Rodriguez ends speculation,
signs contract with Tigers
Ivan Rodriguez signed with
Detroit for a four-year
contract worth $40 million
By Juan C. Rodriguez
South Florida Sun-Sentinel (KRT)
Just over a year ago Pudge Ro
driguez told a room full of Florida
Marlins executives, players and fans
that his new team was good enough
to make the playoffs.
Rodriguez was in a similar setting
Monday afternoon in Detroit, only
this time the playoff pronounce
ments did not flow with the same
conviction. They may not be post
season-ready yet, but the Tigers gave
Rodriguez the contractual commit
ment the Marlins couldn't.
The two sides finalized a four-year,
$40 million deal. It also includes a
$13 million club option for the
2008 season or $3 million buyout.
In the context of2003, Rodriguez
is going from first to worst. He
helped the Marlins win the World
Series and now is on a club coming
off a 119-loss campaign. The addi
tion of Rodriguez, coupled with
Rondell White, Fernando Vina, and
Jason Johnson, should lead to a
more respectable showing.
"I know they had a bad season
last year, but I think this year it's go
ing to be a completely different sea
son," said Rodriguez, who will de
fer $8 million over the life of the
contract at 1 percent interest.
"We're going to see this organiza
tion, this Detroit Tigers team in the
playoffs pretty soon."
For 2004, the Marlins still have a
better chance of playing in the post
season without Rodriguez than the
Tigers do with him. The Marlins,
who signed Rodriguez to a one-year,
$ 10 million deal last January, had
hoped to retain their National
League Championship Series MVP.
Unable to offer him salary arbitra
tion, the Marlins had to re-sign him
before Dec. 7 or forfeit negotiating
rights until May 1. Rodriguez was
adamant about not taking a pay cut
and declined a two-year, $ 16 million
guarantee with a vesting option for a
third season.
Tiger owner Mike Hitch took a
hands-on approach in the Rodriguez
courtship, convincing him he could
have the same impart in Detroit he
had in South Florida.
"One of the reasons I came here
was the respect that Mr. Hitch
brought to me," Rodriguez said.
"(People) have been saying (I'm)
coming from a winning team to a
losing team, but for me this team is
not a losing team. This is a major
league ball club and everybody can
have bad seasons. Unfortunately the
Detroit Tigers had a bad season last
year, but it's already over."
Rodriguez's contract could be
over unless he keeps his back
healthy. Provisions in the deal al
low the Tigers to buy out the re
maining years for $5 million if Ro
driguez spends 35 or more days on
the disabled list in 2004 or 2005
with a lower spine injury. In 2006,
the buyout price decreases to $4
million if Rodriguez is sidelined for
the same period and reason.
(c) 2004 South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune
Information Services.
Halftime festivities,
streaker concern
football executives
A number of events made
for headlines at Sunday’s
Super Bowl XXXVIII
By Hank Gola
New York Daily News (KRT)
HOUSTON — NFL officials said
Monday they were embarrassed that
Super Bowl XXXVIII became the first
to have needed a parental warning.
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue de
livered a stern rebuke of the MTV
produced halftime show that ended
with Janet Jackson's breast on dis
play for a huge national TV audi
ence. JLeague spokesman Greg Aiello
also admitted that a "security lapse"
had allowed a professional streaker
to delay the second-half kickoff
while he did a jig on the field.
"It's troubling," Aiello said.
The trouble started at the climax
of a sexually charged halftime show
that was a long way from the Al
Hirt-Pete Fountain performances of
Super Bowl infancy. After singing
the words, "I'll get you naked by the
end of this song," pop heartthrob
Justin Timberlake reached across
Jackson's chest and ripped off half
her top, exposing her right breast,
complete with some sort of solar
medallion pastie.
After the smoke literally cleared,
professional streaker Mark Francis
Roberts, of Liverpool, England, made
his entrance. Wearing an official's uni
form, he sprinted onto the field, then
peeled off a tear-away costume. Clad
only in a G-string and a painted-on ad
for an online betting service, he
danced for 30 seconds as stunned
members of both teams looked on.
Eventually security rushed onto the
field and brought down the interloper
in a heap, with the help of the shoul
der pad of Patriots special teamer
Matt Chatham.
(c) 2004, New York Daily News.
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune
Information Services.
WINS
continued from page 7
came about because the Ducks played
'one more game than allowed last sea
son, forcing Oregon to pay the price
this season.
At 10-6, the Ducks are in a precari
ous situation. The NCAA Tournament
can be selective in the teams it choos
es for the Big Dance, and the Ducks
will have to prove they are worthy. A
6-3 second half would net the team
only 16 wins on the season, probably
not enough for a postseason bid.
The second-half schedule, though,
could help Oregon in the long run.
Oregon hosts UCLA getting a shot at
the Bruins, who defeated the Ducks by
seven in Los Angeles in early January.
r
The Ducks will get to see Arizona at
McArthur Court before that, hoping to
solve the problems the team faced in a
24-point blowout to the Wildcats two
weeks ago. Kent called that game a
"disaster," but it may have been the
only one of the league season.
Oregon almost knocked off No.
2 Stanford on Saturday and was
outdone in the end by Oregon State
in January.
Those are four losses that, with just
a little luck, could have been whittled
down to two.
"I think the key thing for us right
now is to just regroup, take a couple
days olf and let our legs come back,"
Kent said. "Then get ready for a great
Civil War game and start the second
half of the Pac-10 season off on the
Adam Amato Senior Photographer
With 140 assists, Corrie Mizusawa is seventh on Oregon’s single-season assists list.
right foot. We have a chance now to
sustain and continue to get better. We're
one of the few teams I say that can get
better because we're learning more,
we're getting more comfortable and
we're getting our point guard back."
The Ducks are expected to wel
come Brooks back into the lineup in
late February. Kent said last week he
is expected to begin some rehabilita
tion later this week, and if all goes
well Brooks will have a chance to re
turn as the Pac-10 regular season gets
into its final weeks.
At this point Stanford is in control
of the conference at 9-0, followed by
Arizona (6-3), then the trio at 5-4.
Guards
Luke Jackson has done everything
the Ducks have asked and more.
He's been close to or at the top of
the Pac-10's scoring list and leads
Oregon in points, rebounds and as
sists per game.
Oregon has been buoyed by the
continued emergence of James Davis
on the perimeter. One of the most
deadly three-point shooters in the na
tion, Davis has been consistent is
keeping opposing teams at bay from
the outside.
Otherwise, getting Brooks back
into the lineup will be a boost for
Oregon, which has seen Jackson
carry the ball up the court on a con
tinual basis.
Forwards
Ian Crosswhite and Platt have been
impressive down low, adding an
element to Oregon's offense the team
was missing last season.
"Our big guys are really good,"
Kent said. "Granted, we shoot a lot
of threes. Those big guys are good
and are getting better. I think that's
the thing people underestimate. Last
year, they could kind of lock up the
three and dared you to throw it in
there. Well, we want to throw it in
there now."
lay Anderson has been a key reserve
for the Ducks, providing valuable
minutes. Adam Zahn and Matt Short
have seen little or no action in most of
the conference games.
Contact the sports editor
at hankhager@dailyemerald.coni.
WOMEN
continued from page 7
throughout the season.
One of the worst falls was the 0-4
start to Pac-10 play in late December.
The Ducks entered the conference
season with an 8-2 record and
promptly hit a roadblock. Oregon is
one week into the second half of the
Pac-10 season, and the Ducks have a
win against UCLA and a loss to USC
behind them.
"Turning the corner on the sec
ond half of the season, we're 1-1,"
Smith said. "And that's better than
we started."
Picked to finish as high as fourth in
the Pac-10, the Ducks were somewhat
dependent on a healthy team and,
primarily, the return of a healthy
Catherine Kraayeveld.
As it turned out, the senior was
healthy for five games before suf
fering a torn anterior cruciate liga
ment in her right knee, the same
knee that had a staph infection last
season that caused her to miss
13 games.
The Ducks found a small positive
spin by getting a medical redshirt year
for Kraayeveld, so the senior will re
turn next season with a year of eligi
bility remaining.
Kraayeveld's injury isn't the only
one to test Oregon's depth. The
Ducks started the season without
sophomore transfer Chelsea Wagner
and lone senior Kayla Steen. Since
Wagner and Steen returned in No
vember, sophomore Carolyn Ganes,
freshman Jessica Shetters, junior
Kedzie Gunderson and Wagner have
missed playing time because of one
injury or another.
"They've taken a little wind out of
our sails at times," Smith said. "We
just have to get to the point where
we can get over those kinds of
injuries."
Wagner's injury is perhaps the
worst. She is playing on a tom later
al meniscus in her left knee — in
jured in the loss to Washington —
which is protected by a brace in
each game and drained prior to
each contest.
The guard hasn't missed much
practice time, though, while Ganes'
injuries — an ankle that is now
mostly recovered and back that acts
up — have kept her out of full
practices.
"Once you get out of that rhythm,
it's hard to get it back," Smith said.
Keeping a rhythm on the court is
what junior transfer Corrie Mizu
sawa is in charge of during
the game.
Mizusawa made a big impression
in her first non-exhibition game as a
Duck. On Nov. 15 against Val
paraiso, Mizusawa's 13 assists were
two shy of setting a new single-game
Oregon record.
"Corrie has gone through an
evolvement and transformation,"
Smith said. "The team knows that if
they run the floor and get into po
sition, they will be rewarded (with
a pass).'
Mizusawa's 6.7 assists per game
average has her at No. 7 all-time on
Oregon's single-season assists list with
140 this season.
As for weaknesses with the Ducks,
choosing their biggest is a draw.
It could be their ability to lose a
lead late in the game, eventually los
ing the game as well.
On the other hand, it might be
their inability to play offense against
the press.
Regardless, the Ducks still have
some kinks to work out for their sec
ond half. Two of those kinks don't in
clude startingpoint guard Mizusawa
and one starting forward, freshman
Eleanor Haring.
Haring has played in all 21 games
this season, starting 14. She is Ore
gon's third-leading scorer with eight
points per game.
"Eleanor has grown and become
our best player in terms of go-to of
fense," Smith said.
Oregon has gone to Haring,
Mizusawa and Wagner for three
pointers and everyone on its bench
and starting lineup for something
this season, be it minutes, rebounds
or points.
The key for the Ducks' second
half will be making sure they can
continue to go to everyone on their
bench, and avoiding a few of those
injuries.
"Since the Washington State
game (Oregon's second Pac-10
win), we're more aggressive and
tough," Smith said.
Contact the senior sports reporter
at mindirice@dailyemeraid.coni.