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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 23, 1998)
The Battalion Sports Page 5 • Friday, October 23, 1998 io Fourth time’s a charm? A&M tries its luck at breaking Texas Tech's three-year stranglehold on state rivalry & ' i BRANDON BOLLOM/The Battalion Bshman fullback Ja’Mar Toombs breaks through the Nebraska defensive line en route to his 71-yard run. BY JEFF SCHMIDT The Battalion Call No. 25 Texas Tech University the “little football team that could.” Although not blessed with great athletes. Tech has had Texas A&M’s number the last three seasons. But just barely. Tech’s victories have come by a total of 13 points. “I have, and our players have, a healthy respect for Texas Tech,” A&M coach R. C. Slocum said. “Tech has been ready to play us. We’ll have to beat them this weekend. They don’t beat themselves. I think they’re extremely well-coached.” “They’re scrappy,” senior tight end Daniel Campbell said. “That’s why they win games because they play so hard. They’re not any more talented than we are. They play 100 percent the whole game. ” Despite recent dominance over A&M, Slocum said Tech has not re ally beaten A&M as much as the Aggies have beaten themselves. “Part of the problem is they’ve done a good job,” Slocum said. “The other part is we’ve had some turnover problems and some injury problems. “We had the deal out there [in 1995] where we had two touch downs called back. We felt really concerned about that. Then we throw an interception on the last play of the ballgame, and that’s a frustrating thing for you. That’s not to take anything away from Tech. They put themselves in the posi tion to win those games.” A&M hopes this year will not be deja vu all over again. The last time A&M was ranked eighth [1995], Tech beat the Ag gies. A&M was coming off a heart breaking loss to the University of Colorado and was ambushed by Tech in Lubbock. Tech linebacker Zach Thomas intercepted A&M quarterback Corey Pullig’s pass and returned it for a touchdown with 30 seconds left in the game. In 1996, A&M lost a tight game to Kansas State University at Kyle Field and followed it with a loss to Tech when Tech reserve fullback Sammy Morris slipped out of the backfield unnoticed and scored on an 81-yard pass. Morris was de clared academically ineligible two weeks after the game. In 1997, A&M was pistol- whipped by No. 20 Kansas State. The Aggies went to Lubbock with starting tackles Chris Ruhman and Cameron Spikes and starting run ning back Dante Hall out with in juries. The result was the same. Tech kicker Tony Rogers sneaked in a field goal with 19 sec onds left on the clock to beat A&M. This year may be different. The Aggies are coming off victories over then-No. 2 University of Ne braska and Baylor University. The 35 points scored against Baylor are the most A&M has scored since last year’s 51-7 victory over the University of Oklahoma. Campbell said the offense final ly clicked against Baylor. “Everybody did their assign ments,” Campbell said. “You just do what you’re supposed to do and good things will happen. It finally happened Saturday and we were pleased with the way it turned out. “We know what they’re [Tech] capable of. We know they’re go ing to try to sneak up here and take a win from us at Kyle Field. We’re not going to let that hap pen. We’re sick of it.” BRANDON BOLLOM/The Battalion Senior linebacker Warrick Holdman sacks the Nebraska quarterback. Aggie soccer team hosts Missouri and Kansas GREG MCREYNOLDS/Tiii: Battalion Reynolds kicks the ball in an early-season match. BY DOUG SHILLING The Battalion For the second time this year, the Texas A&M Soccer Team was all dressed up with no place to go. Wednesday night, the Aggies were sched uled to play the University of Texas to make up a game that had been canceled earlier in the year. However, heavy rains postponed the game once again. This weekend the Aggies will bounce back into action as they host the Nike/Big 12 Challenge. Friday night the Aggies will take on the Uni versity of Missouri Tigers at 7 p.m. at the Aggie Soccer Complex, and Sunday afternoon they will square-off with the University of Kansas Jay- hawks at 1 p.m. This weekend’s games are the start of the fi nal homestand of the year for Texas A&M, where they have uncharacteristically struggled most of the year. After going 34-3 the previous four years at the Aggie Soccer Complex, the Aggies have fallen to a 3-5 record there this season. All five losses, however, have come at the hands of top-25 opponents. Texas A&M (8-6, 3-2 in Big 12 play) is looking to improve its chances of qualifying for the Big 12 Tournament as it moves deeper into its schedule. The Aggies are currently in 5th place in the conference, with the top six teams qualifying for the tournament. In their previous 13 games, Texas A&M has faced seven teams in the top 25, including three teams in the top 10. “They [Missouri] are a well- coached, disciplined team, and they have been playing very good soccer all season/' — G. Guerrieri A&M soccer coach The five remaining Big 12 opponents for the Aggies are not ranked in the top 25. “We hated to reschedule the game against Texas for a second time, but the field just was n’t safe to play on,” A&M soccer coach G. Guer rieri said. “We turned our atention quickly to the weekend at hand though, and are prepared to take on the challenge that Missouri will present to us. “They are a well-coached, disciplined team,” Guerrieri said, “and they have been playing very good soccer all season. “I think our athletes know that, so we should come into this game very well prepared to match up against them.” Missouri (8-5-1, 4-3 in Big 12 play) comes into the match currently in 3rd place in the Big 12. The Tigers are enjoying their best season in school history, winning eight games for the first time in Central Region and have climbed to No. 6. The offense relies heavily on sophomore for ward Nikki Thole who leads the conference (and is 7th in the nation) in points per game averaging 2.7. The Jayhawks (5-9-1, 1-5-1 in Big 12 play), however, are coming into College Station on a downward spiral. They have only one win in conference play and are riding a six-game winless streak. The Aggies lead the all-time series 2-0, winning last year’s game in Lawrence, Kan., 5-0. The Aggies will resume play Wednesday as they try to play the University of Texas for the third time this year. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m at the Aggie Soccer Complex. Smith’s job in doubt after performances V0 JRVING, Texas (AP) — Kevin fflith’s starting job is either in l>pardy or not, depending on ( ho is talking, but all agree he Nds a lucky break. ■Dallas Cowboys coach Chan Qiley sidesteps questions about Aether he is contemplating a |ange. But that’s been a topic ong coaching staff at Valley ch headquarters during a week. I think I’ve said it about as an as I can say it,” Gailey told £ Dallas Morning News in ursday’s editions. ‘‘He’s got the lent. He just needs something d to happen to him, to get a lit- confidence back.” |Five of the nine passing touch- wns the Cowboys have al- ved this season have been at lith’s expense. The cornerback has just one in ception in the last 27 regular- ison games. Chicago’s Erik Kramer complet- seven of 11 passes for 81 yards da touchdown against Smith in e Bears’ 13-12 win Sunday. Smith was beaten badly by 'ars receiver Bobby Engram on liat would have been a 73-yard touchdown in the first quarter, but the ball was overthrown. Defensive backs coach Mike Zimmer, Smith’s most ardent ad vocate, said the cornerback had one of his better games Sunday. Zimmer says Smith was more aggressive than in recent weeks, showed better technique and almost came away with two interceptions. Gailey and de fensive coordina tor Dave Campo agreed. ‘‘I think we’re making too much of an issue of it, personally,” Cam po said. ‘‘I don’t want to talk a lot about it. All I’ll say is this. ‘‘Kevin Smith, in my mind, is one of the outstanding football players in the league. As far as I’m concerned, he’s our corner, and that’s it. That’s the bottom line.” Smith worked with the first- team defense in Wednesday’s practice. But he is not guaranteed a spot in that lineup when the Cowboys play the Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 2. SMITH Zimmer believes that a sort of Larry Brown mentality has formed around Smith. Smith’s detractors, Zimmer said, “don’t have any clue what they’re talking about,” and laments that they tear him down when he’s trying to build him up. “It’s the old deal, when pushed back into a corner, you can either fight your way out or quit,” he said. “I’m not going to let him quit. “We will do what’s best for the football team and him. If it ever gets to the point where we need to make a change, then we’ll do that. But I believe in the guy.” Smith was a four-year letterman at Texas A&M University from 1988-91. He was a consensus All-Ameri ca selection at cornerback and was named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe award that goes to the na tion’s top defensive back. His all-time school record of 20 interceptions in a career still stands. Smith also was a three-time All- Southwest Conference selection at defensive Ipack. The Cowboys drafted Smith in the first round of the 1991 NFL Draft. New York fans devour paraphernalia from Yankees’ World Series victory NEW YORK (AP) — Fans are pumped. After whooping it up in bars, on streets and out side an empty Yankee Stadium all night, Yankee root ers spent the morning getting ready to welcome the World Series champions home. The Clubhouse, a Manhattan store that sells Yan kee paraphernalia, was doing a huge business. Manager John Camilleri said he showed up at 6 a.m. and found a dozen people waiting for him at the door. “It’s amazing,” he said. Camilleri was so sure the Yankees would beat the San Diego Padres and clinch their 24th champi onship, he put all the new merchandise out Wednes day night. He opened an hour early at 7 a.m., antic ipating an anxious crowd. Yankee championship T-shirts and hats were fly ing off shelves as a steady stream of smiling fans came and went. A lot of the Yankeeswear is sure to be on display Friday during a victory parade up the Canyon of He roes on Broadway. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said the parade was ex pected to start at 11:30 a.m. and a ceremony for about 4,000 invited guests would follow outside City Hall. Though billed as a tickertape parade; there is no such thing anymore. Shredded computer paper and con fetti is used instead. In the shadow of Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, people spilled into the streets early today banging pots, blowing whistles, ringing cowbells and gener ally making as much noise as possible. “This is where it’s at,” said 26-year-old Jay Justi- no of the Bronx. “Just to think, if they were home.” Bernard Rhodes of Manhattan watched the game with his fiancee near the stadium at the Yan kee Tavern. “This is the greatest team ever,” he said. “The Yan kees showed they are true champions.” At Mickey Mantle’s bar and restaurant in midtown Manhattan, about 60 fans, including former New York Met Bud Harrelson, crowded around a big screen television to watch the game. “This is a team that if it didn’t win, everyone would be disappointed,” he said. “And they’re meet ing expectations. That’s the true mark of greatness.” Longtime Yankee devotee Tony Magro, of Larch- mont, said the team ranks with the dominant clubs of the early 1960s, which featured Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. “Awesome,” he said. “It reminds me of the early 60s teams because they’re unbeatable. Even when they’re losing, you expect them to win.” Before the game even started, Harrelson, a mem ber of the 1969 world champion Mets, paid the team perhaps the ultimate compliment. “If we were amazin’, they’re just incredible,” he said.
