SIGNAL Wednesday. August

By jay Childers summer's Olympic competi­ sport in the world. This will and Karrie Hanson tion. Judy Bryant, Director of make GSU a major focus in the Special to the Signal Recreational Services, said international media. the event will help determine GSU recently celebrated Entering last weekend with The Georgia State Univer­ the effectiveness of the arena, the one-year anniversary of a team batting average of .248, sity Sports Arena is ready to including media operations, the beginning of the Olympic the East-leading host the 1995 Yonex U.S. Open scoring, lighting, and other badminton competition (July continue to find Badminton Championships, it areas of operation. 24) with Fan Fare 1996, orga­ ways to win. With only one was announced last week. Steve Kearney, Badmin- nized by Sandra Carnet of Uni­ player () hitting The competition, versity Relations. above .300 after Thursday's GSU's first Olympic- "The event will bring top- Tickets to the ninth-inning thriller against related event, begins 1995 Yonex U.S. Philly, the Braves continue to struggle offensively. today. The event, ranked badminton players Open Badminton But hey, who's complaining? As long as they keep which runs through Championships can coming up with the big hit in the ninth inning, who cares? Sunday, will bring top- from around the world..." be bought at the Actually, the offense is a source of concern. As good ranked badminton GSU Sports Arena as the Braves' pitching staff is, it's unreasonable to ex­ players from around the ton competition manager for through Sunday. Free admis­ pect nine shutout innings every time out (unless you're world to the facility. the Atlanta Committee for the sion for preliminary action ). The Braves have to start scoring runs — The construction on the Olympic Games, said that he Thursday and Friday will be maybe the seven runs they plated Wednesday is a start. GSU Sports Arena is "on hopes the tournament will, given to GSU students with a Consider that this team went 20-7 in July (setting an At­ schedule," according to GSU "build a little enthusiasm for valid ID. Today's qualifying lanta record for wins in July) without scoring a lot of runs. President Carl V. Patton. the sport." Badminton, while day is also free. Tickets for the • , who had raised his averagfe close The Yonex U.S. Open will rather obscure in the United semifinals (Saturday) and fi­ to .300, is back down to .262. serve as a trial run for next States, is the second-largest nals (Sunday) are $8. • , who got off to a red-hot start this year, tumbled into the ,240s before going 3-4 in the finale of the Phillies series. Intramural golf decides finalists • and are hitting way be­ low their career averages. Blauser, who entered this year By Shawn Haney Shooters' John Marshall the Straight Shooters will with a career mark of .271, is hitting .222. Lemke, a ca­ Staff Writer missed a four-foot putt that compete with the Big Sticks reer .245 hitter, is hitting .226. would've tied the match. for third place. Still, this team continues to win. And despite the ugly During the summer, the The Straight Shooters • In a par-three tourna­ batting averages, that's the bottom line. intramural program at Geor­ have won the championship ment also held recently close Stemmin' the Tide gia State has been doing very four of the last five years. to 30 people competed. There is a popular theory about colleges bending well. Also during the weekend Wally Chambliss won the NCAA regulations that many people subscribe to: there Just this past weekend the Gophers defeated the Big lowest score title with a round are two kinds of schools, those who get caught and those four teams advanced to the Sticks 5-1 in the semifinals. of 58. Chambliss and team­ that don't. Wednesday, the University of Alabama was next round of golf playoffs. Next up the Dossiers, who mate Phil Neubacher, who placed on probation for three years. The Crimson Tide In a semifinal match fea­ currently have a record of 3- shot a 64, won the title as a can't go to a bowl game this year (or contend for a na­ turing the Straight Shooters 2-1, will play for first place team with a combined score tional title). The football program may lose up to 30 schol­ and the Dossiers, the Straight against the Gophers. Later, of 122. arships, and the athletic department may lose over $1 million in postseason revenues. Ouch. Worse, Alabama has to forfeit eight wins and one tie from the 1993 season, thus giving the Crimson Tide a 1- 12 mark for the year. Antonio Langham — who played in those eight wins and the tie in '93 — played those games after signing with an agent. Not a bright move. December 5-12, 1995 But the school allowed Langham to play although they knew he had inked a deal with an agent, a big no-no with the NCAA. Therefore, the AD, the faculty athletic representative, and the president of the university should sit back and take this punishment like Auburn did. And speaking of Auburn, after watching the Tigers win, win, and win for two years (but unable to join the New Year's party because its football program was on probation), not only are they a favorite (and my early Join us for a week of skiing in Steamboat Springs, Colorado selection) to win the national championship, but their biggest rival is filling the jail cell they're exiting. Tears in Tuscaloosa, joy in Auburn. This-n-that • Ask any athlete about it and they'll roll their eyes at you and run away. It's the sophomore jinx — a condi­ tion that most successful freshman suffer through, as things aren't as smooth the second time around. If you want proof, ask GSU center Tildon Wright. The 6-8 center from Dublin surprised folks two seasons ago by providing quality minutes for Zavian Smith. Wright Ski package includes roundtrip earned the starting nod in 24 of 28 contests last year, but airfare on Northwest, ground his numbers fell from the year before. Points per game shuttles, seven nights lodging, fell from 7.0 to 5.1. Rebounds fell from 3.0 to 2.8. five day lift ticket and special Perhaps the worst thing was that Wright's confidence group activities. $200 deposit fell. It was noticeable to coaches, teammates, media, and fans. But word is the player called "T-Wright" by his team­ due to reserve space mates is working hard in the weight room this summer, (registration is limited!) preparing for another season of battles under the glass Balance due on with the horses of the Trans America Athletic Confer­ October 26, 1995. ence. Wright's importance to Carter Wilson's Panthers can't be understated. He doesn't have to score 20 points a night. He doesn't have to block 10 shots or grabbed 15 For more information call Melissa Bucheit or Jennifer Stewart at 651-3440 boards a game. He just has to be a force underneath to take some pressure off Terrence Brandon. or stop by room 245 P.E. building. If Tildon Wright produces the way he showed he was Sponsored by Recreational Services at Georgia State University. capable of in his freshman year, GSU has — in this writer's opinion — an excellent shot at a conference title in 1996.