SPORTS
Wednesday, November 2, 1983
IM Football Playoff Sign-up
Thursday at Intramural Building
11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.
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I Dixon is pic
By RON POLLACK
Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler says that
Wolverine center Tom Dixon has a future in movies.
"I could put a highlight film together on Tom that
would knock your eyes out," Schembechler said.
"Action, " barks Schembechler, the film
producer. Dixon, the actor, springs into action,
vividly portraying a center. In scene 1, he buries
an opponent on a run block. In scene 2, he snaps
the ball flawlessly. In scene 3, he is seen
frustrating a defensive lineman who rushes quar-
terback Steve Smith in vain.
"Bravo, "shout the critics. "Four stars. An
Academy A ward caliber performance of a stan-
dout center."
One of the biggest fans of this film is Michigan offen-
sive guard Stefan Humphries. He has seen it hun-
dreds of times and never tires of it.
"Tom Dixon, in my estimation, is one of the best
centers in the nation," Humphries said. "Playing
next to him makes my job easier."
Schembechler walks out of the sneak preview
of his movie. He is beaming. He knows he has
produced a hit.
"In my honest opinion he's the best center we've
ever had," Schembechler said. "He's quicker than
(1980 Michigan All-America center) George (Lilja).
Whatever you want done he can do."
Not all the critics leave the sneak preview wan-
ting to see "The Tom Dixon Story" a second
time. Nonetheless, these reviewers grudgingly
admit that the film is an impressive portrayal of
how the center position should be played.
ture perfec
"Dixon is a tough blocker," Illinois defensive
tackle Don Thorp said. "He surprised us (last Satur-
day in the Fighting Illini's 16-6 victory). He did a
good job."
These glowing reviews, especially Schembechler's
are pretty heady stuff for Dixon who merely seeks to
turn in steady performances whenever he plays to
packed houses at football fields near you.
"Those are nice things to hear," Dixon said.
"There have been some pretty good centers here.
But you have to keep improving. My personal goal
has been consistency and you can't say you've
achieved that until the end of the year. The most
satisfying thing for me is consistency. You have to be
good day in and day out."
In this case, Dixon should feel overcome with
satisfaction. Not only has he been consistent this
season, but according to Schembechler, he has been
consistently outstanding - especially the last two
weeks, when he was the team's Offensive Champion.
"It seems like I am talking about Tom Dixon every
week regarding either the Champion of the Week or
Hustler of the Week," Schembechler said. "Tom was
our best player on the field Saturday against Illinois
as he continued to play outstanding football for us. I
certainly hope Tom does receive the recognition he
deserves for being one of the finest, if not the finest,
centers in the nation."
Flashback - Dixon is not the star of Schem-
bechler's movie. He is not the center of attention
He is not even the team's center.
"I was a guard until the spring before my
sophomore year," Dixon said. "Then I became a
center. It was a little bit awkward at first because
you have to snap the ball before you block. If you
don't snap it right everything else is irrelevant. Steve
Smith and I had some problems. It took Steve and I
some time to get coordinated."
But there is nothing wrong with Dixon's coor-
dination these days, especially after he has just
snapped the ball.
"He's got tremendous body balance and footwork you
just can't teach," Schembechler said. "He's just got
the perfect position. Sometimes with a taller kid you
can't get that position. And Tom has good physical.
strength, even though he's short (6-2)."
Although "The Tom Dixon Story" traces the.
immense success of the Ft. Wayne, Ind. native, it
also shows the human side of the senior. In
Michigan's loss to Illinois, tailback Kerry Smith-
is seen busting a 31-yard run early in the fourth'
quarter with the Wolverines desperately trying to=:
overcome a 14-6 deficit. For a moment, there is
burgeoning confidence for the Michigan players
because of this run. Hope quickly turns into"
despair, however, when it is learned that Dixon
has been called for holding and the play will be
called back.
"It was the type of thing that happens often," Dixon
said. "I came out and the linebacker had his arms
out. I brought my arms out and hooked inadvertan-
tly. It just happened. The ref was right there and
looking. That was disappointing. I felt bad about
that.
"I've been called for two holding penalties in three
years. What can I say? I've seen things much more
blatant, but the ref called it. The most disappointing
thing was that it came on a great play."
Indeed it did, but-any movie worth its weight has a
little conflict sandwiched in between rousing suc-
cesses. Such has been the case with "The Tom Dixon
Story."
at cente
Daily Photo by JEFF SCHRIER
Michigan center Tom Dixon may be the nation's best, according to coach Bo
Schembechler and fellow All-American lineman candidate Stephan Hum-
pries. Dixon is shown here ready to snap the ball to quarterback Steve
Smith against Indiana earlier this season.
.3
'M' STAR SHOOTING FOR OLYMPICS:
Ask the Fan
Do you think Michigan deserves to be
in a bowl game this year?
ETto plo
By DOUGLAS B. LEVY
Seizing control, setting the tempo and spurring a team to
perform at its highest level are rare qualities. They are the
qualities of an Olympian.
Eric Turner, the Michigan basketball team's talented point
ard, has these qualities and more. And come the summer
of 1984, Turner could be displaying his electrifying skills in
front of the world, as the United States Men's Basketball
Team attempts to capture the gold medal.
"JUST BEING considered is a tremendous honor," said
the junior from Flint. 'Playing in the Olympics is a once-in-a-
lifetime thing."
Turner's desire to compete in the
Olympics was strengthened last
summer, when he was a member
of the U.S. team that captured the
bronze medal at the World University
tames in Edmonton, Alberta.
"I see how important the Games are
to everybody, how important the in-
ternational competition is," said Tur-
ner. "Like when we played Canada in
the World Games, it was so intense for
the players and the people that were
there to watch."
INTENSE is a good word to
describe the competition for a guard
pot on the Olympic squad. But Tur-
e , who prides himself on being an
"original passer," is confident.
.In that particular sense (as a pas-
see'), I think I am the best point guard . .. dreamn
right now," said Turner. 'Now-a-days everybody can score,
but everybody can't make that great pass, and hit the open
mn consistenly. Passing is programmed into my game,"
said Turner.
INDEED, AS A freshman Turner led Michigan with 120
assists, and added another 160 last season. But, Turner has
,also been forced into the role of a scorer, which he believes
is helped his overall game. Turner scored 14.7 points per
game in his first year in the Big Ten, and 19.2 points per game
last season, which placed him third in the conference.
'I've had to learn how to score since I've been here and
that has helped my game a lot," Turner said. "It's easier for
a passer to become a scorer than for a scorer to become a
passer. ,
in
LA?
In addition to scoring and passing, however, the Olympic
selection committee is looking for athletes who are receptive
to coaching and discipline.
"ATTITUDE AND the ability to accept coaching. The
committee looks for players who are coachable and have
good attitudes," said Iowa head coach George Raveling, an
assistant coach for the Olympic Team.
"I've never seen (Turner) play. I've only heard about him.
He's got an excellent overall reputation," said Raveling.
"Eric is a prime basketball player," said Kim Anderson an
assistant coach at Missouri, who coached Turner at the World
University Games. "Eric performed very well for us. He was
a great asset to the team and contributed nothing but great
Things."
THE MOST important opinion on
the Olympic basketball scene,
however, is Indiana head coach Bob-
by Knight. Knight, who will be the
USA team's head coach, and the
selection committee will pick the
team from a pool of 50-60 of the
nation's top players next April.
"He's had a couple of things to say
to me personally," Turner said. "He's
pretty impressed with the things that
I can do.
in"Before one of the games we played
in Canada he came, into the locker
room and talked to us," the 6-3, 173-
pounder added. "Then he pulled me
off to the side and told me that he wan-
ted to see me make ever body else
play great. He just wanted to see me
ng of gold dominate the game.
He felt that I could do more things
than all the other ballplayers. He wanted to see me do the
things necessary to pick a team up, to control the tempo.
AND WHILE Turner said that he was flattered by Knight's
praise, he added that he sometimes dreams of leading a team
of the nation's best basketball players, and controlling the
tempo of the big game.
But even Olympic dreams take a back seat to preparing for
the upcoming Michigan season, according to Turner, who
added that his first priority is leading the Wolverines.
The significance of the Olympics is not, however lost in
Turner's family. "We're keeping our fingers crossed," said
Linda Turner, Eric's mother. "We're all very happy about
(Eric's career at) Michigan. It's been a dream come true.
The Olympics would be something extra special.
Sure, if a Big Ten team like Wisconsin went
last year with a 5-4 record, Michigan certainly
deserves to go this year.
Dan Berent
Michigan businessman
I don't think they deserve to be in a bowl
game, because Bo Schembechler is going to
live by Steve Smith and he's going to die by
him too.
Derek Coley
LSA junior
I don't think you can decide right now. If
they win the rest of their games and go 9-2,
they should make the Cotton Bowl. If not,
then maybe the Fiesta Bowl. If they lose two
more games then they dont deserve to go.
Monty Levy
First year law student
They are a good team and they deserve to
be in a Bowl game, but not the Rose Bowl.
they're just not as good as Illinois.
Joan Roesnstock
LS&A freshman
CMU 's Hnoskis buries spikers
By STEVE WISE
Joanne Hoskins earned her doctor of
volleyball degree last night, and the
clinic the Central Michigan University
junior put on left the Wolverine spikers
looking like a group of terminal patien-
ts.
Using her 32-inch vertical leap as a
scalpel, Hoskins cut up the Michigan
defense with the precision of a surgeon
and led the visiting Chippewas to a
three-game sweep, 15-12,15-5, and 15-6.
"(HOSKINS) IS an outstanding jum-
per," said Michigan head coach Sandy
Vong. "We tried to stop her by moving
our blockers, but as you can see, it
didn't do any good."
Hoskins, a 5-6 hitter, put the ball
around, over and through Michigan
blocks, collecting a total of 14 kills,
more than half the Wolverine team
total. Her two errors and .522 hitting
percentage (comparable to a baseball
batting average) show that she didn't
often miss either.
But lest anyone think Hoskins is only
an offensive player, her 15 digs topped
that defensive category, and her two
block assists were tops for CMU.
"SHE'S ALWAYS been an awesome
hitter," said Chippewa head coach
Marcy Weston, "but this was one of her
best all-around performances."
Gridde Picks
Weston also credited senior setter
Karen Bitz, who Weston said made the
rest of the CMU squad look good.
The match, according to Weston, was
a chance for the Chippewas to regain
some pride after a loss to Western
Michigan last week destroyed their
chance at the NCAA tournament.
"THIS WAS GETTING it back
together," Weston said. "I wanted the
starting lineup to get it in high gear and
keep it there."
The loss is Michigan's fourth straight
and drops the Wolverines to 15-13 on the
season. The losing streak has Vong
worried the Wolverines may have lost
their competitive spirit.
"Losing can be a habit,'' he said.
"Sometimes you can't snap out of it."
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if
SPORTS OF THE DAILY:
Freshman Bell saves stickers
By STEVE HUNTER
A lot of funny things happened yesterday in Michigan's
2-1 field hockey victory over Toledo.
For most of the first half the game seemed pretty normal,
turning into a defensive battle with a 0-0 score.
IN THE SECOND half, however, things got weird. For
starters the Wolverines pulled starting goalie Jonnie Terry
despite the fact that she had 3 saves and was playing well.
The reason was to give freshman Maryann Bell some ex-
erience in goal. But with the score 0-0?
According to Terry, however, "Maryann's perfectly
capable of playing in any of our games." As it turned out,
Terry was right. Bell looked good under pressure, making 5
saves and showing why, according to junior Lisa Schofield
"We (the team) have 100% confidence in Maryann."
The next strange thing to happen was when a baseball was
hit out of Ray L. Fisher stadium and onto the playing field.
(It was quickly removed and play did not stop.).
SOON AFTER THAT, Toledo, whose hard hitting and un-
dercutting of the ball kept both teams running all afternoon,
manaed to score when Rnoket iuinir Tis Whitmever gnt a
That brings up the last strange thing that happened. Senior
co-captain Kay McCarthy, playing her last game said, "It
was fun. I had a good time, but we have no advantage on this
grass (playing surface). Unfortunately we have all these
facilities and can't use them." Her discontent with the field
was echoed by several teammates.
Michigan closes out its season this Saturday in East Lan-
sing against Michigan State, and a victory coupled with a
Purdue loss would give the Wolverines (3-6 in the Big Ten)
third place in the conference.
Pistons 106, Bucks 93
Special to theDaily
PONTIAC - Bob Lanier's visit to Detroit certainly wasn't
a pleasant one.
Lanier, one of the all-time great Pistons and currently a
Milwaukee Buck floored Detroit's Bill Laimbeer with a roun-
dhouse left hook just before the first half ended in last night's
106-93 Piston victory over the Bucks.
"THE DOBBER," escaped both foul and ejection but he
Another campus group that is not too
successful at Griddes is the freshman
class. It takes the average freshman
four to five weeks to figure out that
Griddes is not an advertisement for
frozen waffles. It takes him or her
another two weeks to find Pizza Bob's
or the Daily, to turn in the actual picks.
Freshmen are so intimidated by all
the older students that they find them-
selves subconsciously picking
Youngstown State every week. They
like to pick USC because the trojan on
their helmets looks so much like the
stamp at Dooley's which they have
been trying to obtain for so long.
If you see freshmen who look con-
fused, stop for a second, help them
with their picks, and point them toward
the Daily or Pizza Bob's on S. State or
Church. Tell them to hurry, since even
a freshman's picks must be in by mid-
night Friday.
1. Purdue at MICHIGAN (pick score)
2. Illinois at Minnesota
3. Ohio State at Indiana
s N A
4. Michigan State at Northwestern
5. Iowa at Wisconsin
6. Pittsburgh at Norte Dame
7. Washington at Arizona
8. Arizona State at California
9. Oklahoma at Missouri
10. Stanford at Southern California
11. Alabama at Louisiana State
12. Maryland at Auburn
13. Georgia at Florida
14. East Carolina at Miami
15. Clemson at North Carolina
16. Colgate at Pennsylvania -
17. Holy Cross at Harvard
18. Prairie View at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
19. Southern Conneticut at Cal Poly-
San Luis Obispo
20. Purdue Trouble-Makers at DAILY
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