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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 20, 2004)
Sports Editor: Hank Hager hankhager@dailyemerald.com Tuesday, April 20, 2004 Oregon Daily Emerald SPORTS Best bet NBA Playoffs: Dallas vs. Sacramento 7:30 p.m.,TNT Hank Hager Behind the dish Bring us back to our lost innocence When we grow up, we all want to think they're superhuman. We want to believe they can do no wrong, that when they step on the field they'll do it with grace and dignity. We want to think when they step off the court, they're going to be model citizens. We want to believe they'll act in good be havior. Then somewhere along the way, proba bly in between middle school and high school, reality begins to hit. Those artides our parents used to hide from us suddenly start to appear. When we watch ESPN's SportsCenter, our parents don't suddenly turn the channel anymore. That's when innocence was lost. I know it was for me. When innocence is lost you start think ing they're no more than money-munching machines. The errors turn into curses, loss es into full-blown tirades. They're not your heroes anymore, just statistical entities that can help win or lose fantasy leagues. You care no more about the 108 stitch es on a baseball. It doesn’t matter that the puck isn't just made out of rubber; it's vulcanized rubber. That basketball doesn't have the same bounce anymore. The football just can't be thrown in a tight spiral. It's just not going to happen. Along the way, this all happened to us. It's a shame, a crying shame. It is reality. There's a way to get around it, a way to find the foundation of love that we all once had in our lives. It's simple. It's easier than one might think. Want to know? The answer won't cost you. Allow yourself to be amazed. Go to a game; sit in the stands, order two — no three — hot dogs. Grab a soda, grab a beer. Spend too much money on a giant foam hand. Go to batting practice. Watch as the players run out from the tunnel. Go Turn to HAGER, page 9 Erik R. Bishoff Photographer Erin Goodell, seen here earlier this season, hit a home run Friday against Washington and another Sunday in Oregon's loss to UCLA. Offensive improvement sparks Ducks Second baseman Erin Goodell's two-home-run weekend is an example of Oregon's recent surge in offense By Mindi Rice Senior Sports Reporter Second baseman Erin Goodell rode a bit of an offensive streak through the weekend. Friday, Goodell hit what ended up to be the game-winning hit, a home run over the left field wall in the top of the seventh inning. In Sunday's 10-inning loss to UCLA, Goodell provided Ore gon's only offense, a two-run home run that tied the game in the fifth. On the weekend, Goodell went 3 for 10, total ing four RBIs, two runs and two home runs. "I'm feeling really good and I'm seeing the ball really well," Goodell said. "It makes me confi dent. I've just been going in each game with a positive mentality. I think our whole team gives me that confidence, just knowing we can win each game has helped me individually." The weekend added 12 points to Goodell's season batting average, raising it to .196, or 13 DUCK SOFTBALL points higher than her average last season. "(Erin) has been working with (assistant coach) J. Gaudreau on her hitting," Oregon head coach Kathy Arendsen said. "1 like where she's at! She has confidence when she comes up to bat and you can tell. "She hit a hit-and-run for a home run (Sun day). I wish I could say I called for a hit-and-run home mn. It was a great hit." Goodell's weekend is an example of the bal anced offensive attack that Oregon has this year. "We're a better all-around team in our offen sive lineup than last year," Arendsen said. "Each Turn to OFFENSE, page 9 Focus falls on backups for week three The Ducks will practice Tuesday and Thursday this week before their third scrimmage Friday By Hank Hager Sports Editor The Ducks got started just two days early. Oregon head coach Mike Bel lotti said Monday that the emphasis of the final two weeks of spring prac tice will be on the team's non-starters. In other words, the No. 2 and No. 3 guys on the Ducks' depth chart who will have valuable roles come the 2004 season as backups. Bellotti said. 'To me, we need to re ally evaluate and coach the new comers. The guys that we perceive will be playing a large portion of the time for us next season, but don't have that backlog of experience." In Oregon's second scrimmage of the spring, which took place "We need DUCK FOOTBALL to get them as much reps as possible in the next two weeks," Saturday, that scenario unfolded. Players such as Dan Kause, Aaron Gipson, Chris Vincent and Eddie Whitaker proved that during the scrimmage when they led Oregon on offense and defense. In addition, Johnny DuRocher, slated to be Kellen Clemens' back up at quarterback, saw the most ac tion behind center at the scrim mage. He completed six of 10 passes for 95 yards. Dennis Dixon and Brady Leaf also will see more snaps. "I think that we want to look at Johnny, Dennis and Brady," Bellotti said. "As many as looks as (possible) under fire or live as we can make it to evaluate their game readiness. "It's probably more visible at quarterback but it's probably the same at every position." On defense, Bellotti held the same opinion Monday as Saturday: The Ducks need to tackle better, be more aggressive and come together stronger as a unit. "I wasn't upset with the defense," he said. "I felt like we didn't tackle as well as we need to tackle. Our scheme, being a single gap control Turn to BACKUPS, page 9 New tournament opens up possibilities for Oregon golf The coast’s Bandon Dunes will be the home of a golf tournament Oregon and Northwestern agreed on By Brian Smith Freelance Reporter The Oregon men's golf team scored a major tournament victory Monday without even having to tee off. The ink is now dry on a deal be tween Oregon and Northwestern, along with KemperSports, that will create what could possibly become the premiere collegiate golf event in country: the Pacific-10 Conference/Big Ten Challenge. The most impressive aspect of the tournament is not necessarily the teams that will participate but the venues hosting the new tournament. Oregon's own Bandon Dunes Golf Resort — home to the second and third-ranked modem courses in Amer ica, according to Golfweek magazine — will begin hosting the tournament in 2004. The Bandon Dunes and Pacif ic Dunes courses are ranked No. 9 and No. 2 among the "Top 100 Courses You Can Play" in Golf Magazine. "The impetus behind this event is strictly what an amazing golf facility Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is," North western head coach Pat Goss said. "The courses are the tournament. This will be the best and most special place Currently, the highest ranked mod em course to host a colle giate event is ranked No. 28 — the Double Eagle Club in Galena, Ohio — by Golfweek. In perspective, Pacific Dunes trails behind only the hallowed Pebble Beach Golf Course as best public course in the country. college golf is played." DUCK GOLF The event will send six teams from each conference to face off against one another. The four top finishers from each conference's championship tour nament of the previous season will be invited, along with one at-large team from each league, chosen by Kemper Sports. Northwestern and Oregon will be tournament co-hosts. "This has the potential to develop into the most exciting and anticipated college golf tournament in the coun try," Oregon head coach Steve Nosier said. "We want this to be the most unique and best event in collegiate golf, the type of tournament college players look forward to playing in." The 2004 event will take place Oct. 24 to 26 and then will shift to The Glen Club Course in Glenview, 111., for 2005, after which the tournament will go into a three-year rotation be tween courses. KemperSports Man agement of Northbrook, 111., owns the Glen Club and manages Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. "Northwestern is fortunate to have a good relationship with KemperSports," Goss said. "Because they own the Glen Club, we were excited to be able to showcase the event in Chicago, too." Brian Smith is a freelance reporter for the Emerald.
