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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