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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1998)
BEST BETS Baseball SF Giants at Houston, ESPN (34) 4:30p.m. Emerald CHAD PATTESON/Emerald Kris Weems and the Cardinal's march to the 1998 Final Four added to Stanford’s grouting reputation as an athletic power. All-around Excellence Stanford’s appearance in the men’s basketball Final Four enhances its claim as the NCAA’s premier athletics program By Tim Pyle Freelance Sports Reporter Stanford. To most people this word repre sents a prestigious, Ivy League-like California school that offers one of the best college educations in the United States. But there is another, lesser-known defi nition that rings just as true. That definition is: Stanford, a collegiate sports empire. In fact, the Cardinal has won 14 national championships in the past three complet ed school years. Furthermore, Stanford has been awarded the last three Sears Di rector Cups, which denote the best college athletics program in the United States for a given school year according to a statistical formula that takes into account all Divi sion I-A sports. In this era of college athletes as opposed to student athletes, how is Stanford able to maintain its academic prowess while si multaneously ruling the sports landscape? The answer is multi-faceted. “We feel that Stanford University is one of the greatest universities in the country,” says Gary Migdol, Stanford assistant ath letic director. “And the combination of athletics and academics and competition at the highest level, along with a great coaching staff and a great university, at tracts the best student-athletes. ” Oregon State athletic director Mitch Barnhart echoes Migdol’s opinion that Stanford’s all-around excellence pushes it to the top of the collegiate sports world. “[Stanford] has a wonderful, rich tradi tion with some quality coaches,” Barnhart Turn to STANFORD, Page 12 Cardinal can repeat title run next season For the fourth time in five years, the Pacific-10 Conference placed a team in the national semifinals, with Stanford losing in the Final Four last weekend to eventual national champion Kentucky in an overtime thriller, 86-85. The scariest aspect of the Cardinal’s run through nationally ranked opponents is the ‘UOI uiui uiojr every single impact player, including all five starters. Stanford will lose both Kambe Tshionyi and Pete Van Elswyk to graduation, but will add another big body in the post in the form of 6-foot-10 redshirt freshman Ja son Collins. Collins’ twin brother Jarron saw big minutes in the tournament, but Jason was forced to BASKETBALL Men’s Pac-10 Notes by Rob Moseley taxe a medical redshirt alter undergoing arthroscopic surgery on Dec. 10 to repair his left knee. Pac-10 opponents were faced with a sim ilar challenge entering this past season, as 1997 national champion Arizona returned its entire starting lineup, finished 17-1 in conference, then lost to national runner-up Utah in the Elite Eight of the tournament this season. The Wildcats will probably lose four of their five starters this offseason. Both for wards, Michael Dickerson and Bennett Davison, are seniors, as is shooting guard Miles Simon. Sophomore point guard Mike Bibby is also expected to enter the NBA draft in coming weeks. Joining Stanford as a favorite next season will be California. The Bears finished in a three-way tie for fifth with Oregon and Ari zona State this season, and although no California players garnered all-conference recognition, the Bears were well-represent ed in postseason honors. Juniors Geno Carlisle, Michael Gill and Thomas Kilgore all earned all-newcomer honors, and Ray mond King collected honorable mention. Furthermore, forward Sean Lampley, who averaged 11 points and almost eight re bounds in his final 11 games, all starts, was named to the Pac-lO’s all-freshman team. Turn tn MflSF! FY Pane R Season starts with a banq Mark McGwire’s grand slam, the first by a St. Louis Cardinal on opening day, highlights the beginning of the Major League season By Ben Walker The Associated Press Swimming pools, cigar bars. Devil Rays, Diamondbacks. Revamped Marlins, new look Brewers. They were the stories on opening day — until McGwire and Griffey. Mark McGwire and Ken Griffey Jr., quickly showed what this expansion sea son may be all about. Both homered Tues day, beginning the chase for Roger Maris’ record of 61. McGwire became the first St. Louis Car dinals player to hit a grand slam on open ing day, highlighting a 6-0 win over the Rupert Murdoch-owned Los Angeles Dodgers. “It’s an awesome feeling,” said McG wire, who hit 58 last year. “How can you not get chills?” Griffey, who hit 56 last season for the Seattle Mariners, kept pace a few hours lat er. The American League MVP connected for a solo home run against Cleveland. The Florida Marlins, meanwhile, also got off to a strong start. Having stripped nearly half their roster in a move to slash a $53 million payroll to $33 million, the World Series champions scored six runs in the first inning and beat the Chicago Cubs 11-6. For at least one game, these Marlins looked a lot like last year’s champs. World Series MVP Livan Hernandez was the win ning pitcher and October stars Gary Sheffield and Charles Johnson hit three run homers. “Nobody should get carried away,” said Florida manager Jim Leyland. “It’s just one game, and we’re a very young ballclub. We’re going to take some bumps and bruis Turn to BASEBALL, Page 9 Today National League Pittsburgh at Montreal Chicago at Florida f San Diego at Cincinnati San Francisco at Houston Colorado at Arizona | American League Minnesota at Toronto Detroit at Tampa Bay Kansas City at Baltimore New York at Anaheim Cleveland at Seattle j Boston at Oakland | Cleveland’s late rally snells doom for Seattle The Mariners blew a 9 3 lead before an opening-day record crowd in the Kingdome ByJimCour The Associated Press SEATTLE — Once again, Ken Griffey Jr. and the Seattle slug gers were undone by the Mariners’ bullpen. Griffey, Jay Buhner, Edgar Martinez and Russ Davis each homered Tuesday, but the Cleveland Indians rallied for four runs in the eighth inning against Seattle’s shaky relievers to win 10-9 on opening night. Seattle’s bullpen, which blew 27 save chances last season, be trayed manager Lou Piniella. Bobby Ayala, loser Tony Fossas and Mike Timlin combined to allow two hits and five walks in the eighth. In contrast, Cleveland’s re lievers — Paul Shuey, Jose Mesa, Paul Assenmach er and Mike Jackson — were perfect, retiring all 13 batters they faced. Manager Mike Hargrove said he decided late Monday after noon during the Indians’ work out in the Kingdome not to use Mesa as his closer — at least to start the season. Turn to MARINERS, Page 9
