As you might expect, Mother Nature was the big winner on the Ferris State softball schedule this week, washing out four contests. The Bulldogs did open the week with two non-conference games with Cornerstone University and managed to get in scheduled contests in Ohio over the weekend.

On Monday, April 7, the Golden Eagles came to Big Rapids to play host Ferris State. In the first game of the double header, Ferris State received a strong pitching performance from sophomore Kayle Stevenson. Stevenson picked up her first win of the season while pitching seven scoreless innings and striking out eight batters in the 5-0 victory.

The Bulldogs freshman right fielder Brooke Lewis got things started with a RBI single to center field scoring junior first baseman Amanda Jager. Freshman left fielder Colleen Roney and freshman center fielder Rachel Wade both drove in two RBIs apiece giving Ferris State had its five runs on five hits in the inning. Bulldog bats were led by Lewis with two hits, one run scored and one RBI, Wade with two hits and two RBIs and senior third baseman Katie Kraai with two hits.

In the second game, sophomore pitcher Rhea Flores picked up her first win of the season as she pitched five innings, allowing two earned runs and struck out five in the Bulldogs' 13-2 victory.

The Bulldogs picked up seven runs in the first inning and five in the second leading to the five innings shortened game. Leading the way for the Bulldogs were Kraai with two hits, three runs scored and one RBI, freshman second baseman Lynsay Weaver with two hits, two runs scored and one RBI and redshirt freshman Rachel Mueller with two hits, one run scored and two RBIs.

“Cornerstone was a great way to start the week, we played well and went deep into our bench allowing for needed game experience for the future and to rest our starters,” said Ferris State head coach Keri Becker.

The Bulldogs were supposed to host Wayne State University on Wednesday, April 9, and travel down to Tiffin, Ohio on Friday, April 11, but both double headers were canceled due to poor weather.

On Saturday, April 11, the Bulldogs traveled to Findlay, Ohio to play the University of Findlay Oilers. The Bulldogs and Oilers split the double header with Ferris State winning the first game 8-2 and Findlay winning the second 7-6.

The Bulldogs received a combined pitching performance from junior Sarah Mueller and Flores. The two combined for seven innings pitched, one earned run and nine strike outs.

The Ferris State bats started strong in the first inning posting a 4-0 lead. The Bulldogs started off the game with back to back triples by sophomore second baseman Amanda Harrington and Mueller. Mueller would score on a passed ball giving Ferris State an early 2-0 lead. Junior catcher Krystle Bailey and Jager both walked and later scored on junior shortstop McKenzie West’s and Weaver’s singles. The Bulldogs added three more runs on three hits and one error in the top of the fourth inning to help pad their lead.

In the second game, junior pitcher Holly Bruntjens and Stevenson combined for seven innings pitched and seven strikeouts as Bruntjens suffered the loss. Findlay was able to score three runs each in the third and forth inning as the Bulldogs tried to pull back by scoring four of their own in the bottom of the seventh. Bulldogs bats were led by Bailey with two hits, one run scored and two RBIs, Kraai with two hits, two runs scored and one RBI and West with two hits and one RBI.

On Sunday, April 13, the Bulldogs traveled to Ashland, Ohio to play the Ashland University Eagles. The Bulldogs fell in the first game 3-2 but came back to win 9-0 in the second ending the game in six innings.

In the first game, Mueller suffered the loss giving up three earned runs while striking out one. Ferris State bats were led by Jager with one hit, one run scored and one RBI and Bailey with one hit and one RBI.

In the second game, Bruntjens picked up her eighth win of the season working six innings and striking out three. The Bulldogs used four multi run innings to build up their lead. Ferris State’s offense was led by Mueller with three hits, two runs scored and one RBI, West with two hits, one run scored and two RBIs and Harrington with two hits, one run scored and one RBI.

The Bulldogs return home on Wednesday, April 16, to play host to Grand Valley State University. Game time for the first game of the double header is set for 3:30 p.m. “Grand Valley has a good softball team and we are playing the rival for a top spot at top of the GLIAC to gain momentum and sweep,” said Becker.

It was a busy weekend for the Ferris State Track team as they traveled to Knoxville, Tenn. for Sea Ray Relays and then onto East Lansing, Mich. to participate in the Spartan Invitational host by Michigan State.

Senior Dave Czerny held the top spot of the day as he finished in third place in the men’s pole vault with a height of 4.75 meters, just .15 meters behind the leader.

The Sea Ray Relays began with the women’s 100-meter dash where senior Amy Woodman finished in 36th place with a time of 12.42 seconds, freshman Marva Goodson also competed in the event and finished 42nd with a time of 12.89.

Sophmore Emily Cross competed in the women’s 100-meter hurdles for the Bulldogs where she pulled off 38th place with a time of 16.10 seconds.

In the women’s 400-meter dash freshman Jade Kaufman took the 52nd place with a time of one minute and .82ths of a second.

Junior Krystle Wilson, Woodman, Goodson, and Kaufman teamed up to compete in the 4X100-meter relay for the Bulldogs and finished in 24th place with a time of 48.80.

Freshman Tina Muir, junior Mikinzie Stuart, freshman Paige Onweller, and Cross also competed together in the women’s distance medley together and finished in 10th place with a time of 13 minutes and 11 seconds.

Stuart also competed in the women’s 1500-meter run where she finished in 32nd place with a time of 4 minutes and 50 seconds.

In the women’s 3000-meter run, Muir finished with a time of 10 minutes and 52.45 seconds which was good enough to take 14th place.

Woodman finished in the top ten of the women’s long jump claiming ninth place with a distance of 5.97 meters.

Senior Kamitra Carroll also finished in the top ten when she took eighth place in the women’s hammer throw with a impressive distance of 49.13 meters.

Carroll also competed in the women’s shot put where she finished 20th with a distance of 13.57 meters.

Cross competed in the women’s high jump for the Bulldogs and finished in 17th place as she placed with a height of 1.6 meters.

The men’s track team only competed in six events beginning with the 400-meter dash where junior Brian Williams finished in 46th with a time of 52.21 seconds with junior Joe Periord right behind him in 47th with a time of 53.70 seconds.

Junior Mike Mangieri, Williams, senior Jared Kelsh, and sophomore Matt Jozwiak comprised the Bulldog team as they competed in the men’s distance medley finished in ninth place with a time of 10 minutes and 36.94 seconds.

Jozwiak also competed in the men’s 800 meter run where he finished 40th with a time of 1 minute 54.6 seconds.

Kelsh competed in the 1500- meter run for the Bulldogs where he finished in 22nd with a time of three minutes, 51 seconds.

Sohpmore Curtis Begley and Mangiei competed in the men’s 10,000 meter run with Mangieri finishing the long race in 22nd with a time of 34 minutes and 7.37 seconds. Begley was right behind him as he finished in 23rd with a time of 35 minutes and 33.96 seconds.

The women’s track team only competed in two events at the Spartan invitational with Nikke Wiers competing in the women’s 800-meter run where she finished 16th with a time of two minutes and 31 seconds.

Jackie Green competed in the women’s 5000 meter run where she finished in 29th with a time of 19 minutes and 56.69 seconds.

Freshman James Armstrong competed in the men’s 400-meter hurdle where he finished 14th with a time of 59.95 seconds.

The Ferris State track team travels to Midland, Mich. next weekend to compete in the Northwood Invitational hosted by Northwood College.

Men’s Golf
The Ferris State University men’s golf team took second place in the Findlay Outback Steakhouse Invitational this past weekend.

The Bulldogs finished the first round on Friday ranked third with a score of 304, but shot a 300 in the second round to finish with a 604 (+24) overall to finish four shots behind Wayne State, which won the team race with a 600 (+24) total on the par 72 course. Host Findlay came in third after shooting 609 (+33).

Bulldog sophomore Eric Lilleboe won the tournament’s individual event shooting a 74 on Friday and a tournament-best 70 on Saturday to finish with an even-par 144 overall for the event.

Results from the Ashland Invite were unavailable at time of print.

Women’s Golf
The Lady Bulldogs competed in the Ball State (Ind.) Cardinal Classic on Sunday and Monday. Ferris completed the first round on Sunday in third place, and competed in the final round on Monday. Final results were not available at time of print.

Golf Scramble
On Friday, May 9, Macatawa Legends Golf Course in Holland Mich., is hosting a golf scramble to benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation. It is $140 per person or $500 for a team of four.

Registration includes 18 holes at a private golf course, complimentary practice on the driving range, snacks on the golf course, dinner, and a silent auction and prizes.

Number of teams is limited, to register call Katie Hurn at 616-446-7021, or email her at hurnk@fsuimail.ferris.edu. You may also send your RSVP to: Ferris Stars Hidden, Ridge Drive Hudsonville, MI 49426.

Someone needs to tell the Nashville Predators that moaning and groaning about officiating and bad bounces doesn’t change end results, a lesson most hockey players learned in pee-wee leagues.

I guess the Predators decided to skip class that day, huh?

The eighth seeded Nashville Predators are playing in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the first seeded and league champion Detroit Red Wings, a difficult feat in itself.

And instead of trying to pull off an upset, it seems the Predators are taking on the bigger challenge of convincing a referee to reverse his call by whining and complaining.

Maybe it’s just me but I’m pretty sure that has never happened in history, I guess Nashville never got the memo.

Let me just rehash for you a few of the comments made of late by the Preds:

Nashville general manager David Poile: “Just make the right call. Between officials and supervisors, we can’t get the right call.”

Predators coach Barry Trotz on Red Wing Thomas Holstrom’s goal: “When I really watched it in review, his feet were in the blue. According to the rules, you can’t be in the blue.”

Trotz on a disallowed Nashville goal: “The puck was clearly in the net and the net was on its moorings, the explanation was that they were about to blow the whistle. I think that’s a bailout.”

Poile on the Wings' game one winning goal: “I’ve seen that play 1,000 times and it’s blown dead every time. We spend millions of dollars on video replay and you’ve got a supervisor here. All we’ve got to do is to get it right and they can’t get it right…I think it’s a cop-out by everyone involved.”

I think the last time I heard so much whining I was working in a pre-school day care and in my expert opinion someone needs to change Nashville’s diaper.

Can you believe these guys? First rule in NHL hockey, make your statements on the ice, not in the media room.

The only thing that matters in these games is the score and right now the Detroit Red Wings are ahead 2-0 in the series on their way to blowing by the Predators who seem content just complaining to whoever will listen.

If I was a Nashville player I would be ashamed of my coach and general manager.

Bad calls happen, bounces can go lucky or bad, and the refs don’t always get it right. These are things anyone who plays sports knows and abides by, but not Nashville.

The first two games are over with and the only one that matters is the next one. It seems as if Detroit’s heading into game three while Nashville is still standing in game one scratching its head and trying to find a ref to yell at.

This is a joke to me. These guys aren’t even worthy enough to play against a team like Detroit. If you’re going to lose, the least you can do is lose with some dignity.

If the Predators think they’re losing because of some bad calls they're sadly mistaken.

Maybe it could be that they’re up against the best team in the league and the Predators barely scraped their way into the playoffs.

Maybe they're up against two of the most potent duo’s in NHL history between Henrik Zetterberg and Paval Datsuk up front, and Nicklas Lidstrom and Brain Rafalski guarding the blue line.

Maybe they're trying to score on a very good, if not the greatest goalie of all time.

But Trotz and Poile are right, these aren’t the reasons they're losing, it has to be the officiating.

Ha! Give me a break. Shut up and play hockey.

With Major League Baseball two weeks into its season and the Detroit Tigers on their current losing streak, many fans are trying to figure out what superstitions and voodoo they can do to urge on a victory. I went to the Web for the craziest and weirdest sports superstitions out there and here is what I found.

Baseball, by far is one of the top sports dealing with superstitious players and fans. Fans go out of their way with superstitions to break or keep the current streak that their team is on. You can always tell who true baseball fans are by the look of their team’s cap. If it’s rugged and faded, the owner has probably worn it every chance he or she has had.

Baseball players on the other hand have superstitions inside the diamond and throughout their daily routine. Most field players believe that it’s bad luck to touch the foul lines as they run off or onto the field in between innings. As a pitcher enters the mound, he will do it the same way every time, following the same routine. If a pitcher is having a good night and is in the process of throwing a perfect game or a no hitter; it’s basically a sin to mention anything about it.

Batters on the other hand have their own routine that they follow when entering the batter's box before every pitch. Ever notice how a batter will step out and re-strap his batting glove as tight as he can, or how many times he will swing his bat around before holding it up right? Or how dirty and beatup his batting helmet might be because he refuses to clean it? That’s just the superstitious routine that gets him mentally into the game.

Wade Boggs used to take 150 ground balls during warm ups and eat only chicken on game day. Boggs would also conclude his warm up by rounding the bases backwards and hopping into the coaches’ box before entering the dugout.

One of the most recognized sports superstitions this time of year is the hockey playoff beard. Some players participate in this unwritten oath, but basically they start the beard at the beginning of the playoffs and grow it out until they are done, hoping that it brings good luck.

A hockey player will get dressed the same way before every game with his pads, skates and clothing to help bring him good luck. Also while in the dressing room, it is bad luck to say the word "shutout" in speaking about a victory. After warm ups have concluded and right before the games starts, players will skate by a goaltender giving him a shot to the leg pads with the stick hoping for good luck.

Such an event was done by “The Great One” Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky would conclude his routine by tucking the right side of his jersey into his pants. Like in baseball, the red and blue lines on an ice rink became superstitious lines. Former Colorado Avalanche goaltender Patrick Roy would step over all the lines on his way to the crease from his bench before and after every period.

If you are the last person during warm ups to make a basket or wipe the bottoms of your shoes right before the game, you’ll have good luck. Most basketball players bounce the basketball ball once or twice right before shooting a free throw shot, giving them balance or just good luck. Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Kidd has his own good luck charm before shooting foul shots. Kidd blows a kiss to his family before each toss from the charity stripe.

The most known jinx to video gamers and football fans is the Madden Curse and EA Sports video gaming franchise. The player chosen to be shown on the cover of the Madden video game has either suffered an injury or performed to very low standards during that season. I received my information from factmonster.com.

There is the player of the game, the play of the year, the Cinderella teams, the game changing play, and the greatest sport moment of the season, year, decade, all time. But what about the greatest sport moments from Hollywood?

The moments that are based on real events, the moments that make you want to go out and play, send chills down your spine, or just make you want to cry. Moments that depict what sports are about, and what it means to play them.

Movies that depict the hatred of practice, running the bleachers, the rough workouts, the career ending injuries, the overcoming of odds, rivalry and moments when someone’s best just isn’t good enough.

These moments were great when they first happened, but after Hollywood puts its emotional exaggeration into the story, these larger than life moments are turned into iconic events.

Miracle: “The name on the front is a hell of a lot more important than the one on the back.”

Suicide after suicide the 1980 USA hockey team skates, long after the lights go out, long after they have puked everything in their stomachs, and would still be skating if it wasn’t for Mike Eurizone, calling out in the dark, that he played for the United State of America.

A League of Their Own: “Are you crying? Are you crying? ARE YOU CRYING? There’s no crying! THERE’S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL! Rogers Hornsby was my manager, and he called me a talking pile of pigshit. And that was when my parents drove all the way down from Michigan to see me play the game. And did I cry? (No) There’s no crying in baseball. THERE’S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL! No crying!”

Okay, this scene is more humorous than motivating, but if you have played in a high pressure game, and it just isn’t going your way and all you want to do is dig a hole and climb in, this quote sums it all up. No crying.

Rudy: “You’re five foot nothin’, 100 and nothin’, and you have barely a speck of athletic ability. And you hung in there with the best college football players in the land for two years.

“And you’re gonna walk outta here with a degree from the University of Notre Dame. In this life, you don’t have to prove nothin’ to nobody but yourself. And after what you’ve gone through, if you haven’t done that by now, it ain’t gonna never happen. Now go on back.”

Wow, a movie that says something about the student athlete. Not that motivational, but sure does give you a reality check, about how football isn’t always the end all be all.

Remember the Titans: “According to Greek mythology, the Titans were greater even than the gods. They ruled their universe with absolute power! Well, that football field out there tonight, that’s our universe. Let’s rule it like Titans!”

Please hand me a football helmet, some pads, and I want to go play football. This is the best motivational speech to come out of a movie. Leave it all out on the field, and do what you got to do.

A League of Their Own: “Baseball is what gets inside you. It’s what lights you up, you can’t deny that… It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it great.”

This quote applies to everything, sports, school, life, whatever. The hard is what makes it great, it’s why athletes continue running the bleachers, lifting weights, putting in that extra hour…because at the end of the day, it’s a great thing.

The Olympics began as a competition against the best athletes in Greece; it grew into a world event where countries use their athletes to prove superiority. It has become tradition for the Olympic Torch to be carried from the previous Olympic host to this year’s host.

Except, I don’t think the torch has had a trip across the world as rough as this. The torch has met activists who have been protesting along the torch route since it began its 85,000 mile, six continent journey from Athens, Greece to Beijing, China.

According to ESPN.com, the torch caravan stopped five times as it made its way through the streets of Paris. Chinese officials, who guarded the torch, extinguished it and retreated to the safety of a bus.

That sounds like a good idea; angry people can’t push over a bus.

The torch emerged from the bus after it drove within 15 feet of the final stop, a track and field stadium. A torchbearer then ran the final steps inside.

Protestors climbed onto the Eifel Tower, and the Arch de Triumph with banners depicting the Olympic rings as handcuffs, a favorite graphic used by protestors world wide.

According to ESPN.com “Throughout the day, protesters booed trucks emblazoned with the names of Olympic corporate sponsors, chained themselves to railings and hurled water at the flame. Others waved signs reading “the flame of shame.”

Why are people protesting, you ask? They are protesting China’s repression of Tibet and are calling for China to give up the Olympics, calling for their country to not participate, and calling China officials bad names.

It gets better. A planned stop at Paris City Hall was cancelled because it was taking so long to make it through Paris. The same city hall French officials hung a banner on, declaring support for human rights.

“It is inadmissible that the games are taking place in the world’s biggest prison,” Green Party activist Sylvain Garel told a ESPN.com reporter.

A day before the torch was in England it was met with a similar welcome with activists protesting the Chinese repression of Tibet.

According to ESPN.com, “Beijing organizers criticized the London protests as a ‘disgusting’ form of sabotage by Tibetan separatists.”

I’m shocked that Chinese Olympic members thought they would be able to bring the torch around the world without anyone protesting China’s political stance over Tibet.

This is nothing new, negative comments about China covered the blogs this past fall. Protestors stood in Times Square protesting China’s torture of Tibet in December 2004. I know China is new to this globalization thing, but people aren’t too thrilled to support a country that represses another.

When the torch made it to San Francisco on April 9, banners were already hanging on the Golden Gate Bridge saying: “One World One Dream. Free Tibet” and the second saying “Free Tibet.”

Other demonstrations are expected as the torch makes its way to New Delhi and other countries before it reaches China.

Sun Weide, a spokesperson for the Beijing Olympics told ESPN. com “The act of defiance from this small group of people is not popular. It will definitely be criticized by people who love peace and adore the Olympic spirit. Their attempt is doomed to failure.”

I’ve been talking to people about the activists and demonstrations against China hosting the Olympics and we have agreed that the activists are right. We also agreed that it’s nice to see the world uniting for a cause.

At a time when international relations have become stressed and mistrust is everywhere, countries are uniting against a cause. Granted it’s not against global warming, but at least countries are speaking up against what’s not right.

It’s something that wasn’t done in the 1936 Olympics, in Berlin, Germany, when the Jews were being repressed. Nothing was said and a holocaust happened. At least with people speaking and acting, maybe another holocaust can be prevented.

Beijing organizers call the protests “a disgusting form of sabotage by Tibetan separatists,” and keeping the same attitude they had in the fall, when the United States contemplated boycotting the Olympics.

There isn’t a whole lot that other countries can do to change China’s political hold, but by voicing and pressuring their governments to boycott the Olympics maybe China will feel pressured to free Tibet, and play nice.