The Michigan Daily-Tuesday, September 26, 1978-Page 11

DETROIT D UMPS CAVS IN EXHIBITION

Pistons start off

By SCOTT M. LEWIS
Hurry, hurry, step right up and meet
your Detroit Pistons! They're new,
they're different, they're exciting. In
fact, they're everything you've always
wanted from a basketball team, and
much, much more.
This bubbly approach to the 1978
season may seem outlandish, a con job
coming from a 38-44 team plagued with
dissent and apathy last season. At leas
it seemed that way to some of the 3,117
observers Sunday night as they filed out
of Crisler Arena after the Pistons' 108-
105 exhibition win over Cleveland.
"IT'S NEVER gonna last," muttered
one, cynic. "They're still dogging it,"
remarked another. "That rah-rah stuff
won't work in the pros," noted a third
expert.
Alright, maybe it is a bit of phony ad-
vertising, but what's wrong with that?
That stuff about being new, different
and exciting is true, thanks to zestful fir-
st-year coach Dick Vitale.
The reVITALEized Pistons will use a
variety of gimmicks this season to im-

press their fans. Crazy George, the
hyperactive dribbling wizard, has been
hired to perform at halftime of all home
games, as will a team of noisy, shapely
cheerleaders. (One wit reported that
Vitale has arranged for the dancing
girls to drive around the Silverdome in
a '79 Pontiac between quarters.)
THE CARNIVAL atmosphere aside,
Detroit did look like a resurrected bun-
ch in topping the Cavaliers and former
Michigan standout Campy Russell, who
led all scorers with 28 points.
The Pistons, with fiery Kevin Porter
directing the offense before fouling out;
overcame an eight-point deficit to send
everyone home hopeful - though it's
doubtful if anyone rushed to order
playoff tickets.
Two former University of Detroit
favorites - Vitale and rookie Terry
Tyler, were most satisfied with the
evening's outcome. Vitale labeled the
game a great success and promises the
Pistons will go full tilt to win every
exhibition game.
"I LIKE TO win," beamed the coach.

"That's just the way I am.I
matter whether it's an exhibit
We're gonna go for the win e
out."
Tyler 'was superb, shootin
cent from the field for 18 po
minutes. The 6-7 forward said
ting primed for an NBA gam
meaningless one, is a must.
"It's a matter of wanting
Tyler noted. "There are 11
every team who can play, n
college where some of the gu
weren't college material. Ifw
badly enough, we should do al
MORE THAN THE other Pi
Titan trio of Tyler, Vitale
Long must feel a need to prow
Detroit fans. "We have to
people that this year WILL
ferent," said Tyler, who may
John Shumate at the strong
slot this season. "We're playin
ferent level now and the st
high."
On the Cleveland side, Coac
ch blasted referee Richie P

strong
It doesn't frequent target of criticism among
ion or not. NBA.coaches. Fitch was particularly
very time 'irked by two zone defense penalties
leveled by the veteran Poweres, one of
ng 70 per them against the Cavs with 1:40
Dints in 16 remaining.
d that get- "He doesn't even understand the
ie, even a rule," said Fitch. "Last year he paid a
$3,000 fine because he didn't enforce the
to win, rule, and now he's trying to make a
men on point with the (NBA) office at the
not like in players' expense.
uys really "I don't care about the game itself.
we want it We're only playing to learn something.
right." But these God-calls (Richie Powers
istons, the calls) have got to stop. You won't see
and John another official make a call like that."
ve itself to Two discouraging parts of the
show the Pistons' performance were the number
L be dif- of turnovers (25) and the poor play of
supplant Leon Douglas. The third-year pro made
g forward only one of seven from the floor and
ig at a dif- committed four giveaways.
takes are Bob Lanier, meanwhile, seemed
almost fully recovered from knee
h Bill Fit- surgery, scoring 19 points and hauling
?owers, a 13 rebounds in 25 minutes.

Vita le

Lanijer

P

Tangled
Up In,

Harriers place 1st in
Canadian road race

BlueI

b v JlcIir -V L E,g,lhd

Bo's year. (Question mark, question mark, maybe, someday, an excla-
mation point.)
Bo beat Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish. Knute Rockne. Tradition. Four Hor-
semen, real grass, Ara Parseghian, defending National Champs, away from home.
Touchdown Jesus saw it too. Bo beat Notre Dame.
Mike Jolly, untouched, flings his body at a Notre Dame field goal attem-.
pt. The ball hits him square and the Irish do not add to their 7-0 lead.
He's had good teams before; hell, he's had great teams before. But always
someone, somehow, some passer or kicker or some athletic directors' vote ... He's
never been a defending National Champ, never undefeated-untied, never Number
One. It's got a nice ring to it. National Champ.. . Better than National choke.
Harlan Huckleby, touched and touched hard, bangs ahead for 11 yards.
Running with authority, Huck drives for 13 more. The quarterback keeps
and jumps over no one into the end zone. Conversion. Tie game.
Beginners luck? He beat Ohio State his first time out, suffered a heart attack
and his team lost the Rose Bowl. Next time 9-0, until OSU. Just wasn't his year. Next
time I1-0, until Stanford, almost his year ...
Down by seven the quarterback aims for Huckleby, he drops it. The
quarterback aims for Huckleby; it fails. The quarterback aims for
Huckleby; misses. Zero for three. Break time, down a measly seven.
He lost once in 1972. OSU. Winters are cold in Michigan, warm in LA. He lost the
last game of 1973 6-4, after a 10-10 tie with OSU. Athletic directors, grrrrr ... .
"The defense had to stop them on their first possession of the second
half," a winning coach's luncheon talk: "we didn't do it."
The Notre Dame quarterback and halfback donate the ball to the
Michigan defense instead of continuing their touchdown march. Sometime's
it's an easy game.
Ohio State doesn't get a touchdown in '74. Four field goals suffice. Notre Dame
is National Champ. Other years were better than 1975 (all his others), 8-2-2. Can't
win the Big One, can't win some of the little ones.
Momentum suits up for the Maize and Blue. Receivers begin to receive,
linemen surge. Rick Leach, quarterback, team star, centerfielder too,
begins to do what he's supposed to do; what he says he can do. He does it to
his tight end for a touchdown. Conversion. Tie game.
Almost. 1976, almost. 1-1 in Big Ones. Throttle the Buckeyes in Buckeyeville 22-
0. Campus unrest. But the Trojans were undentable, Minnesota, Washington upset
the '77 Wolverines. And next year became this year. Notre Dame defending National
Champs.
Jerry Meter, captain, cuts in front of the Irish receiver and picks off the
pass in Notre Dame territory. Leach throws for the winning touchdown.
Notre Dame fumbles and bumbles, Michigan intercepts, Leach throws for
yet another touchdown. Safety time. Bo has this Big One in his pocket. Bo is
pleeeeeeeezed.
"We've got some character on this team," Bo cliches. But he means it,
and, after two games, it looks to be true. Didn't they play lousy but beat
Illinois 31-0? They played only one great half and looked like champs in
beating Notre Dame 28-14. Character and talent, it's a good combination.
His seniors, most notably Leach, Huckleby, Meter and Russell Davis
play with great tenacity. Win. Win. Win. It's his tradition.
But the season is only two goofy games old-the tough ones, the really
tough ones-the Northwesterns, Iowas, Arizonas, Wisconsins-the games
that conjure up images of rest, relaxation and lackadasical play-have yet
to be won. Not to mention the Blue Devils, the Spartans, Gophers, Boiler-
makers and, of course ...
Don't forget the Rose Bowl. He can't lose that _big One again and ex-
pect to be Number One.. .
Bo on the sidelines tugs his cap. Bo in post-game interview smiles his pleasure.
Bo at his luncheon eats his lunch. And answers questions and thinks about Duke. 3-0
is the next step to 12-0.
Bo's year. (Question mark or exclamation point?)

By BILLY SAHN I
Running. Everybody seems to be
doing it these days as a means of
keeping in shape. But, Michigan men's
cross country team is making an art of
it. In their first meet of the 1978 season,
the harriers handily held their own and
took first place in the Springbank In-
ternational Road Races in London, On-
tario.
Michigan's cross country team took
the team-championship Sunday, com-
peting on the 4.3 mile course.
"It was a tremendous race. We ran
real well," commented Michigan's
coach Ron Warhurst, especially
pleased with his team's performance
this early in the season.
"Two days before the meet (on
Friday) we had a really tough workout.
It loosened the boys up for the meet,"
said Warhurst.
Leading the way for Michigan was
junior Dan Heikkinen, who finished
seventh with a time of 20:18.7.
Heikkinen sat out last season with a leg
injury. Doug Sweazey, a senior, placed
ninth with a time of 20:27.3.
All Big Ten Steve Elliott, who along
with Heikkinen sat out much of last
season, finished eleventh. His time was
'20:30.9.
Seven Michigan runners were en-
tered. The other four finished respec-
tively: Bill Weidenbach, 13th (20:36.1);
Dave Lewis, 20th, (20:52.3) ; Gerry
Donakowski, 21st, (20:53.7), and Gary
Parenteau, 31st, (21:07.0).
Mike McGuire, an All-American in
1975, did not run in the meet due to a
foot problem. "It'll be two to three

weeks before McGuire's ready to run,"
remarked Warhurst.
Times are not all that significant in
cross country according to Warhurst.
"You look for who's beating who and
the time splits."
Another way of judging a runner's
performance is to compare his time
to his previous time on a particular
course.
Last year, Michigan finished fourth,
team-wise, in the same meet. "The
results of this year are super as com-
pared to last year's," said Warhurst.
This is Warhurst's fifth year as head
coach at Michigan. In that time, the
Wolverines have won three Big Ten
cross country championships. Last
year, however, they finished fourth.
"The key in cross country is to-keep
the top seven runners with a spread of
35 seconds or so, and at least two guys
up front," commented W a rhurst.
Michigan came pretty close to doing
that with Heikkinen and Sweazey up
front, and about 49 seconds separating
the top man from the last man.
The top time in the meet was run by'
NCAA Champion John Treacy of
Providence. His time was 19:33.0. Also,
former Michigan star Billy Donakowski
finished third with a time of 19:44.0.
Michigan's next competition is in
South Bend for the Notre Dame In-
vitational on October 6.
SCORES
Philadelphia 3, Montreal 2 (12 innings)
Pittsburgh 7,Chicago4
St. Louis 3. New York 0

THE
Classes
Regi
U-M Aril

COLLABORATIVE.
art and craft classes
offered in the Michigan Union
and workshops including
DRAWING
ster Now-Classes start Oct. 2
fists & Craftsmen Guild, 763-4430
2nd Floor, Michigan Union

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