The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 12, 1992, Page 9, Image 9
Veterai
By SEAN RYAN
Staff Writer
One year ago, the Gamecock
baseball team anxiously gathered
in front of the television to watch
the pairings of the NCAA tournament
field. With a 40-22 record,
the team expected to see where it
would travel for post-season.
When the pairings were
anounced, South Carolina's deserving
team was left out. This
year, the nationally-ranked Gamecocks
want to show the nation they
belong among the elite.
"The players were really hurt,"
head coach June Raines said. "We
felt that we belonged in the
tournament."
The Gamecock baseball team
begins its 56-game schedule torn
uiuuuw ai j p.m. wiieu western
Carolina visits Sarge Frye Field.
The Gamecocks will play 31 home
games in 1992, including a threegame
series against defending national
champion LSU. This series
also marks the first game for the
baseball team in the SEC.
Raines leads the No. 15 Gamecocks
into the powerful SEC, as he
enters his 16th season as head
coach. With a career record of
590-262-1, Raines has never had a
losing season.
Raines and his team have their
work cut out for them, as three
SEC teams are ranked higher than
South Carolina. Florida and Mississippi
State are ranked third and
seventh respectively, while LSU is
ranked 13 th.
Clemson f
three-gam*
By The Associated Press
It is unfortunate Plemcon full.
back Rudy Harris has to sit out the
first three games next season, says
the sports agent with whom he
spoke.
But Richard Stern of Kamson
Sports Inc., a New Jersey-based
sports group, said Monday he is
glad the NCAA didn't rescind all
of the player's remaining
eligibility.
Clemson officials told the
NCAA Stem had entered into a
contract in January with Harris, the
agent confirmed. Stem said Harris"
approached him after attending a
seminar on sports agents. He said
Harris considered bypassing his senior
season for the NFL draft because
of an uncertainty about his
academic standing.
Blair to hi
/\ Albertville
'92
Rv tho Assnniatorl Prpcc
1 ~ 'w?
Bonnie's back.
Two days after skating faster
than anyone else over 500 meters,
Bonnie Blair returns today to the
temporary oval in the middle of
this quaint Olympic community to
try and triple the distance ? the
1,500.
She's not just in it for the
exercise.
To be sure, the distance is not
Blair's specialty. She is more comfortable
at the shorter distances
like the 500 and Friday's 1,000, a
race in which she won the bronze
medal at Calgary four years ago.
Still, her coach, Peter Mueller,
says it would be foolish to rule
Bonnie out. "I think we can medal
in the 1,500," he said Tuesday,
watching skaters breeze around the
oval on an overcast afternoon. "If I
didn't think she could win, she
wouldn't enter."
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To make matters worse, South
Carolina will play eight threegame
series against other conference
opponents. Doubleheaders
will be played on Saturdays, with a
single game following on Sunday.
"People are going to realize that
the SEC is the toughest conference
in every sport," Raines said. "It's
like playing Clemson every day."
Experience is a huge bonus for
the Gamecocks, as they return
eight starters from last year's
squad. Raines said intensity is also
a key for the season.
"We have to play hard every
weekend, playing 25 innings in 24
hours, Raines said. "If you're not
ready to play, you could lose
three."
The Gamecocks enter 1992 with
one of their best offensive teams
ever. Seniors Jerry Shepherd,
Burke Cromer and Dave Willman,
along with junior Jeff Parnell, will
Drovide much of the offensive
fireworks.
"Our offense could be one of
the best," junior pitcher Matt
Threehouse said. "We need to
avoid a midseason slump, like we
had last year."
"The key is for everyone to play
hard every day," Willman said.
"Last year, sometimes only five .
players came ready to play."
On the mound, South Carolina ,
looks to be in good shape. Threehouse
will be flanked by junior
and staff ace Jared Baker. Filling ,
out the starting rotation will be ju- ,
niors Sean Hardwick and Rich j
ootball playe
e penalty for
Harris changed his mind after jj
high school and college coaches, s
and his family convinced him to
return.
"He was laboring under his own
misgivings," Stern said, "but after j
critically reviewing all that was
going on, he realized he could
make a go of it.
_ r - . t ?
n s unioriunaie 11 goi Deyona j,
the point where the NCAA was s
willing to overlook it. But I'm glad c
everybody is able to say hey, let's y
not basically screw this kid's life
over for a stupid mistake." t
Stern said he wrote a letter to j
NCAA officials hoping they would r,
be sympathetic to Harris' situation. t|
There is precedent for not taking h
all of a player's remaining eligibility
for entering into a contract. In j,
1988, the NCAA suspended Michi- s
ittle in spee<
Also in the 1,500 field ? and y
the gold medal favorite for the ^
event ? is Germany's Gunda Nie- a
mann, who won the 3,000-meter
gold in the first race this week at
the widely-criticized speedskating
venue. c
"I'm really not in competition F
with Gunda," Blair said. "I've al- t
ways looked at the 1,500 as a way h
to train for my two races ? the I*
500 and 1,000." a
With Blair skating, even at a (
non-specialty distance, taped c
coverage of the 1,500 is the feature
of CBS television's coverage Wednesday
evening. P
Also scheduled is the women's
downhill combined, which the net- I
work showed live Wednesday
morning; the women's luge, with
U.S. teammates Cammy Myler and
Erica Terwillegar running 6-7 halfway
through the competition; and
freestyle skiing moguls prelims, in
which American Donna Weinbrecht
is a gold medal favorite.
Weinbrecht, the 1991 moguls
world champion, calls the freestyle
ski events perfectly suited to her
personality. "I was an art student,"
she said. "1 had good perspective,
lING IN THE
5, 90's & 2000's
1 *CK?TBnArS,
gf h
7
1500 Central Ave.
Charlotte, NC
^ 704-376-FEET ^
11 team
Pratt, along with sophomore Sco
Pace. Junior Rob Mosser an
Cromer look to be the closers.
"We don't have a senior startei
but our starters have been throug
the wars together against toug
competition," Raines said. "A bi
key is to stay healthy on th
mound."
Threehouse and Baker havt
overcome tender arms, and appea
to be ready for the season to begir
Mosser is expected to miss fron
one to three weeks with a ba<
knee.
The Gamecocks also display
great deal of depth as they ente
the new season. Outfielders sue!
as juniors D.T. Cromer and Joi
Biernat are expected to see action
Freshman Mark Gugino and so
phomore Rob DeBoer will play ;
role as well.
"How well the guys not starting
respond is going to be big for thi:
team," Raines said. "Sooner or la
ter, everyone is going to play. Wil
Lhey be ready to play?"
"All I want is for my players tc
give me 100 percent each day
Raines said. "We have enougl
depth where if someone doesn'
push himself, we can put someone
else in there for him."
The Gamecocks' main goal it
that their play is worthy of ar
SCAA tournament bid. "The)
want to be good," Raines said.
"We have a great amount ol
confidence in our team," Three
louse said. "If we play as well as
we can, we're going to be tough tc
)eat."
r receives
contract
;an State offensive lineman Tony
dandarich for three games after he
igned with an agent.
"I'm very happy Rudy is able to
>lay football," Stern said. "I wish
L didn't get to the point where he
ost his eligibility to play three
;ames.
"I wish him the best. I think he
vill be belter off as a player and a
luman being if he's able to finish
chool. If he didn't go back and
lidn't make the NFL, he'd have
lad a tough life."
Stern declined to comment on
he agreement he had with Harris,
le also wouldn't say if he would
^present Harris next year when
lie player's collegiate eligibility
as expired.
There is another issue involved
i the case besides Harris' amateur
tatus.
d skating
>ut I didn't do well with a sharp
>encil. I did a lot better with the
ibstract, which fits moguls."
Other live morning coverage foused
on the 15K cross country
>ortion of the nordic combined,
he men's 10K biathlon and the
lockey game between Canada and
Norway. Switzerland plays France
nd the Unified Team goes against
Czechoslovakia in Wednesday's
>ther hockey games.
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1
1 The Gamecock baseball team 1
; Cougars 1
: to the Cai
| By ROB RODUSKY
Staff Writer
Professional football has finally
found its place in South
Carolina with the Carolina Cougars
of the Professional Spring
Football League.
The new league, which is not
affiliated with the National Football
League, has two divisions
with five teams in each. The
Cougars will be competing
astainst teams from Arkansas.
Miami, Nevada, New England,
New Mexico, Oregon, Tampa
Bay, Utah and Washington, D.C.
After the 16-week season, the
top two teams in each division
will play in a semi-final game,
and the winners will meet at
Washington D.C.'s RFK Stadium
in the Red, White and Blue Bowl
July 5.
Each team is allowed a S2 million
salary cap for 45 roster players,
five developmental players
and five practice players. Cougars
Public Relations Director
Mike Nicholson said the average
salary for a player will be
$45,000.
Golf team
From Staff Reports
USC men's golf team, starting
the 1992 spring season, finishec
seventh out of 15 teams at the Bar
nett Bank Invitational in Gaines
ville, Fla. this past weekend.
Senior Morgan Beam led the
I lonm ...ifV. ~ ~ ~~ -4 1_ _ C 1A ir
ivaiu WIUI pusiGU 1UU11US U1 /U, It
and 73, finishing 10th in individua
competition.
Senior team captain Daniel Seawell
finished in a tie for 13th place
with 75, 71 and 70, totalling 216
Gamecock senior Michael Christie
finished 38th, and junior Carl PauL
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I OFFER. EXPIRES May 15,1992 j *
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rhursday will play Western Caro
3ring pro f
rolinas this
"A lot had a shot at the pro's
but didn't make it or wanted tc
try something different," Nichol
son said.
Players were mainly drafted b)
region with the Cougars selecting
from North Carolina, South Carolina
and Tennessee.
Some players making a homecoming
of sorts wi.ll be formei
Gamecocks Todd Ellis, Ira Hilliary,
Woody Myers, Rusty Russell
and Danny Smith. Formei
Clemson Tigers playing for the
Cougars are Wesley McFadden
Joe Henderson and Eric
McSwain.
Some different rules from the
National Football League include
a two-point conversion, one fool
allowed in bounds for a catch,
overtime can only be decided b>
a touchdown, no instant replay
and allowed celebration. All ol
these changes combined with a
30-second play clock should
make for a quicker and exciting
game.
Coaching the Cougars is Pete
Kettela. He served under George
Allen in the now defunct USFL
7th at Flor
_ slon and freshman Chad Maso
j both placed 47th.~
4 TUo i,? ? .?i
i i 11c; vjaiii^e-u^ie:* team luiai
- were 294, 286 and 289 for a sur
- of 869 strokes. Placing in front c
USC in the invitational were Floi
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Hie photo
lina at 5 p.m. at Sarge Frye Field.
ootball
; spring
> and under former Green Bay
) Packer great Bart Starr for the
Packers. Before accepting the
position with the Cougars, Ket'
tela was the offensive coordina;
tor for California State
University.
Other ex-professional players
are head coaches in the PSFL.
Former New England Patriot
quarterback Steve Grogan will
coach the New England Blitz
r~ while former Denver Bronco and
Dallas Cowboy quarterback
Craig Morton will coach the Ore:
gon Lightning Bolts.
Nicholson said the "players are
under contract to give something
' back to the community." this
t community appreciation "will be
shown by the free public appearances
the players plan to make.
The Cougars are an early favorite
for the championship game
i because of the impressive seating
1 at Williams-Brice Stadium and
^ the organization of the team so
far.
! The Cougars will kick off the
inaugural season Sunday, March
1.
ida tourney
n ida, Southwestern Louisiana, Georgia,
Alabama, Auburn and Florida
s State.
n The Gamecocks will next parti(f
cipatc in the Florida Southern/
Imperial Lakes Invitational.
...1.!.!!... Moll
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1130 A MONTH? J
ma Center Help
BONUS COUPON"j 51
donation or $20
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t Columbia, SC 29201 'M
for Appointment ? ff
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} WTO $2000*