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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (June 11, 1998)
Bonding takes place SOCCER from page 6 team, NAC, and the visiting squad, Volendam. Shortly after arriving, the home team scored and the stadium erupted! It was like nothing we’d ever experienced before — the dancing, singing and celebrating were almost deafening. After the game in which NAC won 4-1, we remained in our seats but were not prepared for what happened next. NAC’s goalkeeper started throwing “souvenirs” to the crowd including his shoes and gloves. One glove was caught by a girl about 14 years old, who was immediately sur rounded by 15-20 kids. The group tried to rip the glove away from her, but she wasn’t about to let go. It got so intense that a few punches were thrown and the girl’s} lip was bloodied. And we wonder how riots break out at soccer matches? I must add that as we were leaving the stadium we saw the girl being attend ed to by a paramedic and in her hand she still held the glove. Now there’s a fighter! On our way back to the bus we were fortunate to meet NAC player and U.S. National Team-member Ernie Stewart He talked..with us for a bit and graciously posed for pictures with die team. It seemed surprises awaited us at every turn, from cold cuts for break fast to unidentified meat for dinner: The biggest surprise came on the day of our first game. We had three diffeftritpeopie tell us three different; times for how long it would take to get to. the fields. Just to be safe, we left at 3 p.m. fora 7 p.m. game. Although the trip was tremen dously long and very uncomfortable without air conditioning, we survived and pulled out a 5-1 victory against the Dutch U-l8 National Team. Kim Engesser and Isabelle Morneau each scared two amazing goals while Lauren Tatum added one. Not a bad way to begin the tour! v - v&r.PJ than our previous guide. We briefly toured downtown Mannheim but relaxed most of the day so as not to tire before our game against TuS Niederkirkchen. We had a little scare when we first arrived in Niederkirkchen as the only field visi ble from the parking lot had no grass, it was all dirt. We learned it was an all-weather field, quite common in Europe, and that we would be playing around die back on a grass field. Relieved, but still nervous, we took the field against one of the top teams in the German Bundesliga. We played hard but couldn’t seem to adjust quick enough to how tight the referee called the match. It seemed we were being called for everything, including being too close to the opposing team. TuS Niederkirkchen won the... game 1-0 and our team left the field upset at how the game went but with a new understanding of what it takes to play in a different environment The night was not an entire loss as we spotted a McDonalds on our way home and were ecstatic that we could Anally eat something familiar. What wasn’t familiar was die menu. Not only could you get a vegetarian bind er, but you could choose to super-size your meal with a beer if you so desired. When is this coming to America??? Our final game was against die second-place team in the Bundeshg$; SG Praunhehn, a team compiled of current and former German National Team players. We played well and got oil to a good start, but we were soon overwhelmed by the athleticism, sldll and knowledge of our opponents. Praunheim scored about 30 min utes into the game and it seemed like die floodgates Opened. The final score ended up 5-2 with our two goals tming off breakaways by Kristen ly and Lindsay Eddileman. We %nied a lot from the game and hope fpy we will be able to use our expe riences to help us next year. Our final day was spent on and abound die Rhine River with stops to souvenirs. The evening was our last so we all headed out to experience the German night life. f The trip was definitely a learning ejqperienee both with regards to gaii ing a better undemanding of p* * ferences in cultures, but it also helped us to get to know one another better and to become even closer as; experiences that wiU hopefully lie fer to a successful season next year. ■; , "J’d advise anyone who has the ; oDDortunitv to travel overseas to seize One national champion a guarantee By Darren Ivy Summer Co-editor College football and profes sional boxing no longer share a common downfall. With the announcement of the Bowl Championship Series Tuesday, college football will now have just one champion as oppose*! to two or three separate ones. “In many respects this is a much fairer system because it takes into consideration all factors instead of just one or two,” said Roy Kramer, chairman of the new Bowl Championship Series. “We wanted to go beyond the subjective polls, and what we now have is a very definitive way to determine which team deserves to play in that game.” The BCS will be based on the old-fashioned subjective polls of the media and coaches, the ratings of the respective computers of Jeff Sagarin and the Seattle and New York Times, an index to determine strength of schedule and, of course, won/loss record. The BCS standings will deter- * mine which teams participate in the f national championship game and the other schools eligible for the NU Athletic Director Bill Byrne likes the fact that standings will be based upon four criterion. “Anything that takes the special interest out of rating is an improve ment,” Byrne said. The Fiesta Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz., will play host to this year’s Jan. 4 national There is stiffno playoff system to determine a college football champion, so the BCS will have to work for now, Byrne said. “I think Nebraska will be fine with this,” Byrne said, “but my preference is still to have a play off.” Nebraska Football Coach Frank Solich also would prefer a playoff Bowl point system Anew four-tiered plan announced Tuesday by the Bowl Championship Series will make the ranking system in college football less subjective. Each component will count 25 percent and then the points will be added up. The two teams with the lowest point totals at the end of tiie regular season will play in the Jan. 4 Fiesta Bowl. ces into account the won-lost record of a team's (-"land the marks of the opposition’s opponents. ___^JBps record is two-thirds of the mark and the ppositiorrs opponents comprise the other third. When | -*—1 —-»*•~“uHute placing is determined, oo on^point. system. -v*; “In lieu of a playoff system, it appears we are taking a step in the right direction in determining a true national champion,” Solicit said. “I believe that most coaches would be in favor of a formula that weighs the strength of schedule as a factor in determining one vs. two” The poll component will be determined on the simple average ranking between the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll and the Associated Press media poll. The average ranking is the number of points awarded in the BCS. Each Component covers 25 per cent of the team’s index, and the two schools with the lowest ratings atthe end of the season - regardless of conference affiliation - meet in the BCS title game. Byrne said the system sounds complicated. “I’m going to need a computer JonFrank/DN to figure out all the computer rat ings,” Byrne said. The initial BCS standing won’t be published untilthe second week of November each season toensure strength of schedule is weighed fairly, Kramer said. The top four teams in the coaches* and media poll last season — Michigan, Nebraska, Tennessee and Florida State, in order-— were also the recalculated top four teams in the BCS standing after the end of the regular season. Byrne said he would have to wait to see how the system woks before commenting on any prob lems whi?h he may have with it, but for nowhe is satisfied. “As long as the goal is to have the best teams playing in die best games, I'm in support of this.” But he joked, “If it is not going to make Nebraska number one then I have a problem with it.” ' New schedule aims to please fans, players ByAdamKlinkeb Staff Reporter The usually busy Nebraska ath letics weekends may soon be a little less hectic. In an agreement June 9, Big 12 athletic directors voted to move volleyball games, usually held on Friday and Saturday nights, to Wednesdays and Saturdays. ’The Nebraska Athletic Department thinks die new format, scheduled for Hie 1999season, is a very positive move for NU and the Big 12. “All in all, it’s a win-win situa tion for us,” said NU Athletic Director Bill Byrne. “We’re very much in favor of (the scheduling change).” Big 12 athletic directors decid ed to follow the recommendations of volleyball coaches and move the games, said Lee Eiland, assistant media relations director for the Big 12. Byrne said with all of the fall and winter athletic events sched uled on weekends* including foot ball, cross country, swimming, bas ketball, soccer, fall baseball, fall softball as well as numerous high school sports, this change would be a welcome relief in the department. NU Head Volleyball Coach Terry Petitt also liked the change . He said the schedule change would give his players a chance to rest and recover over the weekend, rather than having to play games on consecutive nights ;r ^ ~ One player who it would be a big help to is sophomore-hitter Nancy Meenderin^, who battled tendonitis — a injury that was caused by overuse — as a fresh man. "Having a couple days between games would have prevented it from becoming sore,” Meendering said. “This (schedule change) is better for the health of athletes.” It also will be better for fans. In terms of fan support, both Byrne and Petitt said the scheduling change would benefit Big 12 vol leyball enthusiasts to the utmost. Petitt said the change would espe cially aid schools in $he conference that don’t usually get the kind of attendance that NU receives. _ f “It has the potential to drastical ly affect our attendance,” Petitt said. to addition, Byrne also said the move was advantageous in terms of meclia coverage for NU teams. He ; said the change would dilute 'the ' . sure on tape delays and live cover- • age of events. It would also allow V radio and television to give more attention to events during the week as well as toe weekend.