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(07/25/02 8:23pm)
All year, football coach Cam Cameron has talked about the importance of being a mistake-free team.\nNow, it's crucial.\nSaturday, the Hoosiers (2-5, 2-3), fresh off an emotional win against No. 13 Michigan, travel to East Lansing to face the No. 23 Michigan State Spartans. \nIn the 26-24 win against the Wolverines, MSU was given 76 yards from Wolverine penalties, which Spartan head coach Bobby Williams described as "huge."\nNot good news for the Hoosier team that, despite a 56-21 route of Northwestern, gave up 66 yards on nine penalties. \n"We have to get ready for a different style of play," freshman linebacker Herana-Daze Jones said. "We have to get ready for an inside team that's going to line you up and run right at you. It's totally different. We're focused on State. We're not looking at past, we're just focusing on future."\nAt Spartan Stadium, that focus is going to be tested by several players on the MSU team, specifically junior tailback T.J. Duckett.\nDuckett, who pummels opponents with his 6-foot-1, 249-pound frame, caught the game winning touchdown against Michigan. In addition to that, he rushed for 211 of the 352 total yards for the Spartans (5-2, 3-2) and had 19 receiving yards.\n"He's just a regular guy," senior wide receiver Henry Frazier said. "We got (senior running back) Levron (Williams), and Levron's a scary guy. We've got just as much weapons as they do. I think we're pretty evenly matched."\nFrazier said that while they are evenly matched, the Spartan offense isn't likely to put up the same type of numbers as the Hoosier offense can put up.\nComparing Williams to Duckett, against Northwestern, Williams had 219 all-purpose yards. Overall, Williams has racked up 1366 all-purpose yards in seven games.\nDuckett has 878 all-purpose yards for the season, 844 of which are rushing yards. That's a 488 yard difference.\n"(Duckett) could have started in the Big Ten as a junior in high school," Cameron said. "We talk about high school guys going to the NBA. Here is a guy who could have given up his high school career and gone ahead and play in college. He was that good in high school. He could have been playing college football throughout his high school career."\nIn preparation for this game, the Hoosier coaching staff has mixed a few parts of the game up, specifically, the line-up.\nArguably most surprising is the defensive roster change. Junior Ron Bethel, normally positioned as a safety, has moved to linebacker. Bethel replaces senior Devin Schaffer, who slipped to second on the depth chart, and is listed with junior safety Antonio Watson as back-ups.\n"I can't really talk about our plans, but we do have a scheme for the game," senior cornerback Marcus Floyd said. "Basically we're just trying to stay focused. We realize some of their tendencies, some of the things they like to do and we've been practicing this week on just basically trying to stop them."\nBoth teams put up explosive numbers after the upsets last weekend, but Frazier said the winner will be the one who's most prepared for this game.\n"The team that dwells on the past is going to be in trouble," Frazier said. "We already put the win aside, and we're already concentrating on them. For their sake, they should be doing the same thing. \n"Our attitude is great, and we're ready to get another win"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The defeated Michigan State Spartans had silently filed off the field. The MSU coaches and cheerleaders were long gone, and the Spartan Marching Band was doing its post-game show.\nBut the Hoosier football team was not stepping off the field until it got what it wanted: the Old Brass Spittoon. It's a trophy that has been awarded to the winner of the MSU-IU game since 1950, and IU wanted what it rightfully earned on the field.\n"This is a tradition," senior quarterback Antwaan Randle El said after the game, holding the Spittoon. "When you win, you get the Spittoon. That's what we've been talking about all week. We said we wouldn't leave until we got it, but we got it and now we can go home."\nThe Hoosiers (3-5, 3-3) traveled back to IU after beating the Spartans 37-28 in a game marked by crucial plays made by both the offense and defense.\nBoth MSU (5-3, 3-3) and IU came into the game after emotional upsets last week, but it was the Hoosier offense that wore down the State defense and the IU defense that came up with important stops at critical times.\n"I don't know how you win in this league or any league anymore without making big plays in critical situations," coach Cam Cameron said. "There's too many good players on these teams and it's nice we have a couple of those guys. We've got some guys making some big plays on offense and now some guys making some big plays against pretty good players on defense."\nRandle El, who became the NCAA's career leader in rushing yards by a quarterback Saturday with 3,645, set the tone for the day when he ran 57 yards for a touchdown to give the Hoosiers the opening score.\nBut unlike the Wisconsin and Northwestern victories, the game wasn't an offense-dominated contest. The defense was called upon several times to step up and make stops. \nIt did not disappoint.\n"It boosts our confidence," freshman linebacker Herana-Daze Jones said. "We know if we play hard and give it our best effort, we could be a good defense. We just got to keep playing and keep playing and something good will happen."\nFor Jones, that good came in the form of an interception after Randle El mishandled a pitch to senior Levron Williams with just over five minutes to play in the fourth quarter and IU leading by only a field goal. \nBut with the ball on the IU 46-yard line, Jones picked off Spartan quarterback Jeff Smoker. IU scored the final touchdown when it took over.\n"When Herana-Daze picked that ball off, I tried to find him as quick as I could and give him a hug," Randle El said.\nThe IU defense, which has managed at least one interception for the last four games, came up with two Saturday. Jones' interception and the one by senior linebacker Justin Smith, who intercepted the ball with just more than a minute left, sealed the victory for the Hoosiers.\nThe week prior to the game, the players stressed the importance of being focused against MSU. The success of the goal was prominent when sophomore cornerback Michael Hanley snatched a ball tipped in the air by a Spartan player after Randle El punted.\n"I was laughing," Jones said. "(The MSU player) just threw his hand up and I was laughing. I was happy that we got the ball back. I'm glad he made that play."\nWilliams, who rushed for 251 yards to give him more than 1,000 rushing yards for the season, remembers just looking up and seeing that IU had possession again. He scored five plays later.\n"You just play and play and play for 60 minutes," Cameron said. "That's the story in my mind. Everything doesn't always work out like you script it. The bottom line is you have to score one more point than the opponent or hold them to one less. We don't care which it is"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Oh, how things have changed.\nLess than a month ago, the odds of IU repeating its streak of losing seasons were pretty high. Then came Northwestern and Michigan State, and suddenly the routing of Wisconsin didn't seem like such a fluke. Instantly, speculation surrounded the Hoosiers about a possible bowl game appearance, and senior quarterback Antwaan Randle El's name was thrown back in the Heisman mix.\nAnd now, IU is favored Saturday in the 12:10 p.m. televised game against Joe Paterno and Penn State. \nAt Happy Valley. In front of more than 100,000 Nittany Lions fans. IU is picked to win. \nWhat a difference a month makes.\n"I didn't look at them much in the beginning of the year," Paterno said in his weekly press conference. "I didn't look at them against North Carolina State or some of those other people. I can only look at them now, and they are a good football team."\nPenn State (3-5, 2-4) and IU (3-5, 3-3) share similar characteristics going into this football game. Both are experiencing resurgences after miserable starts. The Hoosiers and the Nittany Lions are in position to head to a bowl, but the outcome of Saturday's game will eliminate one of them from contention.\n Last week, just as Penn State was ready to roll into the IU game on a three-game win streak, Illinois dashed the hopes of the Nittany Lions, and injured their versatile quarterback Zach Mills along the way. Mills is listed as doubtful for Saturday, and his backup, Matt Seneca, replaced him against the Fighting Illini. Seneca threw three interceptions, and Penn State lost in the final two minutes of the game.\nMeanwhile, IU was in East Lansing, Mich., defeating the Spartans for a two-game winning streak, and building the confidence of the Hoosiers.\n"We've gotten to the point that we are aware of what it takes to win," Randle El said. "Our defense has played very well. That is where a lot of it is. Our defense has been getting stops in key situations. They held Northwestern scoreless in the first half. They scored 21 in the second half and had a couple of chances to score again. They kept fighting and wouldn't let them score."\nNumber-wise, IU outweighs Penn State in rushing yards. In the NCAA, the Hoosiers are third, averaging just more than 280 yards per game. The Nittany Lions are 98th, with more than 110 yards per game.\nWhile IU lags behind Penn State in passing yards, the overall offense per game gives the Hoosiers a one-up on the Nittany Lions. On the defensive side of the ball, both teams are fairly evenly matched, but IU has had more success forcing turnovers and getting to its opponents than Penn State has.\n"We knew as a team what we were capable of," senior running back Levron Williams said. "(The defense makes) a good play and (the offense gets) jacked up. When we make a good play, they get jacked up. It is a great feeling to watch the defense make plays, because we know they can play like that."\nAll the new attention and hype has passed by the Hoosiers, who understand that despite the revived excitement surrounding the team, there are three games left. And arguably none is more important than the one IU is facing Saturday.\n"The attention is great, but we can't get overconfident," junior tackle Bobby Brandt said. "The team is emotionally charged, but we're taking it one game at a time. We're trying not to look ahead, because that is when you trip and fall"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
What the Hoosier football team is really made of will be determined Saturday.\nNow that a bowl appearance is impossible and a winning season no longer attainable, pride and respect are two attributes the IU team can hope to take from this season.\nBut two rivals stand in the Hoosiers' way of ending the season admirably. First up is intrastate enemy, Purdue, who has won the past four meetings and is tied for second in the Big Ten. The two teams face off at 12:10 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.\n"Anytime you step on the field, you are representing Indiana, you're representing yourself, you're representing Indiana football," head coach Cam Cameron said after Saturday's loss. "Thank goodness (we've) got the Indiana-Purdue game coming up."\nThe Hoosiers (3-6, 3-4 Big Ten) haven't beaten Purdue (6-3, 4-3) at home since 1993, when IU beat the Boilermakers 33-16, and Purdue leads the series 49-24-3.\nThe Boilermakers highlights make a Hoosier upset seem dim. This past weekend, Purdue came from behind to beat Michigan State in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers forced six turnovers, including four fumbles and two interceptions.\nPurdue has caused 32 turnovers leading 58 points, and ranks second in the nation for turnover margin.\nScore one for Purdue.\nBut the Boilermakers defense has yet to face the record-breaking Hoosier offense this season. Compared to the Purdue offense, which averages over 308 total yards per game, IU gains over 453 yards, while its opponents average just over 415.\nThe Hoosier offense has allowed only four interceptions and five fumbles in the past nine games, while the defense has forced eight fumbles and eight interceptions. As for getting to the quarterback, IU has allowed an opponent through the offensive line a Big Ten-leading eight times, while Purdue has permitted its quarterback to get sacked 29 times.\nScore one for IU.\n"It's our rivalry game," senior tackle Kemp Rasmussen said. "Both Kentucky and Purdue are our rival games, so we'll still be able to get up and play for these games."\nWhile Purdue was fending off the Spartans last Saturday, IU was trying to win its third straight game at Penn State. The Hoosiers fell short of a victory, but senior quarterback Antwaan Randle El still managed to come up with 366 total yards.\nPurdue's combined passing and rushing yards totalled 266. That's 100 yards less than Randle El got by himself. \nWhile the teams statistics relatively balance out, what is really going to determine the winner this weekend is who is able to perform to the best of their ability, performance and attitude-wise. \nArguably, IU's biggest challenge will be overcoming the bitter disappointment of the disappearance of a postseason. For Purdue, their biggest challenge will be to escape an upset by the hands of a Hoosier team that has made a spoiling the other team's aspirations a habit this season.\n"We can win these next two games," Randle El said. "They're trophy games, they mean a lot. The traditions of it and all. It will be good to get them back home where they belong"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Senior quarterback Antwaan Randle El sat in the press conference after the game with his uniform pants on, black eye paint under his eyes and a big smile on his face.\nTwenty-five minutes prior to his entrance into the press room, college football's most exciting player and an inevitable College Football Hall of Fame candidate was taking the final snap of his IU career amid chants of "Antwaan" coming from the crowd.\nA fitting finale for the first-team All-American that was almost marred by the clash of the two teams following the game.\n"I don't know (what happened)," Randle El said of the fight. "I had my back turned really. I wasn't going to get involved but I had to, because they had one of our freshmen on the ground."\nBut soon after the brawl was calmed, attention was turned back to Randle El. On the scoreboard screen, Randle El's showcase on ESPN GameDay was being broadcast, and on the field his teammates were looking for him.\nJunior tackle Trevor Abbs and freshman linebacker Carlos Tipton got to Randle El first and hoisted him on their shoulders. The student section emptied out, and as he was walked around the field, the best player in IU football history had an entourage consisting of students, players and other fans.\n"I had tears in my eyes when I saw that," said senior cornerback Marcus Floyd, who had 11 tackles and the game-sealing interception in his final IU game. "He's meant so much to college football. He's a guy that does things that no one else has ever done in the history of college football, and to be able to play with a guy like that, I'll tell my kids someday that I played with Antwaan Randle El. It's just a blessing to be able to be around a guy like that."\nRandle El passed for 194 yards and two touchdowns Saturday. His passing yardage helped him bypass Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie and move into fifth place in NCAA Division I history. He finished his IU career with 11,364 total yards. \nThe game caps off a season filled with a variety of records he's broken, including the only player in Division I-A history to pass and rush for 40 career touchdowns. He is also the only player to pass for more than 6,000 yards and rush for more than 3,000 yards. \n"I think the way I was carried off, and chanted to by the fans, I think that said a lot. It meant a lot to me," Randle El said. "That's the way you should feel when you're done with your college career. You should feel happy. I can't really express my emotions right now, but it's a good feeling."\nAddressing Cam's future\nAfter Saturday's game, amid questions about the seniors' last game and the win against Kentucky, coach Cam Cameron and a couple of the senior players took the opportunity to address Cameron's future.\n"If Indiana University does not want me to be their head coach, they do not owe me a penny," Cameron said. "If the rationale is to keep me to save money, that is not an issue. Indiana University has done more for me than I could ever do for Indiana University. If they think someone else can do a better job, I would respect that and they owe Cam Cameron and (wife) Missy Cameron zero. That contract would be null and void."\nDespite turning the season around after starting out 1-5, the status of Cameron's job has been under attack since as early as the end of last year.\nThe IU Athletic Department has made no indications on any decision regarding Cameron's job, and even if any type of such decision needs to be made.\nBut while some outside the football program have called for Cameron's dismissal, his players had nothing but positives in regards to their coach.\n"I love him," Randle El said. "He means a lot to me. He's always been there for me and the team. He does a lot for his players, and I think that says a lot more than coaching itself. If you do stuff for your players off the field, as far as encouraging them and making sure they are going to class and doing the things that it takes to make you a good person and have great character and he's done that here at IU."\nSenior cornerback Marcus Floyd agreed.\n"Obviously this is the first time since he's been here that we've had so many big victories in a row," Floyd said. "Even though we've had hard times at the beginning, we turned everything around and he was an (integral) part of that. He kept us positive. He was a leader. He challenged guys to step up and he showed great leadership and it's something we can build upon."
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
At the IU-Purdue football game, there were two athletics directors in attendance. One was dressed in full black and gold, the other was wearing a suit with a Titleist umbrella.\nNo wonder IU's Michael McNeely wants to mess with the colors of IU. It appears he doesn't quite know what they are.\nEither way, McNeely's decision to "revamp" the colors at IU is a big mistake. Cream and crimson have not been a part of IU athletics for years, and all of a sudden, we're getting a new icon, logo and mascot.\nIt's been years since IU has been cream and crimson, so for many students at IU, the tradition is red and white. Sure cream and crimson is in the fight song, but red and white is what covers the campus. \nWhat is most ironic is that after supporting an academics first policy, McNeely brought attention back to IU athletics. First the academics, then he fired former football coach Cam Cameron.\nApparently, contradiction is a high priority for McNeely.\nWhat's even more interesting is that for some reason, the Poms squad had to find their own way to their national competition, because the IU athletic department could not fund the trip. Is that saved money now being used to employ the company hired to research new colors?\nSounds like a waste to me. Not university-oriented. And this change is supposed to be a good one?\nIt's upsetting that McNeely, who has been here all of nine months, hasn't consulted the students on this decision. For someone who is not visible to the students to be making such a big decision without even asking for the students' input is ridiculous. It's our school, our colors and our opinion should at least be made known.\nThere's no reason that the colors should be changed. If McNeely wants IU to stand out, maybe he should try different methods other than messing with tradition. Red and white tradition, that is.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
MINNEAPOLIS -- The tall forward with the No. 1 across his chest was jumping and screaming, his face bright red, with 40 seconds left in the IU-Minnesota men's basketball game Saturday afternoon.\nFor IU fans, it was the wrong No.1.\nInstead, it was a blonde-haired freshman that was celebrating the Minnesota upset of the Hoosiers. The Golden Gophers came back from a 11-point deficit to defeat IU, 88-74.\nRick Rickert led Minnesota in its disruption of the Hoosiers' winning streak with 27 points in 32 minutes, and in the process, made a strong push for his candidacy for the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award.\n"My game plan was to come out and guard (Rickert), and make him play for every basket," IU coach Mike Davis said. "But he's a big time player. Hands down Freshman of the Year. You walk in here in his situation and score 27 points, which is just outstanding. I know a couple of baskets he made we had hands in his face."\nBut this freshman phenomenon, who scored 19 points in Minnesota's upset of Ohio State and a previous career-high 26 against Penn State, was less than phenomenal at the beginning of the game. Rickert started with two missed shots under the basket and an early foul.\n"Basically, I played like crap, to put it bluntly," Rickert said. "We all started off not as well as we should have, but after a while, we got into the flow."\nShortly following the first foul, Rickert was taken out of the game for a chat with his coach, Dan Monson. While on the bench, Monson advised his big man to stay calm, be patient and that the shots would come.\n"He started the game very anxious," Monson said. "I took him out right away and just said 'We're going to get you plenty of shots. Just settle down, make sure you're playing defense and getting rebounds.' I think he did a good job tonight, where early in the year, when he had bad starts, he never got in the rhythm."\nRickert didn't have to wait long for his shots to start falling.\nLess than two minutes after being taken out, Rickert returned to the game, and made back-to-back shots under the basket.\nRickert drew a foul from IU's Dane Fife following his four-point run, and within a minute, had six of his ten first-half points.\n"In the flow of the game, once he hits a couple of shots he calms down," Minnesota senior Travarus Bennett said. "His skills are way better than average big men. He wanted to win, and concentrated the whole game for us."\nThe 6-foot-10, 202-pound post player had a better start to the second half, although at first it seemed he was going to be as jumpy as he was at the start of the game. He missed his first shot, and picked up his second foul soon after.\nBut Monson didn't have to take out Rickert as he did in the first half. He scored 17 of the game-high 27 in the second half, including a reverse under the basket shot, and two trey's. Rickert's calmness appeared near the end after he went five-for-eight to end the game. He shot 50 percent from the field, and was 7-of-10 from the free throw line.\n"I like him today," Monson said. "Rick is a player who is just scratching the surface as a player. I think he's getting more comfortable, and I think our team's getting more comfortable with what he can do and where they need to get him the ball. Our guards did a good job of getting the ball inside in the second half."\nBut Rickert's versatility under the basket and from the perimeter drew comparisons to the IU's Jared Jeffries.\nDespite similarities off the court, they were Mr. Basketballs of their home states and McDonald's All-Americans, their game style on the court is similar.\nJeffries can shoot the trey or dominate from the inside, and Rickert proved Saturday he could do the same. \nBennett, a senior forward, said that he saw similarities between the two, but thought Rickert was a better shooter, while Jeffries was more aggressive. \nDavis agreed that the resemblance between the two was undeniable.\n"Yes, yes, yes. They're cut from the same mold," Davis said. "(Rickert) can step out and hit the three. Defensively, I think Jared is better. But this guy is an outstanding player. The sky's the limit. If he stays four years, Minnesota will definitely be competing for a Big Ten championship. They are now. He's a good player"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
PHILADELPHIA - The city of brotherly love gave the NBA's best and brightest the freedom to be showy, clownish and silly Sunday night at the All-Star game.\nWith spectators such as lovebirds Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, the "Greatest," Muhammad Ali, P. Diddy and Magic Johnson, the East and West stars battled for who-can-be-the-most-impressive. \nTracy "T-Mac" McGrady stole the show, Kobe Bryant directed the scoring for the west and got booed in the process and Michael "Air" Jordan did his best to keep up with the young guys.\nBut the East was unable to repeat last year's comeback performance and lost 135-120. The East was down by as much as 24, but made various rallies throughout the game.\n"A lot of players, when they play in the All-Star game, they try to be too cool and they don't play hard," West coach Donn Nelson said. "They just want to run up and down, and it's an offensive game, and that's really not the way it should be. It should be that your priorities are still on the defensive end."\nIn front of a sold-out crowd of 19,581 at the First Union Center, the East turned the ball over 15 times, while the West was one shy of that number.\nBut how the West won was getting the boards. The West ended with 63 rebounds, led by San Antonio's Tim Duncan, who had a game-high 14. \n"One thing Coach Nelson said coming into the locker room (was), 'Remember what happened last year and we don't want to have that happen again,'" Duncan said. "We really did want to win, but it was great that we put a performance like that together; and really, we ran over them."\nBut aside from the numbers, the participants in the game used the opportunity to use some moves that aren't brought out during the regular season.\nThis was most evident with McGrady, who had 24 points off the bench, including a game-sealing dunk. \nMcGrady entered the game for Jordan with just over a minute left in the first half. And early in the second half, he brought the crowd to their feet by lobbing the ball against the backboard, and while the defenders were standing around, McGrady grabbed the deflection and slammed it in.\n"He threw it and I saw him catch it," teammate and Indiana Pacer, Jermaine O'Neal said. "That was one of the best dunks I have ever seen in a game. I have never seen anything like that."\nBut one of the worst dunk ideas came when Jordan attempted one on a breakaway and missed completely. \nFollowing the game, Jordan attributed his age to being one of the main factors he was unable to complete the dunk.\n"I laugh at myself," Jordan said. "It was one those situations where you've got a wide-open dunk. I guess every athlete who loves to create loves that opportunity. It's been awhile since I was in the circumstance. (But) I did dunk one. It was fun."\nBut while Jordan was having fun missing dunks and McGrady was having fun creating new dunks, one player was not having as much fun.\nBryant, who earned the game's MVP honors, was booed at the beginning, middle and end of the game.\nThe Philadelphia native had 31 points in 30 minutes, but it was not enough to convince the disgruntled fans who have the 2001 NBA playoffs still fresh in their minds.\n"The Lakers got them last year in the Finals," teammate, Chris Webber of Sacramento said. "I told him to enjoy the boos, because that is a sign of respect. I would love the whole city to boo me because I knocked them out of the playoffs. Obviously, they feel he is the reason they did not get a championship."\nBut despite the booing, each of the participants reflected positively on the weekend.\n"It's a wonderful time to just get away," O'Neal said. "You've been playing basketball for so long, it's almost like you have blindness towards everything. You see the same guys all the time, the same city; this is good to break up the monotony. It's like a big party, and everyone is having a good time. It gives you a chance to rejuvenate"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
If you listen to the critics, IU got hit by a meteorite. ESPN's Curry Kirkpatrick can eat his words: IU did beat Britney Spears and N'Sync and sophomore guard AJ Moye was right. Duke isn't the University of Jesus Christ.\nAnd 12 disciples weren't playing when IU beat the No.1 seed in the NCAA South region, Duke, 74-73. Last year's NCAA champs.\nI was supposed to be working at the IDS during the game, but I took a break to watch the game. I found a spot where one spectator would not watch the game, because he felt that he was a jinx to IU basketball ever since the 1993 season, when IU lost in a heart-breaker.\nHe wouldn't let anyone give him updates. He wouldn't even buy his own beer, he kept one hand over his eye while he handed his money to another patron sitting at the bar. Every time someone tried to give him an update, he shushed them, telling them they were jinxing the team.\nHis superstition worked.\nIU came back from 17 down. 17 DOWN! When they pulled within six, fans at the Upstairs Pub were on the stools.\nI was with a friend, and we went to Nick's. We went to Kilroy's. There was over a half hour wait at Yogi's. Out on the town was the place to be, and CBS was the station to watch.\nAfter IU was down early, it looked scary. I couldn't watch, every play seemed like a turnover into Duke's hands.\nThank god for the invention of half time. \nBecause when they came out of the locker room, the ugly number of turnovers was erased. IU played cool, they forgot what name was on the front of the Blue Devil jerseys.\nThey caused what seemed like thousands of fans to rush onto Kirkwood and to the Showalter fountain.\nThis time chants weren't "Bring Knight Back," it was "Davis, Davis, Davis." \nHorns starting honking and didn't stop. People came pouring out of houses and buildings. Cameras were flashing and video cameras were rolling.\nIU beat Duke. \nIU BEAT ONE OF THE BEST TEAMS IN THE COUNTRY.\nI made my friend pinch me, because I didn't believe it (although I didn't really feel the pinch, because I was wearing short sleeves in the freezing cold).\nI had to get back to the paper following the upset. But I found it empty. Everyone was outside on the streets celebrating, chanting, screaming and running.\nWho beats Duke?\nIU does!\nBut I missed the celebrations in the apartments complexes. Downtown wasn't the only place to be.\nMy friend lives in the Commons and he said people were pouring out to the parking lots. The same thing goes for Sterling University and the Hoosier Courts at Henderson.\nI haven't seen anything like this since Bob Knight got fired and the fish were ripped from the fountain. This time, the police were ready. The fish were already in safe keeping before anyone could pull them out. \nIt didn't stopped the celebration. It didn't stop the rush of energy and people, who finally have a chance to come together and rejoice the basketball team.\nGo IU men's basketball team. Go IU students. Go Mike Davis.\nYou beat Duke.
(04/17/02 4:30pm)
Matt Marketti has ridden in two Little 500s, has a championship ring from last year and is described by his teammates as modest.\nBut don't even think the Phi Delta Theta senior is getting on a bike without looking spectacular in his riding gear.\n"He used to wear the ugliest jerseys," teammate Brian Drummy said. "But now he wouldn't be caught dead going for a ride without the perfect bike clothes on."\nPerfect clothes or not, Marketti has had strong performances in the Little 500, and when the finance major takes the track Saturday, his presence will be felt.\nMarketti's team enters the race in the pole position after the team qualified in 2:23.906. During the first of the three series events leading up to the race, the Individual Time Trials, Marketti finished second behind Luke Isenbarger of the Corleones, with a time of 2.25.42. His score was .42 seconds shy of Isenbarger.\n"We don't usually look at (the individual events) too seriously," Marketti said. "Those are just for fun. If we do good we're happy; if we don't we don't worry about it."\nBut Marketti doesn't usually find himself out of the top positions.\nAfter the ITT's, Marketti won the Miss-N-Out series event. And with the time and work Marketti and his teammates put into the event, it's not surprising that he's consistently a top finisher.\nThe training begins for Marketti in the summer and continues into the school year. The coaches for the team came up with a training program that is based on a day-by-day schedule. In addition to that rigorous training regimen, the team heads to New Port Richie, Fla., twice before the race -- once during winter break and once during spring break.\nBut this veteran rider doesn't just put pressure on himself to train hard. He also puts pressure on himself to be a leader for the team.\n"It's kind of fallen on me to take over the team," Marketti said. "I just want to make sure everyone stays together as one cohesive unit and that everyone reaches the ultimate goal."\nMarketti has assumed the position of leader on a team that consists of four seniors, two juniors and a sophomore. He takes his leadership example from former teammate Josh Beatty, who was considered the leader of the team last year.\nWhile Marketti strives to be the leader that Beatty, who he describes as an inspirational person, was, the situations are a little different.\n"He's done a good job as leading, but he hasn't had to make as much of an impact as Beatty did," teammate Ryan Hamilton said. "There were two rookies on the team last year, and this year there are three of us with a championship ring, so that brings a good deal of experience. But our team has confidence in him, and that is a huge impact on the team."\nLast year it was only Marketti and Beatty who had experience in the race, and yet the Phi Delt team was able to improve it's fourth-place starting position and win the entire race.\nBut with three seasoned riders, Marketti and his team hope to add another ring to their collection.\n"I would love to repeat," Marketti said. "I want to also have fun and leave the team better than it was when I got there"
(04/17/02 4:27pm)
Matt Marketti has ridden in two Little 500s, has a championship ring from last year and is described by his teammates as modest.\nBut don't even think the Phi Delta Theta senior is getting on a bike without looking spectacular in his riding gear.\n"He used to wear the ugliest jerseys," teammate Brian Drummy said. "But now he wouldn't be caught dead going for a ride without the perfect bike clothes on."\nPerfect clothes or not, Marketti has had strong performances in the Little 500, and when the finance major takes the track Saturday, his presence will be felt.\nMarketti's team enters the race in the pole position after the team qualified in 2:23.906. During the first of the three series events leading up to the race, the Individual Time Trials, Marketti finished second behind Luke Isenbarger of the Corleones, with a time of 2.25.42. His score was .42 seconds shy of Isenbarger.\n"We don't usually look at (the individual events) too seriously," Marketti said. "Those are just for fun. If we do good we're happy; if we don't we don't worry about it."\nBut Marketti doesn't usually find himself out of the top positions.\nAfter the ITT's, Marketti won the Miss-N-Out series event. And with the time and work Marketti and his teammates put into the event, it's not surprising that he's consistently a top finisher.\nThe training begins for Marketti in the summer and continues into the school year. The coaches for the team came up with a training program that is based on a day-by-day schedule. In addition to that rigorous training regimen, the team heads to New Port Richie, Fla., twice before the race -- once during winter break and once during spring break.\nBut this veteran rider doesn't just put pressure on himself to train hard. He also puts pressure on himself to be a leader for the team.\n"It's kind of fallen on me to take over the team," Marketti said. "I just want to make sure everyone stays together as one cohesive unit and that everyone reaches the ultimate goal."\nMarketti has assumed the position of leader on a team that consists of four seniors, two juniors and a sophomore. He takes his leadership example from former teammate Josh Beatty, who was considered the leader of the team last year.\nWhile Marketti strives to be the leader that Beatty, who he describes as an inspirational person, was, the situations are a little different.\n"He's done a good job as leading, but he hasn't had to make as much of an impact as Beatty did," teammate Ryan Hamilton said. "There were two rookies on the team last year, and this year there are three of us with a championship ring, so that brings a good deal of experience. But our team has confidence in him, and that is a huge impact on the team."\nLast year it was only Marketti and Beatty who had experience in the race, and yet the Phi Delt team was able to improve it's fourth-place starting position and win the entire race.\nBut with three seasoned riders, Marketti and his team hope to add another ring to their collection.\n"I would love to repeat," Marketti said. "I want to also have fun and leave the team better than it was when I got there"
(04/12/02 5:30am)
When my mom turned 45, I told her she was halfway to 90. When she turned 48, I told her, "Nice job, you are halfway to 96."\nToday she turns 50, and I could be original and say, "Way to go, you're half a century old."\nInstead, I'm going to say, "Congratulations." The more I think about it, the more she should be praised for what she's been through in her 50 years.\nAnd why, you might ask, should she be congratulated?\n• Because she gave birth to a 10-pound baby boy, and followed that performance with a 10-pound redheaded girl and a nine-pound youngest daughter. Ouch.\n• Because she fed her youngest daughter in the middle of a Blackhawks hockey game, with two young children at her side and an arena full of drunken hockey fans.\n• Because she signed all of her children up in baseball, basketball, football, softball and dance lessons and managed to keep it all straight. There were no mess-ups in where the children should be and when.\n• Because for more than 13 years, both of her daughters took dance lessons, and she attended every dance recital, every convention and competition. Even when the performances turned into two- and three-night ordeals, she went to all of them, and videotaped the dress rehearsals.\n• Because she was at every school performance, science fair and sporting event she could manage. With three kids, she usually had to split her time between the games, but it was always split evenly, and she was always there.\n• Because despite how busy her children kept her, she managed a warm meal every night, a clean house and a garden.\n• Because she packed a lunch for each of her children every day until they went to high school, and even after that if they asked.\n• Because her husband was a sportswriter, which required him to travel with the sports team he covered. And when he went on road trips, she always packed his suitcase.\n• Because when her youngest child hit middle school, she returned to work. Just another addition to her busy schedule.\n• Because when her husband was diagnosed with cancer, she was by his side through every step of the ordeal and still managed to work, go to both daughters' softball games and talk to her son -- who was away at college -- every other night. Oh, and on Saturday's she was cheering on her beloved Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor.\n• Because when her husband died five years ago, she was left to handle the three children, two of which were teenage girls, a house, a mortgage and so on…But she was brave throughout the whole thing and continued on in the same strong-willed manner she had shown all her life.\n• Because even though it's been a struggle, she has put her two daughters through college and her son through law school.\n• Because she has yet to dye her hair, which is still its natural brown, even though most people would have pulled their hair out if they went through what she has.\n• Because even though she had a terror of a time dealing with her youngest daughter, she still loved and supported her, even when most people would have given up.\n• Because as much love as she showered her children with, she dotes on her baby grandson, making him possibly the most spoiled -- but adorable -- baby in the world.\n• Because she is 50 years old, has three college-educated children, two of which also have graduate degrees, had a happy and successful marriage, has a nice house, a good job, a lot of friends and a warm smile.\nCongratulations and happy birthday, Mom.
(04/04/02 6:12am)
It came near the end of the pep rally yesterday evening.\n"One more year, one more year."\nAs the IU men's basketball team was presented with season trophies, the crowd of about 5,000 started in on Jared Jeffries, urging the sophomore forward to stay at IU instead of opting to enter the NBA Draft in June.\nA laugh and smile was all the fans got from the 6-foot-9 athlete, but his answer will come soon enough.\n"I'm going to have my announcement on Monday," Jeffries said, prior to the pep rally. "It'll be (at Assembly Hall), but I'll let everyone know on Monday. (I'm not leaning) no where right now. I'm going to get a better feel for what's best for me and my family."\nIf he chooses to listen to the basketball fans at IU, he'd know exactly where Hoosier fans think is best for him.\nWhile Jeffries avoided giving a definite answer about his decision, IU men's coach Mike Davis cleared up a rumor that had been circling for the past week.\nDavis was quoted in various newspapers expressing interest in coaching for an NBA team. But when he took the podium at Assembly Hall in front of thousands of IU basketball fans, he set the record straight.\n"I'm the Indiana basketball coach," he told the fans, after he was greeted with "We like Mike" chants and a standing ovation.\nHis proclamation was met with more raucous cheers that filled Assembly Hall for nearly an hour.\nThe fans began lining up outside nearly an hour before the the 7:30 p.m. pep rally began, and prior to the event, the crowd was entertained by the pep band and IU cheerleaders.\nBut as rowdy as the crowd was while waiting, when the lights went down and a broadcast of both the IU women's championship game in the Big Ten tournament and the men's Oklahoma game were played, the crowd was on its feet.\nFirst the women's team, clad in Big Ten Championship T-shirts were announced one-by-one into the dark hall as a bright spotlight followed them to the stage waiting near the front, and the men followed behind, in the same fashion.\nThe women's team was celebrating its first ever Big Ten title, which they received following their upset victory over Penn State. The women also made it to the NCAA tournament as a No.9 seed. It was their first trip to the Big Dance in seven years.\n"Isn't it great being a Hoosier?" women's coach Kathi Bennett asked the crowd. Bennett thanked her team and showed her admiration of the men's team.\nThe women's team shared the stage with the men's team that finished the season with 25 wins, the ninth most in team history. The men's team won a share of the Big Ten title for the first time since 1993, and made it to the first NCAA championship game since 1987.\n"I hope everyone enjoyed the ride, because we sure as heck did," senior guard Dane Fife told the crowd. "This is the main reason we do this -- people like you who are there for us, win or lose."\nSenior Jarrad Odle joined Fife onstage to tell the fans how appreciative he and the team was for the warm welcome they received yesterday after returning home from Atlanta. Despite the loss Monday night to Maryland, fans still made it to Assembly Hall yesterday to greet the weary players.\nThe hour-long ceremony also included speeches from IU President Myles Brand, Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon and Bloomington Mayor John Fernandez, who declared April 3, 2002 IU Basketball Day.\nAnd despite not bringing home the national title, the men's players agreed that their welcome home was similar to those in the past.\n"A lot of people were congratulating us (today back at school)," junior Tom Coverdale said. "It's how our fans have been all year. They were great. It was no different today"
(02/11/02 6:25am)
PHILADELPHIA\nLast year, Saturday night at the All-Star Weekend was like sitting through a rock concert with a hangover.\nUgly, excruciating and most of all, nauseating. I'd made a few suggestions following the event as to how the league could switch it up a little bit to make it less painful. The NBA didn't quite follow all of my suggestions, but the changes they did make were well-executed improvements.\nFrom the improved slam dunk contest, which has been getting negative press, to the exciting three-point contest that went into "overtime" to determine a winner, to the brand-new three-on-three contest, which is a brilliant idea.\nSo now I'm giving my opinion on what the NBA needs to keep around for next year's Saturday night in Atlanta.\n1. Two words: Jason Richardson. He's a Michigan State grad, but don't hold that against Richardson, who is my new favorite player in the NBA. Not only did he bring fans to their feet during the dunk contest -- which is as impossible as talking to IU's Athletics Director, Michael McNeely -- but he won MVP of the Rookie basketball game. And as difficult as this is to say as a Wolverine sympathizer, he's impressive, and just starting to climb towards his potential. \nMuch better than the Pacers' Jamal Tinsley, who also played in the rookie game. His play made you cringe like you'd just eaten a lemon. Yuck!\n2. Two more words: Charles Barkley. He did commentary all night for TNT -- and I don't know what was better -- when he ripped on fellow TNT broadcaster, Kenny Smith, after Kenny got shot over by N'Sync's Justin Timberlake or when he felt "big" back in Philly, but that lately he felt "big" everywhere. There is no one like Charles.\n3. After last year, I said I never wanted to see a re-run dunk in the Dunk Contest, but now I am eating my words. The format of the dunk contest switched to one original dunk, one partner dunk and one dunk off the wheel. \nThe newly-introduced wheel was broken into sub-categories of previous dunks seen in past All-Star games. The MJ classics, Spud Webb's dunk and of course, Vince Carter. And wherever the player landed, that's the dunk they had to do.\n4. Okay, I do have one complaint. No more fan patrols or mascots. I understand they are filler for downtimes during commercials and such, but really. There are only so many times I am going to stand up and wave for a t-shirt or cheer for the Memphis Grizzlies grizzly bear mascot. Well, actually, I never would, so get rid of them.\n5. Going back to the wheel o' dunks -- it's much better for the judges to be the ones whose dunks are being imitated. Julius "Dr. J" Erving watches as three of his dunks got revived. He did a good job of not being too horrified as two of them were massacred. \nAll in all, the evening was much improved. Except for the entertainment, which included an old and bloated 80's light-rock favorite, Hall and Oats. Hey, I didn't say all the kinks were ironed out.
(02/01/02 5:54am)
COLUMBUS, Ohio. -- A week ago Thursday, the IU women's team was forcing turnovers in their 70-63 upset of No. 15 Wisconsin.\nLast night, the Hoosiers were supplying them.\nGood thing for IU, Ohio State was too.\nWhile both sides were battling over who could turn the ball over the most, IU (10-11, 4-6 Big Ten) solidified its unsteady offense and was relentless in its unpenetrable defense to get the win over the Buckeyes, 85-72. The 85 points was the most in a Big Ten women's game this season.\nAfter a two-point lead going into the half, the Buckeyes (10-11, 5-5 Big Ten) showed a resurgence on their offense. They started out by going on an 11-7 run to tie the game at 47. \n"We did some good things all night long," Ohio State coach Beth Burns said. "(But) we wasted some opportunities, and it was frustrating. We had numerous opportunities, but bottom line, we did not get enough stops to win the game."\nThe Hoosiers slowed Ohio State's initial second half offensive burst with a Heather Cassady trey. The senior guard's three-pointer was the first of 11 points as the Hoosiers increased the lead to eight.\nThe fouls and turnovers that were headaches in the first half continued to plague both teams in the second half. The Hoosiers ended with 19 giveaways to the Bucs' 22.\n"Heck, we won, I'll let them go," IU coach Kathi Bennett said about her team's turnovers.\nBut the turnovers did not cool the Hoosier offense. Ohio State held the lead once, and tied the game six times, but was unable to stop IU on the offense.\nThe Buckeyes drew within one with less than 10 minutes to go, but after Ohio State's Courtney Coleman, who ended with 20 points and 15 rebounds, drove to the basket, the Hoosiers went on an offensive tirade. Following Coleman's basket, IU out-shot the Buckeyes 22-10 to go on to victory.\nSenior guard Tara Jones, who averaged 5.6 points per game prior to last night, led IU. She had 12 at the end of the first half and finished with 21 points.\nIn the final run, Jones contributed five points, but was in serious foul trouble.\n"When (Tara) got her fourth (foul), I was worried," Bennett said. "Because she was playing so well and I felt we really needed to have her on the floor."\nJones fouled out with less than a minute to go, but three other players stepped up in her absence. Senior Erin McGinnis finished with 20 points, including two threes, and 11 rebounds. She was joined by senior Jill Chapman, Big Ten Player of the Week, who ended with 16 points and 11 rebounds, getting her twelfth double-double.\nThis is the first time in the Big Ten season that more than one Hoosier has gotten a double-double in a game.\n"It was great to come out of our shooting slump," McGinnis said. "In the second half our defense really picked up and we got some easy baskets. It was fun to play."\nThe Hoosiers jumped to a quick lead in the first half after Ohio State opened the game with a jump shot. The 2-0 score would be the last time the Buckeyes had the lead.\nIU went on a 12-5 run, and Jones, who hit a quick jumper at the beginning of the game and a trey just over a minute later, led its early offensive surge.\nDespite a strong Ohio State attack, the real difference in the numbers was in the offense. \nAside from the high number of three-pointers, the Hoosiers shot over 50 percent in each offensive category, including 58 percent from the field and just over 61 percent from the free throw line.\n"It sure feels good to shoot the ball well," Bennett said. "Offensively, the way we shot the ball was just great. Our guards really came through. It was a fun win, fun to score that many points"
(01/25/02 5:32am)
The women's basketball team proved Thursday night that defense truly wins games. By halftime, the Hoosiers had smothered the Wisconsin Badgers enough to earn a 36-29 lead, while forcing 10 turnovers.\nAnd it just kept getting worse for the Badgers (16-3, 7-2 Big Ten).\nFor a team that averages just over 18 turnovers a game, Wisconsin lost the ball 25 times.\nThat was enough for IU (9-10, 3-5) to upset the Big Ten leaders and the ninth-ranked team in the country, 70-63. \nBut not before overtime.\nWisconsin, who has lost 13 straight in Bloomington, came back with less than six minutes in the game to force overtime. With an under the basket shot from Indiana-native Tamara Moore, the Badgers tied the score 58-58.\n"There were no long faces," senior center Jill Chapman said. "Everybody believed. We knew that if we kept pushing, and playing defense, we were going to win this game."\nWisconsin's big shooter, Jessie Stomski, scored less than 15 seconds into overtime, giving the Badgers the lead for the first time since early in the first half.\nBut IU kept a strong offense-defense tandem that started in regulation to go on a 9-0 run and jump to a 69-60 lead. \nWisconsin attempted three three-pointers in the final minute of the game, but only Indianapolis-native Kyle Black's fell for the Badgers.\nWith five seconds left, senior guard Tara Jones sealed the game with a free throw. Fittingly, on the game's last possession, Wisconsin turned the ball over. The 25 turnovers were one shy of tying the Badgers' record. \n"The guards kept emphasizing pressure, pressure, pressure on their guards, and I think (our) posts and (our) guards stepped up tonight," senior guard Heather Cassady said. "It was a huge plus down the stretch."\nGoing into the half, the Hoosiers had a 36-29 lead. The 36 points were the most IU had going into the half since the start of the Big Ten season. The Hoosiers carried the energy created in the first half to begin the second half.\nIU led by as much as eight points in the second half before Wisconsin went on a drive of their own. After senior Jill Chapman scored under the basket with 7:09 remaining in the second half to give the Hoosiers a 51-43 lead, the Badgers iced IU, and came within two points with just over three minutes to play.\nIU pulled away with less than a minute to play, but Black hit a three-pointer for the Badgers to bring them within one. After Cassady went one-for-one at the free-throw line, Wisconsin's Moore, dashed the hopes of a regulation upset by getting inside and hitting the lay-up with 10 seconds left.\n"I thought we'd be okay," Wisconsin coach Jane Albright said of her team's comeback. "I thought we'd be relieved and settle in and play some good defense. I really thought we were okay."\nThe overtime start was eerily similar to the beginning of the game.\nThe Badgers jumped to a two-point lead before losing the ball twice off steals by Chapman and freshman Jenny DeMuth.\nBut while the Hoosiers were taking the ball from the Badgers, they also began to heat up on the offensive side of the ball.\nIU jumped to an early lead in the first half. Feeding off a strong defense, the Hoosiers went on a 15-0 scoring run to increase their lead to 23-9. At the end of the half, IU shot 48.5 percent. \n"The first five minutes, we've always emphasized that, too," Cassady said. "They're huge. You have to go out and win those first five minutes. \nThe Badgers went scoreless for more than five minutes as their leading scorer, Stomski, had a quiet first half. Stomski, who averaged 19.2 points before the IU game and is the third leading scorer in the Big Ten, went 4-for-8 for eight points. She ended with 14 points.\nWhile Wisconsin's leading scorer was experiencing an uncharacteristic drought, IU saw it's main shooter heat up.\nChapman, the ninth-leading scorer in the Big Ten, was 7-of-9 for IU, and scored 15 points in the first half. She grabbed four rebounds in the first half, three of them offensive. Chapman finished with 30 points and 11 rebounds.\nCassady, who finished with 11, and senior forward Erin McGinnis, who had 14 points and nine rebounds, complimented Chapman.\n"It was an outstanding win for us," IU coach Kathi Bennett said. "I just think about all the practice we've had with the defeats and there's never been a lack of effort or attitude, and I'm really proud of how we kept believing"
(01/09/02 6:16am)
The waiting is over.\nFor 34 days, the IU football team has been clueless about who its next leader will be, but was filled in yesterday after Gerry DiNardo was named head coach.\n"It's been tough, but that's life," fullback Jeremi Johnson said about the waiting. "That's the way things go sometimes and there will be more of those situations down the road in life. I'm sure of it."\nAround Memorial Stadium, flyers were posted informing the players of Athletics Director Michael McNeely's request for their presence at a 6:30 p.m. meeting. \nBut DiNardo was late arriving to the his introductory press conference, and by the time he and his family arrived many of the players had already gathered for the 5:30 p.m. press conference.\nThe players were not given privileged information as to whom the coach would be. Quarterback Gibran Hamdan said that the players found out about who the candidate chosen was about the same time as everyone else.\nFollowing the 15 minute press conference, the players and DiNardo met for the first time. And the players liked what he had to say.\n"All I need to know, he said I'm getting my diploma, (and) his vision is (me) walking across the podium with a championship ring on my finger," strong safety Joe Gonzalez said. "He seemed like he has a lot of emotion and I like that."\nGonzalez said that when DiNardo entered the closed meeting, he neglected to use the podium that was set up at the front of the room. Instead DiNardo walked around, pacing back and forth while informing the team of his vision of the future.\nAmong getting a championship ring and graduating, DiNardo stressed strong recruiting and gathering the right personnel to get a winning football team.\nDiNardo also addressed the issue of getting more fans to watch IU, and said he would do whatever was asked of him to gain more support. Ultimately, DiNardo added, winning would be the best draw, and that's what the players like to hear.\n"We as a team have something to work for and look forward to," Johnson said. "Coach is determined to take us to the promised land. Coach talked about how important it was for us individually and as a team to be successful, graduate and win."\nTomorrow the team will begin meeting one-on-one with DiNardo to talk about individual goals and to get to know each other.\n"Relationships take time," DiNardo said. "These coaching changes are very difficult on a team, so I'm sensitive to that. I don't expect a lot of feedback right away. I'm going to give them their space and we'll be close at some point"
(01/08/02 5:21am)
For all the hype surrounding the first IU football team meeting of the new year, the gathering lasted for all of 10 minutes yesterday. \nAnd no, the players don't know who is going to be named head coach.\n"Nothing," quarterback Gibran Hamdan said when asked what he's heard about a new coach. "All we know is that it could come in the near future."\nToday, in fact, is highly rumored by sources surrounding the team as being a good time to release the highly anticipated decision. \nESPN is in town for the IU-Michigan State men's basketball game tonight, and if the final contract negotiations work themselves out, a press conference could be held to name the new coach.\nThe list of possible candidates has swirled to preposterous levels as speculation has erupted in the month since Cam Cameron's firing.\n"We don't know anything," freshman linebacker Herana-Daze Jones said. "All we were told was to stay together as a team and to start lifting and conditioning."\nThe list seemed endless for the first couple weeks since the vacancy, but it appears the screening committee, led by Athletics Director Michael McNeely, has narrowed the choice to four possible candidates.\nOver the weekend, two of the possible candidates were in town. University of South Florida's Jim Leavitt and former LSU head coach Gary DiNardo both were in Bloomington over the weekend. DiNardo's last job was with the XFL's Birmingham Thunderbolts.\nAnother suspected candidate is recent addition, Gary Gibbs, Oklahoma's defensive coordinator. \n"(The players) did ask about the new coach," football Administrative Assistant Buck Suhr said. "They are anxious to find out."\nDespite rumors that both Leavitt and DiNardo attended the men's basketball game Saturday, Leavitt told the St. Petersburg Times that he was not at the game, and did not inquire about DiNardo's candidacy.\nOther candidates mentioned were recently-fired San Diego Charger's coach, Mike Riley, who is also being heavily courted by Stanford.
(12/06/01 5:52am)
The IU football team found out yesterday that its season ended as turbulently as it began. \nCam Cameron's firing was the final blow for a team that experienced the ultimate highs and the disappointing lows that accompany team sports.\nBut what a crazy four months it was.\n"There were a lot of ups and downs this season, but it was fun," senior center Craig Osika said.\n"Fun" isn't exactly the term used looking back to the first game of the season. \nThe Hoosiers traveled down to Raleigh, N.C., to face N.C. State on ESPN's Thursday night game. Prior to the game, much of the attention was focused on the "experiment" of moving senior quarterback Antwaan Randle El to wide receiver. His replacement was junior Tommy Jones.\nBut the game, as well as the experiment, didn't turn out to be quite the success the previously-confident Hoosiers expected. \n"A lot of people pointed to the experiment, but we just didn\'t play well," junior tackle A.C. Myler said. "There were a lot of guys that didn't play well that game and a lot of people try to put the blame on Cam or on Tommy not playing well, but it wasn't them. A lot of guys didn't play well that game."\nThe Hoosiers managed two late scores in the 35-14 loss, but it was not enough to overcome the seven penalties, three fumbles and the season-low 276 total yards amassed by IU.\nThe N.C. State game was the last time Jones played quarterback, and as for N.C. State, the Wolfpack finished 7-4 and faces Pittsburgh in the Jan. 1 Visit Florida Tangerine Bowl. \n"It was an eye-opener," Osika said. "Maybe we were just a little too over-confident in what we could do, and we just went out there and it ended up being a total mess."\nThe Hoosiers got an unexpected week off after the Sept. 11 attacks. But the week off, or even moving Randle El back to quarterback, did not repair the mistakes.\n"Utah is a good football team," Myler said. "They are 7-4, and they are going to a bowl game. A lot of people do see Utah as the team we should have beat, but we made our share of mistakes in that game. We didn't play the way we wanted to, but I wouldn't say it was as big of a let down as people make it out to be."\nIU let Utah score 14 points in the fourth quarter that lead to the eventual 28-26 loss. \nRandle El, back in his old position, rushed for 69 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the seventh quarterback in NCAA Division I-A history to rush for more than 3,000 career yards. \nBut that didn't prevent IU from heading into the Big Ten season winless.\n"There were just too many mistakes," Osika said. "A lot of the games we did lose we started off by beating ourselves. You can't win games early in the season making that many mistakes."\nGoing into the Big Ten season winless was not exactly the "statement" that the Hoosiers were hoping to make. And it would get worse before it got better.\nIn IU's Big Ten home opener versus Ohio State, the Hoosiers trailed by six points in the fourth quarter, but even a late 44-yard pass from Randle El to senior running back Levron Williams wasn't enough to avoid a 27-14 defeat.\nHeading to Madison to face Wisconsin with an 0-3 record was not an ideal situation. But what a surprising outcome as the Hoosiers won their first Big Ten game in a 63-32 route of Wisconsin.\n"We executed," Myler said. "It's amazing when you do things right, everything falls into place. We were executing perfectly. We were getting one, two play drives on offense, defense was getting three-and-outs and the special teams were doing great. Maybe (Wisconsin was) a little over executing."\nIndiana had 449 rushing yards, led by Williams, who rushed for a career-high 280 yards and six touchdowns on a mere 20 carries. His touchdown total tied a Big Ten record, and the game was the first time since 1890 that IU had scored 63 points.\nBut the "turn-around" the Hoosiers were hoping for was halted by Illinois and Iowa. The Hoosiers fell to Illinois 35-14 with a lack of offense in a rain-soaked Homecoming game. In a 42-28 loss to Iowa, it was the invisible IU defense to blame. \n"We ended up playing Illinois tough," senior defensive tackle Kemp Rasmussen said. "We were 7-6 at the end of the third quarter, and it just fell apart. Then you look at the Iowa game and it was the exact opposite. The offense was scoring time after time and the defense couldn't get it stopped. The defense just came out and laid an egg that day. That was bad."\nNo one was more excited than the Hoosiers for the bye week. The week off marked the beginning of the turnaround for IU.\nThe Hoosiers jumped out to a 42-0 lead in the eventual 56-21 win over Northwestern. This game was the first of the critical next five if the Hoosiers had any hope for a post-season appearance.\nBefore the game, Cameron told the press that "just because it hadn't been done, doesn't mean it can't be done."\nYet at 2-5, and the next game in East Lansing against Michigan State, things didn't look good. The Spartans were coming off an emotional upset of Michigan, and both teams were ready for this game.\nIt was the Hoosiers who were left standing on the field waiting for the Brass Spittoon to be awarded to them after the 38-27 victory. \nIU rushed for 489 total yards, led by Williams' 251 yards and three touchdowns and Randle El's 149 yards and a score. Randle El moved into first place on the NCAA Division I-A career rushing list for quarterbacks, finishing the game with totals of 3,645 yards and 42 touchdowns.\n"It was a completely different type of game from Northwestern because Northwestern is a finesse-type team where MSU was a real physical team," Rasmussen said. "I liked that we were able to win against the two types of football games. That was a lot of fun."\nThat was the first of the three trophies IU won, but before the other two would come the biggest disappointment. After high hopes, and legit confidence, the Hoosiers lost to Penn State, 28-14.\n"Disappointment," Osika said. "It's even more bitter now that we won our last two games, and if we would've beat Penn State, we would have gone to a bowl game. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. We would have won five games in a row. It's hard to swallow."\nBut the loss was made up for somewhat by two victories against bitter rivals, first the 13-7 win against Purdue, then the season ending 26-15 Kentucky win.\nDespite falling short of the bowl-game goal, the team was rewarded by gaining national recognition.\nThe All-Big Ten teams included Randle El, who earned first-team honors from both the coaches and media and was recognized as the Big Ten Offensive Player-of-the-Year. He also was named first-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America.\nWilliams earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and media, as well, and was named third-team All-America by the FWAA. Junior guard Enoch DeMar made second-team All-conference from the coaches and media and senior linebacker Justin Smith was a second-team selection by the Big Ten media.\nSeveral Hoosiers earned honorable mention recognition, including Rasmussen, Osika and Myler.\n"It was good on defense that we got four guys that got recognized," Rasmussen said. "It was pretty impressive."\nOsika agreed.\n"Whoever got whatever they got was well deserved," he said.
(12/06/01 5:46am)
Cam Cameron may not have achieved a winning season during his five years as IU's head football coach, but his impact on his players was undeniable Wednesday afternoon.\nJust hours after IU Athletics Director Michael McNeely announced his decision to let Cameron go, the players met with their former coach for an emotional meeting. \n"(The meeting) was very silent," senior linebacker Justin Smith said. "Most of the coaches weren't there because they are out recruiting right now. But coach Cameron was very emotional and you could feel the emotion. This program is full of people with character, and we've been through a lot together. Coach Cam will be able to bounce back from this and be successful."\nLess than four days ago, it was a giddy and excited bunch that talked to the press following a Kentucky win, but it was an uncharacteristically subdued group of players that discussed the fate of its coach.\nMinutes before the press conference, the players had to say goodbye to their coach. The players who met with the press looked shocked, and one player left before any questions began.\nBut instead of giving their opinion about the decision, the players talked about their coach and what he's meant to them and the program.\n"We're very close, and we still will be very close even though he's not a coach," senior quarterback Antwaan Randle El said, without his usual enthusiasm. "Not only was he a coach, he was a friend and I think that's more important than anything. He's someone you can relate to, that encourages you and gives you advice. He's a very close friend of mine, and we do what friends do."\nCameron took over the coaching position when the now-fifth year seniors joined the football program. This year's team was solely comprised of Cameron's recruits, and the positive way he lead and influenced the team was expressed by various players.\nOvercoming adversity had become the recurring theme for a team that started the bitterly disappointing season 1-5 and faced harsh criticism.\nBut even though people outside of the program criticized the program, it was the coaching staff the players credit with keeping the team together.\n"It's kind of a shock," junior tight end Kris Dielman said. "Everybody was jumping out of the boat when we were 1-5 and then we turned around and won out some big games. But coach Cam kept us going. I didn't expect this. I had a lot of respect for coach Cam. I'm shocked."\nOff the field, Cameron helped direct his team through a variety of personal tragedies that affected the team in the past couple seasons.\nMost recent was the tragedy surrounding Levron Williams and the death of his mother. During the meeting, Cameron reminded the team to keep Williams in mind, and remember to help him with whatever he needs.\nPrior to this season, the team faced misfortune when former offensive coach Pete Schmidt passed away from cancer, and also when the Hoosiers administrative assistant Buck Suhr lost his daughter.\nCameron guided the players through these situations, and to the 4-1 finish following the bye-week.\n"I thought he was a good coach," junior tackle Enoch DeMar said with a solemn face. "I liked him. Losing the coach that recruited you hasn't sunk in yet, because I think a lot of the parents had their faith in him. I know my parents had their faith in him, because he recruited us, he knows us. I was already disciplined, but he showed me how to stick to your plan and work hard. I totally didn't expect it. That's all I can say"