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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 6, 2000)
UO women continued from page 7 A set that it needs to reach the next level or even to attain the type of success that it did last season, when the Ducks benefited from former guard Lisa Bowyer’s re lentless in-your-face, in-your head brand of aggressive play. “We miss the Lisa Bowyer per sonality,” Runge said, “because she exhilarated everybody that way, with the things that she did.” Missing Bowyer, take II Not totally unexpectedly, the Ducks are missing Bowyer in an other department as well: de fense. Although Oregon isn’t far off last season’s all-time Pacific-10 Conference bests in both field goal percentage defense (.364) and scoring defense (59.2) this season, the Ducks have uncharac teristically allowed individual players to have huge offensive games against them. The most points that any one player scored against Oregon last season were the 23 that current WNBA guard and former Col orado State standout Becky Ham mon scored early in the season. But this year, without their de fensive standout Bowyer to dis rupt the other team’s best offen sive player, the Ducks let Southwest Missouri State’s Jack ie Stiles put up 38, DePaul’s Lanae Williams score 37 and San Francisco’s Sarah Wanless drop 26. “Definitely, defensively we’re missing her,” Runge said. Dion hanging in there Junior guard Lindsey Dion, such an integral part of Oregon’s Jeffrey Stockton Emerald junior guard/forward Lindsey Dion is pushing forward despite an ailing right knee. all-around game plan, has been — and will be for the remainder of the season — hindered by a tom lateral meniscus in her right knee, which occurred against South west Missouri State. She suffered the same injury last season in the Ducks’ final game against Iowa State, and it took her more than three weeks to completely recover, Runge said. Unfortunately, with Pac-10 play beginning Saturday at Ore gon State, Dion doesn’t have the luxury of taking the necessary time off to heal. “She’s not at risk of being more injured,” Runge said. “It’s just that it bothers her. It’s definitely a distraction not to be able to play the way she wants to play. You protect it even though you’re not at risk, so we’re just gonna make the best of it.” Dion, a typically hard-nosed yet-clean Oregon player, will wear a knee brace for the remain der of the season. “It’s OK,” Dion said. “It’s not any worse and it’s not any better, but it’s not gonna get better until I can rest it. It’s fine.” New Orleans gives Dikta da can NEW ORLEANS— Mike Ditka bet just about everything on Ricky Williams this season. On Wednesday, he paid with his job. Ditka was fired by the New Or leans Saints after three straight losing seasons, and he said he would never coach again. Beloved in Chicago for 11 sea sons after leading “Da Bears” to the Super Bowl in 1986, Iron Mike could not stop a downward slide in New Orleans that saw the Saints finish 3-13 to match the second-worst record in franchise history. “We tried, but we didn’t get it done,” Ditka said. “That’s the bottom line. When you don’t get it done you’re going to get out of there, and in a hurry.” The 60-year-old Ditka said he had hoped to stay on as coach de spite the team’s troubles but de cided he would never lead a foot ball team again. “Nope, never, no,” Ditka said. Last spring, Ditka puffed an eight-inch cigar triumphantly af ter trading eight draft choices — all the 1999 picks and the No. 1 and No. 3 for 2000 — to get Williams. At that time, Ditka pro claimed the Texas running back the “final piece of the puzzle” for the Saints and again talked of tak ing the team to the Super Bowl. But Williams, who was injured for much of the season, gained only 884 yards and two touch downs rushing — including 7 yards on 14 carries in the final game. “I understand it fully: You’re 3-13, you have the expectations we do, you bring in Ricky Williams, and it doesn't work out,” Ditka said. “I mean, we got to be realists.” Ditka originally signed a three year contract and said he should be fired if he couldn’t accomplish his goals. He went on to rack up a 15-33 record, including a 6-23 record in the last 29 games, and a league-leading 14-game road los ing streak. This year’s record is the worst ever for Ditka. His previous worst mark was 5-11 with the Bears in 1992. New Orleans scored just 260 points this season, while giving up 434. Also fired by owner Tom Ben son were general manager Bill Kuharich, senior vice president Terry O’Neil and the assistant coaches — in what Benson de scribed as the first step in return ing the Saints to the spot the team enjoyed in the late 1980s, when it had its only winning years and made four trips to the playoffs. “This was a difficult decision,” Benson said. “Mike Ditka is one of the greatest football people ever.” The Saints 45-13 loss to the Panthers on Sunday at the close of the season was among the worst in Ditka’s coaching career. It wrapped up the seventh straight season New Orleans has finished without a winning record. Despite the poor showing, Dit ka said Benson’s decision was surprising. “I really thought we’d get an other year,” Ditka said. Financial terms of Ditka’s de parture were not disclosed, but he signed a contract extension two years ago. The new deal runs through 2002 and is reportedly worth $2 million a year. Benson did not meet with re porters or answer questions. His statement said the search for a new general manager and coach would begin immediately and continue until he finds candi dates to “take us where our orga nization and our fans want to be.” Under Ditka, Chicago dominat ed the NFC Central with 52 regu lar-season victories between 1985-88. That was the most wins by an NFL team in any four-year period. Ditka ranked second among Bears coaches in both tenure and victories. He coached the Bears to six NFC Central titles, three ap pearances in the NFC title game and a Super Bowl title in 1986. The Bears were 18-1 that year. After the Super Bowl, Ditka was honored as coach of the year. After being fired by Chicago, Ditka worked as an NFL com mentator for four years. He was hired by the Saints on Jan. 28, 1997. His first year was marked by sideline tantrums, yanking play ers out of games and even a threat to quit, which he rescinded later. The Saints were 6-10 and 6-10 in Ditka’s first two years. “With all the ranting and rav ing that people saw, he always left it on the field,” said quarter back Billy Joe Tolliver. “He had his say and moved on. He was never devious. He’s a man’s man and a stand up guy and I have a lot of respect for him.” — The Associated Press OREGON CREW Informational Meeting Tomorrow, Jan. 7th 7 p.m., EMU Walnut Room Questions? call Robin at 431-0835 • Top Quality Service - Keep Your Steed Rolling • Bags for Your Books & More • Locks, Fenders, Lights a New Bike - Giant • Univega • Rediine Great Bikes, Great Service! '5k. 1330 WILLAMETTE Make a Difference in a Kid’s Life Applications are being accepted for teaching licensure and Master's degree programs in elementary and secondary special education. Special education programs at the UO are ranked in the top 5 nationally. Employment opportunities are plentiful, and UO graduates are in high demand because of their excellent training. Full and part-time programs are available starting Summer or Fall 2000. Applications are due 2/15/00. Contact Claudia Vincent (346-5521) for more information and § application materials. s___ Fleetwood Manufactured Home Center Looking for the perfect home at the right price close to U of 0? We have it for you! Your choice of 20 manufactured home lots. Complete turnkey packages starting as low as $117,000. 6 minute bike ride to U of 0 campus and 2 minute bike ride to Autzen Stadium. Call today about this fantastic location. lots located at Oakbreeze Estates (off Centennial Blvd.) model homes located on Hwy 99N in Eugene www.sunbursthomes.com Fleetwood of Oregon 461-9546 • 888-542-8185 ODE iloriei ore archived on-line at www.doilyemerQld.com
