Longform

Softball Olympian returns to IU

Signs of the 2000 Games still linger around Olympic softball player Michelle Venturella almost a week after the Sydney Games. As she watched an IU softball exhibition game against Indiana State Saturday, she wore a navy jacket with an embroidered American flag and the word "SOFTBALL" across the chest. On the softball diamond, junior Brooke Monroe wore a patriotic catcher's helmet that Venturella passed on to her.

Sports lawsuit: Money for the taking

A Vancouver court Friday found NHL player Marty McSorley guilty of assault with a weapon. This was in response to the Feb. 21 on-ice incident in which McSorley, then a defenseman for the Boston Bruins, delivered a two-handed stick to the head of Vancouver Canucks forward Donald Brashear.

Local candidates campaign at parade

High school bands pounded out their school songs, an Elvis impersonator swiveled his hips atop the back of a pickup truck and boy scouts and youth cheerleaders tossed out Tootsie Rolls. In fact, as far as small-town parades go, Sunday's annual Bloomfield Apple Festival parade was missing only one element: apples.

Police look for rioters

The IU Police Department said it is still trying to find and charge suspects involved in campus disturbances Sept. 10. The riots were a result of the removal of former basketball Coach Bob Knight.

Geyer quits basketball team

Senior forward Tom Geyer has left the IU men's basketball team. After making the decision Thursday night, he informed interim head coach Mike Davis of his decision Friday morning.

Hoosiers travel to Franklin for invitational

The women's golf team won't have to go far to compete in the Legends Invitational, which takes place an hour away in Franklin, Ind. With the recent golfer-unfriendly weather conditions, the Hoosiers might wish they were traveling further.

Women's soccer struggle in Big Ten games

Women's soccer coach Joe Kelley saw his team play its best this weekend. But the best they could do still ended with two losses. The Hoosiers dropped a pair of conference games at Bill Armstrong Stadium, 2-1 to Wisconsin Friday in double-overtime and 1-0 to Minnesota Sunday.

Greekfest raises money for United Way

Greekfest concluded Saturday despite a week filled with unexpected weather conditions. The annual event is a system-wide philanthropic effort to raise money for Monroe County United Way.

Disappointment, delight for cross county team

The men's and women's cross country teams traveled to Notre Dame Friday with an optimistic outlook. They left with mixed emotions. While the men placed fifth, beating two top-25 teams, the women fell short of their goals, finishing 12th in a field of 31 teams.

Freshman recruit pays off

Despite her youth, freshman Linda Tran could hardly be considered inexperienced when it comes to playing tennis. She picked up the game at the age of 9, and since then, nothing has stopped her, not even the transition to the college game. Three weeks ago, playing in her first college tournament, Tran won her singles flight at the Indiana Fall Invitational, and she said she hopes to continue her success.

Freshman standout has home course advantage in golf

Congress wrong to override FDA

The abortion foes in Congress introduced legislation Wednesday to tighten standards for doctors administering RU-486, the abortion pill approved by the Food and Drug Administration for U.S. sale late last month. Drug opponents, including Rep. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Sen. Tim Hutchinson of Arkansas, claim Congress now must take on the task of "correcting the FDA's mistake" because the agency "caved in" to pro-choice pressures, according to The Associated Press. Critics of the drug, including state legislatures across the nation and presidential candidate George W. Bush, say the drug will make it too easy for women to get abortions.

'Equus' still has horsepower

Most people have no trouble fitting in with the crowd, wearing all the right clothes, using the accepted lingo and marching forward in lockstep to the golden hills of suburbia. And most people just march on, without passion, without any sense of the divine. Peter Schaffer's 1973 landmark drama "Equus" takes a critical look at this trade-off.

Bush will enforce existing laws

Ever heard of the Second Amendment? One of the basic rights given to American citizens by our Constitution is "the right of the people to keep and bear arms." Gun control is infringing on the right of responsible, law-abiding American citizens to own and use their own guns. It's that simple. Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore doesn't support the principles of the Second Amendment; he plays political games with them for personal advantage.

Judge delays ruling, urges settlement

After an all-day hearing Tuesday, representatives from IU and the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform have agreed to meet next week to try to settle the lawsuit filed by the Genocide Awareness Project.

Geyer quits basketball team

Senior forward Tom Geyer has left the IU men's basketball team. After making the decision Thursday night, he informed interim head coach Mike Davis of his decision Friday morning.

Cross country travels to Notre Dame Invite

Microsoft partnership extended

Tuesday, IU announced plans to extend a licensing agreement with software conglomerate Microsoft, which provides students and staff with the company's most popular software, operating systems and other applications. The extension is valid through June 30, 2003.

Riot damage estimate growing

Several weeks after the Sept. 10 riots following the firing of former men's basketball coach Bob Knight, University and local law enforcement agencies are still reflecting on the financial and social scars inflicted by the chaos.

University continues ban on Napster

IU banned Napster for a second time April 20 after the University was threatened with a lawsuit from the heavy metal group Metallica. Now Georgia Tech has decided not to ban Napster, because university officials feel a ban would be impractical.