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Friday, September 13, 1991 Football n baseball st P Aaron ^ she1nin fru etcetera zj OK football mutants, bear with me for a second while I muttle through some baseball news. The gridiron will follow in due course. First, as usual, let's talk about the pennant race in the National League West. The Atlanta Braves did come back from a horrendous Labor Day weekend to sweep the Mets and the San Francisco Giants and won the first against San Diego. You might notice a change in the Braves Watch graphic, Ronnie Gant has been dropped from the MVP Watch. That's right, Rich and I finally reazlized that Ronnie is not going to be in the running. However, Terry Pendleton has battled back from an August slump to start climbing back into the race. He will remain in the MVP Watch. And how about the first combined no-hitter in National League history that the Braves put together NationalLe iE ST i i aves have won six in a r< &eit season's best. Frida . ESPN and Saturday's w RMS Mfc Terry Pendleton 490 Tom^a^^ATCH Ts Joining n Cod or comi We've got you covi r From 6 pm-9pr jJOIIUItU ? Ull ucvu BEAT THE CLC One Large Single Toppin The time you call (ie, 7:10) you pay (ie, $7.10] From 6 pm -9 pm Does not include ta Not valid with any other Drivers carry less thar Good only at Devine St. 1 mtants take tason's not > probably thought that losing a nohitter with only one out to go might lose some of that steam. I think it was a great play. If that is really what he was doing, then it is exactly why he should be MVP. It is this kind of leadership, besides puiung up me great numoers, which he has, that makes him the most valuable player in the league. And that's right, it is still a great time to be a Braves fan. Now all I have to do is convince a few of my professors to cancel class for a couple of days in October ? I've got other plans. As for you who want to know what other MVP candidates are doing, such as Will "the thrill-less" Clark, I will update you on their stats in this space, rather than soil sacred space alloted for the Braves Watch. In the Cy Young race, lefthander Tommy Glavine is the ONLY candidate worthy. Don't tell me about John Smiley being a candidate. Where has he been all season? OK, so he's won a few games lately, (17 total) he can't match Glavine in all-around performance. Through Wednesday's game, Clark was hitting .304, with 105 RBI's and 26 home runs. Not bad, right? No longer on a triple crown pace, Clark has been spectacular this season. Over the past 11 games, however, he is hitting around .200. Still, Clark's numbers warrant some consideration. The only reason I think he does not qualify to be MVP is that his team is not in the race. To be voted MVP, I believe the Wednesday night. Kent Merker, who usually works out of the bullpen, pitched the first six innings, the rookie-phenom Mark Wohlers pitched the seventh and eighth and Alejandro Pena pitched the ninth for his eighth save. Just to further his cause, Terry Pendleton provided all the offense necessary with his 20th homerun, and his second in as many games. Pendleton's biggest play of the night, however, came in the ninth, on defense. With two out, Darrin Jackson hit a chopper between short and third. Raphael Belliard came over from shortstop and appeared ready to make the play, which would have been close to begin with. Pendleton darted in front of Belliard and missed the ball causing an error to be charged to Pendleton. My argument is that Pendleton booted the ball on purpose, realizing Jackson might have beaten the throw from Belliard, and spoil the no-hitter. As a veteran, Pendleton knows it is important to keep momentum in a pennant race. He player's team should benefit in the standings. For Clark, this hasn't happened. San Francisco has only challenged for a few weeks all season. A team that was touted as a frontrunner during spring training, the Giants have been relegated to the role of spoiler. Sorry Will, not this time. OK mutants, here we go. Everyone just quit complaining about this past weekend's tie against Duke. Duke was a tough, experienced ball club that executed when necessary. USC, on the other hand, is inexperienced in a lot of key positions, that didn't execute when necessary. Turn your atten"pel GB Lto up .568 ? 7-3 co; .564 im 7-3 - g ;-w .507 8 1/2 8-2 f; v > .482 12 3-7 T- ';J-:<? ^ y's game against the Dodgers can [T! nil be on CBS, ^ ; A{l H AVE HR RBF * 153 . .-314 20 |.; rel BORED?! Sports CCub may be tfv 0 by Campus Recreatlc IT'S TIM DOMINO'! 256-S ered with these great ev ?1 r? I F, le I J E >CK! | I LATE ig Pizza is the price I I Medium Sir i! I I Add a C x | I E offer. | J Not va i $20 I J Driv( vocation J | Good 01 1GAME notice: over yet tion to Morgantown, W.Va. Saturday for the first road game of the season. A win on the road after the tie would do wonders to catapult South Carolina back into the preseason optimism that was lost when Aaron Shaw scored the twonoint conversion Saturday night. The Gamecocks, like Sparky said, played like a young team. You can't coach experience. All Woods can do is trust his players to learn from the mistakes against Duke and not make them again against the Mountaineers. Woods, however, might take heed that all is not well in the world of the Gamecock fan. Many people have professed concerns about Woods ability as a head coach. Why go to the prevent defense with four minutes left? Why start Albert Haynes over a more-talented Rob DeBoer? These are questions only Woods and his players know the answer to, answers we would all like to know. What a game Monday night in Dallas. The Redskins traveling to Texas Stadium and beating the favored Cowboys made for a hell of a Monday night game. Even Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones couldn't spoil this night. Chip Lohmiller put on possibly the most spectacular kicking display I've ever seen. Lohmiller was true four times from at least 45 yards and consistently kicked off into or out of the end zone. And hey, Mark Rypien even looked like an NFL quarterback for a change. Has everyone heard about George Felton? He will become a nonsalaried assistant at Georgia Tech for former teammate Bobby Cremins. Felton, who still has a year remaining on his USC contract, said he might enroll in some classes and serve as a graduate assistant. So, Carolina's head coach is only wortny ol a graduate assistantship at Tech? Could this possibly be some sort of revenge by Cremins, after he blasted USC for its handling of the Felton Firing? Well, if it is, it worked. Once again, USC will look like a laughing-stock. Oh well, we should be used to it by now. y* A' igic number for Atlanta now I 23. Any combination of 23 anta wins or Dodger losses { I clinch the title for Atlanta. | ere are however, 23 games j naming in the season for the aves, six of those against HBSSS' e answer. >n 777-5261 I E FOR S PIZZA } 1 r* 1 eryday specials... i om 9 pm - Close omino's on Devine NIGHT SPECIAL igle Topping Pizza only $5.50 I 'oke or Diet Coke for 500 From 9 pm-close )oes not include tax lid with any other offer. srs carry less than $20. nly at Devine St. Location :cock USC's W: By The Associated Press South Carolina junior center Edmond Wilson says he will undergo surgery on his right knee and miss the upcoming basketball season. The 6-foot-10 Wilson injured hie Irr\(*{* in MnuAmKAr in on av_ I?j IVIIVV All 1 1 WT VIIIUV1 111 ail VAhibition game and underwent arthroscopic surgery, which forced him to sit out about 10 days at the start of the season. Wilson, who will still have two seasons of eligibility remaining after sitting out this season, said his knee continued to bother him during this past season. Wilson said he made several visits to the Hughtston Clinic in Columbus, Ga., where doctors said the fold in the inner tissue NFL's teat tBOWDEN Gridiron gripes , Well, I've praised the mighty 49ers and blasted the mentally handicapped (excuse me, mentally challenged) NFL Rules Committee. For your reading pleasure, I thought I'd ramble about the highs and lows of the first two weeks of the pro football season. Highs New York Giants fans the world over were humbled this past week when the lowly Los Angeles Rams beat their precious team at the Meadowlands. I'm sure every dock and steel mill in New Jersey was buzzing over that one. The ever-fickle Giants fans are already calling for QB Phil Simms to start again. Gee, only a week ago, Jeff Hostetler was God on Earth while former Super Bowl MVP Simms was a nobody. If the Giants lose to GAIN VAI MMPPiliP Jl\> i li Date: September 16 F Meet with your jostens representative f ilson to m around the knee was damaged and required surgery. Dr. Robert Peele of Columbia will perform the surgery, probably within about six weeks, Wilson said Tuesday. "Whew. . . a major setback," Wilson said. "But I'm trying not to look at it as bad as that. I'll try to look at it in a positive way." Wilson played sparingly this pas>i bcaiuu, avciaging i.j points and 1.7 rebounds a game. He was looking forward to his first season under coach Steve Newton, who has a reputation for developing talent. Newton replaced George Fclton, who was fired earlier this year. "Obviously, with the numbers as they are, we need everyns, coache Chicago, look for Simms to have the starting job Week Four, which should have been his from the beginning. The surprising Phoenix Car umais nave niaue me a oenever m their coach Joe Bugle. The Cards are 2-0 for the first time in nearly 20 years. Bugle has turned a perennial loser into a contender in only his second year with the team. If they win the NFC East or even make the playoffs, he has my vote for Coach of the Year. The Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons are both 0-2, and I couldn't be happier. Sam Wyche of the Bengals and Jerry Glanville of the Falcons are the biggest jerks in the NFL (no, I don't find Glanville's exploits charming; they're just plain stupid); Wyche is classless, with not an ounce of sportmanship in his whole body. As for the Falcons, their cheap-shot tactics reflect Glanville's personal sliminess. Hopefully, their teams' horrible openings will ensure both those creeps a place in the unemployment line. MMSlHi HHHBg %jr\ t it BBBDEHI ?- 21 Time: 9:00-4:30 1 'lace: University Bookstore or full details. See our complete ring select! 9 iss season Wilson one healthy and on the court." Newton said. South Carolina opens the 1991-92 season Nov. 23 at home against Southern UlinoisEdwardsville. *s insulted The AFC is finally back. The Houston Oilers and Buffalo Bills are playing as good as any teams in the NFC right now. One of those two will make it to* the Super Bowl and I wouldn't bet against either one from winning it all. It would be very cool if Warren Moon or Thurman Thomas got a Super Bowl MVP; they both deserve it One note: isn't it funny how Houston is doing so much better once Jerry Glanville got fired? Hmmm . . . Lows The biggest lows of the season by far are the quarterback casualties. Randall Cunningham, who makes my short-list of the five most e.xr.itinp ntavors to wafrh in the NFL, is out for the season. Even worse, Joe Montana may need surgery for a torn tendon in his throwing arm. However, I have full confidence that Montana will be back; if not this season, then the next. Joe has survived back surgery and a bad concussion; the only thing that will stop him is a silver bullet. iimiiimr BBBH iiliiiHiiSl jiyx'xv:-. ' w >1 r Deposit Req. 20.00 / ion on display in your college bookstore.