Oregon Daily Emerald
Ihesday, June 28, 2005
“You know I’ve got one of those wonderful
ideas... women should be dressed in white like
all other domestic appliances. ’’
Formula One President Bemie Ecclestone in response to Danica Patrick, a female racecar driver
■ In my opinion
___
SHAWN MILLER
FULL-COURT PRESS
Minimum
NBA age
promotes love
of the game
The National Basketball Association has
finally backed up its voice with action in
the most recent collective bargaining
agreement: a fresh six-year deal signed
on June 2 set to begin next season, which
has provided reassurance that it wants
what is most important for the game
of basketball.
The highlighted topic in the agreement was
raising the age limit of draftees from 18 to 19
years old, which has created water cooler ar
guments across the country.
The new rule states that American players
are eligible one year after their high school
classmates graduate. International players
must turn 19 by the end of the calendar year
in which they become draft eligible.
“This will encourage our scouts to spend
time in D-league gyms rather than high school
gyms,” NBA Commissioner David Stern said.
By not having the option of making
millions after picking up a diploma, the
student-athletes will have at least one year
to invest in the student half of their title.
This will allow a year to feel out the
enjoyment and excitement of the college
experience and evaluate their future with
knowledgeable options.
I have often heard that instituting this age
change is “un-American” and that if the
option to sign a contract worth millions is
available, making that person wait for one
year would be counterproductive to the
“American dream.”
The bottom line is money. Professional
sports have become increasingly based solely
on monetary issues rather than the love of
the game.
While the NBA is making a valiant effort to
improve the options of its future employees
and break the trend, the positive is possibly
overruled by university presidents with cash
registers flashing in the back of their minds.
These athletes will improve a handful of se
lect university basketball programs across the
nation, therefore bringing in more revenue to
the school, program and city.
There is a slight chance that some of these
student-athletes will stay for a second, third
and even more remote, a senior season.
The most important thing isn’t whether
they stay for an extended period of time, but
that they will gain valuable life lessons
that college coaches seem to teach better than
professional coaches, which will prepare
them for the future that begins after NBA
paychecks end.
Tonight marks the final NBA draft, barring
any future changes, that players straight from
graduation can be selected. And in my book,
that is a positive thing not only for college
basketball but also for the athletes that repre
sent the sport.
m
shawnmiller@dailyemerald.com
Emeralds slide by Spokane in series
The Eugene Ems narrowly
beat the Spokane Indians in a
series full of defensive mistakes
SHAWN MILLER
SPORTS EDITOR
Defensive miscues have wreaked havoc on
the Eugene Emeralds to open the 2005 season.
The Spokane Indians (2-3) took advantage
of two Eugene (3-2) errors, a wild pitch and an
errant throw from Eugene starter Jon Link that
skipped past second baseman Jodam Rivera to
win 3-2 Saturday night at Civic Stadium.
“You can’t give them (the opponent) more
than 27 outs,” Eugene manager Roy Howell
said. “We gave them two runs on two errors.
Those plays have to be made.”
Spokane scored the game-winning run in
the top of the ninth inning on a wild pitch by
Neil Jamison. German Duran led off the in
ning with a walk. Joe Kemp slapped a bloop
single into the outfield, which allowed Duran
to escape to third base. Jamison induced a
groundout to end the inning after throwing
the wild pitch.
Howell said “making defensive mistakes
that cost us runs” was the deciding factor in
the loss.
The Indians scored the game’s first two
runs in the fifth inning. John Mayberry, Jr.
beat out an infield single to lead off the in
ning. Following a groundout that allowed
Mayberry to advance to second base, Link
threw the ball into the outfield while dying a
pickoff at second. Two pitches l^ter, Jonathan
Higashi drilled an RBI double that scored
Mayberry. After a groundout by Freddy Thon,
Higashi scored on an error by Eugene first
baseman Daryl Jones.
“They are going to make mistakes,” How
ell said. “The bottom line is that we are bat
tling. You are not going to win all of the
close games.”
Eugene answered in the sixth inning as
Nick Hundley’s triple skipped by Mayberry
in right field. Santiago Guerrero grounded
out, which allowed Hundley to score the
Ems’ first run.
Brian Cavanaugh singled to open the
eighth inning before Hundley drew a
Tim Bobosky t Photo editor
Eugene starting pitcher Jon Link earned a nodecision during the Ems 3-2 loss to Spokane on June 25 Link
allowed only four hits and two runs in six innings of work.
full-count walk. Guerrero advanced the runners
with a sacrifice bunt before Billy Richardson hit
a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Cavanaugh
to tie the game.
“If it is a base hit you get two (runs), if it is a
sacrifice fly you get one,” Howell said of Richard
son’s at-bat.
Jones struck out to end the inning.
Josh Alley smashed a ball into the left-center
gap, but it was caught to end the game.
“I fouled a few off and the last one he
(Spokane pitcher) got in on me a little bit,” Alley
said. “You’ve just got to tip your hat to him.”
Alley, a former University of Tennessee out
fielder, went 3 for 4 with a walk in his profession
al debut Saturday.
“Any time you can go out there and have three
hits you’ve got to keep your head up,” Alley said.
June 21: Ems win 3-2
over Spokane
Stevie Delabar pitched a scoreless two-hitter
through five innings to pick up the 3-2 victory for
Eugene on opening night.
The Ems grabbed an early 2-0 lead after the first
inning. Mike Sansoe led off with a double into the
right-field gap. Following a strikeout by Richard
son, Drew Davidson hit an RBI double that scored
Sansoe. A wild pitch advanced Davidson to third
base before a passed ball allowed him to score.
“To come out and score early is huge,” Delabar
told The Register-Guard. “The guys were hitting
the ball pretty well tonight.”
Guerrero, who earned a leadoff walk to start the
bottom of the second inning, moved to third base
on a fielder’s choice by Billy Killian. Rivera hit a
ground ball to the right side of the infield, which
allowed Guerrero to score the Ems’ winning run.
Spokane tightened the score with a two-run
homer by Mayberry in the sixth inning, but failed
to capitalize on opportunities presented. The Indi
ans had runners in scoring position in the seventh,
eighth and ninth innings. With one out and the
bases loaded in the eighth inning, Spokane batters
shuck out with a full count back to back.
EMERALDS, page 6
■ Men's basketball
Craic; Volpe | Freelance photographer
Junior point guard Aaron Brooks (with the ball) leads
former Oregon star Luke Jackson down the floor in a
recent scrimmage. Brooks, along with teammate Malik
Hairston, was selected to try out for the USA Basketball
Men’s U21 National Team July 21-23 in Dallas, Texas.
Men's basketball team
faces tough schedule
The Ducks announce a competitive line-up for the 2005-06
season with games against Illinois, Santa Clara and Georgetown
SHAWN MILLER
SPORTS EDITOR
After a disappointing campaign last year, a
competitive 2005-06 Oregon men’s basketball
schedule was recently announced.
The Ducks, who ended last season with a
14-13 overall record and a tie for eighth place
in the Pacific-10 Conference standings, face a
non-conference schedule that includes six par
ticipants in the postseason last year.
“This team definitely needs to learn how to
win,” Oregon coach Ernie Kent said. “As a
young team, they never folded (last season).
We went through a lot of adversity.”
Highlighted by NCAA runner-up Illinois, Ore
gon’s opponent at the Dec. 10 Pape Jam at the
Rose Garden in Portland, the home schedule in
cludes four teams coming off postseason play.
The regular season begins with the Ducks
hosting the Hispanic Classic, a round-robin
tournament where Oregon plays Tennessee
Tech (Nov. 20), Savannah State (Nov. 21),
NCAA participant Pacific (Nov. 22) and
Georgetown (Dec. 3).
Oregon‘also hosts Rice (Nov. 26), Santa
Clara (Dec. 13), Howard (Dec. 20) and Port
land State (Dec. 27).
The Ducks’ road schedule includes Vander
bilt (Nov. 30), New Mexico (Dec. 17) and Port
land (Dec. 22).
“If we can manage our schedule, we are
going to have tremendous confidence,” Kent
said.
League play begins with Oregon hosting in
state rival Oregon State on New Year’s Eve.
The longest conference road trip is three
games - The final three of the league schedule
(Feb. 23 at USC, Feb. 25 at UCLA and March 4
at Oregon State).
“Everybody knows what to expect,” Oregon
point guard Aaron Brooks said. “We’ve ma
tured so much.”
The Pac-10 Tournament, March 8-11 in Los
Angeles, Calif., was expanded to include all 10
teams this season, a decision that pleases Kent. ^
“It’s something that us coaches have been
pushing for the last three years,” Kent said.
“It’s the Pac-10 tournament, not the Pac-8.”
shawnmiller@dailyewerald.com
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