0 YES. CLASS OF '85 How Would You Like To Get The Edge On Your Fellow Graduates? WEMAU COME TO Room 212, North Hall Friday, Sept. 18, 7 PM Sponsored by Army ROTC tel 764-2400, Page 14-Thursday, September 17, 1981-The Michigan Daily EX-'M' GRIDDER ADJUSTS TO NEW LEA G UE Diggs satisfied with AFA*. By RON POLLACK When former Michigan defensive back Gerald Diggs was cut by the )econd P( Septei 18 Fri. Pep Rally- U 7:30 "B oor, Mc )tmber nion Step Wnand th Chigan Un on 18- 24. is e Boys Born", MLB 4, 6:30,9 ,707 Oxford, 9=00 ", Nat.Sci., 7,9:30 AFA players forego the "run through a brick wall" type intensity, they also commit the unheard of sin of enjoying themselves during practice. It's enough to make former Green Bay Packer coach, or tyrant depending on your point of view, Vince Lombardi turn over in his grave. "It's not a real strict league," said Diggs. "Ifyou can't make it to practice, you can't make it to practice. As long as you try to get there it's OK. If you miss one or two practices a week, you'd still know what was going on. It was basically up to you to know your assignments and stay in shape.1 "PRACTICES ARE nothing like a college practice. It's organized, but it's much more relaxed. There's no pressure to perform. We're just out to have fun and show off our talent." Another inequality between the NFL and AFA is of greater significance to players in the latter league. Money. The pay scale in the AFA is of such a nature that most players must hold another job. Diggs notes that the Fire's budget limited all facets of the team's operations and not just the player's wallets. "There is a big money difference," he said. "We flew everywhere. We didn't stay in the top hotels like in the NFL, but we still travelled well. We just didn't stay in the Hyatts and Holiday Inns. We'd stay inmotels." THE ONLY OTHER change that Diggs has undergone is the outlook he takes on his future in the NFL. While trying out with the Bears, Diggs felt that a failure to make the team would probably end his chances of ever playing in the NFL. "If I don't make it with the Bears, I'm going to become a working man," he said prior to being cut. "It's a one-shot deal. I got a degree at Michigan and I'll use it. I feel that if I don't make it with the Bears, then I'm just not NFL material." As it has turned out, the opportunity offered by the Fire has changed Digg's mind about the Bears tryout being a "one-shot deal." In fact, he does not rule out the possiblity of his trying out with an NFL team in the future. "If an NFL team calls me up and likes me and wants to see what I can do, I'd go." Mediatrics- "A Star is 19Sat. 21 Mtn. Victory Party-- FIJI'S Mediatrics- "M*A*S*H Mini-Courses-Registration Starts Michigan Union Box Office Sunday Funnies - Mass Meeting,7:00 Kuenzel Rm.,Union 22Tues. Impact Jazz Dance- 7-9, Free Tuesday Workshops, Pendleton Rm..Union Dress to Dance ! Chicago Bears this summer, his future prospects in professional football ap- peared quite dim. Diggs was not in great demand by the National Football League to begin with, as he went un- claimed in the annual college draft. So when the Bears released Diggs, it seemed to confirm the scouts and player personnel directors reservations about the Michigan graduate's ability to play professional football. But these doubts have proved to be unfounded. Diggs is talented enough to play professionally, just not in the NFL. After his tryout with the Bears, Diggs was contracted by the other football team in town, the Chicago Fire of the American Football Association. "I WAS JUST sitting around (after being cut), waiting to see what would happen," said Diggs. "If nothing hap- pened within a few days, I was going to give it up. I was contacted by the person who was in charge of player pesonnel with the Fire. They called me up, I signed that day and practiced that day. Since the AFA plays its season during the summer, Diggs arrived in time to suit up for only three games. In this short time Diggs noticed vast differen- ces between the AFA and his previous experiences. One of the most notable disparities is in workouts. Not only do 24Thurs. Soundstage - Opener 8-Midnight U Club, Union FREE ADMISSION Check here every Thursday for UAC info! 763-1107 UniversiVyAclvities Center Sports inrormation rnoto Former Michigan defensive back Gerald Diggs (29) breaks up a pass in a game against Indiana. Diggs was a part-time performer for the Wolverines from 1976-1980 and is now a member of the Chicago Fire of the American Football Association. MSU still rebut Editor's note: This is the fourth in a nine- part series examining each of Michigan's 1981 Big Ten opponents. The series was writ- ten by Daily football reporters Mark Mihaio vic, Greg DeGulis, Buddy Moorehouse, and Drew Sharp. By DREW SHARP Fourth in a nine-part series "If we get a couple of breaks," said Michigan State quarterback John State was in 1978, when MSU won the Big Ten co-championship with Michigan. But because of its NCAA probation, the Spartans were forced to sit home and watch the Rose Bowl on television. Ever since then it has been a long road back to respectability for Michigan State, one on which it is still travelling. "Our main problem has been a lack of depth," said second year mentor" L N4ti5 ND14NA ,1G TEAP,, 2 a 77 - u vt N kTh is S , a \ tyESTfRN M, NNI i Leister. "We could be right in the thick of things. Michigan could go 0-11. And the world could blow-up today, too." Well, Michigan has yet to win a game in this young season, but at last look, the world seemed to be still in oone piece. "WE'RE NOT a strong team this year," Leister continued. "But we're stronger than last year. It's definitely a rebuilding year." The Spartans' rebuilding program seems to have become a permanent fix- ture in East Lansing. The last rumble to be heard from the pastures of Michigan Frank "Muddy" Waters. "Our number one objective (in recruiting) was linemen, both offensively and defen- sively. We feel that we did bring in some big linemen." . The prize of Waters' freshmen flock has to be running back Aaron Roberts from perennial state football powerhouse Detroit Catholic Central High School. "IN AARON ROBERTS," said Waters. We are getting a back who's capable of breaking into the starting lineujp. He has great potential and we feel that he's a fine prospect. I don't iding believe in the progression system where a guy can't play until he's a senior. If we don't play some freshmen we could be in trouble, because we don't have that much depth." In Leister, Michigan State has a bet- ter than competent quarterback, although that might not have shone through in last Saturday's 27-17 defeat to Illinois. "In my opinion," remarked Waters. "John is as fine a quarterback as you'll find in collegiate circles. He was the fellow that kept us in so many of th ballgames that we were not supposed t be in last year." GRIDDE PICKS When Notre Dame coach Gerry Faust goes to church on Saturday, and stands on the sidelines yelling "Hail Mary" it won't be because he has lost confidence in his Fighting Irish. He'll be praying for his other nineteen Gridde picks to pull through. Poor Gerry, however, forgot th Libels never lose a game, as he picked his former team to upset the Daily gridders. If you wanted to' outcoach Faust for the free one-item pizza from Pizza Bob's, just drop off your selection at the Daily (420 Maynard) before midnight Friday. Starting this week, the winner of the Gridde Picks will also write his predic- tions in the following week's Dail competing with the "experts" from the sports staff. 1. Notre Dame at MICHIGAN (pick score) 2. UCLA at Wisconsin 3. USC at Indiana 4. Michigan State at Ohio State 5. Iowa at Iowa State 6. Northwestern at Arkansas 7. Purdue at Minnesota 8. Syracuse at Illinois 9. Georgia at Clemson 10. Harvard at Columbia 11. Georgia Tech at Florida 12. Florida State at Nebraska 13. Grambling at SMU 14. Vanderbilt at Mississippi State 15. North Carolina at Miami (Ohio) 16. Alabama at Kentucky_ 17. Tuskegee at Morris Brown 18. Reno Nevada at Cal Poly SLO 19. Macalester at Gustavus Adolphus 20. DAILY LIBELS at Cincinnati Moel- ler RYOU. PORT- 1B YSc Ie Bic ycle. Jim s NOW,( Sunday 1 Brunch AND Beautiful Pastries &YCe OPEN 7 DAYS Sunday 11:00a.m.-10:00p.m. Mon-Sat 11:00 a.m.-Midnight 1301, S. University m " I WE'RE ROUTING FO DETROIT-METRO AIl "Sketches Of Seam