Jam ison
The 1991 Lions defensive MVP
discusses his team and the NFL
The Michigan Daily - Sports Monday - March 15, 1993 - Page 3
John Niyo
French club wants a
piece of the FabFive
The French claim they will serve no wine before it is time. Or maybe
it was Americans that came up with that profoundly stupid commercial
jingle. Whatever.
Apparently, though, it is time. Finally. The Fab Five have hit the big
time. No longer are they our own little secret. And no longer can they
harbor any hopes of wandering the quaint streets of Evreux, France,
without being recognized.
Why?
Because of this short note we received at the Daily not too long ago.
The un-edited version:
MICHIGAN
WOLVERINES
FRENCH FAN-CLUB
Outside linebacker George Ja-
mison has been one of the Lions' top
defensive players over the last two
years, earning the Lions' defensive
team most valuable player honors
two seasons ago, and recording 111
tackles last season.
Jamison was San Diego's
second-round draft pick in 1984, but
opted to play for the United States
Football League's (USFL) Philadel-
phia/Baltimore Stars in 1984 and 85,
where he earned USFL All-Rookie
honors. He then signed with the Li-
ons in 1986 as a free agent.
Jamison played his college
football at Cincinnati, where he was
recruited to play fullback. He then
switched to defensive tackle for his
sophomore and junior seasons be-
fore being selected All-Metro his
senior season at linebacker.
Jamison completed his schooling
at the University of Detroit in 1990,
graduating with honors in human
resources development. He was the
first professional athlete to earn a
U-D degree through the Cooperative
Education Program.
Daily Sports Writer Jaeson Ro-
senfeld caught up with Jamison last
Friday after an offseason workout.
Daily: You have been a standout
player for the Lions the last couple
of years. What has helped you to
play at a high level in the NFL?
Jamison: I think basically the
dedication and the hard work that I
put into it. And just knowing that
they have more confidence in my
ability to give me the opportunity to
play.
D: The team last year had a dis-
appointing season after going to the
NFC championship the year before.
What were the differences between
the two years?
J: Well, first of all, we dealt with
a lot of offseason tragedy with the
death of a coach and the death of one
of our players (Eric Andolsek). We
lost a good player also in Michael
Utley.
There were a lot of things that we
were trying to get through, and at the
same time try to put it behind us. I
think it was a lot more than we could
bear plus we had a lot of injuries
throughout the season to key players.
D: What has it been like for the
team to deal with all the injuries and
tragedies?
J: If anything, it's made us be a
little stronger as far as depending on
one another, knowing that it's going
to be a tough time. And regardless of
what our situation was, the people
were still expecting us to win and we
expected to win.
But I think the main thing that
made us together as a team mainly
was the things that happened off the
field, and we only had each other.
D: Lately there has been a lot of
talk about free agency in the NFL.
What type of effect do you think this
will have on the league?
J: Well, It's hard to say right
now. I think this first year will really
set the tone for things to come.
D: The Lions have been talking
to Reggie White (free agent de-
fensive end). What would it be like
to add him to the Lions defensive
line?
J: When you talk about a player
of Reggie White's caliber, you are
talking about probably the best at his
position. And that can only enhance
us and really upgrade our team
tremendously. Because not only is
he a great player, he is just as great a
person.
D: You played in the USFL,
winning a couple of championships
in the process. What was the USFL
experience like and how difficult
was the transition to the NFL when
the league folded?
'(Last season) there
were a lot of things
that we were trying to
get through, and at the
same time try to put it
behind us. I think it
was a lot more than
we could bear.'
J: Well, the experience was great.
At the time I had only played
standup linebacker my senior year in
college, and for me to get that
playing experience at the profession-
al level was good.
And the transition wasn't really
that hard for me because like I said, I
had gotten that playing experience
'(A rookie salary scale)
is good in a sense
because they are
talking about guys
coming out of college
who haven't proven
themselves. I think
before you give a guy
that type of money,
that you can't pay him
off of what he did in
college.'
and had become real confident in
doing so. So really the transition was
just getting myself acclimated to the
system more so than the league.
D: There has also been talk of a
set salary scale for rookies based on
performance. What do you think
about that?
J: It's good in a sense because
they are talking about guys coming
out of college who haven't proven
themselves. I think before you give a
guy that type of money, that you
can't pay him off of what he did in
college.
Because now you're asking him
to perform the same level as he did
in college at the professional level
and not knowing if he's really,
capable. All you're doing is just
looking at the potential. Really, you
should look at the results.
D: Do you think there is any
chance that it could get through?
J: There is a good possibility. I
think that's one of the ways that
they'll be able to control the wage
scale, to try to balance it out the best
they can.
D: What is the Lions' attitude
going into next season right now?
J: Very positive. As you can see
with them going after guys like
Reggie White, Harry Galbreath and
Derrick Thomas you can see that
they are very aggressive in their
approach. I think that they are
looking for things to be a lot better.
They are doing what they have to do.
D: The NFC has really dominated
the AFC in the Super Bowl the last
10 years. What do you think are the
differences between the two
conferences?
J: I really don't know, other than
we have been winning more than the
AFC over the years. Right now
there's probably some mental things
more so than anything. I think those
guys are in there trying to prove that
the AFC is not as bad as it has been
represented these last couple of
years, instead of just going in there
and playing the game.
You have the same type of play
in both leagues, you have finesse
teams, you have physical teams, or
power teams. I think the NFC plays
a little bit more power football.
D: The Lions media guide says
'When you talk about a
player of Reggie
White's caliber, you
are talking about
probably the best at
his position. And that
can only enhance us
and really upgrade our
team tremendously.,
you're interested in being a career
planning counselor. Do you see
yourself on a college campus after
your NFL career is over?
J: I wouldn't rule against it.
Anything's possible, but that's one
of my options.
D: How do you think Cincinnati
(Jamison's alma mater) is going to
do in the NCAA basketball
tournament?
J: Well, I hope they win it all.
(Michigan) knocked them out last
year, I think. I would definitely have
to say for the guys at Michigan (that
they have a good chance of winning
it all). But I'm pulling for the upset.
COTINAT OLIVIER
RUE DES AEROSTIERS
27000 EVREUX
FRANCE
1ST FEBRUARY, 1993
Dear Sir or Madam,
First of all, I would like to apologize for my bad english. Some days
ago, we created a "Michigan Basketball Fan-club." President of this fan-
club, I would like to know more about the University of Michigan and
about the Basketball team. In this way, we should be grateful if you
would send us full details of your magazine. (what does it deal with?
How much is it? Is it possible to take out a subscription for yor magazine
and how much is it with postage & handling?). Indeed, we saw in the
1991-1992 Basketball Media Guide of the University of Michigan that
you cover the Wolverines. Moreover is it possible to purchase only one
issue of your magazine. How much must we pay then? Finally, we
would like to know where we can find the range of Michigan products
(Basketball Jersey, Sweatshirts, Caps, T-Shirts, Tracksuits, etc.... Does
it exist a catalog of this kind of products?). We look forward to hearing
from you and we thank you in anticipation.
Yours faithfully,
Olivier Cotinat
4
President of Michigan Basketball Fan-Club
M' baseball gets swept in Louisiana storm
by Michael Rosenberg
Daily Baseball Writer
In the late 1950s, Warren Spahn
and Johnny Sain were the heart of
the Milwaukee Braves' pitching
staff. They were also the legs, arms,
head, and everything else of that
staff (even the pancreas). Spahn and
Sain were capable of shutting down
any team in baseball. In those days,
the motto of Braves fans was "Spahn
and Sain and pray for rain."
When the Michigan baseball
team faced fourth-ranked Louisiana
State in Baton Rouge, La., this
weekend, it rained, but unfortunately
for the Wolverines, two of the games
were still played, and Michigan fell
in both contests.
Because of the weather
conditions, Friday's game was
canceled.
Saturday, LSU downed the
Wolverines, 6-2, as Brad Waxton (3-
0) and Dave Schultz combined on a
six-hitter. Ron Hollis (0-3) took the
loss for Michigan.
The Wolverines' best chance of
winning came in yesterday's game.
Eric Heintschel pitched five
innings of one-run ball and second
baseman Scott Timmerman went 3
for 4 as Michigan (3-12) built an 8-5
lead after eight innings. But in the
ninth, reliever Scott Marion gave up
four runs on three hits and the Tigers
(10-3) prevailed, 9-8.
The inning started with LSU
leftfielder Mark Stocco punching a
single into leftfield. Marion then
walked Tiger third baseman Jason
Williams, leaving LSU with men on
first and second with no outs.
Then came Timmerman's
undoing.
LSU's Russ Johnson hit a
potential double-play ball to
Timmerman, but the ball skipped
through to rightfield, scoring Stocco.
So instead of holding an 8-5 lead
with two outs and a man on third,
Michigan was up, 8-6, with none out
and runners on the corners.
After LSU's Todd Walker
walked, Harry Berrios grounded out,
scoring Williams and making it a
one-run game.
Marion then walked the Tigers'
Kenny Jackson, loading the bases for
LSU's Jim Greely. Greely then hit a
ground ball to second, giving
Timmerman another chance to turn
two. Timmerman stepped on second,
but Greely just beat out the throw to
first, scoring Johnson and evening
the score at 8-8.
Armando Rios' single to
rightfield scored Berrios and won
the game for LSU.
Marion, Michigan's alltime save
leader, took the loss, his first
decision of the season. LSU pitcher
Brett McCabe improved his record
to 1-0 with the victory.
Tracksuits, anyone?
I am writing back to our good friend Olivier now. I am also trying to
call him. But the directory assistance telephone operator in Evereux,
France seems to be on a permanent lunch break. Try, try again. I must
get through to him.
I want to let Mr. Cotinat know that his Wolverines received a No. 1
seed in the tourney. And I want to let him know what a No. 1 seed is,
come to think of it. I want to let him know that Dick Vitale has picked us
to win the title this year. And I want to let him know that we don't really
like Dick Vitale, either. We just haven't figured out a way to shut him
up. Maybe Olivier has some ideas on that.
I also want to invite him to join in our tourney pool. (That's why I'm
trying to reach him by phone - it seems a lot more expedient.)
Of course, I also want to give him the information he specifically
asked for - about our "magazine," and about the "range of Michigan
products." I will send him an M Go Blue bumper sticker or something,
just to tide him over until he can get his hands on a catalog from Moe's.
(Oh. And I also want to let him know that Michael Jordan is evil.
They probably have been brainwashed to think otherwise over there.)
Actually, the way I see it, they are desparate.
Sure, the Dream Team came over there in August to bully the French
National Team just before the Barcelona Olympics. But that was just for
a short stay, and it was more like watching the Harlem Globetrotters
embarass the Washington Generals.
And sure, they do have a professional league. But, seriously, France
is where superstar/flops like Walter Berry surface. Antoine Joubert
would be a hit in Evreux. He's got flair, the Jeri curls, and a French-
sounding name to boot.
Face it. They are starved. Olivier and all his buddies.
And it is our duty to feed them. With tracksuits.
Tournaments finalize NCAA field
i
by Associated Press
Anyone who asked, "Do all
these conference tournaments really
accomplish anything?" can look to
Missouri for an answer.
The Tigers (19-13), seeded
seventh in the Big Eight tournament,
shocked everyone in Kansas City,
Mo., yesterday by beating Kansas
State, 68-56, to win the tournament
champ-ionship and an automatic
NCAA tournament berth.
After a crisp first half, the Tigers
went on a 15-5 run midway through
the second half to defeat the Wild-
cats (19-10).
Georgia Tech 77, No. 1 North
Carolina 75
At Charlotte, N.C., sixth-seeded
Georgia Tech beat the No. 1 team in
the country for the second time this
season. James Forrest had 27 points
and 10 rebounds and was named
points and biggest victory margin in
Big East title-game history.
Long Beach State 70, No. 24
New Mexico State 62
At Long Beach, Calif., the
fourth-seeded 49ers (22-9) earned an
automatic berth for the first time
since 1977 and became the lowest
seed to win the tournament since San
Jose State in 1980. Rod Hannibal
scored 18 points. Tracey Ware led
New Mexico State (25-7) with 20
points.
No. 16 Louisville 90, Va.
Commonwealth 78
At Louisville, Ky., the home
team earned its 23rd trip to the
NCAA tournament by taking control
with a 17-6 run in the last five
minutes of the first half. Dwayne
Morton scored 24 points, Greg
Minor had 15 and James Brewer 14
frm. T .ui-cruipe (?OR 5Sherron Mills
Texas Tech 88, Houston 76
At Dallas, Lance Hughes scored
27 points and Will Flemons added
21 as Texas Tech (18-11), the fifth
seed, won its first SWC title since
1986. Houston (21-8), the defending
champion, finished third in the
regular season.
Ohio State 72, No. 18 Purdue
62
At West Lafayette, Ind.,
freshman Derek Anderson scored a
career-high 23 points as the
Buckeyes (15-12, 8-10 Big Ten)
upset Purdue (18-9, 9-9). Ohio State
formutla
Sports Nutrition
& Body Building Products
.,.1
'
Natural
Body Care
Products
Vitamins &
Minerals
,.
:
1677 Plymouth Rd. 665-7688
Located in the Courtyard Shops
North Campus Plaza
10% Discount forStudents
:
FOR YOUR
EYE EXAMS & EYEGLASSES
.X chardson
i
UI U
I