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(09/14/05 5:18am)
When IU's academic year began three weeks ago, classes were far from the No. 1 priority of senior Kayla Bashore. She had flights to catch in Bloomington, Boston and Virginia Beach, multiple games to play for multiple teams and, of course, class work.\nNot exactly a smooth start to the school year.\nBut knowing the hectic first week was the result of making the U.S. National Field Hockey Team eased her stress level quite a bit. \nBashore, a co-captain of this year's Hoosier squad, is the first IU field hockey player to ever play with the U.S. National Team. Members of the national team also comprise the majority of players on the U.S. Olympic and World Cup teams.\nBashore played in a series of test matches against Canada beginning Aug. 29 and ending with an Aug. 31 game, one in which she started. Selections for the official team will be formally announced at the end of the collegiate field hockey season, but Bashore's invitation to play in the matches puts her on the fast track to officially being added to the permanent roster.\n"When they asked me to play with them in those games, I was very excited since this is something I would like to pursue for a couple of years. At least until qualifying games for the Olympics," Bashore said. \nWhile the IU field hockey season is ongoing, Bashore won't be working with the national team again until the season is completely over. The break should ensure stress relief for Bashore. When this is all taking place, she traveled directly from Boston to Virginia Beach after IU played Northeastern University, and then from Virginia Beach to North Carolina to meet up with her team as they prepared to play Appalachian State and Wake Forest. \n"The traveling was definitely hectic, and I was a little fatigued, but I was glad to have the opportunity and it was a great experience," Bashore said. \nAlthough Bashore's play with the national team didn't conflict with any IU matches, it caused her to miss a few practices. Head coach Amy Robertson was more than willing to allow her star player to miss in exchange for the experience of playing on a national stage. \n"Kayla has everything you could possibly want in a player, and she has high expectations for herself, and I think she has a huge future with a national team that could compete in the next Olympics," Robertson said. \nBashore first made a name for herself on the national level while playing in a Midwest regional league. Her performance garnered her an invitation to play for the U.S. Under 21 National team, which in turn brought her to the attention of current U.S. National team head coach Lee Bodimeade and assistant coach Nick Conway. \nBashore achieved national recognition despite not playing at all last season, choosing to redshirt in 2004 in order to devote herself fully to studying for the MCATs. \n"Kayla didn't want to go fifty percent on field hockey or her dream of becoming a doctor, so she decided to take a year off to concentrate on studying," Robertson said. "She pushes herself more than any other individual I know." \nAlthough Bashore's long-term career aspirations rest in medicine, she doesn't think focusing on international field hockey for the next several years will deter her from her dream.\n"Medical school will always be there if I choose so, but I knew I would regret passing up this opportunity," Bashore said. \nConway concurred with Bashore's sentiments.\n"Playing international field hockey is the highest honor an athlete in our sport can achieve," Conway said. "Most athletes get to play college hockey at some level, however only the cream of the crop get an opportunity to play on the international stage"
(09/12/05 5:27am)
Led by a potent offensive attack from senior midfielder Kayla Bashore, the IU field hockey team recorded a 6-0 victory in its first home game of the year against University of the Pacific. \nBashore scored her first career hat trick, only the second in the history of the IU field hockey program. The first came earlier this year on Aug. 28 and was recorded by junior Lydia Schrott against Northeastern University. \nThe home win is the first step forward in completing one of the chief goals head coach Amy Robertson set for her team this year.\n"One of our goals at the beginning of the season was to win every home contest, and we were able to start working on that goal tonight," Robertson said.\nThe Hoosiers' six goals were accentuated with six assists, setting a new IU field hockey record.\n"We played our game much more in the second half, sharing the ball, moving it in and out of the zone and we found a lot of gaps to penetrate Pacific's weaknesses," Robertson said. \nBashore started the Hoosier scoring with a goal off a penalty corner in the 21st minute, with assists from junior Morgan Miller and sophomore Meredith Brown. Bashore added her second goal of the first half in the 32nd minute with an assist from senior Mallory Reabold, which took the Hoosiers into the half with a 2-0 lead. \nThe IU offense continued to roll early in the second half as Reabold scored in the 36th minute, with an assist from senior Lesley Wiler. Three minutes later, Schrott tallied a goal to make the score 4-0 in favor of the Hoosiers. Reabold added her second goal in the 42nd minute, and Bashore capped her record-tying night in the 65th minute with her third goal, the Hoosiers' sixth of the night. Wiler and sophomore Amanda Oyler recorded assists on the final goal. \nBashore's hat trick came just one day after she was formally added to the USA National Field Hockey team. \n"I was glad that the goals came as a result of the way the team was playing," Bashore said. "We set a tone for the rest of the season with the way we played tonight."\nNot to be overlooked amid all the Hoosier scoring is the fact that IU recorded its first shutout of the season with the 6-0 victory, a feat that sophomore goalkeeper Haley Exner, who notched seven saves on all seven Pacific shots, was particularly proud of. \n"The defense played really well tonight, and organized well," Exner said. "I was able to save a few shots and keep them out of the net. That's my job." \nWith the victory, the Hoosiers improved their record to 4-1 on the season. IU continues its five-game home stand with a game Saturday against Ohio University and then again Sunday against Southwest Missouri State University.
(09/02/05 5:27am)
After traveling through New England last weekend and returning with two victories, the IU field hockey team hits the road again this weekend traveling to North Carolina to take on Appalachian State University tonight and three-time defending national champion Wake Forest University Sunday. \nThe Hoosiers are brimming with confidence after their successful kickstart to the 2005 season, in which they defeated the University of New Hampshire and perennial powerhouse Northeastern University. But IU coach Amy Robertson said it's important her team doesn't look past Appalachian State, even with Wake Forest looming in the background. \n"Appalachian State is always a good team, and they're particularly tough at home, so it definitely proposes a challenge," Robertson said. "We gained a lot of confidence from last weekend's games, but we can't overlook Appalachian State." \nIU junior forward Lydia Schrott expressed similar sentiments.\n"We're definitely looking forward to playing Wake Forest on Sunday, but we can't overlook Appalachian State at all," she said. "We don't want to be doing the same thing to them that Wake Forest might be doing to us."\nSchrott was recently named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for her four-goal performance last weekend, particularly her three-goal outing against Northeastern. Technically, it marks the second straight week a Hoosier has been named the conference's offensive player of the week, as sophomore forward Frederique Meeuwsen also won the award in the last week of the 2004 season. \n"It's definitely an honor and cool to win it, but I wouldn't say it's the highlight of my career," Schrott said. "Beating Iowa last season was probably the highlight so far." \nWith last weekend's goals, Schrott became IU's all-time leading goal scorer with 16, passing Erica Nilsson in the Hoosier record books.\nAfter this evening's contest with Appalachian State, the Hoosiers will head to Winston-Salem to take on the Demon Deacons Sunday, a challenge Robertson said she believes the Hoosiers are ready for. \n"I think that for the first time in our program's existence, we realize we are capable of playing with them, and I'm very confident in our chances against them," Robertson said. \nThe Deacons are currently 2-0 after defeating Iowa and Michigan last weekend in the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge.\n"Hopefully we'll be the team that upends them this weekend, but I feel like we can't lose either way by playing a team with such a great reputation," Robertson said. \nSenior midfielder and co-captain Lesley Wiler said she believes her team is more than excited to take on the Wake Forest dynasty. \n"Our team is so pumped to play Wake Forest," Wiler said. "It's going to be the best competition we face all year, so we need to focus on the things we have been learning in practice and play with confidence." \nThe last time the Hoosiers and Demon Deacons squared off was Nov. 1, 2003. Wake Forest handed IU a 6-0 loss. Wake Forest's lopsided victory in that contest provides a reason why Schrott said she believes the Demon Deacons will underestimate her team this time around.\n"We're a completely different team this time, and I don't think Wake will be prepared for how good we are now," Schrott said. "We're very confident that we can return with a win"
(08/29/05 4:52am)
For those who've grown tired of the usual summer film fare of Hollywood blockbusters that often place special effects over a quality plot, the Buskirk-Chumley Theater is featuring a summer movie series that might be of interest.\nIn conjunction with the Ryder Films, the Buskirk-Chumley Theater is screening critically-acclaimed films that didn't make the standard run at Kerasotes-owned theaters. Buskirk-Chumley Director Danielle McClelland said she believes the series plays an important role in expanding the cinematic palate of Bloomington moviegoers. \n"We're trying to show more obscure art films and documentaries that aren't making the huge circuit of art house cinemas around the country," McClelland said. "We're trying to show something a little different from the Kerasotes theaters."\nCurrently playing at the Buskirk-Chumley is "Moolaadé," a Senegalese film, and the documentaries "The Flaming Lips: Fearless Freaks" and "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill."\nAccording to Ryder Films' Web site, www.theryder.com, "Moolaadé" is "an enthralling, exhilarating portrayal" of the wife of a village tribesman offering protection to four young girls escaping the ancient African ceremony of female circumcision. \nRyder describes the film as "visually gorgeous" as well as "powerful, compassionate and often surprisingly humorous."\nThe critically-acclaimed film was directed by Ousmane Sembene, who is considered the father of modern African cinema, and won the 2005 National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Foreign Film.\n"The Flaming Lips: Fearless Freaks" -- directed by Bradley Beesley -- is, according to The Village Voice, "an all-access fan's valentine as artfully scrappy and likably wide-eyed as its subjects." The film follows the two-decade career evolution of the Grammy-award winning Oklahoma psych-rock band, who describe themselves as "a no-talent hillbilly-punk version of the Who" as they morph into "stereophonic mad scientists."\n"The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill," also a documentary, is "the true story of a Bohemian St. Francis and his remarkable relationship with a flock of wild green and red parrots," according to www.buskirkchumley.org. The Web site describes the film as the story of Mark Bittner, a homeless street musician in San Francisco, searching for the meaning of his life, oblivious to what the wild parrots are bringing him.\nThe partnership between Ryder Films and the Buskirk-Chumley was facilitated by what McClelland described as "a loosening of the restrictions" on their ability to show films at the theater. \n"Restrictions loosened up quite a bit, so we were able to work with Ryder this summer on submitting specific names of films to make sure there was no competition with Kerasotes films," McClelland said. "Everything worked out from there." \nAccording to McClelland, the films have been well received, and attendance for the showings have been solid. \n"In the first days of the series, there were over 100 people in attendance; the later showings were more modest with anywhere from 25 to 50 people at any given time," McClelland said. \nRecent IU alumna Jackie Scanlan was one of those in attendance at Saturday's showing of "The Flaming Lips: Fearless Freaks." \n"I think it's great that I can see a documentary about a band I like when I normally wouldn't be able to see it in Bloomington," she said. \nThe series continues Saturday at the Buskirk-Chumley with tickets priced at $5 per movie.
(08/26/05 5:37am)
Following two straight winning seasons under head coach Amy Robertson, expectations for the 2005 women's field hockey season are running at an all-time high. Last year's 12-8 mark was the winningest season enjoyed a Hoosier field hockey team in the program's six year history. \nWith six seniors returning, two of whom are fifth year seniors, and 10 starters returning overall, Robertson said she believes her team is primed to make a legitimate run at a Big Ten title. \n"I absolutely believe that we have a great shot at winning the Big Ten this year because we have more returning players than any other team," Robertson said.\nWith the usual Big Ten powerhouses of Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State and Iowa suffering heavy losses in returning personnel, Robertson said this Big Ten season will be unlike any other.\n"I really expect more parity in the conference than in previous years because the top three teams experienced the biggest losses, while the other teams have lots of players returning," Robertson said. \nFifth-year senior Kayla Bashore is at the core of IU's returning seniors. Bashore red-shirted last season to concentrate on studying for the MCAT. Robertson described the midfielder as "phenomenal," and expects her to play a key role for the team if the Hoosiers continue their recent successful play. Bashore is also playing for the USA national team in Virginia. \nIn addition to the returning seniors, which include Morgan Albini, Nikki Orciuch, Mallory Reabold, Lesley Wiler and Ryan Woolsey, the Hoosiers also welcome a recruiting class comprised of Danitra Castro, Katie Kiper and goalkeeper Jobi Manson. \nIf the experience-laden Hoosiers expect to be one of the teams battling for the Big Ten championship at the end of the year, they first have to survive a treacherous pre-conference schedule pitting them against some of the top teams in the country -- including defending national champion Wake Forest. The Hoosiers' pre-conference season kicks off this weekend when they travel to the northeast to take on the New Hampshire Wildcats at 1 p.m. Saturday, and the Northeastern Huskies Sunday. \nThe Hoosiers have already taken the field once this year, defeating Ball State in a 3-0 victory during a Saturday scrimmage at John Mellencamp Pavilion. Led by goals from sophomore Frederique Meeuwsen, Reabold and Kiper, the Hoosiers dominated the Cardinals, out-shooting them 22-2. \nSaturday's performance helped fuel the high expectations Robertson has for her team.\n"Our defense played exceptional and our midfielders really transferred the ball very well," Robertson said. "We were finishing our attacks over the 25-yard line, we really looked sharp overall. It's the best I've ever seen us play, I'm really excited about this season." \nWiler, who started all 20 games last season, was also pleased with the way the Hoosiers were able to control the game. \n"We dominated the game, and we were really good at putting the ball in the back of the net," Wiler said. "It was definitely a good sign for this weekend and the rest of our season."\nThe Hoosiers defeated New Hampshire last season 2-1 on sophomore forward Kate O'Connell's goal in the 51st minute. However, this doesn't mean the Hoosiers are taking the Wildcats lightly, who were 4-16 last season, and are predicted to finish third in the America East Conference this season. Forward Orciuch said she believes defensive pressure will be the key to winning the match.\n"We've been working on setting up our defensive pressure a certain way to keep them from breaking out, and in turn we can take the ball the opposite way," Orciuch said.\nFollowing Saturday's matchup against New Hampshire, the Hoosiers will head to Boston to take on the Northeastern Huskies in a Sunday afternoon contest. Northeastern is entering its first season in the Colonial Athletic Conference after winning their fourth straight title in the America East Conference in 2004. The Huskies were 18-4 last season and 5-1 at home. This is the first time the Hoosiers will face the Huskies, but Robertson said that doesn't necessarily trouble her. \n"Our team is very flexible with a lot of speed, so we're able to modify as the game goes on, something we weren't able to do as well in the past," Robertson said. \nOverall, Robertson said she believes the high expectations surrounding the team this year are justified, and it's simply a matter of believing in themselves. \n"We have no history of winning a championship, so it's a question of can we believe in ourselves, can we believe that we can be Big Ten champions," Robertson said. "Right now the season lies in our heads and our hearts, because we have the ability to win the title"
(08/08/05 10:17am)
Just because Aaron Halterman, Chris Jahnke, and Herana-Daze Jones didn't hear their names called during the NFL Draft doesn't mean their dreams of playing in the NFL died that day.\nFormer IU football players Halterman, Jahnke and Jones all signed free agent contracts with NFL teams immediately following the draft. Halterman signed with the Houston Texans, Jahnke with the Minnesota Vikings and Jones with the Cincinnati Bengals. \nWhile Jones, who played strong safety during his time at IU, expected to be drafted in the later rounds, he wasn't surprised that the Bengals offered him a contract after they didn't select him.\n"The Bengals called me and told me that they might draft me late, but if they didn't, they would give me a contract," Jones said. "I wasn't too worried about being drafted because of that."\nThe Bengals were one of eight teams to offer Jones a contract after the draft, a diversity of options for which he was thankful to have.\n"The best possible situation for me was in Cincinnati because they showed a lot of interest in me from the beginning, and I like the safety situation there too," Jones added.\nHalterman and Jahnke on the other hand were offered contracts by only one team — the team that eventually signed them.\nHalterman, a tight end while at IU, said he wasn't really expecting to be drafted, and he didn't know what to expect afterwards as well.\n"I really didn't know what was going to happen, but my agent said that if it was going to happen, it would happen right after the draft," the Greenwood, Ind. native said. \nSure enough, Halterman received a call from the Texans immediately after the Draft, and eventually signed a contract with the team. \nJahnke experienced a similar situation with the Vikings, who contacted the 6-feet-5-inch, 310-pound offensive lineman within a few hours following the Draft. \nHalterman, Jahnke, and Jones are currently in training camp with their respective teams, something that all three said was proceeding well. \n"Camp is going great right now," Jones said. "I've had a couple of interceptions with the third team, and I'm working with the second team on special teams."\nHalterman, who is also working with the third team, expressed similar sentiments about the Texans' camp.\n"We're putting in good work here and hopefully it will show this season," Halterman said.\nHowever, just because Halterman, Jahnke, and Jones have signed with NFL teams and are in camp doesn't mean that they have a guaranteed spot on the roster come week one. \nThe precarious situation of all undrafted free agents was perhaps summarized best by Jahnke when assessing his chances of making the Viking squad.\n"I'd like to think I do," Jahnke said. "But it's not up to me to make that decision in the end." \nWhile there is some anxiety felt about making the final roster, all three players said that the NFL lifestyle is unfolding as they anticipated. \n"It's a lot like I expected; it's a bunch of hard work and guys fighting for positions on the team," Jahnke remarked. \nJones also expressed a sense of satisfaction and anticipation with the impending realization of his NFL dreams.\n"It's everything I expected," the Louisville native said. "It's working out great and I'm in a pretty good situation here in Cincinnati, I just need to keep playing."\nThe first cut date for NFL rosters is Aug. 30, when teams trim their rosters to 65 players. The final cut date is Sept. 3, which will establish final rosters for the first week of the season.\nLast year, 39 undrafted free agents were on opening week rosters, while all in all, 23.2 percent of players on NFL rosters went undrafted as rookies. \nCurrent NFL stars such as Kurt Warner, Priest Holmes, Rod Smith, and Adam Vinatieri were all once undrafted free agents who were able to overcome the odds and become NFL success stories. Halterman, Jahnke, and Jones are hoping to follow in their footsteps, and land themselves on a NFL roster for week one.
(08/08/05 8:16am)
For this week's column, I decided to do something a little different. I tracked down five sports figures who are remembered not for their heroic feats, but rather for their high-profile meltdowns when the spotlight was shining brightly on them. I thought I should check on their well-being, and to see if they had undergone a sex change, a la Ray Finkle in Ace Ventura. \nMy first destination led me in search of Scott Norwood. Norwood was the Buffalo Bills kicker who missed a game-winning 47-yarder wide right in Super Bowl XXV, allowing the Giants to win the game. Norwood spends his days and nights sitting in an empty, dark room by himself, listening to The Cure continuously, ` Pocket. \nMy next stop was to see former Phillies reliever Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams. Williams, known for his wild fastball, was the Phillies closer in the 1993 World Series. With a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the 9th of Game Six, Williams gave up a three-run homer to Toronto slugger Joe Carter, which won the Series for the defending world champs. Besides his unpredictable heater, Williams was also known for his outrageous mullet. When I caught up with "Wild Thing," the mullet had grown to awesome proportions, with the back nearly touching the floor. Unlike Norwood, Williams was considerably more upbeat. He leads an active life, drinking cheap whiskey, eating Slim Jims, and smashing mailboxes with a baseball bat. Williams was quick to note how happy he was that "they finally made 'The Dukes of Hazzard' into a picture show." \nThe next athlete is former Boston first baseman Bill Buckner. Buckner will forever live in infamy for letting a routine ground ball go between his legs in Game Six of the 1986 World Series against the Mets, allowing the Metropolitans to win the game and force a Game Seven, which the Red Sox lost. Buckner has still not broken free from his depression. In fact, Buckner said the only time he's even remotely happy is when he and three of his best girlfriends huddle up on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn and watch "Waiting to Exhale" and "How Stella Got Her Groove Back." \nThe next leg of my journey took me to see Trey Junkin. Junkin was the Giants long snapper in the 2002 NFL playoffs, coming out of retirement at 41 specifically for the playoffs. Junkin made two poor snaps on field goal attempts during the game against the 49ers, the second coming on a potential game-winning field goal. The Giants lost the game 39-38. Junkin re-retired and retreated to his country home in Louisiana. Junkin has since spent every day after his infamous snapping incidents by paddling out to the middle of his lake in a canoe, and simply floating there, just staring…staring…staring…staring…staring. \nMy final stop took me to France, where I caught up with golfer Jean Van de Velde. Needing only to record a six on the par four 18th hole at the 1999 British Open in order to secure his victory, Van de Velde amazingly shot a seven after hitting into the bleachers, a creek, and a bunker. He eventually lost a playoff to Scotsman Paul Lawrie. When I finally caught up with him, Van de Velde had become the leader of a peyote cult in southern France. He refused to speak about the '99 British Open, and insisted that I refer to him as "Numi Numi, King of the Tortoise People." After answering all my questions with cryptic questions of his own like "Does the wind have a name?" or "Isn't a six just an upside down nine?", I decided it was time to leave.\nSo there you have it. Hopefully the sad lives of these fallen athletes will make your own life seem a little brighter.
(08/06/05 11:30pm)
Although IU football has been mired in defeat for more than a decade, that hasn't stopped Hoosiers from making it to the next level. Antwaan Randle El did it, Trent Green did it, and now former IU wide receiver Courtney Roby is poised to do the same.\nRoby, who was drafted by the Titans in the third round with the 68th overall pick, was one of three wide receivers selected by the organization on Draft day. Brandon Jones of Oklahoma was selected 96th and Tulane wideout Roydell Williams was selected 136th. Roby signed a four-year contract with the Titans Thursday, the terms of which were undisclosed.\nWith the lack of veteran depth in the Tennessee receiving corps following the departure of Derrick Mason, Roby is expected to contribute immediately. Roby said that he believes he will have a direct impact on the team because of the wide receiver void.\n"I think I'll fit in well with this offense. I've been learning as much as I can and I'll do whatever I can to help the team on offense or special teams," Roby said. "I'll do whatever they ask me to do, that's my job."\nWith Drew Bennett and Tyrone Calico slated as the No. 1 and 2 receivers respectively, Roby is expected to compete with fellow rookies Jones and Williams for the third receiver slot, a task that Roby said he is prepared for.\n"(The Titans) drafted three receivers, and they expect all of us to contribute, and I'm ready to do that," Roby said. In preparation for the season, Roby has been working intensely with quarterbacks Steve McNair and Billy Volek during preseason training camp, an experience that Roby said has been enlightening.\n"Working with McNair you learn what he's looking for in terms of routes and just getting open," said IU's all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards. "He's been in the league a long time and has a lot of knowledge about the game."\nRoby said he recognizes the fact that he will need to make certain adjustments to his game as he advances to the professional level, the most important being his techniques as a receiver, especially since the speed of the game is so much quicker in the NFL.\nIn addition to adjusting to the speed of the game, he also has the duty of learning new offensive coordinator Norm Chow's playbook, something Roby said he already has a grasp of.\n"It's basically the same concepts as what they used at IU, only with different terms," Roby said. "I just have to apply them to my position, but it's basically the same thing."\nHelping Roby adjust to the NFL lifestyle has been fellow wide receiver Bennett, a five-year veteran coming off a career year for the Titans in 2004. \n"Drew talks to me about the game and helps me out a lot, and my locker is near his, so I learn a lot from him," Roby said. \nRoby suffered a minor setback on Tuesday when he injured his ribs during practice. However, Roby said the injury was only minor, and he won't be sidelined for a substantial amount of time.\nIn general, Roby is pleased with the course of training camp and the beginning of his career as a professional football player.\n"Camp is going great, and I'm learning a lot," Roby said. "I'm really enjoying it so far, and I'm looking forward to the season"
(08/04/05 1:11am)
Sixteen, 12, 11, 14, and 22. Those are the impressive point totals IU senior shooting guard Cyndi Valentin recorded in the five-game women's basketball Big Ten Foreign Tour, which concluded July 25 in the Netherlands. \nThe Big Ten squad was led by Valentin's 15 points per game en route to a perfect record in Europe.\nValentin was the only member of the team to score in double figures in all five games, and her 22 points in the fifth game was the highest scoring output of any player during the tour. Valentin also led the tour with a .917 free throw percentage. \nDespite her high point totals, Valentin said that leading the team in scoring was not something that consciously was on her mind. \n"I didn't really think about it, I just went out there and had a lot of fun and I ended up shooting the ball really well," Valentin said.\nThe Big Ten All-Stars dominated the tour, winning all five games over an 11-day span by an average margin of 45 points. The Big Ten squad defeated the Netherlands National Team 119-56 to open the tournament, a 63-point drubbing that marked the second largest margin of victory at the time, and the highest point total for the team since the tour began in 1992. Valentin, who scored 16 points in the game, said she wasn't expecting such a blowout in their first test of the tour.\n"I was a little bit surprised at how easily we won the first game, but it was a lot of fun and a good way to start the tour," the Bloomington native said.\nThe only challenge to the Big Ten All-Star's undefeated streak came in Belgium, where Iowa guard Crystal Smith hit a last-second shot to give the Big Ten team a 78-77 victory over the Belgium National Team. Valentin scored 14 points in the contest, which was the fourth game of the tour.\nThe All-Stars ended the tour with a dominating 70-point victory over the Luxembourg Musel-Pikes, the reigning national champions of Luxembourg. The 110-40 victory by the All-Stars eclipsed the 63-point margin that they achieved in the first game of the tour, making the 70-point victory the second most lopsided game in the tour's history, surpassed only by a 113-23 blowout of the Yokosuka Lady Hawks during the 1995 tour of Japan. Valentin led all scorers in the victory over Luxembourg with 22 points, her highest output of the tour. \nValentin said Luxembourg was her favorite place to play during the tour, and not just because she was able to pile up the points there.\n"I thought Luxembourg was the prettiest place we played at," Valentin said. "The scenery was unbelievable and beautiful."\nValentin said she believes the major advantage that playing on the tour provided her was a rare opportunity to play competitive basketball during the summer.\n"This is the best way to get into shape, and it will definitely help me in preparing for the upcoming season," she said. "It's the best way to get your conditioning, basketball senses, and court vision back up."\nValentin also added that playing with the Big Ten's elite players will provide a distinct advantage when conference play begins.\n"I got to play with a lot of different players in our conference, and I got to see how they play the game," Valentin said.\nThe All-Stars' 5-0 record in Europe marked the fifth straight tour in which the Big-Ten team has gone undefeated. Overall, the team has rolled to 19 consecutive tour victories, and is 52-18 all-time since the tour began in 1992.
(08/01/05 12:50am)
Baseball and superstitions have been entwined since the first day the game was ever played, which is well described in the book of Genesis, if I'm not mistaken. Superstitions in baseball have long included not touching the foul lines when you run off the field, and avoiding speaking to or even making eye contact with a pitcher in the middle of perfect game or no-hitter. \nOn Sunday, superstition enthusiasts worldwide celebrated as the king of baseball superstitions, Wade Boggs, was enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Boggs' pre-game routines have been well documented including eating chicken dinners three times a day on game days. This habit earned Boggs the highly creative moniker "Chicken Man", as well as several nasty bouts with salmonella. \nBoggs also fielded exactly 150 ground balls before each game, and would take batting practice at exactly 5:17 p.m. and run wind sprints at 7:17 p.m. before night games. Boggs' pre-game routines became so famous that before a game in Texas, then-Rangers announcer Chuck Morgan altered the field clock so that it would skip from 7:16 p.m. to 7:18 p.m. Sure enough, Boggs went hitless that game.\nBoggs certainly wasn't the only baseball player to abide by several superstitions, and he certainly wasn't the zaniest either. Former Cubs, Phillies, and Mets middle reliever Turk Wendell will probably go down as the player with the wildest in-game routines. Wendell would wave to his center fielder before the start of each inning and following the end of each inning, he would sprint back to the dugout, avoiding the foul lines of course, where he would immediately begin brushing his teeth. After brushing his teeth, Wendell would then eat four sticks of black licorice before re-taking the mound. \nSome might say Wendell was merely a superstitious player, while others may say, myself included, that he was a profoundly disturbed individual on the brink of a severe psychotic episode. Either way, the man had a filthy slider. \nMany other players have graced us with their odd and eccentric habits throughout the history of the game, including former Tigers pitching star Mark "the Bird" Fidrych. Fidrych, so nicknamed because of his resemblance to Sesame Street's "Big Bird", would talk to the baseball between every pitch. Rumor had it that Fidrych would have deep philosophical discussions with the ball, such as the age old debate of who would win in a knife fight -- a killer whale or a giant sea squid? \nOther superstitious players include former Tigers ace Denny McLain, who was the last pitcher to win 30 games in a season when he went 31-6 in 1968. In addition to racking up the wins for the Tigers, McLain would also drink a Pepsi between each inning that he pitched in a ball game. Not only is this activity not recommended by the American Dental Association, it has also been proven that soft drinks increase the amount of phosphorous in the body, which in turn extracts calcium from your bones, leading to untold long-term health risks. After his retirement, McLain served two federal prison sentences in the '80s and '90s, one for federal racketeering involving gambling and cocaine, and the latter for stealing from a company's pension fund. \nThe honor of most \nsuperstitious player in the game today belongs to Cubs shortstop Nomar Garciaparra. When leaving the dugout, Nomar makes sure he touches every step equally with both feet. The superstitions continue at the plate, where he excessively touches his wristbands and fidgets with his batting gloves, and before each pitch comes, he continually taps the toes of his feet to the ground in the batter's box. \nWhile researching for this column, I became inspired to share some of my superstitions that I practice before I write each column. For example, before I begin writing, I take my left shoe off and place it in my pillowcase, which I then proceed to swing around my head precisely 33 times in a counterclockwise fashion, all the while singing "Rocketman" by Elton John. I then eat a meal of Skittles, cloves, and mint jelly mixed together in tomato paste at exactly 12:27 a.m. Without performing these superstitions, I fear my column would come across as incomprehensible, unreadable gibberish. Thank God for superstitions.
(07/28/05 4:41pm)
The entertainment industry has frequently seen battles over sexually explicit material in the movies and in music, but now it may have turned to video games. \nThe extremely popular video game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" had its rating changed from "M", which meant "suitable for persons 17 and older", to "AO", which allows only adults to purchase the game, last Wednesday, and a storm of controversy has followed. \nThe move follows an investigation by the Entertainment Software Rating Board, in which they determined the game contained sexually explicit content, and was unsuitable for children. \nThe rating change has caused a swirl of controversy over the game, and many stores have pulled it from their shelves until a sex-free version is released.\nIn Bloomington, stores such as GameStop and Best Buy have followed corporate orders to immediately halt sales of the game, according to a public relations statements issued by the companies.\nA Bloomington Best Buy public relations employee said only, "As a policy, we don't sell 'Adult Only' games at all."\nAttempts at reaching the Bloomington GameStop public relations director were unsuccessful. \nBut, the recent controversy surrounding the game seems to be a non-factor in the mind of some video-game playing IU students. Frequent gamer Phillip Sanders, a sophomore at IU, said he believes the controversy will only make the game more popular.\n"I'm still going to play the game, and I think the rating change will only make people want to buy it more," Sanders said. \nBloomington resident Nick Vote expressed similar sentiments as Sanders.\n"If anything, all this has only intrigued me, and I would play it just to see how bad it really is," Vote said. \nThe sexually explicit scenes in question are not in the actual formatted game itself, but rather in a "hidden" area, that can only be accessed by downloading an Internet "mod" that is capable of unlocking the scenes. These "mods" are readily available on the Internet, and can access the sexually explicit scenes on only the PC version of the video game. \nRockstar Games, the producer of the GTA series, issued a statement in which they stated that they were in the process of creating a version of the game without sexual content. \nDespite the public outcry from parent, politicians, and special advisory committees like the ESRB, the game has still managed to sell over 5 million copies since its release in the fall. \nRockstar Games plans on releasing the clean version of the game shortly.
(07/28/05 4:48am)
Many IU students are making a move, and it has nothing to do with finding a new place to live. \nA number of students are using alternate e-mail accounts for school--related e-mails and messages, effectively bypassing their IU Webmail accounts. These students simply set up their Webmail account to automatically forward all mail to their alternate e-mail account. One of the most popular accounts is Google's Gmail service, which offers a high storage capacity and a simple interface, which many students find attractive. \nSenior Jon Roberts said he made the switch to Gmail because of the extra storage space that it offered. \n"I set up my Webmail to forward all my mail straight to my Gmail account," said Roberts. "Now I use it all the time to correspond with classmates and professors because of the extra storage space, which definitely comes in handy with a large file, like a PowerPoint file."\nGraduate student Alvin Wong also forwards all his Webmail directly to his Gmail account because he said he believes that it offers more stability and a simpler user interface.\n"In addition to the larger volume of storage space, Gmail has an interface that is easier to use, and I don't think Webmail is as stable as the Gmail system," Wong said. \nHowever, Rick Jackson, manager of messaging for UITS, said he believes that Gmail and other free e-mail services aren't quite what they seem to be. \n"There are many privacy concerns that have been and continue to be raised about Gmail and other service providers who provide 'free e-mail' services," Jackson said. \nJackson also warned against the reliability of these accounts.\n"The biggest issue is there is no guarantee that mail sent through the Internet will be received at its destination in a timely manner," Jackson said. "In fact, there is no guarantee that it will be delivered at all. Mail sent from one university system to another of our systems will be delivered and if there is a system problem between servers causing delays, we know about it," Jackson stated. \nJackson also said that the trend of forwarding Webmail to alternate accounts like Gmail is not that common.\n"At last count, there were 203,000 e-mail accounts on our systems. Of these accounts, 37,686 people have their mail forwarded outside of IU. This is a little less then 19 percent," Jackson said. \nWhile Jackson warns against some of the dangers of non-university affiliated e-mail services, some students still find the larger pastures of Gmail and other similar services to alluring to pass up. \n"Gmail just has more space for file storage and that is why I use it," Roberts said.
(07/25/05 1:31am)
As the July 31 MLB trade deadline approaches, the annual exchange of minor league prospects for veteran players will commence. For those of you who aren't aware, the teams who are in position to make a run at the postseason trade their young prospects to teams who are out of the race, who in turn trade proven veteran players that can help immediately. \nIt's like Jack trading his cow for magic beans. The deal didn't work out, but hey, Jack was out there trying to become a contender in the immediate, and he did what he had to do, which is more than you can say about yourself. Sorry, that was uncalled for, and the analogy was confusing, so here's another. The trade deadline is like a prisoner agreeing to trade a few weeks of regular prison meals for one meal of quality sustenance, like rack of lamb or some other succulent dish. I think we're all on the same page now. \nThe buyers in this year's market include the usual suspects like the Yankees, Red Sox and Cubs, while the sellers include the downtrodden cellar dwellers like the Pirates, Rockies, Reds and potentially the Marlins. However, the capricious disposal of young prospects for short-term help is not without its pitfalls. These prospects are prospects for a reason, and there is certainly the chance that they could become stars in the big leagues. In fact, there have been a number of deadline deals that have proven to be unquestionable failures. I've taken the liberty of creating a list which counts down the top five deadline disasters and fiascoes. So here goes:\n5. The Montreal Expos trade Randy Johnson and two other pitchers to the Seattle Mariners for pitcher Mark Langston in 1989\nLangston wasn't a bad pitcher by any means, but the "Big Unit" has been the dominant pitcher of his era, annually leading the league in strikeouts, ERA and long, greasy hair. The Expos finished the '89 season at 81-81, while Langston bolted for the Angels the following year.\n4. The Padres trade Fred McGriff to the Braves for Melvin Nieves, Donnie Elliott and Vince Moore in 1993\nMcGriff clubbed 14 home runs and drove in 55 in just 68 games after being traded to the Braves, while helping them win the NL West by one game over the Giants. McGriff also became one of America's most celebrated actors for his magnificent work in the Tom Emanski baseball instruction infomercials. In the meantime, Nieves, Elliott and Moore failed to pan out, further proving many baseball experts correct in that you never trade for a guy named Melvin.\n3. The Rangers trade Sammy Sosa, Wilson Alvarez and Scott Fletcher to the White Sox for Harold Baines and Fred Manrique in 1989\nThis trade was navigated with the baseball expertise of then-Rangers owner George W. Bush. Any discrepancies in the trade should now be sufficiently explained. Sosa of course went on to be one of the best power hitters in the game, while Alvarez threw a no-hitter in his first start in Chicago.\n2. The Red Sox trade Jeff Bagwell to the Astros for Larry Anderson in 1990\nBoston traded a young Double-A third baseman named Jeff Bagwell for an 89-year-old middle reliever named Larry Anderson. Needless to say, this was a terrible trade.\n1. The Blue Jays trade David Cone to the Yankees for Marty Janzsen, Jason Jarvis and Mike Gordon in 1995\nCone went on to become a key member of the Yankee dynasty and throw a perfect game, while Janzsen, Jarvis and Gordon quit baseball to create a modern version of "The Three Stooges." The idea failed.\nSo when July 31 comes around, keep an eye on the names you hear in the trades, and follow them to see if they pan out, or if they go the way of Janzsen, Jarvis and Gordon, who I believe are accountants now.
(07/25/05 1:29am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- Unseeded Robby Ginepri defeated No. 4 seed Taylor Dent on Sunday to win the RCA Tennis Championships, and in the process, emerged as a potentially formidable U.S. threat on the world tennis scene. \nBattling through the heat, Ginepri defeated fellow American Dent 4-6, 6-0, 3-0 (retire). Dent was forced to retire in the third set down 3-0 due to the high temperatures, which reached 110 degrees on the court. \nDent said the long week of tennis was a major factor as he played in the sweltering heat.\nAs a result, Ginepri was able to take advantage and secure his second career title, although he said it was difficult beating his friend and fellow American to take the title.\n"You never want to see one of your good friends pull out like that, its tough winning that way," Ginepri said. \nGinepri's victory will hopefully prove to be a turning point in American tennis, which has struggled recently in the world arena. \nThe all-American RCA final was the first at the event since 1992, when Pete \nSampras defeated Jim Courier, and the first in any ATP event since February of 2004, when Andy Roddick defeated Mardy Fish in San Jose. \nRoddick was the No. 1 seed in Indianapolis, but was defeated by Ginepri in the quarterfinals, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7-5. \nRoddick's loss appeared to be yet another insurmountable setback for American men's tennis, but Ginepri reversed the trend when he went on to take the championship.\nPrior to Ginepri's victory, American men had not won a single hard court event all year long. However, American tennis fans are hoping Ginepri's victory proves to be a rallying point. \nGinepri's victory is particularly poignant in that it came in the opening tournament of the U.S. Open Series, which leads up to the U.S. Open itself, a tournament an American has to win if the U.S. hopes to salvage a title in any of the four grand slam events.\nGinepri was once part of a class of young, talented American tennis stars seemingly on the rise. This class, which included Roddick, Dent, Fish, James Blake, and Vincent Spadea, drew comparisons to the dominant U.S. players of the late 80s and early 90s, which included players like Sampras, Courier, Andre Agassi, Michael Chang, and Todd Martin.
(07/25/05 1:22am)
For all film fans who have grown tired of watching movies in the frigid darkness of a movie theater, the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department has just the solution in their annual Evening with the Stars Movie Series. \nThe Parks and Recreation Department, in conjunction with the Ryder Film Series, have been showing movies as part of the series every Thursday night at Bryan Park. \nThe series, which began in 2000, has evolved from a monthly showing in the early years, to a weekly showing from June through July. In addition, the Parks and Recreation Department shows two movies a summer at the Bryan Park Pool, which Director of Recreation Services Paula McDevitt says is always a great source of entertainment.\n"The screen is set up so you can float in the pool and watch the movie, which is always a lot of fun," McDevitt said. \nThe films included in this summer's series range from such classics as "Some Like It Hot" and "Field of Dreams" to more recent blockbusters like "Spiderman" and "Shark Tale."\nThe films are selected by the Performing Arts Series staff at the Parks and Recreation Department in cooperation with the Ryder Film Series, who provide the movies and most of the equipment. \nMcDevitt said the film series has become one of the city's most popular programs, as evidenced by the high attendance at the showings.\n"It's easily one of our most popular programs, and we have great attendance for the movies," he said. "We consistently have several 100 people at the showings."\nMcDevitt attributes the success of the series to the fact that it's a creative way to allow people to come together. \n"It's a great summer activity and a great way to spend a summer evening," said McDevitt. "People bring their blankets and sit under the stars and watch a great movie and have a lot of fun."\nThe Evening with the Stars Movies Series concludes this Thursday evening with the showing of "American Graffiti", directed by "Star Wars" creator George Lucas and starring Richard Dreyfuss and Ron Howard as high school buddies who spend one final night with their friends before heading off to college in 1962's America. The film begins at 8:30 p.m. at Bryan Park. The showing is sponsored by Bloomingfoods and admission to all movies in the series is free.
(07/21/05 1:49am)
Former IU soccer standout and All-American Pat Noonan was selected as a MLS All-Star for the second consecutive season Thursday. Noonan, who plays for the New England Revolution, made the team as reserve forward, as he did in 2004.\nNoonan was one of seven reserve players to make the squad. Of the seven reserves, five were selections made by All-Star head coach Colin Clarke of FC Dallas, one of which was Noonan.\nWith all the success Noonan has had playing with the U.S. this year, he is still honored to play in the All-Star game, he said.\n"It's definitely a great honor. Anytime you get to play with the best of the MLS, it's always an honor," Noonan said.\nIU men's soccer coach Mike Freitag said Noonan's selection should come as no surprise, since he has been one of the top players in the league recently.\n"Pat has established himself as one of the top-10 players in the league, and that's evidenced by his call-ups to the national team," Freitag said. \n"Pat has a great future in front of him because of his mentality and skill, which makes him a great pro in the MLS, and assures him a place to play in Europe and on the national team," added Freitag. \nDespite missing several of the Revolution's games due to playing for the U.S. National Team, Noonan, who was the 2004 Budweiser Scoring Champion, is currently tied for the MLS lead in goals with eight. Noonan is also tied for fourth in points with 17 at this point in the season. Noonan has played in 13 matches for the Revolution this season. \nNoonan joins his fellow Revolution teammates, goalkeeper Matt Reis, midfielders Clint Dempseyand Shalrie Joseph, and forward Taylor Twellman on the 2005 All-Star team. The Revolution's five selections trail only FC Dallas, who had six players make the squad. The Revolution are currently in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference, trailing the Chicago Fire by three points, 32 to 35 respectively. \nNoonan's second all-star selection marks the 14th time a Hoosier has been selected for the MLS All-Star game, further solidifying IU soccer as one of the preeminent programs in the country. Noonan follows in the tradition of former Hoosiers such as Brian Maisonneuve, Chad Deering, Mike Clark, and Chris Klein to be selected as an all-star twice. Dema Kovalenko leads all former Hoosiers in all-star selections, having been selected a total of three times, making the team in 2001, 2002, and 2004. Juergen Sommer made the team as well in 2002. Maisonneuve was the first Hoosier ever selected for the team in 1999.\nThe format for the 2005 All-Star game will feature the MLS All-Stars squaring off against Fulham FC of the Barclay's English Premier League. The format is similar to that of the 2003 and 2002 all-star games, in which the MLS team played CD Guadalajara and the U.S. National Team, respectively. \nGetting the opportunity to play one of the top teams in Europe is something Noonan and the rest of the All-Stars are looking forward to, he said.\n"This year we play Fulham, so it should be much more competitive," Noonan said. "We're not going to see the usual laid back atmosphere that it usually is when it's East vs. West. We're going to go out and try to win the game."\nThe 2005 Sierra Mist All-Star Game will be played July 30 in Columbus, Ohio at the Columbus Crew Stadium. The game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., and will be televised live on ABC.
(07/21/05 1:48am)
With Rafael Palmeiro's recent addition to the 3,000-hit club, he has all but assured himself a spot in Cooperstown. Not too long ago, Palmeiro was the quintessential Hall of Fame question mark. Many baseball experts were fervent believers that he didn't belong because he was never the dominant player at his position, and he was only an All-Star four times. At the same time, many experts considered him a lock because of his 500-plus home runs. Now, by collecting his 3,000th hit and his probable addition to the 600-home run club, Palmeiro is a practical lock for the Hall. In addition, Palmeiro has three Gold Gloves to his credit, the most recent in 1999, when he somehow managed to win a Gold Glove at first base, while at the same time winning the Silver Slugger award for designated hitter. For those of you who don't understand how strange this is, it's the equivalent of being named the World's Ugliest Person while winning America's Next Top Model the same year. \nAlas, I'm not here to argue Palmeiro's case, because he has become a Hall of Fame lock. However, there are three names of current Hall of Famers that I think should be evicted from Cooperstown, and three players who aren't in who should take their places. So here goes with my Hall of Fame subtractions and additions:
(07/18/05 4:17am)
Members of several Bloomington churches and faiths staged a Walk and Prayer for Peace and Solidarity on Sunday afternoon in response to the hate crime against the Bloomington Islamic Center. \nThe walk, which was created in conjunction with an open house being held at the Islamic Center, began at the IU Outdoor Pool on Fee Lane, and ended at the Islamic Center, located on Atwater Avenue, where prayers, comments and feelings were shared among the various members of differing faiths and backgrounds. \nThe several hundred-strong crowd came from churches and congregations including St. Paul's Catholic Church, First United Methodist Church, the Unitarian-Universalist congregation and members of the Shalom Center. The walk, which was born from a discussion between Rev. Bill Breeden of the Unitarian Church and Nathan Ainslie, president of the Islamic Center, was created to show support and solidarity for the center and the Muslim members of the Bloomington community.\nAinslie said he was exceptionally pleased to see the support from the many diverse faiths of the Bloomington community.\n"This wonderful idea has shown the solidarity that can be created when several faith communities show their support," Ainslie said. "This solidity says that an attack on one faith community is an attack on all of us."\nMaher El-Sarrag, chairman of the Islamic Center, said the walk will help to produce a stronger sentiment of community between Islam and other faiths. \n"Muslims are a part of Bloomington," he said. "We are neighbors, coworkers and friends, and this walk shows that the community cares for us like we care for the community." \nBreeden, who proposed the idea for the walk, said he wanted to do it to show that Bloomington is a tolerant, liberal community. \n"Bloomington's a wonderful, liberal city and intolerance is a very small slice of the community; tolerance and acceptance of our community is what we're truly about," Breeden said. \nJohn Bava, a member of the Islamic Center, said he expected 300 to 400 people to attend the open house, and to collectively display their support. \n"It's great to see so many people rise above the hate and show their solidarity, regardless of their different cultural or religious backgrounds," he said. \nThe Muslim Student Union at IU also played an important part in creating the walk. Shahaab Uddin, current vice-president, said the MSU was active in spreading awareness about the event.\n"We sent e-mails to students and helped pass out literature and round up any students and professors who are in town who could help us further our goal of spreading awareness of Islam and the true meaning of the religion," Uddin said.\nRepresenting the various faiths in attendance were members of the First United Methodist Church and the St. Thomas Lutheran Church, who explained why they believed to it to be important to show their support.\n"I wanted to show that I care about them and I wish them peace," said Diana Igo, a member of the First United Methodist Church. \nPastor Lyle McKee of the St. Thomas Lutheran Church expressed similar sentiments.\n"I came to show that I stand against hatred and violence, and I stand for peace and tolerance," he said.\nLawrence Moss, a professor of mathematics at IU, participated in the walk. Moss, who is Jewish, said he felt a certain kinship with the members of the Islamic Center following the attack. \n"Jews understand the feeling of being considered outsiders, and we wanted to be with the community at this event," Moss said.\nMoss estimated about 30 Jews participated with him in the mile and half long walk, despite the heat.\nMembers of the Islamic Center expressed gratitude and appreciation at the overwhelming support they have received since the attack, adding that the solidarity walk was the ultimate sign of support and belonging from the community.\n"The walk was moving, and the number of people here filled me with awe," said Aisha Sharif, president of the Women's Committee at the Islamic Center. "I feel proud to be a member of this community."\nIhsan Colak, a former executive member of the center, said he felt an overpowering sense of belonging as a result of the walk and open house. \n"When the attack happened, I thought we were alone," Colak said. "But with all these people coming here today, I see that we belong and it's such a beautiful thing"
(07/18/05 3:08am)
If you've never heard of the films "Toca Para Mí" or "Machuca", Cristian Medina hopes to change that with his Latin American/Spanish Summer Movie Nights Series, which showcases Latin American and South American films.\nAs director of the series, Medina, in conjunction with the Latin American student cultural center La Casa, is showing Latin American and South American films to provide a medium for Latin American discourse on campus. \n"I wanted to show people about Latin America, and I think film is a good way to get people talking about the people, landscape, history, and politics of Spanish-speaking countries," Medina said. \nThis is the first year for the film series, and Medina is pleased with the increasing attendance at each subsequent showing. Medina said he hopes the increasing attendance will raise awareness about Latin American issues, particularly since there is a large Latin American portion of the student body. \n"I want people to know more about Latin America and South America, and to erase any misconceptions they may have," Medina said. "This film series is basically a fun way for people to learn more about Latin America and South America."\nThis Thursday's film, "Machuca," is a product of the Chilean film industry, and received much critical praise when released in 2004.\nMedina, who himself is Chilean, said the film is an excellent historical film.\n"'Machuca' is a film that shows Chilean history, particularly during the socialism of the 70s," Medina said.\nMedina also added that the film received several nominations from various film festivals.\nAlthough the film series is scheduled to end August 25, Medina hopes to extend the showings into the fall semester, with the help of La Casa, who play an integral role in providing the films for the series. Medina said the series would not be possible without their help.\nLatin American/Spanish Summer Movie Nights is held every Thursday night at 7 p.m. in the Geology Building, room 126.\nThe series began on June .30 and will continue through August 25. Showings are free and all are welcome.
(07/14/05 3:24am)
Senior IU guard Cyndi Valentin was selected to be a member of the Big Ten Foreign Tour Team, the conference office announced Thursday. \nValentin will be one of 12 Big Ten players on the team, which is headed by Penn State coach Rene Portland. The tour begins July 17 in the Netherlands, and culminates on July 27 in Belgium. \nValentin said she wasn't overly surprised that she made the team, since she knew that IU coach Sharon Versyp had nominated her.\n"Coach Versyp nominated me for the team, and then she told me that I made it," Valentin said. "I was also sent letters and e-mails telling me what making the team entailed."\nValentin said she's enthusiastic about being on the team and is eager to play in Europe.\n"I've never been to Europe before, so I'm very excited to have the opportunity to play there," the Bloomington native said.\nVersyp said in a statement that she is delighted with Valentin's accomplishment.\n"She is a very hard worker, and should be a major contributor to the team," said Versyp, IU's newly hired women's basketball coach. "Anytime a student-athlete can get international experience, it is usually a positive and rewarding event." \nValentin said she believes that playing on the foreign tour will provide an invaluable opportunity to play against solid international competition, which will in turn help her prepare for next year's regular season play.\n"The international competition will definitely help get me in game shape and basketball shape," Valentin said. "The tour games will also help a lot, because I get to play with other Big Ten players, who I'll play during the season next year." \nWith the recent announcement of IU's non-conference schedule, which includes a home opener against the defending NCAA champion Baylor Lady Bears, Valentin said she believes this tour will provide her with some important preparation. \n"The international play is much more physical, and I think this physical play will help me get tougher and stronger for next season," Valentin said.\nValentin will depart for Penn State Friday, where she will meet with the rest of her team and practice through the weekend. The team will then leave for Amsterdam on Sunday. Valentin enjoyed a highly successful season last year, in which she averaged 15 points per game en route to be named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. \nAs a senior guard on the team, Valentin will likely share backcourt duties with a fellow senior guard, Crystal Smith from Iowa. \nThe Big Ten Foreign Tour Team has enjoyed unrivaled success in recent years, as they went 4-0 last year in Australia to complete their second straight undefeated tour. The team is 46-18 all-time since the tour began play in 1992.