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The compromise arrived at by the three
conference institutions is as follows:
1. The Illinois at Minnesota game,
originally scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 5, will be played Thursday,
Oct. 3, at 7 p.m.
2. The Northwestern at Minnesota game,
originally scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 12, will be played Thursday,
Oct. 10, at 7 p.m.
The Minnesota Twins’ participation in
Major League Baseball’s divisional series and league championship
series precludes college football games from being played in the
Metrodome on Oct. 5 and Oct. 12. Even if the Metrodome were to
become available on Oct. 12, the parties agreed that confirming
Northwestern’s travel arrangements (air charter) and hotel
accommodations on either a five-, six- or seven-day notice would not
be possible.
All
potential rescheduling alternatives were explored, including moving
games to Sunday or to the end of the season (Nov. 30) or changing
sites. After considerable consultation with the university leaders,
faculty representatives and directors of athletics at Illinois,
Minnesota and Northwestern, it was agreed that the rescheduled Oct.
3 and 10 dates represented the most collegial resolution to a
difficult and complex situation.
[Kent Brown, University of
Illinois
assistant athletics director and
sports information director] |
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Ron
Guenther, UI director of athletics:
"This was a difficult situation
involving three institutions. After reviewing all options, moving
the game to Thursday was the most palatable solution. We worked
closely with our faculty as we explored all options in this
situation."
Matthew
Wheeler, UI faculty representative:
"Our committee approves all schedules
and any changes. After looking at this unfortunate situation, the
faculty felt this was in the best interest of our student-athletes
as well as the student-athletes at the other institutions involved."
Ron
Turner, UI head football coach:
"We are
pleased to have the situation resolved and the uncertainty
surrounding the game day cleared up. These are unique circumstances,
and we would normally prefer to play on Saturday, but special
considerations need to be made in situations like this. Both
Illinois and Minnesota play the previous Saturday, and I’m sure both
teams will be ready to play on Oct. 3."
[Kent Brown, University of
Illinois
assistant athletics director and
sports information director] |
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NL
Central is center of potential
By Brandt
Wilson
[SEPT. 19, 2002]
In
2000, the National League Central added Ken Griffey Jr. to its
impressive resume of sluggers, which already included Mark McGwire,
Sammy Sosa, Brian Giles, Jeff Bagwell and Geoff Jenkins. Now Big Mac
is gone, Griffey hasn’t stayed healthy, Bagwell’s numbers are down,
and Jenkins hasn’t quite met his potential. While Sosa and Giles are
still solid, the NL is now the division budding with young talent
and just waiting to explode. Young phenoms such as Albert Pujols and
Lance Berkman thrill us with monstrous home runs, disciplined
hitting and even sensational defense. As September rolls by and the
playoffs draw near, the NL Central seems to be wrapped up. But as we
look at the future and current stars in this division we realize the
best years are yet to come.
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Let’s start with the division-leading
Cardinals. Even though their farm system may be thin, they have the
best young player in the game in Albert Pujols. Pujols surprised
everyone last year when he came out of nowhere to play 161 games,
hit 37 home runs and drive in 130 runs. The young star has proved to
everyone that last year was not a fluke. So far, through 142 games,
he’s all but matched those numbers, hitting 32 home runs and driving
in 115. This young outfielder will be a mainstay for the division
leaders and will give NL Central pitching fits for years to come.
J.D. Drew showed promise when he came
up in 1998. However, injuries have limited Drew the past four
seasons, and he has yet to show people what he can really do. Last
year, in only 109 games, Drew had 27 bombs and 73 RBIs, while his
average was well above .300. His defense and arm are also above
average. However, nagging injuries this season have caused his
numbers to drop. If J.D. can play a full season avoiding injury, he
could put up Pujols-like numbers, and the Cardinals could
potentially have an outfield of Pujols, Edmonds and Drew, all with
30-plus HRs and 100-plus RBIs. And they’ve won the division two
years in a row and look to be running away with it this year. It’s
hard to imagine how powerful that offense will be with a healthy
J.D. Drew in the mix.
Now turn to the Houston Astros. Once
famous for the killer "B’s," Biggio, Bagwell and Derek Bell, Houston
has a new killer "B" in town. That of course is Lance Berkman. In
just his third full season, this switch hitter is putting up
impressive numbers. He has a career average of .306 and is already
approaching the 100-homer mark in his career. He’s on pace to hit 50
home runs this season — no small task even in Minute Maid field, a
ballpark notorious for the long ball. Berkman has also made some
eye-popping plays in center field, which is not even his natural
position. He is a phenomenal athlete with tremendous power. If
Richard Hidalgo and Daryl Ward ever reach their full potential,
Houston could also have a pretty solid run-producing outfield.
But the young stars on this team don’t
swing a bat, they bring the heat. Roy Oswalt, Wade Willer, Carlos
Hernandez and Peter Munro are four of the best up-and-coming
pitchers, not only within their division but in the entire National
League. Roy Oswalt is only 25 but has shown the poise of a veteran.
In his second full season, he is proving he can get just about
anyone in the league out. He has a 2.83 ERA and is just one win away
from the magical number 20. Twenty-game winners are rare in this day
and age; 20-game winners this young are even more rare. His 190 K’s
in 216 innings will almost guarantee him third place in the Cy Young
voting, behind a guy named Schilling and a guy named Johnson. If
Oswalt were to win the award, he would become the youngest since Doc
Gooden won it in 1985 at the age of 20. Wade Willer has also turned
some heads. He has proved this year that he was not just a "one-hit
wonder" by posting a 3.58 ERA and 13 wins through Sept. 14.
Hernandez and Munro are young and inexperienced, but with the
leadership of Oswalt and Miller they are well on their way to
completing what could potentially be the best staff in the division.
Who better than to lead the Cincinnati
Reds into the opening of their new ballpark in 2003 than Ken Griffey
Jr., right? Not so fast. Cincinnati fans aren’t turning their heads
at leaping catches and monstrous home runs by the future Hall of
Famer. Instead they’re turning their eyes on two promising
outfielders who were taken in the same draft in 1998.
[to top of second column in this
article] |
Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns have
Cincinnati talking about more than Junior’s injuries and Skyline
Chili. Had it not been for Pujols last year, Adam Dunn had a good
case for Rookie of the Year. He put up monstrous power numbers
between A, AA, AAA and the Big Show. In just 66 games he hit 19
homers and drove in 43 runs. He has struggled in his first full
season, not putting up near the numbers everyone thought he could.
But he has proved to be a very patient hitter, drawing 122 walks in
490 at-bats. That ranks second only to Barry Bonds in the NL. Dunn
is only 22 years old and the sky is the limit.
Austin Kearns has a pretty good case
for NL Rookie of the Year this season. The youngster from Lexington,
Ky., has 13 HRs and 56 RBIs in 372 at-bats. Like Dunn he is only 22.
Like Dunn, he was taken in the 1998 draft, a draft that is turning
out to be a pretty good one for the Reds. Dunn, Griffey and Kearns
will be the big three christening the Great American Ball Park in
2003. Dunn and Griffey could hit at least 40 HRs each, and Kearns
could be right behind them. They match up evenly with the Big Three
in Houston and in St. Louis IF they stay healthy.
The Chicago Cubs have perhaps the most
young talent of any team in the NL Central. With exception of Mark
Prior, the results just aren’t there yet. Hee Seop Choi, Bobby Hill
and Corey Patterson have yet to reach their full potential.
Roosevelt Brown is running out of time, and Kerry Wood still hasn’t
recovered from his injury in 1999. Prior is solid — 147 strikeouts
in 116.2 innings is enough said. However, questions remain with the
others. While Dunn, Berkman and Pujols seem to have reached their
full potential, these young stars may still be a year away.
At one time a staff anchored by Kris
Benson in Pittsburgh looked extremely promising. But injuries and
salary constraints left Pittsburgh with only a new stadium and a lot
of empty seats. Pittsburgh looks forward to September not because
the pennant race heats up but because football season begins and
they can take their mind off their miserable Pirates. However there
may be a small light at the end of the tunnel. Josh Fogg and Kip
Wells put up honest numbers this year with a 4.32 and 3.61 ERA
respectively. These two combined to win 24 games for the Pittsburgh
Pirates. If Benson can bounce back from injury and Wells and Fogg
pan out, this pitching staff could be better than average. They’re
going to have to be because the Pirates aren’t going to score any
runs.
Now we come to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Richie Sexson? Maybe. Geoff Jenkins? No, his time has passed. Alex
Sanchez? Who? With 37 SBs and a .289 average, he might be a diamond
in the rough. He’s not a Pujols or Berkman, but the Brewers aren’t
the Cardinals or the Astros either. Sanchez has showed promise, but
Milwaukee has a way of breaking promises. See Jenkins, Sexson and
Sheets. Maybe if they brought back those old royal blue and yellow
jerseys with the glove and ball on the hat they would attract more
free agents. It’s just a thought.
So in the
years to come, fans of the NL Central will be entertained by the
likes of these young stars. In one year, chances are the Central
will be a race much like the AL West is today. Houston’s strong
young pitching, Cincinnati and St. Louis’ powerful outfield, and
Chicago’s potential could make for a very exciting race… in 2003.
[Brandt Wilson]
[Click
here if you are thinking, "I’d like to read more of Brandt’s
thoughts."]
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• • •
The Railers looked a bit sluggish
versus Lanphier. The Lions have good overall team speed and
quickness, and at times that seemed to be the difference between the
two. We’re sure that we all hoped for a better showing, but we still
have a good feeling about the possibilities for this team.
• • •
Lady Railers volleyball continues to
roll!
• • •
The Chicago Bears held on for a 14-13
squeaker over the improved Atlanta Falcons. The Bears defense
totally dominated the second half, and that was the difference!
• • •
The Illinois Fighting Illini finally
got into the win column with a 59-7 drubbing of the Arkansas State
Indians. The Indians started strong but faded fast. Illini QB Jon
Beutjer, in his first start for the Illini, looked pretty good to
us. However, the Orange and Blue will have to play a lot better to
beat teams like Michigan and Ohio State. Heck, they could even find
themselves in a dogfight with San Jose State!
Click here for Illini
photos.
[Photo by Tom Seggelke]
[A young Mayfield: Fan-in-Training]
• • •
"Fandamonium"
tonight at 6. Join Greg Taylor and myself for sports talk just the
way you like it! See you tonight!
[Jeff
Mayfield]
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