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(01/23/02 5:02am)
Ohio State has Brutus the Buckeye. Purdue has a sledge hammer-carrying Boilermaker. Northwestern has a simple Wildcat. \nAt IU, the school mascot is? \nAlthough no timetable has been set, this eventually won't be a question. One day, IU will have a person stuffed into a costume to call its own.\nIf finding a mascot takes the athletics department as long as it did to find a football coach, don't expect one soon. In fact, when the school does announce its mascot, there might not be enough time to recruit a good one before the start of the football season. \nLike football prospects, potential mascots like to make early commitments. The more aggressive schools -- Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State -- like to close their mascot classes early. Sometimes they close their classes before IU even begins looking for one.\nWhen the University settles on a mascot, don't expect anything too exciting. The educated guess is that IU will settle with something Brand -- oops, make that bland.\nFor starters, there's nothing original about selecting an animal. Six Big Ten schools already suggest an association with animals in their nicknames. The mascot industry has done almost everything that can possibly be done with animals. \nAnimals are part of the tradition at many schools. Georgia has an adorable bulldog named UGA that sits on the sidelines during football games. Penn State has a Nittany Lion that goes from stadium-to-stadium, starting fights with other mascots. At Colorado, a buffalo leads the football team onto the field. \nSpeaking of buffalos, IU once had a bison as a mascot in the 1960s. \nA bison might work if IU was located in South Dakota. Not many sober minds associate bison with Indiana. Outside of petting zoos and the Indiana State Seal, it's difficult to find a bison in this state.\nAthletics Director Michael McNeely and football coach Gerry DiNardo were once assistant coaches at Colorado, so don't be surprised if the bison came out of retirement. Just don't expect the football team to duplicate the success of Colorado's anytime soon. The Hoosiers could have five adult bison playing offensive line and still find a way to lose the game in the fourth quarter. \nThe mascot decision is one that must be handled with care. A bad decision might not only turn away fans, but could create controversy.\nWhen "Chief Illiniwek" prances around at Illinois sporting events, it excites some. More importantly, it angers others. There's no need for a racially offensive mascot in college athletics, regardless of how deep of a tradition a school has. There's also no need for such a mascot at IU, a school that strives to promote diversity.\nIn 1979, IU had someone named "Hoosier Pride" as a mascot. "Hoosier Pride" essentially was a hick. In today's politically correct era, some person sitting on their tractor in Kokomo might find a 21st-century version of "Hoosier Pride" offensive. \nIU's leaders are sometimes dumb, but they're not stupid. Don't expect to see a mascot that stirs controversy. Of course, IU officials did decide to fire Bob Knight two months before the basketball season, so anything is possible.\nCurrently, no formal mascot candidates have been announced. Here are some suggestions:\n• Coach Knight look-alike. Alumni and students who are still disappointed with the decision to fire the greatest non-soccer coach IU has ever had can at least stare at a Knight look-alike during football and basketball games while daydreaming about the glory days of IU basketball.\n• An elephant and donkey. For a school that wastes so much time being politically correct, the political symbols would fit well. \n• A cougar. That way John Mellencamp's imprint could be left on this university more than it already is. The only problem is that Bloomington North High School might already have territorial rights on using a cougar as a mascot.\n• Inflatable football player. Too bad they don't fit into the athletics department's new marketing strategy. They were too much fun for an IU football game, anyway.\nMascots certainly have helped some schools develop identities. At IU, the proper mascot could help the school establish one. But the wrong one could erase any identity the University might have.
(01/18/02 6:21am)
The men and women up the road at the NCAA are searching for a new president.\nIf the executive committee is clueless -- which it is, judging by the way they let television networks decide football's "champion" -- IU president Myles Brand would be the first choice to replace Cedric Dempsey, who announced Tuesday that he will step down when his term expires Jan. 1, 2003.\nAlthough some college presidents are being mentioned to replace Dempsey, Brand hasn't been mentioned as a candidate. In fact, he'll probably never appear on the NCAA's list. But for a moment let's consider the ways Brand and some of his cronies would change the organization and college athletics.\nOne of the neat things about college football and basketball is that anybody with cable television can follow their favorite team. On some days, fans can watch their alma mater and then flip the channel and watch a hated rival. Those with the a satellite dish or digital cable have the ability to watch almost any game at any time. The NCAA deserves credit for allowing fans such access to its two most popular sports.\nIf Brand were NCAA president, fans would need a private jet to follow their favorite team. Instead of broadcasting college basketball games during the winter, a Brand-led NCAA would package chemistry labs and business lectures as sports programming. Of course, such events would be commercial free.\nImagine a group of alumni wearing cream and crimson to cheer for old IU as it battles Big Ten schools in an academic bowl. It would be interesting to see how many alumni come from Evansville, South Bend and Indianapolis to catch the action. Maybe some would show up early, park their cars in a "C" lot, receive a $30 parking ticket before drinking orange juice and eating carrots as they wait for the doors to Ballantine 013 to open.\nThe guess here is that tickets would cost about $25,000, which translates to the price of tuition in a few years. Brand has to make up for the lack of sponsor money somehow, so why not take it out on the customers?\nThe potential of the academic bowl is unlimited. The "arms race" of college athletics would be destroyed. New facilities aren't needed when old lecture halls are sufficient.\nOne of the biggest problems Brand has with college athletics is inappropriate commercialization. If an academic bowl existed, forget about even appropriate commercialization. No company with any business sense would want to get involved.\nBrand wouldn't have to worry about late starting times either. No cable network, not even PBS, would televise such an event. Some newspapers might cover the academic bowl, but that's because without football and basketball they need to fill space. As far as the cable networks are concerned, dog shows and lumberjack festivals can fill the void left by the absence of college sports and receive higher ratings than an academic bowl.\nIf you think it's embarrassing when IU finishes near the bottom of the conference football standings, imagine the outcry when the Hoosiers finish 11th in a Big Ten academic bowl. At least, the University could hang billboards in Bloomington congratulating the academic team for competing in a bowl game.\nBesides Dempsey's retirement, graduation rates were a topic of discussion at the NCAA's convention in Indianapolis this week. Graduation rates are a problem. But institutions can only do so much to promote academics over athletics. Ultimately, a student-athlete's fate relies on the individual.\nIf Brand was the NCAA's president, the organization wouldn't have to waste times at its convention discussing graduation rates. An "academics first" president should be enough to fix the problem.\nWith Brand in control, the NCAA's meetings and conventions would discuss more important issues like ways to make college presidents even more powerful. It's not enough for college presidents to focus on academics. The NCAA needs nothing more than a group of classroom dwellers telling athletes how, when and where to play their games.\nThere are problems with college athletics. But as much as some presidents and professors don't want to hear it, there also are problems with the academic missions of most universities.\nYou rarely hear an athletic director tell a president how to run a university or dictate to a professor how to run his or her class. You shouldn't have to hear a president tell athletic directors how to run their programs. \nEspecially Brand.
(01/10/02 4:55am)
Gerry DiNardo's head coaching background sounds decent when you sing it aloud. \nFormer Vanderbilt coach. Former LSU coach. Former coach of the XFL\'s Birmingham Thunderbolts. \n Pretty decent credentials for somebody about to become the football guru at a basketball school. A month ago, who would have thought that athletics director Michael McNeely could lure a coach with two SEC tenures and professional experience to take one of major college football's most unattractive jobs?\nYou then examine DiNardo's recent history, and the song doesn't have as much harmony.\nIn his last three years as a head coach, DiNardo compiled an 8-23 record. Cam Cameron went 12-21 in his final three seasons at IU.\n During DiNardo's final season at LSU, the Tigers started with a 2-0 record before losing eight consecutive games. DiNardo didn't last the entire season. He was fired two days after LSU lost to Houston, 20-7, at Tiger Stadium.\nWhen DiNardo left the Tiger Stadium field, he was jeered by many of the remaining fans. At the time, the stadium was half-full, despite the near-capacity crowd that was seated when the game started. \n In DiNardo's one year as an XFL coach, Birmingham started 2-1 but lost its last seven games. The XFL folded shortly after the season, and DiNardo was out of coaching. \nLike anybody who coaches at the NCAA Division I level for an extended period of time, DiNardo had connections. In this case, it was McNeely, whom he had worked with at Colorado when both were assistants.\nWhen LSU hired DiNardo in 1994, he was the program's second choice. LSU wanted Texas Christian's Pat Sullivan, but was unable to lure him to Baton Rouge.\nWho knows what number DiNardo was on McNeely's depth chart? \n McNeely conducts his business as secretly as some CIA agents, so we will probably never know how many potential candidates he met with during the course of this rumor-filled coaching search.\nAt Tuesday's news conference, McNeely said that DiNardo was the only coach to receive an official offer.\n"Gerry was the candidate that fit our profile early on," McNeely said.\n DiNardo has been out of coaching for months. He had not been connected with any other coaching vacancies. If DiNardo was McNeely's man the entire time, then why wasn't he hired earlier?\nA few extra weeks would've given DiNardo more time to assemble his staff. Now he will likely spend some sleepless nights this week finalizing his staff before recruiting visits resume Sunday. By that time, most recruits, especially those outside of Indiana, won't be able to associate DiNardo with IU.\nA late flight forced McNeely to announce DiNardo's hiring an hour before Tuesday's home basketball game against Michigan State. The announcement was orginally to be made at a 4:30 p.m. press conference, but it was pushed back an hour almost immediately after it was first announced.\nWhile all of this was going on, Stanford was searching for a coach, as well. One of the candidates for its vacancy was former San Diego Chargers coach Mike Riley, who was reportedly a candidate for the IU job. Instead, Stanford chose Florida defensive coordinator Buddy Teevens to replace Tyrone Willingham.\n If Riley is still without a head-coaching job a month from now, McNeely might be locked in his office kicking himself. \nSure, Riley struggled in San Diego the past two seasons. But hiring a coach with NFL experience would've drawn attention to a program that struggles filling half of a 52,000-seat stadium. \n Imagine the stories Riley could tell recruits about coaching linebacker Junior Seau or quarterback Doug Flutie. Not even DiNardo's fiery personality can make a story describing what it was like to coach against "He Hate Me" exciting for more than five minutes, which is about as long as the XFL lasted.\nMcNeely is the individual with the most to lose with the decision to hire DiNardo. He took it upon himself to conduct this search, and whatever DiNardo does or doesn't accomplish will reflect upon him. \nThis is McNeely's first major personnel decision since becoming IU's athletics director last April. His first major hire is a coach who rebuilt two programs but had trouble maintaining any consistency. \n"I think in the end, we will be proud Gerry Dinardo is the head coach," McNeely said.\nMcNeely's football background was a major reason he's athletics director at IU. It's time to see how good that background really is.
(01/09/02 6:18am)
He's a passionate person who didn't have any problem displaying emotion in his first day as IU's football coach.\nThirty minutes after he was supposed to be announced as IU's 25th football coach Tuesday, Gerry DiNardo finally arrived at Memorial Stadium and went right to work.\nWith his hands flying in every direction, and his thick New York accent fluctuating, DiNardo enthusiastically discussed a job that hasn't given its owner much reason for excitement. \n"I will be a strong leader, I will be a consistent leader and I will be someone that our team can always look to for leadership," DiNardo said.\nLess than 30 minutes after meeting with the media, DiNardo addressed IU's current players. Dinardo then went to Assembly Hall and greeted fans at the men's basketball game against Michigan State. He also found time for a nationally televised interview with ESPN's Dave Barnett and Quinn Buckner during the early stages of the second half. DiNardo was smiling the entire interview.\n"He's very passionate about what he does," DiNardo's wife Terri said. "He's passionate about football, and he's passionate about people."\nDiNardo, 50, said his first two tasks as head coach include assembling a coaching staff and recruiting. \n"Gerry is a builder," Athletics Director Michael McNeely said. "He will gather the resources at hand and get them focused. That's something we need and he has great experience doing that."\nThis isn't the first time DiNardo has become a coach at a school where the football program had a pattern of losing.\nDiNardo served as Vanderbilt's coach from 1991-94 where he compiled an 18-26 record. It was his first tenure as a head coach. Vanderbilt is widely-known as the SEC's most challenging job because of the school's high academic standards. \nFrom Vanderbilt, DiNardo was hired to replace Curley Hullman as LSU's head coach in 1994. At the time, DiNardo was LSU's sixth coach since 1979. \nDiNardo's overall record at LSU was 32-24-1, and his best season was 1996 when he guided the Tigers to a 10-2 record, including an upset victory over then No. 1 ranked Florida during the regular season. The season ended with a victory over Notre Dame -- where DiNardo played from 1972-74 -- in the Independence Bowl. \nMost of DiNardo's success at LSU came early in his tenure. The Tigers stumbled to a 4-7 record in 1998. The following season was DiNardo's toughest in Baton Rogue. \nAfter defeating two non-conference opponents to start the season, LSU lost its eight consecutive games. DiNardo was fired with one game remaining after the Tigers lost to Houston, 20-7, at Tiger Stadium. \nCurrent IU offensive coordinator Hal Hunter replaced DiNardo, and guided the Tigers to a 35-10 victory over Arkansas in the season finale. Hunter also was an assistant with DiNardo at Vanderbilt.\nLSU lost 14 of its last 15 SEC games under DiNardo. In 1998 and 1999, LSU lost nine games decided by six points or less.\nLast year, DiNardo coached the Birmingham Thunderbolts of the now defunct XFL to a 2-8 record. The Thunderbolts lost their last seven games after starting the season 2-1.\n"It was my first experience in pro football," DiNardo said. "I learned a lot."\nBefore becoming a head coach, DiNardo, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., served assistant coaching stints at Colorado, Eastern Michigan and Maine. While at Colorado, DiNardo worked on the same staff as McNeely.\n"He's a very dedicated, very smart coach," McNeely said. "He's a very good recruiter with great organizational skills"
(04/27/01 5:50am)
Five years ago, a golfer from Washington, Pa., came to IU as an unheralded high school player and walked on the men's golf team. Now, that same golfer is leaving IU with aspirations of playing professionally. \nFifth-year senior Steve Wheatcroft, now IU's No. 1 player, has two tournaments remaining in his collegiate career -- this weekend's Fossum Invitational in East Lansing, Mich., followed by the Big Ten Championships, which take place in Champaign, Ill., May 4-6. Wheatcroft has come a long way from his days as solid, but not spectacular high school player at Trinity High School in suburban Pittsburgh. \n"He's a dying breed in college athletics, coming into a program as a walk-on, unheralded, unrecruited and leaving the program as an outstanding athlete with an outstanding career," coach Mike Mayer said. \nAfter redshirting during the 1996-97 season, Wheatcroft has been a major contributor to the men's golf team the past four years.\nSome of his accomplishments as a Hoosier include: being part of the team that captured the Big Ten title in 1998; compiling a scoring average of 74.5 during the 1998-99 season; earning All-Big Ten honors in 2000; and recording top 20 finishes in eight tournaments this season.\n"It's been a great ride," Wheatcroft said of his collegiate career. "I've enjoyed every single minute of being here. I have had a lot of great moments."\nMany of Wheatcroft's greatest moments on the golf course are a product of hard work. He practices when he doesn't need to, including early in the morning when most of the campus is still in bed. Those in the men's golf program said they admire Wheatcroft's work ethic.\n"He works harder than anybody else," said junior Rich Thomas, who has lived with Wheatcroft the past three years. "A lot of people don't know when he's at the course. He works on his own and he's just always working. I don't think anybody really sees that."\nWith only two weeks remaining in IU's disappointing spring season, Wheatcroft's drive has not changed during the past five years. It would be easy for many players in Wheatcroft's position to catch senioritis. But Wheatcroft isn't the type of player to cut corners.\nAs long as there's golf to play, Wheatcroft wants to win. IU's best showing in its last three tournaments was 14th place at the Marshall Invitational, April 6-7. The Hoosiers most embarrassing performance this season was a last place finish two weeks ago at the Kepler Intercollegiate.\nAfter finishing first and second in his last two fall tournaments, Wheatcroft was in position to be a dominating player this spring. But after tying for fifth at the Big Red Classic, March 10-11, Wheatcroft's best performance this spring was tying for 14th at the Dr. Pepper Intercollegiate, March 24-25.\nWheatcroft said the last few weeks have been tough. \n "I didn't want to go out this way. I didn't want the team to go out this way," he said.\nJust because his collegiate career is almost over doesn't mean Wheatcroft is finished playing competitive golf. This summer Wheatcroft plans on caddying at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club and playing amateur events in western Pennsylvania.\nAt the end of the summer, Wheatcroft said he will turn professional and play the mini tours. In October, Wheatcroft will move to Palm Beach, Fla., where competition is year round. \nThe odds are against Wheatcroft making a decent living playing professional golf. There are many players who have accomplished more as an amateur and have more talent than Wheatcroft, who are struggling to make a living playing mini tours. But five years ago playing Division I golf seemed like a long shot for Wheatcroft.\n"If he would've said he was going to play professionally three years ago, I would've laughed because I didn't think he had that kind of ability," head coach Mike Mayer said. "I still don't think he's the most talented player on the team, but he overcomes any lack of talent he might have. With what he's accomplished in the last five years I wouldn't put it past him"
(04/23/01 6:04am)
Little 500 teams without storied traditions often complain about not receiving respect from the established giants of the men's field.\nThese are the same teams that get pushed around during afternoon practices and spend the sessions riding on the outside by themselves.\nTeter, which finished second Saturday, used to be one of those teams. \nBefore Saturday, Teter's best performance was in 1990 when the team came in 10th. Teter's next-best finish was 18th in 1988. Six times in the 1990s, the residence hall didn't even compete in the race.\nDespite qualifying 10th for this year's race and finishing eighth in Team Pursuits, it's doubtful many of the giants such as Phi Gamma Delta, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Delta Chi, Phi Delta Theta, Cutters and Chi Phi viewed Teter as a threat. \nThat all changed during about Lap 162 of Saturday's race when the team broke away and opened a more than 100-meter lap lead on the rest of the field. Teter didn't have the firepower eventual-winner Phi Delta Theta had, but it still recorded a second-place finish. \n"Maybe we didn't win today, but we made a lot of teams hurt in the process," senior David Eaton said, "which made our race easier."\nWhen Eaton arrived at IU four years ago, Teter didn't have a team. Saturday his team was leading \nthe race with 10 laps to go.\nEaton called controlling the race "unbelievable" and said it was not something he thought of before Saturday.\nTeter controlling the men's Little 500 was not an idea too many people outside the team thought was possible a week ago. \nTeter proved Saturday what a group of dedicated and smart riders can accomplish in a race that's controlled by the same giants almost every year.\nIt's easy to be gracious and talkative in victory. It's not always easy in defeat.\nThe Cutters proved this shortly after recording a seventh-place finish. \nThe team had little reservation blaming its troubles on the officials. Apparently, it was the officials' fault the Cutters were out of contention with more than 150 laps remaining.\nSometimes it seems like the Cutters are so geared toward winning they forget what the race is about -- fun. \nBefore the race, multiple riders from almost every team paraded around the track during pre-race introductions. Most of the teams had their entire team participate in the introductions, except for their lead riders, who were warming up on rollers. \nSeconds after the Cutters were announced, they ducked under the infield ropes and cut across the infield to their north side pit. \nThe Cutters are known for having their own way of doing things, and representing themselves to the fans during their last few minutes as defending champions during introductions must not be the "Cutter way."\nThe most courageous rider of the race was Chi Phi junior Rick Darlington. \nDarlington was involved in a wreck on Lap 172, which knocked the team out of contention.\nDarlington came off the track with his face so bloody it looked as if he had been thrown through a windshield. Cinder was imbedded in both of his knees, but less than 20 laps later, Darlington hopped back on the bike to complete another set.\nIt would have been easy for anyone in Darlington's shoes to not get back on the bike after the emotional disappointment and physical beating he received from the crash. But not during this race on this day.\nFootball coach Cam Cameron was one of the guests introduced before the men's race. As he was riding around the track in a car with his three sons, Cameron received some "boos" from the crowd. \nWhere are all these boos during football games? Cameron probably deserves criticism for leading the football team to only 14 wins in four years, including three in 2000, as head coach.\nIt seems kind of odd that many of the same fans at Saturday's race don't boo Cameron during fall afternoons at Memorial Stadium. Could alcohol consumption have had anything do with the crowd's reaction toward Cameron? \nCameron probably had no idea he was going to receive such a cold greeting. At least he showed up, which is more than we can say for some of IU's top administrators.\nDuring Phi Delta Theta's victory celebration, one of the fraternity's members was in tears hugging the team's riders and proclaiming Saturday as the "Greatest Day of his Life."\nThe student didn't ride in the race and probably won't remember much of Saturday besides what his friends tell him in the following days, weeks, months and years. But aren't fans like this and the hundreds of dedicated riders what the Little 500 is all about?
(04/22/01 12:26am)
Phi Delta Theta avoided wrecks and battled a surprising late-race charge by Teter to claim the 51st Men\'s Little 500 Saturday at Bill Armstrong Stadium.\nPhi Delta Theta took the lead from Teter on lap 190. Teter, which controlled the race from laps 162-190, finished second followed by Sigma Phi Epsilon. Teter and Sigma Phi Epsilon were the only two teams to finish on the lead lap with Phi Delta Theta.\nPhi Delta won the race with a time of 2:16:57. Junior Matt Marketti was on the bike for Phi Delta Theta when it crossed the finish line. Senior Josh Beatty rode the most laps for the team.\n\"This feels great,\" Beatty said after the race. \"This is what we\'ve been working for as a team for four years and it has been ongoing for about 50 years. It means the world to a lot of people and it means a lot to me.\"\nThe victory was Phi Delta Theta\'s third title and first since 1996. Phi Delta Theta\'s other win was in 1982. The team finished in 5th place last year and eighth in 1999.\nBeatty is the only rider remaining from the 1998 team, which failed to qualify for the race. Beatty has trained rigorously since the 1998 disappointment, and his work ethic resulted in him earning Rider of the Year honors in 2001. In addition to competing on the winning team, Beatty also won Miss-N-Out and Individual Time Trials, which are the two individual series events.\nAfter the race, members of Phi Delta Theta hoisted Beatty on top of a house-huddle during its victory celebration. \n\"This team is Josh Beatty,\" Phi Delta Theta coach Allen Smith said. \"He set the bar for all the others.\"\nBeatty was a major contributor to Phi Delta Theta decreasing the more than 100-meter lead Teter had on the field. Beatty got on the bike during lap 178 when Teter had more than a five-second lead on Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Phi Epsilon.\n\"If we had a Miss-N-Out winner and a future Hall-of-Famer it might have been a picture perfect finish,\" Teter senior David Eaton said. \nPhi Delta Theta\'s rookies, junior Brian Drummy and junior Ryan Hamilton, were a big reason the team won. Both riders improved steadily throughout the Little 500 season and unlike most teams, Phi Delta Theta didn\'t lose ground when it\'s top two riders - Beatty and Marketti - weren\'t on the track.\n\"They were awesome,\" Beatty said of Hamilton and Drummy. \nWhile Phi Delta Theta, Teter and Sigma Phi Epsilon were in contention most of the race, some of the other favorites encountered problems.\nCutters, the 2000 champions, had more than 20 seconds of penalties and fell three times. Cutters finished the race in seventh place.\nPhi Gamma Delta, the pole-sitter, wrecked early in the race and had a 10-second penalty for creeping on the field during a yellow flag after the crash. The team also had mechanical problems and finished 13th. The last time Fiji finished out of the top five was in 1993.\nDelta Chi and Chi Phi were in contention most of the race until they were involved in a wreck with less than 30 laps remaining. Delta Chi finished fifth and Chi Phi recorded a sixth-place finish.\n\"I feel bad for those teams,\" Marketti said. \"It\'s horrible to go out that way. Part of the race is luck."
(04/20/01 5:13am)
Men's golf coach Mike Mayer never coached a team that recorded a last place finish in a tournament.\nThat changed last weekend when Mayer's young team started slowly and never recovered, finishing last in the 17-team Kepler Intercollegiate at Ohio State's Scarlet Course.\n"Hopefully, it embarrasses them," Mayer said of the team's performance. "It embarrassed me as a coach. It gave us a little wake-up call. There were teams there that we never dreamt would beat us."\nA lineup change, a healthy sophomore Aldo Jordan and a few team meetings later, the Hoosiers hope to erase last week's disappointment this weekend when they compete Friday and Saturday in the FirstEnergy Intercollegiate in Ravenna, Ohio. The 54-hole tournament, sponsored by Kent State, will be contested on the par-70, 6,936-yard, course at Windmill Lakes Golf Club.\nIU's lineup this weekend will feature three players who didn't play in the Kepler -- Jordan and freshmen Kirk Wood and Ryan Cassidy. Jordan, IU's No. 2 player, stayed in Bloomington last weekend because of a viral infection. \nJordan had played in every tournament until the Kepler. His score has been kept for the team in each of his 25 rounds this season. Only once in more than 60 collegiate rounds has Jordan's score been thrown out.\n"I feel good about having Aldo in the lineup," Mayer said. "When you count every single round, you're contributing to the team. We missed Aldo far more than I thought we would. Nobody stepped up and recovered for Aldo."\nWhile Jordan is a collegiate veteran, Wood and Cassidy will both be competing in their second spring tournament this weekend. \n"It was hard for me to sit at home and have nothing to do with what was going on at Ohio State," said Wood, whose only spring appearance was in the Marshall Invitational, April 6-7. "I'm looking forward to helping the team and doing as much as I can."\nJoining Cassidy, Wood and Jordan this weekend will be senior Steve Wheatcroft and sophomore Mike Miller. Wheatcroft is the only Hoosier to compete in every spring tournament.\nThe lineup is the Hoosiers' sixth different look in six spring events. Typically, Mayer would stage a mid-week qualifier for the No. 3 to 5 spots. But poor weather and a lack of time between when the Hoosiers returned home Sunday and left for the FirstEnergy Wednesday forced Mayer into personally selecting this week's squad.\nMayer said he selected Miller because he was the team's second-best performer behind Wheatcroft at the Kepler. The work ethic of Cassidy and Wood earned the freshmen a chance to compete in the FirstEnergy.\n"The two freshmen that are going, without question, have the hardest work ethic on the team," Mayer said about Cassidy and Wood. "They work hard and they really want to play."\nWednesday, the Hoosiers had an optional afternoon practice, but Wood was on the practice range working on his swing. After hitting a bucket of balls, Wood moved to the putting green to fine tune his short game. \nThe team's daily practices are two hours, but almost every player practices longer than the allotted time. Wood said he spent 35 hours practicing last week.\n"Golf is the type of sport where two hours a day isn't going to cut it," he said. "The more you practice, the more you hope it will pay off"
(04/20/01 4:55am)
Not all the activities during this year's Little 500 weekend will occur on the track.\nProducer Kendall Harnett's documentary about the history of the race, "Free Wheels: The Fifty Year History of the Little 500," is scheduled to premiere Saturday, before and after the men's race.\nAbout one hour of the documentary will be shown at 10 a.m. in the Hoosier Room of Memorial Stadium and at 8 p.m. in the Bloomington Convention Center. \n"It's going to be fun," Harnett said. "I'm selecting stuff from different eras to show. I hope it gets people excited."\nSaturday will mark the end of a four-year process for Harnett, a former Cinzano rider and Bloomington native. Harnett has worked on the project since the summer of 1997. The last few months he has worked 18-20 hour days to complete the documentary, which is just less than four hours long. Co-producer Doug Haight has provided assistance throughout the project.\nThe documentary is divided into chronological chapters discussing various time periods of the race. Between chapters, the story of two teams competing in the 1998 race, Dodds House and Chi Omega, is told. \n"I think the Little 500 needed to be documented this way," said Lindsey Hawkins, a Chi Omega rider from 1997-99. "What Kendall has done is amazing."\nHawkins, who now works in Chicago, will be one of many alumni riders attending the races and screening of "Free Wheels" this weekend. The premiere of "Free Wheels" will join the men's and women's races as a centerpiece to the weekend.\n"The documentary has been heavily anticipated for the past year," said race director Jonathan Purvis, who was a member of the 1998 Dodds team. "Alumni are looking forward to the release and it helps us seugway from the 50th anniversary into the next 50 years.\n"It gives alumni another reason to come back. It's definitely a good attraction for us."\nBoth Purvis and Hawkins were on teams Harnett followed. Purvis has seen short clips of the documentary, while Hawkins will be seeing the footage for the first time at the screening.\nHarnett followed Dodds and Chi Omega from the end of the 1997 race until the 1998 race. Dodds won the 1998 men's race, while Kappa Kappa Gamma edged Chi Omega for first place in the women's race. Besides showing race footage of both teams, Harnett followed Chi Omega and Dodds on their spring break trips.\n"I thought it was a privilege to have Kendall there with us," Hawkins said. "He was a great spirit to have around our team. The footage is something I will always treasure."\nHarnett said last week he plans to show the parts of the documentary discussing the formation of the men's and women's races. He also said he will probably show the section introducing the Dodds and Chi Omega teams.\nHarnett, who edited "Free Wheels" from his home in Evanston, Ill., will attend both screenings. The screenings are open to the public, and Harnett will be available to discuss the documentary.\nThe documentary can be purchased through the IU Student Foundation's Web site, www.iusf.bloomington.com, for $40. Some copies will be available this weekend.
(04/19/01 4:35am)
Sigma Alpha Epsilon junior Dan Burns arrived at his team's pit on the north side of Bill Armstrong Stadium after completing a 10-lap set during afternoon practice last week.\nBurns, who rarely appears tired, yelled at two of his teammates, junior Ryan McBee and senior Will Fife, instead of taking a quick rest.\n"Where's my water?" Burns shouted as he flipped over an empty white bottle. He directed his comments at McBee and Fife, who looked dumfounded because they are responsible for refilling the water bottle of the team's star rider. \nA rider two pits away noticed the scene being made over a water bottle, and he offered Burns a drink. Burns took a few squirts and quickly cooled down. His hostile feelings toward his teammates quickly disappeared.\nIf you don't know Burns, his behavior might seem disturbing. But those who know him, especially his teammates, said tirades like the water bottle incident provide glimpses into his competitive nature.\n"He's got an intensity about him," Fife said. "A lot of people interpret that in different ways, like he's being a jerk. I would rather be on a team with someone that is passionate about being out here than someone who is lackadaisical."\nBecause Sigma Alpha Epsilon is one of the most inexperienced teams in the men's field, Burns is forced to push his teammates more than most of the other top riders.\n"It's hard," McBee said of being on a team with Burns. "He expects you to do what he can do. It can get frustrating when you don't live up to his expectations."\nBurns is the lone returning rider from a Sigma Alpha Epsilon team that finished fourth in last year's Little 500. The team doesn't have a coach, so Burns' leadership and race experience are critical. \nUnlike 2000, when Sigma Alpha Epsilon was a favorite to win the Little 500, the team is a darkhorse in 2001, qualifying 18th, in the middle of the pack. \nBurns will start the race for Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and he said catching the leaders in the early stages is important. \n"We're starting 18th, so we have to move up as quick as possible," Burns said.\nIf any rider can move his team from the middle of the pack to the front quickly, it's Burns, who has proved to be one of the race's fastest riders. \nHe is one of two riders this year to advance to the finals of Miss-N-Out and record a top-five finish in Individual Time Trials. The other is Phi Delta Theta senior Josh Beatty, who won both events. Burns, along with Beatty and Chi Phi senior John Emmetsberger, are the only three riders to record top- eight finishes in the past two time trials.\nBurns has progressed steadily since his freshman year, and his peers consider him one of the event's top riders. He trained for a month and a half his freshman year, but the rigors of training burned him out. Like many freshmen, Burns spent part of his freshman year partying. Burns started riding seriously after the 1999 race, and he has been heavily involved with the Little 500 since.\n"I've pretty much gone psycho," he said. "This race has pretty much taken over my life. I think it's great. I'm living a clean, healthy lifestyle, and I really like caring about something. It's definitely an obsession."\nBurns didn't get involved in the Little 500 by luck or because of house pressure like some riders. His brother Matt is a former Sigma Alpha Epsilon rider and was one of the top performers in last year's race. Burns credited his brother, who has graduated, with getting him started in racing.\n"I saw that the four guys he rode with were his best friends, and I wanted that," Burns said. "I wanted the competition."\nMatt Burns finished fourth in last year's time trials, defeating his brother by less than a second. Other riders and fans automatically compared Burns to his older brother -- a comparison that never bothered him, he said.\n"He's a good guy," said Burns of his brother. "He's a smart guy and a good role model. If he was a slime ball, then it would be different."\nNow that Matt Burns is gone, Dan Burns is Sigma Alpha Epsilon's leader. McBee, Fife and junior Chris Irk are all rookies, but Burns said the team has a chance of winning if it rides a smart race. \nWinning the Little 500 would mean everything to Burns, he said. Whether it's talking about politics or a bike race, Burns said his goal is to win. He likes the pain and suffering that comes with training for the race, and he has no trouble releasing his emotions. \nWhen he finished his four laps in the time trials last month, he bowed to his Sigma Alpha Epsilon brothers. When his team fouled on its first two attempts during qualifications, he left the track screaming. When things go wrong in practice, he yells at his teammates. Burns said the outlandish actions are centered around one thing -- winning.\n"This is everything I think about," he said. "I got psycho about it, and all I want to do is win. If we won, it would be one of the greatest days in my life up until this point"
(04/18/01 7:11pm)
A team with two of the top riders, a team that could be a darkhorse and a team that surprised many observers with its qualifying attempt will start from Row 2.\nPhi Delta Theta (2:34.09)\nMany people involved with the Little 500 respect Phi Delta Theta senior Josh Beatty. But those who respect him the most could be the people he trains with daily -- his teammates.\n"He is probably one of the most knowledgeable riders," Phi Delta Theta junior Matt Marketti said. "He helps us tremendously during the race. He knows when to push it and when to relax for a while. It's beneficial to have him on our side."\nBeatty's list of credentials includes two consecutive Miss-N-Out titles, a victory in this year's Individual Time Trials and leading Phi Delta Theta to a top-five finish in last year's race. But what often gets lost in Beatty's resume is the impact he has on his teammates. \n"I pretty much owe everything to Beatty," Marketti said. "He's pretty much my mentor, so whatever I do is credible to him. I\'m just happy to have him on my side. I love the guy."\nAlpha Tau Omega (2:34.68)\nLooking for a darkhorse is this year\'s field? Alpha Tau Omega might be a good choice.\nAlpha Tau Omega qualified fifth and senior Wesley Kelley said he likes the team's chances.\n"We know we have been putting a lot in all season, and it's kind of nice being a little bit of a darkhorse this year," Kelley said. "We're happy, but we know the pressure is on to perform just as well in the race."\nWhile many contenders spent the weeks leading up to the race deciding on a lineup, Alpha Tau Omega was practicing with the same four-man rotation.\nThe team consists of three experienced riders, junior Shawn Monroe, senior Jack Caveney and Kelley. Joining the returning riders is freshman Adam Hiatt. \n"We know who our four are, and we know that if one of us is slacking off, we know who to get on," Kelley said. "We know that there's not going to be that extra person there to back him up in case he falls short."\nBriscoe Blur (2:37.10)\nThere were many surprises during men's qualifications, including the slow times teams posted, the defending champion Cutters qualifying 25th and the exchange problems that plagued potential contenders.\nSome riders and fans considered the Briscoe Blur posting a time of 2:37.10 and earning the sixth spot a surprise. But the members training with the all-rookie team weren't shocked by their successful qualifying attempt.\n"Obviously we surprised a lot of people," freshman James Bezy said. "But we kind of knew we had it in us if we pushed ourselves and put all the work we have done in the past to use."\nJunior Nathan Hartman and senior Jim Huntsinger, resident assistants in Briscoe Quad, were the first to join the team. Hartman and Huntsinger posted flyers throughout the dorm to find two more riders and after some personnel changes, Bezy and freshman Travis Scheiwe completed the team.\nDespite its qualifying time, Hartman said the team is struggling to earn the respect of other teams. \n"I think people still think we're a fluke," Hartman said. "It takes years to earn respect, not just a place or position"
(04/13/01 5:56am)
Golf is a game of tradition.\nThis weekend, the men's golf team will see plenty of it when the Hoosiers compete in the 16-team Kepler Invitational Saturday and Sunday at Ohio State's Scarlet Course.\nThe Scarlet Course was rated a top 100 course by Golf Digest and is considered one of the best collegiate courses in the nation. Since it was established in 1938, the course has played host to many prestigious events, including the NCAA championships and United States Open qualifiers.\n"The Scarlet Course is one of the better courses I've played," junior Rich Thomas said. "It's one of the top university courses in the country."\nThe Scarlet Course is also famous because it was the collegiate home of golfing legend Jack Nicklaus, who played for Ohio State before winning a record 18 majors as a professional.\n"Every time we go around there, we hear some new stories about where Jack hit it and stuff he did while he was there," senior Steve Wheatcroft said. "It's interesting to play there."\nNicklaus' presence is strongly felt at the course. In the clubhouse, there are many pictures and plaques honoring the Columbus, Ohio, native. One plaque at the facility calls Nicklaus "The Greatest Golfer to Ever Play the Game."\n"When you walk around at the Scarlet Course, Nicklaus comes to mind," coach Mike Mayer said.\nWhile Nicklaus is the most accomplished golfer to walk the fairways of the Scarlet Course, other notable players have called the facility home.\nTom Weiskopf, 1973 British Open Winner and four-time runner-up at the Masters and U.S. Open, is the second most famous player to compete for Ohio State. Ten-time PGA Tour winner and 1978 U.S. Amateur champion John Cook and six-time tour winner Joey Sindelar also played for the Buckeyes. \nMany of golf's biggest names have played the Scarlet Course at some point in their careers, including Tiger Woods, who competed for Stanford in the 1995 NCAA Championships were held at the course.\nJust as famous as players who have walked the fairways, is the course itself.\nThe 7,251-yard, par-72 layout will be a stern test for the Hoosiers. The course was originally designed by Allister McKenzie, who also designed Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Ga.\nThe Scarlet Course is one of McKenzie's most difficult designs, and it features nine par fours of more than 400 yards. The course also has two par fives longer than 560 yards and a 230-yard par three.\n"It's a course that takes a lot of strength to play," Mayer said. \nMayer said Ohio State coach Jim Brown typically sets the course up so it is as difficult as possible to play. Some challenges facing the players at the Kepler will be two-inch rough, fast greens and pins tucked in challenging places. Some players compare the course setup at the Kepler to "U.S. Open conditions."\nThe conditions at the Scarlet Course will be the opposite of the situation the Hoosiers faced last weekend at the Guyan Golf and Country Club in the Marshall Invitational. The par-72 Guyan course played just 6,456 yards, and players took advantage of the favorable conditions.\nOhio State won the Marshall Invitational with a three-round score of 839. The average score for the Buckeyes in the tournament was a 2-under par, 70. Ohio State senior Mike Austin won the event with a score 8-under. Austin started the tournament by firing 67 in his first two rounds.\nIU finished tied for 14th with a score of 885. The Hoosiers average score was a 73.75. \n"Unlike our last tournament, 75 will be a very good score this week," Mayer said. "Last tournament, 75 wasn't a very good score."\nSophomore Aldo Jordan, who led IU last weekend with a score of 218, won't play in the Kepler because he is battling a viral infection. IU's lineup this weekend includes Wheatcroft, Thomas, sophomore Brett Hardin and sophomore Mike Miller. Thomas and Miller earned their two spots in a five-player qualifier this week. Hardin was added to the lineup when Mayer learned Wednesday that Jordan wasn't healthy enough to play this weekend. \nHardin, a Martinsville High School graduate, is making his first appearance of the season in the Kepler.\n"The lineup this week is different than any lineup we've had," Mayer said. "We're looking for answers right now. We're looking to find out why we shoot one good round and then one bad round"
(04/02/01 6:10am)
Phi Delta Theta senior Josh Beatty and Delta Chi senior Jason Sonneborn were riding a foot from each other with about 200 meters remaining in the final heat of the men's Miss-N-Out competition.\nAs the riders approached turn three on the Bill Armstrong Stadium track, the two rider duel became a one man sprint to the finish.\nBeatty continued his dominance of the spring series events by defeating Sonneborn with a race to the line in the last lap of Saturday's Miss-N-Out. \n"I was surprised," Sonneborn said. "I was leading on the front stretch and he then took off with a big head of steam."\nBeatty started the final heat on the inside of the track. He kept the same position almost the entire five-lap race. Beatty, Sonneborn and Phi Delta Theta junior Matt Marketti were the final three riders remaining in the six-rider final. The trio peddled close together almost the entire race until the final lap. Marketti couldn't keep up with Beatty and Sonneborn, and the race became a two-man sprint until Beatty's final push. \n"When you're up front you're kind of in control," Beatty said. \nIn addition to winning Miss-N-Out for the second consecutive year, Beatty also won Wednesday's Individual Time Trials with a time of 2:29.87 minutes.\n"It's a lot of hype, but that's not what I'm going for," Beatty said of winning series events. "It's nice, but it's not the cake."\n"The cake" for Beatty and every male rider is winning the Little 500. Based on Saturday's Miss-N-Out results, Phi Delta Theta is a threat to win the April 21 race.\nPhi Delta Theta was the only team with two riders that reached the event's finals. Other finalists included Briscoe Blur junior Nathan Hartman (fourth), Phi Gamma Delta senior Sam Blossom (fifth) and Sigma Alpha Epsilon junior Dan Burns (sixth).\nPhi Delta Theta and Phi Gamma Delta were the only two teams that had three riders advancing to Saturday's semifinals. Senior Brian Drummy joined Beatty and Marketti as the third Phi Delta Theta rider to reach the semifinals.\n"We have improved so much from last year," Marketti said. "I'm just happy for everyone. Our whole team did well (Saturday)."\nPhi Delta Theta finished fifth in last year's Little 500. The team qualified fourth last weekend, and it was the only squad that placed two riders in the top 10 of Wednesday's trials. Beatty is the team's most experienced rider, and he will be racing in his fourth Little 500 this year.\nAfter winning Miss-N-Out, Beatty embraced Marketti, and the two peddled a lap around the track. Beatty then received some gift certificates from Little 500 Race Director Jonathan Purvis, posed for a picture, did a quick interview and accepted congratulatory hand shakes from fans and riders still gathered at the track. \nBeatty's celebration didn't last long. About 10 minutes after the event ended, he was riding rollers in front of the stands on the stadium's north side.\n"He's the most dedicated athlete that I have ever met in my life," Marketti said. "When he goes out there, he's going as hard as he can"
(03/23/01 5:22am)
The men's golf team proved it could shoot both low and high scores in its first two spring tournaments.\nSaturday and Sunday when the team competes in the 54-hole Dr. Pepper Intercollegiate in Tanglewood, Texas, the Hoosiers are hoping the low scores will outnumber the high ones. \n"We showed we are capable of shooting some low numbers, but we need to do it more frequently," coach Mike Mayer said.\nIn the Big Red Classic March 10-11, IU shot a 4-under 284 in its second round. But the low score was between an opening round score of 21-over and closed the event with a 16-over. IU finished the 17-team tournament in eighth place, 33 shots over par. \nIU also struggled by shooting a high opening-round in last weekend's El Diablo Intercollegiate. The Hoosiers opened the tournament 16-over before shooting 7-over in the second and final round. IU finished 12th in the 24-team event, which was shortened to 36-holes after heavy rain forced the cancellation of the final round. \n"We didn't play as well as we would've liked," junior Rich Thomas said about the team's play to begin the season. "We showed some potential in the second round of the first tournament."\nSenior Steve Wheatcroft said the team's confidence isn't low, but it isn't high after the team's slow start. IU appeared confident after winning its last fall tournament, the Legends Intercollegiate in October, but the winter layoff has slowed the team.\n"We got to get back in tournament setting and the pressure of trying to win again," Wheatcroft said. \nIf IU has three solid rounds this weekend, it has a chance to improve its No. 13 ranking in District 4. Most of the 18 teams competing in the Dr. Pepper are in the Hoosiers' district, including nine Big Ten squads. Eight of the 12 teams ranked ahead of the Hoosiers are in the tournament.\n"If we can go down there and beat the teams that we need to beat, we will jump right back in the picture," Mayer said.\nThe event will be played on the Tanglewood Resort championship course, which is a par 72, 7,000-*yard layout designed by Arnold Palmer in 1973. The grass in Texas is still dormant, meaning the course's fairways should be brown.\nThis is the fifth consecutive year IU has competed in the Dr. Pepper. IU's top two players, Wheatcroft and sophomore Aldo Jordan, are the only two Hoosiers who have played in the event. The team left for Texas Thursday, and is playing a practice round on the tournament's course today.\n"The course is great and they treat us real well there," said Wheatcroft, who is competing in his fourth Dr. Pepper. "We have a lot fun playing in this tournament."\nTraveling to Texas with Wheatcroft and Jordan is the same lineup that competed in the El Diablo, which includes freshman Mike Castleforte, sophomore Mike Miller and Thomas. Wheatcroft, Castleforte and Jordan have competed in all seven of IU's tournaments this season. Wheatcroft and Jordan lead the team in scoring with averages of 72.4 and 74.1, respectively.\n"Steve Wheatcroft and Aldo Jordan have come forward for us, but we need some support," Mayer said. "We have a lot of depth, but we haven't determined our third, fourth and fifth spots yet"
(03/23/01 5:16am)
Waiting to qualify for the Little 500 is a nerve-wrecking experience for many first-year riders.\nFor some veterans, qualifying is a formality. \nBut during Saturday's qualifying round at Bill Armstrong Stadium, many of the 39 men's teams will feel a little uneasy. \nUnlike last year, when every team qualified for the race, six teams won't make this year's field. That means months of training for some teams will not result in a chance to compete in the race.\n"I think everybody is going to think about not qualifying, especially if you have some bad exchanges and have to go to a second or third attempt," junior Dodds House rider Justin Alexander said. \nDodds qualified second last year. But members said they weren't obsessed with qualifying near the top of the field.\n"Our goal is to qualify well enough to get a good pit and the jerseys we want," Alexander said. "We aren't trying to qualify on the pole or in the top five or anything. There are 39 teams in the race, and we just want to be one of the 33."\nPit and jersey selections are determined by how a team qualifies. A good qualifying position means a team has a better chance of selecting a desirable pit and jerseys.\nBesides location and outfit perks, some riders and coaches said fans sometimes put too much emphasis on qualifying. \n"I think qualifying serves some purpose, but it's not a deciding factor," third-year Phi Gamma Delta rider Todd Cornelius said. \nDelta Chi alumni coach Steve Hoeferle, who has been involved with the race since 1979, said qualifying is overrated. But Hoeferle did say that qualifying is a "fun event for the crowd."\nThe Delta Chi team excited its house when it claimed last year's pole by qualifying 1.5 seconds ahead of Dodds. Delta Chi finished last year's race in fourth place and returns three of its four riders. The team attempts to qualify at 2:30 Saturday and is considered one of the favorites to earn the pole position.\n"We got a pretty good time, and the track should be in good shape when we qualify," junior Delta Chi rider Mark Bagwell said. "The pole is a reasonable goal for us."\nWhile earning the pole for a second consecutive year is a goal for Delta Chi, Bagwell said the team wouldn't be disappointed with a top five position. Bagwell said qualifying in the top five would put Delta Chi in position to get to the front quickly on race day.\nOne of the big advantages Delta Chi has is experience. Hoeferle said the team has been coaching exchanges the same way since the team won seven races between 1973 and 1981.\n"They won't be confused when they walk into the stadium and everyone is screaming and yelling," Hoeferle said. "They are there to do a job, and the three guys that are experienced know what that job is."\nDelta Chi's experienced riders know what it's like to wait 30 minutes in the infield before qualifying. The team has developed a technique of exchanges that has worked for more than 20 years. But few teams have developed a system of qualifying like Delta Chi, and those teams could have trouble Saturday.\n"Tuesday was my first day at the track, and I didn't see a lot of good exchanges," Hoeferle said. "I think we are going to see a lot of Band-Aids Saturday"
(03/21/01 5:10am)
The men's basketball team wasn't the only IU-affiliated team that spent its spring break in San Diego.\nThe Pi Beta Phi bike team spent its break preparing for next month's Women's Little 500 by riding on the hilly San Diego terrain. But Pi Phi, unlike the basketball team, spent more than a few days sweating in Southern California.\nThe members of Pi Phi devoted their lives to riding during the break, renting a condominium in San Diego from March 10-17. The team took long rides daily and squeezed in some sprint practice on roads running alongside the Pacific Ocean.\n"It was nice to get away from all the distractions in Bloomington," sophomore Julie Sprich said. "We were able to focus on riding." \nThis was the second consecutive spring break Pi Phi spent in San Diego. Prior to last year, Pi Phi went to Florida for spring break. The team decided to train in San Diego because of the area's varied terrain.\n"We knew riding in San Diego would be more challenging for us than Bloomington," sophomore Kate Randolph said. \nWith qualifications scheduled for Saturday, spring break training was important for Pi Phi. The team didn't qualify until its fourth try last year. Pi Phi qualified in 31st position, but finished 14th.\nCaptain Anne Wasilchuk said the team increased its endurance to the level of other teams while in San Diego. The entire team agreed that the trip should set Pi Phi up for a solid month of training before the women's race April 20.\n"The trip certainly prepared us for the race," Sprich said.\nThe team kept to a strict training schedule during its week in California. Days included waking-up around 8 a.m., and rides started no later than 9:30 a.m. The team would come back from its morning rides in the early afternoon, take a nap and then find a lightly-traveled road in the evenings for sprint practice. \nSprich said riding twice a day made everybody tired. The team spent most of its free time relaxing in the condo or laying out by the ocean. One of Pi Phi's few leisure activities included going out to dinner twice during the week. Despite being tired and having a lack of free time, nobody said they had any regrets about training in San Diego over the break. \n"Unlike many others, we will remember our spring break," sophomore Jill Kline said.\nAn average day consisted of riding about 45 miles. Randolph said the most enjoyable rides included a 46-mile trek with a 1.5-mile hill alongside the Pacific Ocean and a ride that passed by Camp Pendelton Marine Corps Base.\n"We went on some difficult rides and we feel that we are all coming back to Bloomington stronger," Randolph said.\nPi Phi improved its endurance by riding on the roads of San Diego. But Randolph said the team was glad to get back on Bill Armstrong Stadium's cinder track Monday afternoon. \n"When you ride on the road for a while, you realize how much you miss the track," Randolph said. \nPi Phi will work on its exchanges this week. One of the problems with leaving Bloomington for a week is finding track time. The team worked on its exchanges on San Diego's streets, but Wasilchuk said it's different switching riders on a track compared to the road. \n"There's a big difference doing an exchange coming around a curve and on a straightaway," Wasilchuk said.
(03/09/01 5:05am)
Freshman golfer Mike Castleforte wore a stocking cap and a turtleneck while practicing by himself Wednesday afternoon at the IU Golf Course.\nWhen Castleforte and his teammates compete in the Big Red Classic Saturday in Ocala, Fla., the cold-weather gear won't make it to the course.\n"It will be great to be in short sleeves and shorts again," Castleforte said.\nAfter practicing in 30-degree weather the past two months, the Hoosiers will spend spring break in Florida. IU, along with Ball State, is co-host to the two-day Big Red Classic Saturday and Sunday. Next weekend, the Hoosier play in the El Diablo Intercollegiate in Citrus Spring, Fla. Between tournaments, team members said they will take advantage of the warm weather by playing 36 holes per day and practicing in temperatures approaching 80 degrees.\n"The trip is ideal because it will be warm enough to get a lot of practice in and not freeze," freshman Ryan Cassidy said. \nDespite conditions that aren't ideal for golf, the Hoosiers have practiced outside this month. When it has been too cold to practice outdoors, the Hoosiers hit balls into a net in the Harry Gladstein Fieldhouse. Other preparations for the spring season included early morning running and weightlifting. \n"If you're not working out or hitting balls in the off-season, then you're falling behind," Castleforte said. "You used to get ahead by working out in the winter, but now it's just keeping up."\nThe Big Red Classic marks the start of the spring season for the Hoosiers. IU hasn't competed since winning the Legends Intercollegiate in October. The Hoosiers shot a tournament record 24-under-par in their last outing.\n"It has been a long layoff," coach Mike Mayer said. "Winning The Legends made the layoff easier in a way, but the anticipation has been hard to handle. We feel good. We feel confident, but the fact is we haven't competed for four months."\nIU will compete against 16 teams, including conference rivals Michigan State and Penn State, at the Big Red Classic. The tournament will be contested on the 6,478-yard Lake Diamond Golf and Country Club course. \n"Lake Diamond will be a course where players will be capable of shooting some very, very low numbers," Mayer said. "If the weather is conducive these kids are going to shoot lights out."\nThe Big Red Classic is different from most tournaments because teams are allowed to use six players rather than the usual five. Senior Steve Wheatcroft, sophomore Aldo Jordan, junior Rich Thomas, junior John Oliver, Castleforte and Cassidy will make up IU's lineup this weekend.\nJordan is coming off a first-place finish at The Legends, shooting a tournament record 12-under-par in the 54-hole event. Wheatcroft, the Hoosiers No. 1 player, has a 71.9 scoring average in 15 rounds.
(02/23/01 6:21am)
Achtung, a team of four rookies hoping to qualify to compete in the Little 500, faced obstacles even before peddling one lap around the Bill Armstrong Stadium track.\nMost of the troubles had nothing to do with physically preparing for the race.\nBike shirt and pants: $60. \nEntry Fee: $100.\nRoadbikes: more than $1,000.\nAchtung's members -- senior Rustin Dyer, sophomore Scott Dowdell, freshman Evan Miller and senior Nick Key -- know it's difficult to finance a first-year team, and the team is in the process of finding sponsors and preparing fund raisers. But Achtung's members know competing in front of 20,000 raucous fans should be worth the time and money invested.\n"I've talked to people who've been in the race and when they tell you it's been their greatest college experience so far, it gives you goose bumps," said Dyer, Achtung's captain. "This is our last chance to participate in a competitive sport without playing on a varsity team." \nWhile financing a new independent team is difficult, Achtung must battle other obstacles.\n"Rookie teams don't have any of the support of alumni and previous riders like other teams do," Little 500 Race Director Jonathan Purvis said. \nMost established teams have been together since the beginning of the school year and have traditions that span decades. Achtung didn't start training seriously until a few weeks before winter break. \nNobody on Achtung knew each other before the team was formed. Dyer approached Purvis last summer and expressed interest in creating an independent team. Purvis gave Dyer the names of some interested riders. Dyer said the names on the initial list didn't materialize, but Key joined Dyer early in the school year. Miller was the team's third member, and Achtung's roster was completed in November when Dowdell joined the squad. \nAchtung had four riders, but Dyer said getting everyone together for training was difficult. Each team member resides in a different part of Bloomington. Dyer and Key live behind College Mall at Covanter Gardens and University Commons, respectively. Miller resides in Wright Quad, while Dowdell lives at Brownstone Terrace. \n"Being an independent sucks because we're scattered throughout town," Dyer said. "If you live in a frat, you can just knock on doors and people are there. We have to e-mail and call each other all the time."\nAnother problem Achtung faces is getting coaching and advice. Dowdell said he sees veteran riders from established teams at the track giving advice daily to their rookies during Rookie Week. Achtung's only advice comes from friends on other teams who have participated in the race. \nAchtung must use IUSF loaner bikes because the team doesn't own racing bikes. Dyer said Achtung makes a point of getting to practice early before all the good loaner bikes are snagged.\nAchtung members hope they can overcome the obstacles they face and become one of the 33 teams to qualify for the race. The team said qualifying is its only immediate goal.\n"We have a lot of things against us," Dowdell said. "But we all want to ride this race, so we're getting together on the same page"
(02/20/01 5:48am)
Serene rides through campus and the streets of Bloomington seemed distant memories for many first-year Little 500 riders as Rookie Week started Monday at Bill Armstrong Stadium.\n"I was riding next to a girl who wasn't very vocal, and she actually touched the girl's bike in front of her and almost fell," said sophomore Alpha Delta Pi rider Lauren Moore. "Everybody kind of stopped to miss her. I was scared because I didn't know what way she might fall."\nRiders bumping into each other is a part of the race. Moore said she has seen the scrapes and bruises on her teammates. Rookie Week is designed to limit serious injuries to riders.\nSafety and communication are major Rookie Week themes. Riders' Council members, who are responsible for guiding rookies through the two weeks, gave instructions as the women concluded their track time riding in packs. \n"Coming in" and "coming out" were two common phrases yelled by members of the council during the pack-riding parts of the session. "Coming out" was yelled by riders leaving a pack, while "coming in" was yelled by rookies pedaling their way into a group.\nMonday was the first time many riders pedaled alongside cyclists from other teams. It was also the first time many rookies rode in packs, which sometimes included 50 riders.\n"Getting on the track was on my mind all day," Moore's teammate, junior Darcy Bishop, said. "I was very nervous. I was thinking about it during my psychology test."\nNot all the riders were as nervous as Bishop. Kappa Alpha Theta junior Jeanne Foote has been training with her team since fall and has participated in the IU Cycling Club, and wasn't nervous like some other riders. \n"I think I'm more relaxed than most of the rookies," Foote said.\nThe women were on the track from 2:30-4:45 p.m. The day ended with the women sitting on the bleachers as they absorbed the final advice of the day from the council. Council members stressed the importance of being vocal when riding in a pack.\n"This is our race," chairwoman Emily Derkasch, a senior, told about 75 rookies. "We have to be in it together." \nWhen the speech concluded, the men prepared for their 5-7:15 p.m. session. Just like most of the women, most of the men have spent the past few months conditioning for the race. \nRegion Crew senior Justin Fleming said his team spent the winter running the steps of Ballantine Hall, lifting weights and riding stationary bikes when it was too cold to ride outside. Similar training techniques are used by most teams.\n"Almost every team has one or two rookies, so we're probably all going to size each other up at this point," Fleming said. "We're all wondering if we're as prepared as the other teams." \nWhile Fleming said he was concerned with comparing himself to other rookie riders, Kappa Sigma sophomore Andrew Carter said he had "no clue" what to expect from Rookie Week.\n"I'm not really nervous because I know nobody has a clue," Carter said. "It should be weird riding on the track because I'm used to riding on smooth roads"
(02/19/01 5:28am)
Anybody who has competed in the Little 500 knows riding a bike in winter-like conditions is challenging. For the next two weeks, rookie riders will experience just how difficult it is to prepare for the Little 500 and stay warm at the same time.\n"Riding in the cold stinks. Especially when it rains," said senior Alan Ireland, a Delta Sigma Pi rider and member of the men's riders council. "Some people are able to do it easier than others."\nRookie Week, the two-week learning experience for the 196 first-time riders, begins Monday at Bill Armstrong Stadium. Female rookies take the track from 2:30 to 4:45 p.m., while the men will practice from 5 to 7:15 Monday evening. \n "Everybody is cold, but it's an important week, and you have to remember everybody else is just as cold as you," said senior Alpha Delta Pi rider Emily Derkasch, chair of the women's riders council. Derkasch said the track is especially cold during the evening sessions when the sun goes down.\n Race weekend is April 20-21, but Little 500 Director Jonathan Purvis said there isn't much available track time between Rookie Week and the race. The track opens for veterans March 1, so rookies have two weeks to learn safety and other aspects of the race without battling experienced riders on the track. \n"Sometimes it can be very cold, but we have to optimize track time," said Purvis, who is a former rider and member of the 1998 Dodds championship team.\nTo combat the cold, rookies are urged by riders council and former riders to dress appropriately. Suggested clothing includes heavy gloves, arm warmers, spandex, helmets and layers of skin-tight shirts. Wind pants and hooded sweatshirts aren't recommended.\n"Wear something close to your skin," Teter rider and riders council member David Eaton, a senior, told a group of rookies at last month's Mass Riders Meeting. "If you wear something loose, and it gets caught on your bike, and you take out a row in an exchange, you're not going to make a lot of friends."\nBesides dealing with frigid conditions, Purvis and Ireland called Rookie Week an "intimidating" experience for other reasons. While many of the rookies have been conditioning for months, Monday is the first chance the riders have to practice on the track with riders from other teams. \nAnother intimidating aspect of being a Little 500 rookie is the administrative work and deadlines facing riders. The Riders Manual is filled with forms riders must complete to be eligible for the race. Rookies must also learn the manual in order to pass the written tests. The pre-test was administered Feb. 8 and the final test is schedule for Feb. 26. \nSafety is an important aspect of Little 500 that will be emphasized during Rookie Week. Pack-riding and exchanges between riders are other aspects of the race rookies will learn during the next two weeks. The 2001 Riders Council, which consists of six men and nine women with race experience, is responsible for guiding new riders through the next two weeks.\n"Rookie Week is the first Little 500 experience for many of the riders," said Derkasch, who is serving her second year on riders council. "It can get cold, but it's a very important week for the new riders"