The Battalion Thursday, Nov. 10, 1988 Page
Aggies have new tennis star
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Profile of the Week
Gustavo Espinosa
One of Mexico’s top juniors
adjusts to life in Aggieland
By Doug Walker
Assistant Sports Editor
Craig Whit-
Shaun O’Donovan . .
teker . . . Steve Kennedy.
These are familiar names to anyone
who follows Texas A&M tennis.
However, Aggie tennis fans may want
to reserve space for another name on the
list — Gustavo Espinosa.
The junior from Mexico City has been
a pleasant surprise for A&M Tennis
Coach David Kent. Espinosa, known as
‘Gus’ to teammates, has shown excep
tional ability as both a doubles and sin
gles player.
He earned the No. 2 singles position
for the Aggies by winning the singles ti
tle and teaming with Whitteker to take
second in doubles play in the A&M 4-
Way Tournament two weeks ago.
Espinosa and the Aggies travel to Aus
tin this weekend to play in a mother four-
team meet at the Westwood Country
Club. Texas, Trinity and fexas Chris
tian, all ranked teams, pr< ;de the oppo
sition.
Kent couldn’t hide his excitement
about one of his newest players.
“It was incredible!” Kent said. “I
wanted to put a Superman cape on him.”
Espinosa earned the “incredible” label
by playing 11 hours on Sunday of the
weekend tourney and defeating some of
the Southwest Conference’s top players.
Espinosa faced competition from TCU,
Rice and Northeastern Louisiana in the
A&M tourney.
In winning the singles, Espinosa de
feated five opponents. One of Espinosa’s
victims, TCU’s Clint Banducci, entered
the tournament ranked 17th nationally in
singles and was the tourney’s top seed.
Gus dispatched him after losing the first
set by a 6-7 count as he won the last two
sets 6-2, 6-3.
The comeback win was typical of his
day as he lost the first set in four of the
five matches he played. He won the title
by beating Rice’s Larry Pearl (2-6, 6-2
and 6-4) in the finals.
Gus says he has matured as a player
since coming to the United States and
has learned to control his temper on the
court much like his tennis idol, Bjorn
Borg.
Like his hero, Gus’ cool has helped
him in pressure situations like those he
faced in the A&M tournament.
“What I like about Gus is that he can
play under pressure,” Kent said. “He
likes pressure — he welcomes it. A lot of
people shirk away from it, but he excels
in it.”
“I always give 100 percent,” Espinosa
said. “I used to have trouble controlling
my temper on the court, but I’ve learned
that it only hurts me when I get mad and
I start making mistakes. Since I’ve come
(to the United States) I’ve learned that 1
can’t afford to lose my temper. The level
of play here is much higher.”
The level of play apparently hasn’t af
fected his performance. He earned Junior
College All-American honors in singles
and doubles while at Alvin.
Espinosa has had little trouble settling
at A&M in his first semester since trans
ferring from Alvin Community College.
He has made the transition both athlet
ically and academically.
“Gus is a super kid,” Kent said. “He’s
a very smart young man and he works
very hard in practice and at his studies.”
The modest Espinosa, a business ma
jor with a 3.4 grade point average.
See Espinosa/Page 13
Can the Aikman-Peete Heisman talk
OSU’s Barry Sanders deserves it more
Forget about Troy Aikman and Rodney Peete. The
best player in college football is Oklahoma State’s
Barry Sanders.
If Sanders doesn’t deserve the Heisman Trophy,
:icy should stop giving it and take away the voting
nghts of those who vote against him.
No player in college football is more important to
his team than Sanders. Aikman and Peete may be
quarterbacks and may go high in next year’s NFL
draft, but Sanders has done more than either of them.
Sanders did not receive the hype the other players
had before season started and had to earn the respect he
has gotten this year by coming through on the field. He
has earned the Heisman by racking up big yardage
through kick returns, punt returns and rushing
attempts. Sanders has also shown ability as a receiver
out of the backfield.
He leads the nation in all-purpose yardage, rushing
and scoring. And he has accomplished much of this in
situations where the opposing team was looking for
him to get the ball.
Don’t get me wrong. Aikman and Peete have both
had excellent years and have led their teams to high
national rankings by defeating some excellent
opponents. Both players rank among the top rated
passers in the nation and have not faltered under the
constant media attention they have received throughout
they season.
f - A|
Doug
% - /
Walker
Assistant Sports
■
Editor
The difference is that both of these guys are among
the top passers in the country and not at the top of the
categories which rate the best at their position.
The top-rated passer in the NCAA happens to be
Washington State’s Tim Rosenbach with a rating of
172.5. Rosenbach also leads Aikman and Peete in
passing yardage with 2,477 yards compared to
Aikman’s 2,147 and Peete’s 1,879. He also happens to
direct the offense of a team which defeated Aikman
and UCLA 34-30 two weeks ago on UCLA’s home
Field.
How can anyone consider naming someone the best
player in college football when he isn’t even the best
player at his position?
At 5-8 and 195 pounds, Sanders is a bundle of
muscle who ripped A&M for 159 yards rushing and
three touchdowns. One score came on a 68-yard punt
return. He only played three quarters and barely played
at all in the third period.
In the Cowboys’ 63-42 loss to Nebraska, Sanders
rushed for 189 yards on 35 carries and scored two
touchdowns.
He did this against the same team that shut down his
predecessor at OSU — Thurman Thomas — with
seven yards rushing on 16 attempts last year. That
miserable day ended Thomas’s Heisman hopes he had
in 1987. Thomas now is starring for the Buffalo Bills
in the NFL.
Apparently, Sanders still hadn’t convinced the
Heisman voters after the Nebraska game. I guess I can
forgive that. However, I can’t understand how anyone
calling himself an “expert” on college football who
watched the Oklahoma State-Oklahoma game last
Saturday can deny that he’s not the best college
football has to offer this year.
Sure, the Cowboys lost another crucial Big Eight
game to a top-ranked team. However, it wasn’t
Barry’s fault.
Sanders rushed for 215 yards on 39 carries and
scored on a pair of one-yard runs. It was the first time
anyone had rushed for over 200 yards against th
Oklahoma defense since Barry Switzer has been the
Sooner coach. The last person to do it against the
Sooners was Allan Thompson of Wisconsin who
gained 220 yards in a game in 1969.
Sanders showed both speed and power against the
Sooners. On a run leading to the Cowboys’ second
touchdown, Sanders raced 69 yards and outran three
defensive backs before being caught.
A seven-yard carry preceded the score, which gave
OSU a 28-24 lead, showcased his power. Sanders took
a handoff from quarterback Mike Gundy and broke
three tackles on the play. He almost shirked a fourth
before being dragged down just short of the Sooner
goal.
Sanders has rushed for 1,691 yards, returned
kickoffs for 287 yards, added 82 yards on punt returns
and has 105 receiving yards. He has scored 26
touchdowns, one on a kickoff return and another on a
punt return (against you know who) and averages 19.5
points per game.
He needs only four more touchdowns to break the
all-time record for single-season touchdowns and three
games to do it.
But, above all else, he is known by both teammates
and sports writers as a great guy. He’s quiet, he doesn’t
do some dippy dance after he scores and, according to
OSU receiver Hart Lee Dykes, he even occasionally
goes to the library to study after games!
With all the obnoxious athletes around today, what
more could anyone ask for?
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Photo byJajfl
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gies' five-game loss Wednesday night against Houston.
HOUSTON
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By Stanley Golaboff
Reporter
17 10 on the season and4-4m.L .° n d 10 reser\
The Texas A&M Lady Aggies took
2 hours and 45 minutes to lose to the
Houston Lady Cougars Wednesday
night at G. Rollie White Coliseum.
Houston won 10-15, 12-15, 15-6,
15-7, 15-8 in the longest match A&M
has played all year.
A team-record 31 kills and 95 kills
by UH’s Tina Johnson highlighted a
record-setting performance by the
Lady Cougars.
Houston improved their record to
west Conference play. The Li
gies fall to 16-12 and 5-3.
The UH team set records (u
(95) and digML39). Lori
ist.
Because t
massed last me
ivill have to si]
team record with 33 digs of bt 1 'reserve role i
and teammate Julie Gates alsoi
passed the old team record of
29.
Johnson’s record was even!
Smith was
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bach Jerry G
impressive considering she was [I w ^ cn showi
ing with a sore shoulder and i'
ankle.
See Lady Aggies/Page 13
LADY AGGIES BASKETBALL TEAM
vs.
CANADIAN OLYMPIC TEAM
Game time 7:30 pm
G. Rollie White Coliseum
Join the Lady Aggies, A&M Yell Leaders
McDonald’s® & Star 92/WTAW
for
920 Night
November 14
5:00 - 7:00 Pre Game Event with A&M Yell Leaders
and Star 92/WTAW at McDonalds
University Location Only
920 Big Macs-Not offered in Drive-Thru
Over 200 FREE Tickets to give away
Don’t Worry...If you can’t make it, buy one
adult ticket at the gate and purchase
additionals for 920 per person in a family or group.
After meeti
ger Ladd Hei
iractice the ne
lassed the lea
est.
Glanville a
:omment.
Smith was ii
on-opening \
ind has played
7-3 season.
Under terms
a 30-day suspe
has tested posi
If Smith tesi
he will be bar
life but could s
year.
ALL STUDENTS
(Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors and Grads)
can get their pictures taken for the 1989 Aggieland until
the end of the week.
Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
YBA Studio on Northgate above Campus Photo
846-8856