ednesday * July 1,1998
The Battalion
PORTS
Hockeytown, Texas
Texas A&M Inline Hockey Team advanced to Las Vegas where its gamble almost paid off
The Battalion File Photo
ve-llole! Senior defenseman Kris Cravens helped the A&M Inline
ockey Team to a fifth-place finish, by shutting down opponents.
’ I
ilig prepares to
iccept position
(slEW YORK (AP) — Nearly six
ears after becoming acting com-
fiissioner, Bud Selig is set to take the
ir K on a permanent basis when
iwners meet July 9 at Chicago.
Selig, acting commissioner
ince September 1992, repeatedly
lassaid he does not want the po
sition on a permanent basis. How
ever, he also has refused to rule out
iccept/ng the job.
Electing his commissioner is the
op item for the special meeting,
vhich was confirmed by an NL own-
. ir who spoke on the condition of
inonymity. Owners also are expect-
tdto finalize the format of the 1999
^Bdule at the session.
, i. Earlier this month, Selig told base-
)all executives he intends to accept
iljMjob, according to a member of
^■ruling executive council and a
>aseball lawyer who spoke on the
■dition they not be identified.
| Selig, the owner of the Milwau-
ee Brewers, is expected to place his
Iterest in the team in trust for his
hildren and grandchildren. There is
Ittle opposition to him becoming
Brimissioner.
Selig would become baseball's
fist commissioner since Sept. 7,
992, when Fay Vincent resigned
inder pressure. Later that week,
Ivners elected Selig chair of the
uling executive council,
i While the position gave him
nuch of the commissioner's leader-
hip role, he lacked the legal author-
!y, which remained with the 10-
pmber council.
By Tom Kennedy
Staff Writer
When it comes to winning in sports, there is a
widespread belief that a team needs a player with
a do-what-it-takes attitude and high motivation
to succeed.
It seems the Texas A&M Inline Hockey Team
has about a dozen of them, so it is no surprise the
team is becoming recognized as a national power.
The squad advanced to the National Tourna
ment in Las Vegas, held June 18-22, by beating the
University of Texas in the final of the Southwest
Collegiate Hockey League Tournament.
The round-robin RHIA Collegiate National
Tournament consisted of six collegiate teams and
two pro-compilation squads made of professional
inline hockey players.
The Aggies notched wins over UNLV and one
pro-compilation team by scores of 5-4 and 7-5, re
spectively, but losses to Cal-Poly and the Universi
ty of Washington (St. Louis) ended the Aggies' sea
son and handed them a fifth-place finish in the final
national standings.
Outstanding play by sophomore forward Dane
Madison, the Aggies' point leader during the tour
nament, and junior defenseman and assists leader
Stephen Malek helped key the offensive attack.
Senior forward and coach James Stenson, the
regular-season point leader, provided guidance
throughout the season. Sophomore goalie Luke
Wade was credited with a major part of the squad's
success throughout the tournament, containing the
other teams' offenses and keeping the Aggies with
in reach in every game.
"He totally dominated the shots," Chad Cran
ford, a senior forward, said. "The score doesn't re
ally reflect it, but the average score is about 12-8."
The Aggies are no strangers to success. In fact,
they are starting to get used to it. This year marked
the third straight year they have appeared at na
tionals. They said they can partially attribute it to
being a cohesive unit.
tt
We’d skate 20 minutes
of drills, then probably 30 minutes
of shooting and breakout drills
and then we do more skating at
the end of the scrimmage.”
— Kris Cravens
Inline Hockey Team senior defenseman
"It's been a great experience, a great bunch of
guys," Cranford said. "There are twelve of us,
and they've become some of my best friends here
at school."
The team also owes a major portion of its win
ning ways to its routine practice sessions.
"We practiced everyday," senior defenseman
Kris Cravens said. "We'd skate 20 minutes of
drills, then probably 30 minutes of shooting and
breakout drills and then we do more skating at
the end of the scrimmage."
The team makeup varies in playing experience
and origin. Most of the team started outplaying ice
hockey, but the desire to continue playing at A&M
and the lack of local ice rinks to play on left two op
tions — a 90-minute drive to Houston for ice or stay
local and play inline hockey.
The members come from all over the continent.
Their homes include places such as Texas, Col
orado, Illinois and Canada. Some of the players
have experience on their high-school teams, a lux
ury which some native Texans are not afforded.
A new Sport Court that was recently laid down
provides the team with a convenient, on-campus
practice facility and an opportunity to better them
selves. Possible endorsements from major inline
hockey equipment producers are on the horizon.
Cravens attributes this to the combined work of the
team and their regent Tom Reber.
"We've got a lot of support from the school,"
Cravens said.
People who are interested in becoming members
of the Texas A&M Inline Hockey Team should be
aware of some rule changes such as a four-man
lineup (without a center), no icing, no center ice
and a different puck.
According to Cranford, the play is considered "less
physical" since there is no contact when the puck is
not involved and the game is based more on fast
breaks and quick shots. This opens a new window for
smaller, more agile players with quick acceleration
who might not have been able to play as well under
the constant contact of ice hockey.
Tryouts for the team are generally held in Sep
tember, but no date has been set for next year.
Prospective members can look for a booth at the
MSC Open House in the fall semester or contact
the team's regent, Reber, for information.
Tagliabue praises Houston plans
NFL commissioner visits with Bob McNair about possible
new football franchise, invites formal presentation to owners
HOUSTON (AP) — Bob McNair has a deadline and
a mission to meet it first.
NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue met Monday
with the Houston busi
nessman who hopes to
land a new football
franchise.
Tagliabue offered
no guarantees but
praised the city's plans
for a new stadium and
invited McNair to
make a formal presen
tation to owners at
their October meeting.
Houston and Los
Angeles are competing for one expansion franchise that
the NFL expects to award. The league wants to have the
new team in place by 2002.
"Whoever is prepared first gets the 32nd franchise,"
McNair said. "Right now, it's our belief that we've made
a lot of progress and we're in front of the competition
and 1 want us to remain in front."
He has everything in place to make his proposal ex
cept a formal agreement among the city, Harris Coun
ty and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo as to
who will pay for what part of a new stadium.
"We have momentum and if we continue to make
progress, hopefully, we'll have an agreement in place in
30-60 days for our presentation," McNair said.
Tagliabue and Carolina Panthers owner Jerry
Richardson — chair of the NFL stadium committee —
met with McNair, Mayor Lee Brown and Harris Coun
ty Judge Robert Eckels to see what progress the group
has made in its attempts to replace the Houston Oilers,
who have moved to Tennessee.
"There is competition but they (NFL) can't speak
for all interests," McNair said. "They want teams in
Houston and Los Angeles. I think getting our pro
posal in soon will be key to who gets the expansion
franchise. The other city may not get a team for four
or five years."
Tagliabue liked the stadium plan.
"This partnership has a great plan for a great stadi
um that will be an instant landmark," Tagliabue said.
"With the progress that's been made, it's apparent
they're going to make this stadium a reality."
Tagliabue said McNair's group would be allowed
to make a formal presentation, although all parties
have not agreed to a financing plan to build a 69,000-
seat retractable roof stadium on county land adjacent
to the Astrodome.
McNair's Houston NFL Holding is working with the
Houston-Harris County Sports Authority and the
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo to agree on how
to finance the proposed stadium. It would house a foot
ball team, the rodeo and other activities.
"Success or failure is in our hands," McNair
said. "The next 30-60 days are going to be very im
portant. 1 just hope that in three years Mr. Tagliabue
will be sitting next to me for the kickoff of our first
NFL game."
All the parties are trying to work out details over
how to share the stadium's advertising and naming
rights among Houston NFL Holdings and the Hous
ton Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Rodeo president Jim Bloodworth sounded positive.
"We've never been very far apart. We are close to
reaching an agreement," Bloodworth said. "This is
just very complicated but I'd say we're close to reach
ing an agreement I can take to our executive commit
tee. They have the final decision."
Tagliabue declined to compare the chances of Los
Angeles and Houston for a new team.
Nowitzki suits up for
Dallas in 1998-99 season
DALLAS (AP) — German sen
sation Dirk Nowitzki said yester
day he will play for the Dallas
Mavericks next season instead of
continuing to play in Europe.
Nowitzki, who initially said he
would need two more seasons
overseas before being ready for the
NBA, was drafted ninth overall by
Milwaukee in last week's draft
then traded to Dallas. Mavericks
officials flew to Germany the next
day to try to convince him to play
in the United States next season.
Nowitzki arrived in Dallas on
Sunday, stayed at the home of coach-
general manager Don Nelson, held
a news conference Monday and at
tended a barbecue with prospective
teammates that night. Another news
conference was scheduled yesterday
to discuss his decision.
"Nellie called me 20 minutes ago
and said he's agreed to play here,"
team spokesperson Tony Fay said
yesterday morning. "Nellie was ex
cited and probably a little relieved."
The 20-year-old forward said he
was concerned that his game was
not polished enough for the NBA
and he wanted to make sure he was
free to help the German national
team qualify for the Olympics.
Nelson assured Nowitzki he's
ready, as many other top league ex
ecutives have said, and the Maver
icks have agreed to let him leave
the team in the fall and winter to
play for his country's squad.
DALLAS
MAVERICKS
The 6-foot-ll, 237-pound Now
itzki was facing a deadline of yes
terday to decide whether he would
play for the Mavericks. Negotia
tions would be barred after mid
night due to an impending lockout
by NBA team owners, who are em
broiled in a labor dispute with the
players' union.
Nowitzki also planned to return
to Germany yesterday. Fay said.
Nelson was afraid to let Now
itzki return to Germany unsigned
because he would be free to nego
tiate with European clubs. He
turned up the heat on Nowitzki by
hinting that Dallas would look at
other players if Nowitzki did not
give the team an answer yesterday.
The Mavericks cannot offer
him a contract because the rookie
salary scale is up in the air due to
the labor dispute.
Nowitzki said Monday that
money was not a stumbling block
to playing in Dallas — although he
said he could earn more playing
in Europe.
But Nowitzki said he still won
ders if he has enough bulk on his 237-
pound frame to play in the NBA.
Tin: Battalion
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