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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 2, 1996)
WEDNESDAY October 2,1996 Portland falls flat on its face in NHL test It doesn’t look like professional hockey is coming to Oregon anytime soon. The Anaheim Mighty Ducks and Pittsburgh Penguins faced off in a game at the Rose Garden in Portland on Sept. 23, and you have to wonder if the NHL was using the game as a way to test the waters for future considerations. If it was a test, Portland failed with a cap ital F. The idea was a good one, at least I was excited about going. I thought that it would be worth the drive there and back in one night in order to see the game. But it wasn’t. In fact, if I lived in Portland it wouldn’t have been worth the time. The Rose Garden, though unimpressive, was a good setting for a hockey game. All seats seemed to have a good view, even my $10 spot in the third section OPINION I up. Sure 1 couldn t see | the expressions on the players faces, but it was still possible to hear them check each other into the boards. _ „ Of course, maybe the flBlDUJ reason this was possible was because there was nobody there. Ticket prices were generally less expensive than they are for the Blazers, and radio stations in Portland were even giving a lot away. But by my estimate, the place was about one-quarter full. The crowd was also spread out through out the arena, making it impossible to get a wave going. What’s a professional sports game without the wave? Even the crowd it self was pretty pathetic. It seemed like it was the first game for many of the “fans” because they didn’t know when to cheer. This may have been the fault of the teams, though. Although it was the Mighty Ducks that was the home team, there were as many Penguin fans as there were rooting for Anaheim. Some people were wearing jerseys and hats from other teams, but they at least seemed to be hockey fans. Except the one guy who was walking be hind me and said, “I don’t really watch hockey, but I like the Steelers so I came to root for the Penguins.” Sure, whatever. Being the home team, Anaheim tried to sell its merchandise and constantly was showing commercials for “The Mighty Ducks 3” on the scoreboard that hung over center ice. That was probably the most an noying thing about the whole night. Not only is the movie a bad idea, but whoever Turn to DeYOUNG, Page 23A MARK McTYRE/Emerald Keri Sanchez watches over the Ducks at practice on Tuesday afternoon on the soccer field behind McArthur Court. Sanchez came to the Ducks after a four-year playing career at North Carolina and a six-week tournament in Japan. The Ultimate Mentor ■ WOMEN’S SOCCER: After a long playing career Keri Sanchez brings experience and knowledge to the Ducks By Ryan Frank Sports Reporter The night Bill Steffen was hired as the new Oregon women’s soccer coach, he made two phone calls. The first went to his wife, Refilwe, and the second went to his new assistant coach — Keri Sanchez. Steffen’s quick action proceeds Sanchez’ reputation. In her four seasons as a defender at North Carolina she finished with four NCAA championships, three NCAA all tournament selections and two game-win ning goals in two national title games. “It was pretty exciting to go through a program like Carolina because it doesn’t get any better than that; good people, good coaches, good school,” Sanchez said. North Carolina initiated its women’s soccer program in 1979 and three years later it began a domination of the sport that has been matched by only the Louisiana State women's track team’s 10 consecutive national championships. Since 1982, the Tar Heels have won 12 NCAA national championships — in cluding nine straight. And the two years they didn’t win the national title (1985 and 1995), they finished no worse than third. “The four national championships were the most memorable for me because it was the ultimate accomplishment and each one was different,” she said. While each championship was differ ent for Sanchez, her sophomore season has been called the best collegiate women’s soccer team to ever take the field. The Tar Heels went 25-0 in 1992 and the team included three starters from the 1996 United States Olympic team: Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly and Tisha Ven turing “We had a great team, probably down to our 25th player,” Sanchez said of the 1992 team. “That was the year that a lot of peo ple thought our reserve team could win it Turn to WOMEN’S SOCCER, Page 22A Unhappy Kemp skips training camp opener ■ NBA: The Sonics forward is unhappy about his current contract By Jim Cour The Associated Press SEATTLE — Unhappy with his $3 mil lion salary this season and unsure when he will join his teammates, Shawn Kemp was a no-show T uesday at the opening of the Seat tle SuperSonics’ training camp. Kemp, a four-time All-Star who helped the Sonics make it to last season’s NBA Fi nals, will be the sixth-highest paid player on the team this season. Under the labor agreement between the league and union, a player’s contract can’t be changed until three years after it is signed. So Kemp must wait another season Turn to NBA, Page 23A Baseball postseason begins as planned ■ PLAYOFFS: Baltimore, St. Louis and Texas win playoff openers The Associated Press BALTIMORE — The delay and all the controversy were quickly forgotten once Brady Anderson per formed his specialty — the leadoff homer. Anderson opened Baltimore’s first playoff appear ance in 13 years with a first- . _ inning shot, B.J, Surhoff K| homered twice and Bobby I Bonilla added a grand slam as I ’ the Orioles beat the Cleveland K inaians iv-q luesaay in tne opener of their first-round AL playoff series. “That homer by Brady was huge,” Rafael Palmeiro said. “It really turned the game, because before that all the focus was on Robbie.” Umpires from both leagues threatened to boycott the playoffs unless Orioles second baseman Roberto Alo mar was immediately suspended for spitting in the face of umpire John Hirschbeck on Friday night. Replacement umpires were on hand in case the regu lars stayed away. The scheduled umpire crew finally showed up. but their late arrival delayed the start of the game by approximately 20 minutes. Baltimore, on the other hand, got started early and never let up. “That home run was big,” Alomar said. “It put the pressure on them right away. We’ve been doing that for the last half-month.” Anderson set a major-league record this season by leading off a game with 12 homers. He had 50 overall. "The thing with Robbie took away from the game at the beginning,” Palmeiro said. “It was tough today be cause of this thing with Robbie.” The Orioles, who set a major-league record with 257 home runs during the regular season, proceeded to build a 4-1 lead in the opening three innings against the Turn to PLAYOFFS, Page 25A
