The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 9

BUSINESS ON 5S OJ DAVID WTTKE, executive sports editor, 5 1 5-284-8 130 Tuesday, November 10, 1987 Outstanding pro career is predicted for Long MARC HANSEN 1 COMMENTARY By JOE FALLS 187 Detroit News PONTIAC, MICH. Prediction: In two years, Chuck Long will be as good as any quarterback in the National Football League. It's just a feeling but it's a strong feeling, based on the way he handles himself on the field. He has a presence about himself that cannot be learned. Either a quarterback has it or he doesn't.

Chuck Long has it. He still has a lot to learn but he is learning it fast. He looks very comfortable, as if he has been around a long time, and there was no better example of this than the way he per- CHUCK LONG another to know how to use it. You see few panic passes. He throws with confidence, which means his receivers can catch them with confidence.

You just don't see him throwing the wrong way too often. Long made some mistakes against the Cowboys. There were two snaps from center that got away, and he threw a foolish pass into the end zone when he was scrambling away from pressure. These things have to be expected because he has played so little as a pro. He continues to operate in very controlled manner.

This is a sign of maturity. Long does not exactly play with a boldness; he plays more as if he isn't afraid of anything. He seems very sure of himself. You can never tell must have genuine talent. Chuck Long is a genuine talent.

This was his first victory as a pro, and some things will be made of that fact. What's important is the fact he looks like he knows what he is doing. He hasn't played a full season, and he has had to perform under some very difficult circumstances. The Lions were wise to keep him out last season so he could learn and learn properly. Long now looks like a player of five years' experience.

He is the steadying influence that a team like the Lions must have to move ahead. With him they can build. Without him, they are nowhere again. What's so impressive is how he can deliver so many pro-style passes with such little experience as a pro. It is one thing to have an arm and ISU's mat champions motivate teammates REGISTER PHOTO BY DOUO WELLS to provide the motivation behind the a second straight NCAA trophy.

grumbling depressed, down, beaten? But you have to drag yourself up. The players haven't quit yet." Losses in the final two regular-season games to Iowa and Michigan would leave Ohio State with a 5-5-1 record, and a bowl invitation would be unlikely. But Bruce said he hasn't thought about bowls. Ohio State has gone to a bowl every season since 1972. Since going to Ohio State from Iowa State before the 1979 season, Bruce has taken Buckeye teams to the Rose (twice), Fiesta (twice), Liberty, Holiday, Florida Citrus and Cotton bowls.

Ohio State's poorest record under Bruce has been 9-3, which six of his teams had. His 1979 team went 11-1, and his 1986 team was 10-3. The most victories this squad can earn, even if IOWA NOTES Pleose turn to Page 2S Iowa State wrestling coach Jim Gibbons says he expects and Eric Voelker, his two returning national champions, Tim Krieger (left) Cyclones' drive for about injuries but Long does not seem to be the kind who will run himself into injuries. He should be durable. He has proven he can take a hit and remain composed on the next play.

The order of quarterbacks is changing in the NFL. Danny White of the Cowboys looks like he is on the way out. There is not much steam left in his arm. Dan Fouts will be finished soon and Joe Montana will not go on much longer. As the NFL heads into the 1990s, the premier quarterbacks should be Dan Marino, John Elway, Jim Kelly, Bernie Kosar and possibly Jim Everett and Vinny Testaverde.

There is no reason why Long cannot rank up there with them. The Lions will have to put a team around him, and that'll be the toughest job of all. Seniors probably will occupy four spots Andy Cope at heavyweight, Mike Van Arsdale at 177, Bill Tate at 158andJoeGhezziatl42. Van Arsdale, who was third nationally two years ago, and Tate, a two-time NCAA qualifier, were withheld from competition last year. Ghezzi, a two-time NCAA qualifier, is coming off a knee injury after compiling a 19-8-1 record last year.

Cope had a 22-14 mark last year. Murray Anderson, another senior, is giving Ghezzi strong competition. Freshman Dan Knight of Clinton, one of the nation's top recruits after winning four state championships and compiling a 128-0 prep record, cou become the 1 1 8-pounder. Shoulder Surgery It was earlier thought that Knight, who had shoulder surgery last March, would be redshirted. "I feel better physically than I have in a few years," Knight said.

"I wasn't able to wrestle last summer and I hated it. I'm ready if I get the chance." Knight is in competition with Sean Watt a redshirt freshman from Ames. Gibbons said that Watt will be given a chance in the early meets. Gary McCall, a sophomore from Cedar Rapids, is the front-runner at 126 but he's slowed by a dislocated elbow. Senior Perry Summitt, the 1 1 8-pounder last year, also will likely be at 126 and Steve Knight, a transfer from Iowa, will challenge when he gains his eligibility at the semester.

Knight, a brother of Dan Knight, was a two-time state prep champ. Jeff Kelly, a sophomore from Britt, is the leader at 167 with a challenge from his redshirt freshman brother Mike. Gibbons' three other high school recruits Steve Hamilton of Emmets-burg, Mike Moreno of Glenwood and Jamie Cutler of West Des Moines Dowling likely will held out. Hamilton will be at 142 or 150, Moreno at 134 and Cutler at heavyweight. Gibbons tabs Iowa, which had its string of nine straight NCAA championships snapped last year, Penn State and Oklahoma State as the leading challengers for the national title.

The NCAA meet will be held at Iowa State March 17-19. The Schedule Nov. 19 Edinboro (Pa); 31 Nebraska-Omaha Tournament; 27 at North Carolina; 28 at North Carolina; 28 Northern Open at Madison, Wis. (split squad). Dec.

2 at Wyoming; 4-5 at Las Vegas Invitational; 12 at Wisconsin. Jan. 2 Cvclones Classic (ISU, Nebraska, Bloomsburg, Southern lllinois-Edwardsville); 6 Lehigh; 8-9 at Virginia Duals; 16 al Iowa; 19 at Northern Iowa; 23 Clarion Stale; 2V Missouri; 30 Oklahoma State. Feb. 6 Michigan, 7 Penn State; 12 al Oklahoma; 21 Iowa.

March 6 Big Eight at Norman, 17-19 NCAA at Iowa State. STEVE KNIGHT 0 I if fi iftp' ft 'k DAN KNIGHT formed Sunday in the Detroit Lions' 27-17 victory over Dallas. He was facing a broken-down team, a team living on its reputation. The Cowboys were so short of talent that all they could do at the end was clutch and hold and try to keep the Lions out of the end zone. It was a futile effort.

We may have seen the last of these great Dallas teams for a while. Even so, it is never easy for the Lions, no matter what the circumstances are. They may even be in a tougher spot than the Cowboys except they have a future at the one position where you NOTEBOOK Iowa Football only a 3-3 conference record, and trails Michigan State, Indiana, Iowa and Michigan in the standings. In a 13-6 loss two weeks ago to Michigan State, Ohio State totaled only 68 yards. In an embarrassing 26-24 loss Saturday to last-place Wisconsin, the Buckeyes had a season-high 514 yards, but lost the ball six times in the last half.

"I heard a great coach say one time that if you stay in this business long enough, everything will eventually happen to you," Bruce said. "If you asked me where we stand now, I'd have to say I don't know. Naturally, the players are disappointed, and they don't feel good about anything right now. "I don't feel good myself. Who isn't NOTEBOOK Missouri Valley give it a try.

He sat out the 1986-87 season so he could concentrate on his studies, but Coach Ron Greene now says Bird can be an outstanding player in time. Before enrolling at Indiana State, Eddie broke Larry's scoring records at Springs Valley High School, averaging 21.6 points and 9.3 rebounds as a senior. "He's good now, and maybe he'll be great by the time he's a senior," said Greene. "He's got to get more physical, but you've got to remember he's just a freshman." Greene said Eddie already shows some of the same qualities as Larry. "He's got the fans buzzing with the truce's poor season has fans Harmon case was hot news Hayden Fry says Kevin Harmon has received more publicity for find ing a ride home than Iowa got for go ing to the Rose Bowl two years ago.

This simply isn't true. At last look, none of the state's daily newspapers was planning a Kevin Harmon spe cial section. Not now anyway. Not since Monday when Harmon was cleared by the NCAA of any wrong-doing. Back when Harmon was a sopho more, he accepted money from team mate Devon Mitchell to buy a plane ticket from St.

Louis to Cedar Rapids, Unfortunately, the money came from an agent Notorious Norby Walters, the reputed Prince of NCAA Darkness himself. Such a transaction is a direct viola tion of NCAA rules. Harmon, however, said he didn't know where Mitchell got the money and had the presence of mind not to ask. His testimony was good enough for the NCAA division of leg islative services, which absolved him Though no penalties were meted out, Harmon was lectured for using bad judgment. Bad judgment? As hard as they try, the folks in Mission, still can't get it right.

Not asking Mitchell where he got the money was a stroke of genius possibly the best piece of judgment a running back ever used. I don't know about you, but if I'm stranded in an airport and a buddy hands me enough money for a plane trip, and says, "We're all set, I say, "Where'dyougetit?" WHEN I'M told the source is Norby Walters, I crinkle my nose and say, "Yeah, but isn't that against the rules? Gee, I don't know if this is such a good idea." After mulling it over, after decid ing I really don't want to spend 10 hours on the road with my thumb out, I say, "Oh, all right. Who's going to know? It's a stupid rule anyway. Remember, I'm only 20 and probably right. But Harmon didn't question the source of the donation.

He said thank you very much and hopped on the plane. You don get to be a fine run ning back by being slow on your feet. From the start, Fry said the story was overblown. Of course, he's always saying that. The difference this time is that he might have a case.

Today, we in the pen and microphone set will be taken to task, which isn't anything new. Every year Fry uses at least one of his news confer ence Tuesdays to chastise the news media. He accuses us of hurting recruiting or demoralizing the morale of the players. Usually, he stops short of blaming us for the latest rash of high ankle sprains. Most often, Fry's complaints are a way of diverting attention and easing the pressure.

A way of taking the spotlight off his players, off his staff, off himself. Not this time. On Thursday morning The Register reported that Harmon was "linked to agents' gifts." It was the lead story, situated beneath a three-column, two-line headline. Not the front page of the sports section, but Page 1A, in the slot reserved for the big news of the day. On this day, the revelation that Harmon had taken Walters' money was the most alluring story going.

On another day it might have been played somewhere else. THOUGH FRY might have a legitimate beef here, he should look at it this way. He should be grateful the story was played on Page 1. The thousands of readers who jump straight to the sports section missed it completely- On the television news, the viewers were treated to long-distance shots of Harmon walking through the campus looking like a student! This man, we were told, allegedly received a free plane ticket. For starters, placing the word "allegedly," after "received a free plane ticket," seems an odd juxtaposition.

You half expected Harmon to cover his face like a criminal. Except he wasn't a criminal. Even if he'd known that Norby the Ignoble was the ticket-giver, Harmon still had done nothing illegal. A hundred years from now, historians will have trouble explaining the NCAA and its strange rules. "Interesting, the seemingly trivial matters that stirred their emotions back then," they will say.

"You have to remember, though, that those were the days before the greenhouse effect turned Iowa into a sand box. In those days there was less to worry about." But that's 100 years from now, this is now or time for our annual scolding. It hurts to admit it, but maybe this once we have it coming. By RON MALY Register Staff Writer Earle Bruce, who is headed for his worst season in nine years as Ohio State's football coach, touched Monday on the subject some disgrun- tied Buckeye fans aireaay were wondering about his job. After being shocked by successive losses that have brought Ohio State's record to 5-3-1 heading into Saturday's game against Iowa in Columbus, Bruce said, "If I felt this way on Friday, I think I'd get out of coaching." Iowa hasn't won in Columbus since 1959, but is a 2 Vi -point favorite in Saturday's 12:30 p.m.

CST game. Ohio State was the preseason fa vorite to win the Big Ten title, but has EARLE BRUCE DAVE STOCKDALE Register Staff Writer AMES, IA. Jim Gibbons knows his Iowa State wrestling team hasn't lost any of its motivation even though the Cyclones won the NCAA championship last year. "We have five or six seniors who haven't fulfilled their personal goals yet," said Gibbons, starting his third year as ISU's coach. "They're going to do everything they can to win." The team leaders, though, are juniors Tim Krieger (150 pounds) and Eric Voelker (190), who won national championships last year.

They have a chance to become three-time winners, a feat only Larry Hayes (1959-61) and Nate Carr (1981-83) have accomplished at Iowa State. "I expect our two national champions to motivate the seniors," Gibbons said Monday at Iowa State's press day. "They know what they have to do because their backs are to the wall," said Krieger, who has a 60-2-2 career mark and was 29-0 last year. "It's their last chance. I don't feel that I'm a leader except by example." Junior Jeff Gibbons, who was third in the NCAA at 134 pounds with a 31-11-2 record, also returns and will remain at that weight this season.

Different Viewpoint Voelker, whose highest finish in a state high school meet was a third for Dallas Center-Grimes, says his viewpoint is somewhat different from a year ago. "Even though I've won, I still want to win again. If anything, I have more confidence, knowing that I have the ability to win." Voelker, who was 24-2-2 a year ago, was hampered by knee injuries his first two years, but he hasn't had any trouble since undergoing minor surgery last year. Voelker and Krieger, a three-time state prep champion at Mason City, will remain at the same weights. Three other Cyclone NCAA place-winners last spring have finished their eligibility champions Billy Kelly (126) and Stewart Carter (158) and second-place Kevin Jackson (167).

"Eddie felt comfortable that Larry made a number of friends in Terre Haute," said Greene. "That made it a comfort zone for him." There's just one thing a bit unusual about Eddie. When asked to name his favorite professional athlete, he didn't say his brother. He named Carl Yastzemski, the former Boston Red Sox outfielder. NO OLAJUWON.

One of these seasons but not this one Indiana State will have an Olajuwon playing basketball. Taju Olajuwon, who is called T.J. by Greene, is the younger brother of Akeem Olajuwon, who starred at the MISSOURI VALLEY Please turn to Page 2S Itiaiifc against from yards and and Iowa have been players of POOR what's it The running approached room. "Can I'll give it Bird II: Eddie takes his turn at Indiana State same type of outside shot as Larry's, and he has the peripheral vision for his passes," Greene said. But will playing at the same university in the same conference where his older brother achieved brilliance help or hurt Bird? "A lot of people ask about the pressure of following Larry," said Greene, "but, don't forget, Larry is an international star, not just a local star.

You'd have to live on an island not to know about him. I figure our fans will be more tolerant with Eddie than basketball fans elsewhere." Larry Bird has kept his Terre Haute, ties since leaving Indiana State. He recently opened a hotel called The Boston Connection, and holds a charity golf tournament there. By RON MALY Register Staff Writer ST. LOUIS, MO.

Basketball fans in the Missouri Valley Conference will be able to do some Bird-watching again this season. There's another Bird playing for Indiana State. He's Eddie Bird, younger brother of Larry, who closed a phenomenal Sycamore career in 1979 and has been a standout for the eddie Boston Celtics ever BIRD since. It remains to be seen if Eddie, a 6- foot 6-inch, 190-pound freshman guard-forward from French Lick, can even approach some of the things Larry did, but he's willing to MORNING REPORT Lexington Saturday night, and moments after the game, Mansfield put on his helmet, sprinted several feet and butted into a wall outside the dressing rooms, breaking his neck. MR.

VICE PRESIDENT. Martin Dittmer, athletic director and baseball coach at Ellsworth Community College for the past 33 years, has been elected the new international vice president of the United States Baseball Federation. Dittmer replaces Jack Stallings of Georgia Southern. Dittmer has been a member of the USBF since the early 1960s. KUDOS.

Simpson tailback Rex Van Bus-kirk has been named Iowa Conference Player of the Week for his rushing performance rector Max Urick said Monday. Urick said it will be a non-controversial measure and he expects it to pass. WOUNDED BEARS. Defensive end Dan Hampton and linebacker Otis Wilson will be lost to the Chicago Bears for at least four weeks as a result of knee injuries suffered in Sunday's game at Green Bay. PREP PARALYZED.

A high school football player from Humboldt, is paralyzed from the chest down after ramming into a brick wall in frustration over a close playoff loss. Doug Mansfield was in critical condition Monday at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital in Lexington. Humboldt lost, 14-13, to Dubuque Saturday. Van Buskirk, a junior Red Oak, rushed 36 times for 129 two touchdowns in the Simpson victory. Westmar running back Vernon Bolden Wesleyan linebacker Andy Holmberg named the NAIA District 15 football the week.

LITTLE RICH DICKERSON. So like to have a four-year contract reportedly worth $5.6 million? Ask Eric Dicker-son. Indianapolis Colts' new million-dollar back went hat in hand to a group of reporters Monday to borrow 45 cents. Dickerson the newsmen in the Colts locker 1 get 45 cents from one of you guys? back," he said. CALLING IT QUITS.

Fairfield's Dan Breen, one of the most successful girls' high school basketball coaches in the state, has announced he will retire at the end of the coming season. Breen cited health problems and personal reasons for his retirement. Going into this season, he has a 313-56 career record. HIGH HOPES. Iowa State University has won a major battle in its bid to regain a year of eligibility for women's volleyball player Tracy Graham, who was barred from competition this season because she took her college entrance exam on the wrong day.

A proposal that would allow Iowa State to appeal Graham's case will be considered at the NCAA convention at Nashville, in January, Iowa State Athletic Di Pin I "ViUlj i iinlnl li iiTi.iH iliil irin'a.