THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Thursday, August 29, 1969
TH_.H G N A L h rs a , A g st 2 , 1 6
Depth problem hurts Michigan
in struggle for Big Ten crown
apoplexyI,
doug heller
(Continued from Page 1)
wasn't injured through the course
of 1967, might lose his job to
sophomore phenomenon Rex Kern.
And Woody Hayes has to decide
who will start at fullback between
Paul Huff and Jim Otis, and also
the starter at center as he has
John Muhlbach and Jim Roman.
Meanwhile, -almost the entire
defense is backso Hayes has been
able to concentrate on building;
even more depth than he already
has.
Minnesota also has most of its
entire team back. People like Bob
Stein, Del Jesen and .Dennis Hale
plus four other defensive starters
should be sufficient to keep the
opposition down, while the Goph-
ers amazingly have nine offensive
regulars returning from last sea-
son's ponderous machine.
They did lose their starting{
qatHerbacks CurtiWilson-eymio
These stalwart characters comprise the WONDERFUL, AMAZING, NON-PAREIL, COLOSSAL Cot-
tage Inn Slow Pitch Softball Team. They just concluded their full-blown fantastic season by beating
out 18 other teams in their local league and going to the district championships. There they finished
secoid to Jackson. Coach of the team is Terry Darling, far left, and chief guru and spiritual ad-
viser is Magic Sam the Manager Man, center. Sam attributes the team's success to "good boys, good
coaching, and good pizza."
First in Pizza-First in Delivery
COTTAGE INN
512 E. Williams
Nearly 20 years of experience serving U. of M. & Ann Arbor
LEROY KEYES
CHICO KURZAWSKI
5:
hat's ,as ee sthe Hoosiers' comparatively minor
that's not as bad as it seems. losses like fullback Terry Cole. The
r Coach Murray Warmath went problem is that many people still
b a rthog th eniesao wth can't believe how Indiana won the
out a satisfactory signal caller and first tie hs Itden o shrt
still managed to tie for the title. pschomo. have then1s oson
.This season his professiona psyed oSo gy ehain their9minBs.
Newly appointed Michigan benchwarmers, Phil Hagen and Red Sox fresh in their minds.
athletic trainer Lindsy McLean Ray Stepens are joined by- sopho- Indiana played like Michigan in
critical need for mores Walter Bowser and Greg reverse. The Hoosiers came from
reports a tus-Mitchell. behind by doing the wrong thing
dent trainers and managers for If Minnesota ever does get an at the wrong time and making it
this year's varsity and freshmen adequate quarterback, they really somehow work out all right.
football squads. Anyone inter- could cause trouble. After the top four schools, the
ested is urged to go to the REAL PROOF Big Ten this year will present the
REAL ROOF"little six." Heading this group
training room at Yost Field- Indiana's Gonso - Isenbarger - (which might be compared to the
house as soon as possible. Butcher aggregation is back for Ivy League) is none other than
its junior year and Coach John Michigan. From the talent angle
Pont and friends will have to the familiar stars look as good as
u.... prove they are for real all over anyone else's, but behind them is
again. It's not so much because of nothing at all.,
All-time recorn against 1968 foes
Won by Won by Tied Mich. Opp,
Mich. ' Opp. Pts. Pts.
DUKE 3 0 0 69 27
MICHIGAN STATE 36 19 ' 5 1177 555
CALIFORNIA 4 1 0 91 30
NAVY 4 5 1 198 133
INDIANA 20 8 0 676 220
MINNESOTA 34 21 3 823 608
Y. -
NEE Lv
SU PE R $ 5
"WH ITE"
v LEVI'S
5 COLORS
HOPSACK
S-T-R-E-T-(-H
a 55
BUTTON $529
FLY
GUARANTEED TO SH RINK-WRINKLE-FAD
PRE-SH RU NK
DUNGAREE $579
urTA-PREST
WHITE $A98
LEVI'S
LAMB'S WOOL
V-NECK and
CREW SH4
S$495$
i
; .
If LEV'SfllflI49
This total lack of depth will be
felt with the season's first injury
and with it any serious dreams of
Wolverine success go out the
window.
Michigan State is in even a
worse situation than Michigan, in
that while the Spartans have no
depth also, they are plagued by a
shortage of starters. Such is the
problem that Duffy Daugherty has
been trying out his star ends, like
Al Brenner, for possible double
duty at defensive back.
Quarterback Bill Feraco will
have to show he can move the
team behind a not-so-great offen-
sive line while a fair defense
should be able to prevent any
slaughters.
Illinois has their star quarter-
back, Bob Naponic, back after
missing nearly all of 1967 because
of injury. Fullback Rich Johnson
and halfback Dave Jackson are
also returning but the team has
many unproven linemen.
PODOLAK IS IOWA
Ed Podolak, the quarterback, is
really the only player worth men-
tioning for Coach Ray Nagel's
Iowa Hawkeyes. Podolak has been
a distinguished running and pass-
ing threat when he wasn't lying
on his back during the past two
years. Iowa claims to have some
fine sophomores. If any of them
are any good at all, Nagel will
make them starters immediately.
Northwestern has several good
players including halfbacks Chico
Kurzawski and Bob Olson. How-
ever, the Wildcats play what could
be the toughest schedule of all
time. They may recover by 1970.
Wisconsin's Badgers have their
great linebacker Ken Criter and
a "MICHIGAN" season
There's an old myth that the Michigan football tradition means
an undefeated season and a crushing Rose Bowl triumph nearly
every year.
Well-surprise, surprise, blecchh.
All that stuff about 1902 or 1924 or 1947 is ancient history, not'
tradition. Tradition is supposed to be something that is contiguous
with the present. What really is contiguous with Michigan's football
present began in the early 1950's and can be summed up in one word:
mediocrity.
Mediocrity is caused by the "middle-of-the-packism" phi-
losophy of existence. Every year a team is picked for the middle of
the pack, then goes along and wins a few, loses a few, wins a couple
of well-played games, loses a few it should have won and absolutely
never upsets anybody.
Hence we consider the 1964 championship for what it really
was-a glaring exception to tie rule. In fact, in rereading accounts
of that season we find a team that was totally amazed at its own
success, but found it pleasant and decided to keep going at the
same pace. f
Still, many teams hold to the "middle-of-the-packism"
philosophy. What we are looking for is that vital element which
makes Michigan football uniquely mediocre. And really, it's
not too hard to find. MICHIGANSTATEPHOBIA, that dread
disease, has taken hold of the Michigan football effort in epi-
demic proportions, and has proven itself almost unbeatable.
The affliction is a medical rarity. For years and years the
Wolverines nabitually destroyed this team from "down north," But
this awful little squad began to grow in ferocity, until one day the
Wolverines turned around and were bombarded. Figuring it a fluke,
Michigan continued this annual habitual 'confrontation, but the
bombings got worse.
Now, the sickness affects the entire schedule. A sample Michigan
season follows. Read it and weep, for the same thing (more or less)
happens every year.
GAME 1: Michigan begins the year on a happy note. Showing
a great desire to play football, the team shakes off all early season
mistakes for a victory. A fast start for the Wolverines is a tradition.
California is the victim.
GAME 2: Against Duke the offense falls apart. Coming off the
first week's euphoria, the team puts in a dismally erratic showing.
This is a very close game against a horrible team, decided in the
last seconds as the Wolverines lethargically try to stave off a final
Blue Devil push. A true toss up, while Michigan State awaits over
the horizon.
GAME 3 MSU is a week away, and the coaching staff cautions
the squad not to worry about State so much, as Navy has a respec-
table aggregation. Unfortunately, the constant admonishing not to
worry about State backfires totally, and Michigan gets pre-MSU
game jitters a week in advance. Against Navy the defense is use-
less, and the offense would be too, except some star (probably Ron
Johnson or Dennis Brown, this year), keeps the Wolverines in the
game all the way. However, Michigan always loses the last game
before Michigan State, and this year is no exception.
GAME 4: With confidence totally destroyed by the previous
week's loss, the Wolverines are in no condition to face the Spartans.
Although MSU has a nine game losing streak going into the game,
they manage to humiliate Michigan. The stands empty before the
end of the first quarter, and most of the people have no intention
of returning again this year,
GAME 5: In a state of shock after the MSU fiasco, Michigan
can't get up at all for Indiana, and loses in a long boring contest.
Ann Arbor gets ready for the basketball season with homecoming
a week away.
GAME 6: The team is up for homecoming, and plays a sur-
prisingly strong game against the favored Big Ten contender. How-
ever, Minnesota is just too strong and after a hard fight, Michigan
loses on a field goal with one second left after a Gopher fumble
recovery.
GAMES 7, 8, 9: "Gee, we're not so bad after all" say the Wol-
verines collectively after Minnesota, and run up a three game winning
string against weak Northwestern, Illinois and Wisconsin, to prevent
a disasterous year. Confidence is restored at long last.
DRE
s
<:<
':::$
E
: f'£
{
_''
:'i I
?f
.;,E I
: . tr: is
'
:: !
j
;i;i;: 1
NORTHWESTERN
ILLINOIS
WISCONSIN
OHIO STATE
27 11
35
22
18
7
2 808
0 767
1 625
4 1010
435
463
241
611
37 23
----
STUDENTS
a lot of guys named
should it be Jo-Ann).
Joe (or,
WELCOMEr!!
OPEN
MON. thru SAT.
8:30 to 5:30 P.M.
DASCOLA BARBERS
Near Michio-n Theatre
SPECIAL RATES FOR WEEKENDS
438 W. Huron 663-2033
GAME 10: Unfortunately, it was all a set-up. Ohio State goes
into the final contest ready to draw blood from its chief rival, Mich-
igan. And the Wolverines, who do not reciprocate in the rivalry, are
merely confident after their recent modest successes. The result is
an easy win for the Buckeyes.
And the fans ask again, will next year be another rerun?
w
mmmmw
Make WAHR'S your
headquarters
for all your textbook
and college supplies
SERVING U OF M STUDENTS SINCE 1883
ID°g
)L (.P.O.
IIRTS
)S & PLAIDS
''
>' I
FRUSTRATED
MAYBE IT'S YOUR DIRTY SHEETS
Let University Linen Supply
clean up this problem with our
CLEAN-SHEET SPECIAL
For only $1.50 per week we
supply you with
2 SHEETS
2 BATH TOWELS
1 FACE TOWEL
4
and
$795 I
~~~I c ~h I
s