IUPD

Society overlooking true heroes

Too many people we call heroes don't deserve that title. Worse, too many people who deserve to be recognized as heroes, are not. For example, athletes (and some coaches), are THE heroes at IU, hands down. Yet a typical athletic hero simply excels at a sport, in the narrow sense of the term. And that's not enough. A hero should be more than a great athlete.

Bin Laden denies attack involvement

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect behind last week's airborne strikes on the United States, issued a statement Sunday denying that he was involved.

Returning riders take top women's spots

Kappa Alpha Theta senior Krissy Johnson can't seem to beat Alpha Delta Pi senior Emily Derkasch. In last year's women's Little 500 individual time trials, Derkasch topped Johnson by .03 seconds to finish fifth. In this year's time trials Wednesday at Bill Armstrong Stadium, Derkasch beat out Johnson by .48 seconds to capture the top spot.

Vitale isn't vital

I don't know how you can fill out your NCAA Tournament brackets. Like all college basketball fans, I was all geared up on Selection Sunday for all the stuff by which a season is ultimately decided -- pairings, locations, game times and seedings. Finally, all the vital info is disseminated to the world, I turned to ESPN for some reaction and then something happened, and I could no longer fill out my bracket sheet.

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Wrong time for criticism GAP should be allowed to come to campus Images burning in our minds

Women's team splits games with 1 win, 1 loss out west

The women's basketball team escaped from the weekend's talent-rich Stanford Invitational with a victory and a loss. After falling to No. 9 Stanford 87-72 Friday night in Palo Alto, Calif., the Hoosiers knocked off Western Kentucky 85-70 in the consolation game. Stanford claimed the tournament title over UC Santa Barbara 87-64.

Return of Toadies

Policy not made known

Thanks to a new University policy, religion and IU can now peacefully coexist. Too bad many students didn't know about the new religious observation requirements. IU recently implemented a policy requiring students to turn in a form to professors to document that they will miss class for a religious holiday.

This Jacko is not wacko

Phil Jackson doesn't need your sympathy. He's among the highest paid coaches in the National Basketball Association at over $7 million per season, and most are predicting his Los Angeles Lakers to beat the Sacramento Kings in the NBA Finals, er, Western Conference Finals.

Dating shows are stupid

Off-the-field expectations

Athletes are public figures. They travel across the country with the IU emblem across their clothing. They are broadcast nationally to thousands of people across America. They are role models to kids in the community, and looked up to by many on this campus. This is especially true for the IU football team. No matter what the score, IU students have not stopped screaming their lungs out on game day or painting their chests red and white.

Eight killed by airstrike in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraq said Monday that eight civilians were killed in a weekend airstrike by U.S. and British warplanes on southern Iraq. The Pentagon gave no word of casualties. The official Iraqi News Agency said three others were wounded in the strike Sunday night in the al-Salhiya area of Wasit province, 100 miles south of Baghdad. The U.S. Central Command in Florida has said its planes attacked two or more surface-to-air missile sites Sunday in southern Iraq in response to Iraqi threats against American and British aircraft patrolling no-fly zones over Iraq.

Little 500 teams bring abundance of different strategies

Every spring for the past 51 years, many students have experienced the thrills and spills of Little 500 racing. Although the crowd only sees the sprints to the finish and bone-crunching crashes, much more exists behind the scenes of the race touted as the "World's Greatest College Weekend." Strategy plays just as important role in the outcome of the race as speed and precision exchanges.

Hoosier Rowing club prepares for upcoming season

Eighteen years ago, IU students who wanted to bring the sport of rowing to campus formed the IU Rowing Club. This club sport has slowly gained recognition while facing the challenges of funding a team. The members of IU Crew work to turn rowing into a competitive program that honors the dreams of the club's founding members.

New strategy for national defense

Just before the events of Sept. 11, the United States military had been undergoing a much-needed national debate on what course it will take for securing our defense in the years to come. The U.S. faces new threats in the 21st Century and must be reformed to counter those threats. Now, more than ever, we are faced with the possibility that rogue states and terrorist groups will use chemical, biological and nuclear weapons -- or our own planes as missiles. Two possible paths have emerged in Washington's delayed discussion on military readiness and capabilities. One plan would have the military hold on to its traditional policy of being ready to engage and win two major conflicts in different parts of the world simultaneously. The other, which is being proposed by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other top military brass, has caused some fierce discussion in conservative circles.

'Knight's Tale' gets Medieval

"A Knight's Tale" opens with a scene showing joust fans singing 'We Will Rock You' while clapping to the beat and doing the wave. How people in 14th century Europe know the lyrics to the 1977 Queen hit, I'm still not sure. But, despite the corniness of the scene, the crowd was only trying to pump up the movie's audience for one of the most fun, entertaining movies so far this year.

Powell plays peacemaker

WASHINGTON -- Secretary of State Colin Powell headed to Asia Sunday on a diplomatic mission intended to keep tensions between Pakistan and India from further complicating the U.S. anti-terror campaign in neighboring Afghanistan. Pakistan has been supporting Islamic militants who seek an end to Indian rule in the predominantly Muslim region of Kashmir. A terrorist attack last week in the Indian sector of Kashmir killed about 40 people. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said last week that Powell would try to see if there were a way "to lower the temperature" between the two countries.

Folk rock trio Guster will headline Union Board concert to kick off Little 500

Folk rock trio Guster will take the stage at the IU Auditorium April 16 to kick off Little 500 festivities on campus. The concert, sponsored by Union Board, will begin at 7:30 p.m. with opening act Flickerstick.

Shouts from Acacia deserve explanation

I had the opportunity again this year to participate in the campus' annual "Take Back the Night" events, including Thursday night's march through campus and on to the courthouse square. Anyone who either participated in those activities or paused to read the expressions of anxiety and pain conveyed through the Clothesline Project had to be moved by the poignant message of community that was both determined and hopeful, and, most important, it was a message for all of us, women and men alike.

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Rioting ruined beautiful tourney Davis is person first, coach second GPSO move deserves support Teater right that "boys" aren't ours