Stanford Report, Mar. 3, 2004

DURING PARENTS' WEEKEND FEB. 26-28, nearly 3,000 parents of students spent a couple of days following in their children's footsteps: making hard choices over which classes to attend (from 23 "Back to School" lectures delivered by faculty members); standing in long lines at the bookstore (buying piles of sweatshirts and fuzzy basketball key chains); and pulling their hair out over parking ("Hey, did you bring a bag of quarters?" asked one dad, reading the parking meter rates on Lagunita Drive). The big question of the weekend, however, was how to get into Saturday's sold-out men's basketball game, featuring the top-ranked, unbeaten Cardinal against the Oregon Ducks. Even as KEN BURKE of Denver was registering on Friday morning, he was already considering how he might score a game ticket (and a chance to see his son, TYNAN BURKE, a sophomore and Stanford Band member, in action). The elder Burke had been watching ticket prices on the Internet, where they were ranging from $135 to $250, but hadn't yet decided on his own dollar limit. "The rule of reason will prevail," he said. Burke ended up with a ticket, but just barely -- he paid $100 15 minutes before tip-off. (More than 1,000 parents and students watched a televised portion of the game at a Parents Club reception at the Arrillaga Alumni Center.)

ALSO RIDING HIGH ON THE BASKETBALL team's record-breaking winning streak -- and taking advantage of the Maples Pavilion renovation, which began Monday -- the Athletics Department last Friday began accepting eBay bids on a 1-foot-square section of the hardwood. The section includes the exact spot from which forward NICK ROBINSON made a buzzer-beating three-point shot in the Feb. 7 game against the Arizona Wildcats -- a shot that not only won the game but also allowed the Cardinal to maintain its longest winning streak in school history. The winning bidder (top bid on Tuesday evening was $1,925.00) will receive the piece of flooring "mounted for prominent display with a gold plate commemorating the shot and the Maples Floor," read a description on eBay. Proceeds will benefit student athletes. To bid, or just to watch the bidding action, go to http://www.gostanford.com/ebay.

NO APPOINTMENTS ARE NEEDED TO make donations at a blood drive scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, March 8, in White Plaza. (All blood types currently are in short supply.) The drive is sponsored by the Stanford Blood Center and was organized by undergraduate students associated with the Catholic Community at Stanford. For information about donor eligibility or how to make an appointment to donate blood at another location, see the Blood Center's website at http:// bloodcenter.stanford.edu.

Write to Barbara Palmer at barbara.palmer@stanford.edu or mail code 2245 or call her at 724--6184.

Barbara Palmer