Page 8- The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, January 15, 1986
Keepj g s cool: Icer Bill Brauer keeps a low profile
. *despite his pro appeal and popularity
By SCOTT G. MILLER
No one will ever accuse Bill Brauer
of being the next Bobby Orr. He has
scored only 32 points in his career in-
cluding one goal this season. But that
doesn't mean the senior defenseman
can't contribute to the Michigan
hockey team.
Every team needs a player like
Brauer. "It is always good to have a
player like Bill on the team because
even when he isn't playing he is up for
the game," said team captain Frank
Downing. "He knows what motivates
people, and he gets them up for the
games."
BRAUER KEEPS his teammates at
ease much in the same way Sparky
Lyle did for the New York Yankees of
the late 1970's. "I don't think people
consider me too flakey," said Willy B.
as his friends call him. "But I do like
to joke around. I love being in the
locker room and. cracking jokes. I
realize I am not the most important
guy on the team."
"He keeps the atmosphere loose,"
says defenseman Todd Carlile.
"When the younger guys are upset he
usually says something to calm them
down."
The Edina, Minn. native's role on the
team this season has been to help the
new players due to his depleted ice
time. "Bill provides some direction
and leadership for the younger
players," said head coach Red
Berenson. "He mixes in very well,
and he is well thought of by all his
teammates."
THE SENIOR'S leadership has
been recognized off the ice.Brauer was
elected to Michigamua, a secret honor
society consisting of 23 seniors. Last
year's group elected this year's
members.
Like a good leader Brauer has ac-
cepted his role and is making the most
of it. "I am very happy with my role.
It is tough not getting as much ice
time as I would like. But I realize I am
a senior, and I am not ripping up the
league," said the veteran blue liner.
"Red has to get the younger guys in
and get them ready.
"I am happy to go up to a younger
guy and say, 'hey, you could have
done this or keep your chin up, things
will get better.' I have been through it
all. I don't give the freshmen a lot of
my pointers because I don't know if
that would be a good idea."
BESIDES accepting his role on the
team, Brauer has also realized he will
not achieve his childhood ambition of
playing for the National Hockey
League's Montreal Canadiens. Willy
B. was the Canadiens' twelfth round
draft choice, the second to last pick in
the 1982 draft. The Canadiens' selec-
tion was a compliment and a favor.
"A lot of guys can't say they were
drafted," commented Brauer. "I
think if I wasn't drafted I would
probably have people calling and
writing trying to sign me as a free
agent. I am pretty happy I don't have
to worry about that."
It is still tough to accept the end of a
childhood dream.
"LAST YEAR I realized that I am
not a superstar and that the chances
of my making it aren't that great. So I
started planning for something else.
Coach really helped me with that,"
said the economics major. "It is tough
to accept. I have been skating and
playing hockey for a long time. When
you have done it that long and
dreamed about playing
professionally, it is tough to see it
come to an end."
Brauer will never forget his ex-
perience at Michigan. "I am sure I
will be a forgotten man here soon as a
hockey player, but I will always
me it would not be as much fun."
Brauer has enjoyed playing the
game because he has adhered to some
advice he was given when he was
eight years old by former Minnesota
defenseman Ted Harris. "He told me
Bobby Orr was a great hockey player
because he never made excuses,"
said Brauer. "I try to keep that in
mind. You make a mistake and listen
to the coach and don't say this or
that."
4
0
'I think if I wasn't draf-
ted I would probably
have people calling and
writing trying to sign
me as a free agent. I
am pretty happy I
don't have to worry
about that.'
- Bill Brauer
U
remember the friends I have made,"
said the senior. "That has been what
is really enjoyable because if I was
scoring sixty goals and no one liked
Excuses aren't necessary for
Brauer's play. His contributions are
more valuable than any that appear
on the score sheet.
[
By Steve Wise
From h.ir...
... to eternity
Daily Photo by JOHN MUNSON,
Bill Brauer plays to an attentive group of Illinois-Chicago Flames in earlier CCHA action.
NEW CLASS FORMING:
Will combine research and experiential learning in a teamwork setting to
* aid disadvantaged children in the U.S. Students will be staff members of
the JAZZ FOR LIFE PROJECT. Opportunities will exist in media coordina-
tion, fund raising, research and concert promotion. Class will meet Tues- +
days, from 7-8:30 p.m.
SIGN UP AT PROJECT COMMUNITY: 2205 MICH. UNION
* C*
* CALL 763-3548.
SCORES
NCAA Basketball
Pittsburgh 71, Providence 70
Virginia 81, Penn 52
Missouri 55, Oklahoma State 51
NBA
Philadelphia 123, New Jersey 105
Atlanta 115, Sacramento 104
Portland 120, Cleveland 108
NHL
Winnipeg 5.Quebec 5
'VE BEEN a little dishonest with you the past few
weeks.
You see, that picture at the top of this column doesn't
exactly look like me. I look more like this other one and
it's all the fault of the Michigan basketball team.
Well, I suppose it's my fault too. You see a month or so
ago I needed a haircut but didn't have time. I jokingly said
I wouldn't cut my hair until the hoops
sqaud took a dive.
It was a joke. Just an offhanded
remark that I figured wouldn't matter as
soon as the team slipped up against
Georgia Tech or even a weak team.
The team, now 16-0, hasn't slipped, and
my hair has continued to grow with the
growth of the streak. After prodding
from roommates and friends and a vote
of the Daily sports staff, I've decided to
go public with this truly stupid gesture.
So...
Let it herewith be known to all who would know or
care, that I, Steve Wise, as a duly sworn writer of the
Michigan Daily, do solemnly swear on this 15th day
of January, 1985, that neither I nor anyone else wilt
lay scissors, razor, toenail clipper or any other cut-
ting device to my hair until such time as the Michigan
Wolverines are, defeated in a fairly
played game of basketball.
There. I did it. I've got to live with it,
and that won't be easy. I've already been
accused of looking like George Harrison,
which was cool, Donny Osmond, which
was not so cool, and Peter Brady,
which hurt.
I suppose the only solace is that if the
team gets into a hairy situation, they'll
know I'm in one too.
0
PART TIME EMPLOYMENT-- NIGHTS
The College of Literature, Science, and the Arts is interviewing
students interested in working for a fundraising telethon calling
LS&A alumni across the country. The telethon runs five nights
per week, Sunday through Thursday, February 2 through April
17 (excluding Spring Break). You work two of the five nights
available each week with some opportunity to work additional
nights.
Hours: 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. First Five Weeks
Hours: 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Last Four Weeks
Pay: $4.00 per hour
LS&A STUDENTS PREFERRED
CALL 763-5576 FOR AN INTERVIEW
The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity, Affirmative Action employer
Become a Daily photographer -
Get into concerts for free,
Go backstage and meet the stars,
Stand on the sidelines at U of M
football games,
Impress members of the opposite sex (or
the same sex, if you prefer).
" A4
Bo named
Sporting
News coach
of the year'*
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Bo Schembechler,
who steered Michigan to a 10-1-1
record capped with a 27-23 victory
over Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl, is
The Sporting News' college coach of
the year, the weekly publication an-
nounced yesterday.
Second-ranked Michigan's triumph
New Year's Day gave the Wolverines
their first 10-victory season since
1980. It was the 196th career success
for Schembechler, 56, who has
coached the Wolverines for 17 years.
Horford turned away
LEXINGTON, Ky.(AP)-Kentucky
basketball coach Eddie Sutton says
the Wildcats were flattered that stan-
dout Alfredo "Tito" Horford even
considered joining the program.
.4.'
.,4
But flattery didn't get Horford
anywhere in Lexington, and he was
told to look elsewhere for a college
education and a chance to play ball.
In a statement issued through the
school's sports information office
yesterday, Sutton said he learned
from Horford's lawyer that the 7-foot
1 native of the Dominican Republic C
wanted to attend Kentucky.
Action SportsWear
C AAOV #4 AO C enIffO
N