Haji-Sheikh puts best

The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 29, 1983-- Page 11
foot forward

By JOE EWING Two weeks ago, Haji-Sheikh booted a
Ais g o 30-yard field goal 3:38 into overtime to
'Ali Haji-Sheikh is getting a kick out of beat the Atlanta Falcons, 16-13.
New York, and the New York Giants "WINNING THE game felt pretty
are definitely getting a kick out of him. good," said Haji-Sheikh. "I knew I
Make that a few kicks. could do it."
$. THE FORMER Wolverine kicking The Arlington, Texas native was at it
sensation has been quite impressive again Monday night, kicking a 56-yard
since joining the Giants this year after field goal in the first half of the Giants
his four-year career at Michigan. In 27-3 victory over the Green Bay
four regular-season games with Packers. The field goal was a Giant
SNew York, Haji-Sheikh has been suc- record, as well as one of the longest
cessful on seven of eight field goal at- field goals in National Football League
tempts and made good on five of six ex- history.
tra points. "That's his longest one in com-
But those figures aren't the most im- petition," said Michigan quarterback
pressive things about Haji-Sheikh's coach Jerry Hanlon, who used to coach
performance so far. Most noteworthy kickers for the Wolverines. "He's got
are the situations in which he has per- the strongest leg I've ever seen on a
formed. guy."
IN ADDITION TO strength and last-
minute heroics, Haji-Sheikh has
brought something to the New York
Giants that became his trademark
while at Michigan - consistency.
In the Giants' season-opening loss to
+.the Los Angeles Rams, the soccer-style
A < kicker missed a field goal and extra
point. Since then he has kicked seven-
straight field goals and converted seven
consecutive extra points.
"I think he was a little nervous,"
claimed Giants' special teams coach
Romeo Crennel. "He had a case of the
first-game jitters. Since then he's
really kicked well. He's really been
consistent."
HAJI-SHEIKH established himself as
Mr. Consistency at Michigan during his
junior and senior years, when he kicked
a team and Big Ten record 76 extra
points in a row.
Hr"It's something Istook pridein," said
Haji-Sheikh. "It showed consistency
and concentration, and those things are
what's most important in being a.
C kicker."
The loss of Haji-Sheikh's ability and
experience has created a considerable
void in the Michigan lineup, and
Above, former Wolverine, Ali Haji- replacing him has been a problem for
Sheikh looks on with teammate and pre- the Wolverines.
season rival kicker Joe Danelo (left). "I THINK THE people who are there
At right, Haji-Sheikh shows the formt "reTHIpKbTE peplecing me "hsre
thatmad himtheGiats' taringare capable of replacing me," said
that made him the Giants' starting Haji-Sheikh. "They all can kick, it's
kicker and put Danelo out of a job. just a matter of getting confidence."
During his Michigan career, Haji-
Sheikh established Wolverine records
for extra points, with 117 (in 120 attem-
Daily Photos by JEFF SCH RIER' pts) and field goals with 31. He was also

consistent in kicking the ball out of the
endzone on kickoffs.
"I told everybody when he came in
here that he could be one of the best
kickers in the country," said Hanlon.
CRENNEL SAID, "We knew that he
was a good kicker and had a lot of
ability. That's why we drafted him.
He's a good' kicker and we felt we
could give him a chance."

goals and one extra point in New York's
22-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
New York's other six points in the con-
test were scored by Haji-Sheikh's for-
mer teammate, Butch Woolfolk.
Haji-Sheikh is as happy being with
the Giants as they are having him.
"I WAS PRETTY pleased being draf-
ted by the Giants because they're such
a class organization," he said.
He also likes life in the NFL.
"The attitude is a little more relaxed
in practice during the week in the pros
than in college," he added. "The
coaches aren't right over your shoulder
yelling at you. You do what you're sup-
posed, you produce or you're gone. It's
all production."
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"(Giants head coach Bill Parcells)
told me I would get a chance," said
Haji-Sheikh. "And that's what he gave
me."
That chance appears to have paid off.
Haji-Sheikh was selected by the Giants
in the ninth round of the NFL draft in
April. However, he managed to
ovecome being a late draft selection
and beat out New York's veteran kicker
Joe Danelo in the pre-season.
"I THINK (beating out Danelo) was a
combination of, number one, I was as
good kicker as he was, and that I had a
strong pre-season," Haji-Sheikh said.
That strong pre-season was
highlighted by Haji-Sheikh's five field

MICHIGAN STUDENT ASSEMBLY
IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
ON
RECREATIONAL SPORTS
Interviews Are Being Conducted on Monday, Oct. 3
in the MSA Offices on the Third Floor of the Union
Please fill out applications and sign up for interviews in the lobby
of the MSA offices.
If there are any scheduling problems, please leave a note
in Susan Povich's mailbox.

Intramu
By SHARON D'ANDRETA
"Hey ref, are you blind? That call was
pathetic."
On the playing field of any sporting
vent one almost always hears a com-
plaint about the officials. The In-
tramural Department gets its share of
complaints, too.
IN ORDER to ensure a qualified staff
f officials, Moby Benedict, Assistant
Director of Recreational Sports, holds
training sessions with his staff before
each sport begins. While some of his
staff have been officiating for up to six
years, the majority are inexperienced.
rcause of this, Benedict begins his
gaining sessions at the basic level.
"It's like teaching," Benedict said.
"You must start with the basics, the
mechanics, the rules for survival."
Benedict also feels that an official
never stops learning.
"There isn't any way to teach

ral officials
everything in three fidence speeches
sessions," Benedict said. "We can't "When someone
turn out great officials in three days." say 'Hey, that's ti
BENEDICT evaluates his staff As a field su
regularly and holds clinics between backs up her off
games to work out rough edges. "We're complaint I usua
not looking for great officiating. We're (the official) is lei
looking for constant improvement a chance," she sa
every time out," Benedict said. Benedict emph
Bill Mitchell, a first-year graduate
student, feels he is a qualified official as
this is his fifth year. During this time,
he has had his share of arguments. All week head I
"If you make a controversial call you Sam Wyche has
are going to get an argument," Mitchell his team looked s
said. "But most of the people are out losing attitude ina
here for the fun." thwestern last w
WHEN SHELLY McNamara, now a has it that manyc
field supervisor, began as an official were upset and
she felt she wasn't that good. But she getting their Dail
was helped by the confidence that time.
Benedict had in her. -Don't make the;
"You learned the rules and fellow Big Ten cou
procedures and Moby gave you con- to get your pick
Friday. There
located at Pizza B
za Bob's Midtown
Daily on 420 Mayn
1. Indiana vs MIC
2. Iowa vs Illinois
3. Michigan St. vs
4. Minnesota vs 0.
5. Wisconsin vs N
6. NortheCarolina
7. Southern Cal vs
8. Vanderbilt vs T
9. Virginia vs Ma
10. Florida St. vs
11. Stanford vs Ar

onl
s," McNamara said.
argued with me, I'd
he way I saw it.' "
pervisor McNamara
icials. "When I get a
ally tell them that he
arning and to give him
id.
hasizes that a human

* human
element should be taken into con-
sideration.
"These officials are students first and
don't have a lot of time to spend
studying rule books," Benedict said.
He tries to pair up good officials with
inexperienced ones, but with so many
games going on at once this is not
always possible.

Students, you are cordially invited
to meet
President and Mrs. Shapiro
at the
President's Reception
on the Patio
at -
The Michigan Union
Thursday, September 29, 1983
Refreshments served 3-5pm
Hosted by
The Michigan Union Board of Representatives
UNION


GRIDD E
ndiana football coach
been wondering why
so bad and had such a
its game against Nor-
eekend. Well, rumor
of the Indiana players
dejected about not
ly Gridde picks in on
same mistake as your
unterparts and be sure
s in by midnight on
are Griddes boxes
Gob's on State St., Piz-
n and at the Michigan
ard St.
CHIGAN (pick score)
Purdue
)hio St.
orthwestern
vs Georgia Tech
s. South Carolina
'ulane
ryland
Auburn
rizona St.

PICKS
12. Army vs Harvard
13. Brigham Young vs UCLA
14. Eastern Carolina vs Missouri
15. Florida vs LSU
16.Notre Dame vs. Colorado
17. Boston U. vs Colgate
,18. Norwich vs. Coast Guard
19. Mankato St. vs Augustana
20. Indiana Panty Hosers vs Daily
Libels

MON

RENT A
REFRIGERATOR
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973-6587
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Daily Photo by TOD WOOLF
IM Umpire Tim Owen watches a pitch intently before making the call.

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