Oregon Daily Emerald

Sports

	More than just a game Saturday's spring game is the last chance to see the Ducks play before fall camp opens by Doug Bonham In a war-room atmosphere, one of the most crucial moments of Oregon football's spring practice season hinged on a coin flip: Who gets to pick first for the spring game? We will never know because, as coach Mike Bellotti put it at practice on Thursday, "If I go into it I'd have to kill you.
	Start all over again: Costa maturing and learning despite change Talented Nathan Costa has thrived in a strange, twisting and turning freshman year by Jacob May After nearly one year in the program, Oregon quarterback Nathan Costa thought he had it all down. But when offensive coordinator Chip Kelly replaced the departed Gary Crowton, Costa had to digest his second playbook. It wasn't exactly the most pleasant task for an 18-year-old who still had to handle classes, let alone comprehend new offensive terminology.
	Why bother with the draft with playoff games on? Draft is valuable, but not as important as playoff games happening now for the NBA and NHL by Doug Bonham If you didn't already know it, the NFL Draft is tomorrow. And I'm not too happy about this whatsoever. The 800-pound gorilla that is the National Football League has extended its influence in American sports in such a way that most fans are wrapped up in nothing but the NFL, no matter what football coverage is on at the moment: After the Super Bowl, it's pre-combine coverage; after the combine, pre-Draft hype.
	Rough start for tennis teams at Pac-10 Championships In brief by Stefanie Loh The main championship draw of the Pacific-10 Conference men's singles tennis tournament proved to be too much for the Ducks on the first day of tournament play. Alex Cornelissen and Geoff Embry both fell in straight sets to Washington's Andy Kuharskzy and UCS's Dejan Cvetkovic.
	XO Invite brings top high school track athletes to Hayward Field In brief by Matt Nicholson The 4th annual XO Invite Track Meet will be held Saturday, April 28th, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Hayward Field. In its four-year life span, the XO Invite has established itself as one of the premier high school track and field meets in the nation. The meet, which is put on by Team XO and Oregon Track Club, is unique in that the meet is scored as a coed team championship, and will showcase the talents of 35 teams and over 1,000 athletes that will battle for the coed team title.
	Ducks take a road trip after earning Civil War Cup back by winning in Corvallis In brief by Luke Andrews After winning the season series with the Oregon State Beavers for the first time in two seasons following a 6-5 victory in Corvallis on Wednesday, the 17th-ranked Oregon softball team has more redemption on its mind this weekend. Oregon (39-11, 4-8 Pac-10) first takes on No.