Sports _
Texas A&M’s infractions won’t affect Kickoff Classic
By Kyle Schurman
Staff Reporter
A letter released by the NCAA that accused
Texas A&M’s football program of 31 rule
infractions and seven procedural violations
will not affect the Aggies’ participation in this
year’s Kickoff Classic.
Les Unger, the Kickoff Classic’s public
relations director, said the NCAA will not
prevent Texas A&M from facing Nebraska in
the Aug. 27 game at Giants Stadium in the
Meadowlands, N.J. He said any punishment,
which would be dealt after the Aggies present
game or appear on television.
“We need to know that the teams we select
are going to be able to play, especially when we
select them six or seven months in advance,”
Unger said. “We need to know everything that
'... these are allega
tions only and not
proven fact.’
—Sherill
might affect our decision.”
Noacademic violations were included in the
31 infractions, the Associated Press reported
Monday. However, the investigators said the
nature of the violations “demonstrate a lack of
appropriate institutional control and monitor
ing in the administration of the institution’s
intercollegiate football program.”
Texas A&M coach Jackie Sherill said the
Aggies will work with the NCAA, AP reported.
“We are going to be working alongside the
NCAA on it, and these are allegations only and
not proven fact,” Sherill said. “We’re announc
ing these accusations of infractions to the
public because we want to keep everything up
front.”
Unger said the game’s attendance and tele
vision audience will not be affected if the
Aggies are put on probation.
“We selected them on their performance last
year and on what they are projected to do this
year,” Unger said.
“We were told when we made our decision
(about who would play) that nothing would
happen toour game,” Unger said. “If the NCAA
determines they need to take action against
Texas A&M, it will not affect our game.”
Unger said the Kickoff Classic tries to en
sure the teams it chooses will not have to back
out of the game by investigating each team with
the NCAA. He said the Kickoff Classic has to
conduct investigations because it cannot afford
to end up with a team that cannot play in the
their side of the story to the NCAA, will not
include preventing the Aggies from participat
ing in the annual contest.
NU volleyball, football players get academic honors
By Mark Derowitsch
Senior Reporter
It was no suiprise to Nebraska
coach Terry Pettit when two Com
husker volleyball players were
named GTE aca
demic All-Ameri
cas.
Nebraska ’s
Kathi DeBoer, a
senior who has a
3.43 grade point
average in physi
cal education, and
sophomore Vir
ginia Stahr, who Hpih_,
has a 3.91 GPA in Me,Del
elementary education, achieved aca
demic All-America status for the first
time. They follow former Huskers
Karen Dahlgren, a two-time honoree,
and Annie Adamczak on the list of
Nebraska volleyball players that
achieved the honor.
Petti t said the work ethic displayed
by women athletes plays a major
factor in their achieving All-America
academic honors.
“It has to do with a recurring phi
losophy among women athletes
where she tends to achieve success in
all areas,” Pettit said. “They tend to be
excellent in the classroom as well as
on the court.”
Pettit said another factor in their
academic success is that women ath
letes usually cannot carry their ath
letic ability to the professional level.
“They are never illusioned that
there is going to be a pro career after
college,” he said.
Pettit said he was not surprised by
DeBoer’s or Stahr’s accomplish
ments.
“Kathi and Virginia have the type
of personalities that they tend to excel
in everything,” Pettit said. “The uni
versity puts a major investment in the
student-athlete, and it’s much better
to invest in a good student.”
Stahr said she was surprised she
earned the academic All-America
honor.
“I always saw Karen Dahlgren and
she sort of set an example for me,”
Stahr said. “It’s neat to do something
she did, because I look up to her.”
DeBoer, who led Nebraska to a 30
5 record this season, said she put
academics behind volleyball when
she was being recruited by the Husk*
ers.
But she said she is glad she chose
to emphasize both aspects throughout
her college career.
“The education I’ll use the rest of
my life, and I only played volleyball
here for four years,” DeBoer said. “I
really wanted to come here because I
looked closely at their volleyball.”
Stahr said she agrees.
“It was mostly a volleyball deci
sion,” Stahr said. “The education
program I’m in now is really good,
and it helped me confirm my decision
to go here.”
Three football players also were
named GTE academic AH-Americas.
Those players arc fullback Micah
Heibel, a senior with a 3.59 GPA in
mathematics; senior defensive end
Jeff Jamrog, who has a 3.63 GPA in
business administration; and junior
safety Mark Blazek, who has a 3.95
GPA in social sciences.
Although male athletes have more
of an option to turn professional,
Heibel said, he wants to stop playing.
“The pro scouts haven’t exactly
been beating down my door,” Heibel
said. “I f I knew I would make a ton of
money, I would try it, but that’s not
the case. I’m anxious to start a normal
life.”
Heibel will graduate this May after
student-teaching at Lincoln North
east High School.
He said he was surprised at being
named an academic All-America.
Since I960,
hormone levels
f Pumping iron has replaced
flower power. Pinstripes have
replaced paisley. And Wall Street
has replaced Woodstock.
But of all the major changes that
have taken place since the 60V one
is hardly visible at all: the change
that has taken place in the Pill.
In I960, the Pill contained as
much as 150 megs, of the hormone
estrogen. Today, it’s down to 35
megs, or less. That^ a fraction of the
original dosage.
Yet, todayls Pill is as effective as
yesterday’s. In fact, it’s still the most
effective birth control available
other than sterilization.
But is the Pill right for vou? You
should see your doctor to help you
answer that. If the answer is yes,
then the ultimate decision is yours.
And it* important that you learn all
you can about oral contraceptives.
First and foremost, what are the
risks? Does the Pill cause cancer?
Will it make you less fertile? Do you
need to take a rest from it? These are
just a few questions that have sur
rounded the Pill since I960. Ques
tions which must be addressed by
you and your physician.
What about the Pill and breast
cancer? Although there are conflict
ing reports concerning this issue,
the Centers for Disease Control
reported that women who took the
Pill, even for 15 years, ran no higher
risk of breast cancer than women
who didn’t. The CDC also reported
that ovarian and uterine cancer are
substantially less common among
women who use oral contraceptives.
I he Pill has been shown to have
other health benefits as well. Pill
users are less likely to develop pelvic
inflammatory disease (tubal infec
tions), benign breast disease, ovari
an cysts and iron deficiency anemia,
not to mention menstrual cramps.
But if the Pill is so effective at pre
venting pregnancy, can it later pre
vent you from having a baby when
you’re ready to have one? Studies
Advertisement
in the Pill have
indicate that if you were fertile
before you took the Pill, taking it
will not afTect your ability to have
children later. Some women may
experience a short period of read
justment after discontinuing the
Pill. Even so, most women usually
become pregnant soon.
One piece of advice you may have
heard if you’re on the Pill is that you
should take an occasional rest from
it. Yet there’fc no medical basis for
this advice. Furthermore, a rest
could turn out to be anything but
restful, since switching to a less
effective form of birth control
increases your chances for un
planned pregnancy.
Now that you know what the risks
aren’t, you should know what the
risks are. For example, if you are
taking the Pill, you should not
smoke. Especially if you are over 35.
Cigarette smoking is known to
increase the risk of serious and pos
sibly life-threatening adverse effects
on the heart and blood vessels from
Pill use. What’s more, women with
certain conditions or medical histo
ries should not use the Pill.
Even if you’re already on the Pill,
you should see your doctor at least
once a year. And read the patient
information regularly.
Taking the Pill is easy. Deciding
whether or not to take it isn’t. That’s
why it’s so important for you to
make an informed decision. Contin
ue reading everything you can about
birth control methods. Seek out reli
able sources. Talk to your doctor.
You’ve already taken a step in the
dropped
considerably.
right direction. Just think, since you
began reading this, there’s a good
chance your knowledge level about
the Pill has increased. Considerably.
Columnist: Giants may win
National League pennant
This is a tough column for a St.
Louis Cardinals fan to write, but here
goes.
Look for the San Francisco Giants
to win the National League West, beat
the Mets or—gag—the Cardinals in
the playoffs and win the 1988 World
Series.
I ' - M_|
There. I said it. Yeeech!
Unfortunately, I just do not see any
other way around it. The Giants,
beaten by St. Louis in last season’s
playoffs, are loaded again with more
power hitters than they know what to
do with, an improved pitching staff
and the second-best manager in the
game (next to Whitey Herzog, of
course).
luiic mas wnocnase alter Dans nit
out of Candlestick Park should be in
great shape by the end of the summer.
First baseman Will Clark blasted 35
home runs and batted .309 last year,
and Jeffrey Leonard knocked out 19
more, including four in the playoffs
against the Cards. Kevin Mitchell
chalked up 22 homers and 77 runs
batted in last season, and Brett Butler,
whom the Giants acquired from
Cleveland, will replace the departed
Chili Davis in center field.
Butler scored 91 runs and stole 31
bases for the Indians in 1987.
On the mound for San Francisco
will be the likes of Dave Dravccky,
Alice Hammakcr, Mike Krukow and
Rick Rcuschel, who combined for a
3.68 earned run average a year ago,
which was the league’s lowest. Mix
those four starters with relievers
Craig Lcffcrts, Joe Price and Don
Robinson and the Giants will have the
second-best pitching staff in the NL
West.
Which brings us to the best in the
West, that of the Houston Astros.
With pitchers like Joaquin Andujar,
Jim Dcshaies, Bob Knepper, Nolan
Ryan and Dave Smith, the Astros
could be pretty hard to hit off of.
Meanwhile, Houston has baiters
that can give opposing pitchers head
aches, but not with quite the magni
tude of those from San Francisco.
Houston’s claim to fame is its runners
once they get on base. The top three
men in Houston’s batting order —
Gerald Young (who batted .321 last
season), Billy Hatcher and Bill Doran
— stole 26, 53 and 31 bases, respec
tively.
If Manager Hal Lanier can pull it
all together, the Asuos might make a
serious run at the pennant in Septem
ber.
Another close contender for sec
ond place will be Cincinnati. The
Reds have nearly as much firepower
at the plate as Cincinnati center
fielder Eric Davis, the biggest gun of
all. Davis could have become the first
player ever to hit 40 home runs and
steal 40 bases in the same season in
1987, but an injury dashed his hopes.
This year, though, he could do it. Kal
Daniels hit 26 home runs last season
and Nick Esasky added 22 round
trippers.
Din v iiiLiimau s pitcmng is wnai
will ultimately keep it from contend
ing. The Reds have not had it for a
long time, and they won’t have it
again this season. The pitching staff
gave up 141 homers last season, and it
could be worse in 1988.
San Diego should be the best of the
worst in the NL West this summer.
Tony Gwynn, who batted .370 last
year, will lead the attack at the plate,
with John Kruk and newly acquired
left fielder Keith Moreland providing
input.
The pitching staff, however, is one
of the sorriest displays in major
league baseball. Andy Hawkins went
3-10 last year, Eric Show was 8-16
and the staff gave upan incredible 175
home runs in 1987.
Atlanta and Los Angeles should lie
for the division doormat spot, simply
because neither is good enough to
beat the other consistently through
the summer.
The Braves gave up 829 runs last
season — the worst in the National
League since 1977 — and this season
See GREEN on 10
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