Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • 3

Any thing goes in Order Tomer to Copa." the story of the last game at Tiger Stadium and first at Comerica Park, Page and "State of Glory," our tribute to MSU, Page S.ITtT.DAY April 15, 2000 NBA 3 Lions' draft' Luck of the draw will decide lst-round pick MSU hoops 7 Scoreboard 8 Ijusiness 9 ON THE WEB www.freep.com By CURT SMMSll It I Rl I. I'M ss SKiMS HI II phone Section 71 frsTT it -4- Bi. mm to pi Ji SIMS i ay iiodiay VI 11 jSU1L MMMIL UAO 1L Flu subsides; Captain leaves practice early By NICHOLAS J. CO I SON! A I Kl I'KI ss sr. Mils Kl II Detroit leads Los Angeles, 1 -0.

GAME RESULT A few observations on the Red Wings-Kings series (rated on a scale of one to four octopi): They're not sure exactly how, they will do it, but somehow, some way the Lions expect to improve themselves in at four areas with their six draft picks today and Sunday. "We're not looking for a safety and we're not looking for a quarterback," coach Bobby Ross said, "but after that, put it in a hat and draw. Because that's kind of the way it could end up." And because Ross has a time-tested affinity for big backs and huge, dominating offensive tackles, there is a good chance that a player fitting this mold will be drafted with the Lions' first pick No. 20 in the first round. Wisconsin's Ron Dayne (5-feet-11, 2f)5 pounds) is the ultimate big back, with the ability to run over defenders or make them miss.

Stockar MeDougle (6-5, 352) of Oklahoma and Chris Mcintosh ((-7, 315) of Wisconsin are huge offensive tackles. And both are maulers. If two of he three are available, Ross could face a real dilemma in deciding which need to satisfy. To dye for: We won't fuss about Dandenault, Lapointe and McCarty making like the Dixie Chicks with the bleach 1 Detroit 2, LA. 0 TIME SITE DAY But it's good news: No fibbing? Yzerman's flu-like symptoms really, truly don't involve a jobs.

Just so Karen Newman doesn't grow a playoff beard. "Well," Yzerman said, "the doctor said it's highly contagious." Whoa. The reporters backed off, figuratively if not literally. Don't worry about Yzerman. The sprained right knee that kept him out of the regular season's final four games is fine.

He was just under the weather. And he intends to play today in Game 2. "I just woke up feeling rotten and hoped to feel better by game time," Yzerman said. "1 just didn't feel strong enough to play. Basically, I was just going to go out there and take up space, and I didn't think that was the right Just be Koz: We said it the other day it's as certain as snow and taxes in April that Kozlov is going noticeable limp and won't require off-season surgery or lengthy rehabbing? We don't know what not to believe anymore.

Steve Yzerman walked from behind a curtain in the Red Wings' dressing room Friday afternoon. Immediately, a horde- of reporters descended upon him and formed a circle so tight that breath mints were at a premium. Everyone wanted to know if Yzerman really had flu Thursday night, when he missed Game 1 of the Wings' first-round playoff series with Los Angeles. Hey, Steve, how do you feel? Wlmt did the doctor say? Today Detroit 2 p.m. Monday L.A.

10 p.m. Wednesday LA. 10 p.m. Friday' Detroit 7 p.m. April 23 L.A.

3 p.m. April 25 Detroit 7 p.m. if necessary TV: Games 2 and 6 on ABC and CBC; Game 3 on Channel 50 and ESPN2; Games 4, 5 and 7 on Channel 50 and ESPN. to score big goals in the playoffs Fill out the form and mail it in. Someday Doesn't seem to matter who's out, anyway.

One down: Excited about the Wings' chances now? Just be patient. They still Scotty just plugs in new guys, and the Wings keep hummin' along. Just like the Supremes. have to do it 1 5 more times before we get another Summer of Stanley. Phase sec WINGS, Page 4B Phase see LlONS, Puge 5B Girls coach resigns at Borgess Mann accused of arranging tuition payments for players umi mm Tl TV Tl Yf (TTRTiy 7T) i ((frfr i qj l(DJvW J-(DJykl9 JJ By BILL L.

ROOSE IRtl: PRLsS SPORTS RITtR What: NFL draft. When: Today and Sunday. Where: Madison Square Garden, New York. TV: Today ESPN, noon-7 p.m.; ESPN2 7 p.m. till end of third round; Sunday ESPN, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; ESPN2, 1 p.m.

until conclusion. Internet: detroitlions.com, nfl.com. I ions: 20th pick in first round, 1 9th in second, 19th in third, no pick in fourth, 16th in fifth, 15th in sixth, 47th in seventh. First-round order 1. Cleveland; 2.

Washington; 3. Washington; 4. Cincinnati; 5. Baltimore; 6. Philadelphia; 7.

Arizona; 8. Pittsburgh; 9. Chicago; 10. Baltimore; 1 1 New York Giants; 12. New York Jets; 13.

Jets; 14. Green Bay; 15. Denver; 16. San Francisco; 17. Oakland; 18.

Jets; 19. Seattle; 20. Detroit; 21. Kansas City; 22. Seattle; 23, Carolina; 24.

San Francisco; 25. Minnesota; 26. Buffalo; 27. Jets; 28. Indianapolis; 29.

Jacksonville; 30. Tennessee; 31. St. Louis. Draft gala: TV coverage, prizes and appearances by several Lions, 1 1 :30 a.m.

-5 p.m. today, Great Lakes Crossing, Auburn Hills. Dave Mann, who won three state titles as girls basketball coach at Red-ford Bishop Borgess, has resigned amid accusations that he arranged payments for his players' tuition at the Catholic school. "The program was being investigated for concerns and possible transgressions of Michigan High School Athletic Association rules," Catholic League director Tom Rashid said Friday. "In the course of this process, Dave Mann resigned, and his resignation was accepted." Rashid would not discuss specifics of the investigation, but said, "In successful programs, concerns surface jof undue influence." Mann did not return telephone calls.

But the school's former athletic director said she was aware that the parents of some players weren't paying tuition at Borgess, which is $3,900 this school year. "I knew the money was coming through Dave or an associate of Dave's," Diane Convery said. "I just knew some of these parents weren't paying it. The administration knew drew sxsaii? Lions find wrong fortune on draft day WATCHING A Lions draft is like seeing an automobile accident unfold before your eyes in slow mo- tion. You know the Phase see BORGESS, Page 3B Detroit women claim world; bowling mark Five-player team 's surprise: Series sets record by 5 pins By MATT FIORITO I Rl i I'M ss SPORTS WRITIR tHIC SIALSDatmit tee Press collision is coming.

You yell for everybody to look out. But it's no use. You just close your eyes and hope, pretty much the same way the Lions' brain trust makes its draft selections. So here is your Lions draft guide, provided so you, the hopelessly optimistic, can better understand how the organization will embarrass itself once again. Page 1: Misfortune, either accidental or self-induced, usually befalls a Lions No.

1 pick. The Wisconsin mountain disguised as an offensive lineman, Aaron Gibson, was the most recent example. The Lions claim they had no idea Gibson played his senior season with a bad shoulder, although the Badgers said it was common knowledge that Gibson pretty much played through pain the entire season. The Lions claim that during Gibson's pre-draft medical exami nation, rays didn't reveal ligament damage in the shoulder. Sometimes, the draft choice assumes tragic proportions.

In 1987, the Lions selected defensive end Reggie Rogers, who was supposed to become a premier pass rusher. But Rogers was as weak emotionally as he was underachieving physically. Then one evening, he caused a traffic Juan Gonzalez gets a hand from third base coach Doug Mansolino after a three-run homer in the third off Tampa Bay's Ryan Rupe. Gonzalez hits 1st HR at Copa; Tigers roll By JOHN LOWE I I 1: SRIR1S Kl ITR Detroit has another exclamation point to add to its title as bowling capital of the world. Make that two exclamation points.

The Turbo 2-N-l GripsRemerica team, competing in the All-Star Bow-lerettes league at Cloverlanes in Livonia, set a world record Monday night with a three-game series of 3,557. Lisa McCardy led TurboRemorica with 813, capping it with her first 300 in adult leagues. Erica Mickowski shot 71)4, Novella White 693, captain Michelle Ewald 059 and Shelly Zarick 628. The team's games were 1,134, 1,215 and 1,208. The previpus record listed for the Women's International Bowling Con--press was 3,552, set by the Contour Power Grips team of the Bowlerettes league.

Contour, since disbanded, set that record in March 1998 at the Detroit Women's Bowling Association' do. "There are expectations by everyone coming to the park to see Juan. I'm trying hard for the fans and for the team." His three-run homer in the third gave the Tigers a 4-0 lead. Tampa Bay, however, almost erased that lead in the fourth. Three singles loaded the bases with none out for Castilla, who hit C.

J. Nitkowski's pitch to deep left-center. "That would have been a homer in every other park that 1 know of, except maybe the Astrodome," Ti- Phuse see TIGERS, Pp 7R first Tigers home run was the first homer in Comerica Park's four-game history. Right-hander1 Ryan Rupe was trying to pitch around Gonzalez with first base open and two out in the third; a 1-1 change-up meant for the dirt stayed high enough for Gonzalez to golf it into the second row, not far from the leftfield foul pole. Following the first trade of his career, Gonzalez has gone fi-for-7 with a homer and two doubles in his first two nights before his new fans.

"It's very important," Gonzalez said of how he has immediately showed his new public what he can fun Juan Gonzalez's success at Comerica Park: Thursday night Doubled Lined out Grounded into force Doubled in winner Friday night Doubled Homered with 2 on Walked intentionally Doubled Comerica Park can't stop Juan Gonzalez, but it can stop Vinny Castilla. The Tigers beat the Tampa Ray Devil Rays, 10-5, with temperatures in the 60s the new park's first whiff of summer. And the crowd of would have been considered a decent summer Friday night draw at Tiger Stadium. After hitting the winning double in his home debut Thursday night, Gonzalez unloaded a double-milestone blast Friday night: His Phase see BOWLING, Pnge 7B Phase see PngeSB.