SPORTS
Tuesday, July 30, 1985
Page 11
The Michigan Daily
Big Ten has the biggest luncheon ever
By PHIL NUSSEL
Insurance policies, quarterbacks
and league depth were the major
topics at last week's 14th annual Big
Ten Football Kickoff Luncheon held
at the Chicago Downtown Hyatt
Regency.
With over 300 media personnel and
over 2100 others at the luncheon itself,
the three-day event was billed as the
largest preseason college football
extravaganza ever. All the Big Ten
coaches - including Michigan's Bo
Schembechler - were in attendance
along with two stars from each team.
Defensive back Brad Cochran and
linebacker Mike Mallory were the
Michigan representatives.
Other notable attendees included
Brent Musberger of CBS sports, 37
representatives of postseason college
bowls, all the Big Ten athletic direc-
tors, and 24 sports information direc-
tors.
a The issue of insurance policies was
brought up several times in the two-
day affair. League superstars like
Ohio State's Keith Byars and Pepper
CCHA and
a new corn
By DAVE ARETHA
In the heat of the summer, Ann Ar-
or has been hit with a double dose of
Johnson, Illinois' Jack Trudeau and Byar's million-dollar deal is
David Williams, Iowa's Chuck Long, probably the best of the group since it
and Purdue's Jim Everett have all in- insures him for any injury - not just
sured their financial security by football injuries.
taking out lucrative health or life in- The coaches all raved about the
surance plans in case of an injury. quality of the Big Ten quarterbacks,
as nine of the ten starters from last
season return. Jim Karsatos of Ohio
State is the only rookie QB. Trudeau,
Long, and Everett have all broken
numerous records.
Michigan's Jim Harbaugh was
probably the least discussed quarter-
back, but Schembechler put in a plug
for his man.
"With all the great quarterbacks in
the conference, Harbaugh may be the
most underrated," Schembechler
said.
All the coaches spoke of the
league's overall depth and quality.
Schembechler went as far as saying.
"This is the best conference in
America today. The race is not cut
and dried. The league is tremendouly
Kerasotes well balanced. I see the conference as
Kersokes Q it was in the '50s when on any given
... only rookie QB Saturday and team could beat the
other."
s oeWithout a doubt, Iowa, Ohio State
1 'and Illinois were seen as the top con-
Sctenders for the 1985 title. Some doub-
ts, however, were raised about Iowa
Sin light of the serious leg injury to
tmissioner' tailback Rodney Harmon and a
defense that needs a big rebuilding
hockey career as a referee in the job.H
NHL. After two years on the ice was "Harmon has not been released
Tp-from a medical standpoint," said
Iowa coach Hayden Fry. "He is ahead didn't seem to bother the all-
of schedule on his rehabilitation everything tailback Byars, who
program though." checks in at a hefty 236 pounds.
Fry did not rule out a red shirt for "They like being a no-name offen-
Harmon if he is not 100 percent for the sive line," Byars said.
season opener. When asked if he takes the linemen
The main reason for Ohio State's out for dinner, Byars responded with
high touting is Heisman Trophy can- the quote of the day, saying, "No, my
didate Byars. wallet's not big enough for that - I
"If Byars has a good year, then take them to White Tower in-
we'll have a good year," OSU coach stead."
Earl Bruce predicted. "I'd be concer- The Michigan role in the 1985 race
ned if it wasn't for Jim Karsotes. Jim could be that of a dark horse. Most
has the experience and he can pass predictions put the Wolverines at fifth
the football." in the conference - the first time that
The Buckeyes lost the bulk of their has happened in decades.
offensive line to graduation, but that "I'm distraught that we're not
preseason favorites for a change,"
Schembechler said jokingly. "We're
not favored. The players can't accept
it, I can't accept it, but it will give us
greater resolve.
"Don't think we're out of it and
don't think we won't have a good
team."
One of the top players Michigan will
feature this season is Cochran, who is
being billed as a preseason All-
American. The fifth year player
talked about the team's incentive.
"There's no question about it,
there's a lot of incentive. Especially
against teams that beat us last year,"
he said.
The Wolverines open the 1985 cam-
Cochran paign Sept. 14 at home against the
...lots of incentive highly-rated Fighting Irish of Notre
Dame.
o&v 10ua111W11 U eUb PPon~e commissioner of e inter-
ice hockey news. Central Collegiate national Hockey League, where he
Hockey Association officials named a remained until 1978.
new commissioner yesterday and an-
nounced he and his office will move to BEGAN RESIGNED as IHL com-
Ann Arbor. missioner to establish the Eastern
Hockey League. That league soon
Bill Began, a man of an impressive folded, however, and Began was back
although peculiar - hokey to the IHL as owner of the Toledo
history, will replace former com- Goaldiggers His team won two
missioner Jim Ruehl, who retired oligr.Hsta wnto
Jusse J. championships in his three years as
July 1. owner, but Began sold the team and
"I'M VERY excited about it," became a sales representative for
"ega sa f hied jobItn it Gladieux - a food serivce that hap-
Began said of his new job. "I think it pens to sell hot dogs to Michigan foot-
will be a creditable challenge. ball fans.
"College hockey is the new wave.
Colleges have the best coaches, and Began, who had been a sales rep
more and more college players are since 1982, said he enjoyed his job, but
graduating to the pros. There's the needed to get back to hockey.
right ingredients here: good
education and honest athletics." "You can take the boy out of
hockey, but you can't take the hockey
Began said his main objective as out of the boy," he said. "I wanted to
commissioner will be to sustain the be associated with the high energy of
league financially, instead of having college hockey."
to rely on football, basketball and
other forms of school revenue. Began will operate the CCHA in Ann
Arbor, as league officials have
BE ADDED that he will try to get a decided that the city is more centrally
television contract for the CCHA and decided that the cirre enrally
will also try to lure Notre Dame back located than the current league office
into the league. The Fighting Irish in Bowling Green, Ohio.
dropped their hockey program after Don't expect a huge headquarters to
the 1982-1983season. be built, though. The league's new of-
fice will consist of one room in the
"I'll talk to Notre Dame," he said. Women's Athletic Building.
"They have all kinds of, credibility
and I'd like to have them back." Began will move from Toledo to
Ann Arbor, but he has yet to make any
Began, 47, started his strange plans.
4a
Associoted rress
Chug, chug, chug
Former Michigan offensive tackle Rich Strenger (left) and running back Billy Sims go through a light workout
at Oakland University in Rochester. Both are coming off injuries.