The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 63

Sports The Indianapolis Star SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 1992 (Cdte baitlteiredl in two ways George could be out 8 weeks with injury suffered in 20-0 loss Trudeau's contract now top priority magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan today to assess the damage, but General Manager Jim Irsay has already braced himself for the worst: surgery which could sideline George from six-to-eight weeks. "I believe surgery is the only option," Irsay said, trying to digest both Cincinnati's 20-0 smothering of the Colts and an injury to his franchise quarterback which figures to severely retard the team's drive toward the Sept. 6 season opener against Cleveland. "(Surgery) Is something that has to be done at this point. He couldn't even grip a football without the (ligament) being secured." Speaking of secured, Irsay and the Colts had to depart Riverfront Stadium anything but.

Management has been building the franchise around George since making him the No. 1 pick in the See COLTS Page 6 By MIKE CHAPPELL STAR STAFF WRITER Cincinnati The Cincinnati Bengals put a major scoreboard hurt on Indianapolis Saturday evening at Riverfront Stadium. But it paled in comparison to the one Bengals defensive end Lamar Rogers put on Jeff George and the entire Colts franchise. In a preseason game designed to hone his trigger finger, George came away with ligament damage to his right thumb when he was driven to the turf by Rogers midway through the first quarter. The injury appeared serious when it occurred "I knew something was wrong right when it happened," George said and X-rays taken at the stadium confirmed the Colts' fears.

George sprained the ulna collateral ligament in his right thumb. He's scheduled for a Watching the Colts-Bengals exhibition game from his Indianapolis home. Trudeau saw George Jam his thumb into a helmet during the first quarter. It was the same injury that KO'd Trudeau last season. "Jeff's is the inside ligament of his throwing hand and mine was the outside," said Trudeau," who has also undergone a pair of knee surgeries.

"I was throwing on mine the same game I got hurt but Jeff's is a lot more, severe. "He probably won't be able to throw for four or five weeks." A year ago, despite a patch-. See TRUDEAU Page 6 By ROBIN MILLER STAR ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR Jeff George is down and Jack Trudeau is still out, but the unsigned Indianapolis Colts quarterback assumes his status could change very soon. "I would hope so. The intelligent individual would think that, but you never want to Jump to conclusions around here," said Trudeau, whose contract negotiations with Owner Robert Irsay have been at an impasse the past few weeks.

"I feel bad for Jeff, but hopefully we'll be able to get things done." STAR STAFF PHOTO PATRICK SCHNEIDER Jeff George applies ice to his injured right thumb. A- 1 tttmif -I Robin Miller Unassuming Sampras wins quietly he tennis power brokers squared off again Saturday at the Indianapolis Sports Center and, after all the heat-seeking serves and baseline bullets found their marks, Pete Sampras was still standing and Boris Becker was packing. Jn a grinding semifinal slu-gout at the RCAUS. Men's Hardcourts Championships, Sampras continued to show why he's ranked No. 3 in the world but further down on the popularity list.

I The hard-hitting 21 -year-old delivers the big shots, but doesn't act like one; shows a lot of heart, but very little emotion, and looks beaten, but seldom is these days. "Pete definitely has that hang-dog manner on court and it makes people feel like he's quit," said veteran tennis writer and broadcaster Bud Collins. "But that's not the real Pete, he's a helluva competitor." Along with Jim Courier and Andre Agassi, "Cool Hand Pete" is the future of men's tennis in America. His obvious prowess and 126-mph serve make It easy for Sampras to draw a crowd, but he has trouble winning one over. That's basically because his emotionless demeanor and methodical manner can sometimes put the paying customers to sleep Instead of on their feet.

Even when he argues a bad call, Sampras respectfully disagrees instead of getting McEnroe mad. "Pete's not a demonstrative person and he says that's the way he concentrates," continued Collins. "It may cost him admiration but he stays well within himself. "He Just can't really ever get them (fans) on his side." A good example was Saturday's semi, in which the fans seemed to favor the spirited German over the quiet, pleasant kid See MILLER Page 4 Scores AMERICAN LEAGUE it Pete Sampras follows the ball as in the first set of their RCAU.S. Men's Hardcourts Championships semifinal.

Hardcourts final next great rivalry features including a 6-3, 7-6 victory in last year's Hardcourts semifinal. Courier was furious with himself after that loss. Courier then scored his only victory over Sampras in the U.S. Open quarterfinals soon after. "I'm going to come out and do my thing and he's going to come out and do his thing," Courier said.

"Whoever is doing it better is going to come out ahead. It's usually pretty simple for us." Courier likes to bang winners from the baseline. Sampras prefers sizzling serves and vicious volleys. No. 2 seed Sampras, a 21-year-old from Bradenton, By MARK AMBROGI STAR STAFF WRITER It's not Borg-McEnroe, McEnroe-Connors or even Becker-Ed-berg.

Not yet anyway. But the great tennis rivalry of the present and future might very well be Jim Courier and Pete Sampras. The two young Americans might not have the color yet but they definitely have the games. They meet again today at 1 p.m. in the singles final of the RCAU.S.

Men's Hardcourt Championships (WTHR-13, tape-delayed at 3 p.m.) at Indianapolis Sports Center. 1 1 he hits a backhand to Boris Becker RCA FACTS WHERE: Indianapolis Sports -Center. WHEN: Gates open at 11 a.m. Play begins at 1 p.m. today.

TICKETS: Only tickets available today are $22; may be purchased at Sports Center. Today's winner in the $1 mil-lion tournament earns $144,000. The runner-up picks up $75,905. But money isn't likely to be the driving force today. Pride is.

Sampras leads the series 4-1, TOP QUALIFIERS HAVOLINE 200 At Elkhart Lake, Wis. 1. Paul Tracy, 133.074 mph. 2. Emerson Fittipaldi, 133.073.

3. Michael Andretti, 133.003. 4. Bobby Rahal, 132.947. 5.

Mario Andretti, 132.927. 6. Scott Goodyear, 132.151. 7. Scott Pruett, 132.060.

8. Al Unser 132.026. 9. Danny Sullivan, 131.857. 10.

John Andretti, 131.301. he entered Turn 13 on his first hot lap. "As I turned in, the car stepped out a bit and headed toward the curb," Tracy explained. "I tried to grab it and I I I I STAR STAFF PHOTO JEFF ATTEBERfiy Becker, a two-time Hardf courts winner who lost to Sarn-pras in the '91 final, proceeded to hold on with a 7-3 win in the: tiebreaker. "Boris is so powerful off the ground that I think I was trying to hit my shots a little bit too good," Sampras said.

"As a result, I was making foolish errors. I was little too impatient and, going for too much." The second set was a dlffer-i ent story as Sampras two service breaks. -J "I was a bit Impatient, I must admit," Becker said. "My serve! didn't work any more. I See HARDCOURTS Page 4 Inside Small giant: Ben Davis High 1 school football coach Dick Dul- laghan is a tireless worker.

Page 2: He's back: John Daly uses some big hits to lead The Interna- i tional golf tournament. Page 3. Expansion draft: Baseball writer Dave Gariick predicts who will! be protected, and who will go to the' Marlins and Rockies. Page 11. i INDEX Golf ...3 Tennis 4-5 Pro football 6-7 Auto racing 8 Baseball 10-11 Readers Writes 11 Scoreboard) 12-13 Briefly Sports I 13 Lines and Shots 14 Tracy crashes but still qualifies for first pole advanced with a 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) semifinal victory over third-seeded Boris Becker in two hours and 28 minutes Saturday.

Top-seeded Courier, a 22-year-old from Dade City, took' 3 more minutes to slip past unseeded Todd Martin, Lansing, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-4). A sold-out crowd of 8,461 watched as the momentum shifted often in both matches. In the first marathon match, defending champion Sampras broke Becker's serve to take a 3-1 lead in the first set. The 24-year-old German superstar came back with a break of his own in the next game. teammate Emerson Fittipaldi's late charge.

Driving an Identically prepared car, Fittipaldi averaged 133.073 with a time that was four 10-thousandths of a second off Tracy's time. That becomes the closest pole battle In Indy-car history and becomes the 100th pole for Penske Racing. Fittipaldi, chasing Bobby Rahal, Al Unser Jr. and Michael Andretti in the points race, could have used the pole point awarded to Tracy. He still trails Rahal by 44 points.

Unser by 13 and Andretti by 12. "I'm happy for Paul, but I'm disappointed for myself because I didn't get the point," said Fittipaldi who ran out of fuel on his last lap. Startir. third today will be See TRACY Page 8 touched the curb with the Inside (left) front tire. I tried to correct it, and I Just ran out of road." After leaving the road, Tracy's car became airborne, side-swiped one guardrail and then went head-on into another, nearly going through it before coming to a stop.

Miraculously, Tracy was unhurt. And because IndyCar rules allow him to substitute his backup car, he will start from the pole, the first ln his 11 -race IndyCar career. "It was a bittersweet qualifying session," said Tracy. "You don't want to crash, but I was out there giving it 110 percent, trying to get on the pole Tracy pole also made it to the record books, thanks to Boston 10 Seattle 6 By RICK SHAFFER if" "Texas 1 STAR STAFF WRITER Oakland 5 Baltimore 3 Elkhart Lake, Wis. Paul Chicago 3 Kansas i City 2 Tracy earned the pole position New York" 3 California 0 for today's TexacoHavoline In- Miiwaukee 5 Detroit 1 dyCar 20- a PIace ln the record Toronto 4 Minnesota 2 bookft fnd a t0 track hospital all in a matter of NATIONAL LEAGUE minutes.

Pittsburgh. 9 San Francisco 2 Subbing for the injured Rick Houston 14 Philadelpnia 9 casualty himself, short after lan stLqu's a postin the qulckest tfme ln Cincinnati 1 qualifying Saturday afternoon. -Chicago 5 Los Angeles 4 San Diego 4 Nevv York 2 Driving the Marlboro Penske- Chevy Tracy averaged AMERICAN ASSOCIATION 133.074 mph (1 minute, 48.211 seconds) around the 4-mile. 14-ndians 6 Ok ahoma City 4 A turn Road America circuit. After J1FL PRESEASON recording the lap and pitting for new tires, he returned to the Cote 0 frayt but near-disaster struck as.