Page 10 - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, October 27, 1988
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THE SPORTING VIEWS
BY ADAM BENSON
The 24 happiest baseball players over the winter
months are those with World Series rings. Despite all
the hype that goes with a world championship team, the
league Most Valuable Player gets more.
The MVP may not play with the champions, but the
player's contributions are more significant than any
other's. When his team needed something, he did it;
when he couldn't, he died trying.
This year, the American League will chose Oakland
Athletics outfielder Jose Canseco with Boston Red Sox
outfielder Mike Greenwell a distant second. The National
League's possibilities are Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder
Kirk Gibson and pitcher Orel Hershiser.
The writers who cover baseball throughout the season
will consider a player's special impact on that season or
maybe leadership and character during a team's pennant
drive.
GEORGE BELL had an amazing season in 1987.
His numbers alone made him a worthy MVP choice.
In 1986, Roger Clemens had a great season, which
included a 19-strikeout effort in a May game against
Seattle. Some writers felt this performance helped the
Red Sox gain the momentum which propelled them to
the 1986 World Series.
In 1979, Willie Stargell also helped his Pittsburgh
Pirate team into the fall classic. 'Pops' had a less-than-
spectacular year, but he was the team catalyst. When the
Pirates need that extra spirit, Stargell gave it to them.
Writers agree that there are many other things that
determine other than just statistics.
"In 1986,I voted for Gary Carter," said Joe Goddard of
the Chicago Sun-Times, who will have a vote in this
year's NL MVP balloting. "Carter produced that year,
but I made my decision based on the way he guided the
luggers head list
>f MVP favorites
Mets pitching staff. They had a young staff, but he
helped them all have great seasons."
BOSTON HERALD'S Joe Giuiliotti said: "The
player has to be on a contender. If he's not, then how
valuable can he be? After that, I vote strictly by the
numbers, nothing else."
Vern Plagendorf, the Tiger reporter for the Booth
newspapers chain said: "To me, its not the best stats that
determines the MVP. I vote for the player that
contributes most to a players success. If they get
bunched together, I give it to the player whose team is of
championship caliber, because they are under more
pressure."
Keeping this in mind, Canseco should win the AL
award easily. The Athletics' right fielder may have had
the most dominant season of any player in the 1980s. He
is the first player to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases
in a season. Canseco hit 27 homers that either tied
games or put the Athletics ahead.
The National League is not so clear. The leadership
factor gives a slight edge to Gibson. In 1987, the Dodger
were called cry babies who would sit to heal minor
injuries and let internal conflict interfere with their play.
Gibson has scared the babies into manhood. The
Dodger slugger was a definite threat to opposition.
Pitchers could not afford to work around Steve Sax and
Mike Marshall because of the threat posed by Gibson.
His strong offense allowed the Dodgers to trade
malcontent Pedro Guerrero for John Tudor, a capable and
much-needed pitcher.
Gibson was the most noticeable improvement on a
team that went from 78 wins in '87 to 94 wins and a
world championship in 1988. While Hershiser's strong
finish will make the vote close, Gibson had convinced
some writers that he deserved the MVP before September
began.
0
Associated Press
Practice made perfect for Oakland's Jose Canseco, the odds-on favorite to win Jhis year's
American League MVP award. The right fielder set a major-league record by becoming the
first player to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a season.
I
1
THE SPORTING VIEWS
Lions just a few dreams
away from Super Bowl
BY JAY MOSES
I can see it now...
One of these weeks, and I swear, this is just
around the corner, there's going to be a change
around here.
You're going to see the new and improved
Detroit Lions. And they're going to be so good,
they just might win the Super Bowl.
The transformation is going to happen from
the top down.
William Clay Ford, the Lions' owner, is
going to open his pocketbook and get every
player the Lions need. But he won't have to do
much.
I can see it now.
DARRYL ROGERS, the Lions' head
coach, will be brilliant. He'll make all the right
calls. He'll be inspirational to the team and to
the entire state of Michigan. He'll be witty and
eloquent with reporters. He'll be Don Shula, Bill
Walsh, and Chuck Knox all rolled into one.
Chuck Long, the Lions' quarterback, will be
masterful. He'll bounce back from all of his
injuries in no time. His passes will be perfectly
placed bullets. His field leadership will be second
to none. He'll surpass everyone's expectations
from when he was drafted. He'll be John Elway,
Dan Marino, and Bernie Kosar all rolled into one.
I can see it now.
James Jones, the Lions' running back, will be
devastating. He'll run over linebackers like
they're muppets. He'll block like a mack truck.
He'll move like greased lightning. He'll be Eric
Dickerson, Walter Payton, and Marcus Allen -all
rolled into one.
PETE MANDLEY, the Lions' wide
receiver, will be unstoppable. He will fly down
the field like the wind. He will leave cornerbacks
eating astroturf. He will catch passes as if he
were magnetized. He will be Steve Largent, Mike
Quick, and Anthony Carter all rolled into one.
I can see it now.
Eric Williams, the Lions' defensive lineman,
will be lethal. He'll crush opposing linemen into
the ground like cigarette butts. He'll sack
quarterbacks so often they'll look like they've
just gone 15 rounds with a cement mixer. He'll
be William (The Refrigerator) Perry all rolled
into one.
Bennie Blades, the Lions' defensive back, will
be amazing. He'll cover receivers like feathers on
tar. He'll intercept so many passes that even the
Lions' mighty offense will get tired of being on
the field. He'll be Lester Hayes, Ronnie Lott, and
Darrell Green all rolled into one.
I can see it now.
The fans. 81,000, every week. They'll be
absolute maniacs. They'll scream like they were
watching the Romans feed people to the lions.
They'll be right. It will be like Soldier Field,
Michigan Stadium, and Mile High Stadium all
rolled into one.
The new and improved Lions are going to
show up any week now, and all those doubters
who wrote the Lions off are going to be really
embarrassed. They'll all write to me, apologizing
and asking me how I knew.
I can see it now.
But I'm not holding my breath.
I
Rugby: No experience necessary
Tommy and Ronny Associated Press
Tommy Lasorda, newly named National League Manager of
the Year, and the rest of the World Champion Los Angeles
Dodgers present a Dodger jersey to President Reagan
yesterday at the White House.
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Harvard
Business School
FROM STAFF REPORTS
What sport can you join Tuesday,
practice again Thursday, and play at
the collegiate level Saturday?
No, this is not some rhetorical
riddle that is meant to rack your
brains. It's for real.
The Michigan rugby football team
is a club sport which offers
accessibility to anyone who can
practice twice a week and play on
Saturdays. Regardless of skill or
experience, one is guaranteed a
chance to play every weekend.
The club usually sends two to
three teams to a match against
opponents such as Notre Dame,
Michigan State, Miami (Ohio), and
clubs from Detroit and Grand Rapids.
This year's A team boasts an 8-2
record with a second-place finish in a
M' club sport
mixes
new
blood and fne tradition
state tournament last month.
THE RUGBY club was formed
in 1959 at Michigan for students to
learn the sport and provided a means
for older veteran players-to continue
seeing action.
The club has won five of the last
10 Big Ten championships. Its most
recent powerhouse team came in the
early '80s. The team was one of the
few American squads invited to a
tournament in British Columbia and
placed second, upsetting many of the
host Canadian teams.
The All Blues, the club's
nickname, routinely have players
who go on to play for the Michigan,
select team and even the United
States National Team.
What makes the rugby club
unique is that a majority of the
players join with little or no
experience. "I joined in 1986 with
only high school soccer experience,"
said club president Brad Kleiner. "The
older players taught me the game and
it's been a very rewarding
experience."
With the help of Kleiner, alumni
captains Greg Rose and Dave
Perpich, and many veteran players,
the new players easily learn the
game. Michigan rugby meshes
veteran and newer players - mainly
students - to form one of the state's
rugby powerhouses.
The Michigan rugby team plays
its final set of home games against
Miami (Ohio) this Saturday at 1
p.m. at Mitchell Field.
The club also has a spring season.
If interested , stop by Saturday or
during practices, Tuesdays and
Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. at Elbel
Field.
GE
GQAPmN
The Personal Column
MICHIGAN DAILY CLASSIFIED ADS
UAC/SOUNDSTAGE PRESENTS...
COMING AGAIN
THE
Looking
Ahead
to the MBA
oly
co
S
The Harvard University Graduate School of
Business Administration seeks top graduates
with a career interest in general management.
An Admissions Officer will be on campus
to speak with students about work experience
and the two-year MBA Program.
For more details and to sign up for an information
session contact:
Fri.
October 28
THURSDAY
OCTOBER 27
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
The University of Michigan
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
BAND-O-RAMA
featuring the Symphony, Concert,
Jazz and Marching Bands
H. Robert Reynolds, Donald
Schleicher, Edward Sarath, and Eric
Becher, conductors
For ticket information call 763-2556
Hill Auditorium, 8:00 p.m.
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