Around the Game

IU-Kentucky game to be played Dec. 1\nThe IU-Kentucky game has been rescheduled for Saturday, Dec. 1 at 1 p.m. at Memorial Stadium. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 15. \nIn honor of those individuals who lost their lives, those who are missing and those who have put their lives on the line to rescue others in the recent terrorist attacks, the football team will wear American flag decals on its helmets for the remainder of the season.\nBy rescheduling the game, the Hoosiers will finish against their two biggest rivals, Purdue and Kentucky. The next home game for the Hoosiers is Saturday at 4 p.m. against the University of Utah.\nWashington's MCI Center reopens\nWASHINGTON -- Nine blocks east of the White House, 13 rows above the ice, a fan held up a banner that read: "I will not fear!"\nFlags were welcome, bags were not, and security concerns overshadowed Jaromir Jagr's debut as the Washington Capitals played the Philadelphia Flyers in an exhibition game Tuesday night.\nIt was the first professional sports event in the nation's capital since last week's terrorist attacks in New York and just a few miles away at the Pentagon.\n"It's a different feel," Chris Ward, of Millersville, Md., said just before he entered the MCI Center. "Coming up out of the Metro station, you see K-9 units and bomb-sniffing dogs. You're not used to seeing that around here.\n"You're used to seeing police, but only the ones busting the guys scalping tickets."\nThe 20,000-seat arena was only one-third full during the first period, despite the first appearance by Jagr and the team's offer of free admission to police, firefighters and military personnel and their families.\n"I feel safer here than anywhere else," said Kim Lanham of Leesburg, Va., after her pocketbook was searched at the turnstile.\nPlacards on the entrance doors noted the "unusual circumstances" of the evening. Anyone who brought a backpack, suitcase and other large bag had to use the claim-check service. The FBI and Secret Service said metal detectors weren't necessary.\n"We're in Washington, D.C., and since we built this building, we've had a completely open line of communication between law enforcement, the FBI, the Secret Service," MCI Center spokesman Matt Williams said. "So that works to our advantage. We're prepared for these kind of things already. We've just increased that."\nJust inside the entrance, Capitals owners Ted Leonsis and Raul Fernandez stepped onto the concourse to greet fans and pose for pictures, as they often do. Fernandez welcomed the fact that "people are getting back to their normal lives."\nFans were given cardboard American flags, although many were already dressed in red, white and blue. Collections boxes were stuffed with relief fund contributions.\nThere was a moment of silence before the faceoff. As the colors were presented for the anthem, a fan broke the quiet by yelling, "Yeah, America!"\nThe crowd cheered.\nFans wait in rain for baseball souvenirs\nST. LOUIS -- Fans waited in line in the rain for several hours Tuesday, and some even camped out the night before, for a Mark McGwire bobblehead doll giveaway at Busch Stadium.\nThe first 20,000 fans 16 and over received the treasured souvenirs. There's a second McGwire beanie baby game Oct. 7, this one for fans under 16.\nThe second game of a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday was a sellout of about 49,000, for one major reason. The first game of the series on Monday night, baseball's return from a six-day layoff due to the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., drew a crowd of about 30,000.\n"I think the bobbleheads are a big attraction," manager Tony La Russa said.\nNo kidding.\n"My secretary told me to get here early because she loves them and could not come down here and get one," Tom Thomas of St. Louis said. "I waited for an hour and was able to get enough for all of us.\n"I don't think it bothered people to wait, they just wanted the dolls."\nThe lines caught Bob Garcia of Columbia, Ill., by surprise.\n"We got here primarily for the bobbleheads, but didn't expect to wait at all," Garcia said. "We waited for a half-hour in the bleacher line and must have been lucky because we got in.