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Sports | Hockey

SPORTS

Pistons can improve on team image

Eric Lacy
November 6, 2000

The names are synonymous with winning. James “Buddha” Edwards, Vinny “The Microwave” Johnson, Dennis “The Worm” Rodman, John “Spider” Salley, Isaiah “Zeke” Thomas, Bill “Lambo” Laimbeer, Rick “Bad Boy” Mahorn and of course, Joe Duuuuuuuuumars.Rodman smothering opponents with clutch defense, Laimbeer exchanging pleasantries with the referees after controversial calls, Rick Mahorn banging opponents to the ground with his hefty posterior - those were the good ol’ days.

SPORTS

Spikers defeat Purdue, lose to Illinois

Eric Mckinney
November 6, 2000

The MSU volleyball team continues to struggle in the Big Ten.The No. 22 Spartans split their weekend matches, losing to Illinois (6-15, 15-4, 12-15, 15-1, 12-15) on Friday, then rebounding to beat Purdue (15-6, 10-15, 15-5, 15-6) on Saturday.Through 14 Big Ten games the Spartans (14-9, 7-7 Big Ten) are still in sixth place.

SPORTS

Smoker faces rabid attack of Buckeye blitzes, sacks

Arthur Alcid
November 6, 2000

COLUMBUS, Ohio - For all the success he’s had this season, Jeff Smoker is only a freshman and his youth showed against Ohio State.After MSU (4-5 overall, 1-5 Big Ten) jumped ahead 13-3 in the first quarter, the Buckeyes (7-2, 4-2) began blitzing the first-year quarterback from Manheim, Pa., disrupting Smoker and the MSU offense en route to a 27-13 defeat of the Spartans.“They didn’t blitz too much early,” Smoker said.

SPORTS

Fumbling in Columbus

Jeff Karzen
November 6, 2000

COLUMBUS, Ohio - For the first quarter Saturday, the Spartans put their scoring woes behind them. MSU scored touchdowns on its first two drives of the game, and were dominating the line of scrimmage to the tune of 115 total yards and a 13-3 advantage after 15 minutes of play.Then, as has been the theme all season, the Spartans (4-5 overall, 1-5 Big Ten) succumbed to mistake-laden football, resulting in a 27-13 loss to Ohio State (7-2, 4-2).MSU was clinging to a 10-point lead when senior safety Richard Newsome intercepted Buckeye quarterback Steve Bellisari’s pass at Ohio State’s 34-yard line with 11:18 remaining in the second quarter.

SPORTS

Williford learns from setbacks in U career

Justin A. Rice
November 6, 2000

Sometimes sports fans get so wrapped up in the glitz and glamour of big time college athletics they forget intercollegiate athletics is more than just entertainment - it is a tool used to shape athletes as people.The core of this process can be seen more clearly when looking at athletes like MSU senior forward Steve Williford, who plays soccer - a nonrevenue sport where the media does not cake-on layers of hype.“I think I learned the most in life through soccer,” Williford said.

SPORTS

Hockey rivalry still exciting

James Jahnke
November 6, 2000

ANN ARBOR - It’s big in football. It’s big in basketball. And it’s big in hockey.The Michigan-MSU rivalry has perennially pitted two premier teams against each other, and Saturday night at Yost Ice Arena was no different.The No.

SPORTS

Freshmen find ways to win over Purdue

Eric Mckinney
November 6, 2000

With nicknames like “Energizer bunny” and “Rudy” it’s obvious freshman outside hitter Jenny Rood and the rest of the freshmen bring something extra to the court when the MSU volleyball team plays.MSU head coach Chuck Erbe said the freshmen are more expressive on the court and that’s something the Spartans have been missing the last few years.“I think the freshmen are much more emotional in terms of how they express their passion for the game,” he said.

SPORTS

Womens soccer lose 3-1 to Illini

Justin A. Rice
November 3, 2000

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The MSU women’s soccer team fell 3-1 to Illinois on Thursday in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament.The fourth-seeded Spartans only managed to score one second-half goal while giving up three second-half goals to the fifth-seeded Fighting Illini.

SPORTS

Icers primed to face No.1 Wolverines

James Jahnke
November 3, 2000

Two titans will collide in Ann Arbor on Saturday, and it won’t be at the Big House.Top-ranked Michigan (6-0-2) and sixth-ranked MSU (4-1-1) will square off at Yost Ice Arena in the first of four meetings of the teams this season.“The Michigan game is always important,” MSU senior center Andrew Bogle said.

SPORTS

Womens soccer to face Illini in Big Ten tourney

Justin A. Rice
November 2, 2000

The MSU women’s soccer team enters this year’s Big Ten tournament today in Champaign, Ill., without senior goalkeeper and co-captain Sara Kloosterman, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in last weekend’s 1-0 loss to Penn State.Kloosterman, who will stay on as MSU’s goalie coach next year - passed the baton to her protégé - freshman goalie Stacy Heller - prematurely when the Spartans beat Bowling Green 1-0 Sunday.

SPORTS

Smith released from Pistons, returns to CBA

James Jahnke
November 2, 2000

Antonio Smith’s dreams of making an NBA roster will have to be postponed for a little while longer.The Detroit Pistons released the former Spartan forward last weekend before they departed for Toronto for their season opener.Charles Tucker, Smith’s agent, said Smith was a victim of the Pistons having too many players.

SPORTS

Fine dining available for cager fans before games

Tim Mosley
November 2, 2000

Tickets are now available for Breslin Student Events Center’s exclusive, upscale restaurant, the Tip-Off Cafe. In its fourth year, the Tip-Off Cafe offers basketball ticket holders a unique dining experience prior to every men’s basketball home game. “Many arenas, at least the ones built within the past four years, have a prefunction and bar space inside the arena,” said Scott Breckner, Breslin director.

SPORTS

Its OK to be a huge Buckeyes fan in East Lansing

James Jahnke
November 2, 2000

I admit it, I’m a Buckeye. Sure, I only lived in Ohio for the first 10 months of my life, but I proudly root for my gridiron heroes from Columbus as though I grew up in the shadow of the Horseshoe. Before I go any further, let me clarify that I consider myself a Spartan fan too.

SPORTS

Safety gaining experience, improvemnt with gridder defense

Arthur Alcid
November 1, 2000

If it weren’t for the wrong jersey, Thomas Wright could’ve been a wide receiver rather than a safety right now.On his first day of practice with MSU, Wright donned a white jersey that the offense wears instead of the defense’s green.Despite being an all-region wide receiver in Florida at Lake Wales High School, Wright said he was intent on playing safety.

SPORTS

Basketball season charges forward

Jeff Karzen
November 1, 2000

This is the first in a series of previews about the Big Ten men’s basketball teams. Basketball coaches use various methods to inspire their teams. Some offer rewards for maximum effort, while others believe in military-style discipline. New Illinois head coach Bill Self came to practice early this fall wearing army fatigues, with a T-shirt reading “War” and war paint on his face. It was the last day of a two-week preseason training session that Self dubbed “Boot Camp,” a name the former Tulsa coach said was inspired by one of his assistants. “I was trying to loosen them up and show our team that we need to have fun doing whatever we’re doing,” Self said of the “suicide” drills the Fighting Illini were performing. Illini players said they couldn’t imagine former coach Lon Kruger dressing in army duds. “That was crazy,” said Illinois forward and emotional leader Sergio McClain.