Region

Down the water spout: Along Came A Spider

Texas festival highlights upcoming bands

'Bush': Dubya never looked so bad

Endo

Reaching for new heights

The Living End

Bloomington maintains vitality in local music scene

Know when it's time to leave

There was a time when basketball -- a sport created in Massachusetts but perfected in Indiana -- had a star. He wore his trusty No. 23. He won three championships for the windy city before jumping on his Harley and trying to be Barry Bonds. He returned to the game and won three more for his favorite Zen leader, Phil Jackson. He left basketball after swishing the game-winning shot of game six of his final championship, vowing never to return.

Any given Thursday

Reading the paper at the gas station as I fill up my car, I balk at President George W. Bush's budget plans. He is proposing to use $1.2 billion from oil leases from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to redistribute those and other funds to put more police on the streets, promote energy conservation and train pediatricians at children's hospitals, according to the Associated Press story I'm reading.

Gros Louis is excellent choice

May 5, as hundreds of graduates say farewell to IU, Bloomington Chancellor Kenneth Gros Louis will also be saying goodbye. He will be the speaker at this spring's commencement, attending his last graduation as chancellor before he retires July 1. No choice There could not be a more appropriate speaker than Gros Louis.

Sigma Pi features untested riders

Like row 11, the teams in row 10 will enter the 2001 Little 500 with little experience. Cold and windy track conditions on qualifications day might have cost each team a chance to move into row 9, but each team said it feels confident it could grab a top-20 finish.

Early developments worth noting

The Major League Baseball season began nine days ago. While it's too early to draw conclusions about some aspects of the season, early developments have begun to shed light on who will thrive, who will struggle and who will be left standing in September. The following notes are in no way guarantees; they are just observations that, based on past years and the first week of this one, appear to be safe bets. Here's what I've learned so far:

Hoosier offense explodes in 19-8 victory against Grizzlies

The Franklin Grizzlies can always blame Tuesday's 19-8 loss on the rain.

Bleachers, press box empty; league's not all it's cracked up to be

he first XFL game at Soldier Field in Chicago, the IDS sports editors were unable to get credentials for us to attend the game. Apparently there were too many "big-time" publications attending the event. This past Sunday, my editors were able to obtain the press passes for the Eastern division showdown which would determine whether or not it would be the Chicago Enforcers or the NY/NJ Hitmen taking the final spot in the playoffs. There were 17,195 people in attendance. If you know anything about Soldier Field, you realize there was plenty of room in the stands. When I was there for a Dave Matthews Band concert, there was at least four times that many people. The press box was not crowded as the Enforcers took on the Orlando Rage. In fact, I think there were enough open seats for all the guys in my fraternity to sit up there. They even gave us free hot dogs and roast beef sandwiches. And since I didn't have to beat the crowd, I was able to get a second helping. As the XFL columnist, I was able to take advantage of these perks. The lack of attendance and media attention let me roam more freely around the stadium. After fighting my way through the hellacious crowd (I love sarcasm), I was able to make my way to the gate where the Enforcers go into their locker room. The game ended and we went in a little white tent where Enforcers coach Ron Meyer held a press conference. I realize Bob Knight was not holding the press conference, but I could count the reporters on my fingers. Meyer was a very nice man, and I even got to interview him. For those who read this for the XFL portion of the column, Chicago defeated Orlando 23-6. It is now on the quest for what has been coined "The Million Dollar Game." But I just had an epiphany. They should call it, "38 players on the active roster get to split up a million bucks if they win the championship" -- because that's what it really is. Orlando dropped its record to 8-2 but should still be considered a front-runner for the extra cash. But as we can see, anyone can pull an upset. Chicago bounced back from an 0-4 record to finish 5-5. And did I mention they give you free roast beef sandwiches?

Alumnus finds success in XFL

CHICAGO -- In 1996, IU linebacker and captain Jamie Baisley won the Balfour Award for bringing honor and distinction to Hoosier football.

Fumbling?

CHICAGO -- When World Wrestling Federation Chairman Vince McMahon announced Feb. 3, 2000, that he founded a new football league, curiosity surfaced. And when NBC became a co-owner of that league March 29, 2000, excitement for the inaugural season grew. But since the XFL began play Feb. 3, 2001, media have focused more attention on national ratings and other measures of success than the teams and players within the league.

Hoosiers to use midweek game to prepare for Big Ten

The baseball team tackled Division III Franklin College Tuesday in Bloomington and faces Wright State of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio. The midweek games against apparently meager teams should help the Hoosiers prepare for a four-game series against Northwestern this weekend, team members said.

Eastern Conference always a tight battle

(1) New Jersey Devils vs. (8) Carolina Hurricanes

Playoff pairings set up interest in the West

(1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (8) Vancouver Canucks The Avalanche enter the series after winning the President's Trophy, indicative of the league's best regular-season record. But this is nothing to rest their laurels on, as last year's top regular season team, the St. Louis Blues, was eliminated in the first round.

Commission to review downtown apartment proposal

Although it has the backing of the mayor's office, the construction of a proposed downtown high-rise apartment complex might be a long way off. Florida-based developer Intergroup Realty Trust wants to build a controversial nine-story complex -- to house about 800 students -- at the abandoned ST Semicon site across from City Hall.