SPORTS Page9 The Michigan Daily Wednesday, October 12, 1983 Good/bad times for Sincich By RON POLLACK Wolverine junior middle guard Al Sincich has experienced both good times and bad since coming to Michigan. The bad times came recently. THE DATE WAS January 4, 1983 and Sincich was still smarting along with the rest of the Michigan squad from a 24-14 Rose Bowl loss to UCLA. But from that day on, this defeat would be pain- fully insignificant for Sincich. His parents were driving to Milwaukee, Wis. that day and his father fell asleep at the wheel of the car. In the crash that followed, Sincich's mother was killed. "It was a real catashtophe," Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler said. THE TRAGEDY, SINCICH said, has served as a motivating force for him as a football player. "I think after she passed away, I tried to play better," Sincich said. "I tried to make my father proud of me. Ever since my freshman year he's been proud of me and I just like to do my best for him." Ever since Sincich's freshman year in 1981, his father has had good reason to be proud of him. The younger Sincich started his first year at Michigan as the team's sixth-string middle guard, but took over the starting duties against Northwestern in the seventh game of the season and has been a fixture there ever since. On the playing field, at least, Sincich has experienced good times. "I REALLY HAD doubts when I was sixth string," Sincich said. "But I just went in with the attitude that I wanted to play. I gave it everything I had on the demo squad and it paid off." The hustling, scrapping style of play that vaulted Sincich into the starting lineup has continued to be a trademark of his. Schembechler said that Sincich is no prima donna who has been spoiled by the success of being a starter. "He's a competitor," Schembechler said. "He comes off the field exhausted because he's been fighting so hard. It's not that he's out of shape." IT WASN'T ALWAYS so, however. "When I first came here I was really out of shape," Sincich said. "I never ran in high school. I learned quickly that at Michigan you run a lot. Now I'm in the best shape ever. At middle guard you have to go all out." It is through this all-out, battle-until- you-drop philosophy that Sincich tries to make up for his physical drawbacks. At 6-1, 222 pounds he is no gridiron behemoth. "IT WOULD BE nice to weigh more so I wouldn't be tossed around," Sincich said. Tossed around isn't even the word for it. Because of the demands of his position, there are times where Sincich finds opposing players lining up to try to pound him into submission. "In high school I played tackle and only one guy would touch you," Sincich said. "Now at middle guard you have one guy come at you, then another, then another. It's like they're after you." BUT DOES Sincich complain? Does he moan about the fact that he sacrifices his body in order to free linebackers, allowing them to roam, make the majority of the team's tackles and steal his thunder? No and no. In fact, he wouldn't have it any other way. "I THINK I get enough glory," Sin- cich said. "My glory is just playing, especially at my size. It's good enough for me. "I'm surprised right now I'm in the situation I'm in. I look around and see bigger and stronger guys. I feel for- tunate to even be playing." Yes indeed, Sincich may have suf- fered through a horrible tragedy, but he's know his share of good times as well. Sincich ..overcomes odds n .,J... ..J .......h .... ..... .. .. .r . .. ............ .......%..............:::}:: v: v:%{n}}:{"':":?:i .r..." ': v;}:: ":::: ...... ... ..n.. tt: .: r ....t ... .. r:..r .. .. ..r r., .............. f. .. r . .%Yf , r. 4n.. , .. {...... .. 4:. .r ... . ..t ".. ..r ..tr".Y Y.Y .%. Vr.. :{r. ..S .. {.. ".V"V:fy:.jv,:.}:"}y. ":. 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"fi:: :vhv: }::: v:::::: r:::}:::::.:v: .}'}':" :n:tth.:: rrn.Y:: J:h "::4.:t r. .: .. .. .JJ ..... .tt .. ?.. .Y: v.f. v. :. ,.. :rr .. rr' r. .. ...r .} r. ..... tr... ....,.r ""."r:::.n: ..... 3 '?^:.C", " .\'' '":".,?i'r: :..}.?'v.":lv.w:.Y.rh{?v..l.".{.......n.....Y.v:x:......,. ,..:::......J.,..n:...{{n...h,}S+r^..s .. t{.."C:rt:.n.:} r...$ /.....{"X..{"....,..........v.....J::::....: ................n..............................................J..:":{{{{C"}?w......... ... .r .. ..<1.. kSpikers topple' Eastern in three By< STEVE WISE and BARB McQUADE Even though the Michigan volleyball team came out on top in its second match of the season against Eastern Michigan University last night in Ypsilanti, Wolvering senior Sue Rogers didn't think she and her teammates actually won the contest. "I don't think we did anything extraordinary," said Rogers. "I think they beat themselves." IT ONLY TOOK Eastern about an hour to lose, 15-9, 15-7, 15-11, and to raise Michigan's overall record to 13-7. Although the non-conference match might seem to serve as a good tune-up for the rest of the Big Ten season, Michigan head coach Sandy Vong says he doesn't think it will. "We treat matches like this as separate (from conference play), Vong said, "because most Big Ten teams use a dif- ferent attack." Despite running up a 6-2 leading game on, the Wolverines looked slow. Michigan's poor concentration and Eastern's dumps (dinks on the second hit) gave the Hurons their first lead at 9-8. Michigan's play was sloppy with players ap- parently not talking and getting in each other's way. Communicating, however, was not the problem according to senior Barb Bensing. "THE COMMUNICATION was there," said Bensing. "The intensity wasn't there." But Michigan soon found its intensity in the form of seven-. straight Rogers serves to finish off the game. Michigan again found intensity in the second game as sophomore Jennifer Hickman took charge, leading Michigan out of a 3-3 tie by serving five-straight points. Game three saw Eastern dink, dump, and drive its way to a 9-2 lead and also saw Michigan return to'itslethargic ways. The Wolverines got a shot in the arm from sophomore Kim. Edwards when she came in off the bench to serve three consecutive points. Michigan proceeded to tie the game at 9- 9. The momentum stayed on Michigan's side as it went on to win the game, giving up only two more points the rest of the way. "In game three, when they started serving tough, we had trouble," said Vong. "We were tough, though. We put on a spurt at the right time.,, Vong said the Wolverines had trouble adapting to the Huron's fieldhouse, in which accoustics, lighting, and flight of the ball were different from most smaller gyms. Vong said the biggest problem in Michigan's defense, or lack of it, was against the dump. "We never really defended that particularly well," said the Wolverine mentor. "A coach has got to be concerned about that.'' "Almost every time they dinked, it was a point for them." Defense will probably be the focal point of this week's prac- tice sessions as the spikers gear up for the Texas Classic this weekend in Austin, Texas. By RON POLLACK Michigan outside linebacker Tom Hassel has been named Midwest Defensive Player of the Week by the United Press International. The award was unexpected by Hassel who was only credited with three tackles against Michigan State this past Saturday. "I'M PRETTY happy with this season, but I was surprised I was elec- Pidlies edge Orioles, 2-1 BALTIMORE (AP) - Garry Maddox led off the Philadelphia eighth inning. with a home run to break up a World Series pitching duel between John Den- ny and Baltimore's Scott McGregor and give the Phillies a 2-1 victory over the Orioles in Game One last night. The game was attended by 52,204 in- cluding President Reagan and played at times in a light drizzle. It matched two of the finest pitchers in baseball but it was decided in a battle of home runs. Baltimore's Jim Dwyer, one of the Orioles' platoon players, belted a first inning homer and oldtimer Joe Morgan tied ifin the sixth for the Phillies. ted UPI Player of the Week," Hasse said. Hassel was named the Wolverines' Defensive Champion of the Week the first two weeks of the season, but says he has plenty of room for improvement. "Right now the teams we've been playing have been passing a lot," Hassel said. "They haven't been run- ning as much as I'd like them to because I think I can improve more on the running game than I have a chance to on the passing because I'm not on the pass defense that much." ANN A RBOR' INDIVIbUAL THEATRES 5th Ave at liberty 761-97OO $2.00 WED. SAT. SUN. SHOWS BEFORE 6 PM EXCEPT "NEVER" $3,00 SEAN CONNERY N DOLBY AA~DJ~STERO OUUAttltR~w caaTHURS. 7:40, 10:00 WED.12:40,3:00,5:20,7:20,10:00 " HURRY! ENDS THURS. JC UE (:AT JND CHRISTIE i A UNIVERSAlCLASSIC )JS ' j THURS. 7:15. 9:30 WED. 12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:15, 9:30 Junior Al Sincinch, starting middle guard for the Wolverines, jars the ball loose from a Washington State player, during this year's season opener. UPI honors Hassel .. . . ..:... ... ". : ..- v .. . " .: .. v.. ,. .::" '.": v.": ::.w :"vx -~v .+ : -:)-f:::}:.:{:}"v .}3" "} :...,r, :",. t, ;r ,: . . C: { : { Y " . ,:".,.:.. .... . ^ "r ",.N . :t~vh. f. ....3.. .$$::}:".. .:.r "::"""i);." "3t a. :';: .' . ' .. . ,rr .: A sk.... ..r.. . :. ..th e F a n:4}}}}:.{,f}:;. { , ::{. Michigan's Board of Intercollegiate Athletics has voted to support a proposal in which freshman athletes PAUL FLEURANGES, Residential College senior I think it's a good rule because you get a lot of freshman athletes who come to a big school and want to play. They put more em- phasis on their playing than their schooling....Give them a chance to get acquainted with school. Digger Phelps does that at Notre Dame. He doesn't let his basketball players play their first semester. They'll have four years of eligibility. There's no big rush. CHRIS KOLB, Alumnus ('83) It's not a great rule. If you're going to work, practice, take all the time away from studying, you might as well play on Saturday. would be banned from varsity com- rule is supposedly an effort to improve petition, even though they could con- academics among student-athletes. Do tinue to practice with their team. The you think the proposal is a good idea? IZZY RASKIN, Residential College seniorv I think it's a bad rule because first of all college players have only four years to play. If they're practicing, but not getting any in- put into the game...they're not getting any experience of actually playing under pressure in the game.... I think it's really unfair to the players. The pressure's not really off because they have to be at the practice, have to be at the game, have to be at the meetings. I think: it's really ridiculous. VAL HARRIS, LSA Senior I suppose that's fair. It's so rare that a really good freshman comes along in the first place. The ones that have been on the team the sophomores and juniors - should have more of a chance above the freshmen. GRIDDE PICKS U U It looks like Thomas Monaghan, Domino's Pizza tycoon, has given up his fight to buy out Pizza Bob's. Monaghan wanted to buy out Pizza Bob's thinking he could get free inside tips on Griddes picks from the Daily. It seems that Monaghan is tired of eating his own Domino's Pizza and wanted desperately to get a chance to eat a free pizza from Pizza Bob's. Monaghan swore revenge, however, upon hearing that the Daily does not divulge its football expertise (yes, there is some football expertise at the Daily. If you-look very, very, very hard at the coverage of our football beat you'll find the slightest trace of expertise. It can be hard to find, but it's there). HELL-BENT ON carrying out this vendetta, he bought the Detroit Tigers claiming to the many fa'*hful (lord minor leaguer to be named later (Editor's note: don't go to so much trouble, Tom. Just keep the team in- tact, put Kirk Gibson in the outfield and you'll never win a pennant). Here at the Daily, we refuse to knuckle under to this pressure. If Monaghan wants to win Griddes, he has to send his picks, sans the expertise of our staff, to either the Daily office on Maynard St. or the two Pizza Bob's stores in town. Deadline is midnight Friday. 1. Northwestern at MICHIGAN 2. Ohio State at Illinois 3. Michigan State at Indiana 4. Purdue at Iowa 5. Wisconsin at Minnesota 6. Tennessee at Alabama 7 Arznn anta eat nthern Cal Ze Seateu A COLLEGE SENIOR ENGINEER PROGRAM You can devote your talents to being a full-time student your last twelve months of school. That's just the beginning: Guaranteed full-time employment as an engineer with a leader in space age technology. Begin accruing vacation time while you are still in schoo_. Programmed pay increases. Prerammed oromotions.