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(11/21/94 10:00am)
Quakers stay perfect with clutch drive ITHACA, N.Y. -- Penn had won football games in every imaginable way during the course of its 20-game winning streak. The Ivy League champion Quakers had prevailed in a high-scoring shootout over Fordham, a last-minute goal-line stand against Dartmouth, a battle of field goals with Columbia, and even come-from-behind efforts against Cornell and Harvard last year. By prevailing 18-14 in Ithaca Saturday, the Quakers not only added another chapter to their record-breaking 21-game winning streak, but they found yet another way prevail. On a blustery day at Schoellkopf Field -- the last day for Penn's 13 starting seniors -- the Quakers' heroics ironically came by way of a last-minute drive led by redshirt freshman quarterback Mark DeRosa. After Penn had clawed back from an early 14-0 deficit to close the gap to 14-11, sophomore Mark Fabish fair-caught a short 28-yard punt by Tim McDermott at the Cornell 47-yard line. The clock read 3:52. The Quakers had two timeouts remaining. They were 47 yards from the Division I-AA all-time consecutive victory record. They were four plays from extinction. "It's now or never," Penn senior Terrance Stokes was saying on the sidelines. "Now or never." On first down, the Quakers picked up a Big Red blitz. Off his back foot, DeRosa lobbed a perfectly thrown ball between two Cornell defenders and the left sideline -- into the arms of senior flanker Leo Congeni. Congeni gained 15 yards and got out of bounds, stopping the clock and giving the Quakers a first down at the Big Red 32. A draw play to Stokes caught nobody by surprise and gained one yard over center. The clock ran. On second down, DeRosa took the shotgun snap and looked down the field. He looked right. Nothing. As he tip-toed up in the pocket in search of his secondary receiver, DeRosa was nailed from the blind side by free safety Chris Hanson, who came untouched on a delayed blitz. Remarkably, DeRosa would hold onto the ball and get up gingerly from the artificial turf. "After he got sacked, I was a little nervous," co-captain Michael "Pup" Turner said. "I won't lie to you. I had flashbacks of Jimmy McGeehan getting sacked by [Michael] Lerch [in Penn's last loss two years ago at Princeton]. But I don't think, at least in our minds, that there was ever a doubt that we'd come back. We just refused to lose." After a timeout, Penn was 41 yards from the promised land staring at a third down and 19. DeRosa went shotgun again and Stokes was the lone setback. Fabish was split right. Given plenty of time by the offensive line, DeRosa took the snap and again sat in the pocket. He made his read and fired the ball deep over the middle to a streaking Fabish, who had ran a skinny post against the Cornell zone. Fabish split the seam, caught the ball at the 15-yard line and sprinted all the way to the Big Red 1 before being hauled down by free safety Chris Allen. Fabish made a read and broke off what was a "dig" pattern across the middle when he saw the center of the field clogged. He beat cornerback Nick Bomback on the post. DeRosa, a high-school teammate of Fabish at Bergen Catholic, made the identical read and threw a strike to Fabish before Allen could get over from his free safety spot. "I looked at the chains and knew the called pattern would not get us a first down," said Fabish, who had muffed a punt several minutes earlier. "The middle was cloudy and I broke it off into a skinny post. The familiarity from having played together in high school definitely helped." "I held the ball a little longer than I probably should have," DeRosa said. "I saw Mark break it up and he made a great play. When I threw it, I couldn't believe they'd have a guy that wide open." As the clock continued to run, the Quakers gave the ball to Stokes on first and goal from the 1. As the tailback dove over right guard, he was stuffed for a loss by defensive end Dick Emmit. Turner came into the came as the lead back in the I-formation on second down. DeRosa handed him the ball as the lead back, but tackle Seth Payne stopped him just shy of the goal line as the clock ticked inside of two minutes. Timeout Cornell. Throughout the game, the Quakers had thrown the ball on short-yardage situations because of Cornell's exceptional goal-line defense. The Penn coaching staff expected the Big Red to pinch to the inside, and therefore called an outside zone play for Stokes. Stokes took DeRosa's pitch and headed left. Fullback Tim Gage sealed the Big Red cornerback, and Stokes cut inside that block and scooted to the corner of the end zone. Touchdown. Virtually untouched, Stokes just kept running in jubilation. He spiked the ball, ripped off his helmet and threw it as far as he could in celebration before being drowned by a mob of teammates cascading around him from the sidelines. "Usually I don't show any emotion, but this time I just had to," Stokes said later as he fondly remembered the final touchdown of his stellar career. For the first time in 21 consecutive hard-fought victories, the offense had to score on its final possession. Facing the clock, a stingy defense and a hostile crowd, Penn found yet another way to win. Terrance Stokes and the rest of the graduating seniors will carry a lot of gridiron memories with them throughout their lives. Perhaps none will be more gratifying than that final series of plays. As memories are rekindled years down the road, the Class of '95 will simply refer to it as The Drive.
(11/16/94 10:00am)
After Saturday's 33-0 drubbing of Harvard guaranteed a second consecutive Ivy League championship and led to the ceremonial dunking of the goal post in the murky Schuylkill, the Penn football team is planning an encore. The victory over the Crimson was the Quakers' 20th in a row, which tied Holy Cross for the Division I-AA record. The Crusaders established their mark with the help an 11-0 season in 1987. A win at Cornell's Schoellkopf Field Saturday would not only give Penn sole possession of the record at 21, but would also make it the only team in Ancient Eight history to link two consecutive undefeated seasons. For these reasons, the fear of a potential letdown has been diminished. "Luckily there's a lot at stake," Penn coach Al Bagnoli said. "I'd be very concerned if there were not some tangible goals for us. It's the last time our seniors will suit up. It will be the 101st meeting of an intense rivalry. I think we'll be ready." · Despite the fact Cornell has lost three straight games to take itself out of championship contention, the Quakers will have their work cut out for them. Penn's offensive unit is bruised and battered. Redshirt freshman quarterback Mark DeRosa tore the ulnar collateral ligaments in his right throwing thumb and is questionable for Saturday's contest. DeRosa did not practice yesterday, and a decision on his availability will not be made until tomorrow or Friday, when the coaching staff and doctors will evaluate his ability to throw with the damaged thumb. The trainers constructed a splint-like device for his thumb but worry the injury may limit the distance and velocity on DeRosa's throws. "I'll play if I can," DeRosa said. "I've been rehabbing it with stimulation, tape and ice." DeRosa is also a starter on the baseball team. If DeRosa is unable to play, sophomore Steve Teodecki will get the starting nod for Penn. Teodecki, who completed 7 of 9 passes for 76 yards in relief duty against Harvard, will be backed up by freshman Tommy McLoud. Teodecki has taken the majority of the snaps this week in practice. In addition to DeRosa, junior wideout Miles Macik is also banged up. Although Macik missed practice yesterday, he expects his bruised knee and shoulder to improve enough for him to start in Saturday's season-finale. Macik represented the Quakers in an interview piece with ESPN2 last night, in which he discussed Penn's winning streak, his receiving records and the possibility of the Quakers becoming eligible for the Division I-AA playoffs. "I was nervous, and I'm not normally nervous," Macik said. "It was really pretty cool. I had a satellite hookup in my ear. They did a really good job. I was real happy to be chosen to do it." · Due to the bruised and battered offense, the defensive players understand they will have to pick up the slack. "We'll definitely have to step it up," senior linebacker Pat Goodwillie said. "When we've let down in the past, it has been because we've been on the field a lot. We have to make sure that doesn't happen." Goodwillie has another incentive to excel Saturday. The all-Ivy linebacker is just 29 tackles shy of Penn's all-time tackling record. The mark seems out of reach due to the Quakers' nine-game schedule. Another possible victim of the schedule is senior running back Terrance Stokes, who is just more than 400 yards short of the Quakers all-time rushing mark. Had Penn played a full schedule, and had Stokes not been taken out of several games prematurely, Bryan Keys' record would certainly be in reach. The Quakers are more worried about the team-record 21 consecutive victories than any individual honors. "That's what is on our minds," Macik said. "This is the best possible situation we could be in. It would make a perfect ending."
(11/16/94 10:00am)
After years of playing second fiddle to Pete Carril's Princeton program? After two years of total dominance in the Ivy league and still no national recognition? After last season's anemic schedule when the Quakers met only one tournament-bound team en route to a 24-2 regular season record? The Penn men's basketball team has finally hit the big time. In fact, the Quakers have exploded onto the national scene with a schedule that includes as many as six of last year's NCAA tournament qualifiers. The road to recognition has been a long and arduous one for Penn coach Fran Dunphy and his Quakers. However, with the help of last season's national ranking, a first-round NCAA tournament victory over Big 8-champion Nebraska, some understanding coaches and ESPN, Dunphy has managed to put together one of the most formidable nonconference schedules in the nation, and at least four appearances on national television. "My first college game ever was on ESPN," senior guard Matt Maloney said. "My freshman year at Vanderbilt, we opened against Arkansas on national TV and you could sense everyone on campus get more involved. It was great. The players feel that and step up to the challenge." If Penn is able to step up and knock off Canisius in the first round of the Preseason National Invitation Tournament this evening at the Palestra, the Quakers' contest with the Syracuse-George Washington winner will be broadcast into your living room courtesy of Dick Vitale. Yes, Dicky V. will make every Penn fan's dreams come true and finally call a Quaker game live to the entire nation. If the Orangemen prevail, the contest will take place Friday night at Syracuse in Manley Field House. This potential clash with the Orangemen will not be Vitale's only opportunity to tell the world of how Penn's senior backcourt tandem of Jerome Allen and Maloney are Awesome with a capital A! Vitale is also slated to call the Dec. 13 matchup against Michigan. "We try to match up teams that will be contenders in the tournament," ESPN senior publicist Kurt Pyers said. "The Michigan game was an ideal situation because it provides a real cross-sectional matchup between Penn's experience and Michigan's touted recruiting class. When we assign Vitale to do your games, you know you're important to us." Although the strength of the schedule has grown to Vitale proportions, Penn is not in awe of anyone on its schedule -- not even a Massachusetts, which has yet to lose a game in the Mullins Center. ESPN was the catalyst for arranging that matchup late this summer. Commentators Bill Raftery and Sean McDonough will give Penn fans who are unable to get to Amherst during winter break a view of Penn hoops live in their living rooms. "We have a lot of respect for Penn," UMass coach John Calipari said. "It's not very long ago that we were in Penn's position. I understand the situation that Coach Dunphy is in and we try to never back down from a challenge." Many potential opponents did shy away from playing a dangerous Penn program. Virginia backed out of a scheduled game that was supposed to complete a home-and-home series which began in 1992 at the Palestra. Many other highly regarded programs are afraid of losing to a Penn squad that is not popularly recognized as a national power. Fans, alumni and recruits view the game as an easy victory for the Quakers' opponents. For those schools, a potential loss to an Ivy League school without scholarships is not a risk worth taking. Friendships in the coaching ranks, or pressure from ESPN, often become the critical ingredients in scheduling quality opponents. One such friendship exists between Dunphy and Ohio State coach Randy Ayers. As a result, the Buckeyes will be coming to the Palestra Saturday, Dec. 3, as the second half of a home-and-home series that began in Columbus last year. This matchup, to be broadcast on ESPN2 by Dave Sims and Digger Phelps, will be the only game televised from the Palestra. Penn's increased exposure does a lot for the program and the Ivy League. The national spotlight will help Dunphy recruit talented athletes who may have thought Ivy League programs were not suited to compete with the elite teams in the nation, or that Ivy players could not make the National Basketball Association. "The most important thing in building a national program is getting media exposure," Athletic Director Steve Bilsky said. "It is a tremendous accomplishment for our players and the momentum will continue beyond this season." As the former chairman of the Atlantic 10 television committee, Bilsky hopes to use some of his personal relationships to make sure that happens. Regardless of what happens next season, the increased media attention will aid seniors Allen and Maloney in their respective quests to get drafted. "Exposure is always good. The more they're on TV the better," said Tony DiLeo, a scout with the Philadelphia 76ers. "Sure, all the scouts will see the guys in person, but greater coverage helps to build a perception and an image of the players." The Princeton-UMass game is also on ESPN2, which should help scheduling and recruiting throughout the league. Players and coaches around the nation will catch a glimpse of the high caliber of basketball in the Ancient Eight. The Penn-Princeton matchup at Jadwin Gym in March will showcase an all-Ivy clash on ESPN2. Despite the tremendous exposure that will come from the television appearances and the glamorous schedule, Penn's goal is still to win its third consecutive undefeated Ivy League championship and advance to the NCAA tournament. Although the long-term goal for the Quakers is to dance past the second round, they will try not to let all the hoopla interfere. "We try not to think about it," Allen said. "The nicest thing will be to pop one of those tapes 10 or 20 years down the road to show my kids and my family. But guys like Vitale only control what goes on in your living room -- not what happens on the floor."
(11/14/94 10:00am)
Icing on the cake. That's what Saturday's Red and Blue scrimmage was for Quaker fans after the Penn football team clinched the Ivy League title at Franklin Field. In front of several thousand students and parents, most of whom were still giddy from dunking the west goal post into the Schuylkill, the Penn men's basketball team made its first public performance of the season -- perhaps the most anticipated season in decades for Penn hoops. Assistant coach Gil Jackson's Blue squad defeated assistant coach Fran O'Hanlon's Red team 56-52 in the scrimmage that featured not only the returning stars from last year's undefeated Ivy championship team, but many of the new faces. Providence junior transfer Ira Bowman impressed with his fast-break slam dunks and his defensive quickness, while freshman guard George Zaninovich showcased his long-range shooting abilities. For these two, as well as freshmen Vigor Kapetanovic and Garrett Kreitz, it was their first experience on the Palestra floor during a game situation. For others like sophomore Nat Graham, the game served as a chance to demonstrate improvement from last year. Graham's 11 points and four rebounds were impressive in a losing effort. "This was the kind of atmosphere we wanted," Jackson said. "It's always different playing in front of a crowd. Hopefully, this gets a little nervousness out of their system." "It's extremely important for guys like Ira and Nat Graham," coach Fran Dunphy said. "I know Jerome and Matt and all the seniors will be ready when the bell rings on Wednesday night." To help get ready for Wednesday's season opener, the Quakers also scrimmaged Columbia Friday night in New York and Pardubice, a club team from the Czech Republic, last night at the Palestra. Penn handily defeated both teams using defensive aggressiveness to create easy transition baskets off the fast break. The Pardubice contest was just scheduled last week because Dunphy felt some more game situations would help the preparation process. Although the game was not very close, as the 110-61 final score indicates, the competitive environment is something that practice cannot always simulate. "It's great to finally play against other teams," senior guard Scott Kegler said. "We've been beating each other up for a month, and we all know each other's tendencies. It's nice to compete against people who don't always know exactly what you're going to do." After three impressive displays in scrimmage situations over the weekend, the Quakers are ready for the opener. "We're ready for the season to start," Bowman said. "We're real antsy."
(11/14/94 10:00am)
Watching athletic director Steve Bilsky push a shopping cart around the Palestra distributing Pepsi to the several hundred students in line for basketball season tickets at midnight Monday, I kept trying to envision former AD Paul Rubincam in that role. Nope. Somehow, the image just wasn't materializing. It was just last year the athletic department basically refused to acknowledge the existence of any such line. The result was total chaos and a student in the hospital with a mild concussion. Only a year later, myself and more than 200 other hoops fanatics were being fed by the administration in the hallowed halls of the Palestra. "Bilsky, Bilsky, Bilsky," was the chant that echoed throughout the historic gym. Somehow, I had never heard a similar chorus for Rubincam. The 90 pizzas and dozens of cases of soda Bilsky, assistant athletic director Fran Connors and assistant to the athletic director Debbie Newman brought the fanatics six hours before season tickets went on sale was just icing on the cake. Since the unfortunate development of students obtaining inside information regarding season ticket sales last Wednesday, the line process was handled flawlessly by the administration. The initial guidelines were sensible, enabling the most devoted fans to acquire the best of the chairback seats (where they'll be most effective harassing opponents, berating refs, leading cheers and standing between the alumni and Jerome Allen's dunks). Mandating the presence of one representative for every group of four gave fans enough flexibility to go to class and take care of other responsibilities that go along with being a student. Ticket prices even came down from last year. The athletic department effectively utilized University Police and Spectaguards to ensure students' safety while sleeping outside since last Wednesday. In fact, I felt a lot safer wrapped in my sleeping bag on 33rd Street than I do walking around campus at night. Newman, who basically ran the show, stopped by at 4:45 a.m. Thursday morning to make sure there were no problems. When was the last time you saw a University administrator working at that hour? It was a first for me. That effort was outdone only when she brought us breakfast in bed Saturday morning -- several large boxes of Dunkin' Donuts and cases of Snapple. The kindness did not stop there. Coach Fran Dunphy, who deserves enormous credit for putting together a star-studded schedule, was nice enough to invite the Penn faithful into the Palestra to see the 1994-95 Quakers during an intrasquad scrimmage. When the skies opened up Sunday morning, officials lessened serious risk-management liabilities and let the weary campers take shelter in the dry confines of the Palestra. Bilsky raffled off T-shirts autographed by the team and several packets of road-game tickets while Connors entertained the crowd on his megaphone after the pizza party Sunday night. More important than any of these material favors, however, was Bilsky and his staff made it understood student support for Penn basketball was deeply appreciated. Throughout the entire episode, the administration did its best to make what is ultimately a very long and boring process truly safe and enjoyable. The result was an efficient and orderly process. The result was students walking home at dawn Monday who were thrilled not only to have a season ticket to Jerome Allen's dunks and Matt Maloney's treys, but to have an administration that actually appreciates them. The result will be the loudest Palestra and best season for Penn basketball in recent memory. If you don't have season tickets yet, get them. Basketball fan or not, Penn basketball in a sold-out Palestra will be one of the greatest events you will witness in your college careers. It's not a basketball thing. It's a people thing. It's a Philadelphia thing. It's a Penn thing. Jed Walentas is a College junior from New York City and a sports writer for The Daily Pennsylvanian.
(11/04/94 10:00am)
Penn invades Princeton It is not goodbye. It is not adios. It is not au revoir. The last words Penn wideout Miles Macik hears from every alumnus he talks to in the offseason are: "Just make sure you beat Princeton." Macik and the rest of the Penn football team (6-0, 4-0 Ivy League) will be trying to extend their 18-game winning streak when they invade Princeton tomorrow at 1 p.m. (PRISM, WXPN-FM 88.5). The Palmer Stadium clash, which will highlight this weekend's Princeton homecoming festivities, will be the first between these age-old rivals in that venue since the Tigers (5-2, 2-2) handed Penn a 20-14 loss two years ago. The Quakers have not lost since. On paper, this season's matchup does not compare with last year's battle of 7-0 undefeated titans on homecoming weekend in a packed Franklin Field. That was the latest two undefeated teams met in the Ivies since 1968. The luster of national media attention, questions of academic integrity and a mohawked Keith Elias are gone. Despite the altered circumstances and some new personnel, the styles of these two teams have not changed during the past year -- nor has their dislike for each other. "It's definitely not just another game," Penn coach Al Bagnoli said. "Geographically and historically, it is a big rivalry." Defense will still be the story. "It's very much like last year," Bagnoli said. "They have a big physical line and they'll try to control the time of possession and run the ball. I think they've had the ball for almost an hour longer than their opponents. "Defensively, they're very good. They have physical guys who run well and are always in the right spots." Bagnoli was particularly impressed by a Tiger defense, which ranks second in Ivy League total defense after losing eight defensive starters from last season. This poses further problems for a Penn attack that has been inconsistent at best this season. The Quaker attack put up only 13 points at Dartmouth, 14 points against Yale and 12 versus Columbia -- failing to punch the ball into the end zone at all against the Lions. Despite these disappointments, good news does exist for the Penn faithful. The offensive sluggishness has come in alternate weeks. In Weeks 1, 3 and 5, the Quakers have lit up the scoreboard for 27, 59 and 24 points, respectively. If things continue to follow this pattern, this week will be a productive one for the offense. To add to this offensive potential, senior tailback Terrance Stokes had the game of his life last year against Princeton when he racked up a Penn-record 272 yards rushing. The majority of Stokes' yards came on draw plays, where Princeton often had only one linebacker in the middle to contain the elusive back. In the open field, that's a task very few Ivy Leaguers can handle. Last year, the Tigers could not. As good as Princeton's defense has been, it still does not hold a candle to its Penn counterpart. The Quakers lead the league in every defensive category, and have given up 5.8 points per game, fewer than any team in Division I-AA. Even though Princeton's rushing attack leads the Ancient Eight with 214.3 yards per game, Penn is confident. The Quakers will try to force predictable third-and-long passing situations where the down linemen can tee off on the quarterback. "All the credit goes to the defensive line," Penn linebacker Kevin DeLuca said. "They're doing a great job and Pat [Goodwillie] and I are free to make a lot of plays. We're playing with a lot of confidence right now." Further complicating things for the Tiger attack has been a musical quarterback situation. Sophomore Harry Nakielny will get the start this weekend, although Brock Harvey and Brent Huckelbridge have also seen time as the Princeton signal caller. In all likelihood, this year's gridiron chapter of Penn-Princeton will not represent the milestones and emotions of the past two seasons. For the Quakers, who trail in the all-time series 59-25-1, the frustration of the last visit up Interstate 95 was symbolized by quarterback Jimmy McGeehan throwing the ball out of Palmer Stadium after being sacked by Michael Lerch at the Princeton 30-yard line as time expired. Last season's joy is etched into history by the images of Stokes being carried off the field on the shoulders of his linemen and of the goalposts sinking into the murky Schuylkill after Penn's 30-14 triumph. The Hollywood script might not exist this time, but the ramifications remain significant for both programs.
(10/20/94 9:00am)
Senior Terrance Stokes rumbled for 192 yards Saturday at Franklin Field. Sophomore quarterback Mark DeRosa was 22 for 34 with 263 yards against a porous Columbia secondary. Despite this 453-yard offensive explosion, the scoreboard read Penn 12, Columbia 3 when the final seconds ticked off the clock. The Quakers were not the victims of poor scoreboard operating, however. They were victims of the Red Zone. Excluding the final possession of the game, when the Penn offense was simply trying to run out the clock, the Quakers had the ball inside the Lions 25-yard line eight times. The results: zero touchdowns, four field goals, one missed field goal, two interceptions and one turnover on downs. "Thank God Andrew [Glockner] was kicking the ball well," were the first words from relieved Penn coach Al Bagnoli following the game. "It's a little frustrating to have the ball inside their 20-yard line -- I lost track of how many times -- and come away with four field goals." The reasons for the impotence of the Penn attack inside the Red Zone were multiple -- from spectacular defensive plays to errand passes to plain bad luck. Most importantly, credit must go out to a much-improved Columbia bend-but-don't-break defense. With Penn leading 6-3 early in the fourth quarter, DeRosa dropped back on a second and seven from the Columbia 16-yard line. He stepped up in the pocket and fired to junior all-American wid receiver Miles Macik in the right corner of the end zone. "When I threw it, I thought it was a touchdown," DeRosa said. It wasn't. Columbia senior free safety Jim Hudnall made a great break from his spot in the Lions zone defense and stepped just in front of Macik to record his sixth interception of the season. Hudnall leads the nation in picks. "I take my hat off to that guy," DeRosa said. "He made a great play. They played us tough all afternoon. They definitely wanted to send a message, and we got the message." Earlier in the ball game, Columbia tackle Eric Keck set the tone for the Lions defense when he made consecutive third- and fourth-down stops on Stokes deep in Columbia territory. Time and time again, the Lions were able to pressure DeRosa with blitzes, forcing incompletions and third-and-long situations that Penn was unable to convert. Columbia, like most teams, was more willing to blitz in the Red Zone where the field is shortened and the threat of getting beaten deep is lessened. "We don't let anyone in the end zone," Hudnall said. "That's what we strive to do." The Quakers made their share of offensive faux pas while they were knocking on the Lions' den as well. Most blatantly, DeRosa threw a short out pass nearly five yards behind fullback Michael "Pup" Turner. The pass landed in the hands of Columbia strong safety Jim Lill, leaving DeRosa burying his helmet in his hands and Turner still searching for his first career reception. The interception was DeRosa's first as a Quaker. "That was a really bad ball on my part," DeRosa said. "It's one of the worst passes I've ever thrown." Lady Luck was also a little bit mean to the Quakers. Glockner's 39-yard field goal attempt with 38 seconds left in the first half solidly struck the right upright and bounced back into the field of play, leaving the game tied at 3 as the teams entered the locker room. "We had no trouble moving the ball all day, but we didn't execute in the Red Zone," Macik said. "We made a few mental mistakes down there. We will have to improve on that." The Quaker attack knows the only offensive statistic that ultimately matters is points. This potent unit is also aware that its performance in the Red Zone was truly offensive -- everybody expects very different results this Saturday at Brown.
(10/12/94 9:00am)
Don't expect sophomore quarterback Mark DeRosa to throw 31 passes in the first half of Saturday's game against Columbia at Franklin Field. A porous Holy Cross secondary was not the only reason DeRosa was forced to throw the ball downfield more frequently last week. Another contributing factor was the fact senior tailback Terrance Stokes went down with a sprained left ankle on his fifth carry. Although Stokes continued to be a bystander in sweats at yesterday's practice, he is confident he will return today and be 100 percent come Saturday. Stokes was able to jog yesterday, and has been doing strengthening exercises and soaking his ankle in the whirlpool. "I'll be back in practice tomorrow," Stokes said. "I don't think it will affect me. Unfortunately, though, my season is down to eight games." That reality is especially unfortunate considering Stokes entered the season needing 1,313 yards to surpass Bryan Keys as the Quakers' all-time leading rusher. Through the first three games, the slashing back has only 244 net yards, leaving him with plenty of work left to do if he hopes to leap to the top of the record books. · In another product of last Saturday's blowout, coach Al Bagnoli was extremely pleased with the play of freshman kicker Doug Miller. Miller, a red-shirt transfer from Northwestern, sent several kickoffs deep into the end zone for touchbacks. He also was successful on his lone extra-point attempt. "Miller was highly recruited coming out of high school," Bagnoli said. "He provides us with a lot of flexibility because he is capable of kicking off, kicking field goals and punting. "I am very pleased with Andy [Glockner's] kicking, but we might minimize his role to just kicking field goals and extra points and let Doug handle the kickoffs." Miller's versatility provides the Quakers with an enormous asset -- especially for road games. Since he can handle all three kicking positions, Bagnoli and staff get two-man depth at all three positions with only three people. This frees up spots on the bus for other players. One of those players is junior defensive back Sheldon Philip-Guide, whose eligibility was reinstated. Philip-Guide saw limited action last week during the second half. "I know from practice that he is one of the best cover guys we have," junior wide receiver Miles Macik said. "He's a great athlete." Philip-Guide will be a valuable asset against Columbia's Jamie Schwalbe-led passing attack this week. · Another piece of good news that has kept Bagnoli smiling is the return of junior offensive tackle Bill Glascott from a foot sprain. Although Glascott did suit up for Holy Cross in case of an emergency, he is expected to return to practice today. His left arch is expected to be completely healed by Saturday. Senior Kevin Lozinak replaced him against the Crusaders. "Provided he doesn't re-injure it in practice, Glascott should start on Saturday," Bagnoli said. · Stat of the week: The Ancient Eight is 15-3-1 against non-conference opponents. "The spring practices and 35 eligible freshmen have been a major contributor," Bagnoli said. "It provides immediate depth for substitutions and special teams. You don't need a major impact player to make a real difference. This will have short- and long-term consequences." Prior to the addition of spring practice and freshman eligibility, the Ivies went 13-11 in 1993, compared with 12-12 in 1992 and a dismal 7-17 in 1991. Bagnoli did add he thought the league was in a very good cyclical phase right now, and things could certainly change in two or three years. "[Executive Director of the Ivy Group] Jeff Orleans made a very good point when he said there are no bad teams in our league right now," Bagnoli said. "This may be the first time that there's not a really bad team."
(10/03/94 9:00am)
"It's possible" is the slogan Temple coach Ron Dickerson adopted when he took over the Owls football program last year. Although defeating the fourth-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions Saturday at Franklin Field was highly improbable, if not impossible, turning Temple's beleaguered football program around may just be possible. Although the Owls were destroyed by the Nittany Lions, 48-21, there were many positive signs for a program that has a 26-75 record since 1975, and has only one winning season during those years. Coming off last season's dismal 1-10 performance, the Owls (2-2) have already shown improvement this year. Dickerson, who replaced former Penn coach Jerry Berndt, is a former assistant of Penn State's legendary Joe Paterno. He was the Nittany Lions' secondary coach from 1985-90. Dickerson hopes to return the Owls to their 1979 glory, when they won the Garden State Bowl II and finished the year ranked 17th in the nation. "Ron is a pupil and a friend of mine, and he's doing an outstanding job with his team," Paterno said. "They are very young, but they're doing the right things. That program is definitely on the right track." Football is a sport that has long been overshadowed in North Philly by John Chaney's perennial powerhouse basketball teams. However, if Temple wants to remain on the gridiron in the Big East Conference, it is going to have to show it can compete with teams like Penn State. Since national powerhouses like Miami, Virginia Tech, Syracuse and Boston College are in the upper echelon of the Owls' conference, league officials have discussed the option of replacing Temple if the program does not improve. Dickerson, who has worked not only under Paterno, but Colorado's Bill McCartney and Texas A &M;'s Jackie Sherrill, is making sure the Owls improve -- and fast. "Temple football is a sleeping giant," Dickerson said. "The future of this program is endless. Philadelphia is hungry for a winner in the college ranks, and we believe Temple can be that winner." Although the Owls did not win Saturday, there were clear signs Temple is a program on the rise. The Cherry and White dominated Penn State in the first quarter on both sides of the ball, jumping out to a 6-0 lead on the strength of two field goals. During the opening period, Temple moved the ball almost at will while holding an explosive Nittany Lion offensive scoreless. Eventually, Penn State proved too fast, too strong and too talented for Temple. Paterno's boys rang up 48 points in the next two quarters. Dickerson was pleased his team was not awed by a Penn State squad that is a national-championship contender. Despite getting burned defensively on several occasions, the Owls were able to move the ball all day. "We weren't intimidated," Dickerson said. "All day long, the coaches were looking in the players' eyes to see if they were scared. They weren't. They were bound and determined to play hard and they sure did." Sure, Temple knew they were underdogs. But like Dickerson has preached, the Owls felt a win was possible. Despite the apparently lopsided score, Temple gave Penn State its second-closest game of the year. Not bad for a contest analysts had described as possibly the most lopsided matchup in all of Division I this season. If Dickerson does a solid job teaching the game, if he recruits well in the Philadelphia area and if he continues to get his young Owls to play to the best of their abilities, Temple could soon be a force to be reckoned with in the Big East. To Dickerson, anything is possible.
(09/12/94 9:00am)
Dear Mr. Bilsky: As you know, the Palestra is a very special place. I am writing to you at this time because I'd like to keep it that way. Ever since last year's debacle in line prior to Midnight Madness, a variety of rumors have floated around surrounding this year's season ticket distribution. Since you have once again decided to implement a line system, and I applaud that decision, I would like to offer some suggestions on how to make the line an orderly process that rewards the most devout of Quaker fans and makes the most of the Palestra's student section. 1. Allow one person to hold two spots on line. However, one of those two people must be present in line at all times. This allows friends to sit together at games, but prevents a small group from monopolizing an entire group of seats (ex. if one person could control four spots). 2. No alcohol in line, plain and simple. Drunk students who showed up late Friday evening caused the resulting chaos last season. 3. Going along with this policy, sell tickets on a Monday morning. People tend to be less disorderly in the daylight. Also, a Monday morning date minimizes the amount of class students will miss while waiting. 4. Make sure security personnel are present -- especially during the final 24 hours. Arm them with breathalizers and have them dismiss anyone with alcohol. 5. Have enough staff to distribute tickets or numbers, in lieu of only tickets, quickly. This would eliminate last year's rush on the ticket windows that led to the resulting chaos and several injuries. 6. To minimize the time people spend in line and the classes they miss, sell tickets as late in the year as possible. The cold in early November will keep many people at home. Using a line to distribute tickets serves as a natural selection process that sorts out the most loyal and vocal of fans -- these are the Quaker faithful who belong toward the front.
(09/02/94 9:00am)
In an effort to stop a string of five consecutive losing seasons, Penn athletic director Steve Bilsky named Terrance A. Corcoran as new lacrosse coach July 29. The announcement ended a seven-week search to replace G.W. Mix, who resigned June 14. Mix went 20-33 in four seasons at Penn. During his senior year at Hobart in 1978, Corcoran was the nation's leading scorer en route to being named the USILA's Division II-III Attackman of the Year and a first-team All-American. He helped the Statesmen win consecutive national championships during his sophomore and junior years, when he was also given All-America status. In 1992, Hobart College inducted Corcoran into its Hall of Fame. After working as an assistant for his father and mentor Joe Corcoran at Corning High School in upstate New York, he returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach. "I learned the importance of sound fundamentals from my father," Corcoran said. "Fundamentals are something I don't believe can be emphasized enough." After leaving his father and Corning, Corcoran served brief stints with Hobart and then Princeton as an assistant coach. Finally, in 1983, Corcoran took over the head job at Washington College in Chestertown, Md., where he compiled a 127-56 record. Corcoran led the Shoremen to 10 NCAA Division III playoff appearances and four title games in 12 years at the helm. The USILA named Corcoran the Division III Coach of the year in 1985. In 1990, Corcoran was an assistant coach on the USA National Team which traveled to Australia and won the World Championship. "We wanted someone that had a proven record as a head coach -- someone that won," Bilsky said. "Beyond that we wanted a person who was a true teacher of the sport -- somebody who understood the science of the game and could communicate the X's and O's. "Finally, we needed a coach who was capable of recruiting and selling the merits of this institution to the finest scholar-athletes in the country. Terry satisfied all the criteria." Corcoran was the only one of nine people interviewed that Bilsky called back for a second meeting. One reason for this was Bilsky's appreciation of Corcoran's record as an educator. He has developed 52 All-Americans and one Division III Player of the Year. Eight of Corcoran's pupils now play professionally in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League. Corcoran's Quakers squad will have to compete against an extremely strong Ivy League that features the defending national champion Princeton Tigers. Penn was a dismal 1-5 last season. "The initial goal is obviously to win an Ivy League title," Corcoran said. "I'm very excited to come to Penn and become a part of such a tremendous lacrosse tradition."
(08/11/94 9:00am)
Thanks to our friends at ESPN, the Penn men's basketball team will be travelling to Amherst, Mass. on Saturday, January 14 for a 9:00 p.m. game against U. Mass. The the Minutemen have the honor of joining Michigan, Temple, Ohio State, Villanova, La Salle, and possibly St. John's, Syracuse, and Virginia on the Quakers schedule. Despite the impressive looking schedule, the Quakers remain confident that they can repeat or even improve upon last season's 24-2 regular-season record. "I don't seeing us having any more losses than last year," junior forward Tim Krug said. "Our schedule strength will help as far as seeding is concerned come tournament time." Unfortunately for Krug and Penn fans, a schedule filled with numerous Top-25 opponents may vanish after this season with Penn seniors Jerome Allen, Matt Maloney, Shawn Trice, Eric Moore, and Scott Kegler. According to sources at ESPN, Penn's agreement with the U. Mass. is a one-time affair -- they are not expected to be coming to the Palestra any time soon. The Minutemen, perennially one of the best teams in the nation, knocked the Quakers out of the 1993 NCAA Tournament in the first round by a 54-50 count. Penn will be looking for revenge against an Atlantic-10 foe that has yet to lose a game in its two year old Mullin Center. The Quakers hope to break that streak, but they know that will be a difficult task against the likes of senior forward Lou Roe and sophomore center Marcus Camby. Penn may have an advantage in the backcourt with Allen and Maloney. The game, however, is a clear signal of Penn's now-recognized arrival as a legitimate hardwood power. "We're very big on Penn," ESPN programming executive Dave Brown said. "We had a hand in putting it together. We owed U. Mass. a game contractually and thought the Quakers would create a great matchup. Penn had an open date and Coach Dunphy and his staff were very cooperative. They're good people to work with." ESPN is also televising the game at Michigan on December 13 at 7:00 p.m. ESPN2 plans to cover the titanic Ivy League Penn-Princeton matchup from Jadwin Gym on March 7. Originally, it was hoped that the game at the Palestra would be shown, but the game at Princeton is expected to be more competitive. The downside is that the Quakers may have already clinched their third consecutive Ancient Eight title. ESPN will also carry all of the Penn's action in the pre-season NIT once the Quakers advance past first-round opponent Canisius. "It's a prime-time high-visibility game that will be great for the grogram," Assistant Athletic Director Fran Connors said. "Obviously, it will be one of our tougher games," Penn assistant coach Fran O'Hanlon added. "It's great exposure, though."
(07/28/94 9:00am)
Penn football lost one of its greatest treasures Thursday when former coach George Munger died of heart failure at the age of 84. Munger, the Red and Blue's all-time winningest coach, compiled an 82-42-10 record against national powerhouses like Army, Navy, Notre Dame, and Michigan in his 16 years at Penn's helm. After a storied high school football and track career at Episcopal Academy here in Philadelphia, Munger attended the University, where he played as a halfback and won the decathlon at the Penn Relays in his junior year. In 1938, at the tender age of 28, Munger returned to his alma mater to become the youngest gridiron coach in Quaker history. "I'm much too young to be the head coach at Pennsylvania," the always humble Munger said to then-University President Thomas Gates. Munger's youthful enthusiasm would serve the University and its athletes well. He led the Quakers to an undefeated season in 1947 (7-0-1) and three national top-10 finishes during his tenure. Throughout the Munger era, crowds approaching 75,000 packed into historic Franklin Field to see the 16 first-team all-Americans who performed for the Red and Blue. Included in this elite group were Hall of Famers Chuck Bednarik, George Savitsky, Tony Minisi and Reds Bagnell. Munger himself was elected to the National Football Hall of Fame on January 11, 1976. The success that Munger brought to the University helped the Quakers lead the nation in attendance between 1938 and 1942 with 1.78 million fans. The Munger era represented the heyday of Quaker football -- and his resignation signaled its demise. Munger announced his departure from Penn in 1952, after the University agreed to join the newly formed Ivy League. He knew the days of murderous schedules, national recognition and sellout crowds were numbered. However, Munger stayed on to coach one more season in 1953 until his replacement was named. That final campaign turned out to be his only losing one as a Quaker coach. Despite this unglorious end to a brilliant career, Munger remained involved with Penn athletics. He worked as the director of recreation for several years before being named to President John F. Kennedy's Council for Physical Fitness. Munger was an active alumnus and supporter of Quaker football until his death. His greatest legacy was probably left within the athletes that he coached. Many of Munger's players feel that their coach had a significant impact on their lives, even after they left Penn. "[Munger] taught me a secret -- the secret of how to approach life," Bednarik told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "He was a jovial man who would always laugh and act young. When I saw him a few years ago, it was like he had never changed, like he was in his '40s." In honor of the legendary coach, the George Munger Training Complex in Franklin Field was dedicated on September 28, 1985. In addition, the Munger Award is presented to the Quakers' most valuable player each season. Munger is survived by his wife Viola; daughter Carol Ober; his brother Peter; sisters Margaret Madsen and Katherine Steele, and four grandchildren. Funeral services for Munger, who was cremated, were held earlier this week. A memorial service will be held early in the fall. The family has requested that donations be made to the Greville L. Munger Scholarship Fund at Penn in lieu of flowers.
(07/21/94 9:00am)
The recent arrival of Athletic Director Steve Bilsky has increased the chances of a negotiated settlement for the Title IX athletics gender-equity complaint filed earlier this summer by the Women's Law Project against the University. Title IX of the 1972 U.S. Education Amendments states in part that "No person shall, on the basis of sex...be denied the benefits of, be treated differently from another person or otherwise be discriminated against in any interscholastic, intercollegiate, club or intramural athletics." Bilsky, with the help of University Counsel Shelley Green and the Civil Rights Office at the U.S. Department of Education, is trying his best to prevent a full-blown investigation. Since his arrival on July 1, Bilsky has authorized the gathering of material and information relevant to the complaint in addition to conducting several tours of Penn's athletic facilities, ranging from the locker rooms to the athletic fields themselves. Further, the University committed $500,000 to gender equity issues over the next two years as a result of inequities that were uncovered in the athletic department's own independent gender-equity report last year. The Women's Law Project, a feminist legal advocacy organization, does not feel that the University's report, or the money, is sufficient. "Although we haven't seen the full report, it was not an adequate study," said Carol Tracy, an attorney with the Women's Law Project. "It was lacking in specifics -- there were no concrete measures to improve access to facilities or opportunities to share resources." But the Office of Civil Rights still feels the University is being cooperative enough so that a resolution may be reached without a federal lawsuit as soon as September. "Right now, we're backing off a little bit," said women's crew coach Carol Bower, one of the complainants. "It's a way to keep things moving and give Bilsky a chance." Bilsky is hoping to take advantage of that chance. "We can feel comfortable that we are committed to gender equity as an athletic department," Bilsky said. "We committed to it both verbally and with action?[and] the University coming forward with that money on its own is a strong signal. "There may be the need for more money in the future," he added. "We'll see." It also remains to be seen how the Office of Civil Rights will handle the case. The agency has numerous ways to resolve such disputes, depending on the individual facts and circumstances of each case. In this instance, what is termed an Early Complaint Resolution, where both parties become amenable to settling the case, seems to be the goal, but the Office of Civil Rights would not comment extensively. "We are trying to resolve the case in an appropriate manner," said Debbie DeSantis, an Office of Civil Rights spokeswoman. Thus far, the evidence seems inconclusive. A facilities tour this week revealed only very minor discrepancies between men's and women's facilities. Further budget, salary, equipment, training and recruiting reviews are upcoming. Although the football program's facilities far outclassed every other sport, that is to be expected because of the amount of revenue and school interest the sport generates. And although the facilities for men's and women's basketball, track, lacrosse, soccer and several other sports appeared reasonably equitable, women's tennis and volleyball -- both of which share their locker room space with other people -- were cited as examples of discrepancies, Bower said. Another concern was that the men's recreational locker room was far more spacious and comfortable that the women's -- which is located next to the pool and is therefore often damp. "To put on a pair of nylons in there would be a major feat," Bower said. She also noted the easier access to the squash facility from the men's locker room -- the women must go through the gymnastics area. In addition to equivalent facilities, the ten plaintiffs want equal pay for equal work among the seven coaches in equivalent sports. The Law Project wants women coaches to get the opportunity for merit based incentives, which are currently only available to some male coaches. "If they agree with these?principles, then it's just a question of negotiating redressment and retroactive pay," Bower said. "If not, a full investigation or a lawsuit may follow." "We're trying to resolve this in the least adversarial way," Tracy added. "We can take it to court if we have to -- we're not afraid of being adversarial -- but the athletes and coaches that we represent would rather resolve it cordially and quickly." In the mean time, more data will be examined, more facilities will be toured and more negotiating will take place.
(06/30/94 9:00am)
Coach Fran Dunphy and his staff had an unusually difficult task recruiting this season with absolutely no playing time to offer during the upcoming season. Nonetheless, the future looks bright for Penn basketball. Dunphy confirmed that the class of 1998 will consist of guards Mike Dzik and Garett Kreitz in addition to forward Mike Melcher. Dzik is a 5-11 point guard who graduated from nearby Archbishop Carroll High School. During his senior campaign, Dzik averaged nearly 13 points per game en route to being named a third-team all-Catholic league selection. He led Carroll to as high as third in the city rankings behind the likes of perennial powerhouse Simon Gratz. "He's a fierce competitor and a great defender," coach Tom Engelsby said. "That's in addition to being able to shoot the ball from the outside." Dzik, in fact, is already practicing with future teammate Mike Melcher. The two soon to be Quakers are playing on the same Pep Boys team in the Hank gathers League this summer. Melcher, a 6-7 forward, is another local product. The lanky forward averaged more than 15 points and seven rebounds in his senior season at Plymouth Whitemarsh. Melcher also understands that playing time will not come frequently during his rookie year. "To play with guys like [Penn guards] Jerome [Allen] and Matt [Maloney] every day, two potential pros like that with great leadership qualities, can do nothing but help us," Melcher said. "We're looking to contribute in any way we can." The level-headed and fundamentally sound Melcher will need to add some size and strength and continue to develop his already-considerable repertoire of inside moves to accomplish this. Rounding out the diaper dandies is 6-2 guard Garett Kreitz. Kreitz is a scorer from Creskill, N.J. who poured in over 23 points per contest last season. He will have to show that he can make the substantial jump to the college game, but he obviously has a scorer's touch and mentality. Kreitz led his squad to four straight sectional championships and two state finals. "Having a year to learn the system and concentrate on the academic transition will really help," Kreitz said. "Next season, I'll hopefully be able to work my way into the lineup." In addition, reports indicate that 6-10 forward/center Vigor Kapitonovich is interested in attending Penn in the fall. Although Dunphy had no official comment, the admissions office is supposedly waiting for the Gonzaga star's test results before deciding. Although Kapitonovich would provide some always-needed size upfront, Dunphy made it clear that he would not contribute immediately either. "I'm very happy with the class, especially considering we didn't have a lot of playing time to offer," Dunphy said. "We're looking for the best possible student-athletes every year and these are solid prospects." All three rookies are excited about coming to West Philly, playing in the Palestra, and going to their first ever NCAA Championship. "Penn was always sort of a dream for me," Dzik said. "It's the ideal blend of academics and top-25 basketball. I'm very lucky and very happy with my decision." · Whereas Dunphy and the men's program had only the expert tutelage of Allen and Maloney to offer as immediate rewards, Coach Julie Soriero and the women's program were hoping to acquire several freshmen capable of making an immediate impact in West Philly. They think they did just that. After losing seniors Katarina Poulsen and Julie Gabriel to graduation and considering the uncertain status of sophomore forwards Deana Lewis and Nikki Pozzi after injuries, the Quakers were looking desperately for size upfront. "Because of the injuries and the fact that we're not sure how [1992-3 All-Ivy forward] Natasha [Rezek] will respond after a year in Russia, we were forced to recruit from a worst case scenario," Soriero said. Helping to solve the frontcourt dilemma will be 6-1 center Renata Zappala, 6-foot forwards Michelle Maldonado and Molly McClelland, and 5-10 forwards Hope Smith and Keri Reese. Smith, a local product from West catholic High School, averaged 14 points and nine rebounds last season and could see considerable time on the Palestra floor this winter. Soriero was especially pleased with the mobility and quickness of these freshman and hopes to implement a more aggressive and attacking defensive style. "We will now have the personnel to press and extend our defense over half-court," Soriero said. Adding depth and scoring to an already stable backcourt will be Merion Mercy's all-time leading scorer and senior athlete of the year, Colleen Kelly. Guards Jen Martin and Molly Quinn, a sophomore-transfer from USC round out the class. Quinn did not play competitively in her one year with the Trojans. "Although we don't have anyone with a dominant presence, we have consistent size across the board," Soriero said. "All of these girls have an attitude towards working hard and being successful. I'm expecting them to provide depth and fill some holes immediately."
(06/30/94 9:00am)
After days of building evidence and the reading of supposed suicide notes, watching O.J. Simpson's tragic journey through the streets of Los Angeles last week finally shattered my paradigm. In the middle of live television's finest moment since the Gulf War, the voices of Bob Costas and Marv Albert disappeared behind an echo of Charles Barkley. "I am not a role model. Parents are role models." Sir Charles is right. Although Barkley's disclaimer always seemed appropriate in principle, the degree to which I myself and much of the rest of society glorifies America's athletes did not fully sink in until I came to terms with the fact the an NFL Hall of Famer was probably guilty of two counts of first degree murder. For whatever reason, I desperately wanted O.J. Simpson to be innocent. As I heard reports of evidence, scenarios churned in my head creating alibis for Simpson and reasons it could not possibly be O.J. At the same time, I can cheer for convictions in the Menendez cases. It's remarkable how biased we can be. Part of me still hopes Simpson's legal team (which would put the 1927 Yankees to shame) gets him off. Why? I never met the man. I hate the Bills. But, I'm a sports fan -- and O.J. is a symbol of excellence in sports. To me and probably many other sports fans out there, there had always been some irrational link between my heroes' talents on the playing field and their real lives. Mattingly's sweet swing or Jerome's crossover dribble -- this is the stuff that heroes are made of, the stuff that makes you smile in your sleep at night. There is no reason, however, that O.J. Simpson's speed and elusiveness carrying a football, his million dollar smile, or his name in lights at the Hertz counter should make him immune to a crime of passion. These talents shouldn't give him an immunity to anything except getting tackled. They didn't. Simpson possessed talents that were greatly revered by millions of Americans. On this campus, Jerome Allen has talents that are similarly revered. As sports fans, and especially as classmates, we must be careful not to project our heroes' talents outside of the athletic arena. Allen and every other athlete at Penn and every school in the country must be people first, students second, and athletes third. The Penn community must also keep its expectations in line with these priorities. Sometimes many of us, myself included, fail to do this. An athlete's talent too often overwhelms every other aspect of his or her being in the eyes of fans. Such talents are not correlated, positively or negatively with an individual's emotional stability or civic contributions. They are not correlated with the ability to raise a family. In short, they are not correlated with being an acceptable role model. This is not to say that many athletes don't fill their shoes as heroes and heroines well. Many do. But, it is unfair to expect every star athlete in America to set fine examples for our children. Becoming a role model should be a select opportunity, not an overwhelming burden. These athletes who affect us so greatly do so without any direct contact. Our link to them is via the media. We see these athletes on a stage, under lights, through a lens, performing with almost magical power and grace. To integrate that slice of an individual and extrapolate their whole personality and life is both misleading and unfair. It skews reality and leads to shattered paradigms. Trust me, I know. Off their stage, behind the scenes, these athletes -- our heroes -- are simply people. They are sons and daughters, neighbors, friends, teammates, and citizens of the United States. In these environments, they ought to serve as role models. On the ballfield, they must remain superstars. Period. Regardless of whether O.J. Simpson is guilty or not, he was one of the greatest running backs the NFL has ever seen. That can never be taken away from him. Convicted or freed, O.J. Simpson belongs in Canton, Ohio. Unfortunately, none of O.J.'s touchdowns will ever make him a good role model.
(04/18/94 9:00am)
Baseball sweeps Cornell While the rest of campus was frolicking in the Quad, the Penn baseball team got its brooms out and did a little spring cleaning at Bower Field this Fling weekend. The Quakers used dominant pitching and clutch hitting to sweep a four-game set with Cornell and vault themselves from the cellar into first place in the Gehrig Division. Penn now controls its own destiny during the stretch run for the league crown. In an about face from last weekend's New England road trip when the Quakers (17-9-1, 9-5 Ivy League) gave up 44 runs in four games, the Penn staff produced four complete-game gems, allowing only three runs on 13 hits all weekend. Junior Ed Haughey set the pace for the Quakers in Saturday's opener against the Big Red (7-14, 5-7). After Cornell's leadoff batter hit a rolling single up the middle and advanced to second on a wild pitch, Haughey settled down to record 10 strikeouts en route to a two-hit shutout. Haughey was supported by an offensive onslaught that was highlighted by sophomore Mike Shannon's second-inning grand slam. Shannon sent a 2-0 fastball 370 feet over the left-field fence to clear the bases and give Haughey and the Quakers a 7-0 lead that would never be tested as they coasted to a 14-0 victory. "I was looking for it all the way," Shannon said. "With the bases loaded, you're thinking home run until you get a strike on you." Shannon's heroics were not done for the day. Perhaps the multidimensional sophomore's greatest moments came in game two, when he made his first career Ivy League start. It would be a memorable one. Shannon pitched nearly flawless baseball while holding the Big Red hitless until one out in the sixth, when senior John Telford doubled down the left-field line to break up the no-no. Although a clearly fatigued Shannon lost his shutout in the seventh, he finished off Cornell and claimed his first-ever league victory and complete game by a 12-2 margin. "When Mike shows up and is feeling good, nobody can beat him," sophomore catcher Rick Burt said. "He was just a better pitcher than they were hitters. He was able to keep them completely off balance by throwing three different breaking pitches for strikes." In that second contest, the Quakers pounded out 12 hits and capitalized on eight Big Red errors to score early and often. In fact, Penn was the recipient of 14 unearned runs on Saturday alone. Although Cornell would not be as kind defensively on Sunday, it wouldn't matter. The Quaker pitching staff would not be any kinder to Cornell's slumping hitters, who managed just 13 hits (versus 12 errors) and barely a .100 batting average on the weekend. "Collectively, we just haven't been swinging the bats," Cornell coach Tom Ford said. "But you have to give credit to Penn. They have great pitchers and they were making the plays all weekend." Junior pitcher Dan Galles, not wanting to be outdone by his fellow hurlers, tossed a complete game two-hit shutout of his own. Doing his best imitation of Shannon, Galles did not surrender a hit until Cornell third baseman Jack Frame doubled with two gone in the fifth. Galles was only really in trouble in the sixth, when he surrendered two two-out walks and a line single to right. But senior Tim Shannon threw a two-hop strike to the plate, nailing Big Red pitcher Jared Cottle and washing away any Cornell hopes of a comeback. Penn's defense was so that impressive diving catches and outfield assists seemed merely routine. The brilliant pitching and defensive effort was desperately needed by the Penn offense Sunday. Quieter bats and respectable Big Red fielding held Penn to a pair of fourth-inning runs on RBI singles by Mike Shannon and junior designated hitter Rob Naddelman. Thanks to Galles, it was all the Quakers would need. "I was able to keep my fastball down and that let me use my changeup as my out pitch," Galles said. Good arm speed and control of breaking pitches would be a key for junior pitcher Lance Berger in the series finale as well. Berger used a pinpoint-accurate fastball and three off-speed pitches to keep Cornell's hitters off balance. Although Berger could only keep the Big Red hitless into the fourth, he successfully protected Penn's meager lead throughout. After working out of a bases-loaded jam with the Quakers up 1-0 in the fourth, Berger would finally give up a run in the sixth. With Penn ahead 2-0 and one out, a single to left was sandwiched around two walks to load the bases. Although a fielder's choice at second base scored a run, Berger held Penn's tenuous one-run lead by getting the next batter to bounce to third. "I just told Berger not to fool around out there when I went out to talk to him in the sixth," Penn pitching coach Bill Wagner said. "He was getting in trouble because he was getting behind batters. I just tried to calm him down. He was thinking too much." That sixth inning was as close as Cornell would get. The Quakers added one more run in their half of the sixth on first baseman Allen Fischer's RBI single. After giving up two cheap singles to open the seventh, Berger retired three straight hitters without allowing another ball out of the infield, claiming a 3-1 win, and raising his record to 3-1 on the season. Behind these four brilliant performances by the resurgent Penn staff, the Quakers were able to sweep the Big Red all the way back to Ithaca and themselves to the head of the Gehrig Division standings.
(04/12/94 9:00am)
Last weekend's Penn baseball team performance would not have made Montezuma proud -- Yogi Berra, perhaps, but not Montezuma. After last season's collapse during the first weekend in April when the Quakers (13-9, 5-5 Ivy League) dropped four consecutive games at Bower Field to Harvard and Dartmouth, Penn was seeking revenge this season. Those losses virtually eliminated the Quakers from contention in the Gehrig Division. Penn's 1-3 weekend performance more closely resembled deja vu all over again than any measure of exacting revenge on its New England rivals. The Quakers were swept by Dartmouth, 8-5 and 12-9, before Penn managed a split with the Crimson, winning a 10-9 decision in game one before receiving a 15-2 drubbing in the nightcap. The best part of the weekend was that the Quakers were the benefactors of some good fortune, as the other contenders in the Gehrig Division also had a rough time. So, unlike last season, Penn remains in contention after this perilous weekend, having as many wins as anyone else in its division. The Quakers, however, did fail to take advantage of an excellent opportunity to take control of first place. Penn's impending troubles were apparent from the very first batter against Dartmouth (5-10, 3-4) when junior starting pitcher Dan Galles began the game with a walk that led to two Big Green runs. Dartmouth erupted for four more in the second, sending Galles to the showers with a loss that dropped his record to 4-2. "Dan just wasn't throwing the ball well," Penn coach Bob Seddon said. "He got ripped and it seemed that Dartmouth didn't do anything wrong all day." Although freshman A.B. Fischer silenced the Big Green bats in relief, and Penn managed to pound out five runs on 11 hits, Dartmouth's lead proved insurmountable. The Big Green held on for the 8-5 victory. If the first game was a disappointment for the Quakers, the second game was an absolute nightmare. Penn jumped out to a 9-3 lead behind strong starting pitching from junior Lance Berger (2-1, 2.79 ERA) and an offensive onslaught highlighted by freshman shortstop Mark DeRosa's solo home run. When Burger tired and eventually gave way to senior reliever Mike Komsky in the sixth, Dartmouth picked up a pair of runs to close the gap to 9-5. The Quakers, however, remained confident carrying a four-run cushion into the seventh. That seemingly comfortable lead proved insufficient seven runs, five hits, two walks and two hits later. Komsky and junior closer Mike Martin recorded only one out in the fateful seventh before a three-run home run by sophomore Craig Pawling. "We have a lot of trouble beating Dartmouth," Seddon said. "I don't know what it is. That was a game we never, never should have lost -- but that's baseball." After a silent bus ride from the Cape (where Dartmouth is playing as a result of the poor condition of its home field) back to Boston and a good night's sleep, the Quakers were again out for revenge Sunday. After Penn jumped out to a seemingly comfortable 10-5 lead, it was almost deja vu all over again for the Quakers. Sophomore Mike Shannon failed to seal the win for junior Ed Haughey as the Crimson clawed back to score four runs and place runners at second and third with nobody out in the bottom of the seventh. With Harvard within one run of knotting the score, Seddon loyally turned the ball over to Martin, giving his closer a chance to redeem himself for Saturday's debacle. After intentionally walking the bases loaded to set up a force at the plate, Martin forced a short pop fly to center field and then got a 6-4-3 double play to end the game and altering his status from goat to hero. "We were definitely scared out there," junior Allen Fischer said. "We had our fingers crossed, and Mike did a great job out there." Martin's redemption would be the last of the heroics for the Quakers on the weekend. In the second half of the twinbill, Penn fell behind early amidst a driving rainstorm and continued to slide in the confines of a muddy Soldiers Field en route to a 15-2 embarrassment. Despite conditions that many Quakers felt were the worst they've ever experienced, nobody expected Harvard to call a home game with a convincing lead throughout. Despite the disappointing results, Penn is lucky to still be in contention for the division title. "The season is far from over," Fischer said. Both players and coaches feel the Quakers are in good shape with six of their remaining 10 games at home, and many divisional games left to be played. Since Penn was unable to exact revenge on a weekend that has become a nemesis in recent years, the Quakers will have their work cut out for them if they have any hope of tasting champagne in May. · The Penn baseball community suffered another disappointment yesterday when 1990 alumnus Craig Connolly, the only all-American in Quaker history, was released by the Oakland Athletics organization. The 6-foot-3 right-handed starter was diagnosed as needing surgery on his pitching shoulder, and therefore let go. "Craig was aware of the problem in February when I was working with him in the Annex," Seddon said. "But he felt he had to go to spring training and try to throw through it."
(03/28/94 10:00am)
The Penn baseball team didn't exactly explode out of the box and stake a claim to first place in its first Ivy League weekend -- but the Quakers weren't left behind either. The opening set of Gehrig Division games remained unresolved as Penn (9-4, 1-1 Ivy League) split a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at Coakley Field against Columbia (3-12, 1-1) before losing two contests yesterday to the inclement weather. The games will be made up later in the season. Although the Quakers were disappointed not to gain a stranglehold on the division, they nonetheless are coming away from the weekend with a positive attitude. After all, things could have been worse -- much worse. Penn was befuddled by 6-foot-7 right-hander Steve Ceterko in game one, losing a 4-1 decision while managing only three hits and one run against the Lion ace. The defeat was particularly frustrating for the Quakers for two reasons: first, the hitters felt they should have hammered Columbia's hurler, and second, Penn's sloppy defense was a major contributor to the Lion attack. "[Ceterko] throws really hard, but his pitches are straight as an arrow and he's only a two-pitch pitcher," junior first baseman Allen Fischer said. "Most of us love that kind of pitching. I felt we hit the ball hard a lot of the time, but it was just always right at people. This game is half luck. It was just one of those games for us." Other Quakers felt the hitters were slightly over-anxious at the plate, especially against a dead-fastball pitcher. Due to Ceterko's size and the angle of his trajectory, Penn hitters were enticed to swing at a lot of balls that were up in the strike zone. The offensive end is not the only place Penn may have been a little unlucky. With the game tied at 1 in the fourth inning, Columbia used a couple infield hits, two errors in the infield, a misplayed ball in left and three walks by rattled junior pitcher Dan Galles to put three runs on the board. Although the Quakers never rebounded from that catastrophic inning in game one, they came out with a vengeance in the night cap. In the top of the third, the Penn bats awakened to the tune of six runs against Columbia starting pitcher Richard Spencer. The Quakers managed to drive Spencer to the showers, but they could never finish off the Lions. Penn may have relaxed just a bit with that lead, and it cost them. "It was essential to jump out to that early lead after losing the first," senior co-captain Tim Shannon said. "But, after that, we played not too lose and got a little too careful." Columbia clawed back with rallies that produced runs in four different innings and finally tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Penn actually would have fallen behind in that sixth inning were it not for a stellar defensive play by Shannon, who made a diving catch in right field and then doubled off a Columbia baserunner at second to end the rally. The Lions' comeback was keyed by three home runs off junior pitcher Lance Berger. As terrible as that sounds, it was yet another example of a little bad luck for Penn. In an ordinary ballpark, the shots would have been routine fly balls that center fielder Sean Turner casually shagged. Coakley Field, however, is no ordinary ballpark. The park's distorted bandbox dimensions leave the center field fence at only 320 feet while the dimensions measure 350 down the lines. Penn overcame its bad luck and its slow start by pounding the Columbia bullpen for three runs in the top of the eighth, and junior closer Mike Martin slammed the door for the 9-6 win. Sophomore Derek Nemeth drove in two of the runs, atoning for his sloppy defensive play in game one. The Quakers, although satisfied with the split of the intense two games in New York, were disappointed they could not follow up on their victory with a doubleheader at Bower Field. Penn coach Bob Seddon was disappointed by the rainouts because of more analytical reasons -- primarily the fact the Quakers have a much deeper pitching staff than Columbia. Therefore, the Lions might be able to reuse Ceterko, the only pitcher Seddon thought had any chance to shut down the Penn lumber. His players felt differently. "We really wanted to play them and stick it to them," Fischer said. "Everyone on the team would love to face Ceterko again. I promise you, it would be a very different ballgame." The Quakers will have to wait until a still undetermined time later in the season to satisfactorily resolve this weekend's unfinished business and stake their claim to first place in the Gehrig Division of the Ivy League.
(03/23/94 10:00am)
Although it is still only March and your favorite major league baseball team is still deciding what to do with all its two-sport athletes, the run for the Ivy championship begins tomorrow for the Penn baseball team. The Quakers (8-3) begin their Ivy League season with four games against last season's Gehrig Division-champion Columbia Lions (2-11). Penn first travels to Coakley Field for a noon doubleheader tomorrow before returning home for a high noon rematch Sunday afternoon at Bower Field. The games in New York, which will be both squad's first Ivy contests of the season, will also be Columbia's first home games of the season. "I feel that it is very important for us to start well in the league, especially in our division," Penn coach Bob Seddon said. "We've had a much better start than most teams around and that should help us out, especially from a confidence standpoint. " As their record indicates, the Lions are one of those teams who are not off to a great start. Despite their dismal record and the fact Penn believes it is the superior team, the Quakers are respecting their opponent, which is averaging more than seven runs a game. To this point the Lions have had a problem with pitching. In fact, the Columbia staff has given up a minimum of five runs per game, and has allowed at least eight runs in nine of its 13 games. Penn hopes that trend will continue against a starting pitching quartet of sophomore Steve Ceterko and senior Richard Spencer tomorrow and senior Matt Ripperger and sophomore Tom Cusick Sunday. Ceterko is the ace of the staff, despite his 0-2 record and 12.42 ERA this season. The legitimate pro prospect had an outstanding rookie season last year, posting a 5-2 record with a team-leading 2.32 ERA. The 6-foot-7 phenom struck out 49 in 42.2 innings while walking only 23. "It is very hard to hit when you have a 6-7 guy bearing down on you," Columbia coach Paul Fernandes said of last season's two-time Ivy Rookie of the Week. The Quakers are not worried, however. The entire Penn staff has had excellent command of its pitches and has been throwing extremely well of late, with the exception of a late inning collapse against Rider Tuesday. The Quakers will counter the Lions with junior hurlers Dan Galles and Lance Berger tomorrow. Sunday's prospective starters are junior Ed Haughey and freshman Alex Hayden. The Quaker pitching staff, although aware of Columbia's offensive prowess, is by no way intimidated. The Lion attack is sparked by junior outfielder B Teale, who has hit .345 and driven in 14 runs in 13 games. Senior Derek England and freshman Jason Wynn, who are both batting over .400, are setting the table for the Lions. Penn is led by Galles, who is 3-0 with a 4.91 ERA, and Berger (2-0, 1.23 ERA). "We know that we can shut anyone down," Galles said. "We certainly have the capability -- this is the best staff since I've been here. It's just a matter of going out and executing." The Quaker bats have also been explosive all season, giving their rotation plenty of support. An astounding eight of Penn's starters are batting above the .350 mark on the young season. It is that depth and consistency, as well as Seddon's aggressive running style, that has given opposition pitching fits. The basepaths are always teeming with Quakers. "It's important for us to jump on them early, which we're definitely capable of doing," Penn senior captain and right fielder Tim Shannon said. "If we can do that, it will be a lot easier for the pitchers to relax and settle into a groove." Shannon may not know how right he is. The one thing the Quakers don't want to do is go into the late innings of a close ballgame. Penn has scored only two of their 94 runs on the year in the final two innings of a ballgame. The Quakers are aware the race for the Ivy League championship and a potential NCAA berth begins not only this early in the season, but also very early in the game.
