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(09/11/02 5:46am)
For most Americans, Sept. 11 has become a landmark that is vividly cemented in their memories. Just as generations before remember where they were when John F. Kennedy was assassinated, or what they were doing when the Challenger exploded, people of all generations can clearly recollect what they were doing when the news that the World Trade Center was struck by two planes reached them.\nFor two men in the IU football program, it is impossible not to remember -- they were in New York City when it happened.\nBoth Director of Football Operations Dino Mangiero and freshman fullback John Pannozzo were at Poly Prep High School in Brooklyn when the towers were hit.\nMangiero, who was the head football coach at Poly Prep, was in his office working on football related matters when he saw an item on television about a plane that had hit the World Trade Center.\nWith an amateur interest in aviation, Mangiero's instinct told him that the crash was no accident.\n"I know that a plane is not going to hit a building; it's going to ditch into the ocean," Mangiero said. "My first reaction was 'that was done on purpose, that was terrorism.'"\nWith the parents of a number of Poly Prep students working in the World Trade Center, Mangiero rushed to a school assembly where he told the principal what happened.\nIt was at the assembly that Pannozzo and his classmates heard an official confirmation of the rumors going around the school regarding the disaster.\n"Everyone thought it was an accident at first," Pannozzo said. "But after the second plane hit, the whole school went into a big panic."\nMany members of the Poly Prep faculty went to the school's clock tower, from which they were able to look into Manhattan and see the north tower smoldering. They also witnessed the second plane strike the south tower.\nBy that time, Mangiero had already returned to his office and witnessed the second plane crash on TV. With news trickling in about planes crashing into the Pentagon and Shanksville, Penn., everyone at the school found themselves searching for answers. \n"It was unbelievable," Mangiero said. "(You're thinking) it's the end of the world."\nBoth Mangiero and Pannozzo were overwhelmed with concern over friends and loved ones who were likely to be near the scene.\n"Every single one of us had friends that worked in the World Trade Center," Mangiero said. "So many of my friends that I grew up with were firemen and cops… So many of the kids on the team had parents working in the city. The shock turned into a great concern."\nMangiero spent "four to five hours" trying to find a way to get a hold of his brother-in-law who worked in the World Trade Center.\nFor students, the scene was just as chaotic. Since traffic was unable to cross the bridge from Brooklyn into Manhattan, those students who lived in Manhattan had to pair up with friends from Brooklyn to stay over night.\n"The majority of students probably didn't get home until the next day," Pannozzo said.\nSchool was canceled the next day, but was back in session on Sept. 13.\nOn Sept. 14, Mangiero, who once worked in the World Trade Center himself, visited the site that would become known as Ground Zero.\n"I didn't know where I was," Mangiero said. "There was dust and debris all over the place. It was like being in a different city; it was hard to get your bearings."\nWhile their game on Sept. 15 was canceled, Pannozzo and his Poly Prep teammates were back on the field a week later for their next game.\n"It was very hard to focus," Pannozzo said.\nFor Mangiero, who lost many friends, football at least momentarily helped take his mind off the sorrow.\n"We always tell guys 'You're young; you're healthy. The football field is a great place to be,'" Mangiero said. "I guess that was just a little more evident"
(09/09/02 5:59am)
The official nickname for the University of Utah's athletic teams is the Runnin' Utes. The IU defense now knows why. Utah rushed for 386 yards in its 40-13 victory, giving IU their worst statistical defensive performance since they surrendered 417 rushing yards at Northwestern in 2000.\nLast week, the Hoosiers held William & Mary to minus-32 yards on the ground. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, that performance seemed more like it happened last season.\n"We made them look a little bit better than they were," said coach Gerry DiNardo. "We were a poor tackling team (on Saturday), but they are a very good rushing team."\nThe defensive situation was not nearly so dire in the first quarter. On its first possession, Utah was held to 21 yards in six plays and settled for a 37-yard freshman Bryan Borreson field goal.\nThe Utes were able to sustain more of an attack the second time that they got the ball, as they went to the man who would be their bread-and-butter, running back senior Marty Johnson. Johnson carried the ball five times for 40 yards on Utah's second possession. \nOn Johnson's fifth carry of the drive, it appeared the Hoosier defense regained their goal line magic when sophomore Herena-Daze Jones forced Johnson to fumble as he attempted to dive into the end zone. The ball was recovered by last week's hero, junior Antonio Watson in the end zone, giving IU the momentum that would carry over with a 53-yard touchdown pass and a 6-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.\nUtah opened the second quarter with the ball, eating 5:06 off the clock while driving the ball 69 yards. But the IU defense did not break, holding the Utes to another field goal and a tie game.\nFrom that point forward, the tandem of Johnson and senior J.R. Peroulis burst through the IU defense like a river breaking through a levee made of paper maché, as Utah would score touchdowns on its next four possessions.\nOn its first touchdown drive, Utah ran the ball six times for 84 yards, culminating in a 2-yard run by Johnson to give Utah a 13-6 lead that would never be looked back upon.\nJohnson and Peroulis didn't get any of the glory on the next two Utah touchdowns, which came courtesy of senior quarterback Lance Rice's passes. However, they did do the brunt of the work. Johnson had six carries for 42 yards, while Peroulis ran the ball four times for 38 yards.\nJohnson got the Utes' next score on a 16-yard run to put the game well out of reach as Utah opened up a 34-6 cushion with 5:42 left to play.\nAt that point, it was pretty safe for Utah to pull Johnson out of the game. But Johnson was looking to break the Utes all time record for rushing yards in the game (248, set by Eddie Johnson in 1984), so he stayed in to play the fourth quarter.\n"Obviously, he's a great back," Utah coach Ron McBride told the Salt Lake Tribune. "He could have rushed for over 300 if he wanted to, in this game."\nThat decision may cost Utah in the long run, as Johnson sprained his right knee after a 13-yard carry, and is expected to be out for a month. Johnson ended the game with 229 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries. Peroulis didn't score, but added 118 yards on only 16 carries.\nUtah ran the ball a total of 57 times in the game, but senior defensive lineman Kris Dielman refused to let fatigue be an excuse for the IU defense.\n"We were on the field a lot today, but that is not anything abnormal," Dielman said. "We have got to make plays."\nThe IU defense will not have much time for recovery. Next week they head to Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Ky. to face a Kentucky team coming off of a 77-17 victory over UTEP this week.
(09/05/02 4:00am)
This record should be played loud." At least that's what the Rolling Stones advise you to do on the inside cover of Let It Bleed. And every word of it is true. Quite simply, Let It Bleed is one of those landmark albums that every rock fan should have in his or her collection, from the quality cover of the Stones as birthday candles to what's inside the package itself.\nWith ABKCO releasing a digitally remastered version of the album that was originally released in 1969, adding it to your collection has become that much more of a worthwhile investment. Most re-released albums feature some sort of rare B-sides or bonus cuts. Not this one, and that's the beauty of it. All you get are the original nine tracks, just as the Stones intended you to hear them. \nAnd while the digital remastering does help a bit with the sound quality, that is not the main selling point of this album. It's the songs -- most of which could have been recorded in a tin can and still sounded good.\nWhile many of the tracks on the album have achieved greatness through airplay over the years ("Gimme Shelter," "You Can't Always Get What You Want," "Midnight Rambler" and the title track), it's the lesser known songs that provide a lot of the sonic bliss of this album.\nThe Stones pay homage to their blues roots with a cover of Robert Johnson's "Love in Vain," and though you'll never believe that Mick Jagger will ever have his love in vain, his voice allows you to make it sound realistic enough.\nMost bands cover songs by another band on an album. But the Stones cover their own song on this one, with a version of "Honky Tonk Woman" called "Country Tonk."\nEssentially, this is a nearly impregnable album with only one weak link -- Keith Richards' attempt at singing in "You Got the Silver." At best, he sounds like Bob Dylan on heroin. At least he can still play guitar like no one's business.
(09/05/02 3:47am)
This record should be played loud." At least that's what the Rolling Stones advise you to do on the inside cover of Let It Bleed. And every word of it is true. Quite simply, Let It Bleed is one of those landmark albums that every rock fan should have in his or her collection, from the quality cover of the Stones as birthday candles to what's inside the package itself.\nWith ABKCO releasing a digitally remastered version of the album that was originally released in 1969, adding it to your collection has become that much more of a worthwhile investment. Most re-released albums feature some sort of rare B-sides or bonus cuts. Not this one, and that's the beauty of it. All you get are the original nine tracks, just as the Stones intended you to hear them. \nAnd while the digital remastering does help a bit with the sound quality, that is not the main selling point of this album. It's the songs -- most of which could have been recorded in a tin can and still sounded good.\nWhile many of the tracks on the album have achieved greatness through airplay over the years ("Gimme Shelter," "You Can't Always Get What You Want," "Midnight Rambler" and the title track), it's the lesser known songs that provide a lot of the sonic bliss of this album.\nThe Stones pay homage to their blues roots with a cover of Robert Johnson's "Love in Vain," and though you'll never believe that Mick Jagger will ever have his love in vain, his voice allows you to make it sound realistic enough.\nMost bands cover songs by another band on an album. But the Stones cover their own song on this one, with a version of "Honky Tonk Woman" called "Country Tonk."\nEssentially, this is a nearly impregnable album with only one weak link -- Keith Richards' attempt at singing in "You Got the Silver." At best, he sounds like Bob Dylan on heroin. At least he can still play guitar like no one's business.
(09/02/02 6:43am)
As William & Mary quarterback Dave Corley scrambled to his left with time expiring in Saturday's game against IU, his shoe came flying off in the opposite direction, hitting the ground with an inconsequential thud.\nHis pass to wide receiver Danny Wade was equally harmless.\nIU junior cornerback Antonio Watson swatted the ball to the ground, preserving IU's 25-17 victory in the Hoosiers' debut.\nWatson proved to be doubly heroic at the game's end, breaking up a pass intended for halfback Corey Paxton on the previous play to foil William & Mary's attempt for its first-ever win against a Big Ten opponent.\n"I play every down as if they are going to throw it to my man," Watson said. "I just kept my poise."\nWatson was able to keep his poise after being flagged with a controversial pass interference call with 1:33 left to play that gave the Tribe a first down at the IU 15-yard line.\n"I thought that it was an offensive penalty at first," DiNardo said.\nThe Hoosiers ended the game by not allowing any points after William & Mary drove inside the IU 10-yard line twice in the last four minutes. William & Mary's first scoring opportunity also ended with Watson knocking down a pass on a fourth down play.\nMany of the 33,427 fans in attendance did not stick around to see the Hoosiers defensive stoutness, which set a school record by allowing negative-32 rushing yards, and represented a marked improvement from IU's play as a whole in the first half.\nOn their first possession of the game, the Tribe cut through the IU defense like a machete through a watermelon. After a Ryan Hamre punt pinned William & Mary at their own five-yard line, Corley torched the IU secondary. Corley orchestrated a six play touchdown drive lasting 2:16. Corley connected with junior Rich Musinski for a 24-yard touchdown pass. \nDiNardo was not impressed with his defense's performance in that sequence.\n"It is one of the growing pains that we have to endure," DiNardo said. "Just because we are a Big Ten team, we can't think that William & Mary can't beat us."\nIU responded by going on a 12-play, 79-yard drive which culminated with a 10-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Tommy Jones to junior wide receiver Glenn Johnson.\nJones had the Hoosiers moving once again as the first quarter came to a close. But, on the first play of the second quarter, he was picked off by junior safety Marques Bobo at the William & Mary 1-yard line. \nWilliam & Mary capitalized on the turnover and Bobo's 19-yard return, methodically marching 80 yards downfield in 12 plays on a possession that lasted over five minutes. \nCorley passed to sophomore running back Jonathan Smith for the 12-yard touchdown pass to give William & Mary a 14-7 lead.\nIU's next score came after a bizarre sequence of plays in the middle of the quarter. After a bad snap out of the shotgun formation sent the Tribe back to their own ten-yard line and into a punt formation for 4th-and-38, IU responded by picking up a roughing the punter penalty. The 15-yard personal foul gave William & Mary an automatic first down.\nThree plays later, it was déjà vu as another bad snap sent William & Mary back to their own one-yard line and into a punt formation.\nThis time, there was no penalty and IU took over the ball at the William & Mary 25. However, the IU offense stalled, and the Hoosiers settled for a 31-yard field goal by sophomore Bryan Robertson to cut the deficit to 14-10, which stood as the halftime score. \nIU's next score was set up by senior defensive lineman Kris Dielman's fumble recovery at the William & Mary 13-yard line. Corley was sacked by freshman linebacker Kyle Killion to force the fumble.\nDielman impressed his coaches in his first game on defense since converting from tight end, where he spent his freshman and junior years.\n"Dielman was a force to be reckoned with," said IU defensive coordinator Tim Kish. "He really did a great job."\nThree plays after Dielman's recovery, Jones hit freshman fullback John Pannozzo for an eight-yard touchdown pass, giving the Hoosiers their first lead of the game at 17-14. It was Pannozzo's first collegiate touchdown.\n"It was unbelievable, but coach always says if you make a good play, just take it and move on," Pannozzo said.\nWilliam & Mary would again get pushed backwards by the IU defense on their next possession, with Dielman sacking Corley for a ten-yard loss on first down. After going three and out, the Tribe lined up to punt and was once again upended by a bad snap. Center Steve Stocki's snap went over punter Michael Mesi's head and out of the end zone for a safety, giving IU a 19-14 lead. \n"Going into the first game against a Division I-A opponent, we knew we weren't going to be able to make mistakes like that," said William & Mary coach Jimmye Laycock.\nIU's next touchdown would be courtesy of yet another special team's miscue by the Tribe. Bobo fielded the punt but fumbled it at the William & Mary 16. The ball was recovered by redshirt junior Duane Stone. \nJones hit Pannozzo for their second touchdown connection of the game from ten yards out with 11:01 left to play. IU failed on a two-point conversion attempt, but their 25-14 lead provided the only cushion that they would need.\nWilliam & Mary's only other points came on a 32-yard Greg Kuehn field goal with 8:49 remaining in the game.
(08/30/02 7:07am)
IU students have been waiting for a meaningful touchdown for a long time. If it comes this season, they'll be closer than ever before.\nWell, or further. \nStudent seating is moving to the extreme north of the main grandstand. In the past, students filled in around the Marching Hundred, who sat around the north 35-yard line. While the Hundred is marching to the bleachers behind the North endzone, students are sliding two sections down.\nAssistant Athletic Director Jeff Fanter said the change will give students a consistent home. In the past, students have been moved around.\n"We're hoping to create a dynamic atmosphere," Fanter said.\nSenior Brett Gildea said he thinks the new plan might be a dynamic dud. A staunch supporter of Hoosier football, Gildea has not missed a game in his three years as a student.\n"The students deserve the best seats because this is our team," Gildea said. "I think that this idea could be a debacle due to students not wanting to sit in the end zone."\nJunior Teddy Fishbein, who plays trumpet in the Hundred, isn't happy his horn will be blowing in a new location, either.\n"It makes it a lot harder to see the action from where I\'ll be sitting now," Fishbein said.\nFanter said that it is common for teams throughout the Big Ten to have student sections in the end zone. He said the athletic department hopes that the new, consistent student section will be a key ingredient to brewing a winning atmosphere.\nWhile student fans may grumble, players don't think that the change will make a huge difference.\n"It's always great to have support, but when the lights come on you don't notice where the fans are at," said senior safety Joe Gonzalez. "You just notice them on certain situations, like big third downs on defense."\nThe move might also serve as a gauge for the athletics department master plan for IU\'s facilities. In addition to adding a student-athlete center located near Assembly Hall and Memorial Stadium, there is a plan in the works for building an end zone seating section, giving Memorial Stadium a horseshoe shape.\nWith the premium seating being opened up to the general public, the athletics department will also hope to gain some more revenue. Tickets in the former student section will be sold for $32 per game.\nFanter can understand why some students may be perturbed by the plan, though. \n"Anytime that there\'s a change, regardless of what it is, there are going to people who aren\'t very happy with them," Fanter said.\nBut while the seats may have moved, there may be more to offer for the students in the new setup, which includes pre-game festivities such as a band, food and drinks.\n"The hope is that this movement is creating this energy and a better environment for the fans," Fanter said.\nAnd while inflation has hit everything in the country from pay phone calls to the price of glue sticks, IU has done an about-face by lowering the costs of season tickets to $45 and making Saturday's game against William & Mary free of charge to students with an ID.\n"It's fair to say that we\'re one of the cheapest tickets in the conference," Fanter said.
(08/29/02 5:58am)
This Saturday, Gerry DiNardo will take the field in his first game as coach of the IU football team. While he's not likely to drive the team into Memorial Stadium on a double-decker bus a la Lee Corso, DiNardo's road to Bloomington has been a wild one. He's seen Heaven, Notre Dame football, and the other place, Vince McMahon's folly, the XFL. Now he's here in Bloomington trying to lead the Hoosiers from football purgatory. \nIn the beginning\nThe road begins in Brooklyn, New York. Four years after the Dodgers pulled out of town, nine-year-old Gerry DiNardo discovered what he would be forever attached to organized football. Like countless numbers of kids, he got his first experience playing in a Pop Warner league.\nDiNardo's love for the game carried over into high school, where his play stood out enough to capture the eyes of a man who knew how to assess talent -- legendary Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian.\nParseghian had already scooped up DiNardo's older brother, Larry, who was an All-American offensive lineman in 1969 and '70.\nDiNardo followed suit, starting at right guard from '72 to '74 and winning the National Championship in 1973. He was named an All-American his senior year.\n"I really enjoyed Ara," DiNardo said. "(Playing for) Notre Dame was a special experience for me, and a lot of the reason was because of him."\nFittingly enough, DiNardo's last game was also Parseghian's last -- a 13-11 Orange Bowl victory over Bear Bryant and Alabama.\nDiNardo and Parseghian still correspond regularly. Parseghian wished his protégé luck at IU, though he also noted it would be a tough job.\n"All of the easy jobs were taken," DiNardo said.\nA different path\nChances are DiNardo will argue a call or two with officials at some point this season, but he had originally pictured himself arguing in a much different setting -- the courtroom. DiNardo had intended to go to law school upon his graduation from Notre Dame, but decided his senior year he didn't want to give up the game.\nHe aspired to get a job as a high school teacher and coach somewhere in the New England region, but unlike today's burgeoning market for teachers, there were few positions available when DiNardo searched for a job in 1975. \nSo he decided to stay involved at the college level and looked for a position as a graduate assistant. \n"I wanted to coach in the northeast, so I talked to the (Notre Dame) coach who recruited out there," DiNardo said.\nA few phone calls later, he landed a spot as a graduate assistant on the staff of Walt Abbot and the University of Maine. "If I went any further northeast, I would have been in Europe," DiNardo said.\nAfter stints at Maine and Eastern Michigan, DiNardo joined Bill McCartney's staff at Colorado University in 1982. At the time, CU was a dweller in the then-Big 8 cellar. By 1990, DiNardo and the rest of the staff had turned the Buffaloes into national champions.\n"It was terrific," said DiNardo, who was the offensive coordinator for the national champions. "To go from a bad team to national champions is excellent."\nThe next year he was in Nashville, Tenn. looking to turn around a declining Vanderbilt program in his first head coaching job. By guiding the Commodores to a respectable 5-6 record in his first year, DiNardo was named Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year.\nAfter four years at Vanderbilt, DiNardo moved on to Louisiana State University, where he led the Tigers to three bowls in five years. Despite a 32-24-1 record at LSU, DiNardo was fired, for two mediocre seasons at the end of his time at LSU. \nHe now found himself somewhere he hadn't been since his childhood -- out of football.\nOpportunity knocks\nAfter getting fired, DiNardo focused most of his time on his Italian restaurant in Baton Rouge, La. He also spent spare time substitute teaching. Finally, opportunity came knocking. It came in the form of wrestling mogul Vince McMahon, who was starting a new football league called the XFL. \n"I didn't know much about it," DiNardo said. "But it was the right thing at the right time, and I really enjoyed it."\nHe was originally offered the Chicago job, but was displaced when Dick Butkus was hired. He then chose to take a position as the coach of the Birmingham Thunderbolts.\nHis XFL experience allowed DiNardo to see the vast differences between college and pro football, though he is concerned about the difference "getting closer than any of us would like."\nWhile McMahon has been much-maligned for the XFL experiment, DiNardo defends his actions.\n"I really like Vince and respect him," DiNardo said. "He stood firm on issues that he gave his word on. He didn't let TV take over (changing the rules of the game)."\nA day in the life\nNow, DiNardo is back where he wants to be -- the coach of a Division I school. While he has no plans on opening another restaurant, DiNardo does plan to build a winner in Memorial Stadium.\nDiNardo will be rebuilding the program on a schedule that will require some patience and a lot of coffee. He wakes up at 4 a.m. Monday thru Thursday every week so he can make it to the office by 5 a.m. From there, the work day goes until 11 p.m., except on Thursdays, when he will "only" work a 12-hour day.\nIn addition to coaching on game day, DiNardo will also grade the tape of the game about two hours after the final gun has sounded.\nOffensive coordinator Al Borges said he was immediately sold upon DiNardo's leadership ability when first meeting him.\n"He's been around winning programs," Borges said. "He knows what it takes to win. He isn't guessing."\nThe daily routine can include anything from looking at tapes of the last game, preparing for next week's opponent, visiting high schools throughout the state (DiNardo hopes to visit every high school in the state) and the actual running of practice itself. \nUnlike many other teams, IU will also work on recruiting players throughout the season.\nSo far, his style has received rave reviews from some players.\n"He's very enthusiastic about what he's doing," said Kris Dielman, senior defensive lineman. "He wants to win the Big Ten."\nA life in football\nMuch has changed in football since DiNardo played in South Bend. Players have gotten so much bigger that he would be dwarfed as an offensive lineman. Athletic departments are more prone to the alumni and outside influence than in the past.\n"The athletic department was run more like the history department back then," DiNardo said.\nDiNardo's biggest thrill about coaching hasn't changed, and it doesn't just come from winning games. It's seeing a first generation college graduate from a winning team, like he was in 1975, holding a college degree. \n"Seeing a high school kid come to a university and benefit academically and socially -- that's really special," he said.
(08/28/02 6:15am)
IU football fans may have grown accustomed to watching Antwaan Randle El hurdle, juke and shuffle as the most prolific quarterback in IU history.\nBut along with new uniforms, fans will get a new style of quarterback starting Saturday when senior Tommy Jones lines up under center. The stand-up pocket passer was named IU's starting quarterback for the Hoosiers opener Saturday against William & Mary.\nJones beat out fellow senior Gibran Hamdan for the starting nod.\nFirst-year coach Gerry DiNardo said Jones earned the start with solid play during workouts.\n"He was playing the best," DiNardo said.\nIt won't be Jones' first time opening up a season as the starter. Last year he started in IU's opening season loss at North Carolina State.\nJones had 18 completions on 31 attempts for 163 yards and one touchdown. Jones was replaced by Antwaan Randle El in the second game of the season, and saw his only other action of the season in the Hoosiers 63-32 victory over Wisconsin.\nJones said that he is just as confident now as he was going into last year's opener.\n"I'm still confident in the team and confident in myself," Jones said. "It's just a matter of concentrating more and more on what we have to do."\nJones sat out the last half of the season with tendonitis in his throwing shoulder, allowing Hamdan to see some time under center.\nHamdan saw action in all of the games last year as the holder for placekicks. He completed the only pass that he attempted during the season in the Wisconsin game.\nQuarterback coach and offensive coordinator Al Borges emphasized that while the decision was essentially made at the last minute, it shows that the Hoosiers will have depth at the position.\n"The good news is that someone is competing well enough to make that a tough decision," Borges said.\nDiNardo describes the 6-foot, 5-inch, 241-pound Jones as a drop-back, pocket passer perfectly suited for running IU's new West Coast offense.\n"The West Coast offense is an offense that is play-action pass and throw the ball deep, so you have to have a strong arm, and they both have that," DiNardo said.\nJones is more than pleased to be playing under a West Coast-type system himself.\n"Gibran and I have been here for four, going on five years," Jones said. "It's been what we've been waiting for the whole time."\nDiNardo emphasized that the quarterback position is like any other position -- it is subject to change at any point in the year.\n"If a guy plays well, he ought to be given an opportunity," DiNardo said. "I don\'t think it's (the QB competition) over"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Like a suspenseful movie starring someone other than Steven Seagal, the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament have held just the right amount of intriguing characters, tense moments and captivating plot twists to keep its audience interested. But now, as they say, the plot thickens, as the regional semifinals tipoff Thursday and Friday night.\nWEST\nNo. 1 Stanford vs. No. 5 Cincinnati -- The top-ranked Cardinal will take on the Bearcats, who advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1996 with dominating victories against BYU and Kent State. Stanford's primary weakness was exposed against St. Joseph's; it can be torched on defense by a team with good guards. With Kenny Satterfield and Steve Logan, Cincinnati possesses just that. But Stanford has a distinctive advantage in the frontcourt with the Collins twins and Ryan Mendez.\nNo. 3 Maryland vs. No. 10 Georgetown -- The Terrapins will take their high-flying offense up against the Hoyas in this Beltway battle. With a reputation as an inconsistent shooting team, Georgetown needs a strong defensive performance to have a chance. It will also need center Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje to have a strong all-around performance in his match-up with Maryland's Lonny Baxter.\nEAST\nNo. 1 Duke vs. No. 4 UCLA -- Both programs have March traditions as glorious as green beer on St. Patrick's Day, and thus have potential to provide an interesting game. To pull off the upset, the Bruins will have to get a solid performance from their full-court press. On offense, UCLA will turn to center Dan Gadzuric. But his role could be diminished by the return of Carlos Boozer from injury for Duke.\nNo. 2 Kentucky vs. No. 6 USC -- Both teams are on hot streaks, each having won its last five games. The Trojans put in nearly flawless performances against Oklahoma State and Boston College and will need much of the same against Kentucky. An interesting battle is likely to ensue between power forwards Sam Clancy of USC and Tayshaun Prince of Kentucky. USC's inconsistency (they lost to Arizona 105-61 at home in February) might doom the Trojans.\nMIDWEST\nNo. 1 Illinois vs. No. 4 Kansas -- Both teams have swept off their first two opponents as if they were Twinkie crumbs. When they meet on Friday night, they might provide one of the most exciting and evenly matched games of the entire tourney. Big Ten Player of the Year Frank Williams is expected to carry the weight for the Illini. Kansas frontcourt of Drew Gooden, Nick Collison and Kenny Gregory will need to excel to keep the Jayhawks alive.\nNo. 2 Arizona vs. No. 3 Ole Miss -- These teams are essentially two opposites. The Wildcats feature a star-studded starting lineup, while the Rebels feature 10 interchangeable players that can tire a team down. But in the end, the Rebs' success will hinge on the play of center Rahim Lockhart as he matches up against Loren Woods. But Arizona has not lost in more than a month. \nSOUTH\nNo. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 12 Gonzaga -- For the third consecutive year, the Zags have worked their way into the Sweet 16. The Spartans are attempting to make the Final Four for the third consecutive year. Gonzaga will need huge production from its leaders, point guard Dan Dickau and power forward Casey Calvary. It will also need to find a way to guard MSU's Jason Richardson and Zach Randolph.\nNo. 7 Penn State vs. No. 11 Temple -- Both teams needed big wins in their conference tournaments to get invitations to the "Big Dance." Temple has been able to stifle opponents with coach John Chaney's renowned match-up zone defense. Penn State has ridden hot shooting and defense for its longest tournament appearance since 1955. If Temple's Quincy Wadley can match the Nittany Lions' Joe Crispin in a game where the majority of points will come from three-point land, the Owls should be able to fly into the Elite Eight.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
All three teams in row 11 of the men's 2001 Little 500 are comprised of a majority of rookies, but each team has hopes of busting into the top 25. Experience and training methods vary among the teams, but all three said they're confident about the race. \nNO. 31 DELTA UPSILON (2:54.75)\nDelta Upsilon will sit on the inside of row 11 for the 2001 men's Little 500. The team consists of seniors Mike Reed, also an IDS staff member, and Alan Dunbar; junior Christian Blaine; and freshmen Stephen Farbstein and John Gramig. These riders have a common bond -- they are all Little 500 rookies. \nDespite the inexperience, the team stayed in Bloomington during spring break, rather than heading to Florida or California like many other teams.\n"We were doing about 2:45 for (qualification) runs during break, so we were disappointed (with qualifications results)," Blaine said.\nBut members said they are looking forward to rectifying the situation on race day. \n"We mesh very well as a team," said Blaine, citing the team's good combination of sprinters and endurance bikers.\nWhile Delta Upsilon said they would at least like to match its 25th-place finish of a year ago, the primary focus will be on the future, with three riders poised to return for their second race in 2002.\n"Hopefully, we can build a foundation for the future," Blaine said.\nNO. 32 ALPHA EPSILON PI (2:55.30)\nLike many of the teams in rows 10 and 11, Alpha Epsilon Pi is well-stocked with rookies. The only returning rider from last year is sophomore Dan Fruchtman, who is joined by freshman Jonathan Ehrlich and sophomore Evan Selik. The fourth rider on the team will be freshman David Weidberg or junior Marc Haas.\nTo prepare for the race, the team visited Hilton Head, S.C., during spring break to train. \n"It helped a lot," Ehrlich said. "We got comfortable with our bikes and in better shape."\nAlthough the team members said they are not pleased with their qualification results, the team said it believes it can improve in the race. To do so, they must overcome their lack of experience. \n"We'd like to be competitive and place in the top 25," Ehrlich said. \nLast year, Alpha Epsilon Pi finished 27th.\nNO. 33 DELTA SIGMA PI (M) (2:56.41)\nDelta Sigma Pi rounds out this year's field, but the team is disappointed that it eked into the race with the last spot. \n"We wanted to be in the top 20, but we dropped two exchanges and had to take our last attempt slower," said team captain Alan Ireland, a senior.\nNow that it is in the field, Delta Sigma Pi looks to make some noise. \n"We look to place around 20th," Ireland said. \nIreland, who trained in Gainesville, Fla., during spring break, will have to guide the team in his second Little 500 for a top-20 finish to become a reality. He is joined by a rookie cast featuring sophomore Drew Marsch, senior John Gurchiek and junior Chris Dobecki.\nLast year's Delta Sigma Pi team rode to a 28th-place finish after qualifying in the 29th spot.
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It's college, and you're supposed to meet people. One of the premier ways to achieve this is getting involved in some sort of extracurricular club.\nBut with a campus so big, it is hard not to see some groups getting lost in the shuffle. Therefore, I have decided to help out some of our lesser-known clubs by putting in a blurb for them in this very publication.\nCam Cameron Fan Club\nJunior Stanley Q. Studmuffin founded the fan club last year.\n"We are staunch supporters of Coach's efforts. We'll be behind him 100 percent for each one of the 310 victories it will take him to break Bear Bryant's all-time record," Studmuffin said.\nIn order to join, members of the fan club must pay a seemingly steep fee of $295, which matches Cameron's .295 career winning percentage. \nBut the price does not come without its benefits.\n"The fee is necessary because we use that money to buy 50-yard line tickets at the Rose Bowl," noted Studmuffin.\nWhen asked if he realized that the Rose Bowl would be the site of the national championship game this year rather than hosting the Big 10/Pac 10 champions, Studmuffin replied, "Oh, we're quite aware of that fact."\nStudents for a Dry IU:\nThis club is one of the oldest at IU, actually having been founded in late 1919 as a spin-off of the "IU Students Against the League of Nations" club. \n"We seek to eradicate this campus of the unholy arch-fiend INTEMPERANCE!" stated current president Hortense Peterson.\nThe club held a great deal of clout on campus throughout the middle of the century. But activists burned down the clubhouse in late 1967 and the club members were forced to relocate to Purdue, where their message of studying every Saturday night was much more widely accepted.\nIn the mid-'90s, the club saw a rekindled interest as a result of Indiana's transformation to a dry campus. Last year, the club held 13 members, which was the highest total since the Calvin Coolidge administration.\nAlthough the club is pleased with the smashing success of the dry campus initiative, Peterson still feels that more can be done.\n"Our next big project will involve swooping into the area bars with hatchets and destroying their liquor supply," Peterson said.\nIU Dungeons and Dragons Club\nThe Dungeons and Dragons club has been a successful part of the IU scene since 1983.\n"We feel that everybody can use a little D&D," stated dungeon master Joshua Stewart Hildenlooper. "However, we don't want to give the impression that we are only into D&D -- club members also like to create their own RPG's (Role Playing Games)," continued Hildenlooper.\n"We've also written a script for Star Wars Episode II. It features a new character named Drake Reed who will help Boba Fett kill Jar Jar Binks," Hildenlooper said.\nOne of Hildenlooper's primary goals involves increasing the popularity of Dungeons and Dragons across campus. \n"Ideally, some day we will play at Assembly Hall with cheerleaders and a full stadium, plus groupies on the Dungeons and Dragons team bus," concluded Hildenlooper.
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The 2001-02 golf campaign tees off Saturday as the Hoosiers head to Madison, Wisc., to face 14 other teams in this year's Badger Invitational at University Ridge Golf Course.\nIn addition to IU, the field consists of: Duke, Colorado State, Toledo, Purdue, Arkansas-Little Rock, Southeastern Louisiana, Iowa, Penn State, Michigan, Illinois, Western Kentucky, Miami of Ohio, Xavier and host Wisconsin. \nDuke, Colorado State, Toledo and Purdue made it to the NCAA Tournament last year and could provide the stiffest competition. \n"This is an impressive lineup (of opponents)," coach Mike Mayer said.\nIU shot an 888 in the 2000 Badger Invite for seventh place. This year, Mayer said he looks for the Hoosiers to improve upon that mark. \n"I'm definitely looking for a finish in the top 10, and if we play well, we should be in the top five," Mayer said.\nFive Hoosiers will be playing in the 54-hole, two-day event. Getting the nod as the number one golfer is senior Mike Miller. \n"It feels good to play well enough to get the number one spot," Miller said. "Now I have to show I'm there for a reason."\nJuniors Ben Davidson and Aldo Jordan and sophomore Kirk Wood will also compete. Freshman Jeff Overton will make his collegiate debut by playing in the number three spot.\n"Jeff's as tough as I've seen," Mayer said. "He's a seasoned freshman."\nThe players are eager to take on University Ridge, a Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed course that is ranked the third best college course in the nation by Golf Week. \nMayer had praise for the course. \n "It's one of the best courses in the northern United States… it offers a gamut of shots," he said.\n Jordan, who finished 17th in the Badger Invitational last year, said the course was demanding.\n "(It's) very tough, it has narrow and wide fairways, slopes, flat areas… a lot of trees and bunkers," Jordan said.\n Jordan's familiarity with the course could provide to be a boost, as he said he is optimistic that he can top last season's effort.\n"I just have to make a few crucial putts and build up some momentum… hopefully I can win it," Jordan said.
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When I first came to this hallowed institution of learning, I knew that things would be more difficult than they were in the namby-pamby days of high school. I assumed that the hardest activities I would have to deal with would either involve something to do with a parabola, waking up on a Sunday morning (or early afternoon) after a hard night of studying, or holding a conversation with an attractive female for more than 30 seconds.\nAlas, it has turned out that this is not the scenario. I passed the final math class of my lifetime with a "B." There is nothing that a few aspirin can't take care of after pounding headaches from hours at the library. And I once even talked to an attractive young vixen for as long as one minute eight seconds. (Elapsed time does not include awkward 38-second period of silence in middle of conversation).\nThe hardest experience that one will ever encounter at IU is quite simple: walking. Yes, that's right, I said walking, and you don't even have to have rickets for this hardship to apply to you.\nPerhaps one might assume that I am merely lashing out against walking because it is an activity that I have a difficult history with. A common scenario involves me walking (never in a straight line) and then tripping over absolutely nothing. Since there is always a cute girl behind me when this occurs, I make sure to point to some phantom stick that is the scapegoat for impeding my progress, though it is approximately six feet away.\nI attribute this difficulty in walking to the fact that I walked on my knees until I was 2 years old. My great-grandma suggested that shoes be sewn onto the knees of my pants. It's true, too. You can ask my mom.\nBut what I am dealing with here is the problems that the common student will have on their walk to class. First and foremost are the dangers that come with being a pedestrian. When they tell you to look both ways before crossing the street, it is not a lie. A friend of mine who had the audacity to cross 10th Street was nearly run over by a car that was turning. Apparently, the driver had heard a rumor that Indiana state law had stripped pedestrians of the right of way.\nCars are not the only danger, as motorcycles also have a major presence on campus. The threat of being run down by a motorcycle speeding down the street with reckless abandonment is very real. And you know that the notorious gangs of bikers, with their distinctive Abercrombie & Fitch shirts and visors turned backward will have no remorse when they come careening at you.\n Think you're safe on the sidewalks? Think again. Buses have been known to encroach onto the sidewalk. You never know when a moped will be bearing down upon you, though they are not as much of a threat because you can outrun them.\n But the one thing that I fear the most are bicyclists. I can guarantee that I will be hit a bicycle by the time I graduate. Obviously, students at IU have a good sense of history, and realize that the Little 500 used to be run in what is now the Arboretum. In fact, I would even deduce that some of them still think that it is still run there, as they apparently have no intention of slowing down for us walkers.\nIf you think getting run over by a bicycle is comfortable, let me be the first to say that it isn't. When I was 5, my babysitter's kids told me to hide under a pile of leaves. They proceeded to have their neighbor run over the pile with his bike. It sucked.\nSo next time you are walking around on campus, just remember to keep an eye open for danger. Or maybe just wear a helmet.
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The Hoosiers are in Cincinnati today to tee off in the two-day, 54-hole Xavier Invitational. IU is coming off of a third place finish in last week's Wolverine Invitational as it heads into the week's 19-team tournament. The Hoosiers will be competing against Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan, Georgetown, Kentucky, Louisville, Marshall, Miami (Ohio), Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio, Penn State, Western Kentucky, Wisconsin, Wright State and Xavier.\nHead coach Mike Mayer said the Hoosiers face a strong field.\n"It's not quite as strong as Michigan (Invitational), but very similar," Mayer said. After shooting a 36-hole total of 586 at Michigan, the Hoosiers are looking to improve at Xavier and aim for a victory. \nMayer said making better use of scoring opportunities will be the key to winning the tournament.\n"We've taken one step, but we have a lot of steps to go," Mayer said. "We have to capitalize and score better." \nDoing the scoring this week for the Hoosiers will be the same lineup that got the job done in Michigan. After a strong week of practices, juniors Aldo Jordan and Ben Davidson and freshmen Jeff Overton, Heath Peters, and Rob Ockenfuss are prepared to get back into action.\n"Practice has been enjoyable," Jordan said. "We're not slacking off, and we've been putting in more work." \nFor IU, playing at the Xavier Invitational brings back good memories. Last year graduate Steven Wheatcroft won the individual portion of the tournament. In 1998 IU set the tournament record for an 18-hole round with a 7-under par 277 en route to a second place finish in the tournament. This year the Hoosiers are looking to create some new memories. "If we do good in the first round, we can step on the gas in the second and third rounds," Jordan said. \nThe Xavier Invitational is played at the Jack Nicklaus designed Grizzly Tournament course at Kings Island. The course is also the host of the Senior PGA Tour Kings Island Open.\n"If the weather is receptive, it's very conducive to shooting low scores," declared Mayer. For IU, the primary difference in the Xavier Invitational as opposed to the Wolverine Invitational is that the tournament is 18 holes longer. \n"It will be more of an endurance test," Ockenfuss said. "But it won't make that much of a difference"
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The alarm clock goes off. As is the case every morning, I groggily hit the snooze button, hoping in vain that the extra nine minutes of sleep I get will have a meaningful difference on my day.\nI only got two hours of sleep last night. Well, two hours and nine minutes. I had to study for a test, which kept me up late. Then, I attempted to go to bed. But because I am an insomniac, I failed to fall asleep. Once I finally did fall asleep, I awoke again because of a panic attack stemming from a dream I had about my test. Finally, as the first rays of the morning light stream through the window, my head hits the pillow.\nNow the alarm goes off for a second time, and I methodically work my way out of bed.\n"Today's gonna suck," I announce.\n"Oh come on, don't worry about it," responds my roommate. "Like they always say, this is college; it's the best time of our lives."\nAs Hollywood would have it, this is true. There are parties every night and no homework. Stress? Nonexistent. Although today is a day in which I have a midterm, work and two papers to write.\nMy midterm is an essay, meaning that I had to study a ridiculous amount of information that needed to be spewed back out in my own words. \nOne of my papers is a five-page response to a two-page short story. The other is a five-page paper assessing how the 1929 stock market crash affected the platypus pelt industry. But before I can start typing them, I have to go to work. \nOnce I finally start writing my paper, any attempts to concentrate are rendered useless because of loud noise emanating from the room next to mine. I decide to go see what is going on.\nApparently, some people have time on their hands, because the two fellows that are sitting in the room have decided to head to the mountains of Busch beer. Apparently, these men are anarchists, since they are showing blatant disregard for the law that states they must be 21 to drink a beer. As it turns out, they are watching "Sorority Girls Gone Bad" with the volume blasting.\n"Could you maybe turn that down?" I ask.\n"No," they respond.\nIntrigued, I decide to join them. I look at my watch and realize that I have wasted an hour.\nI head to the library to finish my papers so I have no distractions. As I try to open the documents, I receive a message that says "Disk has fatal error OXE339873~/&:" I repeat the process to make sure it is not lying to me. I pick up the keyboard and start beating the monitor with it. People start staring at me like this is unusual behavior. \nPerhaps all of this stress would be assuaged if IU actually had a fall break. You know, where we actually get a few days off after midterms, like they do at Penn State, Notre Dame and Purdue, among others. It's not going to destroy our education to have a few days off. Both Notre Dame and Penn State are ranked higher than IU by U.S. News & World Report.\nHaving a fall break would give us time to unwind, relax and an opportunity to go home and see our families.\nOf course, this hope is probably nothing more than a pipe dream. To think that IU would actually decide to take more than one day off per year is an absurd thought. Like the 15-keg parties on Tuesday nights they have in the movies.
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When I first heard the news last Wednesday that IU's football coach Cam Cameron had been fired, I immediately picked up my little journalist notebook and took to the streets. Students have a propensity for unruliness when beloved coaches are fired, so it was a logical conclusion that something big was about to go down.\nAfter all, if students had rioted for the "General," they certainly were apt to do the same for the "Lance Corporal."\nMy first stop was Memorial Stadium. As I sat outside of the empty stadium, I couldn't help but notice the resemblance to game days. Yet to my amazement, no one had showed up and threatened to break anything. \nFinally, I saw someone who was able to speak of the tradition that IU was losing.\n"Cam Camwon is coach since befow I was bown," said a four-and-a-half year-old Bloomington boy. He then began to talk about Teletubbies.\nReinvigorated by that particular interview, I headed to the Showalter Fountain where I awaited imminent vandalism and destruction. I soon began to regret my decision to not bring any reading material. Even a log of summer sausage to munch on would have sufficed.\nPerhaps ripping the fish out of the fountain is no longer the chic way to cause mayhem. With this thought in my mind, I headed to IU President Myles Brand's house. Maybe angry protesters would storm there.\nAs night began to fall, I started to come to the realization that maybe there was no story to be had here. I would have to wait a little longer for the day I would finally see my name on the front page -- and then it happened.\nShining like a beacon in the night, I saw a solitary student marching toward the president's house with a torch in one hand and what appeared to be an effigy in the other. A bullhorn hung around his neck. As I looked closer, I recognized him as none other than Stanley Q. Studmuffin, President of the Cam Cameron Fan Club.\n"Students of IU, unite!" he shouted. "Save Cam!" \nHe then proceeded to burn his effigy, which was supposed to be of Athletics Director Michael McNeely, though it bore a greater resemblance to Paul Reubens.\nI asked him why he was so steamed.\n"Cam brought home the Old Brass Spittoon, the Bucket and the trophy formerly known as the Bourbon Barrel."\nI pointed out that Antwaan Randle El, Levron Williams, and the Antwaan Randle El Bobblehead Doll were also big factors.\n"Well, don't think that IU has heard the last from the Cam Cameron Fan Club yet. I plan on filing a wrongful firing lawsuit on the behalf of Cam very soon," Studmuffin said.\nHe then surveyed the situation, and was dismayed that the riot police had not yet come.\n"I'm going to go steal the fish from the fountain. Want to help?" he asked.\nI shook my head, mumbling something about journalistic integrity. I asked what could be done to make him happy.\n"When ESPN does a movie on Cam," he began, "Let Ron Howard play Cam"
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On the surface, one would be hard-pressed to find the relationship between 22-year-old IU grad student Michelle Amsden and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Perhaps they would guess that "Ah-nold" is her uncle or second cousin. Or maybe they would assume that the two had a small scene together in the movie "Jingle All the Way." \nNeither scenario is the case. The thing that Amsden has in common with Schwarzenegger is her ability to pump iron -- and lots of it. So much, in fact, that the former IU cheerleader is a national champion in the sport of powerlifting.\n"I never intended to compete in powerlifting," Amsden said. "But I realized that I had a knack for it."\nAmsden's did not fully realize this until after high school, as she had participated in several different athletic disciplines while growing up. Amsden began tumbling at the age of two, and remained an active gymnast throughout her childhood. Amsden was also involved with volleyball, diving and cheerleading throughout high school.\nThough she began lifting weights on the side at the age of 13, Amsden never really saw weightlifting as something that she could do competitively. But three knee surgeries, two of which being reconstructive, effectively hobbled her. \n"I never anticipated her doing this kind of activity with her knees (in bad shape)," Michelle's mother, Cindy Amsden, said.\nBut rather than giving up on athletics, Amsden simply went full-fledge into her new passion, powerlifting. After cheerleading her freshman year at IU, she transferred to Ball State University and became involved with their powerlifting club.\n"I didn't realize that there was such a big powerlifting community here," Amsden said. She has come back to Bloomington to earn her masters degree.\nPowerlifting competitions consist of three events (in order): squat, bench press and dead lift. Each competitor gets three attempts in each event, and the person who is able to lift the highest combined total is the winner. Two judges must validate each lift by turning on a white light (similar in fashion to the light used to indicate a goal in a hockey game).\n"Michelle has a well balanced attack in all three lifts," her coach, Greg Simmons said. "Many lifters seem to neglect one lift thinking it will be there come competition day. At the international level, you have to possess strength in all three disciplines to succeed."\nThough she has only been powerlifting competitively for four years, Amsden's resume reads like the banners hanging from the rafters in Assembly Hall. \nIn 1999, Amsden was the collegiate national runner-up. The next year she won the collegiate nationals and earned a spot on the junior world team, which placed sixth. 2001 was a powerlifting odyssey for Amsden, who scored a trifecta by winning the collegiate nationals, in addition to the junior and open national championships. She also earned a spot on the women's world team, which placed seventh.\n"I had no idea what she was doing," Cindy Amsden said of her daughter's weightlifting prowess. "I was shocked the first time I saw her at a meet."\nAmsden's personal records are impressive -- in fact; all of them were national records until they were surpassed recently. Her best scores include 198.25 lbs. in bench press, 319.5 lbs. in squat and 363.75 lbs. in the dead lift.\n"She is the best female lifter I have ever worked with," Simmons said. "The best male lifter I coach is a six-time National Champion and placed second at this year's World Championships. I expect Michelle to achieve the same success."\nAs the saying goes, practice makes perfect. A disciple of that theory, Amsden trains for two to three hours a day, four to five days a week.\n"It helps that I train with good friends that support me and keep me motivated every day," she said.\nAmsden said her goal is to be a good influence on females, and to show that it is acceptable to be a strong feminine athlete.\n"I want to disprove the myth that lifting makes you really big," Amsden said.\nHer next opportunity to build that influence will be Feb. 9 at the women's nationals in Chicago. After that, she will be making a trip to Russia in April for an international competition. \nMeanwhile, Amsden will look for sponsors in the community to help foot the bill, which ranges from $1500 to $2000 for international competitions.\n"If you have a passion about something, don't be afraid to chase it," Amsden said.
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Kung Pow!: Enter the Fist - PG-13\nStarring: Steve Oedekerk\nDirected by: Steve Oedekerk\nShowing: Showplace West 12\nIt would seem appropriate to feel somewhat relunctant, or perhaps even frightened, about the prospects of seeing a movie whose selling point in previews is "from the director of 'Ace Ventura 2'."\nTrust your instincts. Sure enough, director/writer/producer/star Steve Oedekerk provides us with 90 minutes that we will want back on our deathbeds.\nFor a mindless comedy, "Kung Pow" starts off rather darkly with the entire family of The Chosen One (a digitized baby) getting murdered by the nefarious Master Pain (Lung Fai). The baby gets medieval with Master Pain, but is tossed down a hill and left to rot.\nThe next time The Chosen One is seen, he's grown into a man (Oedekerk). In the next five minutes or so, we learn some humorous details about his life up until then, such as the fact that he was raised by "various rodents," and we have to sit through some ridiculous dubbing.\nThe film then goes into what I think was meant to be its main plot -- The Chosen One's quest to beat Master Pain. How do we know he is "The Chosen One"? Because he has a face on his tongue, of course. This is supposed to be funny. I'll have to check with some local third-graders to see if it is or not.\nAn interesting concept used in the movie is the taking of scenes from the 1974 chopsocky flick "Tiger & Crane Fists," and digitally placing Oedekerk into the scenes, which are re-dubbed for comic effect. This might have worked if any of the punch lines actually landed.\nIt is hard to find words to describe the sheer vapidity of the movie. For instance, Master Pain has his name changed to Betty in the middle of the movie -- for no other reason than to make the extremely weak joke that his name is now "Master Betty." (Get it? It's a play on "masturbation." Heh heh, cool Beavis.)\nIn fact, the only funny joke in the movie after the somewhat inspired beginning occurs when we learn that the Evil Council that Betty works for is a group of Frenchmen. Oh wait, I wasn't supposed to give away the ending. Well, never mind. You'll thank me when you're on your deathbed.\n
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For many college students, the prospect of rising out of bed before 7:30 a.m. on a Saturday is not particularly pleasant. Fewer still would be prepared to climb up a 25-foot vertical wall soon thereafter.\nThis experience is one that was shared by the 46-member pledge class of Kappa Delta. \nLast week, the group went to Hoosier Heights for a rock climbing outing designed to build unity within the class.\n"It took them out of their element. It wasn't on campus and it made them leave their comfort zones," Heidi Marshall, vice president of New Member Education, said. "It was a new beginning for a new pledge class."\nAkin to a skiing resort, Hoosier Heights offered facilities for different skill levels. Many started on the smaller, less challenging wall, where they literally learned the ropes of climbing. Others, in an act of bravado, attempted to climb the most difficult walls.\nSome climbers found the experience of climbing to be more intimidating than they bargained for. But they said they often found that any fears were assuaged by the encouragement of their new sisters.\n"I was climbing up the wall and I was freaked out beyond belief," member Katie Martin said in a press release. "My legs were shaking and I wanted to stop, but the girls that were already up there kept telling me that I could make it even though I didn't think I could."\nThroughout the activity, teamwork and unity were emphasized. Any struggles in climbing were met with shouts of encouragement. If a climber started to fall, those on the other end of the rope pulled the line taut to halt the descent. And once a climber made it to the top of the wall, everyone would burst into cheers.\nDean of Students Richard McKaig said that outdoor-oriented activities such as wall climbing are beginning to become more common in business training sessions. He is glad to see a student organization participating in such an activity.\n"I think the issue with an organization is always 'How do you integrate new members into the group?'" McKaig said. "This is an example of a progressive thing using different techniques for building unity." \nMarshall echoed the sentiments of McKaig, saying that the event was a success. \n"It turned out a lot better than I though it would," Marshall said. "They didn't know each other very well, and it showed them they had to work together and trust each other to reach a common goal"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
A house sits alone and empty, a mere shadow of its former self. Pieces of the decaying façade lie on the ground. Windows are either boarded or broken. The lawn is unmowed, filled with brown clumps of grass that feebly grasp for light and water.\nPeering into an open window, one might notice pieces of decrepit ceiling lying on the floor, or furniture covered in dust and appliances coated with rust.\nThese are not scenes from a far-away area of urban decay. They can be seen among the six fraternity or sorority houses on campus that sit vacant.\nThe IU Office of Risk Management inspects fraternity and sorority houses when they are in use. But if the University no longer recognizes a house as an IU chapter, IU officials will not inspect it, said Eleanor Lahr, coordinator of Life Protection and Loss Control Training.\nNeither Monroe County nor the City of Bloomington has an ordinance requiring inspection of vacant properties.\n"We do inspections based on complaints that a structure appears unsafe," said Nick Nicholson, chief building inspector for the city of Bloomington.\nAssistant Vice President of University Real Estate and Economic Development Lynn Coyne said the national fraternities hold the deeds to the properties.\n"The University holds the use and transfer restrictions on the property," Coyne said.\nThis means that the national organization of each fraternity technically owns the property that the house is on. Therefore, they are responsible for maintaining a house when it is vacant. \nThe University's power only goes as far as limiting how the property is used, and to whom it can be sold. \nNew kids on the block\nThe University has recently approved the sales of two old houses to be used by organizations not affiliated with the greek system. The old Alpha Omicron Pi house on 10th Street and Woodlawn Avenue has been sold to the University, and the old Alpha Sigma Phi house on North Jordan Avenue will lodge the Christian Student Foundation.\nThe University will use the old AOPi residence to house the School of Informatics. The purchase gives the School of Informatics an opportunity to expand from its current offices in Woodburn Hall to its own building next fall.\n"This will help us establish an identity," Michael Dunn, dean of the School of Informatics, said. "It's nice to have a physical place where faculty and students can come together."\nDunn also hopes that the location will give the school a "curb presence" that will allow it to be recognized by corporations and potential donors.\nThe Christian Student Fellowship will also have a new address for its office beginning next fall. Though the group has been on campus since 1968, the purchase of the old Alpha Sig house will be the first time the group will be able to have all of its members living under one roof. The organization currently houses itself in four different residences on Eighth Street. \nCSF Director Richie Hoffman calls the move a big step for the organization.\n"We've been very welcomed so far (on Jordan Avenue)," Hoffman said. "We hope people will find us as valuable, worthwhile neighbors." \nThe CSF house will be co-ed, with males and females living in different wings.\nStill Empty\nWhile two vacant properties are being rehabilitated for use next fall, there are other fraternity houses that will still sit empty. The majority of these houses are empty as a result of chapters being expelled from campus by the University or their national organization.\nThe waiting period for a fraternity to return to campus after being expelled is generally two to four years, Dean of Students Richard McKaig said.\n"Four years is preferred; everybody (involved with the house) is probably graduated by that point. Sometimes two to three years accomplishes that task," McKaig said.\nUltimately, the decision on whether or not to return to campus is up to the national fraternity. Though fraternities generally are eager to recolonize, McKaig said one organization that was kicked off campus in the early 1990s has still not returned to IU.\nSigma Alpha Mu has been vacant since spring 2000, Beta Theta Pi has been vacant since the summer of 2001 and Pi Kappa Alpha has been vacant since this January. All are likely to remain empty until each fraternity is allowed back on campus and is financially able to uphold a house.\nTheta Chi, which was expelled from campus last year, is currently leasing its house at 1440 North Jordan Ave. to Tau Kappa Epsilon. Because of the nature of the agreement, Theta Chi will be able to live in the house again once it is allowed back on campus.\nThe house that has remained vacant the longest belongs to an organization that still has a chapter at IU, Kappa Alpha Psi, whose house is located near Bill Armstrong Stadium on 17th Street. \nThe reasoning for the vacancy of Kappa Alpha Psi is economic rather than disciplinary. \n"There were not enough people who could live in and (financially) sustain a fraternity house," McKaig said.\nBecause the house is the Alpha -- the first national -- chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, McKaig noted that the property has emotional value and the national organization does not want to lose it.