Page 14 THE BATTALION TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1978 Miheska strives to he best Russell Mikeska By KURT ABRAHAM With a fine season behind him and a starting berth virtually as sured, tight end Russell Mikeska has his sights set on accomplishing the goal he has had his entire foot ball career at Texas A&M. “I set goals in everything I do,” said Mikeska. “For the past two years I have strived to be the best blocking tight end that I can be.” For Russell that should not be impossible. During his freshman year the 6-3, 220-pound Temple product saw little action playing be hind the likes of Richard Osborne, David Greeno and Gary Haack. Then came a red-shirt year in 1975. The next season Mikeska came back strongly as the back-up to Haack. Last fall as a junior he became the starting tight end. Now, he hopes. not only will his personal fortune prosper, but so will the team s. “We seem to be able to com municate and agree on things as a team a lot more now than in the past,” Mikeska said. He sees indi vidual team members helping each other and listening to each other. He said he feels comfortable in his role as a senior leader. “As a senior, 1 feel a strong com mitment to help the younger players and provide leadership. Any great team has people who step for ward and bring everyone together. This year there are people doing just that and it makes this a tightly knit team.” Mikeska said he is confident that the Aggie offense is ready to go. And, even with the I-formation being used to supplement the pow- erful wishbone, he said “basically, my job is about the same. The only change 1 personally make is to ad- Ali can still do commercials says unsympathetic Spinks United Press International NEW ORLEANS — Heavy weight champion Leon Spinks, who says he is an even-money shot to retain his World Boxing Association title against deposed champ Mu hammad Ali, Monday said he wouldn’t feel sorry for Ali if he beat him a second time. “1 don’t think it would be the end of (Ali’s) career because he could still do commercials,” Spinks said following a one-hour workout in which he did not spar, preferring in stead to jump rope and hit the heavy and speed bags. “It won’t be the end of his career,” Spinks said. “You know, it’s come to the point where money seems to keep a lot of me in the ring, especially Ali." Spinks said gamblers have made him a 10-2 underdog against Ali, but he said the odds woidd reflect a dif ferent line if he were setting them. “Fifty-fifty,” Spinks said. “The people who do the voting are against me. The odds are 10-2 in Ali’s favor. And it was 10-1 at first, so they got one point more confidence in me. Ali, who skipped his Labor Day workout to tour a battleship docked in the Mississippi River, called Spinks’ prediction accurate. “He’s right,” Ali said. “It might be even more than that. I’ll win but it’ll be rough. It won’t be easy. Spinks received an inauspicious welcome Saturday when several hundred fans roundly booed him after he cut his sparring to just three rounds, the only boxing he has done since arriving in the city for the Sept. 15 bout. But the 25-year-old from St. Louis said the criticism hasn’t affected him. "As far as the fans, they don’t understand what’s going on," Spinks said. “They ain’t got to do the sparr ing, they ain’t got to do the fighting. So they’re going to boo naturally be cause they paid to get in here. At an average fight they would have had to pay more. "About the end of this week I ll be at my peak. I’m adjusting myself to the heat and working on the bag, then I ll start my sparring. I’m get ting slowly adjusted to the humid ity. I’m breathing better. ” Spinks, who admits he has had trouble matching Ali’s electric aphal among fight fans, said "all I got to do is keep doing what I do best — fight ing. " Spinks said since he won the title in an upset from Ali has whirlwind reign has made him smarter, smarter. “I’m just a little wiser as far as my business and the heavyweight title, Spinks said. "But I’m going to live life as an average human being. As far as being the heavyweight champ, 1 have the opportunity to help a lot of young kids to try to make it them selves without trying to cut and steal and shoot each other up. “(Ali) is still my idol. It ain’t changed as far as him as a person.” just my release against the various defenses used against the I-formation. ” The big tight end feels “very com fortable ’ with quarterback Mike Mosley throwing the football. “I like the way we are able to communicate after a play,” Mikeska said. “If Mike makes a good throw, or I make a good catch, we tell each other. It makes for a good relationship on the field. ” Mikeska has had to adjust some what to the different spin that Mosley puts on the ball versus the spin and speed that southpaw David Walker used last year. "Mike does a good job adjusting the spin and speed to suit the indi vidual pass,” the senior tight end said. "On short ones, he’ll throw a much softer ball to catch.” Mikeska sees the SWC race as a fight among Texas A&M, Arkansas and Texas but still doesn’t see any "softies on the schedule. “I started preparing for Arkansas way back in January watching them beat Okla homa on TV.” When he’s not facing off against big defensive linemen, Mikeska likes to be out on the golf course. "I love golf, he said. “That’s how I relax and release my tension.” Mikeska, a business management major, plans to interview soon with several corporations. "I guess I’ll just leave the future up to fate, he said.” But, for the present, the brown eyed blonde has all his thoughts on the Kansas Jayhawks. That’s where the the action starts Saturday after noon as the Aggies meet the Jayhawks in their season opener. You can be sure, Russell Mikeska will be ready. Horns halted United Press International AUS'IIN — Bolts of lightning caused Texas coach Fred Akers to close down the Longhorns’ practice session early Monday, but he said progress was made anyway. No rain fell, but lightning began to crackle after a little more than an hour of a routine practice session. WE HAVE FANS! Central Texas ‘Established 1919 1 202 South Bryan Open Mon.-Sat. 8:30 - 5:30 Texas Ave / Itvy 6 Main / College Bryan 51 ♦» " ! ' J ||cTH y/ l * RUM ESa Head adidas^ Riddell "TAIL UliEaaix > DWJisrisOi* LEACH mn/c Outfitters 313B South College Skaggs Shopping Center/College Station ********** ** ****************************************************************** WE WANT YOU! The Aggieland ’79 needs photo graphers. You must have at least one 35mm SLR camera and two lenses to qualify. Experience in black and white processing and printing also required. To apply, come by Room 216, Reed McDonald Bldg., between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Taking a break Hattab'on photo M Sophomore quarterback Mike Mosley pauses for a breather during a recent Aggie workout. The Aggies are preparing for Saturday’s sea son opener against Kansas. The gaib scheduled to kick off at 1:30 p.m. from ) rial Stadium in Lawrence. Kan. SEPTEMBER 7, 8, 9 97 Each RMliSttc Nova -TB. Brings Supeit) sound ME any audio system Has a 10" woofer wdh 47 squs of effective cone radiating area Both twan aluminum vcxce-cori forms Sharp-slop# I permits tweeters to handle midrange and MMh ti *i across the audo spectrum. 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