SPORTS

Page 11

The Michigan Daily


i

Baseball, ugliness, and Adam
other random ideas
Just a series of random thoughts as baseball teams start to gear up for
the pennant races, football training camps open up, and the opening of CHICAGO - Seven A.M. is an odd hour for a
fall practice inches closer. press conference.
- How can Creighton University officials see no basis for a lawsuit So when Jim Delaney, the new Big Ten
filed by former basketball player Kevin Ross? commissioner, began to speak, it came as no surprise
I guess Creighton officials may not care if a student leaves college that he began rather slowly. As the commissioner
with less than a fourth-grade reading level. I don't think these officials handled questions regarding steroid testing, agents,
should consider looking for employment in Ann Arbor. television contracts, and financial crises facing the
- Jim Valvano is promoting a contest for his new sports show on conference, he looked as if he were fighting off a
ESPN. But do we really care whether Bill Frieder is uglier than Dick yawn. Those members of the media who found
Vitale? How about calling the contest a draw? themselves up at an ungodly hour wearily scribbled
" Why are the Chicago White Sox considering swapping centerfielders down his remarks.
with the lowly Detroit Tigers. The Tigers would be giving up a 31-year "The thing that separates the Big Ten conference
old veteran in exchange for a rookie making $80,000 with a batting from other major conferences around the country is the
average hovering around .300. constituent elements of it," Delaney said. "Obviously
For the Tigers, the deal makes sense in that they these schools are able to compete on a national level,
Steve basically can't get any worse. Maybe the White Sox but what's really unique is that they are ten world-class
Blonder are are jealous of Detroit's loss total and merely institutions. I don't think there is another conference
wants to catch up. in the country that can say that and mean it."
Then again, that's probably giving the White Yawn.
Sox brass too much credit. Owner Jerry Reinsdorf is "One of the issues that came up (at the Big Ten
the same person who fired Chicago Bulls coach coaches meeting) was concerns about anabolic steroids.
Doug Collins and asked Hall-of-Famer Harry Caray Basically there was total unanimity that this is a
to delineate his baseball philosophy. problem. For two reasons: it affects the health and
- Speaking of Caray, how many other Hall of safety of the athlete and because when steroids are used
Fame inductees had their hometown bartender travel without detection, it provides for uneven playing
to Cooperstown. conditions."
" Question: Who wrote "The Victors'?" Yawn.
-n- Did Miami Heat part-owner Billy Cunningham "A problem that is greatly unreported is the
P e truly believe he could beat former Wolverine Glen economic problem," Delaney said. "There are serious
Rice in a game of "horse"? economic problems on the horizon. How to get
Cunningham, who played and coached in the NBA before working as through those is open for discussion. Some say let's
an analyst for CBS, challenged his rookie to a friendly game. But Rice just find new revenues, others say 'across the board
showed who's boss by sinking five consecutive shots after Cunningham cuts for everybody.' So that's a very serious issue on
missed his first. the national level and at the conference level."
- Is anyone really surprised that former Loyola basketball player Kenny Where's a pillow?
Miller, who has not played since his freshman season due to being Finally, Mark Rudner, the Big Ten's director of
academically ineligible, is transferring to Oklahoma?] News Services uttered a saving grace: "Last question."
- Hot news flash: Chicago Cubs manager Don Zimmer announced he A reporter stood and asked whether or not the Big
will go on a diet in an effort to shed one of his stomachs. I guess those Ten would start a conference basketball tournament.
hot Chicago afternoons aren't enough to keep a 5'8" man at a more And Jim Delaney received his wake-up call.
reasonable size. Upon hearing the word basketball, Delaney perked
During his playing days, Zimmer weighed between 165-185 pounds. up.
But my question remains: Can we keep calling Zimmer "The Gerbil" or "I love tournament basketball," an animated
do we need to come up with a new nickname? Delaney said. "I think that the tournament issue will
- Answer: Louis Elbel. be resolved this year one way or another. The
- Will the firing of Bob Wortmann, ex-Big Ten supervisor of officials, problems with a tournament are multiple. (But) there
really improve the quality of play next season? Quick answer: No. But the is no question that the fans would have interest, and
graduation of Iowa's Ed "Thug" Horton might. TV would have interest. The question is whether or
not there is the time."
Boles, Hoard to battle for berth TI
BY ADAM BENSON
CHICAGO - Michigan coach - Several teams declared athletes six captains this year. We aren't
Bo Schembechler says he hasn't yet academically ineligible. Included in going to win many games this year
decided who will start in the the group was Indiana wide receiver so we are going to try to outnumber
backfield with fullback Jarrod Bunch. Rob Turner, who was expected to be (our opponents) at the coin toss."
The leading candidates are Tony one of the top wide receivers in the Indiana coach Bill Mallory:
Boles, who racked up over 1400 conference. "We've got some young guys who
yards last season and Rose Bowl No Michigan players were declared have got to get some hair on their
MVP Leroy Hoard. ineligible, though the eligibility of chests and come through early for
-Iowa quarterback Tom Poholsky quarterback Demetrius Brown is not us." Some Eff c
missed most of spring practice with yet certain. M
a separated shoulder. The fifth-year Miami Heat forward Glen Rice on
senior remains the leading candidate - They said it: next season's Michigan basketball
to replace Chuck Hartlieb. Wisconsin coach Don Morton: team:
- The Northwestern football team "We could not win on the road. We "They are in very good shape. I DC
dedicated the upcoming season to could not win at home. My failure think that if Michigan plays the way
linebacker Jeff Hiller, who drowned as a coach was that I could not find they did in the tournament, they Call PrIme
in a swimming accident earlier this another place to play." have a very good chance of repeating
summer.. Iowa coach Hayden Fry: "We have as champs."

Delaney signals a
new era for Big Ten
Jim, what about football?
In truth Delaney may be a reflection of changing
timers in the Big Ten. Basketball roots stand out in
Delaney's background. He played three years at North
Carolina, serving as captain during his final season.
He later graduated from NC law school and worked in
the North Carolina state government before being hired
as an NCAA enforcement representative.
Delaney became commissioner of the Ohio Valley
Conference in 1979, and recently earned a spot on the
NCAA Division One Men's Basketball Committee.
One would think that a man with such a basketball
background would head a basketball-oriented
conference.
Well, he may be doing just that.
The Big Ten's evolution into a basketball power
can be easily identified. When was the last time the
Big Ten won a national championship in football?
Realize since that 1968 Ohio State gridiron greats, five
basketball teams have won national championships
and every school with the exceptions of Northwestern
and Wisconsin has appeared in the NCAA final four.
Not convinced?
Notice the firing of Bob Wortmani, the league's
head of basketball officials.
When replacing him, Delaney named ex-
Northwestern basketball coach Rich Falk to the job.
Besides monitoring referees, Falk will be involved in
public relations and marketing for the entire
conference, as the Big Ten's new associate
commissioner.
When asked if Delaney was more interested in
basketball than football, a Big Ten official declared
Delaney "did not see the conference as a basketball
conference, or a football conference, but a conference
for all sports."
Basketball seemed to dominate the meetings. The
loudest ovation of the Big Ten Kickoff luncheon went
to former Wolverine Glen Rice when he collected his
Athlete-of-the-Year honors.
Michigan coach Bo Schembechler admitted, "It has
been a difficult year for me - being head football
coach at a school predominantly known for its
basketball team."
After the jokes, Schembechler and other coaches
made a point of thanking outgoing commissioner
Wayne Duke.
You wonder how much Schembechler and friends
will come to miss Duke in the future.
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