Tyrone Daily Herald from Tyrone, Pennsylvania • Page 5

THE DAILY HERALD, Tyrone, Saturday, December 31, 1994 PAGE: Parcells Lands AP Coach-of-the-Year FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) B1H Parcells has built a team out of a travesty. He's won so much so quickly after taking control of a troubled franchise that he was named The Associated Press coach of the year today in his second season with the New England Patriots. He came with a reputation as shiny as his two Super Bowl rings a solid tactician, a master motivator and a winner. But he says he had to prove himself to his new players.

"They have to know that the coach cares about winning and will not accept losing," Parcells said. "I will not accept it. I might have to put up with it for a while, but I will not accept it." Fans, starved for a successful team, see him as a savior. "I don't know anything about that," defensive end Mike Pitts said. "But I know right now he's the best thing going for this franchise." Two years after going 2-14, their fourth straight losing record, the Patriots are in the playoffs for the first time in eight years.

Their current seven-game winning streak tied the team record. It is a shocking turnaround for a club that was 14-50 in the four seasons before Parcells arrived. It is 14-6 in its last 20 games. Only Dallas, at 16-4, has been better over that regular-season stretch. "I am the most selfish guy on Parcells said.

"I'm going to play the guys that I think give us the best chance at that time against this particular opponent." The Patriots had three coaches and three owners from 1987 through 1992. There were talks about moving them out of the area. Now there is stability under rookie owner Bob Kraft, a local businessman. 'I'm just a guy that has gotten pretty fortunate in his coaching career" with management and players who believed in and supported him, Parcells said. With the Giants, Parcells was 3-12-1 in 1983, his first season.

They were 9-7 to make the playoffs in 1984, and won the Super Bowl after the 1986 season. Parcells won his other AP coach of the year award after the Giants routed the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl. He left because of a heart condition after winning his second Super Bowl, following the 1990 season. "I know something would have happened to me" if he didn't take time off, Parcells said. With the Patriots, he was 5-11 in 1993 and 10-6 this season, which continues Sunday with a playoff game at Cleveland.

Players "just have to trust you and once they do and they see things going positively for them, then you've got a player that's on your Parcells said. He screams at them or pats them on the back, whatever he thinks will work. Knowing how to motivate players "is relatively easy for me," Parcells said, "because I like young athletes. You have something in common with them. It's competition.

They've got dreams ana you have to try to cultivate them and make them come true." 'Tarcells is a very demanding coach, but he's a very fair coach," said defensive end Aaron Jones, who played for Chuck Noll and BUI Cowher at Pittsburgh. "He will never put one player on his team on a pedestal. He treats us all the same." "It only took (Karl) Marx about 700 pages to explain communism, said Steve DeOssie, who played for Parcells with the Giants and Patriots. "I don't think I can give you a capsule summary of Bill Parcells. Woodson Wins Chief Award PITTSBURGH (AP) All-Pro cornerback Rod Woodson is the 1994 winner of The Chief award, presented to the Pittsburgh Steeler who best exemplifies the spirit of cooperation with the media displayed by team founder Art Rooney.

Woodson is the seventh player or team executive honored by the Pittsburgh chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America. Past winners were team president Dan Rooney, Dwayne Woodruff, Merril Hoge, Gerald Williams, Tunch Ilkin and D.J. Johnson. Of the six, only Rooney still is associated with the team. "Hey, I'm not going anywhere, unless they waive me," Woodson said.

"I've still got two years left on my contract." Woodson said the award is meaningful because of the person for whom it is named. "I was here only two years with Mr. Rooney, but he always talked to every player on the team every day, even the players the fans didn't know," Woodson said. "He knew all about them and their families. That means a lot coming from the guy whose name is on the checks.

That exemplified a good man." Lloyd Steeler MVP Osborne Continues Quest For National Championship MIAMI (AP) He is hearing the same question that always seems to pop up this time of the year, and yet there is no pained look in Tom Osborne's expression. Nor is there any change in his flat tone, not even a hint of bitterness or anger or cynicism, as he answers the question yet again. Asked whether he burns inside because he's never won the hods ana-plows straight; ahead. "I've never really felt that way," he says, pausing to add, "I don't think people believe me when I say that. He is one of the most successful college coaches in history, winning at least nine games in all 22 of his seasons at Nebraska.

He has produced more than three dozen Ail-Americans, both on the field and in the classroom. He has a close family, holds a doctorate degree in educational psychology and also played flanker in the NFL, where his roommate was Jack Kemp. At 57, he says he has everything he wants. How then, is it possible for him to be completely content without the one victory that others want so desperately for him? How can he remain so resolute, even when he knows others look at him like Marv Levy, the Buffalo Bills coach whose team never won the big one? "The hardware doesn't mean that much to me," he said mis week. "Oh, mere are probably some people who coulq go out there and be lucky 12 times and kind of fall into it and that would be the end of the world for them," he said.

"But I wouldn't feel very good about that trophy. That may be crazy, but thaf the way I feel. My main satisfaction is mat we play our best every time out" He is a Nebraska native, all right, a product of the plains, where hard work is enough of a reward. He is the very symbol of the inscription on the northwest comer of Memorial Stadium in Lincoln: "Courage; Generosity; Fairness; Honor; In these are the true awards of manly sports." On New Year's night, Osborne HANNA'S GUN SHOP Cherry Hollow Road Tipton, PA 1-8 Daily; 10-5 Sat. We Buy Trade GUNS 684-0357 gets another chance to earn the championship, his way.

The Comhuskers (12-0), having won every game by at least 10 points, play No. 3 Miami in the Orange Bowl. Penn State coach Joe Patemo plans to watch. His Nittany Lions play Oregon the next day in the Rose Bowl, and need a loss by Nebraska to have a chance at the championship. "I don't know if I can bring myself, to root for Miami because Tom Osborne is a good friend of mine and he needs a win down there," Patemo said.

Osborne has been in this position before. Last season, less than two weeks after his mother died, he took an undefeated yet 17-point underdog team into the Orange Bowl and lost to Florida State 18-16 when a 45-yard field goal went wide with one second left. The loss was Nebraska's seventh straight in bowls although, as the Comhuskers point out, four of those defeats came against higher-ranked Florida schools on Florida turf. The Seminoles' victory gave sentimental favorite Bobby Bowden his first national title in 28 yean, and left Osborne as the coach that other coaches wanted to see win one. In the 1984 Orange Bowl, Osbome lost another chance to win the championship when his undefeated team fell 31-30 to Miami.

It was that game that provided the conservative coach with the defining moment of his career. Instead of kicking the extra point that would've clinched the title, Osborne elected to go for 2 after a touchdown with 48 seconds left, but Turner Gill's conversion pass was tipped away by Ken Calhoun. True to his nature, Osborne did not curse, throw his hat or kick over a can when things went wrong. "If I had to do it over again, I'd probably do the same thing. I wasn't really aware that there was any other option," he said this week.

"I thought to win the national championship, you had to win," he said. "It wasn't any act of heroism or of great fortitude." Looking back, he's even able to show some dry wit about the decision. "With ail that we've been harassed about it over the years, maybe we ought'ye kicked the doggone extra point and stuck the trophy in our case and thumped our chest," he said, "but that would be the only reason." He has avoided controversy for the most part, although his decision to start quarterback Tommie Frazier, sidelined since late September because of blood clots in his teg, is sure to be second-guessed. Still, despite a 218-47-3 record and a bowl trip every season he's coached, the questions will continue to come until that one, final victory. "He probably talks about winning and losing less than any other coach in the country," said secondary coach George Darlington, the only member left from Osbome's original staff.

"And he doesn't talk about winning the national championship at Si." His players and staff do, though. "To us, he's the greatest coach in the country," said GUI, now guiding Comhuskers quarterbacks. 'But from a public perception and from a public relations standpoint, we realize that some people think you have to win a national championship to be successful. "For that reason, we'd like to win it for him and dose the book on that" Lions' Collins Tough to Rattle COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) Penn State quarterback Kerry Collins is tough to rattle.

On the field or in a news conference, Collins almost always delivers a well-placed pass or a well- worded answer. He smiles through endless questions on topics ranging from surfing to prime rib to passing. The only thing that throws him is another question about volleyball. "Can we please go on to something else?" he said with a grimace after a reporter brought up the subject for the third time. "It was two years ago." If been more than two years since Collins went up for a spike at a family reunion and came down with a broken finger.

The injury forced him to sit on the sidelines during his sophomore season as Perm State's offense floundered in a 7-5 campaign. "After spring practice two ears ago, I thought Kerry Coins had the chance to be as good as any quarterback we ever had," coach Joe Patemo said. presents Penn State "ROSE BOWL PARTY" 2, The Blue White on a 100" Screen Chasers Famous Pizza, Wings Blue White GO PENN STATE 684-1924 Penn State Defense Used to Patching Up COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) The much-maligned Penn State defense is nowhere near healthy, and the players who will be able to start in the Rose Bowl say they're getting used to the situation. "This is something that's been happening all season," said cor- nerback Brian Miller, one of only four Penn State defenders to start each game.

The defensive backfield is missing two players to knee injuries. Cuff Dingle opened the year at free safety and men was hurt and replaced by Kim Herring, who also injured his knee. Clint Holes, who missed the last four games with a knee injury, will play safety for No. 2 Perm State (11-0) against Oregon alone with Brian King and Jason Collins. "It's definitely going to put more pressure on everyone else," King said.

injuries have plagued tne Nittany Lion defense, it has always done enough to win. "We've had a couple guys go down, but we've had younger guys step up," defensive tackle Vin Stewart said. "We've had guys who have never played positions before come in and step up. I think the defense has held its own." Stewart had knee surgery after last season and missed six games this year with a stress fracture in his foot. The Nittany Lions also lost starting defensive tackle Eric Clair to a similar injury for seven games and he is questionable for the Rose Bowl.

"It's been hard throughout the season when you work with a defensive tackle in practice and men he gets hurt," defensive end Todd Atkins said. "But Vinny is back now and a lot of guys are getting healthy." Atkins hasn't missed a start all year, but he had surgery on his thumb after the regular season finale and will have to wear a cast on his hand during the Rose Bowl. "Every practice you get bumped up a little bit, but everybody who had major injuries except a couple guys who had knee surgery are back," Atkins said. ''Hopefully we'll be near 100 percent by game time." Linebacker Willie Smith said Penn State has to be ready for the rushing attack of No. 12 Oregon (9-3).

"I think they'll come out and try to establish the run before they try to pass the ball," Smith said. The linebackers won't have to compensate for the youngsters and banged-up players on the line and in the backfield, Smith said. "We've played with different units the whole year," he said. "To our credit, people have been able to come in and play well." "We've got kids that are going to have to play hurt," coach Joe Patemo said. "They're not 100 percent, but they're going to nave to play.

"But that's no We've got time to get some of the other kids ready to play and I think they'll play PITTSBURGH (AP) The vote was a mere formality that only supported what seemed glaringly apparent for 17 weeks: Greg Lloyd is the Pittsburgh SteeTers' most valuable player. There were some dissenters among them Lloyd, who was too conscientious to write his own name on his ballot And Rod Woodson voted for linebacker Chad Brown, whom he considers an underappreciated member of a defense loaded with All- Pros. But take away the MVP trophy from Lloyd, the acknowledged overseer and chief havoc- wreaker on possibly the NFL's most dominating, play-making defense? No Steeler was brave enough to do that. "He's made plays all year," Woodson said Thursday. "We needed him to make plays all season, and he did.

Now we need him to make plays in the playoffs." Lloyd is the sixth repeater in the player-only voting since the award was established in 1969, joining Woodson, the only three- time winner; Terry Bradshaw, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth and Louis Lipps. "Ifs a good feeling because any time you're named the MVP by your own teammates, it means something," Lloyd said. "It's the guys you line up and play with every day the guys you spend more time with than you do with your family." Lloyd, one of three Steeler defenders on the AP All-Pro team, most coveted the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award won last year by Woodson. But with Lloyd, Woodson and All-Pro linebacker Kevin Greene splitting the pro-Pittsburgh votes three ways, San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deion Sanders emerged the winner. Lloyd was third despite enjoying what possibly was the best alfWound season by any NFL player not named Steve Young or Barry Sanders.

Lloyd was third on the team in tackles, was second with 10 sacks, made an interception, knocked down eight passes, forced seven fumbles and recovered one. "It would have been nice to win it," Lloyd said. "It would have been two years in a row now (that a Steeler won) and it would have been nice to get a streak going here. What happened was we split the votes up No. 1 defense, so you'd have thought the defensive player of the year would have come from the top defense, but we don't control mat." However, Lloyd refused to argue that style won out over substance, that Sanders was re- warded as much for his showy end-zone dances, rap music vjd- eos and grandiose self- promotion as for his game-to(Sanders) didn't deserve to win.

He's made some Lloyd said. Not just the acknowledged on- field leader of the AFCs top- ranked defense, Lloyd is its most vocal supporter and critic off it. If he feels a Steeler let up or put a teammate in a precarious position by not making a play, he is likely to admonish that player as any assistant coach. And while Sanders makes the highlight shows with his choreographed showmanship, Lloyd is more likely to show up kicking a sideline marker or throwing his helmet, idiosyncrasies that don't endear themselves to awards voters. "Maybe ifs my personality some guys are quiet, I'm he said.

''Even when things are going well, I'm still out mere fussing. I'm still in your face. I'm the guy saying the play was there for you to make, why didn't you make it?" That's why Lloyd disliked sitting out a season-ending 37-34 loss to San Diego, although he would have risked aggravating a knee injury by playing in a mostly meaningless game to Pittsburgh. It's also the same reason why he won't watch this weekend's wild-card playoffs. NFL Player Honorees Named For December NEW YORK (AP) San Francisco's Steve Young, who set a single-season record for passing rating and led the NFL quarterback ratings for the fourth consecutive year, is the NFC's Offensive Player of the Month for December.

Minnesota defensive tackle John Randle of Minnesota and Vikings kicker Fuad Reveiz also were honored in the NFC. New England quarterback Drew Bledsoe, Cleveland safety Eric Turner and San Diego kick returner Andre Coleman were selected in the AFC. Arcaro's Lament MIAMI (AP) Eddie Arcaro, rated the greatest jockey in American turf history, rode five winners of the Kentucky Derby, which tied him with Bill Hartack for most wins. "I should have had eight," Arcaro said in reminiscing. "I was usually on the favorite which meant the other riders frequently took a shot at me." Bowl Games Lineup All EST Saturday, Dtc.

31 Alamo Bowl At San Antonio Baylor (7-4) vs. Washington State (7-4), 8 p.m. (ESPN) Liberty Bowl At Memphis, Tom. Illinois (6-5) vs. East Carolina (7-4), 1 p.m.

(ESPN) Sunday, Jan. 1 Ptach Bowl At Atlanta North Carolina State (8-3) vs. Mississippi State (8-3), 8 p.m. (ESPN) Orange Bowl At Miami Nebraska (12-0) vs. Miami (10-1), 8 p.m.

(NBC) Monday, Jan. 2 Hall of Fame Bowl At Tampa, Fla. Wisconsin (6-4-1) vs. Duke (8-3), 11 a.m. (ESPN) Citrus Bowl At Orlando, Fla.

Ohio State (9-3) vs. Alabama (11-1), 1 p.m. (ABC) Fiesta Bowl At Tempc, Ariz. Colorado (10-1) vs. Notre Dame (6-4-1), 4:30 p.m.

(NBC) Carquest Bowl At Miami South Carolina (6-5) vs. West Virginia (7-5), 1:30 p.m. (CBS) Cotton Bowl At Dallas Texas Tech (6-5) vs. Southern California (7-3-1), 1 p.m. (NBC) Rose Bowl At Pasadena, Calif.

Penn State (11-0) vs. Oregon (9-3), 4:50 p.m. (ABC) Sugar Bowl At New Orleans Florida (10-1-1) vs. Florida State (9-1-1), 8:30 p.m. (ABC) Saturday, Jan.

14 East-West Shrine Classic At Stanford, Calif. East vs. West, 4 p.m. (ESPN) Saturday, Jan. 21 Senior Bowl Mobile, Ala.

North vs. South, 2 p.m. (ESPN) Sunday, Jan. 22 At Honolulu Hula Bowl East vs. West, 8 p.m.

(ESPN).