Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York • Page 5

A 4, 4. 4, 4 W. t. i DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1999 3D SU star learns Eagles drafted him 55 years later Norm Michael was sitting in his trailer in Avon last April, sipping a cup of Joe and browsing the sports section when he found Michael did have his moments. His best one came in a 1941 game at Archbold Stadium against arch-rival Colgate when Michael raced 58 yards to the Red Raiders 4, setting up his short They didn't know Michael's whereabouts, and the message went undelivered.

After being discharged from the Army in '46, he returned to touchdown plunge a "Jr" few plays later. On SU next posses SU to complete his degree requirements. By then, his football career was sion, Michael broke his leg, and was through for the season. the news that had been brewing for 55 years. There, in the small type listing every Syracuse University player ever drafted by the NFL was the name of one Norm Michael.

According to the chart, the Philadelphia Eagles had chosen Michael in the 18th round of the 1944 draft. Too bad no one ever 1 jt. Though primarily a blocker, he made the most of his rushing opportu- done, officially ended by a second broken leg in four years. mties, finishing the season with 158 yards on 15 carries, a 10.5-yards-per- Still, it would have been nice to have known. 5 Mrrv avpMffo scon PITOMVK Maybe that what caught the As another National Football League season kicks Eagles' attention," he said, smiling.

jr off Sunday, Michael can't help but think what might have been. Michael retired in 1978 after working a number of sales jobs in the Syracuse and Rochester areas. He remains an avid football fan. He also remains true to his school, and to the "I loved playing football," he said. "It would have been nice to have at least given it one shot.

But I was pretty Buffalo Bills. His discovery of being drafted by the Eagles ft hasn't prompted him to switch NFL allegiances. "My son sent them a 1 r. I bothered telling him. "That was the first I heard of it," Michael said earlier this week.

"I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me." His 78-year-old eyes were 20-20 that morning. "I still haven't heard from the Eagles," Michael said, laughing. "I guess I may have missed my window of opportunity." In those pre-Mel Kiper Jr. days, the NFL draft wasn't very sophisticated. There were no scouting departments.

General managers often pored through football magazines and newspaper clips to gleam names of prospects. Michael had been a bruising 6-foot-2, 192-pound fullback who wore No. 39 at Syracuse University two decades before the legendary Larry Csonka. He enlisted in the Army after his junior year, and was at Maxwell Field in Montgomery, when the Eagles made their selection. letter auer we iuuiiu i 11V I.I rf smumg.

1 uuhk ne wanted to see if the brittle, so it probably wouldn have worked out. But you never know." A trip through his scrapbooks tells the story of an immensely talented player riddled with injuries. The Saturday Evening Post listed him as one of the top college fullback prospects in the land. A newspaper story described him as "a Rocky River, Ohio boy who is touted as one of the fastest backs ever to play for Syracuse." Another article said he was "a first-class fullback so long as his bones maintain the particular spirit of unity." Though he suffered a broken leg, two fractured wrists and a broken nose in his three years with the Orangemen, Eagles owed me a signing bonus. Think of the interest I could have had.

Fifty-five years worth." Scott Pitoniak's column appears regularly in the Sports section. Call him with your comments at 258-2455 or write him at 55 Exchange Rochester, 14614. e-mail: spitoniakDemocratandChronicle.com MAX SCHULTE staff photographer Reminiscing Former Syracuse football star Norm Michael leafs through a scrap-book with his wife, Darwina, at their home in Avon. Rhinos Pioline continues quest as Open semifinalist Cardinal Creek i Golf Club General Public Weekdays $20 pp For 18 holes wa cart! Seniors $15 pp For 18 holes wa cart! PRICES GOOD 7 DAYS A WEEK! Merchandise, Driving Range, and Tournament Dates Available! Cardinal Creek Golf Club 7061 Ridge Rd. West Brockport, NY 14420 637-4302 -j.

I 4 GOLFERS' SPECIAL Includes 18 Holes Cart Weekdays Till 2:00 pm $17 pp (Wednesdays until mon) 'weekends After Noon $20 pp 2 Player Minimum Livingston Country Cluli THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK Cedric Pioline, twice a Grand Slam finalist but never a champion, continued his reign as king of the tiebreaker yesterday, reaching the semifinals of the U.S. Open with a 4-6, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (16-14), 7-6 (10-8) victory over Gustavo Kuerten. In tomorrow's semifinals, Pioline will face the winner of last night's late match pitting seventh-seeded Todd Martin against Slava Dosedel. The other semifinal will send second-seeded Andre Agassi against No. 3 Yevgeny Kafelnikov.

Pioline broke Kuerten's serve once in the match, which lasted nearly 3V2 hours, but was able to force three tiebreakers, a shootout in which Pioline has been perfect this tournament. Except for the extra points at the end of each set, it was an evenly played match between the hard-serving Frenchman and the gallant, animated Brazilian, who has a Grand Slam tournament title in his resume, that coming in the French Open in 1997. Six times Pioline has played a tiebreaker here and each time wound up with the two-point advantage. "I'm trying to be aggressive," Pioline said. "If you stay back in a tiebreak, you give an opportunity to the other" player.

The tiebreakers highlighted what was one of the better matches in the final Grand Slam event of the year. Time and again, the two traded what appeared to be winning shots, only to see the other come up with a better reply. On one such exchange the 19th point of the fourth-set tiebreaker Kuerten hit what he thought was a winner deep into the corner. Pioline, sprinting across the baseline, responded with a forehand down the line that whipped past the surprised Kuerten. Pioline, who stumbled and fell while hitting the winner, rolled onto his back and pumped his arms in victory.

Kuerten, equally impressed, FROM PAGE ID but Rochester has a score to settle against Lehigh Valley. Was the Steam's 1-0 win just 12 days ago in Pennsylvania a fluke because it was on a small, bumpy field and just two days before Rochester met the Columbus Crew in the Cup semifinals? Lehigh Valley also held the Rhinos scoreless for 71 minutes at Frontier before losing 1-0 on June 20, Rochester's fourth match in eight days. "I don't think we've played well against them," Schweitzer said. The Steam will look to Ihor Dostenko (9 goals, 2 assists), who nailed the game-winner at Lehigh Valley against the Rhinos. Josh Henderson (8-4) and Mickey Trotman (8-3) also provide scoring.

Midfielder Shawn Boney is also a force at 6-foot-7. Goalie Tom Dutra has a 1.60 goals-against average. The Rhinos will be without midfielder and team captain Tommy Tanner (pulled hamstring) and defender Craig Demmin (hamstring), who hasn't played since Aug. 15. Er-coli has some options to replace Tanner.

He could go with either Nate Dalgicon or Michael Kirmse, sparkplugs off the bench, or Carlos Zavala. But look for Daligcon (22 starts) along with Paul Young opening up front with Tilley. Young scored twice in Monday's 3-0 win over Staten Island. Andrew Restrepo will replace Demmin Rhinos statistics Located on Rl 2fA 2 mHm west of 396 (Exit 8). Offer good throughout sewson.

Tee times maadotfy So spikes only The Associated Press Yes! France's Cedric Pioline reacts during his match with Gustavo Kuerton of Brazil. Piolione won three tiebreakers. dropped his racket, raised his arms in triumph for his opponent, then walked to Pioline's side of the net to congratulate the Frenchman. As his made his way back to his side of the court, Kuerten continued to applaud the shot. REED HOFFMANN staff photographer What pressure Rochester's Scott Schweitzer, right, says the Rhinos thrive when their backs are against the wall.

Last year's quick strikes Rochester took 1-0 leads early four times in winning six straight playoff matches last year en route to the A-League championship. Opponent time of goal scorer Charleston 23rd min. Allnutt Montreal 16th min. Tilley Hershey 3rd minute Glenn Sabres in town Sabres Nighthawk Menace 174" Chaos New Danger Zone Reg $210 tlCQS hinium nulled 103 AMF WHIPLASH SQQ95 again. The Rhinos are an impressive 11-3 when Restrepo has filled in for Demmin or Schweitzer, including 3-o in the Open Cup.

"The championship goes through them still," Staten Island coach Adrian Gaitan said of the Rhinos. "I don't think anybody's up to par with them. That said, if they don't come to play they're going to lose like anybody else." And Rochester needs to ratchet up the intensity from the start. They know that the longer the match stays scoreless, the better it is for Lehigh Valley. Both teams have 2-1 records in shootout.

The winner advances to the Eastern Conference semifinals against the winner of tomorrow's No. 5 Pittsburgh at No. 4 Long Island match. billed WHIPLASH PEARLS Re. $200 Superior Quality Drilling at the oesi rrites in lown: SCORING CP GS SH A Pis 28 26 35 8 4 20 21 14 31 3 4 10 27 25 54 5 5 15 25 25 57 6 2 14 12 11 32 6 2 14 28 23 20 3 5 11 23 19 9 2 5 9 27 21 17 4 1 9 10 4 20 3 0 6 24 18 20 1 1 3 21 21 11 1 1 3 6 6 12 1 1 3 20 8 13 0 3 3 22 20 4 0 2 2 21 20 3 0 0 0 14 11 3 0 0 0 14 8 2 0 0 0 3 3 5 0 0 0 15 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 28 28 354 47 38132 Mauro Biello Doug Miller Darren Tilley YanAllnutt Jimmy Glenn Michael Kirmse Tommy Tanner Nate Daligcon Paul Young Bill Sedgewick Scott Schweitzer Lenin Steenkamp Carlos Zavala Tim Hardy Craig Demmin Andrew Restrepo Mali Walton Rob Smith-Kirk Dietrich John Smith' Daniel Hetnck Pat Mulcahy Joe Mercik Track Contender $16995 Accesssories 3-Ball Bags Double Bags '19 Single Bags Men's Rocky Shoes 2Z Ladies Raquel Shoes 20" "He would have said he wanted to win another Hart Trophy (as NIIL MT), another Vczina (Trophy as the best goalie) and the Stanley Cup.

There's always something to stive for." While awards were heaped upon Biron last season, he knows the dangers of carrying the trophies and plaques with him. In 1994-95 he was named the Canadian Hockey League's goalie of the year. Two years later, he was traded by his junior team and sat on the bench much of the time. "I had trouble finding my game and I learned awards and stuff are just on paper, that all the time you have to show more," Biron said. "You raise the standard for yourself." Regardless of who serves as Hasek's backup, they're going to do a lot of sitting on the bench and watching.

Which would be fine with Biron. "I want to stay in the NHL and I want to learn by watching the best in the world," he said. "We're always talking about being in the shooting lane and reading the play. Dom is reading the play before it's being made, he's beating that pass before it's even going across. "If he gets out of position, he battles to the end to make that save.

People are always saying, 'How'd he make that and it's because he battles until the very end, he never gives up. He has this great ability of The Sabres bring training camp to the ESL Sports Centre at 1 0 this morning, and they won't leave until after tomorrow night's 7:35 NHL exhibition game against the Boston Bruins at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. Today's practice session is free. Tickets for the game are $19, $14 and $11. The Amerks will have an open house tomorrow at the War Memorial from 10 a.m to 3 p.m., where new season ticket holders can select their seats.

Tickets for the 2000 AHL All-Star Classic also go on sale tomorrow. Prices range from $20 to $40 and include the Jan. 1 6 skills competition and Jan. 1 7 All-Star Game. reading the game but it's not because he was born with it, it's because he worked hard at it." Biron is learning that work ethic.

When the Amerks had video sessions on their forechecking system or the power play, they were sometimes optional for the goalie. Biron made them mandatory. "You want to pick up on what your team is doing," Biron said. "I always want to know what's going on with the power play because chances are, the other team is doing the same thing against us." lwlled Ret. FROM PAGE ID open the exhibition season with a 7:35 p.m.

game against the Boston Bruins at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. Since Hasek still has another week or so of recovery time from groin muscle surgery in August, Biron and Dwayne Roloson are expected to split time in goal. Roloson was Hasek's backup last season, signing a two-year contract in the summer of 1998. While he was basically a practice goalie, Biron was earning aU-every-thing honors in the American Hockey League. He went 36-13-3 for the Rochester Americans, posting the league's best goals-against average (2.07) and save percentage He also passed Hall of Famer Gerry Cheevers for second on the Amerks career shutout list at 11.

In the Calder Cup playoffs, he was just as impressive, going 12-8-0 while again posting the best GAA (2.16) and save percentage So what else does he have to prove? "A lot of people are asking that now," the 22-year-old Biron said, "and I just asked them what would Dom have said if they asked him two or three years ago what he had to prove to the league. 1:1.1. H-idfim raw Total! To hear more words like these, give us a call. Now Get Clear Wireless Calling Regardless of Your Credit History! Stop Paying High Prepaid Rates Today. GOALKEEPERS GPGS MINGA ISO SV GAA PatOnstad 21 21 1878 1 3 1 6 5 1 0 6 2 0.62 Billy Andracki 8 7 690 7 6 1 2 23 0.91 Rett Thompson 00 00000 0 0.00 Carmine Isacco 00 00000 0000 Totals 28 282568 20 22 6 12 8S.70 TEAM STATISTICS CK CKS PK PKS SHT OFF FL YL RO Rhino 149 A 1 1 354 119 371 48 3 Opponent! 117 NA 2 1 281 54 430 59 4 Key: GP games played; GS games started: CK corner kick; CKS corner kttks score; PK penalty kicks; PKS penalty kicks scored; goals; A CU ht.

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