The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 14

Sterling Marlin, Junior Johnson to join forces, 8C 2CSCOREBOARD SECTION 4CMAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 9CCLASSIFIED THE TENNESSEAN MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1990 mmk mm tat thm miracle DAVID I CL1MER Tennessean 62 Sports Writer Thompson set to roar some more Omaha ends Nashville's season, 8-7 LARRY TAFT Sports Writer One more miracle finish. That's what the Nashville Sounds needed last night They didn't get it. After weeks of come-from-behind, late-inning heroics, extremely long games, triumphant wins and gut-wrenching losses, defeat, wearing an Omaha Royals' blue uniform, caught up with the Sounds last night The Royals defeated the Sounds, 8-7, to win the American Association best-of-five championship, 3-2. And with the victory, achieved before a Greer Stadium crowd announced at 10,266, Omaha advanced to the best-of-seven Triple-A Classic championship where it will play International League champion Rochester. The opening game is slated for Rochester's Silver Stadium tonight at 6:05 (CDT).

"This is just a tremendous feeling," said Royal first baseman Russ Morman, who smacked a pair of two-run homers, including the game-winner in the seventh. "We got everything we needed in this series the hitting, the defense and the great pitching when we had to have it." Though the Royals have won two straight Western Division titles and been in the championship series each of the past two seasons, last night's victory gave the Royals their first American Association title since 1978. Omaha won the series after withstanding a game-tying sixth-run, sixth inning. The Royals appeared to be a sure winner early, jumping on Nashville starter Rodney Imes for five first-inning runs, including two-run homers by Russ Morman and Luis de los Santos and a solo home run by Chito Martinez. Turn to PAGE 7C, Column 1 Jy tv-rll 4 jTV i-ux, v35: ..1 7 IT ir l.i Ifymy i ril I John Russell Staff Sounds manager Pete Mackanin, 42, talks to pitcher Rodney Imes and catcher Donnie Scott after Omaha took a 5-0 lead in the first.

BJ THACK Waltrip glad to finish 3rd Talking to Tony Thompson, you get the feeling that unseen forces are rumbling just beneath the surface. There is a controlled fury lurking there behind those dark eyes, a Tasmanian Devil eager to escape this 5-foot-7, 181-pound mortal shell "There's something about Tony, the way he's put together, the way he walks, that lets you know he's going to be ready when his time comes," says Tommy West, who coaches the running backs at Tennessee and is therefore the man holding the leash. Thompson stands there, engine revving and tension building like a dragster at the starting line, until the lights finally blink and he can pop the clutch. IN THE LAST 48 hours, we have learned quite a bit about Tony Thompson, not the least of which is the most obvious: This guy can play football. Of course, Thompson has known this for the last five years, quietly telling those who bothered to ask that the only things he needed were two healthy hamstrings and a chance.

"I have never lost confidence in my ability," he says. Sure, fine, Tony. Just sit over there on the bench and let the big pysplay. But there were no household names at tailback Saturday afternoon when Tennessee was matched up with Mississippi State in a game that was supposed to show us exactly how much the Vols would miss Chuck Webb. But about the time you are telling a friend that UTs offense won't be the same without Webb, VrrooootrU, there goes Thompson on a 69-yard touchdown run.

Then your next words of wisdom are still hanging in the breeze defense must've blown an assignment because he's not a breakaway when Thompson fairly streaks down the right sideline on an 80-yard dash that included three or four all-world moves. Finally, you decide to keep your mouth shut and let Thompson's feet do the talking. IF NIKES COULD talk, these would've explained that there was nothing extraordinary about the 248 yards on 22 carries or the two long touchdown runs. Never mind that only four other Tennessee players (Webb, Johnnie Jones, Reggie Cobb and Stanley Morgan) had gained 200 yards in a single game. It was all in a day's work for a running back who says it's going to take another game or two before he gets all the rust off and starts to feel really comfortable in this starting tailback role.

After all, his college career had included only two games Memphis State vintage 1986 and Vanderbilt '89 where Thompson has been given the ball and told to run with it "For anybody that's competitive and really wants to play, it's not easy to sit on the bench," UT Coach Johnny Majors said. "It's difficult to practice hard not knowing if you will play or how much you'll play. "But Tony is a team man. He does the best he can do everyday. He's not a complainer, not a moaner.

Sure, he's been disappointed that he hasn't played more but he does the job when his number is called." For Thompson, the toughest thing was hearing the doubters talk about his limitations. He was too small, they said, not fast enough, not tough enough. In other words, he was not Reggie Cobb or Chuck Webb. ning pole-sitter Ernie Irvan and Bill Elliott in the final laps. He also won a lot of respect "It shows how courageous and determined he is to get back in there, come back from a lap down and finish as strong as he did," said Waltrip's crew chief, Jeff Hammond.

"It's just the kind of race he needed. The last two months have been hard physically and mentally. Now he's confident and ready to improve." Waltrip isn't 100, though he has come a long way since July 22, when he drove one lap at a Long Pond, race and found that it took too much started his therapy six weeks ago, he could only last two minutes on the bike. He also has worked to boost his upper body strength to help make up for the 20 pounds he lost after the accident He has gained some of that back. "Look at that muscle," boasted flexing his left arm.

"When I was young, I never showed anyone that muscle. It wasn't there. I just told them, 'Yeah, but I can run faster than He ran faster than everyone but Earnhardt and Mark Martin yester- Turn to PAGE 8C, Column 2 out of him. His inactivity has robbed his left leg muscles of their strength. So whenever he had to go to the clutch, Waltrip had to use his left had to push down on his injured leg.

"It's a problem we will have to work on," said Waltrip. "That and our timing in the pits." He'll also continue physical therapy to strengthen his leg. "Those are the people whom I really owe this day to. They've gotten this leg back to where it is now," said Waltrip. His daily regimen at Baptist Hospital includes a 20-minute workout on a stationary bike.

When he first TED POWER Sports Writer RICHMOND, Va. Darrell Waltrip did more than just test the leg. He shook a leg. Waltrip finished third in the Miller Genuine Draft 400, his first complete NASCAR Winston Cup race since breaking his left leg July 6 at Daytona. Dale Earnhardt who ran out of gas as he crossed the finish line, won the race before 61,000 fans, the largest crowd to witness a sports event in Virginia.

But Waltrip, still on crutches when not behind the wheel, was celebrating as much as anyone. "After this race, I'll guarantee you I'll be back in the car next week no matter how the leg feels tomorrow," said Waltrip. "I'm proud of my crew and of the way I drove, and thankful for my family and friends. "My crew was glad to get me back in the car, and I'm glad to be back. They put up with a one-legged man long enough." Waltrip got some breaks, including an overcast day in the low 80s and a 31-minute delay while a damaged guardrail was repaired.

He did some fancy driving, weaving through a four-car accident midway through the race and outrun Super Sampras 47-27 romp reflects new style of Falcons Yesterday's resets Kansas City 24, Minnesota 21 Washington 31, Phoenix 0 Green Bay 36, los Angeles Rams 24 Chicago 17, Seattle 0 Tampa Bay 38, Detroit 21 LA Raiders 14, Denver 9 Atlanta 47, Houston 27 Buffalo 26, Indianapolis 10 Cincinnati 25, New York Jets 20 Miami 27, New England 24 Cleveland 13, Pittsburgh 3 Dallas 17, San Diego 14 New York Giants 27, Philadelphia 20 TV! TV: Channel 2, 8 p.m. San Francisco at New Orleans Vandy, Brown trying to put debacle behind LARRY WOODY Sports Writer Vanderbllt football Coach Watson Brown insists Saturday night's Dallas Disaster a 44-7 pasting by upstart Southern Methodist doesnt signal the end of the world for his team. "I don't look at it as a season or a program it's just one game," said Brown yesterday as he assessed the spoilage of his fifth Vandy season opener. "We played a poor game and I'm upset but I'm not going to dwell on it" Brown said. "When you get your clock cleaned like that it hurts.

But I still think we'll be all right I still say we're not as bad a football team as we looked. We'll watch film and hopefully realize that we can be a whole lot better. I'm anxious to see how we react We can't lose our confidence." The Commodores have an open date this week, then host Louisiana State on Sept 21 LSU, which defeated Georgia 18-13 last Saturday, hosts Miami (Ohio) this week "Theyll come roaring in here 2-0 and all fired up," Brown said. "We are obviously going to have to play much better than we did against SMU to stand a chance against them." SMU churned out 575 yards total off ense as quarterback Mike Romo threw six touchdown passes an SMU school record and third-highest in the history of the Southwest Conference. The margin of victory was the highest ever registered by a SWC team over an SEC team.

The Mustangs never punted. "I dont know if I've ever been involved in a game in which one of the teams dldnt have a single punt" Brown said. "That tells a lot about 1 I A i -f Tennessean News Services Jerry Glanville's new team, the Atlanta Falcons, looked a lot like the old, getting six personal-foul penalties and 16 overall for 139 yards against the Houston Oilers on the NFL's opening day. But the Falcons also forced six turnovers, scored three touchdowns in 1 minute, 50 seconds of the first quarter, had three defensive scores and showed the kind of aggressiveness Glanville cultivates in its 47-27 victory the Oilers, his former team. "Yeah, itsure did look familiar," said Robert Lyles, the Houston linebacker who plays that same style.

"They were flying to the ball, diving over the pile, talking trash on special teams." Bobby Butler and Jessie Tuggle scored on fumble returns, leading to the most points by Atlanta in regulation time since 1973. The Washington Redskins and Chicago Bears got stingy right away. The Redskins and Bears both were dominant as they registered shutouts. Washington routed Phoenix 31-0, spoiling the head coaching debut of Joe BugeL Chicago blanked Seattle 17-0, sacking Dave Krieg twice on the Seahawks' first series, then turning intercepted passes into two first-half scores. "Everyone played well, but the defense pitched a shutout and anytime you do that in the in the National mm ELL, OTHER tailbacks have come and gone, but Thompson f.i DPI Football League, you're going to win," said Neal Anderson, who scored on runs of 17 and four yards.

At Los Angeles, John Elway had a miserable day for Denver, hitting only 14 of 31 passes for 157 yards and needing a respite from the heat late in the game. Elway, who also lost a fumble deep in Raiders territory early in the fourth quarter, came out with 9:13 remaining in the final period, apparently suffering from the heat The temperature was announced as 95 degrees at kickoff time. Tonight, the San Francisco 49ers begin defense of their NFL crown at New Orleans. is still on the premises, an orange volcano waiting to erupt He may not be as big or as strong or as talented as his predecessors, but at this very moment he is the best Tennessee has got And the Vols aren't complaining, even if Thompson still must contend with those who believe he is a one-day wonder. "You have dreams of doing good and accomplishing your goals," he said.

"This is the first step." But there will be others. Californian Pete Sampras, age 19, celebrates after becoming the youngest man to win the U.S. Open Championship. He easily dispatched Andre Agassi in three sets, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 yesterday. Story on 8C I Turn to PAGE 3C, Column 1 i..