“If we’ve got something nice that we’re going
to, like uppity-up, then I’ll braid it up...
but sometimes I might blow it out. ’’
Clippers rookie Shaun Livingston on how he decides to wear his hair
■ In my opinion
STEPHEN MILLER
OFF THE CROSSBAR
Canadians
rave about
Mounties,
Timbits, eh ?
The United States is a mess right now and,
unfortunately, we can’t do the South Park thing
and blame Canada for our problems. Many
Americans instead are seeking refuge in our
neighbor to the North.
U.S. citizens left and right want to flee the
country because of the commander in chief
cowboy that is slated to occupy the oval office
for four more years.
This isn’t a one-way street, though. There are
plenty of Canadians enjoying the “American
dream,” and 14 of them are student athletes at
tending Oregon.
Three Duck players on each of the women’s
basketball and volleyball teams proudly claim
Canada as their homeland. Then why do they
leave their beloved home to play sports here?
Volleyball players Erin Little (Victoria, B.C.),
Jaclyn Jones (Fort St. John, B.C.) and Karen
Waddington (MB Langley, B.C.) said that stu
dent-athletes are attracted to the States because
American colleges offer full-ride scholarships
whereas Canadian institutions tend to be stingy
toward athletes.
For one reason or another, Canadians all be
lieve they have it made, and that is why foreign
ers envy them.
“At home, we have the highest percentage of
fresh water, and we have a lot of wildlife,” Ore
gon basketball player Carolyn Ganes of Saska
toon, Saskatchewan, boasted. “I think the
countries are very similar in general.”
On the contrary, her countrymen say. Ac
cording to teammate Yadili Okwumabua of
Winnipeg, Manitoba, federally funded health
care is the biggest perk of following the maple
leaf flag. Canadians also have seven different
political parties to choose from, and the econo
my is doing well. The Canadian dollar is worth
87 American cents right now.
And what about those cool guys in the red
suits on horseback? The Mounties?
“They are pretty cool,” Okwumabua said.
You bet they’re cool! Their crimson threads
cannot be beat. They are also cool because the
crime rate is low.
“I never lock my door at home,” Little said.
“Why would you lock your door?”
Jones asked.
Canada seems to produce talent. Name your
poison: sports, music, television, movies. The
greatest hockey player: Wayne Gretzky. The
funniest on-screen personality: Mike Myers, Jim
Carrey, take your pick. Heck, the Canadian
Football League added 10 yards to the field to
make the game more appealing.
The volleyball trio from the north boasted
about how Shania Twain was just honored as
the Hottest Female Country Singer by CMT.
They also mentioned that Pamela Anderson is
Canadian and played for the volleyball club that
they all belonged to in British Columbia before
joining Oregon’s program.
The trio implied that we Americans should
stick to our Krispy Kreme and not crowd the
lines of their nationally franchised donut shop
called Tim Hortons. Guard your Timbits
(Canadian for donut holes), you crazy, freez
ing tundra inhabitants, because the store
MILLER, page 14
■ Men's basketball
Young team listens with maturity
Basketball squad respects coaching staffs
experience, and gears up for a successful season
BY JON ROETMAN
SENIOR SPORTS REPORTER
As the Oregon men’s basketball
team wrapped up practice Wednes
day, Aaron Brooks was practicing
his free throw shooting at a side
basket at McArthur Court.
While he knocked down the
majority of his freebies, the soph
omore missed more than he
would like.
In the background, assistant
coach Fred Litzenberger was ob
serving the point guard’s shooting
technique from center court.
“Finish the shot,” said Litzen
berger, instructing Brooks to fol
low through on his release.
“You’re falling back every time.”
Brooks acknowledged the
fourth-year coach, turned and
softly sank his next free throw
with a textbook follow through.
While the Ducks are a young
group of athletes, they listen well.
And that’s a plus because they are
coached by a well-respected staff.
As eighth-year head coach
Ernie Kent prepares the Ducks to
open the 100th season of Oregon
basketball Friday against Idaho
State, Kent acknowledged that
the Ducks will be facing a Ben
gal team led by a similar quality
of coaching.
Kent worked with Idaho State
head coach Doug Oliver during
the 1990-91 season as assistants
at Stanford under former Cardinal
head coach Mike Montgomery.
Oliver’s coaching, along with
the scare against Division 11 West
ern Oregon Sunday should ensure
that the youthful Ducks don’t
overlook the Bengals.
“They will definitely be a well
coached basketball team,” Kent
said of Idaho State. “I don’t think
our guys, even as a staff, have
ever overlooked anyone.”
Freshmen adapt
As the start of the regular sea
son draws near, more pressure
will be put on freshmen to bal
ance their schedules correctly.
Two such athletes who are
dealing with the transition are
forward Maarty Leunen and
guard Malik Hairston.
Leunen, who graduated from
Redmond High School, said the
transition from high school to
college has been a tiring one.
“The first couple weeks were
pretty tough,” Leunen said.
“Getting used to everything,
what teachers expect at the col
lege level and everything, it’s
definitely different. I’ve just got
ten in a rhythm of what to do
and got used to going to practice
and how busy my day is.”
Hairston, who graduated from
Renaissance High School in De
troit, said succeeding in school is
a priority and the transition has
been fairly smooth. The most
trying aspect is being so far
Danielle Hickey I Photo editor
Forward Maarty Leunen is one of several Oregon freshmen dealing with the
transition from prep student athlete to Division I student athlete.
away from his family.
“I talk to my family a lot,”
Hairston said. “I miss my family
but they understand I’m on a
mission out here, and they know
I have a job to do.”
jonroetman@dailyemerald.com
■ Duck cross country
Harmon tackles NCAA Championships
The redshirt senior anticipates a
good showing on the course she
ran little more than a month ago
BY BEAU BASTES
DAILY EMERALD FREELANCE REPORTER
Laura Harmon has been running by herself
for most of the cross country season and has
physically been on another level.
This Monday, Harmon will continue flying
solo as she and her coach, Marnie Mason, will
be the only Ducks — male or female — that rep
resent Oregon at the NCAA Championships in
Terre Haute, Ind.
Though lacking teammates for support dur
ing pre-race warm-ups, Harmon feels confident
going into the 6K on the LaVem Gibson Champi
onship Course. The senior from Vancouver,
Wash., placed 16th a month ago at the Pre
NCAA Invitational held at the same location.
“It’s an advantage to know how to go out and
race,” Harmon said about running the course
previously. “It’s good to know the footing, the
muddy parts, the softer spots.”
The layout of the course should be an advan
tage for Harmon because of her style of running.
“Its easy to move, a good course for me,”
Harmon said.
Harmon’s conservative first half race strategy
works best on wide-open laid trails that allow
for movement at almost any point in the race.
The vast layout of the LaVern Gibson Champi
onship Course will allow Harmon to move
“where I want to,” compared to the narrow
West Regional course in Fresno, Calif., where
she placed ninth.
Geoff Thurner | Oregon Media Services
Senior Laura
Harmon (145)
leads in her
opening meet at
the Pier Park
Invitational in
Portland. She has
led the Ducks in
every race this
season. Harmon
travels to Terre
Haute, Ind., to
compete in the
NCAA
Championships
Monday.
Also playing to Harmon s strength is that the
terrain of the championship meet starts off with
a subtle decline.
“It’s easy to get carried away with a downhill
slope,” Harmon said. “It’s smarter to go with the
hill, not push through the downhill.”
Again, Harmon’s slower start should prevent
her from getting caught up in an early mad dash
that could prove to be draining later on.
Harmon plans to balance the line between
breaking out too early and not soon enough af
ter a disappointing regional finish.
“I’ll go out a little more aggressive and stay
within striking distance,” Harmon said.
More than strategy or course layout, though,
Harmon’s biggest asset heading into the most
important race of the season seems to be her
patience and maturity.
“I’m able to look at the big picture and see
that it’s not anything different than the rest of
the season,” said Harmon, who placed fifth as
freshman for the 2000 Duck team that finished
28th at the NCAA Championships in Ames,
Iowa. “I’m more excited than nervous.”
Five years of running at the Division I level
have prepared Harmon physically.
“I have a lot more strength when I run,” Har
mon said. “I’m more relaxed.”
Harmon has her sights set on a top-40 finish
and, ideally, All-American status (the first 25
American finishers at the NCAAs).
“I want to have a good experience,” Harmon
said. “Hopefully it can end on a high note.”