Page 12-Tuesday, August 5, 1980-The Michigan Daily
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A banquet U'11 baie
4
Bo Scherpbechler was the first coach
to step to the podium at last Friday's
Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon in the
spacious Grand Ballroom of Chicago's
Palmer House.
He laughed at last season's
frustrations ("I feel very strongly that
we'll improve in the kicking game
because there's absolutely no way we
could get any worse"), briefly
discussed the 1980 Wolverines, and then
made a statement that produced wide
smiles across the faces of most of the
1,300-plus conference officials, media
members, fans, and assorted others in
attendance.
"We brag about our conference being
the best football conference in the coun-
try, and that is justifiably debatable.
But there is no debate," the coach em-
phasized, "when I tell you that the Big
Ten conference is the finest athletic.
academic conference in the United
States of America."
With increasing public concern
regarding the issue of whether or not
athletes who attend major universities
receive a worthwhile education,
Schembechler's claim was the perfect
upbeat tone-setter for many of the other
coaches' speeches.
It is a subject which Schembechler
seems to discuss more frequently. With
the recent negative publicity Southern
California has received for academic
indiscretions among its athletes, it is
almost as if Bo is saying, "See, we may
never win the Rose Bowl, but we don't
cheat like they do, either."
Still, the dean of conference coaches
was on the receiving end of more than a
fair share of potshots Friday about his
penchant for preferring the ground at-
tack to the aerial, and, of course, for
Michigan's frustrating failure in post-
seem amused by the banter. When Cor-
so returned to his place two seats from
Schembechler, the latter turned and
related a few thoughts to the former,
and it isn't likely that Bo was asking
Corso where he acquired such a won-
derful sense of humor.
Maybe it was just bad judgement on
Corso's part, but he should have
... .AND IN THIS
CORNER .. .
Mark Mihanovic
against him.
Muddy situation at MSU
Seated on the other side of Schem-
bechler at the luncheon was his new ad-
versary in East Lansing, Frank "Mud-
dy" Waters. Waters (who played for
Michigan State from 1946 to 1949) is an
anomaly among college football
coaches: an inexperienced 57-year-old.
When Waters was named to replace
the innovative Darryl Rogers, many
gridiron followers had trouble taking
the appointment seriously. Even some
of the MSU players snickered at the
choice.
"I thought it was a joke," senior half-
back Steve Smith recalled Friday.
"When they first announced it, the first
thing I thought was that I wanted to see
some statistics, where he was
from .. "
Smith still isn't sure what to make of
Muddy. "Rogers was a more scientific
coach, all-around. The coordinator
really does the work at Michigan
State," he said. "I don't even think
Muddy knows all the plays. He isn't as
involved with the offense. He just stan-
ds in the tower and watches from up
there.
"I still don't know him. I've never
really sat down and had a talk with him,
like we are now. But I guess he's a pret-
ty good guy."
Steve, he must be a great guy.
season bowls.
In fact, he appeared to get downright
angry with Indiana coach Lee Corso.
Corso, an exuberant, humorous man
who in 1979 enjoyed his first winning
season in seven years with the Hoosiers
and coached them to a Holiday Bowl
triumph over Brigham Young, finished
his stand-up comedy act by taking a
poke at the Big Ten "establishment."
"Do you realize," he bellowed, "that
the state of Indiana won more bowl
games in the 1970's than the states of
Ohio and Michigan did, put together?"
One- man at the head table didn't.
realized that; with Woody Hayes gone
and Earle Bruce not at Ohio State long
enough to develop a reputation as one
who lets the big one get away, he was
taking a cheap shot directly at the
Michigan boss.I
I wouldn't be surprised to see Schem-
bechler try to blow Corso out of
Bloomington when the Wolverines and
Hoosiers knock heads this November.
And I wouldn't blame him. Maybe
USC's John Robinson or Alabama's
Bear Bryant can rightfully snicker at
Bo's bowl blues. But not Indiana's Lee
Corso. Not when Schembechler is 5-0
SCHA TZEDER A LOSER AGAIN, 6-5:
Royals nip
igers in 9th
on an error. Rick Peters then singled,
By BUDDY MOOREHOUSE scoring Brookens, and took second on
Special to The Daily the throw. Whitaker recorded the
DETROIT - A solo home run by Bengals' second run when Busby made
Kansas City second baseman Frank a wild pitch. Alan Trammell then
White with two down in the ninth inning brought in Peters with the final run of
lifted the Royals to a 6-5 triumph over the inning, by punching a single to
the Tigers last night at Tiger Stadium. right.
The Tigers threatened in the bottom The Royals wasted no time regaining
of the ninth by loading the bases with the lead, however, as Wathan put his
only one out, but third baseman Tom mates back on top in the sixth with a
Brookens hit into a double play to end solo homer. Detroit tied it again in its
the contest. half of the sixth, as Whitaker drew a
TIGER STARTER Dan Schatzeder walk, Peters moved him to third with a
yielded eight hits, including three home single, and Trammell scored the second
runs, as he dropped to 6-8 on the season baseman on a double down the left field
in going the distance. KC submarine line.
pitcher Dan Quisenberry picked up the A SURPRISINGLY large crowd of
win in relief, raising his record to 8-4. 37,016 turned out to watch the Tigers
Lance Parrish put the Tigers on top in drop their first game after having
the seventh with a solo blast into the claimed victory in their last five
centerfield seats, but Royal third outings.
baseman George Brett negated the The Tiger loss dropped them farther
round-tripper in the eighth with a home down in the American League East, as
run of his own into right field, knotting the league-leading New York Yankees
the scoff at 5-5. beat the Texas Rangers last night, 10-4.
Kansas City got on the board early, The two teams square off again tonight
tagging Schatzeder for three runs in the in the second game of their four-game
second. After. John Wathan walked, series.
Amos Otis singled and Darrell Porter
also walked, loading the bases with
Royals. Willie Aikens brought in the fir-
st two runs with a single to right. Porter AMERICAN LEAGUE
then scored the third Royal run when Kansas City 6, netroit 5
Schatzeder overthrew first base on a Boston7,7Milwaukee2
Frank White bunt. ClevelandI11. Torontos
KC STARTER Steve Busby was ef- New York 10, Texas 4
NATIONAL LEAGUE
fective in shutting down the Tigers until Cincinnati7, San Diego 1
the fifth, when the Detroiters picked up 2nd game, incomplete
three runs to even the score. Tom Mo"treal4-, Ne w York3
Brookens and Lou Whitaker both con- Los Angeles5, Atlanta3
nected for singles, and both advanced Houston 4, San Francisco 2
SAN FRANCISCO'S Bill North steals third safely, and even has time to wat-
ch the ball elude Houston third baseman Enos Cabell during action in the
Astrodome last night. North rounded the bag and scored easily on the play.