The Times Herald from Port Huron, Michigan • Page 19

TIMES HERALD, PORT HURON. MICHIGAN 1 WHOM TO CALL FOR SPORTS SCORES micmrcc DRnc mo vL More women choose PORTS I Rick Jakacki, sports editor 989-6266 (call before noon daily) I SportsTalk I moHirino nr laiw anrl pass up business SUNDAY, MAY 14, 2000 Last-place Tigers stun world champs, again TIGERS WATCH previous four games. The Tigers are assured of winning just their second series this season. They took two of three from Seattle in the first series at Comerica Park on April 11-13. 'To heck with the series," Detroit Manager Phil Garner said, looking ahead to the weekend finale today.

"I want to in three in a row. We haven't done that yet, have we?" Detroit hasn't won three straight since a six-game winning streak last September. But Gregg Jefferies, ho was 2-2 with two walks and two runs, said it's not play. If we don't play a good, solid game, we're going to get beat That's just the ay it is." Macias, 5-9 in the series, performed impressively in spring training but was sent to Triple-A Toledo hen the Tigers decided to keep Jefferies and Shane Halter as their extra infielders. Macias as called up May 3 and made his second straight start at second base in place of Damion Easley, ho went on tlie disabled list Friday ith a broken wrist.

"I just like his aura," Gamer said. "He doesn't seem to be worried about anything. It just seems like something's going to happen when he's around." Weaver (1-4) allowed three runs one earned on seven hits. He struck out five and alked two. "Each pitch is definitely a key pitch against those guys, and thing seemed to work out today," Weaver said.

Todd Jones pitched the ninth for his ninth save of the season and second of the series. Andy Pettitte (2-2), who won his last two starts, was roughed up for five earned runs on 1 0 hits in AVi innings. SATURDAY: Tigers 6. New York Yankees 3 RECORD: 11-23 STANDINGS: Fifth place in the Central, 8 games behind Cleveland NEXT GAME: Vs. Yankees at 1:05 p.m.

today at Comerica Park TV: FOXS RADIO: WPHM 1380-AM innings Saturday as the Tigers beat the New York Yankees, 6-3. Detroit 1 1-23) has scored 15 runs in two ins against the Yankees after scoring just two in its FORMER FLAGS COACH ENJOYING IHL JOB rm His 1 Coach: Bond with school more important than money The Associated Press EAST LANSING The Atlanta Hawks ill have to look elsewhere for a coach. Tom no will remain at Michigan State. Izzo, who led Michigan State to the NCAA basketball title last month, said Saturday he turned down a $15 million offer to replace Lenny Wilkens, who resigned as the Hawks' coach after a disappointing season. It wasn't that the NBA wasn't attractive.

Izzo, his voice sometimes cracking with emotion, said the bottom line was that he felt a bond with the university, and especially ith his players. "We've got a great bunch of guys," Izzo said. "I'm going to put the bullseye on their backs. We're going to go into (next season) thinking we can win anoth Offense stays hot as Weaver stops Yankees The Associated Press DETROIT They still have the worst record in the majors. But two straight ins against the defending World Series champions have the Detroit Tigers feeling a lot better about themselves.

Jose Macias had three hits, including a two-run triple, and Jeff Weaver pitched strong NHL PLAYOFFS CONFERENCE FINALS (Best-of-7) Saturday Colorado 2, Dallas 0, Colorado leads series 1-0 Today New Jersey at Philadelphia, 3 p.m. (Channels 7, 9) Avs, Roy shut out Stars in opener The Associated Press DALLAS There's nothing like a good challenge to bring out the best in Patrick Roy. Fired up by claims of supremacy from Dallas goalie Ed Belfour, Roy made 13 of his 24 saves in the third period Saturday night to seal Colorado's 2-0 victory in the opener of the Western Conference finals. Milan Hejduk scored on a power play midway through the second period and Aaron Miller added another goal later in the period as the Avalanche ended the Stars' eight-game home winning streak in the playoffs. Belfour, who said months ago he was as good as Roy or better, allowed as many goals in this game as he did in the previous 10 periods at Reunion Arena.

Ray Bourque, a sentimental and physical leader for Colorado, missed his third straight game with an injured left knee. He might return for Game 2 Monday night. The Avalanche improved to 21-4-1 since his arrival. They've won 10 of their last 12 on the road and have an unusual streak of four straight victories in series openers played on the road. That streak includes a Game 1 victory against the Stars in last year's conference finals.

Dallas won the series in seven games and went on to win the Stanley Cup. This was the Stars' first shutout loss since Dec. 21 against Calgary. It was their first playoff shutout defeat in 34 games, dating to June 5, 1998, against Detroit. Roy deserves most of the credit for the shutout, his second this postseason and 14th of his career, tying Jacques Plante for No.

2 in NHL history. Roy extended his own record by winning his 119th postseason game. After two solid periods by the Colorado defense, Roy saw more shots in the final period than he did the first two combined. He turned away flurry after flurry and even drew a goalie interference penalty his second of the game. Saints rise By ANJALI J.

SEKHAR Times Herald ST. CLAIR The St. Clair tennis team put forth its best effort this season Saturday in the Blue Water Invitational, according to coach Dave Clutts. The Saints won the four-team event with points. Armada was the runner-up with 15 points, followed by Port Huron High (10) and Marysville (three).

Clutts said going in that he believed his players' toughest imperative to sweep the Yankees. "I'd just like to keep up the energy we've had," Jefferies said. "If we can just keep up the energy it's a lot more fun for us and a lot more fun for the fans. When the New York Yankees come to town, you better have energy." The Yankees lost their third in a row, their longest skid of the season. They still have an AL-best 22-12 mark.

'Teams come out to play us, there's no doubt about it," New York's Paul O'Neill said. "When we come to town, they come to K(jr A seasons as a coach. "I keep in touch with a lot of people from my Port Huron days," he said. "The thing of it is, when you win a championship with a group of guys, there's a closeness, a chemistry, that's always there. You might not talk to them all the time, but you want to know how everyone's doing.

"It was a great experience for me." Bill LeCaine, another longtime Flag, played with McCammon for several seasons and for him for part of one season at the end of LeCaine's career. "He was a very, very smart, Please see COACH, 7C St. Clair's other singles inner, Theo Chiakmakis, downed Port Huron High's Chris Lever, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 4. The Saints also won three doubles flights.

Port Huron High was the inner at the No. 3 doubles flight while Armada had runners-up in two singles and one doubles flight. The singles matches were played at St. Clair High School while the doubles matches were at Marysville. "I think our doubles guys Please see SAINTS, 8C I I At 1 McCammon appreciates the new perspective.

"It's been a great experience, seeing the other side of hockey, the business McCammon side, the league side," he said. "It's been very healthy." McCammon, 59, lives in Birmingham, almost coming full circle from the day he arrived in Port Huron in 1963. He stayed for 14 years, 1 1 as a player on three Turner Cup champions, then three more .1 111 TIM BC3INS0PI TODAY IN SPORTS Roller league should set lineup, now There are a few things about the Great Lakes Inline Hockey Alliance Elite Pro League I've found you can count on, in my limited experience covering it. One is that name. It's a mouthful.

Secondly, the one thing you can count on is change. There's been plenty of it. League President Mike Kill-breath said he has 16 teams that are going to play when the season begins June 10 for some teams and July 1 for others, depending on the division. It's a funny way to run a railroad, as the saying goes, and Killbreath said things will be different next year. That's good.

The league has some good ideas, including ensuring that owners put money up front to cover salaries and setting up programs to help establish the game or continue its growth in its home cities. Clinics and tournaments do that and bring in some money, so if the Port Huron North Americans struggle at the gate, the team, in theory, would make it up elsewhere. Now, its next task is to start firming up commitments. It starts with Killbreath finally signing that lease at McMorran, the one that has been ready for nearly a week. "I just want my lawyers to look at it," he said one day.

"It's just a formality," he said on another. But it's not signed. His signature will put the team one step closer to reality in the public's mind. On the other hand, the Port Huron franchise is ready to go, as far as having a home. That's a lot more than can be said for some of the other places that may or may not get teams, which now include Sarnia, Sault Ste.

Marie, Ontario; an unnamed city in New York, and soon. The sooner all this gets set, the sooner the league can start working on the business of running the league, marketing it, facing the task of getting people in a northern state inside to watch roller hockey. You have to give Killbreath credit on a couple of points. He's a confident guy and passionate about selling his sport He's also willing to make a long-term commitment. He knows that previous pro leagues have failed because teams were underfunded or they promised things they couldn't deliver.

Continuity and stability will become this league's most important tool. He's right in his emphasis on the league finishing the season with the same number of teams it started with. He faces a daunting task in persuading people to come to McMorran in the summer, a place we are more likely to associate with winter. At least this summer it's air-conditioned. That will be a plus.

His enthusiasm is contagious, but it appears Killbreath's, and the league's, attentions are in the wrong place at a crucial time. Instead of trying to get off to a flying start less than a month before it begins its first season, the league is fiddling around with late franchise entries and an endless series of player drafts, all of which takes away energy from what should be its first focus: Getting through the first season. It's a task Killbreath and the league should address sooner than later, without distractions. Tim Robinson is a Times Herald sportswriter. He can be reached at 985-7171, ext.

457. By RAtPH POLOVICH, Times Herald FLAG TO FLYER: Bob McCammon, shown coaching the Philadelphia Flyers during the 1979-80 season, spent 15 years in Port Huron, 11 as a player. He coached the Flyers and Vancouver during his career, but says the things he learned in Port Huron have stuck with him the most. McCammon: Flags' job 'a great experience for me' er national championship." Izzo's decision was received with relief and jubilation by MicHigan State officials. "This iswonderful," university president Peter M.

McPherson said. "This man turned dow 1 5 million. This is a very good man and this trruversity is truly proud of him;" Football coach Bobby Williams said the hole athletic department as on edge, aiting to see what Izzo would do. "Tom is big here," Williams said. "He's done so much for this university.

This is a happy time for everybody." The Hawks, while disappointed, respected Izzo's choice. "I'm not going to kid you, Tom was our man," Hawks General Please see IZZO, 3C Still, if this as a good move for Izzo, it was a great decision for Michigan State. Peter M. McPherson, the university president knows it too. "He is a man with MSU BEAT tremendous pull," McPherson said after Izzo's news conference Satur-day'Tom Izzo is a national name." It's not surprising a man of alues, and with his value, is in demand." Think back to just last fall.

After football coach Nick Saban bolted for Louisiana State University, there was considerable Please see ATKINS, 3C 1 fi vTm HOT ATKINS By DALE ATKINS. The Associated Press STAYING: Tom Izzo turned down a five-year, $15 million offer from the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday to stay at Michigan State. Holding onto coach big plus for Spartans By TIM ROBINSON Times Herald Bob McCammon, who made a name for himself in Port Huron as a star player for the now-defunct Flags, admits his new position feels a little strange sometimes. "It's a complete change when you have to defend referees after spending most of your life with the opposite attitude," joked McCammon, now the vice presidentdirector of hockey operations for the International Hockey League. McCammon hands down penalties from the league office.

A coach for most of 20 years before he took the IHL job. to occasion, BLUE WATER INVITE 1: 3. Port Huron High 10 4. Marysville 3 tests would come against the Armada singles players. Well, the Saints rose to the occasion, splitting the flights with the Tigers.

St. Clair won at No. 2 and 4 singles. "For us to split with them, that's great," said Clutts, whose team was the tournament's claim tourney crown EAST LANSING Where he comes from, a lot of folks carry a lunch bucket to work. Maybe that was a factor in Tom Izzo's decision to stay at Michigan State.

You can take Tom Izzo out of Iron Mountain, but you can't take the U.P. out of Izzo. He was tempted big time by the $15 million offer placed in front of him by the Atlanta Haw ks. Yet the pull of a splendid life in East Lansing was ultimately too great. It was a gut-wrenching decision.

But in the end, Izzo as convinced this wasn't the time to step up to the NBA. It was best for him to remain a college basketball coach. "I've kind of been a college guy all my life," said Izzo, who slept in the gym 1 7 years ago when he first became an assistant to Jud Heathcote. defending champion. "They bealAlmont earlier in the sea- son and then Almont beat us.

0ur worked real "The competition was really close, and I thought I excelled in my Play said St- Clair Noel Lucht' who defeat- ed Armada sLMlke Kiehler- 6" 4- in championship match1, at. No- 2 '(Kiehler is) a great player. I think he might have gotten a lit tie frustrated in the second match. I'm playing real well right now.".