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