The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 29

1 The Indianapolis Star MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 1992 0 Business 6, 7 Obituaries 7, 8 SPORTS No surgery for George; may return for feek 5 gery on anything that has to do with that gift (his right arm) God gave him." With George temporarily indisposed and veteran backup Jack Trudeau still unsigned, the weight of the offense will fall upon Mark Herrmann. "We'll go with Mark." Coach Ted Marchibroda said Sunday evening, selecting the 34-year-old Herrmann over Tom Tupa. "He has the experience." Herrmann, who has started 10 games in his 11 -year also has an opportunity many felt would never come, at least By MIKE CHAPPELL STAR STAFF WRITER What appeared to be an ominous Injury to quarterback Jeff George's right thumb has been downgraded somewhat, but the Indianapolis Colts are still preparing themselves to be without their offensive lifeblood for at least a month. George, who damaged the ulna collateral ligament in the thumb during Saturday night's preseason game in Cincinnati, underwent an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan Sunday. The scan showed no tear.

news is better than we anticipated," General Manager Jim Irsay said Sunday. "But it's still guarded." Irsay wrapped his caution around how George's thumb reacted to the next several days. "Progress has to be shown," he said. "If progress isn't made in the next week, some sort of securing may have to be done to the ligament." That would undoubtedly involve surgery, something Irsay desperately wants to avoid. "Gosh," Irsay said.

"You never want Jeff George to have sur Tupa. meanwhile, has hit 17 of 37 (45.9 percent) for 234 yards with no touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Including one returned for a touchdown. "I don't say Mark is our starter reluctantly," Insisted Marchibroda. "From what I have seen the last six weeks, Mark has a little stronger arm than I initially thought.

And he's extremely accurate." Even If Trudeau were to sign immediately and Join practice Tuesday, Marchibroda would anticipate Herrmann starting the See GEORGE Page 2 not with the Colts. "I've gone from not knowing if I'd even be on the roster to starting," he said. "I don't like the circumstances at all, but I'm excited with the opportunity." Although the Colts acquired Tupa through Plan free agency from Phoenix with the idea he'd be the franchise's No. 3 quarterback, Herrmann has enjoyed the more efficient preseason. The former Carmel High School and Purdue University standout has completed 18 of 26 passes (69.2 percent) for 220 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.

Where's Trudeau's agent seeks Colts' owner to knock out agreement. Page 2. but confirmed the ligament was stretched. His anticipated recovery period, according to the team, is four weeks, which would target George's return for shortly after Week 3 of the season. Since the Colts' bye week is Week 4.

he could conceivably be ready for the team's fourth game, an Oct. 4 visit to Tampa Bay. "There's no question the Robin Miller Sampras continues hot streak Colts need to get real, get Trudeau BfgVi(i'ir'i-rt I i pi l-i l3Jk Jr'--T Wj; i- By MARK AMBROGI STAR STAFF WRITER Jim Courier normally takes a loss hard. Real hard. Not so Sunday.

After being smoked by second-seeded Pete Sampras 6-4, 6-4 In the RCAU.S. Men's Hardcourt Championships before a capacity crowd of 8,461 at the Indianapolis Sports Center, the top-seeded Courier was philosophical. He knew there was little he could do against the hottest player in the tennis world. "Pete's playing very confidently," said Courier, the world's top-ranked player. "He's hitting the ball extremely well from the baseline.

He's usually serving big, but if he's hitting the ball well from the baseline, he's very tough. "I played an OK match. I made two or three bad decisions that caused me a break of serve in each set. When you're on a hot streak like Pete, you don't have those two or three bad decisions. You make all the right decisions." Ranked third in the world, Sampras Is 3 for 3 in his latest ATP Tour events.

The righthander, who earned $144,000 for winning his second straight Hardcourts title, had previously won on the clay at Kltzbuhel, Austria, in July and on the hard courts of the ATP Championship near Cincinnati Aug. 16. In between, he lost a five-setter in the round of 16 at the Olympics. In '91, he had a similar stretch, winning the Volvo-Los Angeles tournament, finishing runner-up at Cincinnati and winning the Hardcourts. "Hard court is my best surface," said the 21 -year-old from Bradenton, Fla.

"It's some- thing I've played on all my life." But his clay play this year has made Sampras a more well-rounded player. "It made me more solid with my groundstrokes." he said. "On clay you have to hit 30 or 40 balls to win a point. It's made me a little more patient than I was last year." That helped Sunday as Sampras wasn't afraid to bang from the baseline with Courier. Sampras got stronger as the $1 million tournament wore on.

"I played about as well as I could play (Sunday)," said Sampras, who holds a 5-1 career edge on Courier. "I mixed up my serves well. I changed it up, three-quarters speed and I really mixed it up. He couldn't get any rhythm on my serve and that was a big part of the match. I served really smart." Courier didn't notice the change-up.

"They didn't look like three-quarters speed serves from my side of the net," said the 22-year-old from Dade City, Fla. Sampras, whose serves ranged from 125 mph to 80, registered eight aces and connected on 61 percent of his first serves. See SAMPRAS Page 2 he Indianapolis Colts spent all of 1991 between a rock and a hard place. Guess what, geology buffs? Two weeks before the 1992 NFL season opens, they're back in that of familiar position. Jeff George is out for at least a month and Indy's second-best quarterback has yet to take a hit, snap, or throw a pass under Ted Marchibroda.

When Colts owner Bob Irsay decided to play hardball with Jack Trudeau several weeks ago, you could almost predict George would get hurt. He did Saturday night in Cincinnati, and now the Colts are looking at three options: Start Tom (I Punt Much Better Than I Pass) Tupa. Start Mark (I've Got The Brains But Not The Arm) Herrmann. Sign Jack (You And I Know I'm The Only Hope) Trudeau. OK, so there's only one option if the Colts have any hope of winning a game in September.

Tupa certainly isn't the answer and Herm's good at spot relief but way too fragile to survive with this offensive line. It's obvious Trudeau must play, which means he has to cram two months of camp into two weeks. Now, you ask. how can a team that only won once in 16 tries last year be so vulnerable in one of the few positions that sports some depth? He's got white hair, lots of money and very little football sense. For whatever reason, Irsay decided to play Russian roulette with his quarterback situation.

This morning, the Colts owner probably still is trying to get the gunpowder off his face. Irsay either broke off negotiations, changed the numbers or never really was serious about signing the six-year veteran. For the past month I've listened to all the negatives about Trudeau. He's not worth $1.3 million a year, he should be happy making $750,000 for holding a clipboard and this team can't win with him, anyway. I must disagree.

During his service here, I've watched Trudeau pull games out of the fire, play with more pain than talent and do more good than bad under some ugly circumstances. Sure, he's made a few dumb decisions, but asking for a mil-See MILLER Page 2 STAR STAFF PHOTO JEFF ATTEBERRY Pete Sampras savors his second consecutive title in the RCAU.S. Men's Hardcourt Championships. Emmo's close victory tightens season race "if' 4- I -r ft I .4. i -nr i 1 -im PPGINDYCAR POINTS 1.

Bobby Rahal 162 2. Al Unser Jr. 133 3. Michael Andretti 128 4. Emerson Rttipaldi 125 5.

Scott Goodyear 86 6. Danny Sullivan 82 7. John Andretti 72 8. Eddie Cheever 63 9. Mario Andretti 61 10.

Raul Boesel 56 5,1 i ninyy Scores Miami No. 1, ND No. 3 in AP poll ASSOCIATED PRESS A new college football season is starting with an old debate: Who's No. 1 Miami or Washington? Last year, the Hurricanes and Huskies split the national championship after they both went 12-0. Miami was No.

1 in The Asssoclated Press writers' poll' and Washington finished first in the USA Today-CNN coaches' survey. This year. Miami is No. 1 and Washington is No. 2 in the AP preseason poll released Sunday.

Miami received 40 first-place votes and 1.511 points from a nationwide panel of sports writers and broadcasters. Washington got 12 first-place votes and 1,453 points. Notre Dame is third in the preseason poll with six first-place votes and 1,405 points. Florida is fourth, followed by Florida State, Texas Penn State. Alabaa and Syracuse.

By RICK SHAFFER STAR STAFF WRITER Elkhart Lake, Wis. Those reports of uncompetitive Penskes and Galmers appear to have been premature. In Sunday's TexacoHavoline 200 IndyCar race before a record crowd of 50,000 at Road America, the final boxscore read: Penske, Galmer, LolaChevy, LolaFord Cosworth. And for the second straight race, Emerson Fittlpaldi brought the Marlboro PenskeChevy home first. Fittlpaldi, the 1989 Indianapolis 500 winner, averaged 110.656 mph to finish .775 of a second ahead of reigning "500" winner Al Unser Jr.

In the Valvoline GalmerChevy A. PPGIndyCar points leader Bobby Rahal was third in the Miller LolaChevy A and Michael Andretti, the reigning IndyCar champ, was fourth in the Kmart-Texaco LolaFord Cosworth XB. The points race tightened with Rahal at 162, Unser 133, Andrettf 128 and Fittlpaldi 125 with four races left. ASSOCIATED PRESS Emerson Fittipaldi enjoys the trophy and a bottle of orange juice. AMERICAN LEAGUE Seattle 9 mi Boston 3 California 7 New York 3 Oakland 7 Baltimore 3 Texas 14 Cleveland 4 Minnesota 2 Toronto 0 Chicago 3 Kansas City 1 Detroit 3 Milwaukee 2 NATIONAL LEAGUE Cincinnati 1 Montreal 0 Houston 3 Philadelphia i Chicago 4 Los Angeles 2 San Diego 4 New York 3 San Francisco 5 Pittsburgh 2 St.

Louis 8 Atlanta 3 MEBICAN ASSOCIATION 'Oklahoma City 4 'Indians 1 "It's getting closer," said Fittlpaldi, who won here In 1986 and '88. "Junior and I have closed the gap and I told Bobby to wait for us in Laguna Seca (the season finale)." "It was obviously good for us to beat Michael," Rahal said. "But as you can see, all of the top guys finished. Maybe next week (at Vancouver), we can pick up some points." Fittlpaldi led 41 of the 50 laps and credits the team's current compif'itiveness to testing in what seemed to be a Lola year. "We started our recovery at Portland and in the last four road races, we have been on the front row each time and also won two poles," Fittlpaldi said.

"We've worked hard to Improve the chassis and all of the mid-season testing is paying off." Likewise for the Galmer. "The car Is starting to get around cHl ners better," said Unser. "Alarf Mertens (the Galmer designer) and I are starting to figure out what makes the car work." The weekend had a definite Penske flavor with Paul Tracy winning the pole and leading the first five laps of the race. Fittipaldi, in close pursuit from the beginning, outbraked his teammate prior to Turn 5 and quickly sped awaj See FITTIPALDI Page 5.