Women's Gymnastics vs. Bowling Green Crisler Arena Saturday, 2 p.m. The Michigan Daily SPORT S Tuesday, March 17, 1987 Men's Gymnastics vs. Michigan State and Air Force Crisler Arena Saturday, 2 p.m. Page 7 ,. Adamantly Speaking BY ADAM OCHLIS McLain's story reveals the problems in college athletics You read Gary McLain's words and shake your head, almost in disbelief. And so you read them again. And again. Sports Illustrated featured McLain's own account of his drug use . during his years as a basketball player at Villanova University (1981-1985) in this week's issue. He tells how he used drugs (predominantly cocaine) all the time. Before the games, during the games, after the games. He took drugs before Villanova's NCAA semi-final game against Memphis State. He didn't take them in the championship game against Georgetown, a game considered by many to be one of the best ever. But five days later when the team met thetPresident at the White House, McLain was "wired." So you sitethere, reading McLain's story that, if fiction, would be a best seller, wondering how this could happen. Not only how he got involved with drugs, but also how, when almost everyone knew of his problem, he still played for the national champion Wildcats. BUT ALL the blame can't be channelled to McLain. From his coach, Rollie Massimino, to the NCAA to the television networks, Gary McLain became a victim of the system. After reading the article numerous times, it becomes obvious that Massimino knew of 3x his star point guard's involvement with drugs. Twice, "Coach Mass" con fronted McLain about his rumored drug use. Twice, McLain denied the rumors. Even Rev. John P. Stack, the dean of students at Villanova, went to McLain about the allegations, and M again McLain denied them. Would a drug test have solved the real problem? I don't think so. Massimino is one of the nicest people you could ever meet. From his days as the basketball coach at my high school alma mater in Lexington, Mass., to his days at Villanova, Massimino sincerely cares about everyone he comes in contact with. But can you blame him for not drug testing McLain? COLLEGE SPORTS is a '.r big business, and not one athletic director in the country would deny it. Although said over and over, Massimrino it's true: the pressure to win is enormous, and those who can't win -at.,aonsistent leveltare.the unemployment line right in the face. Athletes make millions of dollars a year for their university, and the figure grows each time a conference signs a television contract. In this year's NCAA tournament, each round is worth $200,000 to the winner. We're talking big bucks. As much as Massimino " cared for McLain, it would be senseless for Massimino to turn him in. He couldn't win without McLain, and both parties knew it. "I figured he had too much to lose. After all, I was the star point guard. I figured he wouldn't want to risk losing me," McLain writes in the article - an article he received $40,000 for. "I honestly believe nothing ever came out of it not because he didn't have enough to go on, but because he had so much." This is why some coaches give players cars and women. This is why some boosters give recruits money, cars, and women. This is why some coaches give the parents of recruits money to pay back taxes in an attempt to get their son to commit to that university. Massimino had a lot to lose if he turned McLain in. It just happens McLain turned himself in, and now Massimino and Villanova are suffering the consequences. I in no way condone McLain's actions. I don't even know if his story is just that - a story. For $40,000, many people could be conned into doing almost anything. But that is not the point. The point is that college athletes and coaches in the major sports are used by the system. They are in a no-win situation to an extent. And the sad part is that there's nothing anyone can do about it. Drug testing at the tournament should help, but it still won't cure the problem. Cheating and drug abuse will continue in college sports as long as winning and money are the primary objectives. That's the way it always has been. That's the way it always will be. Blue suffers NCAA nightmare By KEN GOLDBERG For Michigan's track program, the NCAA Indoor Championships in Oklahoma City this past weekend consisted of one bad dream after another. A disqualification of Chris Brewster in the 3000 meter run and an error by meet officials, which seriously jeopardized the All- American hopes of the Wolverines 3200 m. relay team, led Brewster to call the meet "one crazy weekend." Despite setting a new personal record and recording the second fastest time ever for a Michigan runner, Kelli Bert's time of 2:45.50 in the 1000 m. run placed her fourth in her preliminary heat. The senior failed to qualify for the finals. In the 3000 m. preliminary trials, as Brewster and two other runners went for the tape, the Michigan senior bumped a competitor attempting to pass. Officials ruled that Brewster interfered and disqualified him from the finals, ruining the Ontario native's hopes for an indoor title. "Obviously a disqualification is a judgement call," said Brewster, "but traditionally when contact is incidental and at the end of a race, the officials let it slide. When you have the best milers in the nation pushing for All-American, contact is bound to occur." MICHIGAN'S relay squad of Matt Butler, Earl Parris, Rollie Hudson, and Omar Davidson was victim to an official error. On Friday, officials mistakenly placed the finish line in the eighth lane eight yards too far. They realized their mistake after all the preliminary heats had been run. Despite running in the extended lane, Michigan's squad had qualified for the final heat. Officials, however, decided to remedy the situation by running a timed final on Saturday. The Wolverines proceeded to set a new school record with a time of 7:22.40 seconds, just two seconds off the American record; to finish fifth in their final heat. Due to the timed trial, the faster times of Pittsburgh and Georgetown in an earlier heat pushed Michigan's Brewster ... disqualified at NCAAs standing down to seventh. Only the top six qualify for All-American. "The whole situation with the relay was unfair," said Michigan coach Jack Harvey. SPORTS OF THE DAILY: Wolverines clip Jayhawk wings, 15-3 From Staff Reports EDINBERG, Texas - Freshmen Rich Samplinski and Greg McMurtry led the Michigan baseball team to a 15-3 win yesterday over Kansas at the Citrus Tournament hosted by Pan American University. Samplinski, a third baseman, scored three runs and had five RBIs. Center fielder McMurtry had two hits and three RBIs. Sophmore Dave Peralta recorded his first collegiate victory in relief of starter Chris Lutz. The Wolverines (2-1) face St. John's and Miami of Ohio today. Lady divers make splash in Champaign Total domination! That's the only way to describe the women's diving squad's performance this past weekend at the NCAA diving regionals in Champaign, Ill. Collen Smith, Bonnie Pankopf, and Clara Trammell took the first through third spots, respectively, on the. three-meter board. Diver Carolyn Kennedy almost completed the domiiation, but she failed to make the cut, placing fifth overall. In the one-meter board, juniors Smith and Pankopf finished second and fourth, respectively, to qualify for the NCAA championships in Indianapolis this Thursday through Saturday. Biting at their heels were sophomores Amy Hansen (fifth) and Trammell (sixth). "(The women's diving squad) did a great job." said Michigan head coach Dick Kimball. "They competed well and were very close in placing more divers (into the Championships)." Junior Mary Fischbach will join Smith, Pankopf, and Trammell in Indianapolis. This past February, Fischbach qualified for the NCAAs in the one- and three-meter boards at the Big Ten championships. - ALVIN BORROMEO Men tumblers lose grip, fall to Illini Even though the Michigan men's gymnastics team had three new personal and season high scores in Saturday's meet at Crisler Arena, it still couldn't beat Illinois. The Wolverines started on pace to set a new season-high team score, but then faltered in the final event, the high bar. Michigan head coach Bob Darden was proud of the team in the early-going. "Our consistency was way up over our previous meets," said Darden. "I wish we could have rounded out the meet the way we started it, but we just didn't click. Normally, we have a 46-point high bar squad, but we dropped to a 43." Illinois won the meet with a 276.80 score. Michigan finished second with a 266.70 while Western Michigan was last with a 258.75. Michigan set numerous individual records. Steve Yuan set a personal best and a Michigan high score of 9.35 on pommel horse. Mitch Rose's score of 9.65 on the parallel bars and Ken Haller's 9.05 on the vault were both personal records. Michigan's Brock Orwig barely missed winning the meet all- around. Illinois' Tigran Mkchyan, who scored a 55.20, topped Orwig's 55.15. - PETER Q. ZELLEN LAZPRGRAPHICS " COPYING0 PRINTING U BINDING FORMS aiphOgraphIos' Printshops Of The Future COPIES Open 7Days GRAND OPENING SPECIAL 663-6816 715 N. UNIVERSITY (2nd Floor) Located at: S. STATE & N. UNIVERSITY olE CH Women tumblers roll past( By IAN RATNER Led by sparkling performances from sophomore Janne Klepek and junior Angela Williams, the Michigan women's gymnastics team rolled to its third-consecutive win in defeating Central Michigan, 178.75-174.55. "I'm pleased that we won," said Wolverine head coach Dana Kempthorn, "however, that wasn't our main concern. We were aiming for a 180.0 team score in order to qualify for the NCAA regionals (April 11)." Michigan captured first-place honors in each of the five events. Klepek, who has battled back from an injury-riddled freshman season, prevailed in the all-around, uneven E 1 Aippewas bars, and floor exercise. Williams, Michigan's top performer, continued her excellence this season with first-place finishes in the vault and balance beam. Despite the individual efforts, Kempthorn remains wary of the postseason tournaments. "We had some outstanding performance along with some unfortunate misses which cost us our 180.0 goal," said Kempthorn. "We can't afford anymore mistakes, especially with the Big Ten's coming up in two weeks." 'Michigan (9-5 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) must contend with Bowling Green this Saturday at Crisler before traveling to the Big Ten tournament, March 27-28, in Madison. ITTRIE FOR LSA REPRESENTATIVE IN THE MSA ELECTIONS TODAY and TOMORROW' in the FISHBOWI, UG L, and DORMS r r----------------------------------- UM Department of Recreational Sports WE NEED FUN-LOVING & ADVENTUROUS OUTDOOR PEOPLE FOR CAMP ADVENTURE COUNSELORS 0// ~/~Print or Type legibly in the space providec the copy as you woul, IILi nr i nni'.j J1, d NAME ADDRESS PHONE (ACTUAL SIZE OF AD) 1 I I I I Mail or Bring in Person with payment to: 420 Maynard Make checks payable to: The Michigan Daily $25YI$2