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(12/09/08 4:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While election coverage in the U.S. has dwindled, one IU professor is preparing to head to Bangladesh for another round of voting.Director of the India Studies Institute, Sumit Ganguly, will officially observe national legislative and executive elections in the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.Ganguly, a professor in the department of political science, will spend a week as part of a mission from the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, which is chaired by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.A native of the neighboring Indian state of West Bengal, Ganguly will be one of 36 experts examining the elections, which have been postponed since 2007. With almost 150 million citizens, Bangladesh is one of the most populated Muslim nations.“There’s a great deal of anticipation about these elections,” Ganguly said.University Communications spokesman George Vlahakis said the trip will benefit the University as well as Ganguly, who has studied and written extensively about Bangladesh.“Obviously, Professor Ganguly’s experience will enhance his already fair knowledge of the region,” Vlahakis said. “It should benefit his students in providing them with the on-the-ground perspective on one of the world’s largest countries in the Muslim world.”While citizens are eagerly awaiting the Dec. 29 elections, some fear attacks will be made on both voters and candidates.“There’s always some anxiety about the fairness of the elections, which is why there’s an election observation mission in the first place,” Ganguly said. “It’s reasonable to expect the elections to go off with a minimal amount of disruption.”Electoral disturbances include physical violence, ballot stuffing and threats made to candidates. While Ganguly said he does not expect major problems or distractions during the elections, he said it is a common problem in Bangladesh.“It’s hardly anything new or especially new or particularly unique to this election,” Ganguly said. “There’s always a lurking possibility of electoral violence.”Ganguly said the success of democratic elections, which occur every five years, would influence other South Asian countries.“It would mean that Bangladesh is making significant progress to democracy ... and hope to millions of people,” Ganguly said. “It is hardly trivial.”Vlahakis said this is one of the first trips an IU professor has made as an official observer. But Vlahakis cited current Secretary of Defense and former Hoosier Robert Gates as an example of IU’s dedication to world issues.“The University has an extensive history of preparing many people for careers in diplomatic service,” Vlahakis said. Patrick O’Meara, IU vice president for international affairs, also expressed his faith in Ganguly.“Professor Ganguly is a prominent scholar with a national and international reputation,” O’Meara said. “I’m confident that he will do an outstanding job monitoring the elections.”
(12/08/08 3:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Mike Freitag had little to say.After Saturday’s 3-2 elimination loss to St. John’s in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament, the Hoosiers headed home, one match short of the College Cup.“There’s nothing you can really say,” the IU coach said. “Everybody’s down. I just want to tell them I’m proud of them, I love them, and life will go on.”In its deepest postseason run since the 2004 championship year, IU failed to bring back an eighth national title. During the weekend, the team’s eight true seniors became the first four-year players to miss the College Cup since the program’s inception under former coach Jerry Yeagley. “I think (Freitag) was really proud of the season that we had, the progression that we made as a team,” said junior defender Ofori Sarkodie. “He was really sentimental toward the seniors. Those are a really classy group of guys. I don’t think we could’ve gotten that far without them.”Despite the final score, the match began safely in Hoosier hands. Sarkodie connected off a short pass from sophomore forward Neil Wilmarth in the 36th minute for his first goal of the season.IU tallied eight shots in the first half to the Red Storm’s three. Junior midfielder Eric Alexander boosted the score in the 72nd minute after receiving a pass from sophomore midfielder Daniel Kelly. Alexander’s third goal of the year gave the Hoosiers what some Hoosiers have in the past called “the most dangerous lead” in soccer.With 18 minutes left in its season, the Red Storm fired back.“There weren’t really any dangerous shots in the first half,” Freitag said. “They had some pressure, but it wasn’t until after we scored the second goal that they pushed people forward and their real chances came.”Junior midfielder Nelson Becerra’s pass to Joel Gustafsson in the 82nd minute finally put one past IU goalkeeper Chay Cain, who concluded the match with five saves. Sophomore midfielder/forward Sverre Wegge Gundhus tied up the game after a cross in the 88th minute. “We got a little bit off form,” said junior defender/midfielder Kevin Alston. “We came out real well, doing everything right. Toward the end of the half we lost our form and rhythm again. We started making some bad decisions.”Thoughts of cacti and armadillos faded in the 95th minute, when officials called Sarkodie for a handball in the penalty box. Becerra converted a penalty kick to book his team’s trip to the College Cup in Frisco, Texas.“I feel sad,” Alston said. “Any time it’s your last tournament and you don’t get what you want, it sucks. It’s not a good feeling.”St. John’s finished undefeated at home, logging 12 victories at Belson Stadium in Queens, N.Y. The loss marked IU’s first overtime defeat.After a season that saw upsets and surprises, Sarkodie said the team began to click at the right time. “We really cut down on our mistakes,” Sarkodie said. “We kept teams down to a low number of chances.”But as the Hoosiers settle back in for final exams, they will also prepare for the spring season, training for another run for a title.“We have to stay strong and stay supportive as a team, as a family,” Sarkodie said. “We got here by believing in each other.”
(12/07/08 7:55pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU coach Mike Freitag had little to say.After Saturday’s 3-2 elimination loss to St. John’s in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament, the Hoosiers headed home, one match short of the College Cup.“There’s nothing you can really say,” Freitag said. “Everybody’s down. I just want to tell them I’m proud of them, I love them, and life will go on.”In its deepest postseason play since the 2004 championship year, IU failed to bring back an eighth national title. During the weekend, the eight true seniors became the first four-year players to miss the NCAA College Cup since the program’s inception under former coach Jerry Yeagley.For more on this story, check out Monday’s publication of the IDS.
(12/05/08 4:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A little more than 20 years ago, a little-known high school senior asked then-IU coach Jerry Yeagley for a spot on the IU men’s soccer team.After an NCAA title, 10 caps for the U.S. National Team and eight years playing in England, Yeagley’s gamble on former goalkeeper Juergen Sommer turned out to be a safe bet.Coming out of Culver Military Academy in Culver, Ind., in 1987, Sommer never appeared on Yeagley’s radar.Growing up in Florida, Sommer watched IU capture back-to-back titles. As an incoming freshman, he appealed for his own spot on the team. “We already had all the goalies we needed,” Yeagley said. “We didn’t know that much about him, but he was persistent.”Sommer only expected a jersey and a pair of boots. Instead, he earned a scholarship and the starting position when he delivered a month into his freshman year.“You’re a little star-struck, but at the same time you want to perform and put your best performance out there for the sake of the team,” Sommer said.In his four-year term as a Hoosier, Sommer recorded 271 saves and 19 shutouts. Yeagley credited him to part of their 1988 championship – the only one won at Bill Armstrong Stadium.“We wouldn’t have been national champs on this field (without him),” Yeagley said.The NCAA Goalkeeper of the Year of 1990 left school that year. While playing for a club team in Olmsted, Ohio, Sommer competed in a tournament in Holland. Named goalkeeper of the tournament, he seized an opportunity to try out to play abroad after finishing school.“It was not very lucrative, but it was just the next step,” Sommer said. His first stop came in 1991 with Luton Town, then in the English First Division. Sommer struggled in his first two years. Cultural differences and a lack of playing time almost persuaded him to return, but Yeagley advised him to stay.“Even from across a great big ocean, he gave me another big push,” Sommer said.While he assumed the language differences would be minimal, Sommer found his new English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish roommates difficult to understand.“I felt like I was in a foreign country,” he said.It took some time to garner his teammates’ respect, especially when they convinced Sommer to eat “the most god-awful” food.“There’s a little walk of fire. ... You have to walk before they really embrace you,” Sommer said.Three years after signing in 1994, Sommer and his team reached the F.A. Cup semifinal match, playing Chelsea at Wembley Stadium. He was named English Goalkeeper of the Year. Two years later, he made the jump to the English Premier League, signing with Queen’s Park Rangers, becoming the first American goalkeeper and one of the first three Americans to compete in Britain’s most prestigious league.Another unfathomable dream turned real when he donned the USA uniform in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups. In 1998, Sommer returned to the United States, playing for the Columbus Crew and New England Revolution in the MLS. After his playing days ended in 2002, Sommer coached both the men’s national team’s keepers and Carmel United Soccer Club. His return to IU three years ago brought him from Ohio to England, through two World Cups and back home again.“You never quite really leave the nest,” Sommer said. Former Columbus Crew teammate and current IU assistant Todd Yeagley is grateful for Sommer’s help. “When he comes in, he might see something that maybe we’re not looking at,” Yeagley said. “He gives us a real fresh perspective.”Goalkeepers Chay Cain and Michael Munroe said they also appreciate Sommer’s help. Both said the father of two enjoys being around a group of young players.“He always wants to know ‘Hey guys, what’s been going on off the field,’” Cain said. “He wants to joke around and be the college guy he was 20 years ago.”Standing tall at 6-foot-5, Sommer’s stature made him a fierce and powerful presence in goal, but Todd Yeagley said he was also dependable off the pitch.“He gave you a calmness in front of you, that he can take care of his job,” he said. “Juergen’s a ... gentle giant. He’s very soft-spoken.”As the elder Yeagley reflected on Sommer’s career, he said the walk-on-turned-star exemplified the IU uniform. “It didn’t come overnight, and it wasn’t easy,” he said. “He showed it takes hard work and persistence, but that it can be done. That’s the way it’s been for Juergen all along.” He now works as a land broker in Carmel, Ind., and is a father to sons Tommy, 10, and Noah, 7, with his wife Susie, whom he met at IU. His life-long passion for the “beautiful game” turned his life into an unexpected journey.“I didn’t anticipate being a collegiate or professional or World Cup player,” Sommer said. “It just kind of happened. I knew I was along for a good ride, and I really tried to make the most of it.”As the current Hoosiers compete for their eighth national championship, Sommer is still on board, proving that one chance, one gamble, one risk, can come full circle.
(12/02/08 4:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While wind gusts blew and snow fell, students gathered in front of the Sample Gates to commemorate the lives lost in the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai.Through Monday’s freezing weather, members of the Association for India’s Development stood facing Kirkwood Avenue, holding poster boards with images of the victims.Computer science staff member Suresh Marru said the Bloomington chapter of AID – one of 40 worldwide – gathered Monday to show its sympathy and solidarity with the slain.Students held posters that read “Hail the martyrs” with pictures of dead police and military personnel. Others said “There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.” and “We feel the same as you and we stand by you.”Mumbai native and political science doctoral student Manjeet Pardesi spent his break in the city during the attacks. He watched television in his parent’s home on Tuesday night, as broadcasters announced gang warfare broke out. An hour later, the stations revealed organized terrorists were striking the city simultaneously.“The first hour was absolute and total confusion,” Pardesi said. “I was shocked, but these things do happen in India.”Pardesi finally left his home Friday and traveled to one of the sieged areas. He said the usual stiflingly crowded streets of Mumbai, formerly Bombay, were deserted.“There was a sense of fear,” Pardesi said. “Bombay has never had that. There was a palpable sense of fear, which I have never seen in Bombay before.”Student Tejas Totade said the 60-hour siege must have reminded Americans of Sept. 11. While India has been attacked before, Totade said the government must make significant changes in security.“I hope that the world community – people who respect freedom and liberty ... I hope they respect this incident as a slap on the face of democracy itself,” Totade said. “This is enough. ... Something has to be done.”Graduate student Amit Bhatia spent Thanksgiving break in Chicago and kept in constant contact with family and friends in Mumbai. He said a friend who lives near one of the destroyed hotels thought the initial gunshots were firecrackers.“What was more horrendous to see these are places – these are common places, layman places, where everyone goes,” Bhatia said. “What shocks us now is when we go back, it’s going to be scary whether we can walk freely in the city or not, whether we’ll be safe home in the night or not, everyday.”Bhatia said he watched television for three days, making sure his family and friends were safe. He said despite his fear, he will not let it paralyze him or change his future plans.“I don’t feel scared to go back,” Bhatia said. “But it’s just sort of unfortunate that we have to think before going out that something might happen. You have to take that extra precaution every time in your own country.”
(12/01/08 5:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While most students were enjoying their Thanksgiving breaks, terrorists attacked India’s financial and entertainment capital, Mumbai.The attacks in Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, began Wednesday and ended Saturday, resulting in almost 200 deaths and about 300 wounded. The extremists concentrated their focus on major hotels in the financial areas and a Jewish center.Political science professor and director of the India Studies Institute Sumit Ganguly compared the terrorists’ focus on Mumbai’s well-known Taj Mahal hotel to fanatics storming the Plaza Hotel in New York City.“It’s that brazen of an attack,” Ganguly said.Ganguly speculated the timing of the attacks could be tied to some upcoming regional elections.“Beyond that, it’s hard to speculate why it happened now as opposed to six months later or six months earlier,” he said.Jamsheed K. Choksy, professor of Central Eurasian studies, history and India studies, said the tragedy reminded him of the World Trade Center attacks, the London subway bombings and the Madrid train bombings.“They chose very visual targets, hotels where the TV images can be compared to the Twin Towers,” Choksy said. “They were going for well-known targets.”While some officials reported possible ties to Pakistani terrorist groups, Ganguly said it is too early to say who was responsible. But he pointed out that a possible link to Pakistan would only worsen standings between the two nations.“Indo-Pakistani relations will go into a tailspin if there is even a shred of evidence that links these attackers to Pakistan in any way, shape or form,” Ganguly said.Choksy, who was born in Mumbai, spent time in the Taj Mahal hotel during the summer when he was conducting research. With an enrollment of 597 Indian and Pakistani students at IU, Choksy said he does not expect any problems to arise between the two nationalities.“I think you will find student bodies from all groups coming together to denounce these activities,” Choksy said.“This is a particularly ugly time,” Ganguly said. “I can only hope that people will still conduct themselves in completely civil and cordial fashion and not allow personal relationships to be disrupted regardless of what evidence emerges.”With IU study abroad programs in Bangalore and Hyderabad, Ganguly emphasized the importance of students not being scared to travel.“If we were to suddenly pull out our students, then in effect we would be caving into the terrorists,” Ganguly said. “They want foreigners to flee India.”Despite the severity of the attacks, Ganguly said Mumbai’s 14 million residents need to continue their daily routine.“India needs to increase its vigilance at major airports and railway stations, major commercial centers, but at the same time people need to go about their business and defy these marauders who don’t belong to civilized world,” Ganguly said.Choksy cited the connection between the United States and India, especially in the field of technology, as a reason to maintain relations.“Whether directly or seeing from a distance, the most important thing is to understand we cannot allow terror groups to change the way we approach the world,” Choksy said. “We cannot allow terror groups to disconnect us from each other.”
(11/21/08 4:52am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Two days after the Lilly Endowment, Inc. announced a $15 million donation to IU for a “brain incubator,” it revealed another contribution – this time for $2.75 million.The gift will assist students with internships, as well as a collaboration between various schools and departments within the Bloomington campus and locations at IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU Southeast and IU South Bend.“Hopefully, this will result in more of our students finding good jobs in Indiana,” said IU spokesman Larry MacIntyre. “If that’s the case, then it will have been money well spent.”In 2003, the Lilly Endowment Inc. gave $5.5 million, “which was used to establish internship, service learning, job development and entrepreneurship programs,” according to an IU press release.Donald F. Kuratko, executive director of the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation and the Jack M. Gill Chair of entrepreneurship at the Kelley School of Business, said this year’s bequest will further the mission of the original donation. “We started to put a number of these things into action the last couple of years, but the grant is going to enhance our ability to do that,” Kuratko said.One of the missions of the endowment is to reverse the “brain drain,” in which students leave the Hoosier state after graduation, MacIntyre said.“We certainly want to do everything we can to help the state of Indiana, as well as help individual students from Indiana,” MacIntyre said. “This gives us an opportunity to do both at the same time. That’s why we think it’s such a wonderful thing.”The creation of the Bloomington Incubator, announced Tuesday, is part of IU’s new Innovate Indiana Initiative and will bring in new start-up companies involving technology and life sciences, according to an IU press release.Kuratko said he hopes to offer students internships with the new incubator. “We can help them subsidize what they can’t pay for in terms of paid internships,” he said. “It’s also going to help us create some experiential types of projects all across the campus to expose students more to the entrepreneurial perspective.”Kuratko said the grant will not only help the Kelley School of Business, but also the Liberal Arts and Management Program, College of Arts & Sciences, School of Informatics, Jacobs School of Music, School of Public and Environmental Affairs and School of Medicine. “Our big vision is to create the entrepreneurship campus of the 21st century,” Kuratko said.
(11/18/08 5:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Sitting at Yogi’s Grill and Bar, the IU men’s soccer team waited for more than its meal.The Hoosiers waited for ESPN News to reveal the field of 48 for the NCAA Tournament.After losing 1-0 in the Big Ten Tournament championship game to Michigan State, the Hoosiers will take on the winner of the first-round matchup between Saint Louis and Drake. The second-round match will mark IU’s first game back at Bill Armstrong Stadium since its 2-0 regular-season-finale victory against Northwestern on Nov. 7.The game will be played at 7 p.m. Nov. 25.The first-round bye will benefit the Hoosiers, giving them a week to practice, prepare for another tournament and allow injured players to heal. Having missed five games due to a pelvic injury, senior captain and midfielder Brad Ring hopes to compete next week.“It’s getting better every day,” Ring said. “I can’t say for sure, but it’s getting better.”Senior midfielder John Mellencamp said the week-long break might just give the coaches a opportunity to fit in some conditioning.“They just told us we have a 7 a.m. run tomorrow, so it’s not too damn nice,” Mellencamp said jokingly. “Basically, it just means (the coaches) get to put a little more pain on us before the tournament starts.”Despite winning three of their past four games, sophomore midfielder/forward Andy Adlard said the Hoosiers still need to improve on set pieces.“We’ve been working on them constantly,” Adlard said. “Teams really don’t create chances against us unless it’s through a corner or a set piece or a foul we give them. I think if we stay good defensively on set pieces, I think we’ll be just fine.With a win against Drake or Saint Louis, IU, a No. 6 seed, could face No. 11-seeded Michigan. The Hoosiers defeated the Wolverines 1-0 in the second round of the conference tournament Friday.Michigan State, Ohio State and Northwestern are the other Big Ten teams that received bids. IU coach Mike Freitag said it is difficult to determine what the NCAA took into account to determine the seeding.“It’s a crapshoot sometimes,” Freitag said. “You don’t know what the committee looks at – strength of schedules sometimes are important, sometimes RPI. It’s a compliment to what the guys have done this year.”Despite having two freshmen – forward Will Bruin and defender Tommy Meyer – part of the starting 11, Freitag said he has confidence in young players.“You look at all the teams that made the tournament, we’ve played the majority of them,” Freitag said. “So they have experience.”With the team clicking toward the climax of the season, Freitag said the players realize it is crucial to play well.“You better be doing it now,” Freitag said. “This is do or die. Hopefully we’ll be ready to do.”
(11/17/08 5:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Like a broken record, IU’s season is beginning to get repetitive. For the seventh time this season, the Hoosiers out-shot their opponent but failed to capture a win. For the fourth time this season, the Hoosiers came close to vanquishing a conference foe, only to fall short. For the third time this season, the Hoosiers could not build on a three-game winning streak.But the team is running out of time to justify its place as one of college soccer’s premiere men’s teams. With seven national championships and 11 Big Ten Tournament titles, IU’s legendary status remains. But with each failed attempt to acquire a banner, the Hoosiers find themselves at the edge of the road in 2008.Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament championship game ended a successful conference run, with IU defeating Northwestern in its final regular season match and adding two 1-0 victories against Ohio State and Michigan in the first and second rounds, respectively. In their defeat, the Hoosiers tallied 19 shots, six shots on goal and 11 corner kicks. The Spartans only managed six shots, two shots on goal and two corner kicks. But Michigan State’s senior forward Doug DeMartin, the Big Ten Player of the Year, recorded the lone goal, the only figure that mattered in the final box score.IU coach Mike Freitag said the Spartans did not pose many difficult challenges, they just took advantage when they had opportunities.“They weren’t a difficult team to handle,” Freitag said. “They just scored a goal. We handled them pretty well. We dominated the game for the most part, (but) they scored the goal. That’s why they’re the champs.”While IU headed home as runners-up, the team felt confident about several facets of the game.“I feel like we did well coming together as a team and battling as a team,” said sophomore defender/midfielder Rich Balchan. “We were well-organized in terms of spacing and overall organization.”Big Ten Freshman of the Year Will Bruin said the players improved on their focus, playing a full 90 minutes for all three matches.“We were clicked in most of the game, every game,” Bruin said. “We played our style.”Bruin and freshman defender Tommy Meyer received valuable playing time over the weekend, participating in their first “do or die” tournament. Their familiarity with high-pressure situations should help the Hoosiers in their quest for an eighth NCAA title, Balchan said. “It’s good experience for them, just to get their feet wet with a tough atmosphere like that,” Balchan said. With the NCAA Tournament beginning Friday, the Hoosiers have to wait and see if they are selected to the field. Last year the team, the No. 4 overall seed, received a first-round bye but lost to Bradley 1-1 (5-4 PKs) in the second round. The NCAA will announce the tournament schedule tomorrow on ESPN News. “We’re going to get a week of good practice in,” Bruin said. “If we keep playing like we’re playing, we could make a good run.”
(11/13/08 4:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The end is near.After a 2-0 drubbing of No. 11 Northwestern, IU will head to Madison, Wisc., to take on Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament, the final stop before the NCAA tournament.While only posting a 3-3 conference record, the No. 3 seeded Hoosiers hope to justify themselves as one of the nation’s top teams.Last season, the Hoosiers lost to Ohio State in the finals of the Big Ten Tournament after a nil-nil tie was broken with penalty kicks.Senior goalkeeper Chay Cain, who was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week last week, said one of the issues the team has struggled with all year is a lack of communication. While players have been relatively quiet this season, Cain said some of the communication is starting to pick up. “Some games it’s off and on between different players,” Cain said. “I think everybody realizes the season’s coming to an end and we have to do everything we can to stay in the tournament. Because of that everybody is being more alert, and everybody’s talking a lot more.”IU coach Mike Freitag said the players tend to be quieter this season.“It’s just their personality,” Freitag said. “We don’t really have a vocal leader on the team. It’s a skill the players have to learn, how to communicate. It’s something that’s a big deficiency, not just in my team, but other teams. Guys don’t talk enough.”Because the Hoosiers’ season has been plagued by inconsistency, they need to focus for a strong postseason. Freitag said the team has been working hard to cure its “casual defense.”“Inconsistency has given us some bumps in the road throughout the season,” he said. “Many people would be very happy to be where we’re at, maybe we have higher standards at IU. A lot of people think we’ve had a terrible season.”While the Hoosiers hold a No. 18 ranking, the NCAA listed IU as having the No. 3 Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) in the country.A team’s RPI is a formula that determines the difficulty of a team’s schedule.“It’s been a good season with one of the toughest schedules in the country,” Freitag said.Junior defender Ofori Sarkodie said the Hoosiers have improved since their close 3-2 OT win against the Buckeyes. Back in October, IU had a 2-0 lead and let Ohio State tie up the match. Sophomore midfielder Andy Adlard rescued the Hoosiers with a successful free kick.“We’re focusing on maintaining our performance, eliminating mistakes, being more efficient, playing a full 90 minutes, communicating more so as not to give them those (scoring) opportunities,” Sarkodie said.IU will still be without the services of senior midfielder Brad Ring, who has missed the past three games with a pelvic injury, according to his coach. He will travel with the team, but is not expected to play. Cain said Ring’s experience and advice will assist the players.“He can help some of the younger guys,” Cain said. “He can talk to people at halftime, after the games. It’s like having another coach.”From upset wins to surprising losses, the season has had its unexpected twists. But sophomore forward Neil Wilmarth said the team is prepared.“It’s been a rollercoaster year,” Wilmarth said. “We’re starting to click. I think we’re ready to play. Everybody’s going full cylinders.”
(11/10/08 5:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Like Jordan and Pippen, Montana and Rice, sophomore forward/midfielder Andy Adlard and freshman forward Will Bruin make a good couple.Bruin’s header off Adlard’s corner kick in the 26th minute gave IU a 1-0 lead in Friday’s match. Together the duo has scored 10 out of the 26 total team goals for the season. They have also notched a combined total of five game-winning goals. Later in the game, Adlard notched another assist when senior midfielder John Mellencamp put the ball near the right post after Adlard’s miss in the 38th minute for a 2-0 advantage.“I was relieved almost (after Bruin scored),” Adlard said. “We have so many chances in corners, and we’re finally putting them away. Will made a good run in the box, got where he needed to be and finished it well.”Despite it being Senior Night, it took a freshman and a sophomore to close out the Hoosiers’ regular season with a Big Ten win and a No. 3 seed in the conference tournament. IU finished the regular season 10-5-3, a two-win drop from last season’s 12-4-3 season tally. IU also recorded a 3-3 conference record, down from 5-0-2.While IU has struggled against poorer teams, the Hoosiers’ victory improved their record against ranked teams to 4-0-2. IU coach Mike Freitag said the team needs to improve its mentality and come prepared to face every team, no matter its standing.“I think it’s all between the ears,” Freitag said. “It’s not hard to get up for the big games. It’s sometimes hard to get up for teams you think you’re supposed to be better than.”The team tallied 20 shots in the match, making up for a lack of offensive presence in their previous two matches against Kentucky and Penn State.“When we played ranked teams, we come out and we are more aggressive,” Mellencamp said. “It’s like we want it more. But as the season draws to an end, there’s not going to be any game left that isn’t a big game.”Coming off a 1-0 loss to Penn State and only six days away from the Big Ten Tournament, the Hoosiers’ win provides momentum for a team whose season has been unpredictable.“It definitely helps build confidence as we go into the tournament, which is crucial for us,” Mellencamp said.The Hoosiers will also have to deal with the absence of senior Brad Ring, who missed his third consecutive match. Freshman defender Tommy Meyer and sophomore midfielder Rich Balchan substituted for Ring.“Obviously it’s tough to adjust to that,” Mellencamp said. “With a couple games under our belts, we’ve kind of learned how to communicate with each other, how to maintain our shape, what players’ tendencies are.”Their familiarity will be vital as the Big Ten Tournament begins this week. Last year, IU captured the Big Ten regular season championship but lost to Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament final 0-0 (5-4 PKs). The Hoosiers will take on the Buckeyes in the first round on Thursday.If they want to bring home hardware this year, the team might have to rely on its duo.
(11/06/08 4:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Typically a forgotten demographic, youth voters created a big splash Tuesday night. The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement reported between 21.6 million and 23.9 million 18- to 29-year-olds participated in Tuesday’s election, at least a 2 million voter increase from 2004. On campus, Indiana Public Interest Research Group reported at least a 287 percent increase from 2004 among IU students. President of IU College Democrats Anna Strand said the young voters’ influence in the race shows a changing attitude toward their ability to sway elections.“We have control over these things,” Strand said. “People have also decided ‘I am going to vote, I have the right and opportunity to have my voice heard.’ I think that’s what we see this year, people taking control of their country.”IU College Republicans chairwoman Chelsea Kane said she expects both parties to reach out more to young voters. However, Kane said she was disappointed in students who voted for Obama because they were captivated by his rhetoric.“I think if you’re voting based on the eloquence and charisma of a candidate, you probably don’t need to be voting at all,” Kane said. “That’s not what America is about. We’re supposed to be voting for the best man for the office. This is not about how well you speak. This is about what you can do for this country.”Political science senior lecturer Christine Barbour said President-elect Barack Obama’s request for support from younger voters led to their overwhelming support.“Most candidates forget young people are there,” Barbour said. “They assume they don’t participate, and so they don’t really try to engage them. I’ve seen a couple of times where a politician reached a hand out and said ‘I want your support’ and speak to issues young people care about, and he did it.”Barbour said the 2004 presidential race served as a catalyst for 2008’s monumental results. “There is a huge reaction among younger people toward the war in Iraq, which spurred much of the support for (John) Kerry (in 2004),” Barbour said. “I think young people are not particularly engaged by the Bush administration.” After working at the Obama headquarters, Strand said many of the volunteers were teenagers in high school. She cited one 14-year-old boy who volunteered for hours daily and was as informed as Strand’s fellow college students. “I think that the trickle-down effect is undeniable,” she said. “These kids are already engaged.”Barbour agreed, saying Americans should count on this current generation’s future activism. However, Barbour cautioned against depending on younger teens who might grow up in a less politically volatile time. “Once you do get involved, you tend to stay more engaged,” she said. “That’s not to say those behind you will participate. If we get out of the war and the economy improves, if people get fat and happy again, I can imagine people will have the luxury of tuning out again.” Associate professor of psychology Edward R. Hirt said Obama’s fresh perspective and eloquent personality drew voters to him. “People were able to relate to Obama as a candidate in a way we haven’t had in similar elections,” Hirt said. “His popularity among young voters was kind of unprecedented in the last few elections.”Hirt compared Obama’s likability among the younger demographic to John F. Kennedy. Like Obama’s groundbreaking victory, Kennedy was elected as the first Catholic and youngest elected president. He also brought a young wife and two young children to the White House. “All those things made (Kennedy) kind of more appealing to a different generation of people,” Hirt said. “There do seem to be some nice connections there between how excited people are and how motivating he was.”Looking toward the future, Hirt said it seems impossible to predict whether Tuesday’s surge was a fluke or a turning of the tide.“I think it kind of depends on who the other candidates are, how much of a need for change and motivate versus satisfaction and status quo in future elections,” Hirt said. “It certainly seemed this (election) was at a pivotal time in our nation’s history.”
(11/05/08 7:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A fight between two long-time rivals ended in a landslide Tuesday. Democratic incumbent Baron Hill soundly defeated Republican challenger Mike Sodrel to claim the 9th Congressional District seat. With 96 percent of precincts reporting, Hill captured 57 percent of the vote while Sodrel, a former one-term congressman, won 39 percent. Libertarian candidate Eric Schansberg won 4 percent. Hill was first elected in 1998 and was re-elected in 2000 and 2002. In 2004 Sodrel defeated Hill for his only term, but Hill regained the seat in 2006. Two years ago, the margin of Hill’s victory was only 4 percent. In that election, Schansberg also claimed 4 percent. Sodrel conceded the race at about 9 p.m. Tuesday.“I’m grateful to my family, friends and great volunteers that have supported me in this race,” Sodrel said in a statement. “I have known victory, and I have known defeat. I am at peace with the outcome.”Hill said in a press release that he was grateful to be chosen again.“It is with deep and heartfelt gratitude that I thank the people of southern Indiana for allowing me to continue serving in Congress,” Hill said in the statement.Schansberg, an economics professor at IU-Southeast New Albany, said he thought campaigning in a presidential year made the race more difficult for him. While voters seem worried about the economy, Schansberg said a lack of overwhelming support made him doubt their true concern.“People say they want change, but they have an economics professor in a time when that kind of expertise would seem to be pretty welcome,” Schansberg said. “It’s odd people don’t vote for that more often.”Hill’s vote against Congress’ $300 billion bailout, Schansberg said, was a key factor in his victory. Despite getting his issues out there, Schansberg said he expected a higher percentage of support.“It’s a platform to talk about things that don’t get talked about if I wasn’t in there,” Schansberg said. “I’m not disappointed in the sense we did everything we could do. I am disappointed in the numbers.” As the country faces an economic crisis, Hill promised to be an “independent voice.” “This is a critical point in our nation’s history,” Hill said in a release, “and while we face very difficult problems, I am eager to get back to Washington and address those issues head on.”
(11/04/08 5:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Junior AnnElyse Gibbons only wants two things after Tuesday’s election: to sleep and catch up on homework.As president of Students for Baron Hill, an executive board member of IU Students for Barack Obama and secretary for the IU College Democrats, campaign season has been busy for her.President of IU College Democrats Anna Strand also said the campaign has affected her sleep cycle, limiting her to a few hours a night.“I haven’t slept in a couple days,” Strand said. “I’m still, unfortunately, a full-time student and writing 30-page papers. I’m trying not to let anything slide. I’m excited for my own personal benefit to have a breather, but it’s been the most incredible thing you can be a part of.”Gibbons, who will be working as a poll site manager for a precinct on Election Day, has spent two years campaigning for the Democratic party. After dedicating her college career to the campaign, Gibbons said she is anticipating today’s results.“We work for this moment,” Gibbons said. “We go through and play (Obama’s) ‘Yes We Can’ speech to keep reminding us and keep motivating us.”For the final days of the election, Gibbons has been handing out literature and canvassing voters. She said one of the main mistakes voters make on Election Day is not going to the correct polling site.Strand said being around Obama’s campaign since the beginning makes Election Day all the more meaningful.“This is the most exciting thing in the world right now,” Strand said. “I helped start Students for Barack Obama when he was a complete dark horse candidate. To see what’s happened since then has been absolutely incredible.”The thrill of registering voters, Gibbons said, stuck out in her mind as one of her favorite campaign moments.“Knowing that maybe because I took the extra step, that maybe it caused them to cast their ballot,” Gibbons said. “That means a lot to me. We’re talking about our age, 18- to 25-year-olds, a generation that usually doesn’t have this much political involvement.”Strand had a similar experience while canvassing in Cincinnati. While campaigning in what she described as an unsafe area, she and fellow Democrats spoke with a woman who had “lost faith” in politicians. After talking to Strand, the woman assured them she would cast a vote for Obama.“She said, ‘just the fact you guys came out to talk to us, I’m going to vote for him,’” Strand said. “I think that is the most fulfilling moment.”For those organizing, where they will possibly celebrate the results is still a mystery.“We’re not done (campaigning),” Strand said. “We’re not done here until the polls close. A lot of us haven’t thought about where we’ll be.”For those involved, tonight will be a bittersweet end to a long journey.“Hopefully I’ll be able to rest easy Tuesday night and wake up very happy Wednesday morning, knowing my hard work has paid off,” Gibbons said.
(11/04/08 12:49am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Junior AnnElyse Gibbons only wants two things after Tuesday’s election: to sleep and catch up on homework.As president of Students for Baron Hill, an executive board member of IU Students for Barack Obama and secretary for the IU College Democrats, campaign season has been busy for her.President of IU College Democrats Anna Strand also said the campaign has affected her sleep cycle, limiting her to a few hours a night.“I haven’t slept in a couple days,” Strand said. “I’m still, unfortunately, a full-time student and writing 30-page papers. I’m trying not to let anything slide. I’m excited for my own personal benefit to have a breather, but it’s been the most incredible thing you can be a part of.”Gibbons, who will be working as a poll site manager for a precinct on Election Day, has spent two years campaigning for the Democratic party. After dedicating her college career to the campaign, Gibbons said she is anticipating tonight’s results.“We work for this moment,” Gibbons said. “We go through and play (Obama’s) ‘Yes We Can’ speech to keep reminding us and keep motivating us.”For the final days of the election, Gibbons has been handing out literature and canvassing voters. She said one of the main mistakes voters make on Election Day is not going to the correct polling site.Strand said being around Obama’s campaign since the beginning makes Election Day all the more meaningful.“This is the most exciting thing in the world right now,” Strand said. “I helped start Students for Barack Obama when he was a complete dark horse candidate. To see what’s happened since then has been absolutely incredible.”The thrill of registering voters, Gibbons said, stuck out in her mind as one of her favorite campaign moments.“Knowing that maybe because I took the extra step, that maybe it caused them to cast their ballot,” Gibbons said. “That means a lot to me. We’re talking about our age, 18- to 25-year-olds, a generation that usually doesn’t have this much political involvement.”Strand had a similar experience while canvassing in Cincinnati. While campaigning in what she described as an unsafe area, she and fellow Democrats spoke with a woman who had “lost faith” in politicians. After talking to Strand, the woman assured them she would cast a vote for Obama.“She said, ‘just the fact you guys came out to talk to us, I’m going to vote for him,’” Strand said. “I think that is the most fulfilling moment.”For those organizing, where they will possibly celebrate the results is still a mystery.“We’re not done (campaigning),” Strand said. “We’re not done here until the polls close. A lot of us haven’t thought about where we’ll be.”For those involved, tonight will be a bittersweet end to a long journey.“Hopefully I’ll be able to rest easy Tuesday night and wake up very happy Wednesday morning, knowing my hard work has paid off,” Gibbons said.
(11/03/08 4:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>If one considers the skimpy costumes and barrage of parties stereotypical of Halloween, then skeletons and paper flowers could be the iconic symbols of Dia De Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.Students from Foster Quadrangle gathered inside Foster-Harper Formal Lounge on Sunday night to celebrate the Hispanic holiday. The event was sponsored by the Latino Cultural Center, Foster International Living-Learning Center, Global Village Living-Learning Center and Foster Quadrangle.Foster Residence Coordinator Zelideh Cabada said Dia De Los Muertos marks a day when Hispanic citizens gather to remember their deceased relatives and commemorate their lives. The holiday is a combination of both Christian and indigenous cultures. While Day of the Dead is celebrated in many Hispanic countries, Sunday’s event focused on its celebration in Mexico. “The whole point of it is going back, having a day to remember the dead and remembering their life,” Cabada said. “Basically, it’s celebrating life through death.”Some of the activities included flower paper tissue making, as well as Papel Picado, a “Hispanic snowflake” used to decorate altars and graves. The bright multi-colored flowers create an attractive atmosphere for the deceased to welcome them back, Cabada said.Foster Resident Assistant Jorge Wellmann led the participants in a modified Quema del Diablo, or burning of the devil. Wellmann distributed pieces of paper with cartoon devil images and had the attendees write down any problems in their lives. He then placed them in a shredder to rid them of their problems.Wellmann said while the holiday continues on, its history is becoming less important for the youth. “For my brother and I, it was ‘let’s go trick-or-treating,’” Wellmann said. “That’s where you can see the divide and the family history being lost.”Cabada and others served tamales, Pan de Muerto, sweet bread, rice, beans, corn and traditional Mexican candy. Another custom includes cleaning the graves, making them welcoming with flowers and food and showing respect for loved ones. Sophomore Willy Hernandez, Foster resident and volunteer at La Casa, helped participants make flowers to take with them. He said family members try and make the altars look as unique as possible to represent the dead. “You want to make it as creative, as much as ‘them’ as possible,” Hernandez said. “Whatever they like, you put on the altar.”Sophomore Samantha Moulier, an RA at Foster Jenkinson, summarized the celebration.“It’s a time to be happy, not sad,” she said.
(10/31/08 3:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Rock star. War hero. Small town beauty queen.Through YouTube, Facebook and “Saturday Night Live,” pop culture stereotypes of Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin are permeating this year’s election.Political science professor Edward G. Carmines said the rapid spread of the Internet since the 2004 election and the simplification of the candidates have been felt more strongly by teens and young adults than any other demographic. “Young people are now more likely to watch the candidates on popular culture than they are in terms of the mainstream media,” Carmines said. “I think they’ve had a big impact generally, but the impact’s been especially pronounced among young people.”Associate Communication and Culture Professor Jonathan Simons said politicians are no longer solely policy makers, but also personalities as fascinating to the American public as those of any movie star.“The kind of popularity that some of the candidates are going for is very similar to the popularity that there is for celebrities,” Simons said. “Some scholars of politics and political culture have been commenting recently that candidates have to be political celebrities, but that doesn’t take someone all the way.”Simons said Obama’s youth and diverse background attract more attention than McCain or Sen. Joe Biden, while Palin’s gender and good looks also invite media interest usually reserved for Hollywood starlets.“You don’t have many gray suits who kind of come across as celebrities,” Simons said. “That’s not the way that kind of popularity is built.”Despite the relative novelty of video-based Web sites and social networks, there is a pattern of new technology influencing voters. Department of Telecommunications Associate Professor Julia Fox said the influence of the Internet in this election compares to the impact that TV had originally, such as in the Nixon and Kennedy debates, or the invention of cable television in the early 1990s.“Kennedy clearly understood the importance of TV, and Nixon didn’t,” Fox said. She cited President Clinton’s appearance on MTV in “Choose or Lose: Facing the Future with Bill Clinton” as a strategy to gain popularity with youth voters through celebrity.“Clinton came off very well,” Fox said. “All kinds of those appearances previously would have been considered not presidential – talk shows and MTV. He did all kinds of things. The other candidates had to kind of follow suit. Now you have even more with the Internet. The candidates all have their Web ads as well as their TV ads.”Even though Palin has been typecast as a folksy airhead by Tina Fey’s parody of the running mate on SNL, Simons said Palin is an icon to some older conservatives.“We shouldn’t forget, pop culture isn’t just hip hop – it’s also gun culture, hunting culture,” Simons said. “She taps into those. Even older people have popular culture. It’s not the same as the youth popular culture.”While assistant sociology professor Timothy Bartley called Fey’s Palin impersonations “fascinating,” he also said the show won’t be a factor unless those viewers come to the polls.“Ultimately, I think the election will be decided by who gets out to vote,” Bartley said. “I’m not sure that those portrayals will have a big impact on people’s positions.”
(10/31/08 2:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Redemption is near.After tying unranked Kentucky 1-1 on Wednesday, the No. 17 IU men’s soccer team travels to University Park, Penn., for its second-to-last conference match against Penn State.Wednesday’s draw dropped IU’s record down to 9-4-3, but Saturday’s road game offers the Hoosiers a chance to improve their fourth-place position in the Big Ten standings. Penn State (4-9-3, 1-3) sits at the bottom of the conference.“The Big Ten’s a black-and-blue division,” said IU coach Mike Freitag. “It’s tough from top to bottom. Their record doesn’t show it, but they’re a good team.”With only two games left before the Big Ten Tournament, junior defender Ofori Sarkodie said it is crucial for IU to notch two more wins.“It’s very important for the morale of the team and the confidence of certain players that we continue the momentum and the focus,” Sarkodie said.With No. 6 Northwestern coming to Bill Armstrong Stadium next week, IU’s last chance to improve its conference standings is drawing near. Before Wednesday, the Hoosiers boasted a three-game winning streak and looked poised to continue raising their season profile. But after this week’s draw, the players hope to finish IU’s roller-coaster season on a high. “We’re not going to go into Penn State and not play,” Freitag said. “We’re going to play the rest of the way out, and we’re going to have success.”Despite the Nittany Lions’ losing record, Freitag said the disappointments and setbacks the team has undergone have only made its players smarter and more responsible. “I think these guys have learned their lesson,” Freitag said. “It takes a while to mature as a team. College sports are tough. There’s so much going on, midterms, travel. These guys are finding ways to handle all those situations.” Senior forward Kevin Noschang, who scored the fastest goal in NCAA history six seconds into Wednesday’s game, said Wednesday’s final result did not accurately reflect the way the Hoosiers played the entire game.“I think after (we gave up the goal) that we played a solid game,” Noschang said. “We cleaned up the mistakes. If we can bring that going into Penn State and continue that into the tournament, we’ll be good. (We) just (have) to continue doing what we’re doing that we weren’t doing at the beginning of the season. I think we’re going to find a lot of success.” One hindrance to a possible Hoosier victory is the question of whether senior captain Brad Ring will compete with the team. Ring did not play against Kentucky after the midfielder suffered a last-minute leg injury. Senior midfielder John Mellencamp stepped in for Ring on Wednesday. Freshman defender Tommy Meyer also came into the game.This close to tournament season, Sarkodie reiterated the significance of a strong finish.“What’s most important is that we stick to the game plan, stick to what we’re doing well, focus on ourselves as a team, focus on some of the mistakes we may be making, tactically or technically,” Sarkodie said. “Heading into the tournament, we’ve just got to focus on us.”
(10/30/08 3:04am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>From YouTube music videos featuring will.i.am and Scarlett Johansson to an almost 850,000-member Facebook group, Barack Obama’s campaign is exploring new territory.But the Democratic nominee took a new step in early October when he bought ad space in 18 Xbox 360 online games, specifically targeting young male voters.The ads will run until Monday in 10 swing states, including Indiana. Polls show Obama and John McCain in a close race in Indiana.While his strategy has targeted young voters from its inception, reaching out to college-age males, the smallest voting demographic, represents a new avenue of campaigning.Department of Political Science Professor Russell Hanson said because senior citizens typically make up a plurality of voters, sometimes candidates focus little attention on reaching out to a usually inactive crowd.“It says that he believes these are the ways one reaches younger voters, who happen to be young males,” Hanson said. “He’s exploring new ways of communicating with young voters who can’t be reached by traditional outlets. He’s adapted to a new political environment.”EA spokeswoman Mariam Sughayer said Massive Inc., the firm responsible for creating the ads, offered to sell space to the McCain campaign, but it declined the invitation. Hanson proposed several reasons for the Republican nominee’s refusal.“I think in some ways it means they underestimate the potential,” Hanson said. “They don’t think there are many younger voters that will support them. The investment in advertising wouldn’t be worthwhile. The McCain campaign is much shorter on resources. It would be a waste of money for them. They could reach older voters who are much more sympathetic.”Associate Professor of Communication and Culture Jonathan Simons said Obama’s foray into the gaming industry symbolizes his “Change” slogan, as his tactics revolutionize the way candidates target voters.“You could say that is symbolically what is forward-looking and what is change,” Simons said. “Some could say it is gimmicky, superficial, and have reason for not feeling it is a good symbol of making real change. If it’s just about a gimmick, then it’s not a substantial change. But you can read it either way.”Obama’s latest move solidifies him as the candidate more popular among 18- to 30-year-old voters. A study released this week by Harvard University’s Institute of Politics shows Obama maintains a 26 percent advantage against McCain for this demographic. Despite Obama’s role as a pop culture figure, Simons said his grassroots campaign can also take credit if he ends up winning the presidency.“I think (reaching out to younger voters) is going to end up a big story of the campaign when it’s done, when people have worked out how many new and young voters have turned out to the polls,” Simons said. “If that’s the case, it’s going to have as much to do with on-the-ground organizations that the Obama campaign got together as it does with popular culture, getting people out to vote who otherwise wouldn’t have voted may make the difference.”IU College Democrats President Anna Strand said young people gravitate toward Obama because he acknowledges them as a vital group of citizens necessary for his aim to win the White House. His new-media style serves as the next step in campaigning, she said. “I don’t consider it being revolutionary, as just being smart,” Strand said. “I think it has set a major tone for the rest of campaigns here on out. It isn’t just about negative television advertisements. It’s about being interactive with people in their day to day life.”
(10/29/08 4:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With an upset, a penalty kick victory and a last-minute win behind them, the No. 17 Hoosiers have experienced a wide variety of matches.On a three-game winning streak, IU (9-4-2, 2-2-0) is looking to extend its success when Kentucky visits at 7:30 p.m. today at Bill Armstrong Stadium.Riding their own wave, the Wildcats are 9-4-2 and 5-1-0 in Conference USA play and come to Bloomington having won its last four games.IU coach Mike Freitag emphasized the significance of his team’s streak heading into the last stretch.“You don’t ever want to lose that momentum,” Freitag said. “You want to continue it. That’s what we’re going to do.”With three games left in the season, the Hoosiers have little time to prepare for the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments. Freitag said he is confident in IU’s talent and skill level, but was less sure about their capacity to come out prepared for their opponent.“They’ve got confidence in their ability to play the game,” Freitag said. “Where they’ve had to keep up and continue to strive is (their ability to) be ready and be focused.”Sophomore forward Andy Adlard, who scored game-winning shots against No. 21 Louisville and Ohio State, respectively, said despite the Hoosiers’ mistakes in the past few weeks, they now know how to close out a victory in any situation.“The good teams always find a way to get the result,” Adlard said. “We’ve learned how to do that much better in the past few games, in the last couple weeks.” Despite the recent triumphs, junior midfielder Eric Alexander said the team has to play for a full game, not just the second half. “We have to stay focused,” Alexander said. “We have to come out with a strong first half as well as a strong second half, and play a complete 90 minutes.”Freitag said any issues with focus rests on his players.“If it’s me that has to (motivate them), then we got problems,” Freitag said. “It’s the individual players. They know what’s at stake, how they need to get themselves ready. They will (be ready) because they’ve learned from a few mistakes this season.”Adlard said the team’s ability to come back from sluggish starts will be a key factor.“Every team’s going to come out slow once in a while,” Adlard said. “It’s how you deal with it and how quick we can recover from it.”Last year, IU defeated Kentucky 4-0 in Lexington. Freitag said the Wildcats would relish the opportunity to avenge the loss.“Whatever worked last year was last year,” Freitag said. “That’s not the same Kentucky team. Their coach, Ian Collins, is a fiery Englishman who will have them pumped up to the max to battle against us.”With three conference foes in the top 25 – No. 6 Northwestern, No. 18 Michigan and No. 25 Michigan State – the Big Ten Tournament offers the usual stiff competition. Adlard admitted thinking about the tournament, but said for now the team’s focus is on Kentucky.“Obviously it sits in the back of your mind,” Adlard said. “Right now we have to get the result (Wednesday night).”