Oregon daily emerald., October 15, 1981, Page 9, Image 9

steve spatz / sidelines
Antonyms in uniform
THE FOOTBALL PROGRAMS AT OREGON
and USC are difficult to compare
You could call them the antonyms of col
lege football Match up the opposites, and they
fit Good-bad Win-lose Sun-rain Rose Bowl
Toilet Bowl
Even last weekend, when both schools lost,
they were opposites upset loss for the Trojans,
expected loss for the Ducks
Coming from a school of perrenial losing
football teams then, it's hard to imagine what
goes on in a college football factory like USC
Where victory is routine, the athletes are the
gods-in-residence on campus, and the stars are
idols to an entire nation
O J Simpson was part of the USC football
factory, and so too, for a brief moment, was
Eugene resident Micheal Leander Again, its
hard to compare USC'S greatest alum, with
Leander, currently a student at Oregon But
Leander's first-hand glimpse of USC football
ing parallels
TODAY, LEANDER
IS A Russian major, is
married, and works at
the Emerald as a night
production foreman
But in 1969.
Leander was an
alternate choice for
defensive tackle on the
New York City All
Private School all-star
team
At six-feet, 160
pounds Leander was a
tiny defensive tackle by
anyone s standards,
but he helped lead
McBurney High to a 6-1
record his senior year
And after enrolling
at USC the next fall,
Leander spotted a no
tice in the USC
newspaper, the Daily
Troian, about tryouts
for the football team
On a whim, he showed
up at the Physical
Education building on
a sunny September
afternoon along with
another 20 grid
hopefuls, eager to
become part of the
Troian football marhine
i
I
■
R
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i
w
and the other walk-ons were given the bad news
"They told us right away that we weren’t
going to make it," says Leander "I didn’t realize
this at the time, but I think the coaches thought it
was as much of a lark as I did The entire setup
was just designed to give the illusion that it was
still the college team, made up of students ’’
"They had to retain that illusion because
that was the original basis of college sports But
everyone knows USC is just a farm club for the
pro’s ”
"I don’t think any of those walk-ons ever
made it, or if any ever do down there."
TO OREGON’S CREDIT, THERE'S a differ
ence here too Greg Moser, the Ducks’ top
receiver, was a walk-on, as was punter Ryan
Murphy, flanker Mark James and numerous
others on the roster When a player tries out for
Rich Brooks' team, it’s no farce
Leander and Simpson ran up against each
other one more time at USC The two were both
Photo by Mark Pynes
Micheal Leander
cmuncu hi a ucaiimoii
composition class in
fall term.
Simpson showed
up once to class, says
Leander, and got a
B".
“I showed up once
to football practice and
got an "F", while 0 J.
showed up once to
English and got a "B",
muses Leander
"The teacher was
very sarcastic about
the pressure brought to
bear on him by the
athletic department,"
says Leander "He was
really quite bitter about
it always making jokes
about it He said that he
had to do this with
other athletes as well."
Leander. who once
drove trucks for Hertz,
the company that O.J.
runs through airports
for, is bothered by the
emphasis on college
athletics over learning
“I don't like it School is
for learning, a universi
ty is for scholarship.
The university library is
more important than a
avmnasium "
But enter the antonyms 1970 was also the
year that O J Simpson was recruited to South
ern Cal Both Simpson and Leander tried out for
the USC football team that fall As it later turned
out, Simpson was the star, Leander cut after one
day
Now 29, Leander looks back on his short
career in a Trojan uniform with a twist of humor
"I WANTED TO SEE IF I could do it, but I
had no idea what I was running up against I was
great at knocking over little guys in the private
school league, but when you get up against 250,
260-pound people, it's a little different
His times in running sprints were compared
with O.J.'s, and after some light hitting drills, he
To compare Oregon and USC on this count
is much easier Both schools were involved in
the bogus credits scandal two years ago, and
the wrongs still exist
"I took a class once that had a lot of athletes
in it.” says Leander, himself a 3 90 student on
trie honor roll at Oregon "They must have
spotted it as a Mickey' because it met just once
a week, and had no midterms It was pretty easy
to get just a C out of it I imagine ”
USC MAY BEAT THE DUCKS on any given
Saturday, and O.J. may have bested Micheal
Leander on the USC football field in 1970 But
Leander was the victor in Freshman Comp 101
“I got an A’ he says proudly.
Winfield powers Yankees, 13-3;
Expos even series on shutout
(AP) — The New York Yan
kees broke loose for seven runs
in the fourth inning Wednesday,
highlighted by Dave Winfield's
two-run double and Lou Pin
iella's three-run homer, and
battered the Oakland A s 13-3
for a 2-0 lead in the American
League Championship Series
Willie Randolph and Jerry
Mumphrey triggered the big in
ning with run-scoring singles to
erase a 3-1 Oakland lead as the
Yankees overcame the loss of
slugger Reggie Jackson, who
suffered a slight calf strain an
inning earlier.
In Los Angeles, Ray Bums
tossed a five-hitter and broke a
three-year-old Dodger Stadium
jinx Wednesday night by beat
ing rookie sensation Fernando
Valenzuela and the Los Angeles
Dodgers 3-0, tying the National
League Championship Series at
one victory apiece
Burris worked out of several
precarious situations, and as
the Dodger bats were quieted,
the Expos' came alive
Piniella. Jackson's repla
cement, put the game out of
reach
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Oregon netters go north,
expect ‘refreshing’ wins
The song, "On the Road Again" may not have been written for
the Oregon volleyball team, but it certainly would be appropriate.
The Ducks are travelling again, going north to take on Montana
State, the University of Montana and Washington State Oct. 15-17.
Ater two disappointing trips to California, where they met the top
teams in the nation, the Ducks should find easier teams this time
around, as they try to improve their 7-19-2 record.
“We think that if we compete as well as we expect to, we should
be able to have a sweep,” said Oregon coach Chris Voelz. "Before,
we never had to say this, but this time we really need to win. We are
really determined and want these (wins) bad.”
"We've been in a bit of a drought lately in the win department,
and a few wins would really be refreshing. It should get us started on
the right track for the rest of the season.”
Voelz has reason to be confident, with the return of region
all-star Karen Beamer to the lineup. Beamer has been out with a
knee injury, but is finally ready for action.
"Beamer will make a whole lot of difference and should help us
a lot,” said Voelz "She gives us opportunities that we didn’t have
before. She'll give both our offense and defense a big boost.”
The Ducks are having trouble staying healthy. Kelly Dischinger
took Beamer’s place on the casualty list when she caught a virus.
Beamer is sidelined along with Ronda Dalthrop, who is already out
for three weeks with a stress fracture in her foot.
"It would be nice to have more than seven players ready to
compete,” said Voelz, “But then I might not know what to do with
them.”
Voelz probably could find somewhere to put those extra
players, but that might put Oregon at an advantage. With Oregon
playing the underdog much of the season, however, the Ducks may
not be able to adjust to such a luxury.
BOOKSTORE
13th & Kincaid
Mon-Fri 8:15-5:30
Sat 10:00-5:30
Textbooks 686-3520
General Books 686-3510
Suppl'6s 686-4331
SALAD BAR
Served from 11 a.m. to 2
OPEN TO STUDENTS:
Faculty Club for Lunch
The Big Yellow House at 13th and University.
1 he once private rooms of the faculty club’s Collier House are now
open to anyone who is hungry.
MODERATELY PRICED SALADS, SANDWICHES,
HOMEMADE SOUP
11:30-2:00 Weekdays