Sports
Tuesday, October 5,1993 m
Round-up
All Gaines
Team W L T Pet.
Oklahoma 4 0 0 1.000
Kansas State 4 0 0 1.000
Nebraska 4 0 4) 1.000
Oklahoma State 3 1 0) .750
Colorado 2 2 & .500
Kansas 2 3 0 .400
Missouri 1 2 1 .375
Iowa State 1 4 0 .200
Saturday's Results
Oklahoma 24, Iowa State 7
Oklahoma State 27, Texas Christian 22
Kansas 24, Colorado State 6
Missouri 10, SMU 10
DN graphic
New limits
to take toll,
coaches say
By Jeff Griesch
Senior Reporter
Even though Iowa State lost to
Oklahoma on Saturday. Cyclone
coach Jim Walden said he thought the
Oklahoma football program was a
lone way from where it was before
probation.
The Sooncrs are 4-0 and have
moved into the Top 10, but Walden
said that Oklahoma was far from the
skill level of its national champion
ship team in 1985.
Walden said his opinion was not
based on his view of Gary Gibbs’
ability as Oklahofha’s coach, but on
the talent level of Division 1 football
programs around the country.
Because of new limitations on re
cruiting and scholarships, and the new
academic requirements that will be
implemented in 1995, Division I col
lege football will never again reach
the overall talent level it achieved in
the mid-1980s, Walden said.
“The talent level in the United
Slates is dropping, and it is not going
to get better,” Walden said during the
Big Eight coaches’ weekly telecon
ference. “The talent level of’85, ’86,
or ’87 is never going to be seen again
in the ’90s.”
The NCAA has cut the number of
football scholarships a school can give
See COACHES on 8
Ex-tight end
tackles move
from offense
By Mitch Sherman
Stiff Reporter
As a true freshman in 1989, Billy
Wade envisioned himself as the Ne
braska tight end of the future.
Little did he know that two years
later, he would go from blocking and
catching passes to chasing down quar
terbacks and taking on 300-pound
offensive linemen.
“I pretty much thought I was going
to play tight end when I came here,”
Wade said. “That’s what I was re
cruited for.”
After catching one touchdown pass
as a sophomore, the 6-foot-5, 260
pound senior from Houston switched
to defensive tackle during the 1991
season.
While he missed the glory of of
fense at first, Wade said, he has come
to appreciate playing on the other side
of tne ball.
“It would have been interesting to
sec where my career would have went
at tight end,” Wade said. “But once I
was committed to defense, I was com
mitted to it and I loved it.”
He has reaped rewards from his
switch.
See WADE on 8
Healed Huskers ready to take field
By Jeff Griesch
Senior Reporter_
The list of players that had been
injured seemed to run on forever dur
ing Monday’s press conference.
The names of Calvin Jones,
Tommie Frazier, Bruce Moore, Donta
Jones, Joel Wilks, Abdul Muhammad
and Corey Dixon rolled off Tom
Osborne’s tongue in a steady and
methodical fashion that made it seem
like Osborne had reported their inju
ries 1,000 times.
But for the first time since the start
of the season, these were not the names
of newly injured players, but newly
healthy players.
The Huskcr football team was hop
ing to heal during its week off, Osborne
said, and it did.
Frazier’s and Donta Jones’ ankles
are healthy. Muhammad’s ankle and
knee are both better but still not com
pletely healed.
Dixon’s sore back and Moore’s
sore groin are improved, and Calvin
Jones’ knee is nearing 100 percent.
“The week off has been good,”
Osborne said. “Overall, we should be
in better shape than at any time this
season.”
Osborne said Calvin Jones’ return
should have the biggest impact on
Thursday night’s game against Okla
homa State. Jones probably will start,
Osborne said.
Although freshman Lawrence
Phillips was the leading rusher in the
Big Eight after four games, Osborne
said, the Huskers had been missing
something at I-back.
However, it was not noticeable
until Jones returned to practice.
“He just gets through things fast
er,” Osborne said. “You don’t realize
that you’re missing it until you sec it
again.”
— 44-:-—
/ think (Calvin) will be ready to go. He’ll start and
he’ll play just like nothing ever happened. At
least that’s what I plan on.
— Osborne
Nebraska football coach *
Osborne said Jones’ return would
add experience and stability to the I
back position.
“We have not been unstable at I
back, but I would say on the average
these youngerguys have made, I think,
collectively four or five mistakes a
game,” Osborne said.
“I am not talking a major thing like
a fumble or something like that. It
may be something like going the wrong
way or missinga pass-protection block
W V
or an audible.”
Osborne said he thought Jones
would be close to full speed Thurs
day.
“I think the question is, ‘Is Calvin
Jones 90 percent better than someone
else at 100 percent?’” Osborne said.
“If for some reason, he is not feeling
well, then he is not going to play.
“I think he’ll be ready to go. He’ll
start, and he’ll play just like nothing
ever happened. At least that’s what I
plan on.”
Al Schaben/DN
A storybook ending thwarted: Nolan Ryan, shown here pitching in July during one of his last starts at Arlington Stadium,
was scheduled to pitch against Kansas City’s George Brett in the final game of both players’ careers Sunday. But Ryan was
unable to pitch after teanng a tendon in his elbow in September.
Brett, Ryan leave legacy; lifetime of memories
When I woke up Monday, I felt
a void.
Something was wrong. Some
thing inconceivable. Something
unbelievable.
Something unthinkable.
Baseball without George Brett.
I’ve lived 21 years. Brett was in
the big leagues for 20 seasons.
Brett and baseball: That’s all 1
—and a generation of fans—have
known. And that’sall lever wanted
to know.
Before I was old enough to truly
know who Brett was, my dad was
dressing me up in “Property of
Kansas City Royals" baseball shirts
with Brett’s No. 5 on the back.
Before 1 even knew how truly
amazing approaching .400 was, I
was in the upper deck of Royals
Stadium watching Brett go 3-for-5
to raise his average to .405 in 1980.
Before I knew what pine tar
was, 1 watched with a 12-year
old’s astonishment as Brett
cycloned out of the Yankee Stadi
um dugout, fists clenched, arms
raised, eyes bulging as he tried to
Todd
Cooper
get back the home run that Billy
Martin and four umpires had stolen
from him.
Before I ever won anything, 1
watched as Brett led the Royals to
two of the most amazing comc
from-bchind victories — against
Toronto and St. Louis in 1985—in
postseason play.
And before 1 could bottle and
cherish all that Brett stood for, he
left the game.
11 was supposed to be a storybook
ending Sunday.
Brett vs. Nolan Ryan. Midwest
ern royalty vs. the true Texas Rang
er. Their careers ending on a colli
sion course.
Ryan glaring out from below the
bill of his cap and just above the
high kick of his left leg.
Brett peering over his right
shoulder while leaning back on his
left leg. Ryan ripping a few heaters
by Brett. Brett banging a few hits
back past the mound.
But it didn’t work out in these
baseball gods’ — George’s and
Nolan’s — plans.
Even with the farewell tour,
Ryan’s season disappeared faster
than his Texas heaters did in a
catcher’s mit.
And fittingly, Brett left the game
just like he used to stretch a routine
single into a double.
Faster than you could catch —
and hold onto — him.
Maybe it was the best way for
both players to end their careers.
With a handshake. Brett and Ryan
sought each other out after the
game, flashed their car-to-ear
smiles and shook hands.
Brett and Ryan were what Joe
Dimaggio, Ted W ill iams and Sandy
Koufax were to our fathers: heroes
to a generation.
In a world that desperately needs
dreamers, they gave generations
one last image Sunday to ponder
forever:
Two gritty players leaving base
ball behind in the sunset of Texas.
Their accomplishments glowing
over them. Their careers long, but
all loo short.
Thankfully, Brett left the way
he played.
Withdignity. With passion. With
that smile on his face, the dimples
in his cheeks, the glow ih his eyes.
And with him, he left a part of
me and a generation.
No one — certainly no pam
pered player today — could have
ever shaped my childhood the way
George did.
No one but Brett could have
compelled me to stuff 10 pieces of
baseball card bubblegum into my
mouth to imitate the chaw in his
cheek. No one besides Brett could
have possessed me to pull my stir
rups up to my knees during 10th
grade baseball despite my team
mates’ catcalls.
~~ " See LEGENDS on 8
