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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 20, 1990)
he Battalion ^SPORTS ^ojuesday, March 20,1990 att^ —■ ■ Sports Editor Richard Tijerina 845-2688 ln <i nil; « CQt /\ plustjii 111 M" S m. Nadja # ™ Sabawala mm' Sports writer mm ing Eye2: Is it a onder club or a driving headache? I sure am glad it’s over. The United States Golf Association’s £100 million lawsuit by Karsten Manufacturing Corporation has finally een decided, but the score is still even. The issue at stake was whether Karsten’s Ping Eye2 golf clubs should be einstated to tour golf. Professional Golf Association Tour Commissioner Deane Beman broke way from the USGA and outlawed the square-grooved clubs in the professional drcuit claiming the wider-than-allowed grooves allow advantages in jackspinning a ball. The suit ended in a settlement. Karsten will begin manufacturing the dubs according to groove-specifications ind the USGA would accept any clubs ade prior to March 3 l, 1990, as informing to the rules. Both sides should have won this lecision, but not at the same time. The USGA should have smashed Karsten for even doubting its authority. They are “the sole rulesmaking body of golf in the United States,” or so they :laim. If they are the rules, then everyone laving anything to do with US golf hould respect their wishes. Representatives at Spalding, a top lesigner in golf equipment, claim they lave been known to discontinue iroducts if found to be “nonconforming” jy the USGA. TTiat’s a manufacturer that von’t“bite the hand that feeds it.” Every golfer around dreams of one lay grabbing a Ping iron and letting go. The name is synonymous with the vorld of golf and carrier about as much espect as a manufacturer can muster. So why should a little thing like groove shape determine the fate of a amous and now infamous club? After four years of USGA and PGA bur testing, no one has been able to rovide evidence that the grooves lower nyone’s scores. The USGA is supposed to make the les of golf and make sure that everyone jsfollowing them. Equipment manufacturers have an bligation to their customers to be on the utting edge of technology. But with this last showing by both ides. I’ve lost respect for each. Slocum’s spring begins with fresh start By RICHARD TIJERINA Of The Battalion Staff As far as Texas A&M football coach R.C. Slocum and Offensive Coordinator Bob Toledo are concerned, the Aggies are al ready one step ahead of where they were at this time last year. A&M opened spring football practice Monday, and the Aggies had a full season with a new offense under their belts. When the Aggies opened their spring drills last season, players didn’t even know the correct huddle formations or snap counts for Toledo’s new offensive scheme. This year they’re practicing more confi dently, Toledo said. “They basically know the plays,” Toledo said. “Now it’s a matter of the new guys catching up with the players who’ve been here for a year.” And yes, that includes one Bucky Rich ardson. Richardson, who led the Aggies to the Cotton Bowl as a freshman in 1987 and was the starter in 1988, sat last season out while recovering from major knee surgery. In his place, Lance Pavlas blossomed under Tole do’s pass-oriented offense. Now Richardson and Pavlas are back and both are competing for the starting job. “I don’t know that much about Bucky right now, but we’re going to find out about him during spring practice,” Toledo said. “But I’ve heard a lot of good things about him obviously. He’s a competitor and has a lot of courage, and I think it’s going to be a good competition with Lance. “Going into spring practice, Lance is our starting quarterback and Bucky’s going to have to prove to us that he’s capable of lead ing us in this of fense.” That may be easier said than done, how ever. Pavlas led the Aggies to an 8-4 record last year and an appearance in the John Hancock Bowl. “I thought Lance really did a good job of coming back,” Slocum said. “He knows what he’s doing right now — getting a feel for running the of fense. I was pleased that Bucky moved around, and just from the physical standpoint it’s obvious that he’s spent a long time away from football. “He’s rusty from not having practiced, and he’s rusty from being introduced to a new offense. But it was good to see him back out there and I was pleased to see him move around the way he did.” Richardson said he felt good and that his knee wasn’t hampering his mobility. “I felt like I was more comfortable than I thought I would be,” Richardson said. “It’s just something that I’ve done for so many years before, then took a year off and it was like I didn’t know what to expect. I think it was just the fear of the unknown. “I would tell you I’m 100 percent, but I don’t know what the trainers would tell you. I feel like I’m ready to do anything they ask me to do.” Pavlas said the Aggies need to work on the progress they made last season offen sively. “This type of offense is the best for the type of player that I am,” Pavlas said. “I’m looking at this spring as a chance to im prove on that so I can get even better. It’s all part of a major college football program. There’s going to be competition in every as pect of life.” Photo by Frederick D.Joe Running backs Randy Simmons (above) and Keith McAfee (right) are getting a chance to impress coaches this spring with starter Darren Lewis absent. But there’s more than the quarterback position Slocum is worrying about this spring. The Aggies are missing their start ing running back, junior Darren Lewis. Lewis, who’s on the verge of shattering most of A&M’s rushing records, is spending the spring semester at home in Dallas for personal reasons. He told Slocum that he intends to return for his senior season. He has until March 22 to apply for entry into the National Football League draft. With Lewis absent from spring drills, backups Randy Simmons and Keith McA fee are getting their chance to prove to coaches what they can do. Simmons, along with Lewis, was one of the most highly rated running backs in the nation coming out of high school. But he’s been slowed by injuries his First two years, and last season was his first full one as an Aggie. He played well in place of the in jured Lewis in the Arkansas, Texas and the Hancock Bowl. “(Lewis’ absence) gives you a chance to work with those guys,” Slocum said. “We know what Darren can do. When Darren’s healthy and in shape, he’s pretty good. Him not being here gives us a chance for these younger guys to get some reps. Randy and Keith both looked good today.” Last season’s top pass-catchers, tight end Mike Jones and receiver Percy Waddle, have ended their eligibility, and their de parture leaves Slocum with some large holes to fill. “We’re looking for some people to step up and rise to the occasion,” he said. “We need some people to step forward and be come first-line players. We’d like to solidify our tight end position. I’ve always looked at spring as a time to experiment, move guys around and try different things.” Those “experiments” involved some po sition switches Monday. Junior receiver Photo by Mike C. Mulvey Kary Vincent was moved to cornerback be cause Slocum wanted to try and find a re placement for senior Mickey Washington. Last year’s starting center Mike Arthur worked out on Monday at tackle even as All-Southwest Conference tackle Richmond Webb looked on. Webb is expected to be a first-round NFL pick in April. Toledo said the first day of spring prac tice gave the players a chance to loosen up. “I think you’ve got to get the nervousness out,” he said. “They’ve got the jitters right now. Some of the guys are now competing for a position right now where as a year ago they were either freshman or second string and didn’t really have to worry about start ing. “Now they get the chance to step in and see where they stand, but they get a little nervous doing that. We just go through the first day and get the jitters out of them, put in the offense as we go and try to execute.” $40 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 Bio! 300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 300. $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $100 $io! $ 40 S40 S40 S40 S40 S40 $40 $3 I 00 -100 100 100 “J 00 -100 wrrv- I LOTSA PICTURES. VERY FEW WORDS. MY KINDA BOOK! liSin i-fs# Vf. tpUSArff * „ ? «fl nr *989 PWoSP* ^cord B, Over 120 pages of spectacular color and black-and-white photos from a selected game each week. Plus, week-by week written summaries of EVERY GAME played by EVERY Southwest Conference team ALL SEASON, year-end statistics, team rosters from every school and more. A great reference book to recall exactly how the ’89 football season transpired, from beginning to end, for years to come. Bands, cheerleaders, players and fans. Keep it all. FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY, ORDER DIRECT NOW BY SENDING JUST $10.95 +$2 postage & handling to: McADAMS PUBLICATIONS 3701 Potomac • Fort Worth, Texas 76107 name address city state zip (use this blank or a facsimile). MONEY BACK GUARANTEE IF NOT SATISFIED! If you’re a student, player or fan, years from now you’ll wish you’d bought this book today. FOR GROUP ORDER DISCOUNTS, CALL (817) 732-5457. SENIORS! MAKE THIS BOOK ON YOUR FINAL FOOTBALL SEASON A PART OF YOUR PERMANENT COLLEGE MOMENTOS FOR YOU, YOUR PARENTS AND RELATIVES. C&C Crawfish Farm Live, purged, farm raised crawfish Call and order now! 00^1990^^ March 19- 24 4 WAYS TO HIT A “HOWDY” HOMERUN 1) Say HOWDY profusely 2) Say HOWDY to a member of the Traditions Council to win a raffle ticket 3) Go to the baseball game during Howdy Week for more chances to win free passes to the Hall of Fame 4) Jam at the Hall of Fame and wait for the draw ing at midnight-Ten $100 cash prizes to be given away T-Shirts on sale at the MSC all week HOUT)Y IT’S NOT JUST A WORD...IT’S A TRADITION! Presented by Traditions Council/Student Government