sport: Febuary 2009

The Greater Lansing Sports Magazine

Eaton Rapids Girl Sets Weightlifting Records MSU Basketball’s Senior “Bigs” Fight Battles Ice Fishing On Lake Lansing Has Own Allure

It’s Time To Get Fit (On And Off The Course)

Sam Anderson Of Indian Hills Can Help Shave Strokes

February 2009 $3.00 U.S.

www.SportLansing.com

How do Sports IMPACT Local Business?

Toss this around...

So far in 2008, the Greater Lansing Sports Authority has worked with 50 amateur sports events, bringing over 65,000 athletes and their families into the community. Those visitors help stimulate our local economy through lodging, shopping, dining and all kinds of entertainment spending.

It makes sense. Bringing amateur athletic events to Greater Lansing is more than a lot of fun. It’s good business.

517-377-1406 www.lansingsports.org

REGIONAL BUSINESS TRAVEL TRUST

MAKING YOUR CONNECTIONS

Helping to shape the future of air service from Lansing’s Capital Region International Airport.

Together we can make a difference.

Capital Region International Airport is worth about $1 billion annually to the regional economy and a critical component for a strong economy. That’s why community leaders formed the Regional Business Travel Trust—to give the business community a greater role in helping strengthen air service in our region.

As a Travel Trust member you will be informed of the latest developments at the airport and you can let us know what you think should be our highest priorities in recruiting new air service.

Your organization can also take advantage of numerous perks including being first to know about special deals the airlines may offer, opportunities to be involved with airport community-sponsored events and discounts on a variety of airportrelated services.

Log on to flylansing.com for more information.

Join the Regional Business Travel Trust Team…it’s good business!

Making Your Connections

V.I.P. SERVICE FOR ALL YOUR BUSINESS TRAVEL NEEDS Combining business travel with pleasure has never been so easy! Whether you’re going on a corporate retreat, going to the annual meeting with the board of directors, or any number of company events, you’ll appreciate the first-class accommodations and the professional staff of Dean Trailways of Michigan.

• • • •

Service First National Company, Local Value Comfortable Take Pride

• • • •

Dependable Safe Coaches to Meet Your Needs Business Trips and Special Occasions

Call us today!

4726 Aurelius Road • Lansing, MI 48910

1-800-282-3326 www.deantrailways.com

SPORT CONTENTS

14 POWER PLAY

GLAHA’s Bullock Is Bullish On Hockey, Mid-Michigan BY andy flanagan

18 first, shoes… then, gold?

COVER Photograph Kevin Fowler

MSU’s Franklin Gomez Wins With Work And God BY ernie boone

22 WELL worth the weight Powerlifting Is In Samantha Baty’s Blood BY ted kluck

26 the “s” means, sur vivor

Suton, Ibok, Gray Put Their S.I.G.-nature On Spartan Hoops BY jack ebling

34 t wice as nice on ice?

Fishing Season Doesn’t Have To End In Mid-Michigan BY doug warren

30

Indian Hills Can Add To Your Thrills Anderson, Petersen Give Golfers A Better Shot With Custom Clubs BY burtOn smith

06

EB-SERVATIONS

08

NEWS + NOTES

10

PSYCHOLOGY

12

FITNESS

Anger: Ally Or Adversary?

Control Still The Key To Competitive Success

Classes Combine Fun And Fitness In Mid-Michigan

By Dr. John H. Braccio

42

SPECIAL OLYMPIC SALUTE

Time To Take The Plunge?

Polar Temps Put Fun In Fund-Raiser

By Crystal Krauskoff

Zumba & Kettlebell Crazes Are Here

38

LAW

The Games People Play

Rodriguez, Dantonio Contracts Show Different Strategies

By MARK dotson

Fans Get Extra Shot Of Fun

March Magic Hoopfest Provides Interactive Sports Experience

By rita wieber

44

SPORTS AUTHORITY

By BRENDAN DWYER

48

FINISH LINE

A Region For All Seasons

Lansing Offers Outstanding Variety For Fans, Spectators Alike By mayor virg bernero

FEBRUARY 2009 3

Assists

SPORT CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rita Wieber Rita has worked in the health and wellness arena in Greater Lansing for more than 20 years as an exercise physiologist, a nurse and a college instructor. A former running columnist, she has been running for more than three decades to support her chocolate habit. Rita lives in DeWitt with her husband, David, and their four children.

Andy Flanagan Andy has written about high school teams and athletes in MidMichigan for more than a quarter-century, starting with the Lansing State Journal in 1982. The Everett High and MSU grad helped cover Spartan football from 1987-89. An avid homebrewer, Andy works in corporate communications for Auto-Owners Insurance Company. He and his wife, Jamie, have two children.

Ted Kluck A modern-day George Plimpton, Ted has written for ESPN the Magazine and ESPN.com Page 2. His books include Facing Tyson and Paper Tiger. He has coached prep football, trained as a pro wrestler and served as a missionary. Ted lives in Grand Ledge with wife, Kristin, and son Tristan.

Doug Warren Doug has been a sportswriter and broadcaster since 1996. He worked for WBBL and WLAV in Grand Rapids and for WILS in Lansing. Doug also served as a columnist/reporter for Scout.com, covering the Lions and MSU. He is a dedicated stay-at-home dad and lives in Lansing with his wife, Lori, and their three children. The newest, Noah David, was born on Super Bowl Sunday.

The Greater Lansing Sports Magazine

Volume #1 • Issue #6 FEBRUARY 2009

Publisher NBB Publishing Editor Jack Ebling Assistant Editor Doug Warren Contributing Writers Mayor Virg Bernero Ernie Boone Dr. John H. Braccio Brendan Dwyer Jack Ebling Andy Flanagan Ted Kluck Crystal Krauskoff Burton Smith Walt Sorg Doug Warren Rita Wieber PhotographY Kevin Fowler Al Goldis Ceil Heller Mike Holder Michigan State University Terri Shaver Rob Sumbler Doug Warren Sharon Watson MAGAZINE Design & LAYOUT Vision Creative Printing Millbrook Printing, Co. Mailer Aldingers, Inc.

SPORT, The Greater Lansing Sports Magazine is published monthly by NBB Publishing with offices at 1223 Turner, Suite 300, Lansing, MI 48906. Postage is paid under USPS Permit #979.

Subscriptions: One copy of SPORT, The Greater Lansing Sports Magazine is mailed complimentary to qualified business addresses in the Greater Lansing metropolitan area. Residential, household, promotional, out-of-area and additional subscriptions are available for $18.00 per year which is half of the shelf price of $3.00 per issue. Subscribe at: www.SportLansing.com Postmaster: Address changes should be sent to: SPORT Magazine, 1223 Turner, Suite 300, Lansing, Michigan 48906.

4 FEBRUARY 2009

Editorial Office 1223 Turner, Suite 300 Lansing, Michigan 48906 (517) 455-7810 www.SportLansing.com Copyright Š 2009 NBB Publishing.

All rights reserved.

SPORT EB-SERVATION

Gone…But Not Forgotten “Mo Pete” Made Spartans Complete (And Vice Versa)

BY JACK EBLING

But more than any player Tom Izzo has had, Morris Peterson reached his potential – as a player and as a person. He stayed at Michigan State for five seasons and needed every moment of them.

On Saturday, Jan. 17, just before the Spartans overtook Illinois, the Big Ten’s best basketball program took the opportunity to honor “Mo Pete.” No. 42 was raised to the rafters, a fitting tribute to someone who was raised the right way.

His grandmother, Clara Mae Spencer, had to be proud as she watched from the front row in heaven. His mother, Valarie, a tough player in her own right, and his father, Morris Sr., were clearly moved. His coach was a little choked up, too. Together, with help from the other “Flintstones”, they made their dream – and ours – come true.

Step One for Peterson was convincing the MSU staff he belonged there. I’ll never forget a trip with Izzo to a Northern-Southwestern Academy game in 1995. Northern was about to win a state title with senior Antonio Smith and junior Mateen Cleaves. Southwestern was a one-man team with sophomore Charlie Bell. And this cocky senior from Flint Northwestern kept positioning himself where a head coach-in-waiting

PhotographS COURTESY OF Michigan State University

His left-handed jumpers didn’t always land as softly as snowflakes.

His defense wasn’t always a factor.

And he didn’t always respond to his coach’s…suggestions.

The Ultimate Honor Morris Peterson prepares to see his number rise to the Breslin Center rafters. couldn’t miss him. Peterson nearly drew a charge and recruited his school, instead of the other way around.

When he got to East Lansing, Peterson didn’t have a GPS to find classes. Shoot,

for the first semester, he didn’t have a clue.

That came back to bite him when Izzo left him home from the team’s first road trip, a season-opening, eye-opening visit to the Maui Invitational.

Jack Ebling SPORT EDITOR

Jack has covered sports and much more as a writer and broadcaster in Mid-Michigan since 1978. A three-time Michigan Sportswriter of the Year, he was a 2006 inductee into the Greater Lansing Area Sports Hall of Fame. He has written five books–four on Michigan State and one on the Detroit Tigers– and has contributed more than 125 pieces for national publications. The former English teacher and coach spent nearly a quarter-century as a beat writer and columnist for the Lansing State Journal and won 21 major writing awards. He became a sports radio host in 2002 and branched into news talk in 2006. Currently, he hosts “Ebling and You” weekday afternoons and co-hosts “The Jack and Tom Show” Saturdays on 1320 WILS in Lansing. A two-time graduate of MSU, he has lived in the area for 36 years and has helped to raise two remarkable young adults.

6 FEBRUARY 2009

After just 12 minutes of action in four games, Peterson broke a finger and became a medical redshirt. It was the best break of his and Izzo’s lives. That wasn’t clear right away.

In his second season, Peterson scored in double figures just twice in his last 25 games.

But with constant attention from assistant Tom Crean, he finally saw an opening and seized it. After a meeting where he sobbed uncontrollably, Peterson became a man.

“You’ve all heard stories about how I didn’t go to class, didn’t play defense and didn’t listen,” he said during a brief trip home. “Well, they’re all true…But I changed.

Didn’t I, Coach?”

Izzo had said that Peterson was going dorm-to-dorm, searching for the first person he could guard. That was a bit of an exaggeration. It only took two or three dorms.

Then, another fortuitous break, his right wrist this time, made him concentrate on moving his feet. With “The Club” on his arm, Peterson became a perimeter stopper. The offense was always there, as seen when he scored 20 points in 19 minutes at Iowa.

It was his fourth season when Peterson did the unthinkable, accepting a sixth-man role for the benefit of the team and becoming the only reserve ever to be named firstteam All-Big Ten. He had 24 points against Duke, 23 against Louisville and 19 points and 10 rebounds in an Elite Eight win over Kentucky, earning his first of two Midwest Region Most Outstanding Player honors.

Peterson never scored 42 points in a game the way his mother did. But now you know why he never took the opportunity to change numbers. All he did was put numbers on the scoreboard, producing 31 points in a Cleaves-less upset at No. 2 North Carolina, 32 more in a Crisler Arena takeover at Michigan and 26 against Ohio State, a game when “The Flintstones” – at least, the remaining three – outscored the Buckeyes, 73-72.

But to understand Peterson, you had to ask him a question about Clara Mae. It was

A Permanent Bond Peterson is presented with “The Club” by Tom Izzo, as Mark Hollis looks on. much like the unbridled love Barack Obama had for his grandmother, who died shortly before her grandson was elected. In Peterson’s case, it produced a tsunami of emotion.

Just after he led the Spartans past Iowa State in an Elite Eight classic and moments after he called for and delivered the biggest basket in school history, he learned from Izzo his grandmother had died that morning.

She had suffered a stroke a few weeks earlier in Mississippi. But Peterson told her he loved her one last time the Wednesday before she died. His sister held a phone to her ear. And that was the last time anyone saw Clara Mae smile.

Oh, she kept smiling. We just didn’t see it. She smiled when “Mo Pete’ put her name

on his shoes and wore them with honor in two Final Four wins. She beamed when the Big Ten’s Most Valuable Player became a firstteam All-American, a graduate of Michigan State University and a first-round pick in the NBA Draft – all in a span of three months.

Nearly nine years later, he’s a well-paid part-timer with the New Orleans Hornets.

But no one can take away the things he accomplished in East Lansing. The rafters at Breslin are a little more crowded these days.

Cleaves’ No. 12 banner has company. Too bad they can’t throw an alley-oop.

The best part is Peterson doesn’t have to prove himself to anyone now. He feels complete. So was his mission. And the proof is in the rafters, just a little closer to Clara Mae.

Readers should submit their story ideas, News + Notes and Last Shot photographs by the 20th of each month.

To be a part of the community, go to: www.SportLansing.com

SPORT NEWS + NOTES

Something For Everyone

By Doug Warren & SPORT Staff

The Michigan State football team, which won nine regular-season games for the first time since 1999 and made its first New Year’s Day bowl appearance in nine years, finished No. 24 in the final Associated Press and USA TODAY polls.

“We’re building a foundation here, and finishing in the Top 25 is part of the process,” Spartan Head Coach Mark Dantonio said.

“We entered the polls for the first time in early October and remained there for 10 of the last 11 weeks.

That’s consistency.

“As we continue to build this program, our expectation will be to become a consistent Top 25 team. In the seasons when we can bounce into the Top 10, then that’s when great things can happen.”

The last time the Spartans appeared in the final national polls came at the conclusion of the 1999 season. Thanks to its 37-34 victory over Florida in the 2000 Florida Citrus Bowl, Michigan State finished the 1999 season with a 10-2 record and ranked No. 7 in the final AP and USA TODAY/ESPN polls.

Lansing Everett High seniors Reggie Williams and Lavelle Walker and East Lansing senior Donald Akujobi will continue their football rivalry in the GLIAC next season. Williams and Walker will play at Grand Valley State, while Akujobi will attend Wayne State.

Williams, a 5-foot-9, 170-pound quarterback, was one of the most dangerous pass-run threats in Mid-Michigan prep history. He completed 107 of 156 throws for 1,641 yards and 17 touchdowns last fall. He also ran for 586 yards and eight scores for Coach Marcelle Carruthers. Williams is expected to play wide receiver and quarterback for the Lakers.

Walker, 5-11, 175, was an outstanding receiver and a better defensive back for the Lakers. He made 75 tackles, including three sacks, and had five interceptions.

8 FEBRUARY 2009

Also an honors student, Walker was invited to walk on at Michigan.

Akujobi was overshadowed by Michigan State-bound lineman Blake Treadwell but made plenty of plays for the Trojans. The 6-1, 217-pound outside linebacker was a big-time contributor for Coach Bill Feraco.

Former Michigan State assistant coach Pat Shurmur has been hired as the St. Louis Rams’ offensive coordinator. Shurmur, 43, has been an assistant for the Philadelphia Eagles since 1999, serving the past seven years as quarterbacks coach.

Shurmur was an MSU assistant from 1990-97. He was a candidate for the Spartans head coaching job in 2006, before the job went to Mark Dantonio.

The Michigan State gymnastics team posted a score of 194.200 and recorded a season-high six top-three finishes, finishing second at the third-annual Jan Howard Breast Cancer Awareness meet at Jenison Field House on January 17. The meet raised over $1,200 for the American Cancer Society.

The Michigan Soccer Referee Committee, in conjunction with the Greater Lansing Area Soccer Referee Association, will be conducting new soccer referee clinics March 7-8 at The Summit in Dimondale. Both sessions will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 1 p.m. Participants must stay for the entire session.

Upon successful completion of the eight-hour class, officials will earn a Grade 9 USSF badge and a free starter uniform kit for local referees. Space is limited and preregistration is advised. All details and information can be found at www.glasra.org.

The Michigan State women’s golf team began the spring season with a dual-match victory over Ohio State on Jan. 26 at the Fort Myers

Challenge. The Spartans defeated the Buckeyes by four strokes, 306310, on the par-72, 6,392-yard The Club at Renaissance course. Junior Laura Kueny claimed medalist honors with a round of 1-underpar 71, four strokes better than the second-place finisher.

Sophomore Aimee Neff took third with a 4-over 76, while senior Holly Niederkohr finished sixth with a 7-over 79. Freshman Lindsey Solberg rounded out the Spartans’ team scoring with an 8-over 80.

The Spartans resume tournament action Feb. 9-11 at the Regional Challenge in Palos Verdes, Calif.

Former Michigan State hockey standouts Ryan Miller and Tom Anastos were recognized on The Hockey News’ annual list of the 100 People of Power and Influence.

Miller, a goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres, was listed at No. 25 while Anastos, the current commissioner of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), was slotted at No. 86.

Miller is the fourth-highestranked player on the list, behind Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby (No. 1), Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin (No. 2), and Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom (No. 24). The Hockey News recognized Miller’s involvement with the NHL’s competition and goalie committees, as well as his media-friendly style.

Miller, an East Lansing native, played for Michigan State from 1999-2002. During his time with the Spartans he won the Hobey Baker Award, was a two-time AllAmerican and CCHA Player of the Year, and set the NCAA record for shutouts in a career with 26.

Anastos was labeled “Mr. College Hockey” by the Hockey News for the work he has done since assuming his current post in March 1998. They noted his work in trying to prevent professional teams from taking players out of college before the school term ends, and his promotion of

college hockey as the best way for young players to develop.

DeWitt’s Liz Nagel has signed her National Letter of Intent to join the Michigan State golf program for the 2009-10 season.

Nagel won the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division II State Championship as a sophomore and junior, and finished second as a senior. Nagel earned Lansing State Journal Player of the Year honors all four years of high school. She led DeWitt to a state title in 2007 while being named Michigan Miss Golf. Nagel, who won four league titles and three regional championships, was a first-team all-state selection as a freshman and a Super Team pick her final three years at DeWitt. At age 13, Nagel became the youngest player to qualify for the Michigan Women’s Amateur Match Play.

“Liz is a long hitter who has Green and White in her blood,” said MSU women’s golf coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll. “She has had a very successful junior career and we can’t wait for her to continue it at as a Spartan.”

Former Spartan golfer Allison Fouch had her most successful season on the LPGA Tour in 2008, asserting her position as one of the best female golfers in the world. Fouch had three top-10 finishes and placed in the top 30 on nine occasions on the 2008 LPGA Tour, placing her No. 50 on the money list with earnings of more than $370,000.

Fouch’s breakthrough moment on the tour arrived at the Michelob ULTRA Open, where she carded a final round of 64, including a chip-in on the 72nd hole, to tie for second place. Fouch, who was a three-time All-Big Ten selection and played at MSU from 2000-04, will be fully exempt for the 2009 LPGA season.

The St. Johns High School Marching Band has received a very special honor: an invitation to be an official representative of the state of Michigan in the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C. on July 4 – part of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration. The band boosters are soliciting donations to help the

band accept the invitation and make the $88,000 trip. The cost breaks down to $586 per student, but the band hopes to raise all of the money so that the band members won’t have to pay anything out of pocket.

Any donations can be sent to St. Johns High School, 501 W. Sickles, St. Johns, MI 48879 – marked “Attention: Band.”

The inaugural Big East-Big Ten Baseball Challenge will be held in St. Petersburg, Fla., from Feb. 20-22. The Michigan State Spartans, under first-year head coach Jake Boss Jr., will take on Connecticut (Feb. 20), Seton Hall (Feb. 21) and Minnesota (Feb. 22) as part of the Challenge.

Tickets will be available online at www.BigEastBigTenChallenge. com. Those interested in purchasing tickets via phone can call (410) 472-3500.

An all-tournament pass, which provides access to all 27 games of the Challenge, can be purchased for $10. Individual venue passes are available for $5. An individual venue pass will admit one spectator to any game on a given day at Progress Energy Park, the Raymond A. Naimoli Complex, Jack Russell Stadium, Bright House Field or Dunedin Stadium. Youth and social organizations also can sell all-tournament passes with a portion of the proceeds going to the selling organization. Information about fundraising opportunities also is available at www.BigEastBigTenChallenge.com.

The 27th Annual Williamston Schools Foundation Golf Outing will take place Saturday, May 16 at Brookshire Inn & Golf Club. The outing is the group’s major fundraiser and typically raises about $15,000 per year. To find out more about WSF 27th Annual Golf Outing sponsorship or how to participate as a golfer, call (517) 655-7513 or e-mail wsf@gowcs.net.

Michigan State’s non-conference football game against Western Michigan, scheduled for Nov. 7, has been moved from Ford Field in Detroit to Spartan Stadium.

With the relocation to Spartan Stadium, Michigan State will play six other home games in 2009:

Sept. 5 - Montana State, Sept. 12 Central Michigan, Oct. 3 - Michigan, Oct. 17 - Northwestern, Oct. 24 Iowa and Nov. 21 - Penn State.

Holt junior soccer midfielder Josh Barens has verbally committed to play for Michigan State.

Barens chose MSU over Louisville, New Mexico, Evansville, Princeton, Boston University, George Washington, Stanford, Notre Dame and Kentucky.

Last season Barens had 24 goals and 25 assists to lead the Rams to a top-10 state ranking, being the highest-ranked team in the area and a CAAC tournament and district titlist. He made the Division 1 all-state second team and was a member of the Lansing State Journal Dream Team.

Barens, a 3.896 GPA student, is also the captain of the under-16 FC Wolves National Academy club squad, one of the premier club programs in the country.

Michigan State field hockey will host a Fun-Play-Day on Feb. 15 beginning at 10 a.m. The event will be held at the Duffy Daugherty Football Building on the Michigan State campus. The camp is open to girls ages 10-18, and the fee is $40.

The one-day camp will show participants what training looks like at the college level. The sessions will allow participants to learn more about new areas of field hockey and experience how the game is being trained and coached at the intercollegiate level. Participants will receive both group and individual instruction.

Registration information and forms can be downloaded at www. msuspartans.com. For questions call (517) 432-1212 or email msufh@ ath.msu.edu. Register early, as space is limited.

SPORT COMMUNITY

Contribute News + Notes Contact Doug Warren

e-mail:

news@SportLansing.com

web:

www.SportLansing.com FEBRUARY 2009 9

SPORT PSYCHOLOGY

Anger: Ally Or Adversary?

Control Still The Key To Competitive Success

By Dr. John H. Braccio

Anger is a passion than can lead to justice, victory, fairness, change and a better world for those who use it appropriately.

In sports, the problem is when anger leads to penalties, uncontrolled violence, bad attitudes and technical fouls – poor modeling for coaches, players and fans. More often than not, it leads to losses.

A horrible example of anger gone awry was when two hockey players at Michigan State, Corey Tropp and Andrew Conboy, went after Michigan defenseman Steve Kampfer and sent him to the hospital. Both assailants have been suspended from the team for the year. To make things worse, Kampfer’s father confronted Tropp in the Spartans’ locker room before the game ended. He has since apologized.

Tom Izzo, MSU’s enormously successful and passionate basketball coach, got a technical foul in the Michigan State-Illinois game on Jan. 16. It was his fourth technical in the Spartans’ last five games with official David Maracich.

There was no harm, and maybe it motivated the team to some degree. It is possible the players could see his anger as protecting them from bad officiating. That could be a positive use of anger. The purpose also could have been to make an impression on the referees. Of course, one must be part psychologist to make sure not to alienate officials. Coaches need to gauge the integrity and temperament of the crew. To get them angry could lead to more calls going against their team.

As followers of MSU basketball know, rarely does Izzo allow his anger to lead to losses. In fact, during the Final Four run in 2005, he took a hammer to a game tape that showed a very bad performance by his team.

Many believe that outburst was planned for effect and was a primary motivator for the unexpected Final Four run.

An example of a coach using controlled anger to support his players and fans was when MSU football coach Mark Dantonio singled out diminutive Michigan running back Mike Hart in 2007. Dantonio chastised 10 FEBRUARY 2009

Hart for saying his team was treating MSU like its little brother in the Wolverines’ comeback win. Hart had to sit in the stands in 2008 and watch “Little Brother” bulldoze “Big Brother.” Does anyone doubt that Dantonio motivated his team for 2008?

Marc Kibby, longtime varsity girls softball coach at Bath High School, told me, “I sometimes would show anger when I felt my girls were not being treated fairly by officials when my program was not as established as it is now. I see it as defending my players and team.”

But anger guaranteed defeat when Larry Eustachy, then Iowa State’s basketball coach, drew two technical fouls and was kicked out of the game against MSU in an NCAA Tournament Elite Eight game at The Palace in 2000. The Spartans won 75-64 in overtime in a matchup that many felt was the real title game.

Coach Ross Baldwin of Lansing Catholic High had to dismiss two players from his ninth-grade basketball team a few years ago due to anger and bad attitude when discipline was required.

“I believe it helped the rest of the team and the involved players, too, when they learned anger and resulting bad attitudes were not accepted on the team,” Baldwin said. “Anger must be controlled by players and coaches or it can be a cancer that will destroy the organization, structure and team commitment required for a winning attitude.”

Fans can be consumed by anger, too – often carrying outcomes with them for decades, even when the officials didn’t decide the winner.

The infamous 1986 clock incident in the Kansas-Michigan State NCAA Tournament game will forever cause anger in MSU fans. It was unfair. But a missed free

throw would have won the game. Games are won and lost by the totality of plays and not just by one play or incident. People need to remember this when the end of a game causes anger.

Michigan fans will forever be angry that MSU cornerback Eddie Brown wasn’t flagged on a failed two-point conversion in 1990, when he clearly tripped Wolverine receiver Desmond Howard. Bob Griese, the ABC announcer, said if Howard had caught the ball there would have been no controversy.

Overall, anger can be a most useful emotion in sports – if it strengthens athletes and teams to be their best. Unfortunately, it often has more negative effects. Players and coaches must represent themselves, their team, their school and their communities. Whether they like it or not, they are role models.

Market

Station Dial Position

Adrian Alma Alpena Ann Arbor Bad Axe Battle Creek Benton Harbor Benton Harbor Cadillac Caro Cheboygan Detroit Escanaba Flint Gaylord Grand Haven Grand Haven Grand Rapids Greenville Greenville Hastings Hastings Holland Iron Mountain Jackson Kalamazoo Lansing Lansing Ludington Manistee Marquette Midland Newberry Petoskey Port Huron Saginaw Sturgis Tawas City Traverse City

WABJ-AM WQBX-FM WATZ-AM WLBY-AM WLEW-AM WBCK-FM WCSY-FM WHIT-AM WCKC-FM WKYO-AM WCBY-AM WJR-AM WDBC-AM WWCK-AM WAVC-FM WGHN-AM WGHN-FM WBBL-AM WSCG-AM WSCG-FM WBCH-AM WBCH-FM WPNW-AM WMIQ-AM WIBM-AM WKZO-AM WJIM-AM WMMQ-FM WKLA-AM WMTE-AM WDMJ-AM WLUN-FM WIHC-FM WJML-AM WPHM-AM WNEM-AM WMSH-AM WKJC-FM WCCW-AM

List as of 1/13/09; tentative and subject to change

1490 104.9 1450 1290 1340 95.3 103.7 940 107.1 1360 1240 760 680 1570 93.9 1370 92.1 1340 1380 106.3 1220 100.1 1260 1450 1450 590 1240 94.9 1450 1340 1320 100.9 97.9 1110 1380 1250 1230 104.7 1310

Join us for Michigan State Basketball on these stations and spartansportsnetwork.com

Will Tieman Play-by-Play

Matt Steigenga Analyst

Gus Ganakas Analyst

Adam Ruff Broadcast Host

FEBRUARY 2009 11

SPORT FITNESS

The Zumba and Kettlebell Crazes Are Here Classes Combine Fun And Fitness In Mid-Michigan By rita wieber

“Ditch the workout. Join the party!”

Those are the words that pulled Angie Stockman out of her sedentary streak and back into fitness. she could get the intense workout she desired in just 30 minutes.

Zumba and Kettlebell are the latest fitness crazes to hit health clubs all over the country. Best of all, you don’t have to be from New York City or Los Angeles to be “in”.

Several fitness clubs in the Greater Lansing area have kept pace with the fitness world by offering these two hit classes.

Zumba It’s considered the new group fitness craze that’s taking the world by storm. Zumba feels like a Caribbean party with health benefits, minus the pina colada.

Photograph Sharon Watson

After years of organized sports participation, Stockman found herself struggling to initiate her own workouts after she finished college.

“Everything seemed boring to me,” said Stockman, a 24-year-old Lansing resident.

“I kept finding excuses for not exercising.

Before I knew it, weeks had gone by where I was completely sedentary.”

Then she found Zumba!

Pandora Knoy found her busy life as the president of a construction company and mother of three children impinging on her exercise time.

It wasn’t until she found Kettlebell that

Inspired by Latin dance and founded by a Miami-based dancer and choreographer in the mid-1990s, Zumba mixes international dance steps with body sculpting movements and puts it to the fun beat of Latin and Caribbean music. The result is an hour of fun and fitness.

Zumba gained popularity after being showcased on The Today Show in 2007. Since then, more than 20,000 certified instructors have surfaced in 30 countries.

“After my first class, I told my friends I was born for this,” Stockman said. “It’s such a comfortable setting. Everyone is enjoying themselves no matter what their body shape, age or fitness level.”

Zumba is quickly filling up the group exercise schedules of clubs around Lansing.

“Our first Zumba class filled up immediately,” said Joy Berwald, group fitness

12 FEBRUARY 2009

director of the Westside YMCA. “We added a second class and that is full.”

You don’t have to be a young female dancer to enjoy Zumba – you just need the willingness to move and have fun.

“Our Zumba participants range from teenagers to 84 years old,” Berwald said. “They come out of that room drenched in sweat and laughing at the fun they had.”

Kettlebell Knoy has enjoyed fitness her whole life.

“There isn’t a form of exercise I don’t like,” said Knoy, a DeWitt resident who is now coaching varsity lacrosse. “I’m always looking for something new and challenging.”

Kettlebell fit the bill. This workout uses a traditional Russian cast-iron weight – looking more like a cannonball – with a handle.

Kettlebells have been used by the Russian military and athletes since the 1700s.

“I love that I can get my cardio workout plus strength training at once,” Knoy said.

Kettlebells are different than dumbbells in that they are harder to handle. Since the weight is off-centered and the handle is so thick, the Kettlebell forces you to use more muscles as stabilizers.

“I saw results in my muscle tone that I’ve never seen before in such a small amount of time,” Berwald said. “Runners have told me that their heart rate gets as high in a

Kettlebell class as it does running.”

The instructor leads the class through a series of swings and movements that target the major muscle groups and stabilizing muscles. Since the Kettlebells allow for more range of movement than dumbbells and machines, they treat your body as a whole, not a group of parts.

The comeback of this ancient piece of equipment is touted by well-known people such as Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Lopez and Lance Armstrong.

For those who prefer to exercise in the comfort of their own home, Kettlebells can be purchased on the web or in stores such as Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Meijer.

FEBRUARY 2009 13

14 FEBRUARY 2009

GLAHA’s Bullock Is Bullish On Hockey, Mid-Michigan

BY ANDY FLANAGAN

Photograph by Al Goldis

Youth hockey tournaments can be big deals, but few if any in the country are bigger than the Capital City Showdown-Governor’s Cup Tournament held in the Lansing area.

This year’s tournament featured 101 teams playing 247 games over a four-day span during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend in January. That’s a lot of hockey. And it was presided over by one person: Jim Bullock.

Bullock, a member of the board of directors for the Greater Lansing Amateur Hockey Association, was the mastermind in coming up with the tournament, which just completed its third year. A former player at Miami (Ohio) and a coach of his son’s youth team for the past five years, Bullock essentially runs the entire event as tournament director.

If it sounds time-consuming, it is. Bullock estimates that he puts in “easily” 350 hours a year in organizing the event. The bulk of his time is spent shortly before the tournament begins and during the tournament, when he is at the various rinks for four days, charting the action.

“I wanted to give back to hockey. I coached, but I wanted to do something for the city of Lansing and GLAHA,” Bullock said. “I thought a great way to do something would be to hold a youth tournament.”

Bullock said the Governor’s Cup has turned into probably the largest youth hockey tournament in the Midwest. After starting with 75 teams the first year, the tournament expanded to 101 teams the last two years. It features players from as young as 6 in the Mite division to as old as 15 in the Bantam division. Teams come from all over Michigan, including the Upper Peninsula, and as far away as Denver. The Chicago area is well-represented, Bullock said, and teams from Canada also compete.

“Lansing’s a hotbed of hockey,” he said.

“A lot of local kids have gone on to play collegiately or professionally. We’ve got such

“With the economy being what it is, it’s a huge shot in the arm that hockey’s giving back to the community…”

- Jim Bullock Capital City Showdown

Bullock has to schedule the games, hire officials and work with the people at the four ice rinks that are used for tournament games. And he doesn’t get paid for any of it.

a great location and great venues, but we didn’t have anything for a local tournament.

I thought it made sense to put something together in Lansing.

FEBRUARY 2009 15

16 FEBRUARY 2009

Power Play “And we want to increase the participation numbers (in local youth hockey) and keep them high. I think the tournament does that.

It helps in giving back to the community, and giving local kids and those that come in for the tournament a great time.”

The Governor’s Cup is played on six surfaces at four facilities. Two – Suburban IceEast Lansing and The Summit at the Capital Centre in Dimondale – each have two rinks and serve as the main hubs. The tournament also uses Munn Ice Arena at Michigan State University and the Washington Park Ice Rink in Lansing. Washington Park is outdoors, but because the rink is covered, teams are able to play games there, Bullock said.

“They really helped us out,” he said of being able to use Washington Park. “If not for Washington Park, we wouldn’t be able to attract the teams we do.”

The tournament helps fill up ice time for the rinks, Bullock said, but it also helps fill up the coffers of local businesses. With an estimated 8,000 people converging on the city that weekend, Bullock had been given estimates that the tournament adds $2 million to the Lansing-area economy.

“With the economy being what it is, it’s a huge shot in the arm that hockey’s giving back to the community,” Bullock said.

“Hotels love us. Restaurants love us.”

The tournament also helps raise money for underprivileged families who are struggling to keep their children involved in hockey. Bullock said that GLAHA offers various scholarships for these families, who sometimes have to pay $2,000 per season.

As can be expected, “scheduling is a nightmare,” Bullock said. One change he made last year was to bring in half the teams on Friday and the other half on Saturday, so some teams are finished on Sunday and the others on Monday.

But that doesn’t solve every problem.

Bullock said the Friday before the tournament this year, he completed the schedule and sent it to the teams. However, about 12 teams called and said that, for a variety of reasons, they needed the schedule changed.

That meant about eight more hours of work for him to get a schedule that worked for everyone, but Bullock isn’t complaining.

“We aim to please, which is why I think people really like coming to this,” he said.

“A lot of operations run this (hockey tournaments) as a business. We go out of our way to make sure everybody has a great time.”

Bullock said that he had to turn away 80 teams this year.

“If we had more sheets of ice, this thing

would be probably twice the size it is,” he said.

This is the last year that Bullock is going to run the tournament by himself. The hours and a new job that he’s taken on will lead to the tournament being run by a committee, so the workload is more spread out.

“It’s overwhelming for one person. The success of this tournament is probably going to hinge on more of a committee to run it next year,” he said. And yes, Bullock plans on being a member of that committee.

“They’re not letting me go.”

Bullock credited the Greater Lansing Sports Authority for lending a hand in placing news about the tournament on its website. The company also put together a visitor’s guide, providing information on Lansing hotels and restaurants.

Despite the long hours and work involved, Bullock is glad the tournament came to fruition and is thriving. He likes the fact that 18 local teams competed in a tournament in their own backyard and were able to take one weekend off from traveling. But he especially likes it that the Governor’s Cup gives youth hockey players a chance to play the game that he grew up loving.

“You do it because you love the kids,” Bullock said. “That’s basically what it is.”

enhance your brand identity If your corporate literature and communications aren’t achieving their intended impact, consider Millbrook.

Whether you’re looking for a strategic creative service or showcase-quality color printing, you can trust Millbrook’s team of talented professionals to deliver your message on target, on time and on budget. And, with world-class equipment operated by some of the most talented craftsmen our state has to offer, you will find no better partner for your printing.

For more information on how we can help enhance your brand identity, call Andrew today at (800) 992-9653 ext. 219 or visit us at www.millbrookprinting.com.

(517) 627-4078 • (800) 992-9653 • www.millbrookprinting.com

FEBRUARY 2009 17

First, Shoes… Then, Gold?

MSU’s Franklin Gomez Wins With Work And God

BY ERNIE BOONE

18 FEBRUARY 2009

Photographs by Kevin Fowler

Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Puerto Rico by a single mother, Franklin Gomez knows what it means not to have the money to buy brand-name shoes and designer jeans.

The Michigan State University wrestling standout learned how to start in the down position.

“I don’t want to be just one of the guys who won…

If I win for Puerto Rico, I’ll be more outstanding.”

- Franklin Gomez MSU Wrestler

When Gomez began wrestling competitively in Puerto Rico, he wrestled barefoot.

Wrestling shoes were a luxury Margarita Matos couldn’t afford for the second of her three sons.

It was then that Pedro Rojas entered the picture. Rojas, the recreation director, brought a mat to the center one day and introduced 12-year-old Gomez to Olympicstyle wrestling.

Rojas coached a wrestling club. Since most of the kids came from tough environments, he purchased wrestling shoes for those who demonstrated commitment and dedication by attending practice regularly, being on time and working hard.

Earning those wrestling shoes changed Gomez’s life. It was concrete evidence that hard work, dedication and focus can pay dividends.

Gomez was quite young when his father died. His mom and his coach encouraged him to move to Florida during high school, where he could get a better education and increase his chances of attending college.

The decision was a good one.

Gomez attended school in Brandon, Fla., his junior and senior years and completed the “triple crown” of high school wrestling in 2005. He won the high school national championship, the junior freestyle national championship and the junior Greco-Roman national championship at 119 pounds.

That’s when Michigan State wrestling coach Tom Minkel entered the picture. He discovered Gomez while in Florida to recruit a different wrestler and ultimately convinced him to become a Spartan.

“I wasn’t excited about the cold weather,” said Gomez, who visited campus in the spring and fell in love with it.

“They wouldn’t bring me here when it was cold. They probably thought I wouldn’t come here. I came up and said, ‘It is beautiful.’ It FEBRUARY 2009 19

First, Shoes…Then, Gold? was warm. The trees reminded me of home…

I figured that it would be cold in the winter, but I thought that if other people could take it, I could, too.”

So how’s a warm guy like him doing in a place like this?

“He’s a good sport about the weather,” Minkel said.

“I’m a tropical guy,” Gomez said. “I’m used to hot weather. Here, I’m in thermals 24/7. And if you came to my house, you would probably think it is too hot.”

He’ll never forget those lessons taught by his mom and Coach Rojas. They have led to the development of a work ethic that Minkel credits with making him the 133-pound Big Ten champion and one the best wrestlers in the country.

Gomez finished third in the NCAA tournament as a sophomore last year. He compiled a 33-2 record, losing only to Iowa’s Joey Slaton. Gomez went 17-0 in dual matches and outscored opponents 62-0. He opened this season 11-0.

“He’s a quiet kid who leads by example,” Minkel said. “He’s one of the hardest workers on the team. He works out year-round.

His goal is to make the Olympics.”

Gomez follows the same practice and workout schedule as the rest of the Spartans, but

he adds extra work most days to gain and maintain an edge. He varies his post-practice routine, alternating strength exercises like push-ups or pull-ups with flexibility work and mental exercises, including meditation and visualization.

“The stretching increases flexibility,” Gomez said. “Meditation is a psychological thing.”

Gomez will visualize himself making a wrestling move that gains an advantage or standing at the podium after winning. For him it’s a way of preparing mentally as well as physically. In the summer he stays active by playing basketball and soccer with friends, as well as running two or three miles or swimming 15 to 20 minutes on alternate days.

Minkel calls Gomez a student of the sport who not only has tremendous quickness, strength and fundamental and technical skills but also has excellent mental preparation. It’s that mental preparation, along with his physical ability and determination, that sets Gomez apart.

Gomez wants to compete in the World Championships and the 2012 Olympic Games. Although he is a naturalized U.S. citizen, he wants to compete on the Puerto Rican Olympic team and become the first wrestler from that country to earn an

Quick Strike MSU wrestler Franklin Gomez grapples with a teammate during practice .

20 FEBRUARY 2009

Puerto Rican Pride Franklin Gomez plans to represent his homeland in the 2012 Olympics.

Olympic gold medal.

“I don’t want to be just one of the guys who won,” Gomez said. “If I win for Puerto Rico, I’ll be more outstanding.”

More important to Gomez than wrestling goals, however, is his commitment to religion and dedication to becoming the best Christian example possible.

“I try to preach by example,” he said.

And he sets a good one. He’s more than just a great wrestler. He works hard in school and contributes in the community.

He regularly attends the Spanish Church of God in Lansing, led by pastor Abel Arias.

Gomez plays bass guitar in the church band and expresses a firm desire to have all his actions reflect the glory of God. Although he is determined to do everything possible to repeat as Big Ten champion and to add an NCAA title to his list of accomplishments, Gomez said that all of his accomplishments come with God’s help.

He is prepared to accept any result as being God’s will and to His glory.

Within each of us is the ability to inspire others. To expand horizons. To lead.

At Northwood University, we know leadership is a quality that isn’t simply taught, it’s instilled.

It requires a faculty who are role models. Men and women who are successful entrepreneurs and executives – who have directed the course of companies in many industries.

It demands a relevant curriculum that goes beyond textbook learning with real world case studies, group projects, and small interactive classes that teach you how to motivate others.

If you have what it takes to be a leader, shouldn’t you get your master’s degree at Northwood University?

800.MBA.9000 www.northwood.edu

“

Northwood helped me build self-confidence. In class, I was able to practice leadership and problem-solving skills in a simulated real world environment.

Today, I am on an executive management path which will eventually help me become a CEO or an entrepreneur. Even more important, I’d like to be a role model for young women in the future.

Jodi Burgess Vice President, Marketing TechSmith Corporation

“

Well Worth

The Weight Powerlifting Is In Samantha Baty’s Blood

BY TED KLUCK

22 FEBRUARY 2009

Photographs by Rob Sumbler

Samantha Baty has a fractured vertebra in her neck, according to her father, Michael, who mentions this very matter-of-factly, in a costof-doing-business sort of way. Not in an uncaring way, really, but more in a way that suggests that when you’re 17, a girl and bench-pressing huge amounts of weight, this sort of thing happens.

“It’s wear and tear,” he said.

It’s strange to encounter a world-record holder here in Eaton Rapids, a small town about 20 miles south of Lansing that seems worlds away from anything big-city related.

Baty is a two-time World Bench Press Champion, a Junior Olympic Gold Medalist, and a five-time state champion. She has 11 state records, three American records and one world record. She’s also a junior at Eaton Rapids High School, where her friends refer to her simply as “strong chick.” Creative kids, these.

Baty is stronger than most of the boys at her high school, which creates another set of problems.

“It took me a long time to get a boyfriend. But I’ve got one now, and he’s OK with it,” she explained in a way that makes the boyfriend-getting process seem far more difficult than pushing 250 pounds off her chest. When asked if she’s the strongest kid in her school, boy or girl, she answered, “Oh, yeah, by far.”

Baty has crafted her world-class resume in a modest home gym in the family basement. The basement is part shrine to the Chicago Bears and Michigan Wolverines and part medieval torture chamber, where the Batys use chains, boards and lots of heavy iron to build muscle. This isn’t the kind of gym where one wears a leotard and listens to their iPod while slogging away on a treadmill. This is the kind of gym where one goes hard or goes home – home being upstairs with Mom. “I usually lift right after I get home from school for about three hours,” Samantha Baty said. “We do chest and back Monday and Thursday and shoulders and arms Tuesday and Thursday.”

Strength sports are weird. They’re more than a little fringe. They happen, usually, FEBRUARY 2009 23

Well Worth The Weight

To The Max Samantha Baty shows off her power lifting genetics. under the radar of the mainstream media, and its culture is the proverbial “small world,” where everybody knows everybody.

It’s a world of clanging barbells, hand chalk, little ammonia caplets and bench-press shirts that are like Under Armour times 10.

“Sometimes the guys slap each other on the face before they lift,” Baty said. “But we (girls) don’t.”

Baty’s passion is pressing a barbell up off of her chest to a locked-arm position. And these are real reps, not the wussy half-reps that the so-called “strong guy” in your high school weightlifting class used to crank out.

These are Olympic-caliber reps.

“I love it,” she said of bench-pressing. “I love the thrill of competition and the feeling of getting a new weight and attaining a goal. In Michigan there has only been one female to bench 300 pounds, and I’d like to do that. And there has only been one girl in the world to bench 400. I’d like 24 FEBRUARY 2009

to get five (hundred).”

Her one-rep max in the bench press is 260 pounds. Consider the fact that future NFL prospects are tested on their ability to bench 225 pounds for reps, and that former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis weighed in right around 260. Also consider that most men can’t dream of benching 260.

Needless to say, this could have something of an intimidating effect on future dates.

The Baty living room is filled, almost floor to ceiling, with trophies. There are trophies from regional bench press competitions, as well as national and international trophies.

These trophies run the gamut from huge silver and gilded muscular men, to swords to the occasional female trophy. Baty has been something of a trendsetter on the international bench-pressing scene in more

ways than one. She has encouraged meet organizers to design female trophies.

“I told them that the girls work really hard too, and that there should be a female trophy,” she said.

It’s not hard to understand Samantha’s passion for heavy lifting, given the frame of her father. Michael Baty, himself a former champion power lifter, bench-pressed over 600 pounds in competitive settings.

Somewhat appropriately, the only photograph of the elder Baty in the basement gym is a shot of him, truly massive, standing next to his chiropractor.

“He (Holt chiropractor Walter Kittle) used to come to competitions with me and now he sponsors Samantha,” Michael Baty said.

“It’s not unusual to pop a rib out while you’re benching, because your chest is so much stronger than your back.”

Samantha Baty competes in the WABDL (the World Association of Bench Pressers

and Deadlifters). It is the only organization that provides drug testing at all meets. And it has been putting on competitions since the 1970s. The Batys point out a glossy photo of WABDL’s president, as he was portrayed swinging a sword in an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. This is the crowd in which they run.

She doesn’t recall exactly when she fractured her vertebra during the WABDL world championships in November at the Riviera in Las Vegas. There, she pressed 220 pounds to win the world title, her second in three years.

“Once I was in the hotel room and the adrenaline wore off, I said, ‘Dad, I can’t turn my neck,’” she said. “We got it X-rayed, and he said I fractured it.”

As tough as heavy lifting seems to most of us, not training and not competing is much harder for Baty.

“It’s the hardest thing in the world,” said

a girl who has been benching competitively since age 12, when she set a state record in her first meet. “I’ll have to rest for a couple of months, and then just move back into it really slowly. I hope I’ll be competing again in July. I come home from school now and don’t know what to do with myself. I can’t lift and can’t even do chores.”

Her dad always knew his daughter had what it took to follow in his competitive footsteps.

“She hears her brothers down here lifting (her older brother took third in the world in 2006), and she can’t even be around it,” Michael Baty said. “We were moving rocks out in the yard one day, and she grabbed the biggest one and carried it across the lawn.”

The odd genius in a story like Baty’s is that there are a number of ways to raise a “good

kid.” We typically tend to think of “good kids” as swaggering around high schools in letter jackets, serving on honor societies and so forth. This is, to a certain extent, true.

But by lifting like a maniac in her parents’ basement, Samantha Baty has managed to not only stay out of trouble, but also get the world’s attention in a way that, odds are, none of her letterman-jacket-wearing classmates ever will. She exists in a more public way than almost anyone who has lived in Eaton Rapids. And she’s also forged bonds with her parents, Michael and Roseanna, which will most likely last forever. Call it “Parenting by York Barbells.”

“It’s hard to get publicity in lifting because it’s not a school sport,” Michael explained.

And that’s OK. That’s not why she lifts.

When asked where she looks for motivation, there is no hesitation in her answer.

“I look to my dad for inspiration,” she said. “It’s in my blood.”

FEBRUARY 2009 25

26 FEBRUARY 2009

The “S” Means,

Survivor Suton, Ibok, Gray Put Their S.I.G.-nature On Spartan Hoops

BY JACK EBLING

Photograph by Al Goldis

They stand 6-foot-11, 6-10 and 6-9, respectively. But the key word there isn’t a height. It’s that Idong Ibok, Goran Suton and Marquise Gray “stand” for something as Michigan State Spartans. For nearly five years, they have stood for perseverance and pride in a program.

They didn’t have anything handed to them – not in Breslin Center or in traumatic moments before they got there, moments that would have made many of us crumble.

Instead, they have handled personal crises and omnipresent critiques.

They have forged a bond of steel.

And they all say there is more to give.

That’s what brothers in battle do.

Ibok came the farthest to campus, hailing from Lagos, Nigeria. He may have come the farthest in other ways, too. Fleeing the atrocities of a war-torn nation, he is closing in on a third-straight Academic All-Big Ten honor and is pursuing a Master’s degree in advertising. At age 24, as of Feb. 17, he always seems much older and wiser.

Suton has seen his share of atrocities, growing up outside Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. A member of Bosnia’s national team at age 14, he wears that number and shows us all what determination can do. At age 23, the retailing major is the best rebounder in the Big Ten. He has already rebounded from loads of adversity.

Gray arrived with the most hype as a player, then quickly learned that being a “Flintstone” meant more than a mailing address. It was a tag that had to be earned.

Athletically, he still draws oohs and ahhs.

Academically, he has been more impressive as a family community services major who defied his many doubters.

They all arrived together. And they stand together today with one dream. But let’s let them tell their story, as they did in a late January conversation with SPORT Editor Jack Ebling:

SPORT: Every player Tom Izzo has recruited who has stayed has played in a Final Four.

That time is running out for you guys. Do you feel any pressure to keep that streak going?

Ibok: Yeah, sometimes we feel pressure to get that done. But with the team we have FEBRUARY 2009 27

The “S” Means, Survivor this year, I think our chances are as good as any. We’ve just got to be a little more consistent and focus on the goal of playing in Detroit in April.

Gray: We’ve been to a Final Four. We just didn’t play in one. Our first year here, we went as redshirts. It’s different, though, when you finally get to play, when you rush the floor when you win to get there. Sometimes you do feel pressure. But we’re more than capable of doing it.

Suton: There’s definitely pressure. We don’t want to go out as the group that never played in a Final Four. It’s worse for Travis Walton. He wasn’t here in ’05.

SPORT: This program built its reputation by hanging banners. Andre Hutson has a quote in the media guide that says, “We’re about winning championships at Michigan State. That’s what we do here.” How important is that, knowing there hasn’t been a Big Ten title in eight years?

Ibok: It’s our top priority, our No. 1 goal.

It’s even more important because the team we have this year is better. It’s very possible with the guys we have. And it’d be a shame if we fell short, knowing we have the opportunity we do.

Gray: It’s our main goal. It’s what guys talk about every day, winning the Big Ten and getting to the Final Four. It’s something

other, though.

Gray: Not in open gym or anything. But I knew a lot about “G”, too. He was the hometown kid, the modern-day Magic Johnson.

And I knew about “I.D.”. We were at the Nike Camp together. I remembered his face.

SPORT: Who could forget that face? (laughter) Ibok: Hey, I’m pretty, man!

Gray: Once the three of us got together, it was all over from there. We really are like brothers. We do a lot of things brothers do.

SPORT: “I.D.”, you’re shaking your head.

You’re not claiming him?

Ibok: (laughter) I don’t know.

Suton: Just like a brother would, we genuinely love each other.

SPORT: When Izzo yells at one of you guys, is it like he’s yelling at all of you?

ALL: Yeah!

Ibok: Most definitely.

Gray: Hands down. I can remember a time when we were freshmen, and “G” liked to sleep in a little bit. “I.D.” and I would be up, saying, “C’mon, we’ve got to go!” And we’d be late because of him. He wasn’t the only one who got punished. All of us did.

Suton: How many times did we wait for Marquise in the car with his slow walk?

Ibok: Between the two of you, I don’t know. They were always tardy.

Suton: I admire Idong’s ability to adapt to any environment. He has an easy-going personality. And Marquise is one of the funniest people I know. His sense of humor and the way he can talk to anyone is impressive.

They’re both great guys.

SPORT: If you could change one thing about them and make them better, as players or roommates, what would it be?

Suton: Idong’s upset stomach.

Gray: Yes! I was thinking that, too. (laughter) Suton: And probably Marquise’s breath. (group laughter, minus Gray) SPORT: Man, Marquise, he’s coming at ya!

Gray: Yeah, we’re always doing stuff like that. But I would say the same thing about “I.D.” and his stomach.

Ibok: What about you?

SPORT: Did you guys all room together from Day One? Gray: These two were roommates. I roomed with Drew (Neitzel). We were all suitemates.

Suton: Marquise was always in our room.

Gray: That’s true. I used to sleep on the couch.

SPORT: The term, “Spartan Warrior” – can you define it? That’s what was on the cover of Sports Illustrated after the championship in 2000.

“…(People) don’t realize how much time it takes in the weight room, in the summer, in early workouts, in individual workouts and in practice. To me, a ‘Spartan Warrior’ means you’re growing up and maturing.”

- Goran Suton Spartan center

we go to bed thinking about, especially the seniors. It’s our last go-round. To be part of a group that hung banners would be special.

SPORT: When you look up in the rafters at practice or in warm-ups, what do you see?

Suton: That winning the Big Ten is the biggest honor you can have, except winning a national title. I talked to Coach (Dwayne) Stephens the other day, and he said, “I got me one.” He pointed up to the top of the building. So for us, it’s now or never. That’s the attitude we have to have every day in practice. We can’t have slip-ups.

SPORT: You guys all came in at the same time. When you first saw the other two, what did you think? Did you wonder if they’d take your minutes? Or did you just think they were goofy?

Suton: Idong was missing a tooth, so I definitely thought he was goofy. But I knew a lot about Marquise. I’d seen him play. I don’t think we’d ever played against each 28 FEBRUARY 2009

Suton: It’s not a problem for “I.D.” to get up, because when the sun rises, he just pops up – no alarm clock, no roosters, nothing.

SPORT: In 25 words or less, what’s the best thing about each of the other guys?

Ibok: A big nose and big lips. (group laughter). No, they have a tremendous amount of talent. You don’t see it as much because of all the guys we play with, but playing and living with them the past five years has been amazing. Sometimes I watch them and say, “Damn!”

Gray: As far as “I.D.” goes, each year he has been here, he has gotten better. He has a left-hand and a right-hand jump hook. He can do a lot of things. You just don’t get to see them because of the situation we’re in.

And as people, all three of us would do anything for each other and want success for the others. I’ve been to Goran’s house and just chilled. “I.D.” and I do almost everything together.

Ibok: Hmmm…I just think it’s a player or a person who, no matter what the odds are, gets it done.

SPORT: Are you a “Spartan Warrior” now?

Gray: I think all of us are. In order to go through any kind of college experience, you’ve got to be physically and mentally tough. You might have a freshman who’s exceptionally mature. But it’s almost always a learning process, If you let it, that process can break you down. I think all of us have done a pretty good job of staying on top of things and getting them done on and off the court. And to me, “Spartan Warrior” means doing whatever it takes to win.

Suton: I think “Spartan Warrior” means a lot of things. It means being able to fight through adversity and fatigue. But people don’t see us as anything but players. They don’t realize how much time it takes in the weight room, in the summer, in early workouts, in individual workouts and in practice.

PhotographS COURTESY OF Michigan State University

To me, a “Spartan Warrior” means you’re growing up and maturing.

SPORT: You guys have all persevered.

What’s the toughest thing you’ve had to go through, the worst thing you’ve seen or the thing that has made you the strongest?

Suton: The worst thing for me was having Coach on me every day, yelling at me, pushing me and changing my body. It was getting up every morning at 6 to do cardio.

SPORT: That’s tougher than anything that happened before you came to this country?

Suton: Going through war and seeing some of the things I saw in Bosnia were pretty miserable. But I think doing what I did the first two years here were the toughest things in my life.

SPORT: Marquise, what’s the toughest thing you’ve had to endure?

Gray: Losing my father. I was a senior in high school. He was my mentor. I could talk about anything. Then, he was gone.

SPORT: Who filled that role? What happens in a situation like that?

Gray: I thank God for my two older brothers and my mother. When my father passed, one of my brothers was already in college in Alabama. The other one was at Delta College in Saginaw. They did everything my father would do and made sure I was on top of my stuff. And when I was a freshman, I told Coach I kind of looked at him as a father figure. I had no problem with him yelling and cussing. I’m a human being, so it gets frustrating. But my father was hard on me

like that. I was kind of used to it.

SPORT: “I.D.”, what about you? What was the toughest thing? Sometimes you look pretty lonely when the other guys are doing stuff with their families at Christmas. It’s not like you can hop in a car and go home.

Ibok: Yeah, it’s tough to be so far away.

But I have these guys and the rest of the team. Coach Izzo and the other coaches do a great job of making me feel at home. Not having my family here, especially at the holidays, has been pretty tough. The Michigan State family as a whole has done a tremendous job of making me feel welcome.

SPORT: Last questions. What are you most proud of and how do you want to be remembered by Michigan State fans in 10 years?

Ibok: I’m most proud of the little bit of success I’ve had here, developing as a basketball player. I’m proud of being part of the Michigan State basketball family and an elite program. And I’m proud of my academic success. It’s a big accomplishment for me and for my family. When I leave here, I want to be remembered as a guy who took care of business. I got the job done.

SPORT: Very quickly, those who’ve known you are going to say, “Idong Ibok was…”

Ibok: A competitor and a great person.

SPORT: Marquise, what makes you the proudest?

Gray: That I’m graduating in May. That’s one of the things. A lot of people doubted I could do that. I’ve been doubted all of my life, so it didn’t faze me. The other thing was,

even though we didn’t play in that Final Four, I wear that ring. I know it’s supposed to be for the shelf, but that’s one of the things I’m most proud of. I didn’t play in the game. But we had a great scout team.

SPORT: Marquise Gray was a…

Gray: Tough, competitive kid. And he loved to dunk.

SPORT: “G”, last one. What makes you the proudest?

Suton: Being part of such a great program and being a great kid and a great competitor.

We still have some things to accomplish. It’s definitely not over for us. You should ask me that at the end of the year. But I’m proud of all I went through, the maturing process.

SPORT: And knowing some people looked at you in high school and said, “Why are they taking him?”

Gray: That’s true for all of us. That’s what made us men.

Suton: That’s the stuff that motivates you. When people doubt you, you rise up and stay in the gym a little longer. You go in the weight room and change your body.

I’m proud I improved every year.

SPORT: So Goran Suton was a…

Suton: Beast on the boards.

Actually, Suton had a great point. It’s too early to ask about their greatest accomplishment. Let’s revisit that question in April at Ford Field.

FEBRUARY 2009 29

An Elite Club Sam Anderson (left) and J.C. Petersen of Indian Hills Custom Golf tailor clubs to fit players’ swings.

30 FEBRUARY 2009

Indian Hills Can Add To Your Thrills

Anderson, Peterson Give Golfers A Better Shot With Custom Clubs

BY BURTON SMITH

Photographs by Mike Holder

Sam Anderson has shaved more strokes than any golfer in MidMichigan. A few of them of them have even come off his own game.

Anderson’s No. 1 accomplishment has been fitting and building custom clubs and giving players that extra edge. Since 1993, he has worked at Indian Hills with owner J.C. Petersen and has taken pride in every swing improvement.

“There’s a lot of attention to detail,” Anderson said. “Building the club isn’t as important as fitting the club. You need proper information from the customer. It’s pretty common for players’ swings not to match what’s described. Normally, I’m pretty tactful. I try to break it to them gently.”

Anderson has a technician’s mind and an artist’s eye. But we never would have known that if not for another sport – bowling.

“Initially, that was our connection,” Petersen said. “We competed against each other, then were teammates. He needed a part-time job. So we had him cleaning up leaves at the course. I could tell in a hour he was incredible.”

To say that Anderson takes his job seriously would be like saying Tiger Woods is focused. And when a player gets a fitting, he also gets a fan.

“We take a lot of responsibility,” Anderson said. “That’s why we guarantee what we do. Sometimes we have to redo the work. That’s what sets us apart. There’s certainly a lot to it. I equate golf to rocket science, in terms of the ideal launch.”

Once Anderson’s career was launched, Petersen’s duties changed considerably. He could do what he needed to do again. And when the protégé blew past the mentor, it was better for everyone, especially when Anderson began to shed his shyness.

“Somewhere along the line, the club-fitting business had grown to the point where I was talking clubs all the time,” Petersen said. “I was never out on the golf course.

But the more you knew Sam, the more you knew his capabilities. He started learning faster than we could teach him.”

Petersen likes to say that Indian Hills isn’t a golf course that works on clubs. It’s a club shop with a golf course outside. That’s fine with Anderson, too.

“I’ve stepped back as much as I can,” Petersen said. “I still talk about grips, lengths and shafts. But if it goes beyond that, I make it clear and say, ‘You don’t want to talk to me. You want to talk to Sam.’” Anderson, 44, doesn’t mind talking these days. And as a member of the Professional Clubmakers’ Society, he has a lot to say. But it wasn’t always that way.

“The biggest thing for me was becoming comfortable with the public, face-to-face,” Anderson said. “I’ve gotten better at that. And if someone is putting sidespin on a golf ball, we can tell why. Then, we can fine-tune the equipment to the individual.”

That’s doesn’t mean a new set of irons will make a player score like Woods. It

does mean that a player should have better scores and more fun compiling them.

“We’re selling stuff people can really use,” Petersen said of products with competitive pricing. “Most people are helped immediately by not having clubs off the rack.”

Anderson couldn’t agree more. But he cautioned that equipment alone can’t make a scratch golfer, even if the player is less likely to scratch his or her head.

“That applies to every individual,” Anderson said. “We can do the most common adjustments, like shortening putters, to something very technical. For some, there can be an enormous benefit. It all depends on the dedication of the player.”

When the club-fitter and the club-swinger are on the same swing path, the correct word is 4 (on a par-5), not “Fore!”

Club-Fitting 101 We took a little time recently to reflect on the intersection of art and science with Sam Anderson and J.C. Petersen at Indian Hills Golf Course in Okemos.

The next time you’re hitting golf balls at your favorite haunt, remember you could be spending the time getting fitted for a club. A fitting for a single club like a driver or hybrid might take less than 30 minutes, while a normal fitting for a set ranges between 60-90 minutes.

A normal dynamic fitting, where the player swings the club, produces a computer readout showing swing speed and vertical launch FEBRUARY 2009 31

Indian Hills Can Add To Your Thrills

Notable Club Notes u

Bobby Jones’ putter was named “Calamity Jane.”

u

Gene Sarazen kept the prototype sand wedge upside down in his bag for the 1932 British Open.

u

According to Bob Toski, Sam Snead said, “A golfer would be lucky to find more than two good drivers in their lifetime.”

u

The Bulls Eye putter was designed by John Reuter Jr., in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

u

One of golf’s most celebrated shots – Ben Hogan’s 1-iron to the 18th hole at Merion G.C. – came after he replaced his 7-iron with the 1-iron. The 1-iron, with a dime-size spot worn in the clubface, was lost for over 40 years, and returned with a note.

u

Karsten Solheim pioneered heel-toe weighting, investment casting and the lob wedge. His wife Louise named his PING putter design “Anser”.

u

Arnold Palmer’s Wilson putter was painted black and named “Bandit”.

u

Jack Nicklaus set the U.S. Open scoring record at Baltusrol in 1965 with a putter named “White Fang.” Nicklaus got the club back in 2006. He had left it in the garage and didn’t know one of his sons had given it to a friend.

u

Jim Simons was one of the first to use a TaylorMade metalwood on the tour in 1979. It had a trademark name of “Pittsburgh Persimmon.” After out-driving Nicklaus, Jack apparently said, “It sounds like he’s hitting a beer can.”

u

Though Tom Watson was with Ram Golf, he used a Wilson Dynapower Sand Wedge for the celebrated lob-chip in at the 17th hole of the 1982 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Ram then came out with its own multi-wedge scoring system.

u

In his 1986 Masters win, Nicklaus used a MacGregor Response ZT putter, called “a vacuum cleaner attachment” by the media. More than 30,000 orders for the Response arrived the next day, 350,000 for the year. This club may have also been given away by one of Nicklaus’ sons.

u

Steve Jones used an Acushnet BullsEye putter to win the 1996 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills. David Graham used the same model to win the 1979 PGA at Oakland Hills and the 1981 U.S. Open.

u

PGA’s Steve Flesch had to try 18 drivers before he found two.

u

Tiger Woods has used the same putter, a Scotty Cameron personal prototype, for 13 of his 14 Major championships. He also practices with a persimmon driver made to his specifications by Louisville Golf, which now offers the TWPD model on its website.

Sam’s Workshop Anderson builds a better club to help produce better scores. angle – essential tools for proper club-fitting.

They’re like a golfing fingerprint. No two are alike. When the results of an individual fitting are placed in our program, Anderson and Petersen can suggest changes to enhance the performance of the clubs in your bag.

More often than not, men and women are using clubs that are too long, too heavy and not based on individual characteristics. Putters and wedges offer the most personal feel, and improvement in those clubs alone can affect more than 50 percent of a golf score.

The first step in a fitting at Indian Hills is to identify the customer’s correct grip size.

If players haven’t had their clubs regripped, they are missing another opportunity to shave strokes.

Next, Anderson and Petersen can show how a few clubs not normally carried – an extra wedge or a hybrid, perhaps – can lower a player’s score.

After those stages, the concentration turns to retrofitting the rest of the clubs in the customer’s set to help produce a visible improvement.

If a player has his or her heart set on the latest game-improvement club or a stick from most manufacturers, including Cobra, Mizuno, Nike, PING and Titleist, the Indian Hills staff can assist in that purchase.

The fitting center at Indian Hills is open year-round, including the coldest days of the year by appointment at (517) 3491010. The cost of a fitting appointment is $50. And a portion is applied to the purchase of any club.

FEBRUARY 2009 33

34 FEBRUARY 2009

Twice As Nice On Ice? Fishing Season Doesn’t Have To End In Mid-Michigan

BY DOUG WARREN

Few fishermen anywhere would contest that statement.

Whether they are alone or with others, just heading out on a cool spring or summer morning to their favorite fishing spot for a few hours can recharge their zest for life.

But what about ice fishing?

A bad day of fishing beats a good day of working.

That is a different story for many anglers. While some of them practically grow gills from fishing in warmer weather; many of the same people display absolute disdain for fishing through a hole in the ice.

Some summertime anglers may even think that their ice-fishing relatives should be sized for a straightjacket.

To their credit, ice fishermen don’t seem to mind being their sport’s equivalent of the bearded lady. They embrace this time of year for many reasons, including the fact that they and their trusty Carhartts often have their favorite fishing spot all to themselves.

If they happen to land a load of bluegill, crappie, sunfish and the occasional Northern pike, while enduring subfreezing temperatures, biting winds and numbing of the extremities, it’s still better than busting their tails for another shift – with apologies to those whose shifts have disappeared.

With than in mind, here are some tips for those looking to try their hand at ice fishing: FEBRUARY 2009 35

Twice As Nice On Ice? An ice fisherman’s worst fear is breaking through the ice and not being able to get out. When the temperature begins to flirt with the freezing mark, or when it’s the first ice of the season, that’s when fishermen must be most careful when stepping out onto the ice.

Good safety items to have for the first ice of the season are: rope, ice picks and ice cleats. While it takes more time, it’s important to check ice thickness and quality of ice as you go.

It’s always better to be safe than sorry, or worse.

All veteran ice fishermen know that adequate clothing is a must. The old adage of “wearing layers” applies. If you happen to get wet, you will need Breaking The Ice John Hawley creates a hole to drop his line in Lake Lansing. to get warm quick. Hypothermia can set in fast. Have extra dry clothing in your vehicle so that you can change It all seems overwhelming, right? Not to if needed. Never, ever, fish alone. If you go fishing by yourself, make sure that there You will need to cut a hole through the ice. worry. Other than the safety precautions and are other people out there fishing, too, just While Kusinch uses an old-school ice pike – basic gear, much of the above equipment is in case. basically a large, steel chisel – the standard optional and subject to one’s own tastes.

In Mid-Michigan, the top spot for all tool for making fishing holes is a hand or power auger. Another must is to clean loose, things fishing (ice and otherwise) is Grand floating ice out of the hole after drilling River Bait and Tackle. Open seven days a As always, water is best. The cold weather with an ice scoop, which can be found at week, it is located at 536 E. Grand River at the corner of Larch in Lansing’s Old Town. and wind can dehydrate your body because most sporting goods stores. of the energy you expend to keep warm.

You also need a fishing pole or tip-up device, Owner Wayne Werner is in his 27th year of Take food or a snack with you if you plan to depending on the type of fish you are after business. Most days between 8 a.m. to 6 be out for a while to keep your energy up. and the method you choose to catch them. p.m. during the winter and from 7 a.m. to You also need the proper-size fish line (the 7 p.m. in the summer, you will find Werner bigger the fish, the heavier the line). Prices can range anywhere from $20 for a basic kid’s On the ice, it is optional. There are many pole to over $100 for a deluxe model.

Some ice-fishing veterans even use depth options for shelters, from commercial portable shelters to homemade shanties. If you finders, electronic fish finders and underplan on spending a lot of time on the ice, water cameras. John Hawley, an ice-fishing you will be much more comfortable inside a veteran from Lansing, uses and swears by a shelter rather than out in the open. Com- sonar device called a Vexllar. Depending on mercial heaters are also available if you feel the model and features, the Vexllar ranges the need. And they are much safer than if from just under $300 to upwards of $500.

“It is a must for any serious ice fisheryou try and win a Darwin Award by building man,” Hawley said. “Ice fishing is an equipa fire out on the ice.

Or you could go the do-it-yourself route ment sport. Without the proper equipment, like Charlie Kusinch. The 21-year old MSU your chances of success are greatly reduced. student sports a homemade ice shanty for The Vexllar shows more than the depth of his Lake Lansing pike expeditions. His ply- the water and the fish’s location. It also wood and 2x4 classic comes complete with can tell you what kind of bottom is on the lake, which is important for determining a toaster-sized wood stove.

“My grandfather and dad built this back the bait to use.” in the 1960s,” Kusinch said with a proud smile. “We have been using it ever since.”

The shanty is well-built and meant to last.

With all-wood construction and 2x6 skis The options depend on the type of fish you mounted on the side, it was never intended seek. Live bait includes spikes, mousies, to be stuffed into a duffle bag at the end corn bores, wax worms and minnows. There of the day. are many varieties of artificial bait, includ“With the skis it’s pretty easy to pull off ing ice jigs, tear drops, horizontal jigs, slider the lake,” Kusinch said. “It’s a little harder jigs, swimming jigs and the old standbys: The Bucket List John Hawley waits for dinner. bobbers, hooks and sinkers. to hoist onto the truck though.”

Equipment

Drink Liquids

Shelter and Heat

Bait

36 FEBRUARY 2009

PhotographY Ceil Heller

Safety

Where to Fish

Before You Hit The Ice …

Michigan Winter Free Fishing Weekend is scheduled for Feb. 14-15, 2009. On those two days, all fishing license fees will be waived. Residents and out-of-state visitors may enjoy fishing on both inland and Great Lakes waters for all species of fish. Note, however, that all fishing regulations will still apply.

Michigan Fishing License Information: Michigan licenses are valid from March 1 through March 31 of the following year for the appropriate seasons. That means that if you want to go out on the ice this year, your license will expire March 31, 2009, and you will need to buy a new license to fish beyond that time.

Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources has a large and informative website. There you will find out all of the latest rules, regulations and news updates regarding fishing (as well as hunting). www.michigan.gov/dnr FEBRUARY 2009 37

Photograph Doug Warren

Lake Lansing is a great spot for northern be a buyer for the entire United States and behind the counter.

“I have been a fisherman all my life. The pike as well as the occasional pan fish. Park all your stores. Every little town, every little only problem is that because I own this Lake in East Lansing is a great spot for crap- river and lake, everyone wants something a place, I don’t have any time to get out and pie this winter. Panfish can be found at Rose little different than you can get in Texas or Lake in Haslett. Rose Lake’s neighbors, Fox North Carolina. They want what’s in their fish myself,” Werner said with a laugh.

Werner’s store has the largest selection Knoll Lake and Mud Lake, are also decent backyard. They want to be able to go fish that river or lake that is in their hometown and of ice fishing gear, accessories and bait in spots for panfish.

If you don’t mind a bit of a drive, head be able to use the stuff that will catch fish the area. It boasts the largest selection of in their favorite spots. If you can tear-drop lures in the state. As stay abreast of that information, you might expect, the fishermen you have a better chance to bring we talked to all spoke highly of in that customer who is looking for the place. something specific. And the customFriends Scott Hanneman of ers will tell you what they want.”

DeWitt and Gabe Lopez of Lansing, If the above information isn’t who fish Lake Lansing for pike and enough to get you to head to the panfish, say that Werner’s store is nearest frozen pond; maybe this the best place in town for minnows bit of inspirational perspective – and other bait. from a local fisherman who wishes “It’s the only place in Lansing I to remain anonymous – will do know where you can get minnows the trick. any more,” Hanneman said.

“Ice fishing is not only about Werner has worked hard to catching fish,” he said. “It has a make Grand River Bait and Tackle different meaning, gratification the area’s premier fishing shop. and focus for each individual. There “We offer most any legal, live are stories to tell and memories bait we can sell,” Werner said. “And that last a lifetime. There is the it is all seasonal. Leeches and wigexcitement of the day, the anticiglers are seasonal. Spikes are semiCaption Title Gabe Lopez of Lansing displays his catch, a 25pation of catching the biggest fish seasonal. Mousies are seasonal. inch Northern pike. and a goal of getting your limit.

Night crawlers and red worms are Sometimes you go home without seasonal. We carry minnows all year. We always have minnows in our tanks. south to Duck Lake near Springport. Accord- catching a fish. But whether it was a good We keep in stock all the bait that is needed ing to the DNR, “Duck Lake supports one of one or a bad one, you remember the day: the the best fisheries in Michigan. It is included people, the weather, your time on the ice. for the season that we are dealing with.

“What we also offer – and you rarely find in Michigan’s 50 Best Fishing Lakes, published Many times you just enjoy the peace, the this – is Mora, HT and Eskimo auger-blade by Michigan United Conservation Clubs. This quiet and being alone with your thoughts.

“If you fish all day and you are successful, sharpening,” Werner added. “We can also lake’s reputation for producing large fish has sharpen the old spoon augers. You remem- been earned from several decades of sport- you might have an hour drive home. You are not done yet. You have to clean fish. It’s late ber those? The old one in the barn that’s all fishing reports by happy anglers.”

Werner keeps his ear to the ground and and you’re really tired out now. Once they rusty because you haven’t used it in years? works to get the latest info on where and are cleaned, there is only one thing more to We can sharpen those, too.” what is biting from his customers. do. You need to cook those fish for supper.

“You have to do that,” Werner said. “You Soon, you’re thinking, ‘I’ve never had fish have to have that service, and it has to be taste better than this.’”

In Lansing proper, good ice-fishing spots are good. You have to know what you’re talkHow can you not want to give it a try hard to find. However, there are some places ing about. In this business, good service after that? Layer up. Get your gear. And see where the action is usually strong. knows what the customer wants. You can’t you on the ice.

GREATER LANSING SPORTS AUTHORITY

Fans Get Extra Shot Of Fun March Magic Hoopfest Provides Interactive Sports Experience

By BrEndAn Dwyer

Today’s sports fan demands more. Gone are the days when it was enough to go to an event and let the athletes entertain us. Now, fans want to take that sports experience a step further and get in on the act.

What started at the professional level with the NBA’s Fan Jam and the NFL’s Interactive Fan Festival has trickled its way down to the prep ranks. Enter the March Magic Hoopfest, set to be held at Jenison Field House in East Lansing March 26-28, in conjunction with the 2009 MHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament.

Developed through a partnership between the Greater Lansing Sports Authority (GLSA) and the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), the March Magic Hoopfest is designed to create a fun, family-focused event that will attract additional visitors to the Greater Lansing community for the high school basketball tournament, raise the profile of the tournament in the community and create an enhanced atmosphere for prep basketball fans in Michigan.

The March Magic Hoopfest will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday the 26th and 27th and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday the 28th. The hands-on, interactive event will fill 40,000 square feet in Jenison with a variety of basketball activities for all ages. All those with MHSAA Basketball tournament tickets get in free, all others for just two dollars each.

Along with taking part in numerous basketball activities and skill-stations, attendees can stroll the Hall of History, showcasing championship games, life-size photos and display boards of ages past, including classic prep basketball greats from across the state.

“Greater Lansing and the MHSAA Boys

Basketball Tournament have a long and successful history together,” said John Young, Manager of Events and Sponsorships with the GLSA. “Over the years it has been held in five different venues around the region and has grown and changed with the times.

Adding the March Magic Hoopfest this year is an exciting next step in that process.”

March Magic Hoopfest is modeled after the March Madness Experience, a successful event in Peoria, Ill., since 1996, created in conjunction with the IHSA Boys Basketball State Championships. Over its 12-year run, the Peoria event has seen a total of over 800,000 attendees. Event organizers with the GLSA hope to parallel that event, but with a special spin that samples the unique sports culture of the Greater Lansing area.

Across the street from Breslin Center, Jenison is not only a convenient site for the March Magic Hoopfest, it’s an ideal backdrop for the rich history of prep basketball in the State of Michigan. For years it was the home to high school basketball tournament finals, highlighting such stars as Earvin Johnson, Antoine Joubert, Dave DeBusschere and many more. MHSAA Director of Communications John Johnson has seen most of those players and understands how important it is to keep that history alive.

“Fan Fests and hands-on side events are a growing trend in sports-event development, and we need to be a part of that evolution to keep our events attractive to spectators in general,” Johnson said.

THE KEY FACTS Jenison Field House March 26-28, 2009

11 a.m. - 9 p.m. • Thursday & Friday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. • Saturday Entry is FREE with valid 2009 MHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament tickets. Those without tickets, just $2 at the door. For more information, visit www.marchmagichoopfest.com

38 FEBRUARY 2009

Austin Power NBA Hall of Famer Dave DeBusschere scores for Detroit Austin in a state title win in Jenison Field House.

“Equally important is inspiring the next generation of prep basketball stars with a window to the past and a day or two of fun and excitement at the Hoopfest. We hope the Hoopfest will build on the excitement of the games for the fans of the participating schools and involve the Greater Lansing community in a whole new way.”

Greater Lansing residents can do more than just attend Hoopfest if they want to be a larger part of a big community effort.

Sponsorships for March Magic Hoopfest are still available, and lots of volunteers of all ages are still needed for the event. With thousands of visitors to the area expected for the tournament, involvement in the Hoopfest offers positive community development exposure that is a sure slam dunk.

“We’re getting ready for a great weekend of basketball,” Young said. “If you’re coming to the championships, the Hoopfest is a destination before and after the games. If you’re not able to make it to all the games, the Hoopfest is a wholesome, inexpensive, family activity. Either way, come and play.”

To learn more about the 2009 March Magic Hoopfest or the GLSA, call (517) 377-1411 or visit www.lansingsports.org or www. marchmagichoopfest.com.

workplace opportunities Michigan’s capital area is a vibrant and dynamic business community.

Peckham, Inc., a private non-profit community rehabilitation organization, and Capital Area Michigan Works! offer tools and opportunities that lead to successful employment. Together, we're training tomorrow’s workforce today by embracing collaboration, effective resource management and innovation. Capital Area Michigan Works! and Peckham, Inc. are committed to creating a world-class workforce.

camw.org/partnership

SATU R

DAY, M

2 0 0 9 R U N FO TH E H O R USE

AR C H 2

10:00 A M

8, 2 00 9

H AW K I SL L ANSI N AN D PARK G, M I CH I GAN 5K RU N / WA L K KI DS’ M I LE & S KI DS’ A PRI NT CTIVITI E S

R www.LO EG ISTER O N L INE VETH E H O U SE.o rg

RONALD McDONALD HOUSE of MID-MICHIGAN

PRESENTED BY:

SPORT QUICK HIT

Julie Farrell-Ovenhouse Where Is She Now?

By WALT SORG

She is the greatest women’s diver in Big Ten history, the only three-time honoree as Diver of the Year.

Her score in the 1991 Big Ten Championship still stands as the conference record.

And she represented Michigan State University and her country exceedingly well, competing for an Olympic medal.

Yet, 1986 Holt High School graduate Julie Farrell-Ovenhouse’s greatest accomplishment may have been a seamless transition from the pressures and privileges of a world-class athlete to a mother, wife and business executive.

As impressive as any score from any judge, Ovenhouse has built “a normal life,” living and working within an hour’s drive of her birthplace.

Like many divers, she began athletic competition as a dancer (at age 3), then as a gymnast (at 5). A growth spurt moved her from the gym to the pool during junior high school.

Despite a state championship, four Big Ten championships and four more NCAA titles, she didn’t realize the level of her talent until her junior year in college.

“It was the Outdoor National Championship for USA Diving, and it was the first time I won Nationals. That, to me, was more prestigious than the NCAA because everyone competes, not just college kids.”

A 1991 graduate of MSU, she took her degree in criminal justice and settled down with husband Todd Overhouse in Howell, where she worked as an investigator for Liberty Mutual Insurance.

“I always wanted to go into investigations,” she said of an opportunity she pursued and landed.

But competitive diving lingered in her mind.

“I retired from diving after graduation and started working at Liberty,” Ovenhouse said. “About six months into it, I started thinking, ‘I’ll never know if I could have made the Olympic team.’”

Her boss didn’t know that Ovenhouse was a world-class diver. But he managed to get Liberty Mutual to sponsor her return to elite competition.

Ovenhouse earned a spot in the three-meter springboard event in the 1992 Olympics

Nary A Ripple Julie Farrell-Ovenhouse made a smooth transition from Olympian to corporate employee, wife and mom.

in Barcelona, the same games that included fellow Spartan Earvin “Magic” Johnson and the USA Basketball “Dream Team.”

For Ovenhouse, the entire experience was a dream that nearly ended with an unexpected medal. Although Chinese diving legend Gao Min was the overwhelming favorite for gold, the other two medals were up for grabs.

“The scores from second to fifth were really tight,” Ovenhouse said of the

standings after nine of the 10 rounds. “I had an inward two-and-a-half left, one of my best dives. I went up there and thought, ‘I’m going for it!’”

Her hair brushed the board, forcing her to duck her head, resulting in her going past vertical on entry.

That moment of distraction led to what may have been her weakest dive of the competition. She slipped from third to fifth.

The next day was a rush of conflicting emotions.

“I was thrilled just to be done, sad to think if I could have just done that one dive over again, relieved that the pressure of competition was over, thrilled that I had made it to represent my country at the Olympics and a little bit sad that that era of my life was over,” Ovenhouse said.

Even with the missed final dive, it was the best performance of her career.

There would be only one more competition after that, fulfilling a commitment to represent the U.S. in a meet the following year in Tokyo.

Since then, Julie Farrell-Ovenhouse has achieved what most want but few achieve – living “the perfect” life. She has been married nearly 19 years to her college sweetheart. She’s the mother of two girls (Haley, 13, and Taylor, 11). And she has a job she loves as a major claims investigator for Farmers Insurance.

Now a young-looking 40, Julie carries memories of a magical journey that led her from Holt to the corners of the earth, then back to mid-Michigan. She has long since forgotten the details of the athletic competitions – the dives, the scores, the awards.

What she remembers instead are the intangibles.

“For the most part I remember the event and the experience, not the details,” Ovenhouse said. “There were times, even at the Olympics, when I’d see my competition or teammates. That was what they were living for. For me, I just wanted to get back home and start living my life.”

How’s that for a twist? Actually, it’s not unusual. It’s vintage Ovenhouse.

“It’s very normal,” she said. “Two working parents, two children, just living the life!”

Who could ask for more?

FEBRUARY 2009 41

SPORT SPECIAL OLYMPIC SALUTE

Time To Take The Plunge?

Polar Temps Put Fun In Fund-Raiser

To be an official Jimmy Buffet “Parrot Head,” you must lean a little toward the adventurous side of life.

So when the members of the Mid-Michigan Parrot Head Club were challenged to participate in a fund-raiser that featured swimsuits, frigid water temperatures and awards of gold-colored, spray-painted toilet plungers, they were up to the challenge.

For the third straight year, proud Lansingarea “Parrot Heads” will throw on their best pair of flip-flops and participate in a chilly event to benefit Area 8 Special Olympics of Michigan participants from Ingham and Eaton counties.

The Fifth Annual Polar Plunge is slated for 1 p.m. March 1 at Hawk Hollow Golf Course, 15101 Chandler Rd. in Bath. Plunger participant registration begins at noon. The postjump meltdown party starts at 2 p.m.

Plungers?

Meltdown party?

What exactly is the Polar Plunge fundraiser?

It’s a community-based, laugh-filled event that allows participants to take a quick dip in the water outdoors – regardless

of temperature. The courageous fund-raisers get decked out either in outrageous costumes or just typical bathing suits in order to help area athletes with their various endeavors throughout the year.

“People do think we’re crazy jumping into cold water, but it’s for a good cause — for Special Olympics,” said Sylvia Chamberlain, a plunger as well as a Special Olympian from the Lansing area.

Awards are given out to the best jumps and costumes for groups and individuals.

“It’s a blast,” said 51-year-old Robert Parsons, who plans to wear a penguin costume for this year’s dive. “It happens so fast because the firemen are in there as soon you hit the water pulling you out. It happens so fast it takes your breath away.”

Those interested can either gather pledges as an individual or a group. A minimum of $50 is required to jump on an individual basis.

Parsons was the top individual fund-raiser last year, bringing in more than $1,800.

The “Parrot Heads” collectively raised more

Chilly Dip Katie, Maria and Sylvia Chamberlain take the plunge as three peas in a pod.

42 FEBRUARY 2009

than $8,500 to lead the group donators.

“It’s a fun way to raise some money for a good cause,” said Kim Dyer, a Holt resident and the membership chair of the Mid-Michigan Parrot Head Club.

Good cause or not, freezing cold is still freezing cold.

“It’s not nearly as bad as you would expect,” Dyer said. “In fact, sometimes the water is warmer than the air. You do get some confidence because a police diver is right there, so you know you’re safe. Your adrenaline is going and that keeps you warm.

By the time you’re out you’re just excited, happy and listening to people cheering.”

The fun-filled, chilly gathering attracted 250 plungers and raised $52,000 last year.

Polar Plunge organizers aim to raise at least $60,000 and to attract at least 275 icy jumpers for this year’s major fund-raising event.

Despite the increased goals, organizers are very cognizant of the economic struggles Michiganders are currently enduring.

“In the past, we had several donors who brought in over $1,000 individually.

We’re not sure we’re going to have as many people be able to solicit pledges on that scale because of the economy,” said Anne Goudie, Special Olympics Michigan Area 8 director. “It’s either you make a donation to a non-profit or pay your mortgage. We think we’re going to see more individuals versus the large groups. That’s all fine. The pennies all add up to dollars, so we’ll take what we can get.”

The event has come a long way in a short time. Just $7,000 was raised and 25 plungers jumped when the Lansing-area event was first held five years ago.

Jessi Tyrrell was among the jumpers in the event’s debut. She’s been hooked ever since.

“Once you jump in, it takes your breath away and it’s a little disorienting,” Tyrrell said. “I do have enough sense to go over to the ladder as quickly as possible. I’ve worked to contain the expletives. It’s not like anything I’ve ever experienced before.”

Those interested in jumping into frigid waters or making a donation can get more information and register online at www.somi.org.

Photography Chris Holmes

By Crystal Krauskoff

love Greater Lansing sports, know an area athlete, used to live here, teach karate, enjoy compelling photographs, coach athletics of any kind, want to know the story behind the story, have a connection with the mid-Michigan Community, like to read or want to learn many interesting things.

visit www.SportLansing.com or call (517) 455-7810 to subscribe.

SPORT LAW

The Games People Play Rodriguez, Dantonio Contracts Show Different Strategies

By MARK DOTSON Chairman, Torts Department, Cooley Law School

As sports fans, we’re quite familiar with matters pertaining to onthe-field play. However, when an athlete or coach decides to play outside the rules of a contract, the consequences are far-reaching.

They impact the short- and longterm success of the team and the personal life of the employee.

STAY OR PAY When Rich Rodriguez left West Virginia for the University of Michigan in late 2007, he sought to display his coaching talents on a bigger stage. The administrators at West Virginia weren’t interested in making the transition a smooth one. Earlier in 2007, Rodriguez was in position to renegotiate his contract.

He was a hot commodity, having recently spurned an offer from Alabama to head its storied football program. West Virginia and Rodriguez eventually agreed to a new contract, one that included a $4 million buyout clause. Four months later, when Rodriquez informed West Virginia officials that he was moving to Ann Arbor, West Virginia advised Rodriquez that it expected him to pay in full the amount stated in the contract.

44 FEBRUARY 2009

Before continuing the Rodriguez story, we need to understand some things about contract law and buyout clauses. Contract law has been constructed to enforce the performances of the contracting parties. To the extent that parties can agree what their performances will be and what the consequences of failure to perform will be, it reduces the time a court might have to commit to resolve issues. In short, the dispute begins and ends with the express words of the contract.

As mentioned before, damages to compensate for losses when an employee is improperly terminated are traditionally available to a successful litigant. Punitive damages are ordinarily unavailable in a contract action.

When a contract includes a buyout/liquidation clause, it is supposed to show that the parties have agreed in advance what the proper compensation will be in the event the contract is breached. A clause that constitutes a penalty, not compensation, is illegal.

It is not unusual to find a liquidation/ buyout clause in consumer contracts. If you rent, check your lease agreement. If you have a cell phone, re-read the terms and conditions. Should you terminate the agreement prematurely, your obligation is set. But what you would have to pay should represent only the losses sustained by your early termination. Requiring you to pay a punishment would be illegal.

Indeed, recently a California Court ruled that Sprint Nextel’s early termination clause was illegal and required that it discontinue its attempts to collect and pay back $18.2 million in collected fees. Back to Rich Rodriguez.

When Rodriguez rejected West Virginia’s demand to pay the $4 million in damages, as required by the contract, West Virginia sued, claiming breach of contract. It offered evidence in support of its position that the amount was a reasonable estimate of its losses if Rodriguez left for another job.

References were made to the increased profile and revenue (ticket sales and bowl money) that were a result of having Rodriguez as its coach. Rodriguez claimed that the $4 million was not a reasonable estimate of the school’s losses but a penalty for exercising his right to move to another job.

Courts are particularly sensitive to attempts by employers to force employment on employees, regardless of whether the employment was entered voluntarily. This

concern originates from the days of slavery and the United States Constitution’s prohibition against “indentured servitude.”

As a result, employers are limited in what they can do to ensure that employees perform throughout the full term of the employment contract. The prospect of being required to make a large payout undeniably gives considerable cause to not move on to other employment. Rodriguez eventually agreed to pay the full amount required by the contract, so we’ll never know who had the better legal position. I was looking forward to the case playing out fully, not just because of my interest in college football but also because this is an area of sports law that remains largely unsettled.

A BETTER WAY MSU has just completed by most measures a very successful football season. Expectations at the beginning of the year were modest, but the team displayed a consistency and toughness that MSU fans have wanted for a long time. Recruiting is going well, especially in Michigan. Fans are re-energized. And the architect for this resurgence is Mark Dantonio. If MSU was looking for reasons to secure Dantonio’s employment for a long time, it didn’t have to do much searching.

MSU could have tried the West Virginia approach and included a substantial liquidated-damages payment in Dantonio’s contract as a way of diminishing the incentive to leave.

But it’s never a comfortable situation when an employee only continues to work out of fear of being penalized for seeking another, perhaps more attractive, opportunity.

A more palatable approach in these situations is to give strong financial positive incentives to stick around. Yearly bonuses for extended longevity and back-loading contracts with payouts after a number of years have been served not only promote a positive work experience, but also are likely to be found legal by the courts.

That is what MSU has done, increasing Dantonio’s compensation from $1.13 million to $1.8 million per year and providing a $2 million bonus if he is still the head coach in June 2016. That dramatically decreased the chances of the school and its chosen coach winding up in court and increased their likelihood of reaching the Rose Bowl.

O nH Site ol C lo h w ap is el no a w tH op aw en k

Visit us at www.hawkhollow.com

FEBRUARY 2009 45

SPORT LAST SHOT

SPORT COMMUNITY

Contribute Photos online:

www.SportLansing.com Published photos will receive a poster commemorating their Last Shot, courtesy of Capital Imaging.

Kelsie Schooley of Holt 50 YARD FREEST YLE • HOLT, MI 12/9/2008 PHOTOGRAPHED BY PATRICK SCHOOLEY

Kelsie is a FOUR-TIME All-American and the 2X 50-yARd freestyle D1 State Champion and has committed to Michigan State University

FEBRUARY 2009 47

SPORT FINISH LINE

A Region For All Seasons Lansing Offers Outstanding Variety For Fans, Spectators Alike

By MAYOR VIRG BERNERO

It’s a well-known fact that exercise is a key ingredient in fighting stress. People who exercise on a regular basis are healthier and happier than those of us who spend more time on the couch than on the racquetball court. Whatever your preference, you don’t have to look far to find a recreational or athletic activity that suits your style – and your stamina.

Indeed, the Lansing region is blessed with an incredible variety of sporting activities, from organized team sports like city-sponsored softball leagues and floor hockey to solo sports like kayaking on the Grand River or running in the Hawk Island Triathlon. Our nationally recognized River Trail system is another great way to get outdoors and get fit by walking, running or biking.

When it comes to getting your game on, Lansing leaves no one behind. Each year more than 2,600 youngsters participate in organized sporting activities through the

Lansing School District. Another 6,400 people of all ages participated last year in recreational sports programs sponsored by the Lansing Parks and Recreation Department Lifetime Sports Division. This represents a 16-percent increase over participation levels from the previous year.

Our league and camp offerings include basketball, soccer, tennis, floor hockey, softball and volleyball. And you don’t have to be a spring chicken to put an extra spring in your step through city-sponsored recreational activities. Our Active Senior softball leagues, for example, are designed just for those over the age of 70.

According to the Greater Lansing Sports Authority, the Lansing region is also becoming a choice destination for major tournaments in a variety of sports. In 2008, the GLSA was involved with more than 70 sporting events that brought more than 35,000 athletes to the region, as well as thousands more family members, friends and spectators.

In just the past few years, the Lansing region hosted events ranging from a 300team soccer tournament to the MHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament to the men’s state bowling championship, which draws 12,000 bowlers from across Michigan and has an economic impact of more than $5 million. Sports are not only part of a healthy lifestyle, they are also a vital part of a healthy economy.

Spring is just around the corner, and that means our hometown professional baseball team, the Lansing

Lugnuts, will soon be in full swing. Across the nation, 170 minor-league baseball teams attracted more than 43 million fans last season. More than 350,000 of those fans came to see the Lugnuts in downtown Lansing. Since the first pitch was thrown at Oldsmobile Park 10 years ago, the Lugnuts have contributed an estimated $125 million to our local economy. Now that’s what I call a home run for mid-Michigan!

And it nearly goes without saying that Michigan State University’s world-class intercollegiate athletic programs support hundreds if not thousands of local jobs and contribute tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars to our local economy. Spartan Green is definitely more than a school color!

Yet sports mean so much more than a dollar figure in our community. Sports provide an important sense of pride for area residents, whether it comes from cheering on your son or daughter in school athletics or watching Tom Izzo and the Spartans shoot for another berth in the NCAA Final Four. You can’t help but feel proud of the incredible effort and teamwork that are on display whenever our hometown teams take the field.

Whether you are an active participant in sporting activities or just like watching a good game, it is hard to overstate the extraordinary impact of sports in our lives.

From improving our mental and physical well-being to instilling community pride, sports offer something for just about everyone. And the teamwork involved in so many sports is an important reminder to us all: We can achieve what we believe if we work together toward our common goals.

As for me, I can’t get through the week without giving Mrs. Bernero a chance to show me a thing or two on the racquetball court at the YMCA. And if I can do it, you have no excuse not to get your game on!

Love Affair Big Lug and Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero love their favorite team.

48 FEBRUARY 2009

Photography Randy Hannan

Tough times got you down? Get your game on!

The Greater Lansing Sports Magazine 1223 Turner, Suite 300 Lansing, MI 48906

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage

PAID Lansing, MI Permit #979

www.SportLansing.com

SPORTS GIVES US ALL THE CHANCE TO FEEL LIKE A HERO.

Sports are deeply engrained in this community, touching all of our lives in one way or another.

Whether you are the parent of an athlete, a coach, a weekend warrior or just a fan, you know the power sports can bring to our everyday lives.

The Greater Lansing Sports Authority is harnessing that power and injecting it into the economy through local sports event development. Become an organizer, sponsor, volunteer or participant in the sports community and find yourself feeling absolutely super.

Learn more at www.lansingsports.org.

517-37 7-1406 www.lansingsports.org

email: sports@lansing.org