Sports

Drugs in Baseball

Is it More Common than We Think?

Steroids in baseball are a controversial issue that I think some people just don't want to know about. In many cases assumptions have been made but nothing has ever been proven.

The controversy over Barry Bonds is one where nothing has been proven. The only reason people believe that he took steroids is because of his trainers involvement in the BALCO scandal. His trainer was indicted by a grand jury and charged with giving illegal steroids to athletes. Bonds denied that he had been given any. In front of a grand jury, however, he admitted that his trainer gave him a rubbing balm and a liquid substance that his trainer said was arthritis cream. Some assumed that Bonds trainer really gave him a form of the steroid THG. Later Bonds trainer made a deal with prosecutors saying he wouldn't have to tell anyone who he gave the steroids to.

Another controversy involving a baseball player was about Mark McGwire. The only drug McGwire admitted to taking was androstenedion, a muscle enhancer that at that time was legal in Major League Baseball. During court, McGwire refused to answer questions about whether he took steroids or not. Jose Canseco released a book called 'Juiced'. It was about how he believed steroids were a good thing. He used Mark McGwire as an example of someone who took steroids, but McGwire denied having a friendship with Canseco.

I don't think there is ever a time when steroids are acceptable. However it is hard to prove if someone has used them before. Some athletes have come forward saying that they have taken them and that they won't hurt you. Doctors tend to disagree with these statements. Steroids and drugs are very harmful to a person's body.

I personally have a lot of respect for people who don't use them. Hopefully the baseball players that make it into the Hall of Fame make it their because of their talents. If they don't think they are good enough to play the game without steroids, they should find another profession.

Big Ten Basketball

The Fighting Illini are starting off the 07-08 season (5-3). Illinois won its season opener against Northeastern of the Colonial Athletic Conference. They traveled to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational where they beat Hawaii and Arizona St. but could not get by Duke to make it to the championship. Watch for Trent Meacham to hit the 3-ball. Shaun Pruitt is a tough forward to be able to handle the post. Mike Tisdale is an Illinois native from Riverton who will be to step in as a freshman and earn some great experience. Look for Illinois to finish in the top 4 of the Big Ten.

The Hoosiers are developing great under head coach Calvin Sampson coming for Oklahoma in 2006. Indiana has put in some hard work to be ranked #15 with 7 wins and only 1 loss to Xavier. Coach Sampson has brought in some top recruits like the freshman Eric Gordon averaging 24.3 points per game. With D.J. White working the post, you can look for Indiana to make a difference when March comes.

The Hawkeyes are also under a new coaching system with Todd Lickliter from Butler University. With a Cinderella season last year at Butler, Iowa will need to understand Coach Lickliter to show improvement in the season. They have 6 wins and 5 losses. Iowa will need to improve tremendously to get a bid into the Big Dance come March.

Michigan is under a rookie coach in the Big Ten, but John Beilein has had previous success with West Virginia. The Wolverines are starting off the season (3-6). This year's roster is young and will need to form a chemistry to gain some victories in the conference. The Wolverines will be rebuilding this year. Watch for Beilein to turn this basketball program around.

The Spartans are returning Drew Neiztel, the only All-Conference player returning from last season. His great leadership will carry the #9 ranked Michigan St. to a successful season, and Coach Tom Izzo will make sure of that. The Spartans will get better as the season progresses and will be a fun team to watch in the 64 team tournament.

Minnesota is gelling to new coach, Tubby Smith. Winning a championship with Kentucky in 1998 and Coach Smith might just be the guy to improve the Gophers basketball program. Starting the season (6-1) is showing early success. The seniors McKenzie, Coleman, and Tollackson are averaging double figures, and maybe you'll see their first Big Ten Championship.

The Northwestern Wildcats have been on a 3 game winning streak since losing to Virginia. The (4-4) Wildcats will take almost a 2 week break to play the Howard Bison, and will start conference play on January 2^nd. Northwestern has not won the Big Ten Championship since 1933, but will be looking to earn some conference victories this year with their disciplined guard play.

The Buckeyes have some rather large shoes to fill this season after losing Greg Oden and Michael Conley, Jr. The success of last year's season will not be a goal to overcome this year, but will be competitive for a conference title.

Penn St. is not projected to come out on top in the Big Ten this year, but can possibly make a few upsets if opponents are not prepared. They are lead by Geary Claxton, a 6-5 small forward averaging 19.1 points per game and 8.1 rebounds. The Nittany Lions have key wins against Virginia Tech and an experienced Seton Hall team.

Purdue is sitting at (5-2) after losing a close game with Missouri. Louisville is next on the Boilermakers schedule which should be a tough match up. They have 7 players averaging 8 points with the freshman Scott Martin leading the team in scoring with 12.8 points per game.

Wisconsin is taking the challenge of adapting this year after losing their MVP last year, Alando Tucker. The Badgers are (6-2) and show great potential. Losing to Duke and Marquette should only make them a better team.

Sources from ESPN and Yahoo Sports

Submitted By Lucas Loots

A Goodbye to a Tradition

The Chief Illiniwek Controversy

Chief Illiniwek, the University of Illinois' mascot, is an eighty year tradition that came to an end because some Native American groups believed it was racist. On February 16^th the University of Illinois Board Chairman, Lawrence Eppley, announced the end of the Chief after a seventeen year controversy. The Chief made his final appearance on February 21^st at the last Illini basketball game of the season during halftime. After the Chief's last dance, the Illini fans changed from their orange shirts to black. The "black out" proved that the fans weren't going to be silent and they were going to speak their mind about it. To understand the controversy you have to look at both sides.

The anti-Chief side is made up of people who think the mascot is racist. Some Native Americans believe that the U of I is being racist by using Chief Illiniwek as their mascot because they claim it is offensive. They claim he is not authentic because of his outfit and dance. His dance was to three Illini songs, "Pride of the Illini", "March of the Illini", and "Hail to the Orange". They claim his dance had no war time significance and was just a celebratory dance.

The pro-Chief side includes Illini nation. They believe that the Chief honors the Native American minority. U of I chose the name Illiniwek which is a word that refers to, "the complete human being-the strong, agile human body, the unfettered human intellect; the indomitable human spirit". The pro-Chief side also says that they have had endorsement for the program from Native Americans and that many Native American leaders have supported them, especially those who have traced there ancestors to the Illini tribe. Chief Illiniwek's dance was similar to the celebratory dance of Native Americans. His outfit was very similar to the Plains Indians. It is not like the Illini tribe only because little is known about them.

I believe that Chief Illiniwek is not a racist symbol but a way to honor the minority of Native Americans. Indians are not only Native American's history but it is all of Illinois and this country's history. Why would we want to make fun or belittle the people that walked this ground before us? If Chief Illiniwek is racist than why isn't the name Illinois racist? NCAA didn't want the University of Illinois to play any longer with the Chief because the Chief is racist but I think it is more racist if they say you can't play while representing Native Americans. If I had my own mascot I would be honored, I wouldn't be complaining that it is racist because it doesn't dance like me and that it wears a hat that I would never wear. Mascots are usually represented by animals like; bears, colts, tigers, and falcons. These sport teams chose these to show how strong they are, they wouldn't want a mascot that shows their stupid or not important. When sport teams use Indians as mascots they're only showing how strong they are. So what's next, are the Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Chiefs, and others going to get new mascots and even new names? I believe that most Native American descendents our honored by this. I think it is the radicals that are upset. Am I a racist just because I support the Chief? I am not a racist person and I think Native Americans are very interesting people, but I also support the Chief.

Submitted by Ashley Heyen