Women's Volleyball vs. Iowa Friday, 7:30 p.m. IM Building SPORTS Wednesday, October 7, 1987 Field Hockey vs. Northwestern Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Tartan Turf The Michigan Daily Page 9 Dv-I -W S j rat *Fullback Phil Webb worships -Di 11W tra' ""'his hi gh and mighty coach Bo By RICK KAPLAN Old-time Ann Arbor football fans tell a joke about the college-football fan who died and went to heaven. An angel showed him the first room, where a crumpled old man stood scrawling X's and O's on a chalkboard. "I know who that is," the fan said. "That's legendary coach Amos Alonzo Stagg." In the next room was a man in a bear-skin jacket, looking down on a football practice from a tower. "I know who that is," the fan said. -p "That's legendary coach Bear Bryant." The angel led the fan to another room, where a man in a maize and blue jacket, holding a headset in his hand, stood screaming at a referee. "I know who that is," the fan said. "That's legendary coach Bo Schembechler." "No," said the angel. "That's God. He only think's he's B o Schembechler." Michigan fullback Phil Webb understands that story. He too equates Schembechler with God. Webb's regard for the Wolverine head football coach runs so high that "I guess I put him up there with God," he said. The fifth-year senior chose to attend Michigan for one reason - Schembechler. "All through junior high and high school, I heard great things about him," Webb said. "I heard that Bo Schembechler had done this, and he was the first coach to do that. "Michigan is Bo Schembechler. If you go here, you become one of Bo's boys. I've always wanted to become one of Bo's boys." Webb is one of Bo's best boys this season. After four years of spot 'Michigan is Bo Schembechler. If you go here, you become one of Bo's boys. I've always wanted to become one of Bo's boys.' - Phil Webb Michigan State coaching staff while still in high school. Spartan head coach George Perles heavily recruited the 6-1, 202-pound running back. Perles went to see Webb play in high school and personally visited his home. "It was George Perles' first year," Webb said. "He was coming to change the whole state's outlook. It was going to become a Michigan State-owned state." The Spartan brass told Webb he would play for Michigan State im- mediately. Michigan, having an abundance of experienced backs, would not make that promise. Both Webb's father and his high-school coach pushed for him to choose Michigan State. Webb chose Michigan anyway. "If I went to Michigan, even if I didn't ever play, I would become a different kind of man," Webb said. "Bo changes you, even if you don't play at all. He has an effect on you unlike any coach I've ever heard of, even the great ones like Bear Bryant and Joe Paterno." Schembechler had his biggest effect on Webb last Tuesday, when the coach spent a day in the hospital for kidney-stone treatment. "When he didn't show up for practice, I was really down," Webb said. "It's undescribable the way I felt. 'God, he's gone. I can't believe it.' "The entire time I've been (at Michigan), he's never missed a practice. Usually the players are the ones who miss practice. But when the head coach misses practice, it's an eerie feeling." Schembechler returned the next day, but Webb could not return to form. "I was nervous," Webb said. "It had been a long time since I dropped a pass, and as soon as he came back, I dropped two. He got on me." duty, the Romeo, Mich., native is finally getting his chance to start in the Wolverine backfield. He is the lead blocker for Heisman Trophy- candidate tailback Jamie Morris. Webb has gained 85 yards on 19 carries this season. Personal accomplishments are secondary to Webb. Playing for Sch'embechler is his main concern. "When I came back this fall, there was still some indecision about who was going to start at fullback," Webb said. "I decided I was going to make him play me. I just worked so hard. Finally, he respected me. That's one of the things I always wanted to do, gain his respect." Webb gained the respect of the Daily Photo by SCOTT LITUCHY Fifth-year senior Phil Webb has rushed for 85 yards this season. TIGERS CAN'T AFFORD TO UNDERESTIMATE MINNESOTA: Knicks sign Pistons' Green MINNEAPOLIS (AP) parlay seems to be Frank V the Minnesota Twins' hom advantage. "To have a legitimate sho got to do well here," Vi yesterday. Viola, the Twins' 17- hander, will face Doyle Ale Detroit's 9-0 right-hander, (8:30 p.m.) when the twc begin the American League p k: Viol - The The AL West champion Twins iola and had baseball's best home record in ie-dome 1987, 56-25, but they had the worst road record of any division or t, we've pennant winner in history, 29-52. ola said The Tigers, meanwhile, were tied with Toronto for the best road record 10 left- in the league, 44-37, and they were exander, 4-2 this season at Minnesota. tonight "Viola gives the Twins a o teams legitimate chance in a seven-game playoffs. series because he can win two games apDoee for you by himself," Tiger manager Sparky Anderson said. In the best-of-seven format, the first two games will be in Minneapolis tonight and tomorrow night. The teams will take Friday off, and games three, four, and five are set for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday at Tiger Stadium. The teams would return to Minnesota for the final two games, if necessary. Viola actually could get three starts if the series goes the distance. "The way I see it, we have two advantages," Viola said. "First, we're not expected by anybody to do anything. And second, we've got four games at the dome, and we have the best home record in baseball. "The only problem is the Tigers do pretty well here, too." "No predictions," Tiger designated hitter Bill Madlock said, "because the Twins have a great club with some very good ballplayers." And that is what the Minnesota players are hoping to prove. "We're here," Viola said, "and now people can get to know us a little bit. That's all we wanted. The emotion is starting to come out now." Viola had an up-and-down 1986 season, finishing with a 16-13 record and a 4.51 ERA. This year, Viola abandoned his slider and relied on a fastball and changeup to post the second-best ERA in the league, 2.90. NEW YORK (AP) - Forward Sidney Green signed a free-agent offer sheet with the New York Knicks yesterday and can join the NBA team in 15 days if his previous team, the Detroit Pistons, fails to match the offer. "We are testing the free-agent waters," Knicks General Manager Al Bianchi said. "Sidney Green was one of the best power forwards available in the free-agent market. Rebounding is an area we need help in and we're excited at the prospect of Sidney Green playing for the Knicks." Under the right-of-first-refusal free agent system in the NBA, the Pistons can either match 'the 'offer and keep Green, waive the right to match the offer in exchange for compensation from the Knicks or do nothing and let New York have him. FULL PRIVILEGE ADULT NAUTILUS CLUB MEMBERSHIP ONLY $75.00 DOWN AND $20.00 A MONTH. ANN ARBOR 'Y' 350 S. FIFTH AVE. 663-0536 Green averaged 7.9 points and 8.2 rebounds in 80 games for the Pistons in 1986-87. He was a starter at the beginning of the season, but saw less playing time as the season progressed because of t h e development of rookies Dennis Rodman and John Salley. The Knicks said they were impressed with Green's average of 12.8 rebounds per game projected over 35 minutes. In four years in the NBA with Chicago and Detroit, Green has averaged 8.8 points and 6.7 rebounds. HEALTH FITNESS (~ What's Happening Recreational Sports " LAST DAY TO SIGN UP FOR IM TOUCH FOOTBALL 11 am-4:30pm Intramural Sports Building " ALL CAMPUS TENNIS TOURNAMENT MEN AND WOMEN SINGLES PRIZES AWARDED! TOURNAMENT DATES: SAT., OCTOBER 10 and SUN., OCTOBER 11 at Palmer Tennis Courts ENTRIES DUE: TODAY! OCTOBER 7 4:30 p.m. Intramural Sports Building 4 GEAR UP FOR FALL AND LET LARRY HELP. JacksnAe Snext to Captol Cleanes Liberty St. Larry's Bike & Mower Shop 2306 W. Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103 QQA5.1;K HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 10-6 "' r Rent a Car from Econo-Car OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK _- ,. ,, ,. WE RENT TO 19 YR. 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