The Daily Campus, Page 10
Men's tennis vists Marist By Matthew Zampini Campus Correspondent The UConn men’s tennis team will travel to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. on Tuesday to take on the Red Foxes of Marist College. The Huskies (3-1) will look to rebound after suffering a 6-1 defeat last Thursday at Quinnipiac, their first loss in a dual match this year. Tuesday’s matchup against Marist will be the toughest matchup for UConn thus far. Head coach Michael Louis has expressed that Marist will be a tough opponent all year, and now they are up against them at last. Like the Huskies, Marist has been impressive this season. The Red Foxes have only played in one dual match but have performed well in all the tournaments they have played in. Marist has competed in the Brown Invitational, the USTA Invitational/Ivy Plus Tournament and the Columbia Invite this season along with the one dual match against Siena. Both the Huskies and the Red Foxes have faced off against Siena this year, and both won in convincing fashion. UConn shutout the Saints 7-0 while the Red Foxes beat them 6-1. UConn started off the year with three straight wins and will look to avoid back-to-back losses. This will be the last dual match of the fall season for the Huskies before they head to Regional Championships in a few days. The match will start at 3 p.m.
Minnesota Lynx celebrate WNBA title with parade MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Behind a curtain in the bowels of Target Center, the Minnesota Lynx gathered as a team for one last time this season. A few thousand jubilant fans waited in the arena, watching a video introduction for the team that had just captured its second WNBA championship in three seasons. On the big screen, fans read words like "Dynasty" and "Greatest Team In History." "No pressure, guys!" finals MVP Maya Moore said to the group. Whether they want the labels or not, the Lynx are being cast as the next empire in the league, and for good reason. They have made it to the finals for three straight years and twice came away with the title. Their 99 victories are the most in a three-season span in league history and this year they became just the second team to go 7-0 in the playoffs. They have four All-Stars in a core that isn't changing anytime soon, and they are overflowing
with the confidence that comes from so much success. "It makes me excited because we have 80 percent of the definition covered," Moore said. "Great team. Great family. Great dominance. Now it's a matter of can we do it over and over and over again? The way you do that is one day at a time." For the second time in three years, the Lynx paraded through downtown Minneapolis after sweeping the Atlanta Dream in the finals. For a sports market that has been wallowing in the struggles of the Twins and Vikings this season, the chance to celebrate a truly dominant team received an enthusiastic response. Thousands of fans lined the streets of Nicollet Mall on a chilly day and followed the caravan of convertibles into Target Center for one last party. Point guard Lindsay Whalen channeled Shaquille O'Neal with an elongated "Can you dig it!!!!" call to the crowd. Assistant coach Shelley Patterson, who was direc-
Fontenault: Boston teams keep us coming back from LOVE, page 12
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tor of basketball operations for the Houston Comets in 1999 when they won the third of their four straight titles, told the crowd she had been hesitant to compare the two teams. "But after the sweeping and butt-whooping we've given," Patterson said to a roar, "this team, by far, is the best team, the most coachable team." The Lynx had the secondyoungest roster in the league this season and extended the contracts of Whalen and star shooting guard Seimone Augustus, so they will be well-positioned to defend their title next season. The last time they were in this position, the Lynx lost to the Indiana Fever in the finals last year. Now they'll be the defending champions again. "I think we're going to embrace that idea," coach Cheryl Reeve said. "People have been gunning for us for three years. As long as we're healthy and have that core group back, we're equipped to handle it." Augustus is the longest-ten-
AP
Minnesota Lynx forward Maya Moore rallies up the crowd during the celebration for the team's WNBA basketball championship title.
ured Lynx player, and she has been through the lows of her first few seasons in the organization, when the franchise was one of the perennial doormats in the Western Conference. That all feels so long ago to her now, and she is enjoying being the team that every other team wants to beat.
"The (bull's eye) is probably going to be huge next year," Augustus said. "A lot of other teams want to be in this position. We've been here, fortunately, for the last three years. People are probably getting tired of hearing about the Lynx. But you're going to have to deal with it."
Suspension over, Von Miller asks for time, trust
Matthew.Zampini@UConn.edu
have given up all hope, as I very nearly did twice on Sunday, they grab you by the heartstrings and come crawling back into your life. The Sox did it back in 2004, trailing the Yankees 3-0 in the ALCS before becoming the first baseball team to ever come back and win four straight games. The Bruins did it on May 13, when they were down 4-1 with 11 minutes to play in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Maple Leafs. In the blink of an eye, the Bruins were pouring onto the ice towards Patrice Bergeron after his game-winning overtime goal clinched the series. Growing up a Boston fan, I have grown accustomed to misery; it is a regular thing for all Boston fans. It is easy for Boston fans to think of all the miserable sports moments of their lives. Bucky Dent’s home run in 1978. Johnny Pesky holding the ball as Enos Slaughter rounded third in 1946. Tony Conigliaro having his career come to a sudden halt. Bill Buckner. David Tyree. The 2013 Stanley Cup Finals. The final month of the 2011 MLB season. Aaron Boone. The 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Every series against LeBron James and the Miami Heat. The misery goes on and on. But Boston fans are resilient. In general, we are a bunch of Italian and Irish New Englanders that are too prideful to let anything faze us. Our passion for the games and teams that we love is unparalleled. Despite all the hard times, we stick around and wait, knowing that nights like Sunday are always around the corner. Dustin Pedoria said it best on Sunday. “When you back us into a wall,” Pedroia said, “you either do two things: cave or fight. We’re gonna fight.” With the magical endings on Sunday for two teams that desperately needed to win, you can be sure that as long as that dirty water keeps on flowing, Boston will always put up a fight.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Sports
AP
Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller looking on during an NFL pre-season football game in Denver. After six weeks on the sideline, Miller returns to the team on Monday Oct. 14, 2013.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — No apologies. No promises. No explanations. Instead, Broncos linebacker Von Miller simply asked his fans, teammates and coaches to judge him on what he does in the future,
now that his six-game suspension for violating the NFL's drug-abuse policy is over. "I definitely made mistakes in the past," Miller said Monday during his first en masse interview since his suspension officially
came down. "It won't do anybody any good to go back and defend that stuff. I've already served my suspension. I'm working hard to gain everybody's trust back." He fell short of the promise he made in July, when news of his pending suspension first surfaced, that "when this is all done and resolved, I will sit down with all you guys and be candid about everything." Instead, during a nine-minute interview heavy on scripted talking points, the third-year veteran talked about how grateful he was for the support his teammates have shown him during his ordeal, and how happy he'll be to get back onto the practice field with the Broncos on Wednesday. The last 2½ months, he conceded, have been difficult — not only the part about sitting out, but hearing the constant reports about his traffic tickets, missed court dates, his attempt to manipulate the NFL drug-testing system and, of course, all the conjecture about how he let down his teammates. Yes, the Broncos went 6-0 without him. They also head into Game 7, at Indianapolis on Sunday, with the bottom-ranked passing defense in the league. They've allowed more than 500 yards once and more than 300 three other times.
Last season, when Miller made 18½ of his 30 career sacks, the Broncos didn't allow a single 300yard passing game in the regular season. "I've definitely had to mature up a lot," said Miller, who insists he's now in the best physical shape of his life. "There was some stuff that I didn't see that I see now. I've definitely taken strides to do that. I can't say I'm super mature. Not that it just happens. It's a constant struggle. I know if I take it one day at a time, I'll get there." Can he guarantee he'll never make another mistake? "I can't sit here and say this is never going to happen or I'm never going to do this," he said. "I'd be lying. I've just got to take it one day at a time and gain everybody's trust back." He used that valued word — "Trust" — 11 times over the session, during which he was peppered with nearly two dozen questions from the 30 or so reporters and cameramen crowded around his locker. After their 35-19 win over Jacksonville, Miller's teammates offered a united front, not judging the linebacker but sticking mainly to the advantages they'll rediscover when a pass rusher of his caliber returns. The Broncos don't have
to officially bring him back on the roster until Saturday. "It cost us because he's a superstar," safety Rahim Moore said. "He's a great player. Just imagine what we could have done here in these six games. Now it's all over. Everyone's getting back healthy, everybody's back practicing. We're excited." Miller said he had talked to all his teammates and coaches. Coach John Fox said Miller's "got the support of everybody here." Asked if he was concerned with another incident, which would likely cost Miller an entire season, the coach didn't sound any more confident than his linebacker. "I get concerned every night about incidents, to be quite honest with you," Fox said. "I think he understands that he made some errors, we have a lot of people here to help him, including his teammates, coaching staff and people in the organization. We'll see where it goes. People in life make mistakes." In the strangest twist of his interview, Miller went out of his way to say that, no, his mother and father had not moved in with him since his troubles went public and, no, he had no need for a so-called baby sitter to monitor his every move.
Auriemma prepares team for title defense Jets lose Goodson for season from NEW, page 12 away. They are in a pretty good frame of mind, and ready to start practice.” Practice for the Huskies could have started a few weeks ago, however Auriemma seemed in no rush. Teams were able to have 30 practices during the 40 days before their first game, yet the Huskies were still in preseason conditioning. “We are a smart team, our coaches and players. I think we know how long a season is in general assuming that we go to the tournament and get far hopefully,” Dolson said. “We know it’s long, so
I think just pushing it back a few weeks and not starting practice is just resting our body and getting it into shape and not banging it too much with practice yet.” According to Auriemma, he gave the team an option to start practice early or a few weeks later. Since they had only one new player, it would not take them much time to get back into rhythm. “I asked if they wanted to practice or do conditions and they said ‘we would rather do conditions,’” Auriemma said. “I said, ‘so would I, so we’ll see you on Oct. 15.’ That’s the traditional starting day as far as I’m concerned.”
The Huskies will start practice for their season today. Both the players and Auriemma seem confident in their ability to work hard and thrive. “We will see if this team’s going to go undefeated. We will see whether or not they are mature enough to deal with all the things that are going to be thrown at them,” Auriemma said. “We are just going to go out and play the best basketball that we can play and try to put ourselves in the position to win a NCAA championship. Anything other than that is just a distraction.”
Erica.Brancato@UConn.edu
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Mike Goodson's season is over just as it was getting started. The Jets running back tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee during New York's 19-6 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday. Goodson broke the news himself on his Twitter page early Monday, and coach Rex Ryan confirmed the versatile back is out for the year. "I think we all saw what we were so excited about, that type of explosiveness that that young man presents," Ryan said. "It's an unfortunate thing, for sure." Goodson was hurt while trying to make a tackle on Lawrence Timmons' game-sealing interception of Geno Smith in the fourth
quarter. Goodson's knee was hit by teammate Brian Winters on the play. He had to be helped off the field, and an MRI exam Monday morning confirmed the damage. "Not (too) happy right now," Goodson tweeted. "But Everything Happens for a reason!" It has been a rough few months for Goodson, who signed as a free agent in March and was playing in his second game since returning from a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. In two games, he ran for 61 yards on seven carries and caught two passes for 19 yards while showing he could be a pass-catching, change-of-pace back behind Bilal Powell and Chris Ivory.
Ortiz's grand slam may have cemented his legacy By Dalton Zbierski MLB Columnist
David Ortiz. Hall of Fame? Sunday night’s heroics may serve as the final string in the bow tying the two together. The Sox were all but out of Game 2 in a series they already trailed. At home. Hope wasn’t on the horizon. Luckily one thought, or better yet – reality, slipped the minds of Red Sox fans across New England with pre-made conclusions similar to mine: the Sox still have David Ortiz. David Ortiz is a career .287 hitter over the span of 17 major league seasons. He’s belted 431 career home runs. The Dominican has driven in close to 1,500 runners. Would those numbers alone get him into Cooperstown? Hard to tell. Add to the resume his postseason knack for, as Jonny Gomes described it, “awesomeness,” after his latest display, and the answer becomes much more definitive. As the 21st century Mr. October, “Big Papi” has left
a footprint on the game that will leave his image in the likeness of Reggie Jackson and Kurt Gibson. David Ortiz has extended beyond excellence with his postseason play: he’s made himself Hall worthy. Ortiz’s playoff numbers speak for themselves. He’s fifth all-time in career postseason RBIs with 54. Those ahead of him in the category have each played close to 50 games more in cold heat of October baseball. His 15 career playoff home runs bring him to ninth alltime on the career list. He’s had countless walk-off hits. Made countless memories for fans across Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Main and the rest of Red Sox Nation. He saved Boston in 2004, walking off on consecutive nights as the backbone to the greatest baseball comeback in history. Just to place itself into the series in which that comeback was staged Boston rode an Ortiz walk-off home
run. Ortiz would also homer in that year’s World Series, as his team took home its first championship trophy in 86 years. As the Sox played in the postseason from 2005-2008, the slugger blasted more round trippers, batted in more runs and another World Series crown was captured after the 2007 campaign. Ortiz’ career looked to be on the decline as he struggled through the beginnings of several seasons approaching the new decade. He would prove to consistently, perhaps miraculously, turn it around. He put himself back into the starting line-up of the AllStar Game in multiple seasons. His team, however, could not get itself back into a championship series until last week when it did so for the first time in five years. In its first 16 innings of that series Boston was bordering on awful. The Sox had amassed just three hits entering the seventh inning of Sunday’s game.
AP
Boston Red Sox's David Ortiz hits a grand slam home run in the eighth inning during Game 2 of the ALCS against the Detroit Tigers Sunday, Oct. 13, 2013, in Boston.
Then, down four, they loaded the bases for their franchise’s greatest clutch player. And Ortiz, as he’s done so many times, delivered. When Ortiz’ grand slam sailed over the desperate, outreached glove of Torii Hunter to tie Game 2 he more than
hit a home run. He more then paved the way to what would be one of the club’s greatest single game victories. He officially launched himself onto the right side of the Hall of Fame conversation.
Dalton.Zbierski@UConn.edu