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Pa** h
I hr Ited jim1 Black. Thursdas. Januars 25. 1979
Sports
In defense
of a goat
Rebounds!
r '“* M«n». —««»»« i^ni Him
Wi ll another Super Bowl has come and gone and for the
thmt time in as many tries the Pittsburgh Steelers are
Woi Id ('hampions
Vmir S5 M triumph over the Dallas Cowboys clearly
esi.i lished lhat the Steelers are indeed the best team in
pi iniial football A team that does its talking on the
fil l ! •' usually successful against one that ulks a better
garni than they play Are you listening Thomas
Henderson and Harvey Martin.
But tlris column is not going to be a rehashing of the
Super Bowl Seventy thousand people watched the game
in (Mrson and millions more viewed it on television so
almost everyone knows what happened
Instead, I would like to comment on one individual
upon whose shoulders the entire blame for Dallas' defeat
is b. ii.g placed Namely, one Jackie Smith
h r those of you who have been in a coma for the past
week. Jackie Smith is a backup tight end for the
Cowboys. He dropped an apparent touchdown pass in the
thir l i|uarter which would have tied the game at 21-21
Instead. Dallas was forced to settle for a field goal a
dift.rence of four points which coincidentally was the
dith renee in the final score
I * coincidentally because I believe the dropped pass
had no influence on the outcome of the contest whatso-
Pittsburgh was clearly the superior squad and
■ o meaningless Dallas touchdowns late in the game
e the score respectable
’stead of acknowledging Pittsburgh as a superior
many Cowboy supporters have seen fit to single out
h as the sole reason for the whipping their team
ived.
Iiftcen years. Jackie Smith excelled in relative
an All-Pro tight end for the St Louis
or. I
in.i
I
clu 1
Sim'
m
F.|
ob*- urily
('ill ilih.il:
.■ limited action throughout the season but he
did catch a touchdown pass in the Cowboys 27-20 playoff
win against the Falcons But all those years of excellence
will forgotten when Jackie Smith's name is mentioned
in i. v >n\ or sat ions All that will be remembered is
Sin. i; .•> tragic form lying in the Orange Bowl endzone
while the football lay at his feet
That one unfortunate moment in an otherwise illus
trious career will haunt Jackie Smith for the rest of his
life Already accounts of Smith’s drop have been detailed
in words and pictures across most of the country's sports
pages Some papers even saw fit to report the occurrence
on the front page The Red and Black printed a very
unflatter.ng cartoon labeling Smith as “Butter Fingers ”
One would almost think people believe Jackie Smith
intentionally dropped the ball. I’m sure that Smith tried
as hard to catch that unfortunate toss from Roger
Staubach as he did on any pass thrown in his direction
(luring the previous sixteen years
Why should Jackie Smith be faulted any more than
Dti-w Pearson who fumbled on Dallas' first possession?
Or Terry Bradshaw who allowed Mike Hegman to rip the
ball out of hts hands and romp into the endzone untouched
for a touchdown? Or even Tony Dungy who fumbled the
on i« kick which led to the Cowboys' final score 0
l hie Smith is no more to blame for the Dallas defeat
th : >be 45 other men who wore the Cowboy white last
Sun i.i It's a shame that people always have to look for
s - nine to blame instead of giving credit where it is due
•ckie Smith didn't lose the Super Bowl The Pittsburgh
Sti lets won it.
'Athens
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SPECIALIZING IN
THESES • DISSERTATIONS • RESUMES
MONDAY-FRIDAY 8:30 TO 5:30
Phone 546-1&10
across from Myers Hall
in the Lyons Building
Dave Landis
Not your typical wrestler
By Ft) I.FM.t
At first glance Dave Landis
looks like a typical wrestler
Landis' sturdy 6V* frame
resembles that of the tough,
aggressive, and experienced
athlete, and his record reflects
his wrestling skill
Landis placed fourth in the
SEC as a freshman He has a
wining career record This
steady performance and the
leadership ability the senior
PE major has displayed
throughout his career have
earned him the rank of captain
of this year's wrestling squad
"Dave's been a consistent
performer for the last four
years." confirmed wrestling
coach George Reid Reid
added that Landis “is a very
good team leader” whose
"overall record is a winning
one.”
With a 1978-79 mark of 16-5.
Landis seemed on his way to
another fine season when he
injured his leg in a match
against Clemson on Jan 19
out with a torn ligament, he
will hopefully l** back in action
in time tor Georgia's match
with Auburn set for Feb 3
This year's team is 5-9 and
Hindis readily admits the unit
has had its "ups and downs "
Hie Georgia team is very
young, however, frequently
starling freshmen in at least
six of the 12 slots This could
mean improvement with ex
perience
Landis feels these freshmen
display the desire needed to
win
"If the guys stick it out and
still show the same desire they
are really going to make an
improvement.’ Landis said
Landis' personality may not
fit that of the assumed
wrestling mold.
Wrestling often requires
aggression and even self-cen-
teredness for success. It is
certainly an individual sport
"Wrestling is individual
You’re the one that’ll win and
you’re the one that’ll lose."
Landis said
Landis displays an unselfish
desire to help others that may
noi be associated with wrest
lers Through his athletic
career he would like to give
counseling and guidance to
adolescents.
Coaching may provide that
outlet
"I d like to help kids,"
Landis suggested "Being a
coach 111 be a person they can
come to when they have
problems." in addition to
giving them some guidelines as
to "what to do and what not to
do." Landis said
A "born-again Christian."
Landis believes that there is
more to wrestling than just
winning.
While he does wrestle for
self staisfaction. it means more
to him than that
"Since I'm a born again
Christian it gives me a
different viewpoint on wrest
ling. " Landis said, adding “it’s
not so much winning now” as
it is “bring glory to God."
Wrestling requires a great
amount of self-discipline and
sacrifice on the part of the
wrestler
"You've got to be d lerent to
wrestle." Landis saic "I think
there's too much sail floe for
the average pers 11." he
concluded
Landis' winning record and
leadership at ility exhibit his
dedication to wrestling Fur
ther. his desire to help others
end his feelings of compasior
and purpose in an often brutal
sport show that for many
athletes, winning is not the
only goal
Hank Aaron recalls sad times when chasing Ruth’s record
NEW YORK (I’PD—Hank Aaron owns or shares 21 major
league baseball records, including the most revered mark of all.
but his greatest challenge comes from within.
"When you read things like that." says Aaron, referring to the
hate mail he and his family received when he was threatening
Babe Ruth's career home run record, "you have to say 'how can
people think that way?’ It could have changed my concept of
America, but 1 wouldn't let it.”
Aaron, in New York recently to promote "Langston Hughes." a
short film about the noted black poet, has refused to lei himself
be consumed by bitterness over the way he has been treated. But
tliat doesn't mean the frustrations of a lifetime can be kept
simmering
"People find it hard to believe I've hit more homers than Babe
Ruth," says the 44 year-old Aaron, who now works for the
Atlanta Braves as Director of Player Development. "Nobody
wanted me to break Ruth's record they wanted Mickey Mantle
or Willie Mays to break it.
"Mays was a favorite of the white press and the f u -haired
boy "
The phrases are spoken with conviction, without m *s ung to
convict The man who always talked loudest wiUi hit I it still
speaks in hushed tones—but the pent up emotions an p ify his
words.
"There was never a controversy about Ruth’s 714 b« fore 1
started to approach it. There was no talk of Sada la u Oh.
Japanese baseball star, until 1 started coming close
"The reason for all that is because I'm black." Aaro i s nd
And that has not always been beautiful for Henry Lou s , aron.
"Those days I was chasing the record should have 9et n the
most enjoyable time of my life." says Aaron, hitting the table
with his immensely powerful fingers that engulf a hand upon
shaking it. "Instead, it was a very sad time of my lif.— >me-
thing that I try to forget Who wants to remember y>ui kids
getting threatened?”
Aaron, however, cannot forget the days preceding hat
Boston’s Carl Yastrzemski has called "*he greatest acorn) lish-
ir.ent in the history of sports.” The impressionistic poi rait
formed at the end of 1973 and the opening months of is;4 is -till
wet on canvas. Aaron not only broke Ruth's record hut went nto
hit a total of 755 before his career ended with the Milwa kee
Brewers after the 1976 season
"There are a lot of sick people in America All I was d ing vas
trying to be the best player I could be. and I ended up having t he
separated from my teammates and checking into hotel nr ms
under false names.”
The United States, though, is still the "greatest countrv in he
world" for Aaron, who could travel 80 mph between tl • coi its
and not be recognized by one highway patrolman Thr rumb rs
speak for themselves. They have to
Aaron makes very tew appearances in the media: the greatest
home run hitter in history is most likely to show up on the
American Express "Do You Know Me?" commercial
"It’s lack of recognition, maybe .me I've never been involved
in any controversy It might be because I never played in New
York
"I'm not that interested in wha* happens in baseball. I’m
interested in what happens to black people- and that's not
news."
What was newt was Aaron's retirement in 1976. after setting
career marks in RBI. total bases and 19 other categories
"I realized three years before 1 quit that 1 was gonna retire. I
played 23 years a id there was nothing I didn’t have the
opportunity to do You name it. 1 did it I wanted to get myself
into something else and I'm really satisfied with the way things
have developed "
What hasn't d?veloped is the Braves' personnel Atlanta, which
hasn’t won a divisional tide since 1%9. is simply a couple of
Aaron's away from a championship
"The only thing I miss is my friends.” says Aaron, whose
broad smile across an open friendly face must have antagonized
pitchers the 755 times he crossed home plate after a homer and
broke into «. grin
The grins ire rare in baseball today, replaced in large part by
the grimaces of major league owners still groping for the handle
on free agent ry.
"Baseball has changed because everything else has changed,”
Aaron says "The owners have done it themselves They’ve had it
their way for all these years and the players deserve what they
can get
"You don't see many franchises with For Sale signs on them,
do you?"
Georgia’s track team sprints ahead despite
lack of adequate indcor practice facilities
Staff photo ■ San> KrneOiikr
barbecue at its best
Com* and Havo Lunch with
MAYOR UPSHAW BENTLEY
Thursday at 1:00 pm
Up from Brumby Hall
across fram Shrimp Boat
Women gymnasts 6-1
(Georgia freshman Barb Hall has seen limited action thus
far in 1979 due to a shoulder ailment Her return to full
strength should further strengthen coach Andy Long's
squad Coach Long's girls are now 6-1
ICOUPON
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Present Coupon to Cashier
_ Eipiret April I. I*7* w
By DON WHITE
Training outdoors for indoor
track meets may seem contra
dictory. but the Georgia track
team has learned to accept
cold winter weather as just
another foe to reckon with
"We’re at a disadvantage by
training outdoors." coach Lew
is Gainey said "We can't work
on starting and sprinting
techniques and some of the
finer points as well as schools
with indoor tracks can.”
In track, where fractions of
inches and seconds mean
victory or defeat, these tech
niques play a most vital role.
Because Auburn, Tennessee,
and LSU all have indoor
facilities, it is no wonder that
they finished first, second, and
fourth last year in SEC indoor
track
"We have a need or ai
indoor track here." notei
Gainey, “but by no mea is is ii
a necessity "
"Through hard work v e feel
we can be competitive with the
other schools. This year we’ve
had a pretty good brea'i with
the weather, and we'v< been
able to practice a lot.” Gainey
added
Indoor track is unlike its
outdoor counterpart in that
strategies are emp'uyed
Small, often banked traces cut
dBWB on the number oi long
distance races ami gprint x
"Most pointi are scored on
the middle Jistance ev« nts,
Gainey saiu
"We have good sprinte s but
their effectiveness is cut down
because there is only one
sprint race indoors (the
600 yard dash) as compared to
three outdoor ones ’
The Dogs are at a disadvan
tage In indoor track because
many of the recruits have
never run indoors
"Running indoors is different
because the tracks arc short
and often banked," said
Gainey . "Most of our recruits
come from the southeast where
indoor is not big in the high
schools A lot of the other
schools recruit from the north
We’re just not as used to the
indoors as they are. and we
lave to adjust. ' he concluded
While some believe indoor
rack is only a tune-up for the
outdoor season in the spring.
Gainey maintained that the
competition is quite intense
• We enter every meet with
the idea cf winning. The SEC is
very close and competitive in
truck Last year we finished
seventh in outdoor track, but
were just 6’» points out of
fourth place," the Georgia
coach said.
"This year I believe we will
improve if we’re willing to
work hard enough, but 1 think
Tennessee. Auburn, and Ala
bama have to be considered as
the favorites," Gainey con
cluded.
I.
Fact like you’re carrying
the world on your shoulders ?
Cell Mental Health Service* at *4*11*1
they can help
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