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Sports | Football 1000

SPORTS

Bobbys World section may get name change

Shaun Byron
April 9, 2001

Football fans who cheer on the Spartans this fall might have a new section. The Bobby’s World section, named after MSU head coach Bobby Williams, might have its name changed if the Student Alumni Foundation agrees on a decision tonight.“It is kind of a cheesy cartoon character’s name, no offense to coach Williams, and they want something a little catchier,” said Derek Byrne, a general management freshman and co-director of the former Bobby’s World section for the Student Alumni Foundation.Byrne said the group wanted to have a section for students to cheer and last year it was named Bobby’s World.He said there was a general consensus among the foundation’s members to change the name.“Some people think it is kind of cheesy and some people want to patent the name and there might be conflicts with the show ‘Bobby’s World,’” said Michael Campian, a criminal justice freshman and co-director for the former Bobby’s World section.Campian said the organization has been poring over a long list of names but hasn’t come to a conclusion yet.

SPORTS

Duckett will sit out rest of practice

Eric Mckinney
April 9, 2001

All-American junior tailback T.J. Duckett will sit out the rest of spring football practice after undergoing minor shoulder surgery Friday.“I expect him back at full strength by the time preseason camp opens in August,” MSU head coach Bobby Williams said.Duckett, who finished last season with 1,353 yards rushing and a team-high seven touchdowns, has seen limited action this spring.In the spring’s first scrimmage he carried the ball just four times for 25 yards, and didn’t participate in Saturday’s second scrimmage.Following doctors’ orders to rest, Duckett was unavailable for comment Sunday.Sophomore quarterback Jeff Smoker said the Spartans have plenty of depth at running back.

SPORTS

Spartan fans try to pick their hockey favorite

Krista Latham
April 9, 2001

ALBANY, N.Y. - With MSU out of the race for a national title, Spartan fans who stayed for Saturday’s NCAA Championship hockey game had to pick which remaining team would get their support.Many Spartan loyals made their decision while mingling with opposing fans at FanFest, a three-day celebration in front of Pepsi Arena.

SPORTS

Semifinals must have been a jinx

Krista Latham
April 9, 2001

What a bittersweet end for two MSU teams.After making it to the glory land - the Final Four and the Frozen Four - the Spartan basketball and hockey teams bowed out without reaching one championship game between them.Both teams had remarkable seasons, but both ended the same way - in shockingly uncharacteristic and uninspired performances.Doubt lingered concerning the gigantic holes in leadership and spirit that former Spartan and current Detroit Pistons guard Mateen Cleaves took with him.The season was spectacular in almost every way, as the Spartans were undefeated in the preseason, and won their fourth-consecutive Big Ten regular-season title.The senior class also became the winningest in Big Ten history, claiming 115 career wins.

SPORTS

Eagles finally get their win

James Jahnke
April 9, 2001

ALBANY, N.Y. - No longer will Boston College head coach Jerry York have to listen to jeering chants of “1949” from opposing fans. The Eagles (33-8-2) claimed their first national championship in 52 years with a 3-2 overtime win over North Dakota (29-8-9) on Saturday night at Pepsi Arena. “We’ve been very, very close to winning three straight national championships prior to this tournament,” said York, a BC alumnus who coached Bowling Green to a title in 1984.

SPORTS

Team tries to cut down on penalties

Eric Lacy
April 9, 2001

After a disappointing 5-6 football season that saw MSU give up 689 yards worth of penalties, the Spartans have begun taking the first step in spring practice to reduce costly mistakes.With an emphasis on poise and self-control on the gridiron, MSU head coach Bobby Williams said the squad has responded well to the challenge of avoiding costly errors.

SPORTS

Player gets to play against his childhood favorite

James Jahnke
April 5, 2001

ALBANY, N.Y. - A year ago at this time, Joe Markusen was sitting on the edge of his couch, cheering as North Dakota claimed its seventh national hockey championship. A native of Grafton, N.D., a small town that adores the Fighting Sioux hockey team, he graduated from Park River High and naturally became a fan of the school down the road in Grand Forks, N.D. “There’s no professional league in North Dakota, so college hockey is pretty big,” said Markusen, a 6-foot, 186-pound freshman defenseman.

SPORTS

Event coordinators say Final Four is tough task

Eric Lacy
April 4, 2001

MINNEAPOLIS - For all 65 Division I college men’s basketball teams that were eligible for NCAA Tournament play, this year’s road to the Final Four was at times a long bumpy trip because of the intense scheduling involved with March Madness. And local Minneapolis event coordinators, national media, Metrodome employees and more than 2,000 volunteers who helped set up this year’s nationally acclaimed event can share their pain. “It’s definitely a tough task to set up a Final Four,” said Marc Ryan, the University of Minnesota’s assistant athletic director for external relations. “Our biggest challenge was to put all the right people together, ranging from technicians, maintenance workers, support staff and merchants, to community groups and local businesses.

SPORTS

Baseball team splits doubleheader

Dan Woike
April 4, 2001

Head baseball coach Ted Mahan saw a reflection of the team’s entire season Tuesday at Kobs Field.The Spartans (13-12) split a doubleheader with Saginaw Valley State, losing the first game 9-2 and rallying to win the second 4-1.“One good; one bad - 13-12 - that’s what we’ve done all year,” Mahan said.The “good” showcased a Spartan team putting runs on the board, making plays defensively, and pitching well.After four shutout innings from freshman starter Bryan Gale, he yielded one run in the top of fifth.Mahan said Gale’s performance on the hill was nothing new from the rookie hurler.“It was outstanding,” Mahan said, “He can just flat out pitch.”With the win, Gale upped his record to 3-0 and maintained a team-leading 1.61 ERA.Facing the 1-0 deficit, freshman left fielder James Moreno led off the bottom half of the fifth frame with a homer to deep left-center field, evening-up the score.After a ground ball out by freshman first baseman Scott Koerber, junior third baseman Troy Bergman, junior second baseman Don Watchowski, sophomore right fielder Brett Wattles, junior shortstop Jared Koutnik and sophomore center fielder Bob Malek all consecutively singled.Wattles’ single scored Bergman, and Malek’s brought home Watchowski.Sophomore catcher Brady Burrill’s sacrifice fly and tag-up from Wattles gave the Spartans more insurance than they needed.The fifth inning Spartan rally keyed around Moreno’s solo shot.“The second game Moreno picked us with a home run, and we had some enthusiasm,” Malek said.“The home run by Moreno was the biggest hit of the game and of the day,” Mahan said.Moreno realized his home run helped spark a sputtering Spartan offense.“After one hit, if everyone’s picking each other up, it can lead to six or seven more hits,” he said.“Then you win the game, and in the second game it was huge.”Moreno had only appeared at the plate 21 times this season, and responded to the chance to play.“I was given a shot today, and I just got in there and took my hacks,” Moreno said.

SPORTS

Team looks to get back on win streak

Keith Dunlap
April 3, 2001

The basketball team wasn’t the only MSU sports team that had a rough time this past weekend. The MSU baseball team, which was on a four-game winning streak entering its three-game series against Purdue last weekend, now finds itself on a losing streak after dropping all three games played with the Boilermakers.

SPORTS

Thanks for the memories

Eric Mckinney
April 2, 2001

MINNEAPOLIS - Saturday’s semifinal loss to Arizona brought closure to the most decorated senior class in Spartan history, just not the ending it dreamed of.

SPORTS

Duke, Arizona ready to square off tonight

Eric Mckinney
April 2, 2001

MINNEAPOLIS - It’s Duke against Arizona, East against West and to the winner go the spoils. Another season of college basketball has come down to just one game, and the 2001 NCAA Champions will be crowned tonight. “We feel honored to be their opponent,” Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said.

SPORTS

Final game is choice between two hated teams

Dan Woike
April 2, 2001

Without MSU competing this evening for the NCAA title, Spartan fans and I need to decide which team to cheer for.Tonight’s championship game will feature two teams most Spartan fans are not so fond of.First, there is the Arizona Wildcats, who ran over the Spartans 80-61 Saturday.

SPORTS

Purdue sweeps Spartans

Keith Dunlap
April 2, 2001

Just as it appeared the MSU baseball team was on a fast track to going well above the .500 mark, the Spartans found themselves derailed by Purdue in their opening home series of the season this weekend.