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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 9, 2000)
Thursday Best Bet NCAA Basketball: Kansas vs. UCLA 3:30 p.m., ESPN 2 SPORTS EDITOR: JEFF SMITH Smittside@aol.com National picture clouded by East Coast programs TWO MINUTES FOR , ^CROSSCHECKING PETER HOCKADAY People say that Oregon complains too much about not getting enough respect on a national stage. You know what I say? Hey, it’s true. The Ducks don’t get enough respect on a national stage, people! And I can prove it with a dose of common sense and a lit tle level-headedness. This week the Ducks moved from seventh to sixth in the Associated Press poll, from eighth to seventh in the USA To day/ESPN Coaches poll and stayed seventh in the Bowl Championship Series Rankings, as Virginia Tech tumbled in all three polls. But realistically, a few more teams are going to have to tumble before Oregon can start thinking about the national championship. The Ducks will need to move up to second in the BCS rankings in order to play in the Orange Bowl, where the na tional champion will be determined. But why aren’t the Ducks ranked higher? Why is the title game so far in the distance, when Oregon should be tailgat ing the top spot? There are two teams that undoubtedly should be ranked higher than Oregon. One is undefeated Oklahoma. The undisputed top team in the country, Oklahoma proved themselves with wins over Kansas State and Nebraska. The second team is Miami. Although they have one loss, the Hurricanes have picked off Florida State and Virginia Tech, when both teams were undefeated. A pathetic loss in Seattle to the Huskies weakens the ‘Canes a bit, but overall they are a good team. Oregon fans should pray on Friday night that the upset bus rolls Miami’s way, with “Pittsburgh” scrawled across the side. Beyond Oklahoma and Miami, the field thins out. First, let me point out that Oregon has beaten two ranked teams — Washington and UCLA — when they were both ranked sixth in the nation. The Ducks will make it three top-10 victories if Oregon State beats Arizona and holds on to its No. 10 ranking, and then Oregon beats the Beavers. Don’t forget that Oregon handled Arizona when the Wildcats were 21st, and the Ducks’ one loss was to the No. 6 team in the coun Turn to East Coast, page 8A Senior Michael Kasahun has been successful at every level of competition from high school to NCAA Division I. 8 ■ Senior Michael Kasahun escaped war-torn Ethiopia to have a successful running career in America By Robbie McCallum Oregon Daily Emera.d Today, senior Michael Kasahun prepares for his fifth cross country meet of the season. The Ethiopia na tive leads the lOth-ranked Oregon cross country team into Saturday’s NCAA Western Regional meet. Twelve years ago, Kasahun was traveling by the light of the moon, es caping from his war-torn homeland. Kasahun’s life has taken many turns during those 12 years. He has gone from refugee to immigrant to running star. The journey has been a long one, with many bumps in the road, but Kasahun has found solace at Oregon in running. Kasahun was born in the northern Ethiopian town of Adwa. The small village was in the middle of a civil war that took place from 1976 to 1993. The rebel states of Eritrea and Tigrai sought independence from Ethiopia and waged war for more than 17 years. The fighting that occurred in north ern Ethiopia took the lives of Kasahun’s mother and brother. “Everyday life was a struggle.” Kasahun said. “We were segregated by the government. We just didn’t have a say in things.” A handful of Adwa residents de cided to flee Ethiopia for neighboring Turn to Kasahun, page 12A Senior Ducks hope to cap home careers with a Seniors Halie Mazza (17) and Amy Banducci (11) play their final two matches at McArthur Court tonight and Friday. A conference victory would be the Ducks’ first at home this season. ■ The Oregon volleyball squad hosts Washington tonight to start the season's last home stand By Adam Jude Oregon Daily Emerald This is the final stand. The Oregon volleyball team is not going to back down — especially on its home floor. Seniors Amy Banducci and Halie Mazza are not going to end their careers at McArthur Court with another disap pointing weekend. And the Ducks are not going to be satis fied with another season in the Pacific-10 Conference cellar. “This is very important to us,” said Ban ducci, a four-year letter winner at Oregon. “It’s going to 'be sad and hard, but I’d like nothing more than to win my final games at Mac Court.” In matches that could decide who finish es at the bottom of the Pac-10 standings, the Ducks (9-14 overall, 1-13 Pac-10) host Washington tonight and Washing ton State Friday. Both matches will begin at 7 p.m. “I think this is going to be a positive change in Oregon vol leyball, Mazza said of this weekend. “We’re just going to Turn to Volleyball, page 12A On tap Who: Oregon volleyball vs. Washington and Washington State When: Tonight and Friday, 7 p.m. Where: McArthur Court
