Page 4- The Michigan Daily - Sports Monday - April 23, 1990
DRAFT
Continued from Page 1
In addition to making sure he re-I
mained in shape, Hoard had to
choose an agent and undergo im-
promptu tests by a variety of teams.+
The fullback, who previously was
the beneficiary of compliments from+
Los Angeles Rams coach John
Robinson, has come to realize he
can't take anything for granted.
"Nothing I've ever experienced
took up as much time," Hoard said,
"You can't just tell a team that you
don't want to work out for them be-
cause you never know where you
will get drafted. What I've learned is
the draft is funny. My agent showed
me all the (predictions) before the
draft and what happened and they
were so different."
No matter what happens, Hoard
says he will come back to earn his
degree: "That's definitely one of my
priorities," Hoard said. I think even
if I never use it just to show that.
'Look, I said I was going to come
back and get it and I did.' It's one of
the things I wanted to accomplish at
Michigan (but) it's going to take
time."
Hoard had at times been an occu-
pant of coach Bo Schembechler's
doghouse. He had been suspended a
few times for missing classes and
even was omitted entirely from the
1988 media guide.
"One thing I realize is who my
superiors are," Hoard said. "I under-
stand that he (Schembechler) is the
boss. When I do things he doesn't
like, he'll take the necessary actions.
It's the same way with most players.
If I had been a walk-on, who would
have cared?"
Hoard shrugs off suggestions that
he should have stayed for his senior
.year. In particular, he dismissed the
notion that a great senior season, and
a possible Heisman Trophy, was an
inevitability. He pointed to his er-
ratic, albeit productive, career at
Michigan as an example.
"You can't say how you're going
to play next year," Hoard said. "I
started the Notre Dame game and I
planned to start every game but you
never know with injuries. "
He also bears no ill will towards
the coaching staff. "I wish the best
for (Moeller). He'll do nothing but
good things for the university."
LIFE AT -THE ' M E A T
MARKET'
The players exhibited their talents
during their careers at Michigan and
at a variety of workouts designed to
aid the scouts. McMurtry played in
the Hula Bowl and the East-West
Shrine all-star contests and didn't
have much time to prepare for the
NFL's combine in February.
Teeter and Walker worked out for
five days a week for the five weeks
after the Rose Bowl. Their diligence
apparently paid off as Teeter and
Walker both impressed the scouts
with their strength. Walker recorded
the most repetitions of 225 pounds
(26) among senior tight ends while
Teeter benched the weight 31 times.
At the combine, the players got their
first taste of the dog-eat-dog world of
professional football.
"It definitely is a meat market,"
Calloway said. "You're there to
show the scouts what you can do and
what kind of physical condition
you're in."
Most players acknowledged that
the NFL places too much stress on
tests and not enough on an athlete's
ability.
"There's too much emphasis on
height, speed, and weight," Mc-
Murtry said. "Guys like me and
Chris are not the slowest guys in the
world but we're not blazers either.
But we can play football. A lot of
times the tests don't determine
whether you can play football. He
(Chris) is a football player. I think
he'll be playing."
Hoard also complained about the
emphasis on speed, though his time
in the 40-yard dash was the fastest of
all the junior running backs. Too
often, he said, the NFL considers the
fastest running back to be the best
prospect.
Though Teeter was projected as a
late round selection, his ex-team-
mates feel his positive qualities far
outweigh his negative ones.
"He (Teeter) is one of the most
gifted athletes coming out," White
said. "He's got size, speed, intelli-
gence- what more can you ask for?
Whoever drafts him, he'll be a
steal."
The Michigan players had a
slightly easier time with the league's
"aptitude test."
"The first ten questions are basi-
cally a literacy test," McMurtry said.
"They (the NFL) doesn't look to see
if you're dumb or stupid. They just
want to see if you can read."
If professional football doesn't
work out, most players are prepared
to move on to other things.
KEEPING THEIR OPTIONS
OPEN
Abrams, a native of Detroit and a
graduate of Henry Ford High School,
looks to give something back to his
community by becoming a teacher.
This semester he has taught at Ypsi-
lanti High School and recently he
became certified to teach 7th-12th
grade students in social science.
Abrams was disheartened when
the school system he emerged from
didn't respond to his repeated job in-
quiries. He has received job offers
from school districts in Fairfax
County, Va., Cincinnati, Ohio.,
Morgan County, Md., and Long
Beach, Calif.
Abrams discussed his situation
with a notorious critic of the Detroit
Schools system last Thursday night
when he' and linebacker Tim
Williams, who will attend Michigan
law school, spoke at a tribute to
Schembechler at the Michigan
League.
"It's surprising to me that these
cities, although they may have fi-
nancial problems, don't want to hire
minorities from their own state,"
Abrams said. "I talked about it with
Bo. He may have offended some
people (with his outspoken com-
ments against the school system)
but you can't ignore his message."
Grant also recognizes the need to
prepare for life after football. In the
past, Grant has worked in the
Michigan sports information de-
partment helping to produce game
programs.
"Me without football is hard to
grasp, although it may happen real
soon," Grant said. "It'll be hard to
adjust. I'll probably have with-
drawal. I really can't remember any
time in my life that I haven't played
organized football.
"Right now (professional foot-
ball) is behind graduation (in impor-
tance). It's the opportunity to make
a large amount of money and secure
yourself for the rest of your life in
two or three years so it's a priority
in that aspect. Legally, I can't think
of a better way to make that kind of
money."
McMurtry proved he wasn't in-
terested solely in greenbacks four
years ago, when he turned down a
signing offer of $172,000 from the
Boston Red Sox as a first-round
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Walker, Grant, and White have
communicated well enough to collect
their degrees - along with three Rose
Bowl Rings.
choice out of Brockton High School.
He played centerfield for three years
at Michigan without fully satisfying
his critics.
The unemotional McMurtry con-
ceded the only time he may have al-
lowed himself to get down was last
June, when a Sports Illustrated arti-
cle claimed his stock has a baseball
player had hit rockbottom. The arti-
cle claimed, perhaps inaccurately,
that McMurtry, who ran a 4.54 in
the 40 at the combine, had slowed
considerably.
McMurtry went home to watch
the draft, as did Walker, Teeter, and
Calloway. Walker explained why he
wanted to watch the draft with only
his family.
"I've (always) been close to my
family," Walker said. "Getting
drafted is a once-in-a-lifetime thing
and I just think I should spend it
with my family. They're the ones
who supported me after my knee in-
jury."
The finality of finishing college
has left the players with mixed emo-
tions.
"I look at spring practice some-
times and I think I was just there
last year," Calloway said. "But I
don't miss it much. I guess it's just
time to move on. You get sort of
tired of it after a while."
The engaging Hoard will miss
college life, particularly hanging out
with other students. Hoard could fre-
quently be found at the Union pool
hall and the local golf courses. _
"I felt it was important to be' a
complete college student," Hoard
said. "I'm a friendly person and I life
meeting people. I feel a lot better
playing when I know some of the
people watching.
"One thing you never forget are
the things here, both the good and
the bad."
Jeff Sheran cc
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Abrams should fit comfortably into new
attire if the NFL doesn't have a uniform
for him.
Hoards of players are
marketed in the NFL
combine.
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