on the SIDELINES
U.S. beats Spain, still alive for gold ATHENS, Greece -- Written off after their opener and branded failures back home, Stephon Marbury and the Americans are showing signs they just might be the team to beat after all.
U.S. beats Spain, still alive for gold ATHENS, Greece -- Written off after their opener and branded failures back home, Stephon Marbury and the Americans are showing signs they just might be the team to beat after all.
On paper, many things look much more enticing than they actually are: a McDonald's cheeseburger, Britney Spears and the 2004 U.S. men's basketball team to name a few.
ATHENS, Greece -- An hour after the game, Mia Hamm was still on the field, hugging, crying and posing for pictures with an Olympic gold medal around her neck. Then, finally, she left. After 17 years, 153 goals and 266 games -- including a grueling overtime finale -- it was time for her to go. "There are few times in your life where you get to write the final chapter the way you want to," Hamm said. "I think a lot of us did that tonight."
The accolades continue to roll in for the IU men's soccer team, as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America ranked the Hoosiers No. 1 in its annual preseason top 25 poll. Earlier in the summer, College Soccer News named IU No. 1 in its preseason poll, as well.
ATHENS, Greece -- Marion Jones already had long-jumped into the Olympic final and left the stadium when Allyson Felix settled into the starting blocks. Felix narrowly missed becoming a teenage gold medalist in the 200 meters, one of the events Jones won four years ago. But Athens is not Sydney, and rising star Felix is not Jones -- who was America's sweetheart in 2000 and now is after redemption as much as medals.
INDIANAPOLIS -- After a pair of disappointing performances the last two weeks, the Indianapolis Colts are hoping for a better showing when the Buffalo Bills come to the RCA Dome Saturday night. Indianapolis is 1-1 in the preseason. The Colts had a come-from-behind 21-17 win over San Diego on the road two weeks ago and dropped a 31-7 decision to the New York Jets Saturday.
DENVER -- Two days before the start of jury selection in Kobe Bryant's rape case, prosecutors charged that crucial DNA evidence the defense had hoped to use to prove the NBA star's innocence might have been contaminated. The judge in the case granted prosecutors' request for a hearing Thursday to question the reliability of the defense's DNA experts. The witnesses are expected to argue that the DNA evidence shows the accuser was promiscuous.
Cubs 4, Brewers 2 CHICAGO -- Corey Patterson delivered after a disputed call went the Cubs' way, and Chicago sent the Milwaukee Brewers out of Wrigley Field with their eighth straight loss. Patterson hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning Wednesday in a 4-2 victory, capping a rally that began on a controversial leadoff double by Mark Grudzielanek.
The IU men's basketball 2004-05 schedule was released Wednesday, highlighted by a non-conference schedule including a Dec. 1 home game vs. North Carolina in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and a Dec. 4 visit to Storrs, Conn., to take on the defending national champion Connecticut Huskies. Following the UConn game, IU continues with rivals Notre Dame in Bloomington and then travels south to take on Kentucky in the 48th edition of the Border War in Louisville's Freedom Hall.
After more than a month of interviews, the Athletics Director Search Committee has narrowed its pool of 100 candidates to three to five, IU Alumni Association President Ken Beckley said. The 16-member committee received a total of 100 applicants by the July 16 deadline, with the goal of having the finalist pool reduced to, at most, six to eight by mid-August to present to IU President Adam Herbert.
Quincy Carter ended up replacing the quarterback who took his spot in Dallas. In an odd switch, the quarterback cut by the Cowboys signed with the New York Jets on Tuesday and will back up Chad Pennington. Pennington's backup last season was 40-year-old Vinny Testaverde, who was released by the Jets in June and became the Cowboys' starter when Carter was let go.
ATHENS, Greece -- Joanna Hayes screamed as she crossed the finish line of the 100-meter hurdles in Olympic-record time. About 90 meters behind her, world champion Perdita Felicien lay flat on the ground, crying in disbelief. Felicien stepped on the first hurdle, tumbling to the ground and taking Irina Shevchenko of Russia with her. All Felicien could do was watch Hayes win in 12.37 seconds, breaking the Olympic record of 12.38 set by Bulgaria's Yordanka Donkova 16 years ago. After the race, Felicien still couldn't believe what happened.
DALLAS -- The Dallas Mavericks got a big man Tuesday, completing an eight-player deal that will bring Erick Dampier from the Golden State Warriors. Dallas sent Christian Laettner, Eduardo Najera, two future first-round draft picks and the draft rights to guards Luis Flores and Mladen Sekularac to the Warriors for Dampier, Dan Dickau, Evan Eschmeyer and the draft rights to Steve Logan.
LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- With recorders and cameras rolling, Adewale Ogunleye gave the obligatory pronunciation of his name on his first day with the Chicago Bears.
Many IU athletes use the summer to rest and prepare their bodies physically for their upcoming seasons, but for the reigning Big Ten Golfer of the Year, the supposed "offseason" can be just as busy as the season. Senior Jeff Overton's summer schedule finally ended Saturday at the 104th U.S. Amateur Championships in Mamaroneck, N.Y. The Evansville native was defeated by University of Nevada Las Vegas senior and defending NCAA champion Ryan Moore in the semifinals.
Davis adds new assistant to staff IU men's basketball coach Mike Davis announced the hiring of assistant coach Donnie Marsh this week. Marsh fills the position vacated by former Hoosier assistant John Treloar, who left for a similar position at LSU earlier this summer.
The Bloomington and IU community has long been exposed to the benefits of the bike racing scene courtesy of the tradition-rich Little 500. But a sect of local citizens and students don't confine their craft to just one late April weekend. Chris Kroll, a sociology major who graduated from IU in 1988, is vice president at the Old National Bank in Bloomington, has been racing with the locally-based Team Tortuga for two years and is the cycling group's director.
TERRE HAUTE -- Amid the 90-degree heat Tuesday at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, the Indianapolis Colts ran through the offense that led them to 12 wins, the AFC South Division title and a berth in the AFC Championship last season. The Colts were ranked No. 1 in scoring offense in the NFL and No. 2 overall.
Steve Peterson, a 1996 Olympian in the lightweight double scull, is starting his second year as the IU women's rowing coach. Peterson became only the second coach in IU rowing history after leaving a similar post at George Washington University. IU will host the Big Ten women's rowing championships on Lake Lemon April 30, 2005. Indiana Daily Student: For women new to rowing, what kind of athletic background might improve their chances of success on the IU crew team?
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Marvin Harrison defines success his own way. He doesn't need to showboat after touchdowns, compare himself with other receivers or worry about his profile. In Harrison's world, anonymity is preferred to hype, productivity to publicity. Now entering his ninth NFL season with the Indianapolis Colts, the soft-spoken five-time Pro Bowler adheres to the same, simple philosophy with which he entered the league: Stay healthy, work hard, catch passes and win games.