Page 10 - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, October 27, 1988 0 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. - - - ....-.... -------...---- - I ' COLLEGE CLEANERS I 715 N. UNIVERSITY - In the Hamilton Square Mall 1 (below Jacques and Mrs Peabodys) One Day Service I on 1 Shirts - Professional Dry cleaning- Laundry S1.0 ea(S b90 a I m 51b mnimum I We Wash, Dry. & ldb I I your laundry for you)r I Lowest Prices In Town 1 10% offwiththisoad I L - - - - - - - -expires12/!10/88 - - - - 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. l t i i II A4,., -L - -- --_L - e--