8 The Daily Collegian My Opinion -Ca gers new recruit to be BIG asset Cameron McGaughy I like the Redskins and I'm OK Ihave a confession to make. Since I'm not from the Keystone State, I don't hold an interest in any sports teams here. In fact, I go out of m; way to root against them. I can't recall how many times someone has turned to me and struck up a Steelers or Eagles conversation with the mention of some player I've never even heard of before. Since I'm too polite, I just sit there and nod my head, feigning interest. "Think the Eagles are going all the way this year? You know (supply any name here) is off his injury." Really? Gee, thanks so much for that info. Now please stop. Fortunately, this attitude has never brushed off on Penn State teams. I cheer on the Icers and everyone else with real interest it's just the pro teams I have a distaste for. But that's not the worst part. What's even more shocking is that I'm a Washington fan. Being from northern Virginia, I have been the victim of much heckling from Pennsylvanians with a chip on their shoulder since I arrived here last fall. For the most part, all I can do is sit back and take the brunt of it you guys have a habit of ganging up on people. Now, wouldn't you think being a Washington fan was punishment enough? It really isn't easy how many of you would like to admit you root for the Capitals? Many of you have probably even been to Landover to see the Penguins or Flyers take on our perennial chokers. It seems that at every game I've been to, the home fans have been outnumbered. Sitting all the way up in the nose-bleed seats not an easy task for someone 6-foot-5 I have to endure more taunting in my own backyard. What gives? We get more entertainment making fun of you guys than watching the game (well, if we could actually see it, it might make a difference). None the less, my journey back up here for the summer was sweet with the knowledge that the 'Guins (what a cute little nickname you have for them ...) were out of the Stanley Cup race. Three-peat? Sorry! I don't think so. It's over folks it's time to tear down all those silly little signs you have taped to your windows (you know who you are). I'm glad the NHL is shuffling the teams next season. With the Capitals and Penguins separated, Washington might actually win its divison in about 50 years or so. But the heckling isn't immune to the ice. Football anyone? I've never seen a group of people more bitter towards the Redskins than up here. You could hear the cheers throughout my dorm last year when Dallas handed Washington a loss. You must be frustrated with the Steelers, I guess. But I can understand why that AFC Central division they're in is such a tough one, isn't it? You can really be proud they won that! Now, I've never been much of a baseball fan, so any Orioles cracks don't bother me. Not that it would make a difference I think Camden Yards is sold out for about ten years. So you can cheer on your Phillies or Pirates or whatever they're called (I'm sure Pittsburgh will make the Series this year third time's a charm). Before you all light your torches and form a mob, I'll make another concession. The Bullets are all yours. You can make whatever jokes you want about them, but I think they're doing a good enough job on their own. Thanks for reading this far, and bless me Pennsylvania, for I have sinned. I am a Washington fan, and will actually admit it. Cameron McGaughy is a sophomore majoring in journalism and a Collegian sports writer. Editor's Note: This is the second in a two part series on Penn State's incoming men's basketball recruits. By KEVIN GORMAN Collegian Sports Writer Phil Williams has the unfortunate plight of being a 6-foot-8, 266-pound power forward on the campus of a football school. But his size has never clouded his deci sion of which sport the men's basketball recruit wants to play "The first thing most people ask me is if I'm a football player," Williams said. "I tried it my senior year in high school, but it just didn't work out." He signed a letter-of-intent with the Lions during the early signing period in Novem ber, but, ironically, his mind was made up after visiting on a football weekend. "I visited on the weekend they played Miami in football," he said. "That's probably what sold me the most, because it was just wild Pirates ejected by Cubs By JOE MOOSHIL AP Sports Writer CHICAGO The Pittsburgh Pirates are having a bad season, and manager Jimmy Leyland doesn't want his complaints to sound like sour grapes. "We are cautious not to get into these situations," Leyland said after the Pirates dropped a 12-10 deci sion to the Chicago Cubs yesterday in a game spiced by brushbacks, a bench-clearing brawl and six ejec tions. Steve Buechele's tie-breaking two run homer one of seven hit in the game rallied the Cubs over the slumping Pirates. Carlos Garcia homered twice for the Pirates who lost their third straight game and eighth in 10 and was the focal point of brushback pitches that resulted in the sixth inning brawl. It started when Pittsburgh's Blas Minor (6-5) threw at Mark Grace after Bob Scanlan (3- 5) hit Garcia in the top of the inning. "They did what they had to do and we did what we had to do," said Leyland, whose complaint was two fold. He figured Scanlan and Minor should have been tossed but not Al Martin. He also insisted that Jose Bautista should have been ejected when he hit Lonnie Smith with a pitch Dickerson pumped up for Temple coaching job Ron Dickerson Sports Briefs Thousands on hand for Reggie's funeral BOSTON From Larry Bird to kids from the playground, thou sands of mourners paid final respects yesterday to Reggie Lewis, the Boston Celtics star who died suddenly last week. There were soft sobs, and occasional wails of anguish dur ing the funeral service, and one long outburst of applause that fol lowed Keith Motley's urging to rise and send a message to the heav ens. "You can wake up the angels, because they weren't expecting Reggie. And you know how it is at the pearly gates, so let's give my man that standing ovation that meant so much to him," said Motley, dean of student services and associate coach at Northeastern. "Reg-gie, Reg-gie. Let's wake up the angels. Let my man in." Mourners rose and applauded for nearly a minute. Sports ~. R~.. A, ~ ,z .. . '~.. •FA ... Players from the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs mix it up after ejected from yesterday's game after throwing at Cubs batter Mark Grace Bucs relief pitcher Blas Minor was tossed from the game. Minor was during the sixth inning. The Bucs lost 12-10. after Lloyd McClendon had horn ered. "Everyone knew Scanlan threw at Garcia and the players took care of that," when Minor threw at but missed Grace. "Okay, let's play. But they got away with one when Bautista By STEPHEN FITZGERALD Collegian Sports Writer Penn State football creates a lot of excitement. When Beaver Sta dium hosts a football game, the crowds are thick with tailgating students and fans coming from across the country. Ron Dickerson helped forge that explosive atmosphere at Penn State when he served as an assistant coach for seven years. Now, Dickerson is hoping to create the same energy for Temple University as he prepares for the upcoming football season as the new head coach. "There's a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of excitement that's been gener ated already in the city of Phila delphia and the fans of the Temple Owls, just because that's the way I Collliplan Fife Photo The funeral for the 27-year-old team captain was the largest ever in Boston, according to a histori cal society, and was covered live by all three network affiliates and cable television. Investors bid big bucks for O's NEW YORK The Baltimore Orioles were in fourth place in the American League East and in the center of a bidding war yester day that was expected to set the highest price ever paid for a baseball team. At least four groups of inves tors were expected to bid for the O's at a hearing in Manhattan before U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Cornelius Blackshear. The O's went up for sale when majority owner Eli Jacobs, a venture capitalist, filed for bankruptcy court protection after defaulting on more than $44 mil lion in loans and personal guar- even though they lost, it was just wild." Another reason for his decision was that he liked the closeness of the members on the team, which was similar to his high school team. "Everybody on the basketball team was like a family," Williams said. "When I signed the letter of intent, I thought I was coming into another family and I'd be coming to help." Williams, who has played only three years of organized basketball, had a high school career that measured up to his enormous size. A USA Today honorable mention All- American, Williams averaged a well-round ed 17.3 in both points and rebounds per game his senior season at Thomas Johnson High School in Frederick, Md. "I think he's the kind of player that they just don't have enough of," said his high school coach, Tom Dickman. "A big kid that can muscle around a bit." Being physical is the part of basketball that Williams enjoys most. "That part of the game banging I love it," he said. "I like to rebound a lot. That's a dirty job, but I like to do it." Because Williams' mother is in the mili tary, he traveled a lot and didn't get a chance to play organized basketball until the 10th grade. "I asked one of my former players, Terry Conley, who played for the University of Richmond, to work out with Phil the sum mer before his 10th-grade year," Dickman said. "By the time basketball season started, he was somewhat fundamentally sound." By the end of his sophomore year, Wil liams was averaging 14 points and eight rebounds a game. Despite putting up impressive numbers while leading Thomas Johnson to a 21-3 record and state semifinal appearance his senior year, Williams anticipates his game will improve in the Big Ten. . . "In the Big Ten, it's great competition compared to high school," the soft-spoken Williams said. "In high school, I was a big man and couldn't play as rough as I'd like to." Williams has spent the summer taking classes "ea. threw at Lonnie. Bautista has pin point control." Grace said he "fully expected to get hit. That's the way the game is played. I told the pitcher (Minor) I'll stand here until you hit me." But before that had a chance to am," Dickerson said. "I'm a highly motivated guy; I really want to go out and motivate not just our players, but the fans and the city of Phila delphia." Dickerson's motivation stems from working with some of the most successful coaches in college foot ball, most notably Bill McCartney of Colorado, Ken Hatfield of Clemson, and, of course, Joe Paterno. "Every one of them possesses their own way of winning and way of doing things," Dickerson said. Dickerson cites Paterno as one of his major influences on and off the field. "Joe, without a doubt, has tre mendous qualities," Dickerson said. "Two things that stick out the most is a strong, steadfast belief in ath letes getting their education and the antees to banks earlier this year The last major league baseball team to be sold in bankruptcy court was the Seattle Pilots after the 1969 season. The new owners moved the team to Milwaukee and it became the Brewers. Yesterday's auction was expected to produce a price surpassing the record $125 million paid for the Seattle Mariners last year. Eagles sign Holmes for three years WEST CHESTER The Phila delphia F. files yesterday announced the signing of Lester Holmes, their No. 1 draft choice. Holmes, an offensive lineman from Jackson State, signed a three year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed, although Holmes' agent, Brian Ransom, indicated that the deal could be worth $2.5 mil lion, including incentives. "It's time to play ball," Holmes said yesterday night at a press happen, the benches cleared and the ejections were made. Scanlan said he was not trying to hit Garcia, but "I wanted to pitch him inside, it's something we hadn't done all day." Manager Jim Lefebvre said, "We way that he handles discipline on his football team." The qualities Dickerson admired in Paterno will no doubt influence his own football program at Temple. "We have to just develop the belief in the kids that they can believe in themselves that they're win ners," Dickerson said. Two years have passed since Dickerson instilled his teachings here at Penn State. During that time, he worked as the defensive coordina tor for the Clemson Tigers. But it wasn't easy for Dickerson to leave either school. "Tenn State is a tremendous place," Dickerson said. "In order for me to progress I had to take that next step, which was to become a coordina tor." Please see DICKERSON, Page 9 Lester Holmes conference at the Eagles training camp at West Chester University. "I feel real comfortable with the deal. I'm ready to go to work." Negotiations between Ransom and Eagles official Bob Wallace were difficult and marked in recent Tuesday, Aug. 3, 1993 on campus and working on his game. He lifts weights and practices drills every day, but admits he has a long way to go. "For me to go to the next level college-wise, I have a lot of work to do," he said. "I have to be in tip-top shape and form and mentally tough at all times." Although Williams' size may be large, he is deceptively athletic and quick, Dickman said. "When you look at him, you think, 'Well, here's a kid who's big and slow,' and he's by no means slow for how big he is," Dickman said. "He can run, he can handle the ball well in the open court and do things that can amaze you at times." But Williams relies mostly on a powerful inside game and the strength of his rebounding skills that are necessary, but often over looked. "He's a physical player, a great rebounder and he has great hands to catch the ball," Dickman said. "Everyone needs a player that can rebound, catch the ball, set some screens and that's what he does best." just had tied the score, why would we want to give them a chance to come back. That's how you fire up a team." Garcia homered off Mike Har key in the first and fifth innings as Pittsburgh built an 8-2 advantage. Korea downs U.S. squad The U.S. Under-20 women's basketball team has met with mixed results at the Junior World Championships in Seoul, South Korea. The team -- for which Penn State's Katina Mack is a player and Lady Lion Coach Rene Portland is an assistant -- fell to Korea 82-64 yesterday. On Sunday, the team defeated Japan, 85-75. Mack did not score in 14 minutes of action against Korea. Against Japan, Mack played 11 minutes and scored three mints. -- from Collegian staff reports weeks by charges and threats by both sides. Rockets gain Elie but lose Sleepy HOUSTON The Houston Rockets released veteran guard Eric Floyd yesterday and acquired swingman Mario Elie from the Portland Trail Blazers for a sec ond-round draft pick in 1995. Floyd, an 11-year veteran, was waived to create room under the NBA salary cap. He averaged 11.5 points and 5.4 assists in six seasons with Hous ton. Last season, in 52 games, he averaged 6.6 points and 2.5 assists. His career scoring average is 14.2 points. "We thank Sleepy for all he has done for the club over the years," general manager Steve Patterson said. "He always conducted him self in a professional manner. We wish him luck in his future endeavors." 411 W ;; AP Laser Photo By The Associated Press
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