Sports

Police beefing up security for 36th annual 5th/3rd River Bank Run in Grand Rapids

Lindsey Smith — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:29:36 +0000

“This year, by far, will be the largest security force that we’ve had for a 5^th/3^rd River Bank run to date,” Grand Rapids Police Chief Kevin Belk told city commissioners Tuesday.

21,000 runners are registered for the race.

He’s coordinating security with the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and five police forces from neighboring communities.

Belk says Michigan State Police will fly helicopters overhead and use bomb-sniffing canine units

Ann Arbor bowling league team goes for championship tonight

Stateside Staff — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 21:05:26 +0000

We have seen droughts in sports in this state, that is for sure.

The last time the Lions won the NFL championship, for example, was 1957. Well, there’s been a similar drought in the world of bowling leagues, but that might be about to end.

Mel Shannon’s been bowling with the Knights of Columbus Men’s League in Ann Arbor for about as long as anyone can remember.

Last time Mel won the championship was 46 years ago - 1967.

But, Mel is on the verge of winning the championship again tonight.

Mel is a Word II veteran who is 87 years young and he stopped by the studio along with John Kennard - who is also part of the K of C men's bowling league.

Listen to the full interview above.

Pistons fire head coach Lawrence Frank

Mark Brush — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:12:14 +0000

Marc Stein of ESPN was the first to report the news:

The Detroit Pistons, as widely expected, fired coach Lawrence Frank on Thursday.
The dismissal of Frank has been expected for some time, after the young Pistons lost 27 of 36 games in the second half of the season before winning four of their final five.
Frank guided the Pistons to a 29-53 mark this season and was 54-94 overall in two campaigns.

Stein reports Frank "went to the playoffs three times in six seasons coaching the New Jersey Nets before his dismissal in 2009, then worked as an assistant in Boston under Doc Rivers."

Kalamazoo runners plan 'solidarity run' to remember Boston

Lindsey Smith — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:17:23 +0000

A group of runners in Kalamazoo will honor victims of the Boston marathon bombing by running together tonight.

“Runners who were nowhere near Boston just feel like a piece of their heart has been ripped out,” said Tonya Durlach. She did not run the Boston marathon, but members of her E.P.I.C. running group and Kalamazoo Area Runners did.

“We’re trying to make sense of what happened but we can’t. We can’t understand why someone would do something so horrible. But the only thing we can do right now is think of them and pray for them,” Durlach said.

Boston Marathon bombing will lead to added security for Sunday's Lansing Marathon

Steve Carmody — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 22:29:18 +0000

The two thousand runners expected to take part in this Sunday’s Lansing marathon can expect to see tight security along the 26-mile course.

The added security is in response to Monday’s deadly bombing at the finish of the Boston Marathon.

Lansing Police Chief Teresa Szymanski says people attending the Lansing marathon will be protected.

“We’ll certainly have additional patrols….we’ll have extra officers working the event. We’ll take precautionary measures…such as bomb sweeps and those types of things we do for these events,” says Szymanski.

Wolverine guard Trey Burke leaving Ann Arbor for the NBA

Steve Carmody and The Associated Press — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 19:29:00 +0000

The Michigan Wolverines are losing a key player on their men’s basketball team.

Sophomore guard Trey Burke led the team to the NCAA championship this month. Along the way, Burke picked up multiple awards, including the Associated Press college player of the year. So it’s not really a surprise that he will forego his final years of college eligibility to possibly a big pay day in the NBA.

Burke considered going pro a year ago, but decided to come back for his sophomore season. He led Michigan to the NCAA title game, where the Wolverines lost to Louisville.

From out of the sewers, Michigan finds its man in John Beilein

John U. Bacon — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 05:32:00 +0000

It wasn’t that long ago that Michigan’s basketball program was not merely unsuccessful, but the shame of the athletic department.

Bo Schembechler fired basketball coach Bill Frieder on the eve of the 1989 NCAA tournament, famously barking, “A Michigan Man will coach Michigan.”

Assistant Coach Steve Fisher filled in, and the team “shocked the world” by winning Michigan’s first-ever national title in basketball.

But on the eve of Fisher’s ninth season, he too was fired in disgrace, because some players had been paid by a booster.

Michigan falls short in NCAA men's basketball championship game

Steve Carmody and The Associated Press — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 04:06:56 +0000

An impressive run through the NCAA tournament came up short for the Michigan Wolverines last night in Atlanta.

After running up a double digit lead in the first half, the Wolverines succumbed to Louisville’s pressure defense. The Cardinals kept up their hot shooting on offense and did just enough to put away Michigan down the stretch.

The final score: Louisville 82-Michigan 76.

The Wolverines did have some standout performances.

Why the Wolverines are at the Championship, and what fans are wearing

Stateside Staff — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:37:05 +0000

Wolverines across the country will be watching the NCAA championship game tonight, but what's happening with the team when their off-screen?

There's no doubt that this team has some extraordinary players. What are they doing that works so well?

Is it the combination of a veteran coach and a young team?

Michigan Radio's Sports Commentator John U. Bacon gave us insight into what has made this team bring the University of Michigan to the championship for the first time since 1989.

Well, whatever it is, they've got fans buying new gear. Wolverines are sporting apparel with new slogans like, "We on," and "Rise to the occasion."

They aren't the only ones happy about the championship. Sports apparel shops in Ann Arbor are experiencing a very healthy surge in sales.

Todd Goetz is the manager of the Ulrich's Bookstore in Ann Arbor, which also sells Wolverine merchandise.

To listen to the audio, click the link above.

Wolverines play for NCAA title tonight

Steve Carmody — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 04:44:00 +0000

The Michigan Wolverines will play tonight for what would be the Ann Arbor school’s first NCAA men’s basketball title since 1989.

It’s been 20 years since the Wolverines last played in a national championship game. They lost that game to North Carolina. The year before the team lost to Duke.

In the two decades since, U of M has made quick exits from the March Madness tournament.

The Louisville Cardinals have been more successful lately in the tournament, but their last national title was in 1986.

Tip off for tonight’s game will be after 9.

Michigan Stadium will host the NHL's Winter Classic next year

Steve Carmody — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 16:22:17 +0000

Professional hockey is coming to Ann Arbor after all.

The National Hockey League announced today that the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings will play next year at Michigan Stadium.

The NHL's Winter Classic was scheduled to be played in Ann Arbor this past January. But the game was canceled due to a contract dispute between team owners and the players.

When this year's event was canceled, the league had said it would schedule the next Winter Classic at the stadium, which holds more than 100,000 people.

Michigan defeats Syracuse, Wolverines will play Louisville in NCAA title game

Steve Carmody and The Associated Press — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 04:08:01 +0000

Michigan is headed to Monday’s NCAA men’s basketball national championship.

The Michigan Wolverines survived a late surge by the Syracuse Orange to win Saturday night’s national semi-final . The final score was 61 to 56.

Final Four Time-Michigan Wolverines play Syracuse Orange tonight

Steve Carmody — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 13:39:00 +0000

The Michigan Wolverines are just one game away from playing for the NCAA men’s basketball national championship. But first, they must play the Syracuse Orange in tonight’s national semi-final in Atlanta.

The Wolverines will have to solve the mystery of Syracuse's zone defense, which has perplexed all their opponents so far in the March Madness tournament.

“You can’t simulate it in practice,” U of M coach John Beilein told reporters earlier this week, “It’s a thing we have to work at and we’ll be as ready as we can be.”

The Tigers are back! And Detroit celebrates

Sarah Cwiek — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 22:06:37 +0000

The Detroit Tigers beat the New York Yankees 8-3 at their home opener Friday.

More than 45,000 fans jammed Comerica Park to see the game—an opening day record.

But tens of thousands more came to downtown Detroit just to enjoy the festival atmosphere, in what has become a semi-official holiday in southeast Michigan.

Detroit's mayor rooting AGAINST Michigan in Final Four matchup Saturday

Steve Carmody — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 20:41:45 +0000

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing will be at Saturday night’s Michigan-Syracuse basketball game in Atlanta.

He will be rooting against the Wolverines.

Dave Bing is a Syracuse graduate. In fact he played on the same basketball team as current Orange coach Jim Boeheim.

“At the beginning of March Madness, I thought Louisville was the best team. But both Michigan and Syracuse have played much better than I anticipated. They deserve to be there,” Mayor Bing said in a written statement, “If Syracuse wins, it’s not going to be an easy win for them.”