How to solve 'M' basketball woes - Hawai'i

Dear Editor,

Sorry, but I have to apologize. I missed the first half of the basketball game. I know, I know - that's unacceptable. We're all the way out here on the island of Maui to do "work," not to lollygag.

Instead of watching those same Wolverines who have a chip on their shoulders the size of a palm tree, the same team that is searching for respect even away from the Mainland, I decided to go to the beach.

Well, it wasn't a conscious decision: I forgot to set my watch to Hawai'ian Standard Time.

But why watch the first half, really? There was nothing to see of importance there, especially since the game was decided at the end when the Wolverines edged out Clemson.

It's much more fun to watch surfers crash into gigantic 20-foot waves. I knew that the surfers would act just like the Wolverines - getting back up after bailing out early.

So with flower shirt in tow and beach towel in hand, I sat down on the powdery sand and took in the scenery. I spied a coconut falling like so many Louis Bullock 3-pointers.

After several serene moments passed, I decided to wade into the Pacific Ocean. The wet sand enveloped my feet tightly, as tight as Brandon Smith's and Michigan's firm defense on Clemson's Terrell McIntyre.

Then the sun began to beat down upon my head like a Josh Asselin or Peter Vignier elbow, so I needed to go and purchase some suntan lotion.

But on the way back to the hotel, I heard people cheering loudly. 'The Victors' and other familiar Michigan cheers came from a small building.

I entered the Lahaina Civic Center and heard the loudest Michigan crowd that the Wolverines will have all season. Much louder than the quiet purr of Crisler Arena.

The Center was small, the size of a medium-sized high school gym, but the crowd was close to the action. The Hawaiíian sunshine peeked into the gym just barely, and the scoreboard showed that Michigan was leading going into the second half.

With the scenery from the beach, the crowd at the game and then seeing the Wolverines finish a 'gutsy game,í like coach Brian Ellerbe said, there is only one thing to do ó move the team out to Hawaiíi.

Away from the Mainland, the Wolverines played great against Clemson ó hitting big shots, making a defensive statement and bearing down in the clutch.

So, dear Editor, thatís what I say. The Wolverines might as well move out here. Even if they donít, one thingís for sure óIím not coming back.

But Iíll be there for the entire second game later today Ö maybe.

ó Sharat Raju can be reached at the beach or via e-mail at sraju@umich.edu.

SHARAT

RAJU

Sharat

in the Dark

11-24-98