The Michigan Daily-Friday, August 8, 1980-Page 15,
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The Sporting Views
I
Moscow Olympics bomb .. .
... Pennant races sizzle
ByDREW SHARP
THE WEEK IN REVIEW ...
This past week in sports has seen the Big Ten football pre-season hype
ignited, baseball's pennant races burning brightly and the Olympic flame
extinguished.
The Games of the XXII Olympiad ended Sunday the same way it began
two weeks before, in a solemn manner. Many athletes of the few par-
ticipating Western nations refused to partake in the closing ceremonies,
wanting onlyto leave the Soviet Union following the completion of their
respective events. That is howI will remember these Moscow Games where
the absence of the American athletes was surpassed only by the absence of
the Olympic spirit, in which athletes from all over the world put aside their
political differences and engage in friendly competition. That could have
been achieved even without the American presence in Moscow, but there
were two many ill feelings present for that to occur.
The Russians still feel that the Games were a huge success and that their
total dominance of the medals would have happened with or without the
Americans and West Germans being present. Soviet leaders may be taking
bows and patting themselves on the back for a job well done, but don't be
fooled by it. For behind the smiles of success lies the seed of resentment and
anger towards the boycotting nations.
The Soviets tried to pass off to the world an Olympics that would not bear
the scars of the American-backed boycott, but they couldn't do it. I per-
sonally had hoped the Moscow Games could rise above the political strife
which was pulling it downward because it is important that the Olympic
movement be saved, but unfortunately, that movement could very well be
facing extinction.
Put simply, these 1980 Olympics were nothing but a sham. Many Olym-
pic gold medalists won with times that were higher than the ones set by their
American counterparts when they competed in earlier meets, particularly
in the track and field events.
You know you can't have an Olympics without the usual gripes about the
officiating. These games were no exception, but there seemed to be more
complaints made than in the past. There was the Russian diver who was
given an extra attempt because he felt his concentration was broken due to
some applause he heard while taking his previous dive. He won the gold
medal with his extra dive.
This event, and others, could all be coincidental, but it was interesting to
see how the Western journalists at the Games jumped on these occurrences
and played them to the extreme. It seemed that they were out to embarrass
the Russians any way they could.
Pennant fever and Bird return
As far as the pennant races are concerned, it looks as though the
National League will be the only one having tight races going into Septem-
ber. Montreal leads the East by 2% games over the defending champion Pit-
tsburgh Pirates. The Expos have been in the top spot for a while but have not
been able to stretch a big lead over the Bucs. Look for Dave Parker and
Company to overtake them for good when they start to play each other for
the final time in early September.
The Houston Astros, first place in the NL West, are still feeling the shock
waves of losing ace pitcher J.R. RIchard last week due to a stroke. It is ap-
parent that Richard will not pitch again this season, if ever, and the Astros
need him dearly if they are to hold off the Los Angeles Dodgers. This race
will go back and forth until the last week of the season with LA surviving.
In the junior circuit, the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals are
coasting along in their divisions and probably will not be challenged. The
Royals have never looked better than they do right now and if they can stay
healthy for the remainder of the season, they'll be making reservations for
their first World Series trip.
As for the Tigers, well, the Masters of Miscues met their match earlier
this week when they lost three straight to the red-hot Royals. The pitching is
starting to tear apart at the seams and a savior is definitely dfeeded. Enter
Mark Fidrych. The Bird is coming back for another shot at regaining his
rookie season form. It's going to be tough for Mark and hopefully this time
will be the real thing. Not for the Tigers' sake or for baseball's sake, but for
Mark's sake. It's been tough for the kid to have his world crumple before him
so quickly. He's got the savvy and determination to do it, hopefully his arm
will get the message.
'M' defense big question
Big Ten football got off the ground last weekend when the coaches met
the press in Chicago. Coach Bo Schembechler's Wolverines are picked to
finish no higher than fourth this season. The Blue's offense can beas potent
as ever if the right quarterback is playing. Right now, it looks as though the
nod will go to young Rich Hewlitt, who started in last year's Ohio State
showdown. The defense is suspect and that's where the true problem lies.
Ohio State looks like the best team in the country this season and probably
will take the mythical title of No. 1, but Schembechler will have his best
coaching season ever at Michigan. This season will be a true test, whether he
can mold a winner out of such an inexperienced group. Look for him to do so.
eamwork
Montreal Expos second baseman Rodney Scott, left, and rightfielder Ellis
Valentine, work together to catch a fly ball off the bat of New York Mets'
Joel Youngblood during the second inning of their contest yesterday in Mon-
treal. Scott called for the catch but the ball popped out of his glove and
Valentine hauled it in for the out. Details of the game are on page 16.
Mganager suspended
for sp itting
ATLANTA (AP) - Manager Bobby
CV of the Atlanta Braves was given an
indefinite suspension by National
League President Chub Feeney yester-
day for an incident between Cox and,
umpire Jerry Dale.
The incident occurred Wednesday
night in the ninth inning of the Braves'
6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers
after Dale ruled that Atlanta short stop
Rafael Ramirez had missed second
base during a double play attempt.
"OK, I did it. I intentionally spit in his
face. But not until he spit in my face fir-
st," Cox said Thursday. "If a guy hits
you in the jaw, you hit him back,
right?"
Dale, however, termed Cox's conduct
a "disgraceful, cowardly act."
"The first time I spit on him, it was
not intentional," said Cox. "I chew
snuff and when my mouth opens, it
comes out. I can't help that. But then he
(Dale) spit on me intentionally. I don't
know why. I guess it was because I was
yelling at him and the snuff was coming
out. I told him not to spit on me, and
then I spit back.
"I ABSOLUTELY spit on him
because he spit on me. I'm telling you
this is the gospel truth: I did not inten-
tionally spit on him first. I would never
do that to any umpire or any human
being," he said.
Dale disagreed with Cox's version of
the incident.
"He spit right in my eye the first
time," said Dale. "Then he spit tobacco
in my face and all over my shirt. I've
never had anyone do that to me. It's a
at umpire
disgraceful, cowardly act. Quote me on
that.
"I ALWAYS thought Bobby Cox was
a bigger man than that, and I've known
him for years," Dale said.
Cox said he was willing to forget the
matter. But after hearing Dale's
remarks, he said: "I was going to
let it drop. I left the stadium
without saying anything about it. But
since he said all that crap, I'll defend
myself."
Cox was ejected early during the
argument when he threw his cap to the
ground, and the spitting occurred after
Dale had ejected Cox from the game
On the play, Dale said: --He
(Ramirez) missed the bag, obviously.
Evidently he thinks he's still in the In-
ternational League, where they have
two umpires. We have four, and you
have to touch the bag in this league."
"He (Dale) blew the call, that's all,"
said Atlanta third baseman Bob Hor-
ner. "Rafael made a hell of a play. lHe
did not miss the bag at all. But even if
he had, 99 times out of 100, it's not
called."
EVEN DUSTY Baker, the Runner
called safe at second, was surprised at
the call.
"It's basically understood on a play
like that all a guy has to do is come
close, and you're out," said Baker.
"When I heard him safe, I just got back
on the base."
Dale strongly objected to suggestions
that the call is automatic.
"We have instructions from our office
that they've got to make the play," he
said. "You've got to touch the bag."