Sulphur Springs News-Telegram (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 57, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 8, 1989 Page: 9 of 24
twenty four pages : ill. ; page 23 x 14 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
-----1
Sports Commentary
Letters-of-Intent are designed to favor school?
The recruiting romance of Darren Krein was spirited, just as you
would expect it lo be for a blue-chip football player. The divorce,
however, promises to be bitter.
When schools were pursuing him, Krein came under siege with the
usual sea of phone calls and visits from assistant coaches. There were
the prcquisite campus visits. He listened to the parade of head
coaches, each selling his program, each sweet talking him. planting
visions of national championships in his mind.
The finalists were Oklahoma, Arizona State, Colorado, Miami and
Notre Dame, not a bad group for a football player lo pick from.
Finally, the linebacker from Aurora, Colo, made nis decision. He
would go to the University of Miami and play the next four years for
coach Jimmy Johnson. He signed the required letter of intent and was
on his way to Coral Gables.
Unfortunately, Jimmy Johnson was on his way to Dallas.
This was not part of Krein’s bargain. He signed with Miami be-
cause of Johnson. Now, almost before the ink was dry on the agree-
ment, Johnson was gone, off to reconstruct the sagging fortunes of
the NFL Cowboys.
And what about Darren Krein's fortunes?
He was left holding the letter of intent, which binds a student-ath-
lete to the school with which he signs for at least one academic year.
He can ask for a release from his obligation — Miami already has
said thae would be none for its recruits — or he can leave without
benefit of one. Leave without the release and Krein can play just two
years in another program. Even with a release, he must surrender one
year of eligibility.
Jimmy Johnson, however, can coach the Dallas Cowboys right
now.
This did not seem entirely fair to Darren Krein who took his i
to attorney Steven D. Dawson.
Bock's Score
By Hal Bock
"We are reviewing our options,” Dawson said. “A suit is one of
them."
The letter of intent is not an NCAA program. It is administered in-
stead by the Collegiate Commissioners Association and is an agree-
ment by almost all of the nation’s major schools that outlines the
rights and obligations of recruits. The emphasis is on obligations.
The very fiist paragraph of the letter deals with any fancy ideas a
recruit might have about changing his mind and trying to sign with
another schooL So does the 11th paragraph.
Fred Jacoby, commissioner of the Southwest Conference, ex-
plained the letter’s rationale for permanently locking players into
their commitment or inflicting a stiff penalty on them if they break it.
"Without it, schools could lose whole freshman classes,” he said.
"And when coaches are replaced, it could have a domino effect for
other schools.”
So, the letter says, if you want to play four years, you play them at
the school that won the recruiting race, the coach notwithstanding.
Jacoby also questioned the rush to judgment by recruits who want
out when there is a coaching change. “Who knows,” he said, “they
might like the new coach as well or better.”
At Miami, the new coach is Dennis Erickson, imported from
Washington State. One of his first tasks will be to pursue disenchan-
ted recruits like Darren Krein.
“I’m sure they’ll talk,” attorney Dawson said. “That will be an-
other consideration. For all I know, Darren will want to play for him.
“But right now his feeling is he was betrayed.”
There are probably some football recruits in Pullman, Wash., right
now who feel exactly the same way.
Hal Bock ta national sports columnist for the Areociated Press.
More Sports
-City-Are* sports briefs....................Page 10
—Exhibition baseball scoreboard ...... ..Page 11
—Prairie View coach cleared ..............Page 12
Sports
THE NEWS-TELEGRAM,
Sulphur Springs, Texas,
Wednesday, March 8,1989—8.
Gregg: SMU to regain glory without cheating
By DENNE FREEMAN
Associated Press Sports Writer
DALLAS (AP) — The spring
football healing process for
Southern Methodist’s national
shame began on a snow-fringed
field with Coach Forrest Gregg
promising the school will restore its
former glory without cheating.
"Nothing that has happened is
going to take away from what this
place is all about and we’ll be back
— the right way,” said Gregg, a
star tackle at SMU in the 1950s.
Tight end David Bearden wore a
T-shirt, saying “Do You Believe In
The Second Coming?"
“I do," Gregg said TViesday. “I
believe SMU will he hack in the
Cotton Bowl some day.”
It’s been two years on the
sidelines serving hard time for
SMU because of a slush fund that
reached the highest offices at the
proud uni vmtlgk «. A
Bill Clements, now the governor
of Ibxas, was among those invol-
ved in the fund while he was
Spring sports
back on track
Sulphur Springs athletic teams
start playing catch-up with the
spring sports calendar today when
the Wildcats launch their District
1(MA baseball schedule with a 4
pjn. game at Liberty-Eylau. The
contest was originally down for
Tuesday night, then was moved up
to Tuesday afternoon, but the L-E
field was deemed unplayable.
The tempo will pick up on
Thursday when the SSHS soccer,
golf and tennis teams are scheduled
to get back in action.
Sulphur Springs will host
Longview in junior varsity and var-
sity soccer matches moved back
from Tuesday night. The Wildcat
Junior Varsity gou team hosts the
Sulphur Springs JV Invitational,
which was originally slated for
Forrest Gregg
*7 want to develop a
team that doesn't make a
lot of mental mistakes and
plays 60 minutes every
game. The only way you
play this game is all-out
every play of every game
and every practice.**
—Forrest Gregg
chairman of the SMU Board of
Regents.
A new school president, a new
athletic director and a new head
coach were brought aboard in the
fallout of the NCAA's first death
penalty.
On Sept. 2, SMU plays Rice in a
stadium that will be familiar only to
those who followed Mustangs
football in the 1940s and early
l»0s. um •- >
SMU won’t be* 1 playing in
65,000-seat Tfcxas Stadium where
Eric Dickerson and Craig James lit
up the scoreboard, instead, the
Mustangs will compafcin their red
and blue on campus liytoiusty old
Ownby Stadium, whidris undergo-
ing a $1.5 million facelift.
SMU’s thin team worked out this
fall but spring has brought an an ot
optimism to KThe Hilltop” because
players, students, and alumni can
see the looming schedule.
“We’re nervous today," said
senior safety Norbeh Osborn, a let- ■■
toman on SMU’s 1986 team which
was the school’s last. “We’re a lit-
tle tight and feel the pressure. We
know we have a game in six
months.”
The intersectional schedule in-
cludes Connecticut, North Texas,
and a November trip into the land
of the national champions, Notre
Dame.
Athletic Director Doug Single
said he didn't try to get out of the
contract with Notre Dame because
“I wanted our student-athletes to
thrill at the experience of playing in
South Bend.”
It should be fun until the kickoff
for the young Mustangs.
“That game will be interesting,”
Osborn said. “Maybe that’s why
coach Gregg has us running six
miles a day.
SMU collected 25 scholarship
signatures in February but Gregg
can't work with that group until
August. The freshmen report on
Aug. 7 and the rest of the squad on
Aug. 9.
“We’upgraded our talent vyilh
this rfcwflaA Gregg said. “What
you see this spring is not what
you’ll see this fall.
“Of course, the young men who
were with ps last fall and this
spring will be very important. We’ll
have to depend on them while the
newcomers leant.”
Gregg had 70 players last fall (17
• on scholarship) who worked 10
weeks. He had 68 report on
Tuesday.
He recruited nine linemen who
average 6-foot-4, 254 pounds, and
the 25 new Mustangs who signed in
February are smart. Six are mem-
bers of the National Honor Society
and six are in the Who’s Who of
High • School Students. Two
received Presidential academic
awards.
Gregg, who played for Vince
Lombardi in the NFL, stresses con-
ditioning as the primary goal of
spring workouts.
“We’ll have to be in better con-
dition than our opponents because
we’re going to have fewer and
younger people,” he said. “I want
Please see SMU, Page 12
Creighton gains tourney berth
Bucknell also qualifies for NCAA meet; North Texas advances
Monday, and
the Sulphur Springs
neuers invade Rockwall for a 3:30
pjn. dual match. -
The soccer Wildcats host
Longview’s club team in a 7:30
pjn. contest on Friday night
A busy weekend schedule also is
on tap for Sulphur Springs athletes
as the temperatures are predicted to
reach 80 degrees by Saturday.
The Wildcat track team will
compete in the TbrreU Relays and
Lady Wildcat tracksters will travel
to Hallsville for the Bobcat Invita-
tional on Sahaday.
By BOB GREENE
Associated Press Sports Writer
Creighton’s James Farr wasn’t
going to play this season. Southern
Illinois wishes he didn’t change his
mind.
“I had an option to redshirt when
1 thought we were on probation, but
I decided to play and let things
happen,” said Farr, the only senior
on the Creighton team.
Creighton was on restricted
status and not allowed to play in
the NCAA postseason tournament.
But the restrictions were lifted at
January’s NCAA convention, and
Fare made sure the Blue jays’ season
didn’t end in the Missouri Valley
Conference tournament
“I thought it would be up to me
at the end of the game to either take
us into the NCAAs or out of them,”
Fare said. “If you are a college
player, it’s everybody’s dream to
get into the NCAA.”
Fare hit a 10-foot jumper with
three seconds left to give Creighton
a 79-77 victory over Southern Il-
linois in the MVC tournament title
game and an automatic NCAA
tournament berth for the first time
since 1981.
Also going to the tournament
will be Bucknell, a 71-65 winner
over Lafayette in the East Coast
ii
Conference championship game.
Matt Roggcnburk scored 20
points, including six 3-pointers, for
Creighton, while Bob Harstad had
18 points and Fare 11.
Kfti Numberger scored 28 points
for Southern Illinois, setting a
tournament record with eight 3-
pointers, including 6-of-7 in the
first half.'
Southland Conference
Deon Hunter scored eight points
during a 21-7 North Texas spurt
late in the first half and the Eagles
went on to a 100-77 victory over
Nothwestem (La.) State and a berth
in tonight’s final in the Southland
Conference tournament in Demon,
Texas.
North Texas will play McNeese
State, an 80-65 winner over North-
east Louisiana. North Texas won
the regular season title and is the
defending tournament champion.
Michael Cutright scored 11
points in a decisive 28-10 second-
half run that lifted McNeese State
to victory.
East Coast Conference
Mike Joseph scored all 12 of his paints in
the second half, indudins four free throws
in the final minute, as Bucknell defeated
Lafayette 71-65 to capture the East Coast
Conference tournament.
Ted Aceto led Bucknell with 15 points,
while Mike Butts had 14 points, nine
rebounds, four blocked shots and was named
most valuable player of the tournament. Otis
Ellis led Lafayette with 16 points.
Mid-Continent Universities
Southwest Missouri State and Illinois-
Chicago moved into tonight’s title game in
the Association of Mid-Continent Univer-
sities tournament in Springfield, Mo.
Southwest Missouri defeated Valparaiso 82-
50 after IIUrn*i Oucago defeated Eastern Il-
linois 91-75.
Chris Stange scored 12 of his 15 paints in
the second half and Kelby Stuckey ignited a
25-8 run after intermission in Southwest
Missouri’s victory.
In the first game, freshman guard Brian
Hill came off the bench to score a career-
high 21 points to lead Illinois-Chicago to
victory.
TAAF Conference
Arkansas-Little Rock, Centenary, Hous-
ton Baptist and Stetson advanced in the
Trans America Athletic Conference tourna-
ment at Little Rode, Ark.
Reggie Gibbs scored a tournament-record
43 points, induding six free throws in the
final 1:12, as Houston Baptist upset confer-
ence champion Georgia Southern 78-72.
Derrick Owens scored 19 points, indud-
ing two free throws with 17 seconds left, as
Arkansas-Little Rock beat Texas-San An-
tonio 82-79. Eric Cooper led Texas-San An-
tonio with 30 points.
Randy Anderson scored 13 paints and
grabbed a tournament-record 17 rebounds lo
lead Stetson over Georgia State 106-63.
Steve Coleman led five Stetson players in
double figures with 17 points.
Lany Robinson's six-foot Jumper with
three seconds to go gave Centenary a 76-74
victory over Mercer. Mano Hawkins led the
winners with 24 paints.
Chris Wright strongest in testing
Freshman running back Chris Wright graded highest overall in the
preliminary testing of Wildcat football players in off-season, accord-
ing to statistics compiled by defensive line coach Lee Daniel.
veightlifting techniques
iggins
llback
Bryan Vaughn and Wright were tops in the squat, hoisting 410
potutds; soph linebacker Michael Boles, junioriecpiver Fred Dial and
junior defensive lack!* Robert Green all lifts! 340 pounds in the
clean position and Wright topped the cliart in the bench station with
300 pounds.
Head coach James Cameron pointed out that athletes will be
graded two more times during off-season drills.
Players were also clocked in the 40-yard dash with two defensive
backs, Bryant Jackson and Johnny Wright, posting the best clockings.
Jackson zipped to a 4.56-second time on a slick gym floor to nip
Wright, who posted a 4.59 clocking.
“I’m real pleased with our progress. The players’ attitudes are just
super,” Cameron said.
With wanner temperatures promised, Cameron said off-season
sessions can be moved outside in the next few days and the team
concept will be stressed more.
The preliminary weightlifting grading:
40-YARD DASH TOTAL
Bryant Jackson........4.56 Qtris Wright.
SQUAT
1,150 Bryan Vaughn.........410
Johnny Wright........4.59 Bryan Vaughn........1,140 Chris Wright..........410
Fred Dial............4.63 Chariei Boles--------1,100 Charles Boles.........400
Lawrence Green.......4.66 William Coggins.....1,100 Chris Owens..........400
Chris Wright..........4.66 Octus Polk.......... 1,085 Reggie Roland........ 400
Randy Sherman.......4.70 Tim Artl............ 1,060 Eric Johnson .:........390
Vincent Sims.........4.70 Michael Woodson---- 1,040 Tun Am.............390
Eric Thurman.........4.72 Eric Johnson.........1,015 Octus Polk............380
Chris Johnson.........4.75 Rodney Clayton......1,010 Michael Woodson......370
Bubba Cleveland......4.76 Robert Green........1,010 Rodney Clayton.......360
Mdroy Givens........4.81 Gary Rutherford......1,010 William Coggins.......350
Shane McCormick.....4.81 Eric Thurman........ 1,000 Bryant Jackson........350
Eric Johnson..........4.83 Fred Dial........... 980 Fred Dial.............340
William Coggins......4.85 Jimmy Qtester...... 970 Greg Debase..........345
Danny Nash..........4.86 Reggie Roland....... 970 Shane Allison.........340
Reggie Roland........4.90 Greg Debase........ 970 Chris Johnson.........340
Tyrone Weatherall.....4.90 Justin Peugh..........340
BENCH INCLINE CLEAN
Chris Wrighff.........300 William Coggins....... 260 Michael Boles.........240
William C oggins.......280 Chris Wright..........250 Fred Dial.............240
Charles Boles .........270 Charles Boles.........230 Robert Green..........240
Michael Boles.........270 Michael Boles......... 230 Scotty Lewis..........230
Bryan Vaughn.....'.... 270 Gary Rutherford.......230 Octus Polk... rs.......230
Robert Green..........260 Bryan Vaughn.........230 Bryan Vaughn.........230
Octus Polk............260 Octus Polk............215 Michael Woodson......230
Eric Thurman........ 260 Robert Green..........210 Tony Ransom.........225
GaryUhtherfard'.......250 Kenny Baxter.........210 Jimmy Chester........220
Rodney tUyton.......250 Greg Debase..........210 Tim Am..............220
Kenny Baxter.........240 Eric Thurman.........210 Charles Boles.........210
Michael Woodson 240 Tun Am..............210 Rodney Clayton....... 210
Tun Am..............240 Eric Johnson..........205 William Coggins.......210
Roman Asfaill.........230 Sam Johnson..........205 Mitch Griggs ........210
Lawrence Green.......230 Jimmy Chester........200 Mark Patrick..........210
Greg Debase..........230 Mitch Griggs..........200 Reggie Roland.........210
MnOMf........230 Nick Pannell..........200 Gary Rutherford.......210
Mitdi Griggs..........230 Johnny Wright.........200 Lawrence Green.......210
Eric Johnson..........230 Roman Asbtil.........200 Eric Thurman.........210
Nick Parnell..........230 Tommy Sheer.........200
David Pickett..........230
UIL’s rule change will help Cameron get players in right spots
Even the University Interscholastic League, which governs high
school athletics mi activities all across Tbxas, is cooperating with
Janies Cameron's move from Kilgore to Sulphur Springs.
It wasn’t intentional, of course, but the new head football coach
and AD here believes a slight relaxation of a rule governing off-sea-
son grid workouts will be especially beneficial to nis preparation for
the 198V campaign here
Under an old rule in place, no more than seven players could be
grouped in one unit to run a play or work on Mocking fundamentals,
etc., <hr»«xg off-season programs.
In other words, coaches could ran a backfield unit intact on one
area of the practice field to learn their offensive assignments and
wort: on tmmg, -and another group of coaches could work with a
. defensive sebunes. of
course. T
But never the twain could meet, to panphase an old poet.
la simpler terms, only Class 5A teams in Tbxas could ever stage
anything dose to a* organized spring football practice, complete
with pads and heavy hitting.
Tfcams in the lower classifications are still greatly restricted by the
UIL rales, of course, but 4A conches can now line up pbtyers in li-
man units lo run plays as a climax to off-season training each spring.
Cameron views that rale relaxation as a matter of excellent timing
for the ’89 football Wildcats.
“I think it will be more beneficial to us than it will be to most
other teams,” Cameron enthused.
“It will allow our coaches to really work on our offensive and
defensive schemes with complete units. When you can work with
units broken into entire 11-man teams, you can get much more ac-
Off the Cuff
By Lew Johnson
comi
tplished in the spring,” he explained.
Actually, under this rale, we can accomplish about everything we
need to do except find out which kids are the best hitters,” he added.
Cameron stressed, once again, that he wants each player to know
what positions he will be playing on both sides of the ball before off-
- season workouts are over.
“It's very important that we don’t leave the kids hanging on what
positions they will be playing. We want that done before we break for
summer,” he said emphatically.
He points out that decisions on positions for every player on the
squad can’t be set in concrete. “Oh sure, there may have to be a few
changes next August but no major shuffling,” he guarantees.
These are dying days, even frantic on occasion, for Cameron.
He is now in the final stages of putting together his Wildcat coach-
ing staff, which will include at least three new coaches and possibly
more — depending on how many of the present coaches follow Don
Poe to South Garland.
Not only are decisions on his staff occupying Cameron's mind,
he’s also absorbed in off-season along with the other coaches and he
rccently-assumcd another duty as varsity soccer coach far the Cats.
That was a job he assumed by necessity when Ed Kranz made a
painful decision to leave the coaching field again
Cameron drafted himself to fill the breach, a decision that didn’t
go unnoticed by the grateful soccer players who felt for a while like
they had been left out in leftfield.
“The kids really appreciated Cameron’s gesture. It was a great
boost to their morale. Tney were afraid they might have to forfeit the
rest of their games. James made himself a lot of friends on the soccer *
team,” one school administrator confided.
“They are great kids. I’m enjoying iL We couldn’t let their season
go down the drain,” Cameron explained...
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Keys, Clarke. Sulphur Springs News-Telegram (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 57, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 8, 1989, newspaper, March 8, 1989; Sulphur Springs, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth816426/m1/9/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hopkins County Genealogical Society.