Page 10-Thursday,;July 16,191--The Michigan Daily
. ..AND IN THIS
CORNER . .
Mark Mihanovic
4
(Game Cancellations .. .
i
Baseball '81: Dead
A S THE PLAYERS' strike advnces well into its,
second month and the total number of games-
wiped-out soars past 400, it becomes more and more
clear that Major League Baseball 1981 is dead.
Perhaps that seems the view of an alarmist, a
pessimist ... but, in truth, I am neither. I would not
be surprised if one of the two sides-the owners, most
likely-dropped a bombshell in the next few days,
taking the big step towards stopping this strike
rollercoaster ride.
Unfortunately, though, the damage is done. Such a
large chunk of each ball club's schedule has been lost
that it would certainly be impossible to finish the
season in a manner equitable to all teams. The per-
centage of home games that each squad has
remaining, as well as the quality of its opposition
over the rest of the slate, is certain to vary, in some
instances to a considerable degree. How legitimate
would a division championship by the Baltimore
Orioles be if they finished one game ahead of New
York after playing three more games against Toron-
to and three less games against Milwaukee than the
Yankees did?
The sad truth is that the '81 campaign has already
been tainted beyond restitution; should the strike end
soon enough for the major leagues to complete a pat-
chwork season, the name of the, team that wins the
World Series will be accompanied by a large asterisk
in the minds of the frustrated fans.
Even worse, though, is the possibility that the
walkout will not end soon-or at all-this summer.
The negotiations have been so bizarre, with the
greatest of optimism emerging one day and gloom
prevailing the next, that no one can make a
reasonable prediction as to the date of settlement.
There may be an agreement tomorrow, putting the
ballplayers on the field within a week. More likely,
the strike will continue even further into the summer.
If it should run through September, the bitterness and
alienation that will undoubtedly exist on the parts of
both players and owners would make any agreement
unlikely until Major League Baseball 1982 rolls
around...
Brown-Allen: A frightening combo
Recent reports that Kentucky Gov. John Y. Brown
Jr. is attempting to push the replacement of current
Wildacat gridiron coach Fran Curci with ex-Ram, ex-
Redskin mentor George Allen is disturbing for more
than one reason.
For one, it is inconceivable that the governor of a
state would involve himself in the football program of
that state's university. Doesn't Gov. Brown have
slightly more significant worries than whether Ken-
tucky is going to finish above .500 on the football field
next fall? He is, one would expect, much too far
removed from the situation to involve himself in mat-
ters such as this; his public acknowledgement that he
wants the Wildcat Athletic Board to replace Curci
displays appalling arrogance on his part, as well as
that "we've-got-to-win" outlook so dangerous when
applied to a college program. Could you imagine Gov.
Milliken suggesting to Don Canham that Bo Schem-
. kill 1981 season
bechler be replaced?
The other disturbing aspect of this situation is the
nature of the man whom King, uh ... Gov. Brown has
dubbed as the new mentor. If ever a football coach
was wrong for the college game, it is George Allen.
He works himself to exhaustion; it is his life. And he
expects almost the same effort from those who play
for him. In college football, however, the game isn't,
or at least shouldn't be, the athlete's whole life, and
unless Allen dramatically modifies his philosophy,
the players at Kentucky will be the eventual losers.
Add Allen's win-at-all-costs motto to Brown's green
light to do just that, and it is apparent that, should the
coach replace Curci, the NCAA better keep a close
eye on what goes on in Lexington ...
McEnroe: Wimbledon behavior
understood
A recent conversation with recently-graduated
Michigan tennis player Matt Horwitch shed some
light on John McEnroe's Wimbledon behavioral
woes. Horwitch, known to throw smaller-scale tan-
trums on the court himself, lost in the first round of
the qualifying competition in England in 1980, and he,
for one, failed to find the net officials there very
mannerly.
"The umpires there think they are God's gift to ear-
th," Horwitch said. "They treat you like dirt. What he
(McEnroe) did isn't right, but you have to be there to
see what he's going through. If he ties his shoelaces
wrong, they're all over him.
4
I
SPOR TS OF THE DAILY:
Cowboys
IRVING, Texas (AP) - Dallas.
Cowboys tailback Preston Pearson is
calling it quits after five Super Bowls
and 14 years in the National Football
League.
The Cowboys' third-down specialist
and only man to have gone to the Super
Bowl with three different teams called
a news conference yesterday to an-
nounce his retirement.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT comes as
no surprise; the impending retirement
was talked about openly by teap of-
ficials during the off-season.
Cowboys Coach Tom Landry did not
invite Pearson to training camp this
year, saying the team could no longer
afford the luxury of carrying a third-
down specialist on the team.
However, quarterback Danny White,
who has doubled as the Cowboys' pun-
ter, said he "wouldn't mind being the
punter again this year if it means we
could keep Preston Pearson. He adds so
Action Sportsv ar
FACTORY
CLOSEOUTS
Swimwear,
Footwear,
Bodywear
406 E. Liberty
2 blocks off State St.
much
PE
a free
of the
by Pit
He
Cowb(
the po
seaso
The
son as
third-
found
possib
PEE
in Sup
ching
Cowb
But
as a
caugh
Roge
shock
Angel
game
In
came
five p
come
ch-riv
Alic)
' Pearson calls it quits
to the team." ternational Speedway. made his salary of $225,000 for the 1980
ARSON CAME to the Cowboys as Steve Krisiloff, driving the Patrick season.
agent shortly after the beginning Wildcat usually occupied by Mario-An- While neither the Eagles nor Jawor-
1975 season when he was released dretti, was next at 197.0. Andretti will ski would discuss money, it was
tsburgh. miss Sunday's inaugural 500-miler on believed he would receive an estimated
was the starting tailback for the Michigan's two-mile, high-banked oval $400,000 for each of the next five years.
oys until Tony Dorsett took over because of a previous commitment to JAWORSKI APPEARED at a hastily
isition after 10 games in the 1977 take part in the British Grand Prix at arranged news conference at the
n" Silverstone, England. Eagles' West Chester State College
Cowboys then began using Pear- Pancho Carter, driving an older Pen- training site, along with his wife, two
a receiver out of the backfield on ske PC-7, also was picked up at 196. children and agent, Richard Glazer.
down plays. Defenders said they The only other driver clocked at more "Naturally, I'm happy to have my
the elusive back almost im- than 190 during the three-hour practice contract extended, since it makes my
ble to cover one-on-one. period was Gordon Johncock, whose future secure," said Jaworski, who last
ARSON WAS the leading receiver Patrick Wildcat was timed at 192.5 year statistically was rated the second-
er Bowl XII against Denver, cat- mph. best quarterback in the NFL.
five passes for 37 yards in the Three-time Indy winner Al Unser, Cleveland's Brian Sipe was rated No. 1.
oys' 27-10 victory, struggling to get his Longhorn racer up "Hopefully, I will finish my career
Pearson's greatest performance to speed, managed a fast lap of 188.5, here," said Jaworski. "That's why I so
Cowboy may have come when he while four-time Indy champion A.J. deeply appreciate the Eagles' exten-
it three touchdown passes from Foyt, a late entry here,. failed to get ding my contract."
r Staubach to lead Dallas to a above 186.5 after rolling the car off the Jaworski said that 1981 was the last
ing 37-7 victory over the Los trailer just before the practice began. year of his contract and that he had no
es Rams in the 1975 NFC title Jauorski'' contract extended option clause. He would have been a
w qfree agent after the 1981 season.
the final game of 1979, Pearson WEST CHESTER, Pa. (AP) - The "But being a free agent in the NFL is
in on crucial situations to catch Philadelphia Eagles extended quarter- not like the baseball situation," said
asses for 108 yards in Dallas' 35-34 back Ron Jaworski's contract through Jaworski. He referred to the fact that
-from-behind victory over the ar- the next five years, General Manager the stringent free agent regulations in
al Washington Redskins. Jim Murray announced yesterday on football almost preclude a player from
hkin'ann 0m trials b in the opening day of the team's rookie .being signed by another team.
0
0
0
BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) - Johnny
Rutherford and Tom Sneva set the pace
yesterday as practice opened for the
$500,000 Norton Michigan 500 Indy car
race.
Rutherford, a three-time In-
dianapolis 500 winner, driving a
Chaparral, and Sneva, the all-time
fastest qualifier at Indy, piloting a
March, both were caught at 197.8 on
hand-held watches.
THE MORE accurate electric timing
devices were still being set up in
preparation for the opening session of
time trials Thursday at Michigan In-
training camp.
Murray, while not disclosing the
financial figures involved, said the new
contract made Jaworski the highest
paid player in the team's history.
JAWORSKI, WHO came to the
Eagles in 1977 from the Los Angeles
Rams, led Philadelphia to the National
Football League's National Conference
championship last season and into the
Super Bowl. The Eagles lost to Oakland
27-10 in the Super Bowl at New Orleans.
Jaworski reportedly earned $125,000
when he joined the Eagles and is sup-
posed to have received annual in-
creases of $25;000, which would have
Mason trial concluding
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - Defense at-
torney William Healy implored a Pima
County Superior Court jury today that it
"not render an injustice" by convicting
former University of Arizona football
Coach Tony Mason of fraud or theft in
Mason's expense account trial.
Mason is an honest, moral man who
made "some human misjudgements"
but did so in a "mistaken belief" he was
acting correctly, Healy said in his
closing argument.
6
6