14 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, July 27, 1998
Michigan, Yanks to share Henson
I
Coliinued from Page 12
The Yankees were losing 3-2 in the
bottom of the 10th with two outs and
two men on base as Henson stepped
up to the plate. With his family, his
team and cameras looking on,
Henson struck out. Without flinch-
ing, his father Dan looked down and
uttered, "Welcome to pro baseball."
"It's just like any other summer
team," Henson said. "But between
the lines they just play at a higher
level."
And Henson won't have much time
to adjust to the pros since he's sched-
uled to report to Michigan for foot-
ball practice Aug. 10.
Yankees owner "Mr. (George)
The Henson Deal
What: A five-year deal to play profes-
sional baseball in the New York
Yankees organization.
When: Henson will play summer ball
with the Yankees when he's not
attending classes at Michigan.
How much: Minor-league base salary
plus a $4.5 million signing bonus -
$2 million up front and another $2.5
million upon his Michigan graduation
if he commits to baseball.
How: Although he is a professional
athlete, the NCAA allows a student
to be a professional in one sport and
maintain amateur status in another.
This allows Henson to keep his foot-
ball eligibility. He forfeits his NCAA
baseball eligibility, though.
Strinbrenner told him that he can't
think of a better combination -
Yankees for baseball, Michigan for
football," Henson's mothcr Carol
said. "What other team would you
want to play with?"
By signing with a professional
team, Henson must give up his foot-
ball scholarship.
Throughout high school, Henson's
athletic ability earned him awards
and accolades but also elicited a
storm of questions, as coaches,
scouts and the public continuously
asked him to choose a sport, Carol
Henson said.
Back then, he avoided the pressure
by concentrating and training for the
task at hand, but Carol Henson wor-
ries that the outside pressure will
grow stronger.
"There's greater expectation from
the outside," she said. "It's really the
biggest question now. That's why he
has to do this - so he'll know."
During his junior year at Brighton,
Henson announced his intent to play
for Michigan, without making other
recruiting trips or feeling the need to
be "wined and dined" by other uni-
versities, Carol Henson said.
But he didn't commit himself to
baseball or football.
"At the right time, he'll decide and
not look back," she said.
Henson said for now he is getting
the best of both worlds. Well, he will
soon learn about one of them. The
newest Yankee will learn the joys of
dorm life and cafeteria food as he
moves into East Quad today for new
student orientation.
"A lot of things I'm going through,
most kids have never had the chance
to do," Henson said. "I try to remem-
ber that and be grateful. Most kids
are worrying about their roommates,
classes and orientation. I don't have a
chance to worry about those."
He's too busy thinking about jug-
gling the lives of college student,
football quarterback and professional
baseball player.
Between games in Tampa this
weekend, Henson divided his time
between sitting at the beach with his
family and posing for Sports
Illustrated.
The Yankees are hoping they can
lure Henson away from football and
college life in the next few years by
taking him to a World Series game
and letting him play with the major
leaguers, so he can "learn what it is
like to be a Yankee," Yankees Vice
President Mark Newman said.
"We're not going to pressure him,"
Newman said. "We hope ultimately
he is going to be a baseball player.
When he commits himself complete-
ly he will move to the big leagues
very quickly."
Yankee veteran Chili Davis, who
had been taking batting practice with
Henson at the Yankees training center
in Tampa, said eventually Henson
will have to make a choice, but he
can't blame Henson for wanting to do
both.
"It's going to be tough trying to
juggle both sports," Davis said.
"Deion (Sanders) did it. Bo (Jackson)
did it. There's no reason he can't do
it."
14
AP PHOTO
Charles Woodson (left) gets one of his first lessons in the NFL from Raiders assis-
tant coach Willie Brown last Wednesday on the first day of training camp.
WOODSON
Continued from Page 12
said Gruden, 34, the former offensive
coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles.
"I'm a rookie head coach."
Woodson, who entered the draft after
his junior season, was the first predom-
inantly defensive player to win the
Heisman.
Last season, he had 41 tackles and
seven interceptions.
He also had 33 punt returns for 282
yards and a touchdown, II receptions
for 231 yards and a touchdown, and
three rushes for 15 yards and another
score.
Woodson is the seventh Heisman
Trophy winner to play for the Raiders,
in a group with former Wolverine
Desmond Howard, Tim Brown, Billy
Cannon, Jim Plunkett, Marcus Allen
and Bo Jackson.
"This young man has the capability
to take the torch and become a great
football player for us," Gruden said.
The Raiders have just one draft pick
left unsigned, fourth-rounder Gennaro
DiNapoli, an offensive lineman out of
Virginia Tech.
All sides admitted Woodson's early
signing would increase his chances of
starting.
"I've never sat on the bench a day in
my life," Woodson said. "And I don't
want to start now."'
a
Baribeau returns to 'M', class
By Rick Freeman
Daily Sports Editor
On the wall in Brent Baribeau's hospi-
tal room is a photograph. The kind taken
by a pocket camera dragged out at a
party. Caught by the camera is Baribeau
and an unidentified girl planting a wet
one on his right cheek.
"That's one of his girlfriends," said
his mother, Karen, rolling her eyes.
"They seem to be running concurrently
now."
As does the seemingly unceasing flow
of visitors to the Michigan golfer's room.
Whenever Baribeau isn't away from his
room working with physical or occupa-
tional therapists, friends, relatives, team-
mates and even strangers like football
coach Lloyd Carr come to see him.
But he might not have time for so
many visitors in the fall. He'll still have
his therapy regimen, but he'll also need
time to study, because he plans on going
back to class.
He might only take one class, said his
coach, Jim Carras, and all the details
aren't worked out yet. But he has a room
in East Quad for the 1998-99 year.
"I was going to live in a house with
five guys," Baribeau said.
But June 18, when a slip off the deck
of a friend's boat resc.ed in a damaged
spinal chord, all plans were put on hold.
He spent a month in a Milwaukee hospi-
tal until July 16, when he returned to
Ann Arbor. He will be at the University
Medical Center until just before classes
begin Sept. 8.
"September 3rd is my discharge date,"
Baribeau said.
And his condition is improving as that
date draws nearer This weekend, he lift-
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