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Sports Page 4 Clark Atlanta University Panther August 31, 1990 Hamilton Plays To Win By PIERCE W. HUFF Sports Editor Wide receiver Millard Hamilton has seen the football coaches come and go at Clark. His freshman year he was coached by Jesse McClardy. His sophomore and junior years he was coached by William Spencer. But as he enters his senior season under first-year head coach Willie Hunter, his third coach in four years, his desire to win remains a constant. “I’m all about winning,” Hamilton said. Hamilton says that there is a huge difference between Coach McClardy, Coach Spencer, and Coach Hunter. “Coach McClardy had a real rough style, he wanted us to play and really get after the opponents. Coach Spencer was real emotional. He would use negative newspaper clippings to try and get the team motivated. Coach Hunter believes in techniques and getting the team mentally in the game,” Hamilton said. Last year the 5 ft. 8 in., 165 pound Hamilton was the lone bright spot in the Panthers’ dismal 3-7 season. He played wide receiver, returned punts, returned kickoffs and played safety. He also led the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (S.I.A.C.) with an average of 145.4 all-purpose yards per game. This year Hamilton has been named second team wide receiver and received honora ble mention as a return specialists on the S.I.A.C. pre-season all conference team. According to Coach Hunter, Hamilton’s one of those players that coaches love to coach. “Millard is just a top flight player,” said Coach Hunter. “He’s a good returner, a good special teams players, and one of the best downfield blockers around." Hamilton said he developed Jtis style of play by growing idolizing Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann. “I borrowed Payton’s physical play and determina tion, and Swann’s speed and gracefulness,” Hamilton said. This year Hamilton says his goal, and his teammates goal, for the season is playing in the S.I.A.C. conference playoffs. Hamilton dreams of playing in the National Football League, and that dream may be a reality. This year he has been visited from scouts from the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys and the Los Angeles Rams. Hamilton reflects on his career and Clark and re members what his mother told him when he decided to go to Clark. Said Hamilton, “My mother said. Tf you’re good, you’ll be good anywhere,’ and I guess it turned out to be true.” Sports, The Way It Is By PIERCE W. HUFF Sports Editor LA Y OFF STEINBRENNER appointment.” And 1 thought tennis players skipped Grand Slam events because of something as insignificant as a death in their family, boy was I wrong. It seems like everyone these days is trashing former New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, but give the man a break! Forget the Spira incident. All the Yankees did during his tenure is win consecutive World Series in ’77 and ’78, three American League Eastern Division titles and one American League pennant. Steinbrenner’s only crime, if it can be called such, was wanting to win too much. Ted Turner and Stan Kasten should be guilty of that with the Atlanta Braves. NOTHING TO DANCE ABOUT Why did Atlanta Falcons cornerback Deion Sanders have to dance after a 21-yard punt return in a preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals? I could see it if Sanders had scored, but he didn’t. If Sanders were a real competitor he would have been angry about not having scored a touchdown. Give me competitors like outfielder Kirk Gibson of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Two years ago in a meaningless game against the Atlanta Braves, Gibson flung his bat against the wall of the Dodgers’ dugout after striking out in the ninth inning with a runner on scoring position. Now that’s a competitor. As for now, Sanders is strickly a two-sport hotdog who can’t even hold Bo Jackson's jockstrap. HAIR’S NOT GOOD ENOUGH Being the avid tennis player that I am, I couldn’t help but almost faint when I read Andre Agassi’s reason for skipping this year's Wimbledon. When a reporter for the Los Angeles Times asked Agassi why he skipped this year’s Wimbledon, Agassi said: “I had a hair LOOK OUT FOR THE DODGERS The team to watch in the National League Western Division is not the defending champion San Francisco Giants, not the frontrunning Cincinnati Reds, but the Los Angeles Dodgers. Tommy Lasorda, Ramon Martinez, Eddie Murray and don’t forget Kirk Gibson, are one major quartet. What about Martinez, the league leader in strikeouts, and ace of the Dodgers staff! Not bad for a man who in spring training had to fight for the fifth spot in the rotation. One guy who is hurt but doesn’t get enough ink is shortstop Alfredo Griffin. YANKS AHEAD? In the “Interesting Stat Between Issues” department, as of Aug. 22, the New York Yankees were 24-23 against teams in their own division. I guess the Yankees aren’t as bad as we think they are. DON’T BET ON IT! Question: Is the Atlanta Falcons preseason performance an indication that they might make the playoffs? The answer: No! The Falcons do have talent, but before you start getting those dusty Falcon Fever T-shirts out of the closet remember these two things: 1) they have two games against the San Francisco 49ers, the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints; and 2) they play the Philadelphia Eagles, the Cleveland Browns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. No wonder the Falcons can’t win their division. Their city is a one-word name. If they changed their name to the At Lanta Falcons, then maybe they could beat the San Francisco 49ers, the Los Angeles Rams and the New Orleans Saints. Panthers Seek Key To Victory By PIERCE W. HUFF Sports Editor With everyone on campus wondering how the Panthers plan on winning their season opener against Morris Brown College and avenging last year’s 49-7 loss, first-year head coach Willie Hunter has found the solution. The Panthers must stop the long pass. “We’ve got to stop the long pass.” Hunter said. “We can't allow Morris Brown to get that quick-hitting touchdown pass. We can’t hold a team to third down and 15 yards and have them get a touchdown pass.” H unter feels that in order for the Panthers to win, the defense and the special teams will have to have strong performances. “We just can’t allow them to get long runs from scrimmage and on the special teams,” Hunter said. According to Hunter, stopping Morris Brown from making the long pass forces them to have to score on long drives. “We’ve got to make Morris Brown drive 50 to 60 yards in order to get a touchdown,” said Hunter. “If we can make them drive and shut down the long pass, we’ll be alright.” Meanwhile, three starters from last year’s team have had their positions switched during summer practices. Alex Cottman, a 6-ft. 2-in., 290-pound nose tackle has been moved to offensive tackle. Ernest Bryant, a 6-ft.3>/2-in., 225-pound defensive end has been moved to tight end. Anterious King, a 6-ft. 1-in.. 235-pound defensive end has been moved to offensive tackle. This year’s team has nine returning offensive starters in quarterback Marlow Rober son, wide receiver Millard Hamilton, wide receiver Felix Lewis, wide receiver Ed Jones, offensive lineman Fred Williams, offensive lineman Tim Crowder and tight end Chris Hudson. The returning starters on defense are defensive tackle Dale Dixon, defensive tackle Richard Sieback and defensive back Claude Flynn.