n'ALi 01 le > have People I Sports The Battalion Page IB • Tuesday, January 27, 2004 omen’s basketball gets new attitude 'hir’s style and flair have made A&M's women’s basketball the toast of campus iintiY. stain 5N1 fat strains ct hu Since Texas A&M Athletic Director Bill Byrne arrived in CoUege Station a Uuie more than a year ago, he has upgraded A&M athletics to provide a product that will not only compete at the national level in every sport, but also entertain Aggie fans. One only has to look at his first and only coaching hire to understand what Byrne is try- ing to bring to A&M athletics. ■ On March 31, 2003, Byrne hired Gary Blair to ■place the recently ousted Peggie Gillom to take over as head coach of A&M women’s basketball, ■air was hired away from the University of ■rkansas where he posted a 198-120 record over 10 ■asons, becoming Arkansas’ all-time winningest Bad coach. TROY MILLER ‘At this point I ■ B my career, I ials Hasn't looking Jf-up for a job. hut t re: sometimes a ian ofo»eat job conies newiffl looking for >t of? you," Blair said essnaBhen he was anile hied. “There ■) Fw no1 ^ lot of GARY BLAIR BIO EIIuDuXlJl Head coach: South Oak Cliff High School • Record: 239-18 • 3 Texas Class 4A state titles Asst, coach: Louisiana Tech University • 2 NCAA National Championships test re Baches that the (fa Build leave a Ten Mi Bogram they’ve built into the top iciuls: B, but I had a iblic. lit of reasons. Bxas is my Bme state, and lie been famil ial with Texas ■&M for a long time. I know ■hat kind of pi igram A&M c; be. and l Head coach : Stephen F. Austin University • Record: 210-43 • 7 Southland Conference Championships 1993 - 2003 Head coach: University of Arkansas •Record: 198-120 • 1997 - 98 Final Four Head coach: TexasA&MUnivereity^^^. Rubin DiLuna • THE BATTALION SOURCE • ACCIEATHLETICS.COM j want to be the architect to get it done.” . If Blair wants to build A&M into a national power, he has a lot of work ahead of him. The Aggies have not placed higher than ninth in the Big 12 conference since its inception in 1996. But Blair’s energy is already being felt in Aggieland, even if the team has a losing record and has gone winless in conference play through six games. Blair has gone all out in trying to get fans to attend games. He has devised a way to get corpo rations to sponsor games where fans get in free. Blair has been accommodating to the media, speaking to them at any time of the day. He has even gone so far as walking door-to-door through Bryan and College Station handing out tickets so people will come see his team. And for a sport where many Aggies would have had to be paid to attend games in seasons past, Blair’s magic seems to be working. Aggie students and fans have come out in droves, at least by A&M women’s basketball stan dards, to see the women play. A year ago, 72 fans were counted on the south side of Reed Arena when the Aggies faced Texas. This Sunday when the Aggies welcomed the No. 3 Longhorns back to Reed for their 2(X)4 showdown. 4,336 fans came to watch. Twice the Aggies have broken single-game home attendance records, and they will most like ly set a new season home attendance mark as well. Now that Blair has reached the community, he can start working on the product he puts on the floor. So far. he is doing a superb job there, too. Sure, Blair’s troops are winless in conference, but nobody expected this team to win games, or even be competitive. Instead, the Aggies have put up a fight in all of their ballgames. Only in their loss to Nebraska were the Aggies outscored by more than 10 points. No. 16 Baylor had to come back from a 16 point halttime deficit to beat the Aggies, and Texas bare ly escaped Reed Arena with a two-point victory. There is no doubt that the Aggies are out matched just about every time they step on the See Blair on page 4B m pm Opm Cheap Student Airfares for rFAK Sample roundtrip fares from Houston to: London $317 Frankfurt $316 Mexico City $344 Lima $456 pm pm Visit TheBatt.COm/traV0l to find cheap and flexible Student Airfares on world-class airlines across the U.S. and around the globe from StudentUniverse. Exclusively for students and faculty. Student Airfares Everywhere StudentUniverse.com Terms: All fares are based on roundtrip travel and include a StudentUniverse service fee of $5. Fares displayed to US destinations and to destinations within 250 miles of the US/Mexico or US/Canada border include 7.5% US Transportation tax. Other taxes and fees vary, depending on the itinerary, and arenot included. Fares displayed to all other destinations do not include taxes and fees. Visit StudentUniverse.com for complete rules. Fares are subject to availability V and change without notice, f* it « Art Wright • THE BATTALION A&M head coach Gary Blair instructs his team during a timeout Sunday in the Aggies' 64-62 loss to No. 3 Texas. The Buck Weirus Spirit Award honors 52 students who demonstrate high INVOLVEMENT, create positive EXPERIENCES throughout the Aggie community, IMPACT student life at Texas A&M and help enhance the Aggie SPIRIT. Unlike other awards, the Buck Weirus Spirit Award recognizes those students who make contributions to the university by participating in student organizations, Aggie traditions and university events. Email spiritaward@AggieNetwork.com for more information. Applications Now Available: On-line at www.AggieNetwork.com/events/buckweirus.aspx And... Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center Reception Desk Office of the President, 8th Floor Rudder Vice Pres, for Student Affairs Office, 10th Floor Rudder Office of the Dean of each College Office of Graduate Studies Department of Student Activities, Suite 125 Koldus Department of Multicultural Services, Suite 137 MSC Office of the Commandant, 102 Military Sciences MSC Student Programs Office, 216 & 223 MSC International Center, Bush Library International Programs Office Student Life, Sbisa Location North Side Area Office, Residence Life South Side Area Office, Residence Life Applications due by 5:00 pm on February 6, 2004 to The Clayton Williams, Jr. Alumni Center Desk Involvement B Experiences Impact Application Workshops Tuesday, January 27 5:30-6:30 pm Koldus Building Room 146 Thursday, January 29 6:00-7:00 pm The Association of Former Students Lecture A Monday, February 2 7:00-8:00 pm Rudder Tower Room 404 Wednesday, February 4 7:30-8:30 pm The Association of Former Students Lecture A The Association OF FORMER RTUOENTft 1 * / ^ \ Utpartmant of Student Activities \ Af Texas A&M University HOUSTON At Texas A&M University .