"Ice cold puck makes you want to score!”

If you have ever attended even one hockey game, the cheer is familiar to you. That cheer and others like it, came from the RSO: Ferris University’s Sports Supporters (FUSS).

“Most of the cheers came from us,” said FUSS president Matt Hall, who first joined the RSO because of his passion for sports and his desire to pump up the crowd.

FUSS meets as needed, but the members see one another at just about every sports event including volleyball, basketball, football and hockey.

“We stick out because few Ferris students come out and support FSU,” said junior FUSS member Steven Weide.

FUSS is anything but shy at the sporting events, yelling and cheering Ferris and the crowd and even at times jeering the other teams.

“You kinda have to have an outgoing personality to be in this RSO,” added Hall. Sport Supporters who are up to this caliber of cheering are few to be found. The FUSS RSO is is in need of new recruits. The RSO has been reduced to a group of friends who still remain loyal to the club and its traditions.

“It’s just a great group of people that just like to come out,” said senior FUSS member Lance Aiken.

The club is not without its benefits for those sports fans who might consider joining. The athletic director is generous enough to give the RSO some free hockey tickets as a thank you for supporting FSU sports.

To get involved with FUSS, a sports fan just has to attend one of the many sporting events, and talk to one of the FUSS members. With their crowd pumping cheers, they are hard to miss.

Ewigleben Ice Arena saw the Ferris State Bulldogs successfully win a shootout and complete their first four point sweep at home. On Friday, the University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks scored the games’ first goal but the Bulldogs came back scoring seven unanswered goals in the victory. On Saturday, regulation and overtime wasn’t enough as the Bulldogs successfully completed their first shootout victory of the season.

“I think these last two series have given us confidence to move forward,” Ferris State head coach Bob Daniels said. “We played tough against a good Ohio State team and this week, we came out strong and defeated a top ranked Nebraska team.”

On Friday night, the Bulldogs special teams did their part in not only killing penalties but also scoring two shorthanded goals. Bulldog fans saw the Mavericks score first as a five on three power play came back to bite them after taking two penalties.

Ferris State didn’t let that lead last long as defenseman Scott Wietecha scored his fourth goal of the season. Wietecha’s power play goal came at 9:30 with assists going to defenseman Zach Redmond and center Brendan Connolly.

“It’s nice to get Wietecha back, he’s helping seal off our defense,” Daniels said when asked about Wietcha’s return to the lineup after being out with an injury.

“It was difficult sitting out and not being able to work out or practice,” Wietecha said about being injured. “I'm feeling pretty good now and I'm glad to be back on the ice with the guys.”

Ferris State answered with two more goals in the second period as right winger Corey Couturier scored his seventh goal of the season and center Justin Menke scored his second goal of the season.

Couturier’s even strength goal came at 4:11 with assists going to left winter Mike Embach and Redmond. Menke’s shorthanded goal was unassisted and came at the 16:28 mark.

The Bulldogs were not done scoring as the third period saw four more goals go up. Center Derek Graham scored his third goal of the season half way through the third period. Graham’s even strength goal came with assists going to defenseman Matt Case and center Aaron Lewicki.

The Mavericks tried to get back into the game as they worked the power play, but right winger Justin Lewandowski spoiled those plans as he scored his eighth goal of the season. Lewandowski’s shorthanded goal came at the 13:31 mark with assists going to Connolly and Redmond.

Less than two minutes later, Embach let his shot reach the back of the net as his eighth goal of the season put the Bulldogs up 6-1. Embach’s goal came with assists going to Couturier and center Casey Haines. Connolly completed the high scoring game as he netted his sixth goal of the season. Connolly’s even strength goal came at 16:08 with assists going to Lewicki and Lewandowski.

Shutting the door on the Mavericks was goaltender Taylor Nelson. Nelson’s 30 saves earned him the victory and helped propel the Bulldogs into Saturday night’s contest.

Once again, the University of Nebraska-Omaha scored first. Late in the first period, Maverick Rich Purslow beat Bulldog goaltender Nelson while on the power play.

The Bulldogs answered right back however with a power play goal of their own. Connolly recorded his seventh goal of the season at the 12:27 mark. Connolly’s power play goal was assisted from defenseman Evan Case and Matt Case.

Connolly and Redmond connected on their shootout attempts and Nelson stopped two of three to earn two CCHA points for the Bulldogs. Nelson made 34 saves on the evening in the win.

Ferris State looks to battle Michigan State this weekend in a home and home series. “Michigan State has one of the best goaltenders in the nation in Lerg and a high potential offense to go with him,” Daniels said. On Friday, the Bulldogs travel to Munn Ice Arena to take on the Spartans at 7:35 p.m. Support the Bulldogs as FSN Detroit will be broadcasting the game live. On Saturday, the Bulldogs return home to faceoff with the Spartans at 7:05 p.m.

It was two cold victories for the men’s basketball team as it defeated both Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech this weekend.

The Bulldogs continue their record breaking season, by making it only the second time in Ferris State history that the Bulldogs have beaten both northern teams in one trip.

During the game against Michigan Tech, the men’s basketball team came up victorious, defeating the Huskies 86-80.

Center/forward, Justin Keenan led the game in total points, scoring 26 out of the 86 points. Keenan also chipped in with seven rebounds. Sophomore guard, Darien Gay scored 20 total points and junior guard, Austin Randel shot 14 points for the team.

“I think our season is going in the right direction. I mean we have our ups and downs but what team don’t. I think we can go a long way this season. We just got to stay positive and take it one game at a time. Hopefully we can get more of the students to come and support us in our journey,” said sophomore guard/forward Lou Williams.

The game against Northern Michigan University was just as successful with the men’s basketball team dominating 87-81.

Keenan once again scored high with his 23 total points, 10 rebounds and two assists for the game. Junior guard, Josh Young also contributed with his 13 total points, three blocks and five steals.

Guard Matt DeHart also totaled 13 points, had four rebounds, and a steal.

With the recent wins, the basketball team is now 9-5 in the GLIAC and has an overall record of 11-8, but they look very optimistic about improving their record.

“Expect some more wins from the Bulldog hoop squad,” Dehart said.

The next basketball games will still be on the road, as Ferris State matches up against Hillsdale on Thursday at 8 p.m. and travel to Findlay on Saturday at 3 p.m

The Ferris State men and women’s indoor track and field team is off to a great start this season with sophomore track runner Tina Muir qualifying for nationals and senior track runner Mikinzie Stuart setting the record for second all time fastest in the 3000m run at Ferris State. The girl’s track team didn’t disappoint at their most recent meet at the Saginaw Valley State University Collegiate Open last weekend.

Stuart had a first place finish in the one mile run with a time of 5:04. Freshman Paige Onweller also had a first place finish in the 800m run with a time of 2:23.

Junior Krystal Wilson led the way in sprints with a third place finish in the 400m with a time of 1:00 and an eighth place finish in the 200m dash with a time of 26.66 seconds.

Women’s field was led by Emily Cross who received a sixth place finish in the women’s high jump with a height of 1.52m.

The Ferris State men’s track team had a first place finish in the men distance medley with a time of 10:53. Junior Matt Jozwiak placed second in the 800m run with a time of 1:56 and the team also placed third in the 4x400m relay with a time of 3:33.

In men’s field, sophomore Greg Burns was the only person who placed in the top ten, with a first place finish in pole vault with a height of 4.70m.

“So far we have had a pretty good season. Right now we are working on our overall strength,” said head coach Stephen Picuccie.

The next men and women’s indoor track and field even will be the Grand Valley State Division- II Challenge on Saturday. The meet will be of great importance to the men and women’s indoor track and field participants as they get into championship season.

The American Hero. Faster than a Torpedo. Eight gold medals. One charge of driving under the influence. One photo. One high profile athlete in trouble, again. Michael Phelps.

However, it wasn’t just his face, he also happened to be smoking a bong.

Every radio station from Detroit to Big Rapids was commenting on the photo, CNN ran a full three minutes on the situation.

According to CNN, Phelps was smoking the bong at a party at South Carolina University last November.

“I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment,” Phelps said in a Yahoo! Sports article, the statement was released by one of his agents. “I’m 23 years old and despite the successes I’ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.” Funny, he vowed the same thing back in 2004, when an underage Phelps was arrested for drunken driving, he pleaded guilty and profusely apologized to his fans, saying he wouldn’t make the same mistake again and was charged with a DUI.

Well, he didn’t drink and drive again. Did he continue drinking even though he wasn’t legal. No pictures have been published to say otherwise, but I am going to vote yes. Just like I think he will continue smoking pot, only in the privacy of his own home, where no pictures can be taken. Phelps is now on the list of athletes that could not keep their noses clean, and is paying the price.

According to Yahoo! Sports, head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, Travis Tygert said Phelps was part of a group of elite athletes who agreed to take part in a pilot testing program designed to increase the accuracy of doping tests. His spot in the program could be at risk.

Phelps is also at risk of losing endorsements.

Olympic swimmer Dana Torres told AP on Sunday that everything he does is news, because everyone recognizes him.

“It’s sort of a double-edged sword. When you’re recognizable, you’re looked up to as a role model. He is recognizable and everything you do gets looked at and picked apart. I guess that’s the price of winning 14 Olympic (gold) medals.”

Michael Phelps is not the only athlete to have trouble staying clean when not in training.

In December 2006, former boxer Mike Tyson was arrested and charged with a DUI.

In October 2007, the Green Bay Packers’ Koren Robinson was suspended for one year for violating the NFL drug policy. And in June 2006, the former Blue Devil basketball star J.J. Redick was charged with a DUI.

University of Michigan running back, Kevin Grady, was charged with a DUI this past summer, and freshman receiver Darryl Stonum was arrested for drunk driving on a suspended license.

Is there something in those Gatorade coolers?

Nope. Based on the one semester of psychology I took, I say that the athletes think they are above the law.

Actually, they don’t think. They know. Our society has always been more relaxed about athletes and super stars driving drunk or doing drugs.

It is also our love of the super star, that allows teams to pay its players millions, while teachers are making an average $51,009 a year.

Awesome.

It is also our love of the super star that allows them to carry on playing without receiving anything more than a slap on the wrist.

The slap does at sometime become a little harder, and a little rougher as the repetitions increase.

Phelps, is just one of a thousand, maybe a million to screw up, yet again. He will remain loved by our country, and will just become another number in the statistic, while he continues to swim.

He said it won’t happen again. Let’s hope this time, nothing else happens either.

In Assistant Coach Crystal Harris’ debut as Head Coach the Bulldogs grabbed a victory over the Northern Michigan Wildcats 66-59, but couldn’t pull out a win against the top GLIAC North team, and 10th in the nation, the Michigan Tech Huskies, falling 80-70.

Head Coach Tracey Dorow did not make the trip to the U.P. as she expects her first child shortly.

“Each of our practices last week were ran by Crystal. This helped us adjust a little bit to her. I think she did a great job stepping in for Coach [Dorow]. She showed a lot of emotion and gave us a lot of energy on the court,” guard Teghan Thelen said.

Ferris was beginning to put something together, leading at half time 30-25, and controlled the tempo, shooting 40 percent on the night, 26-65, compared to Northern Michigan’s 21-of-63 shooting, at 33.3 percent.

The Bulldogs also took great care of the ball, recording a season low six turnovers, and forced 18 Wildcat miscues.

The inside was controlled by the Bulldogs as they were led by forward/center Ashley Fleming, who sparked the victory with a night-high 18 points and eight rebounds.

Center Andrea Clancy added 11 points while forward/center Jenna Guay chipped in with 10 points.

Saturday’s game didn’t have such a happy ending for the Bulldogs who had won two of their last three games coming into Houghton to take on the Huskies.

The nationally ranked Huskies were just a little too much for the struggling Bulldogs.

The Huskies were out to prove who was the top dog, and leaped out in front early taking a 46-26 halftime edge, shooting 61 percent from the floor in the first half.

The Bulldogs refused to roll over, and came back fighting to shoot 63 percent as all three seniors reached double digit points. Thelen recorded 17 points, Guay put up 14 points and Fleming finished with 11 points.

“We are continuing to improve each day at practice because we all know that the season is almost over. We only have eight more games. It is time for all of us four seniors to step up and lead the team. I think we have being doing a good job of this, but we still have some things to improve on. We all look forward to the challenge,” Thelen said.

Ferris had a rough time keeping the ball as they turned it over 18 times, compared to Michigan Tech’s 10.

The Bulldogs dropped to 6-12 overall and 4-10 in the GLIAC, and will remain on the road this weekend as they travel down to Hillsdale tomorrow for a 6 p.m. tip off, and take on Findlay at 6 p.m. on Saturday.