The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland • 23

THE SUN SECTION Tcrps win Maryland women defeat UMBC, 95-39, in the Maryland Invitation. 3C FRIDAY DECEMBER 29, 1989 For Colorado's Hagan, success follows sorrow Even now, late Aunese is leading his teammates Orange Bowl JOHN EISENBERG By Don Markus Sun Staff Correspondent MIAMI Tragedies and triumphs have weaved a pattern throughout Darian Hagan's life. And, in part, they are why he and the top-ranked University of Colorado football team are here preparing to play Notre Dame in the Federal Express Orange Bowl Classic for the national championship Monday night. The tragedies the deaths of a relative, a friend and a teammate during the past five years have enabled Hagan to mature both on and off the field. The triumphs an 1 1 -0 record this year have put the Buffaloes and their sophomore quarterback In the game's white-hot spotlight.

ft XCZWA -V i 1 had cancer. He was Colorado's star quarterback, a 21 -year-old Califor-nlan with, as one assistant coach later put it, "the rarest kind of real See EISENBERG, 6C, Col. 4 ASSOCIATED PRESS Colorado quarterback Darian Hagan (left) says he has matured since the deaths of three people close to him in the past five years. is imMmm wj 7 Y'" i n--, m. ana i rim -i riTflTi-n imr-wmfetmmm cnrnwrr i A --mnirriin niniii -mr' i.timi, irm.nn MIAMI The news broke during spring vacation, when the University of Colorado campus was mostly deserted.

Some players were at home or visiting friends. Others were on the beach or the ski slopes. Their coaches got on the phone and tried to prevent them from hearing about It on television. They did not always succeed. "I was back home in Detroit watching cable one morning," said Charles Johnson, a backup quarterback on the football team, "and they ran a little line of news across the bottom of the screen: 'Colorado quarterback diagnosed with Then it was gone, just like that, no explanation.

I Just sat there stunned. I thought maybe I hadn't seen it. Then the phone rang. It was coach." The news was true. Sal Aunese MIKE LITTWIH To end, Martin never escaped controversy Billy Martin does not, even now, rest in peace.

There is tragedy there, and irony, too. If Martin ever sought solitude, he never found it. He died a violent death at the foot of his home in upstate New York, where he had moved a year ago. It was a country retreat, a 148-acre farm, far removed from the too-public violence of his life. This was where the circus would end and where he could start anew.

But Martin died Monday on an icy road as a passenger in his own pickup, driven by a close friend who has been charged with driving while Intoxicated. That the friend owned a bar in Detroit has been well-noted. So, too, that Martin, a high-wire act to the end, was not wearing a seat belt. A New York county prosecutor has asked for an autopsy to determine the precise cause of death. In accordance with the wishes of Martin's wife, however, the coroner has refused, noting that Martin was.

In this case, a victim a choice, and perhaps apt, word. And so It goes for Martin, controversy following him to the grave. He was the dark side of sport. He was the driven man, who needed beyond all reason to succeed. And what drove him was rage.

It was anger that made him pull a Reggie Jackson off the field or punch his own pitcher in the face. Anger and usually drink. He was angry at the world, and his anger, along with the drink, would prove his downfall. Amateur psychologists will line up to tell us of the father who deserted Martin as an Infant and the scars it left on him. We know for sure only that there were scars, deep and ugly and too often made public.

If he sought solace in drink, he never found it there, either. He was dangerous In a bar, to himself and to others. We can only guess he was an angry drunk. His long police blotter, which extended, of course, to Baltimore, tells us as much. By the end, he had become a caricature of himself.

It was only a year ago when Martin, then 60, would describe himself as Billy the Kid. with loaded six-shooters, we could See LITTWIN, 15C. Col. 4 SPORTS INSIDE College football: Duke loses to Texas Tech, 49-21 in the All-American Bowl, and Mississippi beats Air Force, 42-29, in the Liberty Bowl. 8C Horse racing: Meetings have been scheduled today at Charles Town and Laurel in attempts to avert interruptions in racing at both tracks.

14C Index TV 9C NFL 13C NBA 10-1 1C Horses 14C 12C, Hockey 15C y- Colorado (1 1 -0) vs. Notre Dame (11-1) Monday, 8 p.m. Chs. 2, 4 "He had a good spring practice, and we thought he'd grow into the position, but we didn't think he'd come this far this fast," offensive coordinator Gerry DINardo said of Hagan yesterday. "The one thing you can't predict is his attitude, his competitiveness.

I think a lot has to do what has happened to Darian over the past couple of years." See ORANGE BOWL, 6C, Col. 1 Holtz praises Colorado. 6C Blast wins, 5-1, for split on road trip Sidekicks' Tatu held in check in victory By Terry Bigham Special to The Sun DALLAS In their first two meetings this season, Tatu was the difference, as the Dallas Sidekicks won twice. But defender Bruce Savage held the league's leading scorer to a single goal last night, as the Baltimore Blast ended a two-game losing streak with a 5-1 victory over the Sidekicks before 9,035 at Reunion Arena. The victory was the first in three meetings against the Sidekicks this season and was only Dallas' second home defeat of the year.

The Blast, splitting a two-game road trip, returns to Baltimore tomorrow to begin three-game homestand. "It was our best performance of the season," Blast coach Kenny Cooper said. "It hasn't been going well for us, and to lose a third game to Dallas would have been tough." Baltimore scored all the goals it would need in the first eight minutes. The Blast, coming off a 6-3 loss in Wichita on Wednesday, which dropped it from first place, jumped to a 1-0 lead 12 seconds into the game. David Byrne's kickoff into the corner bounced to Mike Reynolds at the top of the penalty area, and Reynolds beat Sidekicks goalie Joe Papaleo with a high shot for his third goal of the season.

"We all started on one side on the kickoff, then I found myself alone," Reynolds said. "The ball came off the boards with a funny bounce, but I was able to get It over him Papaleo." Billy Ronson, whose five-game point streak was stopped in Wichita, extended the lead midway through the opening quarter, scoring on a fast break with an assist from Paul Daugherty. "They expected us to be tired and sit back," Ronson said. "We got the early lead, then we played well defensively as a team." Tatu, who had three goals and two assists in the first two games against the Blast this season, beat Blast goalie Scott Manning with a shot from the right side for his league-leading 22nd goal. The score, with 3:03 remaining in the quarter, pulled the Sidekicks to 2-1, but they would not get any closer.

Manning ended his two-game losing streak by shutting out the Sidekicks the rest of the way. He finished with 15 saves, eight in the second half. "Manning was sensational." Cooper said. "He Just seems to love to play here." See BLAST, 14C, Col. at Miami his "Air Express" offense in Wyoming lasted only one year.

The Cowboys improved from 3-8 to 6-6, finishing with the nation's second-ranked passing offense. Then came Washington State and a chance for Erickson. a native of Everett, to get back home. Adios, Cowboys. Erickson left town quickly, but not before a brick was thrown through a window at his home and his family received death threats.

See SUGAR BOWL, 7C, Col. 1 Dennis Enckson's record. 7C Curry focuses on Miami 7C THE SUNBO RADER An ankle injury that cornerback Eric Allen (21) suffered in the locker room may make it tougher for the Eagles to stalk their playoff rivals. Eagles may pay for injured Allen's clowning The Rams have the receivers to do it. too, with Henry Ellard.

Flipper Anderson and Aaron Cox. Ellard made the Pro Bowl, catching 70 passes for 1,382 yards, and Anderson set a single-game, league record against New Orleans with 336 receiving yards when Ellard was ailing. Eagles defensive coordinator Jeff Fisher said. There's no question in anybody's mind that if No. 42 Everett) is in the game, they're going to test him early." All this leaves Ryan, who usually is quick to criticize his players.

In the unusual position of defending Everett. He apparently doesn't want to See EAGLES, 13C.Col. 1 Wild-card tickets not such a hot item. 13C Chiefs' Thomas gets defensive rookie award. 13C By Vito Stellino A bit of Ill-timed locker-room horseplay might make it difficult for the Philadelphia Eagles to jockey for position In the National Football League playoffs.

Cornerback Eric Allen, who this year was voted to the Pro Bowl in his second season, suffered an injured ankle roughhousing with teammate Sammy Lilly on Dec. 9, the day before the Eagles' second meeting with the Dallas Cowboys. Allen was fined half a game check by coach Buddy Ryan and has played sparingly since. During the team's practices at the Atlanta Falcons complex in Suwanee, this week, he has had trouble pushing off on the ankle. Coach Buddy Ryan said yesterday that if Allen isn't 100 percent, he won't play.

He wasn't able to finish yesterday's practice and Is listed as ques tionable for the game. That means the Eagles are likely to go with second-year player Eric Everett in Allen's spot In the National Football Conference wild-card game against the Los Angeles Rams Sunday at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Everett did not distinguish himself in the Eagles' 30-20 loss to the New Orleans Saints that cost the Eagles the NFC Eastern Division title. Everett was beaten by Eric Martin on what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown and was called for interference In the end zone to set up an Insurance touchdown. With Allen out.

Izel Jenkins, also a second-year pro and In his first season as a starting cornerback, becomes the team's veteran at the position. The Eagles said they know that If Everett has to play, the Rams will go after him. Vagabond Erickson alters script, but Sugar Bowl show goes on been spoiled over the years. If we win the national championship, they'll be asking us to do the same thing next year. "I admire Jimmy Johnson for the way he built this program," Erickson said.

"We were left with a great program. The goal of our coaching staff was to maintain that level of winning. You don't know how glad I feel to be here In this situation." This has been a new role for Erickson. Since 1982. he has been head coach at Idaho (1982-85).

Wyoming (1986) and Washington State (1987-88). Each time, he was hired to rebuild. And so he did, compiling a 50-31-1 all the schools, even though The new man In charge is coach Dennis Erickson, 42, an amiable fellow with a boyish grin and a head full of gray hair, who replaced Jimmy Johnson at Miami last March after Johnson left to coach the Dallas Cowboys. Some of the gray, Erickson said, comes from being measured against Johnson's legacy of the last three seasons. His teams were 34-2.

They were either No. 1 or No. 2 In the final rankings. And they won a national championship in 1987. But Erickson Is on target.

Even though Miami (10-1) Is not unbeaten and the loss was to Florida State, the Hurricanes beat Notre Dame (and are In the running for the By Mike Preston Sun Staff Correspondent NEW ORLEANS University of Miami players were given a police escort Into New Orleans Wednesday morning. As they filed off the bus. an observer expressed disappointment because the Hurricanes were not dressed In battle fatigues, as they have done at past bowls. They wore designer suits and ties instead. "Hey, what happened to 'The said the onlooker to Miami wide receiver Randal Thrill" Hill.

Hill, cautiously looking around, said, "Baby, we still style and profile, but it's more on the field now. "The Show' Has got a new director." Alabama (10-1) vs. Miami (10-1) Monday, 8:30 p.m. Chs. 13,7 national championship.

If No. 4 Notre Dame upsets No. 1 Colorado In the Federal Express Orange Bowl Classic New Year's Day and No. 2 Miami beats No. T.Alabama (10-1) in the Sugar Bowl, the Hurricanes are likely to end the season as the nation's top-ranked team.

Does it end the pressure? "1 don't think so," Erickson said yesterday "At Miami, the fans have.