seattle. But it doesn't matter where the Hoosiers take the pitch. The only sure thing is that, come game time, they'll be ready.
(11/20/00 5:28am)
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The men's soccer team began its quest for a third consecutive national championship title Saturday, blanking previously undefeated San Jose State 4-0 in the first round of the NCAA tournament.\nBut the situation didn't look good for IU going into the match. The Hoosiers started the tournament on the road for the first time in eight years, playing the eighth-seeded Spartans and having lost their scoring touch in a three-game losing streak.\n"We know what it takes to win a game in the tournament," sophomore forward Pat Noonan said. "Before the game in the warm-ups, you can tell we were ready to play."\nIU didn't take long to carry its pre-game confidence into the match. In the fifth minute, Noonan collected a pass from senior midfielder Justin Tauber 12 yards from the goal and rifled a shot past senior goalkeeper Chris Humphreys into the upper right corner of the net to give the Hoosiers a 1-0 lead.\nWith the Hoosiers' recent scoring problems, the goal was crucial to IU's success that day.\n"I'll take any kind of goal at this point," said Noonan of his 10th goal this season. "I guess if it looked good, that's good too."\nFifteen minutes later, senior forward Matt Fundenberger fought through a crowd in front of the Spartan net and headed in a goal off junior midfielder Ryan Mack's corner kick to put IU ahead by two. The goal was Fundenberger's team-leading 11th of the season.\nSan Jose State outshot IU 9-4 in the first half and 21-11 overall. But the Hoosiers' tough, physical defense frustrated the Spartan attackers, allowing only six of San Jose State's 21 shots to go on goal. Spartan midfielder Jorge Martinez, who is in the nation's top 10 in points while averaging 2.14 a game, managed only three shots.\nAs the second half started, San Jose state came out with a more aggressive attack. But the IU defense held its own to limit San Jose State's quality chances to a minimum. When San Jose State did manage to get a good shot off, senior goalkeeper T.J. Hannig was in the right place to keep the Spartans off the board.\nHannig, in his second start since knee surgery six weeks ago, saved all six shots on goal to collect his 42nd career shutout.\n"I see T.J. had six saves here," Spartan coach Gary St. Clair said. "I think they probably were all huge saves. These were one-on-ones. The complexion of the game could have changed entirely if we could have put one past him."\nSt. Clair wasn't the only coach who was impressed.\n"This is the first game that T.J. has been healthy since his surgery," IU coach Jerry Yeagley said. "(Saturday) you saw the T.J. Hannig that has been there the last three Final Fours and two national championships."\nThe Spartans couldn't break through the stout IU defense, and as San Jose State pushed more players up to its offensive third of the field, the Hoosiers had plenty of counter-attack opportunities. \nAnd they capitalized.\nIn the 66th minute, sophomore defender John Swann got his second goal of the year as he positioned himself in the six-yard box and headed home sophomore midfielder Marcus Chorvat's corner kick, giving the Hoosiers a 3-0 lead.\nAt the 85:40 mark, Mack caught Humphreys off his line and put a low shot to the far post past him. IU had been in this position before, and San Jose State had not.\n"Perhaps our tournament experience could have been a factor," Yeagley said. "We have a group of guys who had been there the last two or three years, and we were focused and ready to play."\nSaturday's game was the Spartans' 13th NCAA appearance while it was IU's 25th showing in the tournament.\n"I know a bunch of us were nervous, and maybe that showed in the first 15 (minutes)," Spartan senior defender Ryan Suarez said. "Playing against Indiana is huge pressure as it is, but I still feel we played real well"
(11/13/00 5:05am)
Once again, the men's soccer team made history this weekend. But not the way they wanted to. In a season that has had its share of ups and downs, Friday's 1-0 loss at the hands (or feet) of Ohio State in the second round of the Big Ten tournament was the team's most upsetting result to date. After the game, the Hoosiers seemed to be in a state of shock. Part of it was because it was their first loss in more than five years against a conference opponent. And part of it might have been because the Buckeyes were celebrating as if they had won the National Championship. \n But the shock was mostly because the Hoosiers had thoroughly dominated the Buckeyes for the last 80 minutes of the game, but had nothing but another mark in the loss column to show for it.\nSo after Friday's loss all the Hoosiers, and dozens of other teams across the country, could do is wait ... until 3:30 today, when the NCAA announces the 32-team bracket for men's soccer's version of "the big dance." And nobody knows that feeling better than coach Jerry Yeagley.\n"I certainly feel we are a tournament-quality team. Whether or not we get in and get a second chance now rests in the hands of the committee and in the hands of other teams depending on how they do," Yeagley said.\nWhat will make today's announcement so interesting is exactly what Yeagley mentioned -- some surprising results that have gone down in the past couple of weeks throughout college soccer. The only sure thing is that the surprise factor is not just being felt in Big Ten country.\nBut, since we are in Big Ten country, we might as well start here. Going into this weekend, IU was the only squad that was a bona fide shoe-in to go to the NCAA tournament. Penn State pretty much had their tickets punched, but Ohio State was still waiting in line at the gate to purchase theirs. \nWhat a difference a weekend makes.\nWith their two wins, including the aforementioned once-in-a-decade upset special, Ohio State not only got their ticket, but they are in their seats and listening to the flight attendant's instructions. The Nittany Lions also secured their seats by taking two games in Columbus. This assures the Big Ten conference of three NCAA bids, which isn't bad for a conference that puts soccer on the same importance level as club badminton.\nWhile the Hoosiers should not be in jeopardy of missing their flight intended for Charlotte, they probably won't get the first-class seats they were hoping for. The NCAA selection committee will have plenty of info on the Hoosiers to balance on the proverbial scale when it comes to a possible seed, which are given to the top eight teams in the tournament. While the Hoosiers played the nation's toughest schedule, and did quite well against some of the top opponents, they also suffered six losses, including three consecutive to end the season. No seed means there are no guarantees of home-field advantage come the second and third rounds of the tournament, which means more turbulence than the Hoosiers are used to.\nAnd just as things seemed to get worse for IU, then comes some good news involving some local squads. IUPUI, which finished the regular-season at 8-8-2, surprisingly won the Mid-Continent Conference tournament last weekend. Obviously liking the taste of success, the Jaguars followed up their conference title with a 1-0 overtime win against Marist on Saturday in an NCAA play-in game, securing their first ever trip to the NCAA tournament. On the same day, the Illinois-Chicago Flames defeated Fairleigh Dickinson 2-0 in their play-in game to clinch their second consecutive NCAA tourney berth. \nWhy are these results good for the Hoosiers, you ask? Well, the first round games in the "big dance" are set up as regional matchups, with small conference schools pitted against national powerhouses. This equation will probably hold true, meaning that Indiana would host a first round game against a good, but nonetheless inferior opponent. Indiana has already defeated IUPUI once this season, and while Illinois-Chicago comes into the tournament with a 17-3-2 record, their schedule has been nowhere near as difficult as IU's, or Bloomington North's for that matter.\nAnd still other schools from across the country wait to hear if they will get a seat on the flight to the College Cup, ranging in stature from unlikely upstarts Fairfield and Stony Brook to mighty UCLA and Seton Hall. While the selection committee has always had a tough job to in picking the best 32 teams and the top eight seeds from that narrowed pool, the results from the past couple of weeks have only made the fog surrounding the plane denser, meaning more confusion and more complaining after the bracket is announced.\nBecause of some unlikely teams achieving success and some of the usual suspects struggling down the stretch, it will be interesting to see who gets to take off and who gets left at the gate. While we may not ride first-class this year, that is not as important as making it through to the final destination.
(11/10/00 5:57am)
As advertisers and shopping malls have let you know by now, it is never too early to start thinking about the holiday season. That brings me to this question: Was it Bing Crosby or David Crosby who crooned that magical phrase, "It's the most wonderful time of the year?" Who cares who it was, the important part is that it has arrived. \nNo, not the Christmas season -- that doesn't start until after Thanksgiving (at least to this die-hard). "It" is college soccer's postseason, and after two months of play across this great land of ours, "it" is in full swing, as conference tournaments around the country are starting up and winding down. \nSchools such as IUPUI, Radford and Marist don't have visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads, but dreams of making the College Cup. For these schools, winning their conference tournaments were not enough -- they must battle each other in a play-in game to see who makes soccer's version of "the big dance." \nWhile the winner of these games are likely to go down in the wake of some Atlantic Coast Conference squad's dust, that is not the point. For these "Davids" simply making the tournament itself and getting the chance to make some postseason waves are rewards for months of hard training and a grueling regular season schedule.\nThen there are schools such as North Carolina, Connecticut and Stanford. These are the teams that, win or lose in their conference tournaments, are near guaranteed to take one of the top eight seeds Monday afternoon when the College Cup bracket is announced. The higher the seed in the College Cup, the better the chance of home-field advantage in the first, second and third rounds. \nTeams such as San Diego, Clemson, Virginia and the Hoosiers -- teams that are in the tournament and fighting for one of those last eight seeds. This weekend is crucial for such squads, as it is the last chance for them to assert their dominance to the selection committee. This theme of dominance bodes well for IU, with the Big Ten tournament starting today and the Hoosiers not falling to a Big Ten opponent since roughly the dawn of time.\nAnd then there are the bubble teams. UCLA and Portland have fallen on hard times in the past month and have fallen hard.\nWhile most of the madness of collegiate conference tournaments is reserved for March, November also has its share of excitement.\nWith the parity in college soccer this season, Monday's bracket announcement will be just as controversial as basketball's usually is.. So I suggest college sports junkies to follow this "November Nuttiness" all the way through next month's finals. While your ultimate fix may come in March, just think of this as an early holiday season gift.
(11/08/00 1:46am)
You know, it's funny how things turn out sometimes.\nBefore the season, people asked me what was in store for the 2000 edition of the men's soccer team. My answer was, "With five starters from last year's team gone, it would take this team a while to get on the same page with each other. But when they do get it together, and they will, good things will happen." \nI'm no "swami," but it's safe to say that statement was pretty dead on.\nWith the Hoosiers poised to make another run at postseason glory, it couldn't hurt to take a look back at the peaks and valleys of the roller-coaster that was the regular season. And trust me, there were enough of both to make the ride more exciting than anything your favorite amusement park can offer.\nThe season started on a low point with the adidas Classic. The opening 3-0 loss at the hands of Portland offered little to be excited about, as the Hoosiers were physically manhandled by the Pilots. The following night, IU and UCLA played their typical hard-fought battle, with the Bruins beating IU 2-1, shutting them out of their own tournament.\nA daunting task was ahead of IU the next week, as the team traveled to face two of the top Atlantic Coast Conference teams, Maryland and Virginia, at the Maryland Classic. In both games, the valley the Hoosiers had entered the week before could have become a crater, but IU wouldn't allow it. The Hoosiers overcame 1-0 deficits in both games, winning both contests 2-1 and gaining the confidence coach Jerry Yeagley knew the team needed. The valley had disappeared, and the ride appeared to be headed upward. \nIU hit rock bottom at the Butler Classic. Playing its fourth game in eight days, the Hoosiers were pounded, manhandled and thoroughly whipped by Creighton 4-1. After suffering their worst loss in more than a decade, IU was at another low point.\nAs if it sensed the ride was going to be over too soon, IU used the downward momentum of the Creighton loss to propel itself back to its rightful place as one of the nation's top teams. A new tri-captain and a new-look midfield set were put in place, and a 1-0 win two days later against Florida International was the start of a 10-game win streak, proving the Hoosiers were not down and out, merely on the wrong track for a bit.\nAfter two wins, including the conference opener against Michigan State, the Hoosiers were climbing to the top as they were set to face No. 2 Penn State. Then another setback -- senior keeper T.J. Hannig, an All-American candidate, would be out for 4-6 weeks with a knee injury. Junior backup Colin Rogers kept the team moving forward and the Hoosier offense finally hit top speed. IU overcame a pair of one-goal deficits to beat Penn State 3-2 and kept rolling.\nThe Hoosiers locked up the Big Ten title, going undefeated in the conference for the fifth consecutive season. They won pretty (Michigan 7-0) and they won ugly (Ohio State 1-0), but the important thing was they won, catapulting them near the top of the polls and, more importantly, keeping them in position for one of the top eight seeds in the upcoming NCAA tournament.\nIU rested up for two weeks before ending the season at the Cal-Berkeley Classic during the weekend. As they have the past two years, the Hoosiers lost in the final weekend, this year to fellow No. 1 Stanford 1-0 in overtime. The loss was a minor setback at the most, as the Hoosiers, minus two starting midfielders, played hard in a defensive battle, the types of games IU will play in its postseason tournaments.\nIU's season mark stands at an impressive 13-5. But if you take into account the massive lineup overhaul at the start of the season, some scattered injuries, scoring problems at the beginning of the season and the ability to develop the deepest bench in the country, that "fairly impressive" 13-5 turns into a damn good 13-5. \nThis team has gone on one helluva' ride throughout the regular season, and the postseason ride only gets bumpier. But IU is the only team in the country that has finished that ride the past two seasons. At times, the Hoosiers went through the regular season holding on for their lives. At other points they coasted with their hands in the air. Now it's time to prepare for the biggest, fastest and most dangerous ride of all. \nLuckily for the Hoosiers, this ride seems to be their favorite one in the park.
(10/27/00 6:08am)
I know this is a soccer column, but one cannot ignore that it's that time of year again. That's right, it's election time. The fun is almost over, but you still have five more days to cherish those negative ads, idiotic talk-show appearances, third-party whinefests and polls. \nAnd more polls. \nAnd more polls after that.\nWhich brings me to the magical link between politics and collegiate soccer -- polls. \nNow I don't want to get off on a rant here, but this season the members of the four polls seem to have the combined intelligence of Darryl Strawberry's two remaining brain cells, which, from what I hear, are still hopped up on Xanax.\nWhile it seems like a distant memory, I seem to recall that my first column of the season commented on how IU may have unfairly, or lazily, been placed at the top spot in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) preseason poll. When that column was drafted I had only one poll to speculate about. But thanks to other media outlets that believe they have the sage-like wisdom to rank the best teams in the land, this poll-bashing column will bear much more depth.\nImagine Pat Buchanan thinking he was walking into a Reform Party Rally in Bloomington and instead walking into Eroticon. Now you have a slight idea of the level of confusion these voters are dealing with.\nThe four polls -- the NSCAA, SoccerTimes.com, Soccer America and College Soccer Online Media (CSO) -- collectively have bigger discrepancies than Al Gore's campaign finance records. But enough ranting I suppose, here's a few examples to back it up.\nFour polls, four No. 1 teams in the country. Granted, no team has really stepped up and dominated college soccer this season, but there must be two folks in agreement, right? Wrong. SoccerTimes.com has North Carolina on top, while Soccer America has Southern Methodist number one. The Hoosiers wear the target in the CSO poll, while San Jose St. is the big cheese in the NSCAA poll.\nAnd speaking of San Jose St., let's take a closer look. The Spartans are the nation's only undefeated team at 14-0-1. While they haven't played the toughest schedule in the nation (by far), they deserve a little credit, right? Apparently not, as they are ranked No. 3, No. 6 and No. 13. Anything in the 6-10 range is laughable, but No. 13? That's disrespectful and downright idiotic (shame on you, CSO).\nMore than a few other schools have some major differences between the pollsters. Clemson is ranked No. 8 by Soccer America, but No. 19 by the NSCAA. Duke is No. 9 in Soccer America, while the NSCAA has them all the way back at No. 24. South Carolina, after cooling off in recent weeks, has dropped to No. 22 in the NSCAA poll, but remains 8th in the CSO rankings. One of IU's losses this season came to the hands of the Creighton Blue Jays, who are No. 7 in the CSO, but No. 21 in the SoccerTimes.com poll. \nAnd then there's Portland, who has mystified pollsters and fans alike all season. The Pilots, who have dropped their last three games, remain in the middle of the road in the Soccer America and CSO polls, at No. 14 and No. 11 respectively. Portland dropped out of the other two polls in this week.\nAnd while this next tidbit is somewhat ridiculous, I must admit that I did find some joy in it. Penn State, after losing three games in a week (Akron, IU and South Carolina) fell off the Soccer America poll after being ranked third the week before. God bless this country!\nSo what can be done about this wasteland known as college soccer rankings? Well, I say scrap them completely, for a few reasons.\n1. Way too many politics are involved, from both the coaches and the media members.\n2. Voters put too much emphasis on teams in their own region (ACC-land, I'm talking to you!)\n3. Voters must be going on results alone, as there is little to no coverage of collegiate soccer on television. As many soccer fans know, sometimes a team might look better in a 2-1 loss than a 1-0 win.\nSo, once the polls close after the season, maybe something can be done to modify the system of out-of-control collegiate soccer polls, although it's highly unlikely. But in the meantime, it is kind of fun to say, "We're Number 1 ... and 3, and 4 and 5"
(10/23/00 5:35am)
So you're looking for something to put on your wall, and this is the choice you must make …\nThe "Mona Lisa" versus "Dogs Playing Poker."\nBecause of my taste, or extreme lack thereof, I would choose "Dogs Playing Poker." And while "Dogs Playing Poker" does have its charms, even I am not stupid enough to conclude that it is superior in beauty to the "Mona Lisa."\nSo what does this art lesson have to do with soccer? My point is that both paintings will get the job of covering the wall done. And while the men's soccer team had some da Vinci's throughout this season, it's been nothing but "Dogs Playing Poker" lately.\nThe last three games for the Hoosiers have been anything but masterpieces, and yet they have been good enough efforts to escape with a win.\nAgainst Northwestern, the Hoosiers came out ready to play -- that is, ready to play against Northwestern. The Hoosiers got their wake-up call early, as Jun Kim's header 45 seconds into the match put Northwestern ahead of the Hoosiers for the first time since milk was delivered to your door and bread was a nickel. \nFortunately, the Hoosiers did wake up, tying the game more than midway through the first half and putting the defensive smackdown on the Wildcats in the second half. While the 4-1 score indicates total domination, it took awhile for the Hoosiers to take control, and there were definite signs of the Hoosiers underestimating their opponent.\nThen, The Hoosiers travel to Lexington to face Kentucky on Wednesday night. Last year, these two teams played two hotly contested and overly physical matches. Wednesday night, the two squads continued that tradition. The contest featured 28 fouls, seven yellow card cautions (including one on coach Jerry Yeagley) and one ejection (Kentucky's Brian Mitts). \nThe Hoosiers' composure managed to win out over Kentucky's aggressiveness 2-0, on goals by junior Tyler Hawley and sophomore Pat Noonan. Once again, the result was better than the game, as the Hoosiers came out slow for the second straight game.\nThen came yesterday's battle at Ohio State. The Hoosiers and Buckeyes basically played to a stalemate on the field, with the Buckeyes being able to force their style of play on the Hoosiers -- one of the few teams to do so this season. \nIf you liked solid goaltending, then this was the game for you. Ohio State's Kerry Thompson made his share of spectacular saves, but Colin Rogers, a junior, gave another solid effort in blanking the Buckeyes 1-0. \nIf you liked solid offense or finishing, I hope you were somewhere else. Ohio State's aggressive play all over the field forced IU to go away from their usual possession style offense, forcing them to play long balls downfield, which were often won by the Buckeyes. Ohio State's physical play also caused the Hoosiers to take out their aggression, as IU committed 25 fouls and collected five yellow cards on the day. And yet, senior Matt Fundenberger's 20th minute penalty kick would be all IU would need to collect their 10th straight victory.\nSo what is the lesson here? Sometimes poor finishing is OK? You don't always have to play clean to win? The dirtier the better? Well, there's two sides to this story. Fortunately they are both good for the Hoosiers.\nSide one: In three games, IU was unprepared, outmuscled and even outplayed by their opponents. Despite these facts the Hoosiers came out 3-0, showing that this squad does what it has to do to be victorious.\nSide two: Out of those three games the Hoosiers know that they could have dropped one, maybe even two of them. But this Hoosier squad and coaching staff know that it is not always the result that counts, but the performance of the team that is more important. This team knows that the past three contests have not yielded their best soccer.\nWith almost two weeks off, the Hoosiers have time to work on some things. This means that while some things may change, you can expect the winning to continue.
(10/20/00 6:17am)
When it comes to team chemistry, the talk often centers around two topics: senior leadership and new talent. \nAnd then there's the middle child, constantly seeking attention. Everyone's heard of the sophomore jinx -- the phrase used for second-year players who flounder after a stellar freshman season. Fortunately for this year's men's soccer team, the sophomore jinx is nothing but a myth.\n This year's troop of "Peter Bradys" had vastly different freshman campaigns, but all five sophomores play an integral part in the success of the Hoosier squad this season.\nNo sophomore has made his presence known on the field more than Pat Noonan. The center midfielder has caught not only the eyes of opponents, but of the college soccer world as well, as he was named as one of the 15 finalists for the Missouri Athletic Club Player of the Year Award. \nAfter starting all 24 games for the Hoosiers last season, Noonan has improved on the offensive end, already equaling last year's totals of seven goals and four assists. Not only is Noonan stepping it up on the field, but off the field as well, becoming one of the team's tri-captains midway through the season. \nOne of the players Noonan has had more of a chance to find this year is forward Michael Bock. After limited playing time last year, Bock has often been the sparkplug that ignites the Hoosier offense, especially when they had trouble scoring early in the season. Bock has started just one game this season, but has taken advantage of his time on field -- becoming the team's fourth leading scorer with seven points on the season. While those numbers might not be overly impressive, it has been Bock's swarming style of play and sprinter-type speed that has earned him respect and added playing time.\nFrom the forwards, we move to the wing midfield position and Marcus Chorvat. As the season has progressed, Chorvat has seen more time in the Hoosiers' wing rotation and has become one of the squad's most improved players. After playing in only seven games for the Hoosiers last year, Chorvat has adapted well to his increase in play. Chorvat has become one of the main playmakers on the offense, thanks to his accurate crosses and role as a free kick taker.\nMoving back to the middle of the field, we see Phil Presser, who has not skipped a beat after switching to a defensive midfielder beside senior Justin Tauber halfway through the season. Known as a finisher in high school, Presser knew that he would have to adapt to more of a playmaking role as a midfielder at IU. Presser's switch to the defensive midfielder position has not only helped clog up the opposition's offensive third, but has allowed him the freedom to remain an offensive threat -- even if it doesn't mean finishing the play.\nThe final piece in the sophomore puzzle is defensive back John Swann. Swann played in 15 games last year, and started in the Hoosiers' final four games in the NCAA tournament. As the only returning back for the squad, Swann has proven to be one of the steady forces for the Hoosiers' defense. As the season has progressed, Swann has helped turn the defense around with his veteran leadership and an aggressive style of play, reminding the opposition that while the faces may be new, it is still the same old IU defense.\n Five sophomores. Five different roles. Five different reasons why the Hoosiers have turned what could have been a, dare I say, "rebuilding year" into another run for the College Cup.\n Just like the Brady Bunch, it's the older kids who get a lot of the praise, the youngest kids get the benefit of the doubt and the middle kids get looked over. Well, let me be the first to say, thanks Peter and Jan, because without you, Bobby and Cindy wouldn't be so darned adorable, Marcia wouldn't be so hot and Greg wouldn't be so cool. And our Hoosiers wouldn't be anywhere close to where they are right now.
(10/16/00 6:21am)
Let me just start by saying I really hoped it wouldn't come down to this. Although the thought has been in the back of my mind for months, I truly hoped I wouldn't have to write this column. \nWith that said, here it goes...\nStudents of dear old IU... what the heck are you thinking?\nYes, I'm calling you all out. Calling you out for being sheep, for falling for the same trap you have stumbled into every fall. Every year you throw away five to seven Saturday afternoons and $90 dollars in tickets that could be much better spent, foolishly following our Hoosiers into college football hell. And every year you ignore what has been the school's most successful athletic program -- you guessed it, the men's soccer team.\nI'm sure you're thinking, "What's with the anger?" Well, after watching Saturday's legendary debacle fall at the hands of Michigan, I finally hit the breaking point. \nMaybe my logic is a little off. Maybe I've been raised wrong. Maybe I'm drunk. Perhaps all three. But I just cannot understand why the students on this campus will blindly support a football team that has done nothing but dish out plate after plate of heartbreak and defeat to its loyal fans. \nMeanwhile, across Fee Lane at Bill Armstrong Stadium, the men's soccer team keeps on doing what it has always done -- winning. And the team is winning in front of, what I consider, modest crowds. \nWhen you add in Sunday's figures, the average attendance for a men's soccer game is 2,020. Sure, every other school in the country would die to have an attendance figure of more than 2,000 for the entire soccer season, let alone each game. \nStill, I believe it is not enough. I believe you've let your school's best team down. \nSure, you'll go waste three hours to watch the football team blow another fourth quarter lead, but you won't watch the soccer team clinch its fifth consecutive conference title (on a downright beautiful fall afternoon, no less).\nYou say you support the football team when in reality you're cheering for Antwaan and his merry misfits. Meanwhile, you shun a team featuring three candidates for national player of the year awards.\nEach week you hope to whatever god above that maybe, just once, our secondary can actually hit a guy, or stay with the deep receiver, or do anything resembling defense. And all season you've stayed away from a team that has won the only team national championships the school has seen in the past decade.\nThis campus has one of the most successful dynasties in collegiate sports history right under its collective nose, and it doesn't even know it. And if it knows it, it surely doesn't appreciate it. It sickens me, and I have had enough. \nI have seen you, the loyal students, at football games for five sad years now. I have seen you looking for a winner you can get behind. Let's face it: Every time the football team wins you feel the need to rip the goalposts down, simply because you don't know when you'll have a chance to do it again.\nI have heard the constant complaining about how we can't get people to fill Memorial Stadium, about how we can't even come close to it. Let's get real folks -- that's a pipe dream. It will happen, but not until Purdue brings their masses of real fans down here next year, probably looking to polish their offense before yet another bowl game.\nWell I say screw that. It's time we start worry about filling up the 5,000 seats of Bill Armstrong Stadium instead. Unfortunately, it's damn near too late -- the last game of the regular season was Sunday. But thanks to the post-season (yes football fans, there is such a thing) you still have a chance to support the real "IU Futbol." \nMark your calendars, folks -- Nov. 19 is the first round of the NCAA tournament. The way this year's squad is playing, it wouldn't be a bad idea to mark the next two Sundays as well. By then our football team should be nothing more than a distant, disappointing memory. \nLet's wake up and smell the fertilizer they're using to help the sod grow at Memorial Stadium, folks. It's not that hard, just think about it: Do you want success or mediocrity? I made my choice. \nWhile you all were watching any hope of a bowl game go up in smoke, I was watching the soccer team stretch its conference unbeaten streak to 37 games while clinching the top seed for the Big Ten tournament. \nMaybe it's just me, but the choice seems simple. I beg you, IU. Wake up.
(10/13/00 5:16am)
The scene was set: thousands of screaming fans, flags waving all over the place, rhythms being blasted throughout the arena ...\nIf you said a Skynard concert, good guess. Probably what I would have said too. But you're wrong.\nIt was Crew Stadium Wednesday night. And it was then and there when I realized I had finally become a true soccer fanatic.\nAlthough the World Cup qualifying match between the United States and Costa Rica ended in a 0-0 draw, there was plenty of action, both on and off the field, to keep me satisfied. \nIt would not be fair to start this tale without setting the scene. Simply put, Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio is the premier soccer venue in America, hands down. Some people argue that the maximum capacity of around 25,000 is too small. But its quaintness is its strength -- there are no bad seats in the house, the fans are close enough to the field to see all the action and there are no empty seats (which can't be said for a lot of the national team games played stateside).\nThrow in a few thousand spirited Costa Rican fans, about 20,000 of "Sam's Army," hundreds of flags and banners and some beer bottles. Thanks to Miller Lite for making plastic beer bottles! Obviously someone had thought of this scenario beforehand. With all of this, you've got as good an atmosphere for a soccer match that you'll see in this country.\nI knew it was a good sign when, upon the arrival of myself and my three drum-toting cohorts, we were told by a couple of fans, "Hey! We were wondering when you'd get here." After those greetings I knew our mission was clear -- we would be partially responsible for stirring the crowd into a fevered pitch. It was a mission we proudly accepted.\nThrough the slow parts of the game, we hit those damned drums like they took our beer away. At the exciting moments, we hit them like we were possessed by Ike Turner. We led the north endzone crowd in chants of "U-S-A." We sang "Ole," not knowing whether or not it was an off-handed insult at our Costa Rican enemies. And if we had a nickel for every time we played that catchy rhythm from The Cars' classic "Let's Go," (you know, from the Enterprise Car Rental commercial) we probably could have paid the $76 towing fine we received ... but that's another story. \nEveryone in the crowd, both Americans and Costa Ricans, cheered on their team boisterously, jeered the referees and got swept up in the excitement that is international soccer. It was the best 60 minutes I've ever spent at a sporting event.\n(Author's note: I know what you're asking yourself. "But John, soccer matches last 90 minutes, don't they?") \nWell, let's just say that the Ohio Department of Transportation's utopian idea of smooth highways is a long way off -- but all the construction showed their dedication to making it happen! Then factor in Columbus' asinine interstate system, easily one of the worst in America, and some late rush-hour traffic and you miss thirty minutes of game action. \nSorry native Buckeyes, but there are only three redeeming qualities about your state: my beloved Browns, Crew Stadium and the fact that my mother was born in Toledo. Now back to your regularly scheduled soccer column ...\nWhen Ante Razov scored what would have been the winning goal two minutes into injury time in the second half, I can honestly say I've never heard a stadium erupt with such excitement. \nSeconds later, when the crowd realized the referee had whistled the play offsides, I had never seen a crowd so disappointed, upset and potentially violent (cue the beer bottles here). \nThe bad blood spilled onto the field, as American Josh Wolff, whose pass made Razov's "phantom goal" possible, slapped a beer bottle out of one of the Costa Rican player's hands, started yelling at him and then head-butted him, once the referee turned away, of course. \nAnd I guess that's why I love the sport so much -- the passion, both on and off the field. \nWednesday's game would not guarantee either team a spot in the 2002 World Cup, but you couldn't tell that from the players and the fans. Although it was just a qualifying match, you could sense the pride that both sides felt for their team, and in the sport itself.\nAnd it is that sense of pride which made me feel, for the first time, like a true soccer fan. \nWell, that and the fact that a friend and I had a serious discussion about how we could hit the Costa Rican keeper with our drumsticks while he was lying injured on the ground; that also made us feel like soccer fans. \nThe rest of the world better watch out, because Americans are finally turning into genuine soccer fanatics. It surely has taken long enough.
(10/06/00 5:11am)
This weekend the men's soccer team faces two opponents with two distinctly different backgrounds.\nIn the blue corner, the Butler Bulldogs. A team that IU has grown to strongly dislike (hate is a strong word, people) through the years, despite our dominance over them.\nAnd, in the maize and blue corner, the Michigan Wolverines. Barely a newborn in the college soccer world, the Hoosiers will face a team from the U of M for the first time in 26 years when they host the Wolverines on Sunday. With every team there's always some interesting facts to bring up, maybe some history that should be shared. And these two teams have a little of both.\nLet's start with tonight's foe, Butler. If you take a look at the numbers, one would wonder why we even consider this a rivalry at all. Since the teams' first meeting in 1991, the Hoosiers are 10-1 against the Bulldogs, and have outscored them 35-6. Why the animosity, then? Well, these three reasons should be plenty of ammo:\n1. In-state rivalry. Since Purdue doesn't have a soccer team, we have to find someone else to hate! With Evansville not on the schedule this year and Notre Dame off our slate since '98, Butler is the only Indiana school, besides IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis, on the schedule. Although it's no IU-Purdue basketball, it's all we've got, at least this season.\n2. Nov. 19, 1995. It is a date that will live in infamy, at least for IU soccer fans. It is the date that Butler got its lone win against IU -- in Bloomington -- in the NCAA tournament. So they knocked us out of the tournament one year, big deal! Well, actually it is, because of ...\n3. Their fans. Now I've seen IU and Butler play thrice here in Bloomington -- in '97, '98 and '99, and every time there has been a good-sized Butler contingency that has made the journey down State Road 37 to watch the game. And every time, without fail, their fans have been the most obnoxious people I've come across at a sporting event.\nIf Butler gets called for a foul, the referees aren't "letting them play." If a Hoosier defender so much as looks at a Bulldog player wrong, not only should the ref call the foul, but the Hoosier should be drenched in a downpour of yellow and red cards. And then they always have to bring up that one time they beat us.\nA Bulldog soccer fan is kind of like that guy who answers every question (incorrectly, of course) in your discussion class. You want to laugh out loud at him and tell him to shut up, but then you realize you're actually glad he's there because he makes the class so much more interesting. I can only imagine what it will be like with about a thousand of those guys in Kuntz Stadium tonight. I'm buying some Excedrin, just in case.\nNow let's take a closer look at Michigan. After trying to gain varsity status for nearly 50 years, the Wolverines Soccer Club has finally joined the big-time, becoming the seventh men's program in the Big Ten. And for newcomers, these guys aren't bad. The Wolverines won the national championship at the club level in '97 and '98, meaning many of the members of this team have played big games against some decent competition. \nTwo weeks ago, they took then-No. 2 Penn State to overtime in their first ever Big Ten match. How will they react to their first road conference game, against the two-time defending national champions nonetheless? Well, that remains to be seen, but with IU looking for yet another undefeated Big Ten season, you can expect the Hoosiers to make it an unpleasant experience for the Wolverines.\nTwo cities. Two teams with two very different backgrounds. And two entirely separate reasons to want to knock the crap out of them. Just another typical weekend for Indiana soccer.
(10/02/00 5:21am)
I reflected on my next day's adventure, thinking that I was dedicated Thursday night. Then, after some clearer thinking, I decided it looked much more like insanity. Why the hell was I going to travel 20 hours from Bloomington to Pennsylvania and back in one day to watch a soccer game? \nWith the help of some much-needed sleep and a family-size dose of DayQuil, I reflected back on the trip after its conclusion and decided it was well worth the sleep deprivation, two speeding tickets and the fast food. IU and Penn State have played some great matches in the past, but Friday's match might have been the most exciting of them all.\nGoing in, the marquee match-up might have been dimmed by the absence of two Hermann Trophy candidates: Penn State's Ricardo Villar and IU senior T.J. Hannig. But the game was almost better because of their omission from their respective line-ups, because it gave others a chance to rise to the occasion.\nWith the loss of Hannig, IU had a legitimate reason to be concerned. The off-season transfer of Doug Warren meant junior Colin Rogers would get his first collegiate start as goalkeeper -- against the second-ranked team in the country in a game that would all but decide the regular season conference title.\nThe task seemed daunting for the Hoosiers -- the biggest conference game of the year, on the road in front of a crowd of 3,263 (Penn State averages about 500 a game), playing to keep a 34-game conference unbeaten streak in tact. And all this with a keeper getting his first meaningful game action. Although Penn State coach Barry Gorman denied that revenge was a factor, it had to be in the back of the Nittany Lions' heads. IU was the only team they couldn't conquer last season as they lost to the Hoosiers three times, including a 3-0 loss in the College Cup quarterfinals that sent Penn State packing for good. \nWith the stage set, all that was left to do was to play the game. Now, I don't like to over dramatize these things, but, much like the UCLA College Cup semifinal match last December, this was the type of game that could turn people into soccer fans. It had end-to-end action, but it wasn't sloppy. It was physical, but not dirty. It featured great individual efforts, but not selfish plays that overshadowed the play of the team. All in all, it was damn-near-perfect soccer.\nAs I mentioned before, with the absence of two of the Big Ten's biggest players, someone would have to step up for each team. Not one person for the Hoosiers stepped up and took control. Rather, the entire team did. \nThe offense clicked into high gear for the first time this season, scoring three goals and creating opportunities by beating the Nittany Lions's offside trap repeatedly, which could have resulted in a few more tallies. The defense became a brick wall after allowing Penn State's second goal, squashing the Penn State attack for the last 30 minutes. \nAnd then there was Rogers who, after getting rid of some early butterflies, looked as if he had been playing all season, making aggressive plays and smart decisions. Rogers ended up with eight saves, the most for an IU keeper since 1996, and his first collegiate win in IU's most important game of the season.\nWith the win the Hoosiers are now in a familiar place -- they sit in the driver's seat for the Big Ten Conference regular season title. With only one bye in the conference tournament this season, Friday's win not only gives the Hoosiers added confidence in this up and down season, but it might also give them an extra day of rest. The effort the Hoosiers gave Friday will pay off when they get to rest Nov. 10, the first day of the Big Ten tournament. \nAnd although it resulted in temporary insanity and possible trouble with the law, I'm glad I didn't rest and decided to make the trip to Happy Valley Friday. Hopefully my effort this weekend will somehow pay off just like it did for the Hoosiers. At the very least I got to watch possibly the best game in college soccer this season.
(09/29/00 5:29am)
Tonight in State College, Pa., No. 14 Indiana and No. 3 Penn State go to battle in a clash that will most likely determine the Big Ten regular season soccer champion. Few can argue Indiana is among the most storied programs in collegiate soccer, a status earned by decades of consistency and success. But, the same cannot be said for the Nittany Lions' soccer team. Sure, they have made vast improvements in the past few seasons, but they haven't had the staying power to make it to IU's level quite yet.\nWith that in mind, I searched for another way to link our soccer Hoosiers with Penn State. The answer was not hard to find, because when one thinks of Penn State, they automatically think football.\nI may be inspired, and perhaps a tad unoriginal, but I decided the only fair way for these two squads to battle it out was in a good old-fashioned "Tale of the Tape" showdown. So, without further ado, here it is…
(09/25/00 9:08am)
Bet you didn't know it, but a miracle is happening half way across the globe. \nWith much less attention being paid to the 2000 Sydney Olympics than Olympic competitions of the past, it is not surprising that the unprecedented success of the U.S. Men's soccer team has gone unnoticed. But don't worry, you still have two more chances to watch them, guaranteed.\nWhile the women's team got all the attention in Atlanta in '96, this time it's the men's turn, because for the first time in U.S. soccer history, the guys donning the red, white and blue will compete in the medal round of the Olympics. And thanks to NBC, the beginning of the U.S. soccer revolution will be televised. Sure, it will be on an 18-hour tape delay, but it will be televised nonetheless.\n With all of the intriguing and emotional moments the Olympics provide every four years, this could end up being the best story of the 2000 Games, at least as far as the American contingency goes. Take the underdog spirit of "Rudy" and toss them in a blender with the guts and courage of "Rocky" and you have this edition of the American squad. It is a group of mostly Under-23 team players kicking the rest of the world's butts at their own game. \nAnd as far as drama goes, the U.S. men have provided a few moments in their last two games that would make their tale Hollywood material. Going into the last game of pool play the U.S. had to beat Kuwait to advance to the quarterfinals. Fortunately the only drama was in the situation, as the U.S. side easily handled Kuwait 3-1 to advance into the quarterfinals, becoming the first U.S. men's squad in history to advance past the first round of Olympic competition.\nIf the Kuwait game lacked drama during the match, then Saturday's quarterfinal match against Japan made up for it. The U.S. team twice came from behind to equalize the match, the second time with less than one minute remaining in regulation as midfielder Peter Vagenas booted home a penalty kick, tying the game at two. A half-hour of extra-time came and went without a golden goal, which meant the game was decided, for better or worse, by penalty kicks.\nThe first three penalty kicks for each squad all went in, but momentum swung to the U.S. when Hidetoshi Nakata's shot bounced off the left post, putting the U.S. squad in control. Josh Wolff, whose hustle created the foul that led to Vagenas's 90th minute PK, calmly knocked in his kick to put the U.S. ahead 4-3. After Japan tied the penalty kick round at 4-4, it was overtime substitute Sasha Victorine who converted the fifth and final kick, giving the U.S. their historic victory.\nAnd if you want some more drama, try this one -- Victorine was a late addition to the team, selected only after National Team member Chris Armas was injured during a World Cup qualifier last month. Victorine was not named to the team until Aug. 30, and his 30 minutes in overtime against Japan was his first action of the Olympics.\nSo how unlikely is the Americans journey to the medal round? Even some of the players had flights back to the States scheduled to leave Sunday so they could join their MLS squads on their playoff runs. \nSo while it may not match the status of 1980's "Miracle on Ice," this "Miracle on the Pitch" does have its charm. It also serves as a wake up call to the rest of the world, which might have been summed up best by midfielder Frankie Hejduk.\n"Teams aren't just going to say, 'Oh, great. We get to play the U.S,'" Hejduk said. "Now it'll be like, 'Damn, we're playing the U.S. today.' They know that they're going to get a battle out of it no matter what."\nTuesday the United States will face Spain in Sydney as the "Miracle on the Pitch" continues. That makes me wonder … just how do you translate, "Damn, we're playing the U.S. today," into Spanish?
(09/18/00 4:47am)
It was good. Almost too good.\nTwo weeks ago the men's soccer team played like the Hoosiers of the past few seasons ' gutting out two come from behind victories over top 10 opponents Maryland and Virginia. The Hoosiers played with the confidence and poise that was lacking in their opening losses against Portland and UCLA. \nThings had finally started to come together for the Hoosiers. Improvements still needed to be made, but it was obvious that the team was on the right track and beginning to gel as they headed into last week's games. The tough part of the schedule was supposedly in the rear view mirror.\n Somebody forgot to tell that to IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis, Creighton and Florida International.\n Wednesday's game against IUPUI was supposed to be a game where a lot of players were to get a great deal of game experience. Unfortunately, because of a packed-in defense, some unkind posts and an out-of-body experience by the Jaguar goaltender, the starters were the ones getting the bulk of the playing time in the Hoosiers' 2-0 victory.\nIf Wednesday's game was a fender bender, then Friday's game against Creighton at the Butler Classic was a train wreck. \nIU was playing its fourth game in eight days, and it showed as Creighton outhustled, outmuscled and outplayed a weary Hoosier squad. In IU's worst defensive performance in over a decade, the Hoosiers lost to the Bluejays 4-1. \nCoach Jerry Yeagley was quick to credit Creighton, but also put some of the blame for the loss on himself, as he admitted scheduling the IUPUI game during this early-season stretch was a risk.\n"I have a whole lot of responsibility for Friday night's performance," Yeagley said. "The tank was totally empty on Friday. It was bad judgment on my part."\nThe team's fatigue led to quite possibly the best decision of the weekend for the Hoosiers ' they took Saturday off. \nWith the team told wipe Friday out of their collective memory, Sunday's game against Florida International showed that the Hoosiers were back on track as they took control of the game midway through the first half and never let up, at one point taking fourteen consecutive shots. \nUnfortunately it was eerily similar to the IUPUI game, as the Hoosiers got plenty of scoring chances, yet couldn't seem to put anything in the back of the net. That changed when newly named tri-captain sophomore Pat Noonan blasted a shot home 87 minutes into the game to give the Hoosiers a 1-0 victory that was not as close as the score indicated.\nWith such a sporadic start one might think the team would be questioning itself. But as Lee Corso would say ' "Not so fast my friends."\nWhile some might not believe it the Hoosiers are actually in a good position at 4-3. A couple of more wins would be nice, but the most important fact is that when healthy and rested the Hoosiers have, for the most part, outplayed every opponent. \nIt might not be the type of season Hoosier fans are accustomed to, but then again, this isn't your typical Hoosier team. Just ask junior midfielder Tyler Hawley.\n"We were basically just pumped to come out and play the way the 2000 team should play, not last year's team," said Hawley after Sunday's performance. "We were kind of falling back on last year's team, saying 'Last year's team did this; last year's team did that.' Now we just got to do it like we do it."\nSupposedly the roller coaster has stopped, and the Hoosiers seem ready to jump out against the rest of their schedule. However, it could only help later on to be reminded of the peaks and valleys they faced along the ride that was the opening three weeks of the season.