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Sports | Football 1000

ICE HOCKEY

Goalie hopes to end talk of slump

Eric Fish
November 14, 2006

Sophomore slump? Or comeback of the year? If last week's performances were any indication of how the rest of the season will pan out for sophomore goaltender Jeff Lerg, then forget about a second-year slump. In two games against Ferris State last week, Lerg stopped 64 of 66 total shots, including all 35 pucks fired his way in a 6-0 shutout of the Bulldogs in Big Rapids in the series closer. For his performances, Lerg was awarded CCHA Goaltender of the Week honors for the first time this season. "Everyone talks about the CCHA and the goalies and how well they can perform," Lerg said.

BASKETBALL

Morgan's job: Contain Durant

Ethan Conley
November 14, 2006

The biggest factor in determining whether Thursday night will be a triumph for the Green and White or the Burnt Orange might be a matchup between two 18-year-olds. MSU (3-0) faces No.

ICE HOCKEY

Spartans regain legs, pound Ferris State, 6-0

Eric Fish
November 13, 2006

Big Rapids — It's amazing what a few days of rest can do. Only three days after a fatigued Spartans team squandered a two-goal third-period lead to settle for a tie against Ferris State, a rejuvenated MSU squad skated into Ewigleben Ice Arena on Friday and dominated the Bulldogs, 6-0. "Tuesday, I think you could see how much fatigue was a factor," MSU head coach Rick Comley said.

SPORTS

Give these seniors their props

When Drew Stanton and the rest of the fifth-year seniors came to MSU in 2002, I don't think any of them expected college careers quite like they've had.

SPORTS

DeHaan blocks 8 in victory

Matt Bishop
November 13, 2006

After a sluggish first half in which it shot just 30 percent, the No. 17 MSU women's basketball team shot 47 percent after halftime to finish off its exhibition season with a 68-47 win against Ferris State on Sunday afternoon at Breslin Center. "We're getting better, bit by bit," MSU head coach Joanne P.

SPORTS

Hoyer one of lone bright spots

There were plenty of reasons to be depressed about MSU football on Saturday — the defense that whiffed on tackles, the running game that spun its wheels in the mud and the stadium that was embarrassingly empty. But there was one sign of hope. Brian Hoyer's line may not have been pretty.

BASKETBALL

Not just Neitzel: Offense spreading wealth

Matt Bishop
November 13, 2006

A balanced scoring attack is what MSU didn't have last season, as three players combined for almost 80 percent of the Spartans' offense. But a balanced attack is what the MSU men's basketball team got Sunday evening at Breslin Center, as eight players recorded at least six points each to lead the Spartans to a 73-41 win against The Citadel. Pacing the attack was junior guard Drew Neitzel with 17 points, followed by freshmen Raymar Morgan and Isaiah Dahlman with 10 each. Both Morgan and Dahlman were effective from outside, each going 2-for-2 from beyond the arc. "I think he had his best game," MSU head coach Tom Izzo said of Dahlman, who turned 19 on Sunday.

SPORTS

Monday musings

Tom Keller
November 13, 2006

The Detroit Tigers traded three pitching prospects to the New York Yankees last week for disgruntled power hitter Gary Sheffield. The Tigers then traded another minor-leaguer to get a muzzle for Sheffield. Several tennis players at this weekend's WTA Championships reportedly were upset that models were used as ball retrievers. Event officials counter that it's the only way they can get Anna Kournikova on the court for the finals of a tournament. Three different Johnsons — Jeremi, Rudi and Chad — scored the Cincinnati Bengals' first three touchdowns Sunday. It was the first time three players with the same name scored in one game since Huey, Dewey and Louie Duck. Two-time major champion John Daly filed for divorce last month with his fourth wife. Tabloids are already predicting how long it will take for Daly and fellow recent single Britney Spears to become Hollywood's new power couple. Rasheed Wallace has been called for a league-leading four technical fouls in the Detroit Pistons' first seven games, part of a league-wide crackdown on in-game complaints by players. NBA commissioner David Stern said if Wallace doesn't stop complaining to the referees soon, the league will have no choice but to send him to his room and put him in timeout.

BASKETBALL

Izzo introduces highly touted recruits

Steve Highfield
November 9, 2006

About eight hours before his team kicked off its 2006-07 season, head coach Tom Izzo was busy introducing one of the most touted recruiting classes of his tenure. Guards Kalin Lucas, Durrell Summers and Chris Allen, who signed letters of intent Wednesday, make up a three-guard class that's ranked No.

BASKETBALL

Top priority in tonight's opener: Cut turnovers

Ethan Conley
November 8, 2006

Ever wonder where all of Roy Williams' and Jim Boeheim's hair has gone over the years? Maybe it's a pesky gene that caused the tops of their heads to become bare as their coaching victories piled up. Or maybe they've just spent too many years pulling their hair out because of turnovers. And if that's the case, Tom Izzo's hairline might not be far behind. The Spartans committed 38 combined turnovers in their first two exhibition games, including 21 against Northern Michigan on Nov.

SPORTS

Torn ACL sidelines Aitch for remainder of season

Matt Bishop
November 8, 2006

MSU women's basketball sophomore Lauren Aitch, who appeared in 32 of 34 games last season, will be out for the season after tearing her right ACL last week. Aitch, a 6-foot-1 center from Lansing, averaged 2.6 points and 1.7 rebounds in 8.3 minutes a game last season.

FOOTBALL

Reader mail Next MSU coach should only be paid for wins

Has anyone considered changing the football coaches' salaries paradigm? Instead of paying these coaches large guaranteed contracts and for a guaranteed number of years, why do we not offer them a set salary and then for each game they win, they get a guaranteed payment? This would force coaches to actually coach and tie their paycheck to their success, instead of the current system in which these coaches get paid if they win or lose and then the universities have to buy out the large contracts for coaches who failed to produce. For instance, a football coach could have a base salary of $500,000 and then get $100,000 for each game won.

FOOTBALL

Izzo: I let Smith down

Steve Highfield
November 7, 2006

After MSU football head coach John L. Smith was fired Wednesday, his basketball counterpart, Tom Izzo, said he wanted to be involved in the hiring of Smith's replacement. On Monday, Izzo reiterated those statements and took some personal blame for the way Smith's tenure at MSU played out. "I think I let (Smith) down because I didn't know him as well, I didn't jump in there with the help I could give him," Izzo said.

SPORTS

No excuses for football turnout Sat.

Correction: The column should have said the MSU football team's record is 1-5 in the Big Ten. Any MSU student fan would love to tell you how die-hard they are — how blue-collar, how unwavering. But they're wrong. After Saturday's showing at the MSU vs.

SPORTS

Friday should be example of fan turnout at Munn

Where were you Friday night? If you weren't part of the 7,092 fans packing Munn Ice Arena as the fourth-largest crowd in the building's history, then you were missing out on what was the best crowd atmosphere I've ever been part of — in any sport. The "Go Green, Go White" chants were booming throughout the arena, the students were loud, vocal and energetic, and the entire place was simply electric beyond what my words can accurately describe. But that begs me to ask another question: Where have you been? Granted, Friday's game against Michigan was the first big game of the season for the Spartans, but MSU is a top-ranked team coming off a CCHA Championship — and a team that missed a trip to last year's Frozen Four by one lousy goal.