13 The Daily Collegian My Opinion B.J. Reyes Joe knows Sports Center If you watch ESPN at all then you have undoubtedly seen the countless number of commercials for their programming mainstay Sports Center. But in case you don't watch a whole lot of bowling tournaments and beach volleyball matches why else would anybody watch ESPN? —here's what the ads amount to. There are two different types of commercials. The first kind shows a highlight of selected athletes, followed by the player looking into the camera and "singing" the Sports Center theme music: "Da-da-dah da-da-dah!" Although they have mostly baseball players now, don't be surprised when football players and other athletes start appearing, going, "Da-da-dah da-da-dah!" After all, ESPN did coax JoePa into appearing on TV last fall hyping the channel as being, "In Your Face!" The other type of commercial has players describing their ultimate highlight. This idea has potential. If ESPN really wants to get more viewers, they should have fans write in with their own ideas. This could be a Penn State football fan's ultimate highlight: In the last game of the season, Penn State trails Michigan State 23-20 with less than a minute left in the game. Michigan has already lost to Ohio State, so a win against the Spartans guarantees the Lions a Rose Bowl berth in their inaugural Big Ten season. The Spartans have just scored to take the three-point lead unranked this late in the season, they are poised to upset the No. 5 ranked Lions. But Michigan State Coach George Perles elects to kick the ball deep the voice of play-by-play announcer Bill Zimpfer takes over. Tisen Thomas catches the ball at the goal line. He's got blockers in front of him ... The Spartan fans are rabid. They're all ready to storm the field, tear down their goal posts and parade through the streets of East Lansing. They are so excited they throw their Spartan mascot over the stadium wall after passing it up the stands. Thomas breaks through the first wall of defenders. He's at the 25 . . . the 30 . . . he breaks a tackle at the 35 . . . Penn State fans watching the game stand at their doors —ready to charge Beaver Stadium. If the Lions are going to the Rose Bowl, then the goal posts are going to Joe Pa's house again. Thomas cuts back at the 50. He's at the 45. Only one man to beat . . . It's bedlam at the ESPN studios. It's almost 7 p.m. Dan Patrick and Chris Myers have already put the Sports Center highlight package together on a Spartan upset. At the top of his lungs Patrick screams, "Tackle him!" Thomas breaks away at the 35 Eight seconds on the clock with nothing in front of Thomas but open field and whatever it is that fans throw in Spartan Stadium probably some combination of marshmallows, plastic cups and smoke bombs (Oh wait —that's what's thrown in Beaver Stadium). Thomas scores! No time left on the clock! Penn State's going to Pasadena in its first Big Ten season! Penn State players get mobbed by reporters. Tisen Thomas screams, "I'm going to Disney World!" JoePa gets the obligatory Gatorade bath and rides off the field on his players' shoulders. Some reporters manage to get an interview with the legendary coach after the celebration. An out-of-breath JoePa looks squarely into the ESPN camera and says ... "Da-da-dah Da-da-dah!" The ultimate Sports Center highlight. B.J. Reyes is a junior majoring in journalism and a Collegian sports writer. Penn State releases gender equity plan Policy meets the Big Ten requirements By BEN MUTZABAUGH Collegian Sports Writer Penn State released its updated Gender Equity• Action Policy as the University continues to work towards meeting mandates established by the Big Ten's Council of Presidents. In an Aug. 5 announcement, University President Joab Thomas announced that he had forwarded the University's Policy to the Council of Presidents, and he provided details about how the University would continue to improve women's ath letics at Penn State, including an upgrade in women's soccer from club to varsity status. "Penn State comes to this chal lenge in a position of strength," Thomas said. "We offer intercol legiate athletic opportunities to nearly 300 female athletes and we are on a path to expand those opportuni ties. We have in place, for exam ple, a plan to add women's soccer to our intercollegiate program." The addition of women's soccer for the 1994 fall season gives the Penn State athletic department 14 wom en's sports, compared to 15 for the men. The elevation of women's soccer is helping to bridge the gender gap in the University's athletic pro gram. In a policy adopted by the Council of Presidents last spring, all Big Ten universities must achieve a male/ female athletic participation ratio of 60/40 percent. Each Big Ten mem ber is required to meet this dead line by June 30, 1997. Male athletes currently consti tute 66 percent of all Penn State athletes, a figure that is far ahead of most other universities, both in the Big Ten and throughout the NCAA. Only lowa has a ratio sub stantially closer to the Big Ten's 60/ 40 mandate with 63/37. "Penn State has always taken a leadership position in the sponsorship and support of women's athletics," said Associate Athletic Director Ellen Perry. "This decision (to add women's soccer) underlines the University's commitment to that principle." The University is also taking a number of other steps beginning during the 1993-94 season to help draw closer to the 60/40 Big Ten mandate, which include the fol lowing actions: The Athletic Deparment must drop Braves take Giant step toward reaching top of the NL West By WENDY E. LANE AP Sports Writer SAN FRANCISCO Terry Pendleton's two-run homer and a strong performance by Tom Glavine helped the Atlanta Braves pull within 5 1 / 2 games of the NL West leading San Francisco Giants yesterday with a 6-4 victory. It was the closest the Braves have been to the lead since June 8, and the win gave them the chance to be the first team to sweep the Giants this season. The Braves won for the 13th time in 15 games despite a seventh-inning, two-run shot by Robby Thompson, who homered in his fifth consecutive game to make it 5-3. Atlanta countered with three homers of its own. Pendleton's ninth homer, off Bryan Hickerson (6-5), highlighted a three-run sixth for the Braves. Fred McGriff led off with a walk, then Pendleton hit his opposite-field shot. One out later, Damon Berryhill doubled and scored on Mark Lemke's single for a 5-0 lead. Glavine (15-5) lost his shutout in the bottom of the inning on Matt Williams' two-out triple and Barry Bonds' single, his league-leading 97th RBI. The left-hander gave up three runs on nine hits, but only one run was earned. He walked one and struck out seven in seven innings. Greg McMichael got the Paterno faces tough choice over who will start as quarterback Editor's Note: This is the first in an eight-part series previewing the Penn State football team. This story focuses on the quarterbacks. By ANTHONY YACULLO Collegian Sports Writer White hot lights beating down. Lie detec tors and billy clubs in the small locked room. A burly guard barks to a calm man being harshly interrogated. "So who's it going to be?" asks the inquirer. "Who's the starting quarterback?" But despite the chronic pressure, Joe Paterno just shakes his head. The coach is not talk ing. The reason? Simple. Even he doesn't have the answers. Not yet anyway, but he's working on it. "The sooner we establish which one it is," Paterno sighs, "the better off we'll all be." The problem, one in which many other Big Ten programs wouldn't mind having, is an overload of quality quarterbacks for the Nittany Lions. There are juniors Kerry Collins and John Sacca, who split the majority of the starting duties last fall. Or there is the young and able Wally Richardson, who stepped up when the others succumbed to injuries. But no matter who Paterno and Co. decide Sports Because of their tremendous success on the club level and the desire of the female athletes, the Lady Booters will become Penn State's 29th intercollegiate varsity sport. several grant-in-aid savings from men's sports because of new NCAA guidelines. But instead of cutting these grants altogether, the Deparment will transfer these grants to women's sports to increase female participation. •The Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics Department will conduct an internal interview to ensure that the University is not in violation of Title IX. ■The University will encourage all to place behind center on Sept. 4 against Minnesota, one thing will be certain the Lions will have a talented starter and a talented back up. If only all problems were oh so horrible. Paterno is looking for the one who exe cutes the offenses and draws response from his cohorts. A commander for the corps. "One of them will come to the front and do something to indicate they can lead this football team," Paterno said. Presently each of the three continues to take snaps with the first team during practice. It is not a case of no one stepping up, rather a case of no one sliding down. The most likely case scenario would have Collins and Sacca staying aboard and Rich ardson taking a redshirt. That would give Richardson, who was baptized by fire last season, the Chicago Fire that is, a chance to learn without wasting a year of eligibility as a back-up. He says that will be determined by the powers that be. "That's a decision the coaches will have to make, I'm not worrying about that right now," Richardson said. "I'm worrying about mak ing it through preseason." Paterno put it simply: "Richardson has the least experience of the three but in the long run might end up being the best of the three." women's head coaches to attract the maximum number of team mem bers allowed by the NCAA. UPenn State will increase fund ing in women's sports for promo tions and for marketing in an effort to increase visibility to promote the entire University athletic program. Wending legislation by the NCAA, the University will consider insti tuting participation caps in men's sports. last three outs for his 11th save, giving up an RBI single to Willie McGee. The teams play again today, and play three more games in Atlanta Aug. 31-Sept. 2. The Braves' defense bailed Glavine out of jams in the second and third innings and preserved a 1-0 lead. In the second, Blauser helped turn an inning-ending double play on Royce Clayton's grounder with run ners on first and third. The next inning, the Giants loaded the bases with one out before Will Clark bounced a grounder to Lemke, who turned the double play. A pair of Giants errors led to another Atlanta run in the fourth when McGriff's fly ball was misplayed by center fielder Mark Carreon. Pendleton singled, and David Justice hit into a double play that caught McGriff in a rundown between third and home. Pendleton scored, making it 2-0, when third base man Matt Williams booted Berryhill's grounder. Ron Gant's two-out, opposite-field homer, his 31st, gave the Braves a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Hickerson allowed five runs, four earned, on eight hits. He walked one and struck out six in 5 1-3 innings. Atlanta Braves shortstop Jeff Blauser soars over San Fransisco Giants , ' Justice hit his 30th homer, a solo shot in the eighth Robby Thompson as he turns a double play during the third inning. For off reliever Dave Righetti. more from Major League Baseball, please see page 18. f And Penn State's Gender Equity initiatives aren't going unnoticed. "It is encouraging to see Penn State embrace the initiatives articulated by the Gender Equity Report to make a very good program even better," said Dr. Jill Fendeis, associate professor of agricultural econom ics and past-chair of the Commis sion for Women. "We have been working with the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and the administration to move in these directions for the last several years." With his cool composure and arsenal of an arm, that is very possible. Witness his impromptu performances against Cincinnati and Temple. The key phrase though being, "in the long run." Most likely Collins and Sacca, each of whom had the starting job stripped from him last season due to injuries, will battle to be the king of the Nittany Mountain. But don't look to either for early concession speeches. Each, in their own minds anyway, is still the head honcho- "I think going into camp, I had the edge," Sacca said. "I went through the spring, and I've been around here a little longer than some of the other guys." Translation: Kerry Collins missed the spring while doctors tried to glue his fingers back together, and Wally is still just a teenager. Sacca, brother of Penn State record book author Tony, was catapulted into the start ing spot last season after Collins crushed his fingers that infamous volleyball game last summer. Showing a penchant for a soft touch on the long ball while being a bit erratic on others, Sacca completed 53 percent of his passes for 1,118 yards. More impressive was his touchdown/interception ratio of 9-3. Sacca's incumbency came to a screeching Wednesday, Aug. 25, 1993 Lady Booters„ elevated to varsity status, By MICHAEL SIGNORA Collegian Sports Writer It has finally happened. • Beginning with the 1994 fall season, women's soccer will become Penn; State's 29th intercollegiate varsity; sport. The decision was based on the, tremendous success of the pros gram on the club level and the desire , to increase opportunities for female student-athletes, said Athletics, Director James Tarman. The Big Ten Conference's Coun cil of Presidents issued a mandat" to achieve a male/female partici pation level of 60/40 percent before June 30, 1997. "The addition of women's soccer and some realistic caps on existing, teams would bring us into compll ance rather quickly," said Sports Information Director L. BudiA Thalman. Soccer's designation as a varsity l sport will bring about many changes for the team. The 1994 squad wig play a Big Ten schedule. This w raise the level of competition the team faces and resolve scheduling difficulties that arise as a club spor "To be a varsity team competing in the Big Ten Conference is going to be tough," said team membe;• Debbie Summers. "But we ard definitely looking forward to the challenge." The players will now have some funds available for grants and aid and after a national search, twR coaches will be added to the full-time coaching staff. Decisions regard. ing exactly who the recipients of the funds will be have not been finalized. "I am very happy for the pla34 ers," said Coach Dirck Aumiller. "I think a lot of them have been waiting for this for a long time. Women's soccer has been aft! cially recognized as an indepert! dent club since 1979. In the past, there have been frequent discussions about the possibility of being granted varsity status. Gender equity aided in moving the discussions to a more' serious level. In order to ensure a smootli transition and allow time for varioul organizational steps to be imple. mented, 1994 was selected as the time to begin this new endeavor. "I'm very excited about the decision," said Summers. "It will be great to play on a varsity team." halt during week seven against Boston Col lege. With the Lions trailing by 11 in the fo quarter, Sacca reinjured his shoulder and le t the game. Like a knight in shining shouldefr pads, Collins galloped the Lions into the endzone on his first drive of the season. His seconli drive ended on an interception. Collins started the final five games for thi., Lions and showed a rifle arm and good mobility. Standing 6-foot-S, Collins has size and strength to complement his speed. But at times his to layoff was apparent and his accuracy werit AWOL. Considering he had more surgery oh his finger in the off-season, Collins is agaih scraping off the rust. u. "He's probably the biggest, strongest of t group," Paterno said. "But he's fallen beh' because of the fact that he has not really do anything since the end of last season." Collins disagrees. He insists he is 90 pet cent healthy and 100 percent ready. "I don't think (the injury) set me back it all," Collins said. "I'm healthy, I'm throwink the ball well. No excuses." So it remains a three man race. A mar athon. Eleven more days. Of course there can be only one winner, but no matter what, die person who can't lose is Joe Paterno. -J
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers