Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • 33

top Grtnnt Saturday. December 25, 1976 Section 2 Purdues Bierking is runnerup Lytle mamedl Big 1 MV TED Honor roll These are the MVP selected by the players at each school: OUNOIS-Scott StodweD. senior ttae-'backer. INDIANA Steve Sanders, senior Uae-fcacker. IOWA-Batch CaldwelL senior quarterback, and Tom Griae, senior tight A By Roy Darner- LYTLE IS the he hack Ie ever coached," says Bo SchembecMer of Michigan.

SchembecMer isn't the only one who appreciates the many talenta of the atar Wolverine. The aenior tailback-fullback baa been named Most Valuable Player In the Big 10 for the 1976 season. For that honor, Lytle will receive the Silver Football, the coveted trophy awarded annually by The Chicago Tribune. Lytle was at his best when Michigan beat Ohio State 22-0 to earn a tie for the conference title and a trfe to the Rom BowL The (-1, 195-pounder from Fremont, Ohio, rushed for MS yards and acored a touchdown. LYTLE SET a claster of Michigan rushing records this year.

He gained 1,402 yards to break the mark of 1,391 established' by Ron in 1968., He extended his career yardage to 3,250, passing Billy Taylor's standard of 3,072. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry this season, eclipsing the 6.7 of Tommy Har-' man in 1939 and matched by Billy Daley in 1943. Lytle gained his 1,402 yards in 203 carries and his 6.9 average was the best in the nation. He led the Big 10 in rushing with 1,139 yards in 160 attempts' and his average of 7.1 for league games tied i rv presented at halftima of a varsity basketball game. In order to be eligible for the trophy, an athlete must first be nominated by his university.

Lytle is the eighth Wolverine to win Uie Silver Football. The others were Beany Friedman in 1926, Harry Newman in 1932, Harmon to 1940, Bump Elliott fat 1947, Jim Pace in 1957, Bob Timberlake in 1964, and Johnson in 1998. The trophy was awarded for the first time in 1924 to Red Grange of Illinois. In picking Lytle as the best back he's had, Schfmherhler amplified, "He is a great runner, a great blocker, be has great speed, and he catches the ball well He does everything you would want a back to do. I've never had bank who does as many things as he does." Lytle is a true sprinter.

He took fifth in the 60-yard dash in the 1975 conference indoor track meet, zipping the distance in 6.2 seconds. SCHEMBECHLER HAD ataaaed to start Lytle at tailback and Russ Davis at fullback this year but when Davis was hurt prior to the opener, he switched Lytle to fullback and inserted Harlan Huckleby at tailback. Later in the season, the Michigan coach moved Lytle to tailback and brought in Davis at fullback. Whether running or blocking from the Wolverines' I formation, the versatile Lytle was devastating. "I'm kind of a lazy sort," Lytle chuckles when asked about the two positions, "so I enjoy tailback more.

It's not quite as physical as fullback. "At fullback, you're responsible for blocking on every play when you're not carrying the balL And I still like to run the ball." Lytle ran farther than any other man in Michigan's history. MICHIGAN fUb Lytle, senior raa-niag back. MICHIGAN STATE Rich Baes. scalar tailback.

MINNESOTA Dungy, sealer quarterback, NORTHWESTERN JUady Deaa, senior quarterback, OHIO STATE Bob Bradiinski, seaior defensive end. PURDUE Scott Dierking. seaior tailback. WISCONSIN-M i Carroll, senior quarterback. the record set by Purdue's Leroy Keyesv gy of Minnesota.

The panel that voted for MVP' consisted of the league's head coaches, 10 vet-' eran officials, conference Commissioner Wayne Duke, Tribune sports editor Cooper Rollow, and sports writers Bill Jauss and Roy Darner. In the voting by the 24-man two points were awarded for a first-place ballot and one -for a second. WAS a landslide winner in the voting for Most Valuable Player. He picked up a majority of first place votes to easily outdistance Purdue tailback Scott Dierking. After the top two, support from electors went to defensive end Bob Brudzin-ski of Ohio State and quarterbacks Randy Dean of Northwestern and Tony Dun Trftw wt writ by Dm 4 Michigan's Rob Lytle, 1976 Big 10 Most Valuable.

THE SILVER Football customarily is Rob Lytle Christmas is time forgivingkudos, advice, digs- I "Hp1" II ITS TIME FOR Christmas glfU-te friends, sometime-friends, and associ-' Ates In this wacky business of sports. If you dont recognize all the names, don't worry about It. Some of these gifts are nr Nil 'J pretty private, anyhow. But they're all given in the proper spirit whatever it happens to be. Rick Talley 1 And for you, if you're a reader, thanks.

Have a warm and special taeiiiaaa1 Now for the gifts, good and bad, but always appropriate. Here's the list: The folks who sank the well at my dom and guts to move in and transform the Illinois racing industry into the giant it could be. Lee Stern, Chicago Sting a new stadium, with built-in fans. Harry Volkman a sun dial. Jon Kovler, Bulls copy of Fail Without Really Trying, along with a pair of hard-soled shoes.

Jerry Krauss, ex-Bulls a scholarship to De Paul. My son, Scott one All-Star Baseball Game from Cadaco, much like the one I played with 30 years ago. Jimmy the Greek a pipe, abacas, and crystal ball. Bill Veeck a lemon squeezer. Charlie Warner, WMAQ-patience, the first time Jim Piers all throws a ball against the station scoreboard.

Jimmy Rittenberg, Faces a membership card to Billy Goat's. Jack Brickhouse something critical to say about anything maybe Duncan Price, my favorite horse trainer 397 trifectas in succession. Bruce Jenner, decathlon champ a broken front tooth. The Hambtetonlan a fifth beat. Bowie Kuhn-n avocation.

Charlie Finley the freedom to foul up a good thing, any way he sees fit. CHUCK TANNER a trade which new home Limestone cocktails throughout the holiday season. Satty SattwelL Cube-all-beef patties with pickles, colons, bacon, lettuce, mustard, catsup, and memories, all for 65 cents at Wrigley Field. BILLY BEAT a royal flash, with everybody else la the game holding full Arthur Wlrtz Jim Thompson Bob Avellini Jimmy The Greek Chuck Tanner Jim Finks Chicago Jockeys all the horsemeat Jerky they can eat. BOB AVELUNI-faster feet, the ablll-ty to find inside receivers, and somebody to help Walter Payton carry the ball.

My friend, George Casanave snow in Aspen, sunshine at Montrose harbor, and a barber. Walter Payton good health. Hie Nastase Jimmy Connors' mother as an advisor. Jimmy Connors Nastase's psychiatrist as a mother. Watseka, HI.

new grdin elevators, banks, and lumber Chicago another man 'like Richard J. Daley. Howard Cosell a profession. Dr. Renee Richards a tryout with the East German girls swimming team.

THE GUY, JIM THOMPSON the wis boats, wanting to raise. Bill Whlte-the feet to fill the shoes. Arthur and William Wirtz Christmas cards from all the folks who have been robbed over the years at the ticket window, but now don't want to buy any- tire from the ring before the big turkey, George Foreman, knocks him out. Professional hockey a fire to burn all records of franchises, longterm contracts, expansion then the wisdom fo know how to start all over again. Len O'Connor a chance to make a comeback as a sports writer.

Reggie Jackson, Yanks a continuing career in the city which he deserves. Chris Evert somebody else on the Slims' tour who can hit the ball back. My wife, Jane the giant trophy. Jack Pardee Raymond Chester, Jack Lambert, Larry Csonka, and a list of quarterback applicants. Jim Finks a 1977 draft, because it's an arena where be almost always wins.

Gene Cashman a Kentucky Derby winner to follow Preakness champ Elocutionist. Jack Taylor a date with Mary Hart-man. MUHAMMAD ALI a blockbuster movie success, so he can gracefully re would send Rich Gossage, Terry Fors-ter, Willie Stargell, and the downtown Pittsburgh Hilton to the White Sox for Harry Caray. Ed Kelly, Eddie Burke, and other mayoral aspirants a detonating device to destroy Soldier Field instead of renovating it. George Halas Sr 81 years.

Wally Chambers a matching ear ring. Herman Franks something to do with his spare tune. 4 thins at all. WaUy Phillips an answering service. Ed Badger patience.

pblllp K. Wrigley cavities. Bobby Orr the strength to endure the inevitable. A Jl it mtmmmmmmmamuiimKmmKmmmmmA VsaBBBwasBwaaBMBawaBa tmmMi 11 Rems Rcldcrs Vikings Stcsbrs Players Nobody can stop Divight White praise Madden avoids 'war of words' Grant's decision upset with media LONG BEACH, Cal. UPIl-As far as Los Angeles All-Pro Linebacker Isiah Robertson is concerned, the Rams already are in their first Super Bowl.

"I know this Js the year," Robertson said. "I can see It. I can feel it. I know it. Ain't no one stopping us this year.

No one." In their last heavy workout before flying to frigid Minnesota and Sunday's NFC championship game, the Rams emphasized offense here Thursday They were scheduled to leave Friday and, weather permitting, work out at Bloomington Saturday morning in preparation for their showdown with the Vikings. CORNERBACKS Monte Jackson and Rod Perry have 10 and eight interceptions, respectively, this season but they will be facing one of the NFL'sbest quarterbacks in the Vikings' Fran Tarkenton. -1 "Tarkenton is about the tops running his offense," -said Ram secondary Coach Jim Wagstaff. "Of be has the offense to do it a very good runner in Chuck Foreman plus good deep receivers plus Stu Voigt as a abort receiver plus Trkenton's own running and his passing." Punter Rusty Jackson had two punts blocked in the Rams' 14-12 opening playoff win at Dallas last Sunday, "I'M NOT going to get any punts blocked this Coattaned oa page 2, col. 2 BLOOMINGTON, Mian.

tUPI The Minnesota Vt-, kings are thankful that there won't be a white Christmas this year. Viking Coach Bud Grant, preparing his club for its National Conference title game with Los Angeles Sun-" day, checked with the National Weather Service earlier this week and decided to keep his club here rather than move to a warm training site. Many of his players, including star quarterback Fran Tarkenton, feel Grant's decision was a wise one." Despite temperatures in the low teens and strong swirling winds, the Vikings held their third practice of the week Thursday and Tarkenton seemed 'pleased with the turn of events. "STAYING HERE to practice baa been a definite advantage for us;" Tarkenton said. "That's not cause of the cold but because traveling is never an advantage.

It's never a convenience, wears you out The luxury of staying here to practice the past two weeks and not having to travel somewhere to practice is a big plus for us." In recent years, Grant moved his practice sessions to Tulsa, to prepare for the playoffs. "The cold weather doesn't hamper our Grant said. "It's the snow that's the troublemaker. CoflUmttd oa page 4. cl I OAKLAND tUPIWoha Madden sidestepped the furious war of words surrounding this weekend's Ameri.

can Conference championship game and talked about the Pittsburgh Stealers' defense. "That's a tough (question to the' Oakland Raiders coach said when asked if he thought Pittsburgh's "Steel Curtain" defense was the best-ever in the National Football League. "I had eight of them play lor me in the Pro Bowl last year, which is really something. But I'll tell you this, they're good awfully good." THE RAIDERS stormed from behind la the final five minutes to beat the Steelers, 31-28, in the regular season opener this year. Since then, Madden said' be has noticed subtle changes in the defensive alignment.

"They're red-dogging a little more than they used to and they're mixing up their defense a lot more," he said. "They'll use three linemen and, five defensive backs, three linemen and four linebackers, and four linemen and five defensive backs, "All Out mixing can make it rough for the offensive -v PITTSBURGH'S FURIOUS finish after a 1-4 start definitely shows a tightening trend on defense: In losing the four games, the Steelers yielded 99 (Contused ea page 2, eoL 2 PITTSBURGH UPII-Steeler Dwight "Mad Dog" White says lot of fans are going to be disappointed if they expect Pittsburgh's American Football Conference fhtmptwjhip game with the Oakland Raiders Sunday to be a bloodbath. "I think people are expecting to see the Little Big Horn out there," White said, referring to all the publicity this week sumnmding the bloodshed likely to come out of the match between the two rivals. "I think it's going to be a high Intensity game, with some vicious hitting out there," White said. But, he added, "That goes on every week." EACH TEAM, he said, win be ceacentrattng so much on playing football that there wont be time to settle old grudges such as the Stealers' bad feelings about the concussion George Atkinson gave Lynn Swann in their season opener last September.

"They've got too much to lose to worry about fighting," White said. "We've got too much to lose to worry' fighting. I think who ever does the most fighting is probably going to end up the loeer." White said be figures the fans at Oakland Coliseum probably wlH be more bloodthirsty than any of the players. He blames the media for those hot feelings. "I read this book where they referred to them tre- Ceatmned oa page cel..