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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 20, 1990)
he Battalion SPORTS Friday, July 20,1990 Sports Editor Clay Rasmussen 845-2688 Douglas Pils Sports Writer Watch out for Texas football powerhouses 1 wice a year, the sports world takes a break from the spectacular and the amazing. In February there’s no more football and that’s when 1 really wish the hockey and basketball seasons were shorter. After baseball’s All-Star game there’s really nothing happening in July with the exception of the Tour de ‘Greg LeMond’ the Frenchmen like to put on every year. The coming of August can only mean one thing. Football! Our Aggies seem to be a lock to make a triumphant return to Dallas — returning many of last years’ stars that came within two questionable calls from a perfect Southwest Conference record. A tough road schedule should decide the Aggies fate this year. Oilers returneth In addition to A&M, the Houston Oilers and the Dallas Cowboys will be interesting to watch this season. The Houston Oilers will be one of, if not the most exciting teams in the NFL this year. With new head coach and master of the run- and-shoot Jack Pardee, many pre season publications expect the Oilers to challange the San Francisco 49ers for top honors when the Super Bowl rolls around. Pardee’s offense will fit right in with Houston’s quick and powerful line, Warren Moon and their fleet-footed receivers. With the bad-boy image gone to Atlanta with Jerry Glanville, the Oilers can get down to business and work on achieving the greatness that’s been expected from them for the last couple of years. Cowboys cometh A little farther north, the Dallas Cowboys can do nothing but make an improvement over the last two seasons. Dallas is 4-28 in the last two campaigns and with head coach Jimmy Johnson and quarterback Troy Aikman entering their second year it will be interesting to see how close the Cowboys come to a play-off spot. The arrival of running back Terrence Flagler and defensive end Daniel Stubbs in a trade with the 49ers will help on both sides of the line. Flagler and first round draft pick Emmitt Smith, from Florida, give Dallas two reasons to believe they will improve upon a rushing offense that finished 24th in the NFL last year. An 8-8 record will be tops for a team that is still young and inexperienced. Pride should definitely be restored in the Cowboy organization this year and if the fans in Dallas are willing to wait, a playoff contender is only another year away. Get ready boys and girls, football is just around the corner. The Aggies get started Sept. 1 in Hawaii and the pros get started the next week on Sept. 9. Former A&M defensive back Jones makes camp Battalion file photos Texas A&M former defensive back Gary Jones cornerback Mickey Washington (right) is still ne- (left) signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers while gotiating his contract with the Phoenix Cardinals. Washington set for negotiations By Douglas Pils Of The Battalion Staff Former Texas A&M defensive back Gary Jones made it to camp on time. Jones, the ninth round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, signed a two-year contract with an option for a third year literally minutes before he was to report to camp on Wednesday. Scott Casterline, Jones’ agent, would not disclose the terms of the contract but said the contract was in line with what other Steelers’ picks were receiving. While Jones is a low round pick, Casterline said he is expected to make the team. “Assistant General Manager Dan Ferens said the team was very pleased with Gary’s mini-camp,” Casterline said. “They are looking to play him at strong safety and maybe some cornerback as well.” At 6-1, 205 pounds the hard-hit ting Jones — he once knocked out opposing quarterbacks in back-to- back weeks at A&M — would be a big cornerback by NFL standards but Casterline said that would Fit right into the Steelers game plan. The Steelers All-Pro cornerback. Rod Woodson, is 6-0, 199 pounds. “What impressed the Steelers the most about Gary is his strong charac ter and his ability to get along with his teammates,” Casterline said. Jones became close friends with the Steelers’ starting free safety, Thomas Everett. Jones and Everett, a four-year veteran from Baylor, roomed together this summer in Dallas. Overall, Jones is headed to a class program, Casterline said. “Gary’s very excited about being with an up and coming team like the Steelers,” he said. “The comradery with his teammates and a great foot ball city like Pittsburgh is a whole new experience for him.” With Jones in camp fighting for a position, Casterline said he can now concentrate on getting another for mer Aggie defensive back signed. Casterline also represents cor nerback Mickey Washington, the eighth round draft pick of the Phoe nix Cardinals. “Right now things are not moving along very well at all,” Casterline said. “We are worlds apart and Phoenix is notorious for not giving big contracts. We’re hoping to break that trend.” Washington is in a situation where he could play immediately. The Car dinals intercepted just 16 passes last year and ranked 22nd in the NFL in pass defense. The Cardinals training camp be gins in Flagstaff, Ariz. this Saturday. Casterline said he is doing with Washington what he did with Jones. “Mickey is already there staying with Cedric Mack, who is another one of my clients,” he said. “I feel when it comes right down to it both sides will want to see him in camp and we can come to an agreement.” Other former A&M players who have not signed include offensive tackle Richmond Webb, the first round draft pick of the Miami Dol phins and tight end Mike Jones, the third-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings. Ags that have inked their con tracts are linebacker Aaron Wallace with the Los Angeles Raiders, line backer Jeroy Robinson with the Denver Broncos and offensive line man Pat Cunningham with the Indi anapolis Colts. Americans steamed at Italians Dallas’ Johnson claims Cowboys LeMond pulls within seconds of lead flt ’ read y for successful season BORDEAUX, France (AP) —Just when things got a little flat at the Tour de France Thursday, it began to heat up. In temperatures of 104 degrees over a 125-mile straightaway course from Pau to Bordeaux, Greg LeM ond remained five seconds behind Italy’s Claudio Chiappucci in the overall standings with just three stages to go. Eric Breukink of the Netherlands snuck past 1988 champion Pedro Delgado into third when he came in second in the 18th of 21 stages. Gianni Bugno of Italy won in a sprint finish with 147 of the remaining 157 cy clists. Bugno crossed in 5 hours, 41 minutes, 33 seconds, averaging a leisurely 22 mph. LeMond was placed 32nd while Chiappucci was just three slots ahead, but both finished 19 seconds behind Bugno. There is another flat stage on Friday before the fire works start on Saturday in the time trial by Lac Vassi- viere. But the' bad words started off the course when Chiacppucci responded to LeMond’s accusations about the Italian’s behavior in the pack on Wednesday. LeMond had a flat tire in the 17th stage and dropped back to change wheels. Race ethics usually call for the pack to slow down and not take advatage of the situa tion. But Delgado’s teammates attacked and took Chiap pucci along. “I was sure that they went faster because of it,” LeM ond said. “When I got back I told Chiappucci that I wouldn’t forget this.” LeMond returned to the pack aided by a relay system from members of his team, pacing the defending champ and acting as windshields. By the finish, the only thing LeMond lost was respect for Delgado and Chiappucci. AUSTIN (AP)—Jimmy Johnson admits his life is winning football games. It’s taken him a year to get over his last less-than-enjoyable sea son. But his batteries are recharged af ter his disastrous 1-15 NFL rookie season that shook the energetic Johnson’s legendary confidence. “We made some mistakes,” John son said.“We didn’t know the talent base was that bad. It wasn’t fun.” Johnson added “I haven’t hurt as much in my life. It was as difficult a year as I’ve ever had in my life.” Personal problems also coincided with Johnson’s professional prob lems in 1989. Johnson and his wife, Linda Kay, were divorced. A drained Johnson studied the Rose slapped with prison, $50,000 fine Friends recall ‘Rosy’past CINCINNATI (AP) — The peo- le with whom Pete Rose spent his 0 years in baseball preferred on Thursday to recall Rose the player rather than Rose the admitted tax evader. On the day Rose received a five- month prison term and additional penalties for failing to report his earnings from sales of his memora bilia, the reaction was perhaps best stated by Dallas Green, Rose’s man ager on the 1980 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies. “I think we’re all saddened by what happened to him,” Green said. “I remember Pete Rose the base ball player. When he put on a uni form there wasn’t a player more dedicated. He played every inning with everything he had. AH of us make decisions in life and we have to live with them. He made decisions that took him down the wrong path.” Added Phillies president Bill Giles: “He will always be remem bered as one of the greatest players in baseball history.” The sentence, which also includes three months in a halfway house, 1,000 hours of community service and a $50,000 fine, hardly came as a surprise. Last Aug. 24, Rose was banned from baseball for life by late commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti for gambling on sporting events. “The only thing I’ll say about Pete Rose is that he’s the greatest compet itor I’ve ever managed. This in no way will ever change my feelings about him as a ballplayer. In my heart, he’s a Hall of Earner,” said De troit’s Sparky Anderson, who also managed Cincinnati’s “Big Red Ma chine” which won consecutive world titles in 1975 and 1976 with a cast that included Rose. “It’s unfortunate it had to hap pen,” Boston general manager Lou Gorman said. CINCINNATI (AP) — Pete Rose was sentenced Thursday to five months in prison and fined $50,000 by a judge who drew a distinction be tween two Pete Roses — the baseball legend and the tax cheat. Baseball’s all-time hits leader also was ordered to spend an additional three months in a halfway house and to perform 1,000 hours of commu nity service with inner-city youths during his year of probation. The former Cincinnati manager, who played for the Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies, expressed shame over his conviction on two counts of failing to report more than $354,000 in income. His voice broke when he told the judge his 5-year-old son, Tyler, had told his wife that “daddy is a jail bird.” Rose earned the undeclared in come from selling baseball memora bilia, signing autographs and gam bling. He already has been banned from major league baseball for his gambling, the activity that could cost him an otherwise certain place in baseball’s Hall of Fame. In his sentencing, U.S. District Judge S. Arthur Spiegel referred re peatedly to Rose’s status as one of the greatest of all American sports heroes. Rose had 4,256 hits in his 24- season major league career. “Foremost, we must recognize that there are two people here: Pete Rose, the living legend, the all-time hit leader and the idol of millions; and Pete Rose, the individual who appears today convicted of two counts of cheating on his taxes,” Spiegel said. “Today we are not deal ing with the legend.” Spiegel later added, “When one commits a crime, he must be pun ished.” The judge could have sentenced Rose to six years in prison and a $500,000 fine. Spiegel allowed Rose to remain free until Aug. 10, so that he may have surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee. At that time, Rose is expected to report to a brand new, minimum-security federal prison in Ashland, Ky. Despite his injury. Rose walked into the courtroom without crutches. He was accompanied by his wife, Carol, and a team of lawyers. A few fans in the back of the courtroom applauded briefly when Rose entered. Rose was contrite in his statement to the judge. “Your honor, I’d like to say I’m very sorry, very shameful to be here today in front of you,” he said. “I have no excuses because it’s all my fault.” “I hope no one has to go through what I went through the last year and a half,” he said. “I lost my dig nity, I lost my self respect... and I al most lost a lot of dear friends.” Rose didn’t speak as he left the courtroom, but his spokeswoman, Barbara Pinzka, issued a statement. “I accept my punishment and have no plans to appeal,” the statement said. “I will serve my sen tence, pay my debt to society and get on with my life.” The sentencing culminated 18 months in which Rose’s baseball ca reer unraveled. Dallas Cowboys problems in the off season and decided the primary problem was lack of speed. He has added speed at every position. “I believe we can win with the players we have,” Johnson said. “I believe we can have a winning sea son. I personally will not be happy unless we win more games than we lose. That’s my makeup.” There are only 28 players left from last season in a massive turn over of former coach Tom Landry’s personnel. Owner Jerry Jones said don’t laugh at Johnson’s vision of an over .500 season. “I believe this is where you’ll see Jimmy Johnson at his best,” Jones said . “He’s had tough times before and always excelled. He has the in tellect of a heart surgeon.” Johnson said the 1989 season which included only a victory over the Washington Redskins was hard to swallow. “We were frustrated because we wanted things to happen sooner than it was happening.” Johnson said.“But we don’t want to forget the hurt and disappointment of losing. That’s what drives you to win. That’s why I was upset after last season. I don’t like to lose.” Johnson brought the Miami Hur ricanes a national championship in 1987 and was 52-9 at the school in five seasons. He said became accus tomed to winning. “I won’t be happy this year unless we win more than we lose,” Johnson said. “Last year we knew it was going to be an uphill battle. This year we have a realistic chance to win. We’ve had a major improvement in talent over a year ago.” Johnson said last year’s team had so many newcomers because of in jury, trades, and waiver wire pickups that “we were playing sandlot ball because the receivers didn’t know the plays.” Johnson said “We never quit but we weren’t really a team. We were a ragknot group.” He has whipped his leftover “ragknots” into shape in the off-sea son, holding more minicamps than any team in the NFL. A rebuilt in door training facility and a new weight training coach, Mike Woicik of Syracuse, has the team in top con dition. “One of the reasons I feel so good about this season is because Mike has joined us,” Johnson said. ^VLADIES AND LORDS AT TEXAS 707 where A Wedding Party Renting 6 or more Tuxedos receive a $10 Discount on each Tuxedo and...the Grooms FREE 707 Texas Ave. 764-8289 Next to the Pink Taco Cabana $800 $800 $800 $800 $800 $800 ASTHMA STUDY $800 $800 $800 Incentive for those who enroll and complete study. Individuals (12 and older) who have asthma and medicate daily to $800 $800 participate in a research study. $800 $800 CALL PAULL RESEARCH $800 $800 INTL. ® 776-0400 $800 $800 $800 $800 $800 $800 (Distinctive Style! AggieVision Texas A&M’s video yearbook is 60+ minutes of the sights and sounds of 89-90. Get your copy while they last for only $32.33 1001 Harvey Rd 811 Harvey Rd at English Annex 693-4242 696-9638 or room 230 Varied amenity packages! 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