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Southern receives verbal commitment BRANDON LACHANCE Daily Egyptian The 2011-12 Saluki basketball team has one more dog joining the pound. Dantiel Daniels, a senior at Holt
High School near St. Louis, verbally committed to Saluki basketball Sunday. The 6-foot-5-inch, 222-pound forward chose SIU because of the location and a relationship he built with head coach Chris Lowery, he said.
“He’s going to push me to be a better player,� Daniels said. “He was honest and said he couldn’t guarantee anything except I would graduate.� Please see DANIELS | 8
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BASEBALL
Alumni upset Abe Martin Field neglected in Saluki Way Project BRANDON LACHANCE Daily Egyptian Baseball alumni say Abe Martin Field should have received some of the $83 million allocated for phase one of the Saluki Way construction project, which funded a new football stadium and a renovated basketball arena. The field, which has been home to the Salukis since 1964, is the only field in the Missouri Valley Conference without lights, said former SIU baseball coach Richard Jones. Jones, along with former players Robert Jones and John Hoscheidt, said if that kind of money can be put together to help the other sports, a little extra cash for the baseball team would not hurt anyone’s wallet. “If I have three kids who are hungry, I’m going to make sure they all eat,� Robert Jones said. “Maybe they won’t get the same portions, but everyone has to eat.� Jones said no one knew what SIU was until the baseball team went to the NCAA Men’s College World Series. The Salukis placed second in the nation in 1968 and 1971 and made series appearances in 1969, 1974 and 1977. “The football (stadium) needed to be revamped, but when raising that much money, no one would notice a million more to be put into the baseball facility,� said Richard Jones, who coached SIU baseball from 1968-90. Robert Jones, a 1986 graduate in the SIU Hall of Fame as a baseball player, said he knew Abe Martin Field wasn’t in the initial plans but expects
DAN DWYER | DAILY EGYPTIAN
Head coach Dan Callahan is seen watching freshman outfielder Kollin Dowdy take batting practice through a hole in the right field wallTuesday it to be included in the near future. He said he is just one name on an email list of about 150 to 200 other former SIU baseball players who have similar feelings. Richard Jones said the last big renovation of Abe Martin Field was done primarily by himself in 1988. He said SIU allocated $35,000 to-
ward a new clubhouse and university officials told him not to ask the school’s contributors, such as Pepsi or season ticket holders, to donate money. Jones said he raised $65,000 by selling nameplates on lockers and rooms to former players. Jones said he was lucky to know a trade union head who put together
at Abe Martin Field. According to former SIU baseball coach Richard Jones, the last major renovation of Abe Martin field happened in 1988. a group of labor workers to build the clubhouse and the press box for free. After the labor was confirmed, Jones said he asked SIU officials if they would donate more. “They said $35,000 was all I was going to get,� Jones said. The free labor included the help of the baseball team, who carried
pieces of the press box to the carpenter, he said. “We made it one of the best (facilities) in the Missouri Valley Conference, but now it’s one of the worst,� Jones said. Please see ALUMNI | 11
STAFF COLUMN
Bears, Rams yet to show defensive improvement I
You know that feeling you get when you first have a crush on someone? That feeling of butterflies in your stomach, the anticipation, the promise of vigorous, new love? That’s how I feel now. Fresh off a fantasy draft, with the kickoff of Saluki football Thursday night and the start of the NFL season less than two weeks away, I can aptly describe my level of pigskin anticipation as
can aptly describe my level of pigskin anticipation as “giddy as a school boy.� So I won’t hesitate to talk football with Carbondale, and I’ve got good reasons.
“giddy as a school boy.� So I won’t hesitate to talk football with Carbondale, and I’ve got good reasons. Both of the town’s most popular professional franchises played very interesting third games of the preseason. Here’s what I mean by “interesting:� Cardinals 14, Bears 9 I know it’s going to be hard, but please don’t worry about Jay Cutler, Bears fans. Yes, the guy threw two
abysmal interceptions on two plays where he couldn’t have asked for better protection. Yes, he looked way more uncomfortable in and out of the pocket than last week. But Jay continued his blossoming relationship with receiver Johnny Knox — Cutler found him thrice for 57 yards — and still has one more preseason game to work out the kinks. Plus, off the top of your head, can you name a player in
the starting secondary for Detroit, the Bears’ first regular season opponent? No? Neither can I. If I was a Bears fan, I’d be more concerned about the defense. It was gashed in the run game — Tim Hightower carried eight times for 62 yards —, and any defense that gets shredded by Matt Leinart should probably just commit mass suicide. Rams 36, Patriots 35 Speaking of mass suicide, killing themselves may not be the only solace for Rams fans this season after their team recorded an encouraging performance in Foxboro, Mass., on Thursday. I
know that’s a little optimistic, but hang with me. St. Louis did lose its best receiver, Donnie Avery (torn knee ligament), for the season, but they did pick up the 6-foot 5, 215-pound Danario Alexander, a rookie free agent receiver out of Missouri. If he can learn the system quickly enough, Alexander has the frame and athletic ability to become a playmaker for rookie quarterback Sam Bradford. Bradford, by the way, lit up the starting Patriot secondary for 189 yards and two touchdowns.
Please see COLUMN | 11