Daily Record from Morristown, New Jersey • Page 40

D6 Sunday Dairy Record, July 27, 1975 Johnson Makes Giants Optimistic -f'Y W. Optimism is cheap. Happiness costs. You can't fake it. So, when you say there's a lot of optimism around the New York Giant training camp facilities at Pace University this year, it has to be taken with a grain of salt.

It doesn't mean much yet. But happiness is another thing. It does exist. You can see it on the faces of the coaching staff as the players go through the very strenuous sessions Bill Arnsparger has planned for them. 4 if By Dan a stella no SJ.

ft 1 But he remained a Giant. "I'm not surprised I'm still here," he said. "You don't trade running backs every day." About last year, Johnson said he was sorry it ever existed. "I'd like to wipe 1974 away completely," he said. "It was just a total lack of communication.

The strike didn't help. Because of it, we never got a chance to get to know each other. "It's very important to get to know and get to mesh with the coaching staff. Everything that happened, happened under stress. In hindsight, I'm sorry it happened but you do things and you say things at the moment.

"It's just like a guy going down an alley and being jumped by five guys. You know you can't beat them but you're going to try like hell." Johnson came in to camp this time in great shape and immediately impressed everyone by bench, pressing 325 and finishing second to Leon McQuay in the 40-yard sprint. "I felt I really had to impress people again," he explained. "After two years under 1,000 yards, it's like I'm starting all over again. I'd just like to have the best year I could possibly have, to prove to myself I can still do it." If he does, you can bet the Giants will be better than a two-victory team "With the strike last year, everybody was preoccupied with so many things," Johnson said.

"We never had a chance to learn a new coaching "This is a big challenge year for us. We know we're better than a two-victory team and everybody has come back much improved. We'll have Morton from the beginning, a lot of good rookies and depthy all over." And a healthy and happy Ron Johnson. GIANT STEPS it's far too early for predictions but here are a few after watching the Giants' first week of practice plus points go to John Men- denhall, Brian Kelley, Pete Athas and rookies Marsh White and Al Simpson Spider Lockhart is in trouble if he hopes to start this year Jim Pietrzak (DT) and Karl Chandler (C) are good shots to beat out veterans for starting spots former first round draft choices Eldridge Small and Larry Jacobson will have difficulty making the team same is true for 12-year veteran place kicker Pete Gogolak. -V 4 You can see it mostly on Arnsparger's face when he watches Ron Johnson, the new Ron Johnson, if you will.

As much as Craig Morton means to the team, as much as John Hicks, Al Simpson, Bob Tucker and John Mendenhall mean to the team, Johnson means just a little bit more. Last year, Johnson wasn't happy. The team suffered. The two-time runner has vowed it won't happen again. "I didn't do anything to help the team and I didn't do anything for myself," Johnson said very seriously this week.

"It didn't do a bit of good to say some of the things I said." To refresh the memory a bit, you'll recall that Johnson came to camp after the strike with a hamstring pull. Doug Kotar was discovered and got hot. When Johnson was healthy, Arnsparger had him work at both halfback and fullback so Kotar could continue to get work. Johnson didn't care for the shuffling, became very frustrated, got into a fight with Brian Kelley and injured his thumb. Wanting to play desperately, he came back and sprained his ankle.

After that, Arnsparger practically forgot about him for the re- mainder of the season. Johnson still claimed he wanted to play but the coach didn't want to risk it. They clashed and rumors started floating about a trade. When questioned directly about that possibility last year, Johnson didn't deny that he'd rather play elsewhere. XV "Nl Tin i hi i -ffir-" -i mi i in ii i-r tmma Bring back good old days Ron Johnson, when at his best, runs by Miami's Dick Anderson College All-Stars Await Steelers i CHICAGO (AP) The AllStar football game, sidelined last year because of the National Football League players' strike, makes a comeback amid pomp and pageantry Friday ght in Soldier Field.

A squad of 55 collegians, inclading 21 players who were first round picks in the NFL draft, will challenge the champion Pittsburgh Steelers, 16-6 victors over the Minnesota Vikings in the Super Bowl last January. John McKay of Southern Calif or who two years ago was criticized for his "country, club" camp, agan will direct the collegians. And once again McKay has run alight camp, with only one-a-day workouts and limited physical contact. In recent years the All-Stars held controled ecrimmages against the Chicago BEARS, BUT McKay even ruled that out this year. We're not going to scrimmage the Bears," said McKay, who also ruled out a meeting with the Bears two years ago.

"We're getting ready to play the Steelers, not the Bears. If the Bears want to play us, let them get into the game." in preparations two years ago, pro scouts were aghast as McKay put the All-Stars through one-a-day workouts and held contact to aminimum. He silenced his critics as the All-Stars put up on impressive performancebefore bowing to the Miami Dolphins 14-3. Larry Csonka scored touchdowns in the first and fourth quarters, but in between the collegians outplayed their pro counter PARTS. McKay is going through the same routine this time around.

"One practice a day is all I can stand," he sad. In addition to the 21 first round draft picks, the ALL Stars have 11 members who were picked in the second round and 10 in the third. McKay said the 1975 squad "looks good" but it doeen't haveas many "name players as we had two years ago. That team probably had more guys become regulars in their first year in the NFL than a other All-Star team." said McKay. "The linebacking corps has done well.

The secondary had its problems but started coming alo 9 The quarterbacks and receivershave done well." Steve Bartkowski -of California and Steve Joachim of Temple are the quarterbacks with Bartkowski, Atlanta's No. 1 pick and the first player choeen in the draft, probably getting thestarting assignment. 3Larry Burton of Purdue, Emmett Edwards of Kansas and of Notre DAME ARE AMONG THE WIDE RECEIVERS. "You can't win without a running game," said McKay, who has some of the nation's premier runners in Walter Payton of Jackson State, Louis Carter of Maryland, Don Hardeman of Texas Stan Winfrey of Arkansas State and Harold Henson of Ohio State. McKay has stressed defense in his camp.

"Thething about this game is that if you play good defense, slow the other team down, you have a chance to win. But you can't do that if you do play good defense." The All-Stars are 17-point underdogs against the Steelers in the game which will begin at 9:30 p.m., EDT, and will be televised nationally by ABC. The game always has been televised locally but the sponsoring Chicago Tribune Charities this year announced it will riot be on local television unless is is sold out 72 hours in advance. TheAll-Stars have not won since 1963, when a team coached by Otto GRAHAM DEfeated the Green Bay Packers 20-17. The professionals lead the series 29-9-2.

While McKay concedee, "This game was not designed for the collegians to win because we'll be playing the game by professional rules and it will be a group of veterans against a squad that has just been assembled," he seee some hope. McKay likes the looks of his linemen, both on offense and defense. Randy White, a defensive lineman from Maryland who was drafted No. 1 by the Dallas Cowboys, "hae impressed the coaching staff," Steve Bartkowski starting QB By Bob Dixon Does Hall Of Fame Inducts Lavelli, Moore, Brown Run, Lou, Run 00 ture. Speed is used throughout the game and it becomes automatic, where there's no thinking process involved." Such intensive thought into the matter has Piccone nallv.

been rewarding for Piccone, who switched takes to running back HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. Lou Piccone doesn't know how to slow down but he has learned the process of speeding up. Piccone, an enthusiastic second-year man with the Jets out of Vineland, N.J., last season filled in as a wide receiver and excelled as a return specialist. And now he's adding more, as the Jets plan to also work him in as a running back, the position he played at little West Liberty State College. This isn't surprising, and for two reasons.

One, Piccone has the quickness and speed to make it at any position this side of defensive tackle college, they needed me at tight end, and who's ever heard of a 5-foot-8V2 tight and two, he's also got the necessary desire. "Personally, I feel I'm a total football player," he said. "And I'm a team man. I'll do anything to win. If they need me as a running back, I'll do it.

"I'd feel comfortable at running back and I can do it. It's just a matter of getting down to learning it." to wide receiver after college because he didn't think anyone would be interested in a small running back from a small school. He had to wait it out for two years, laboring in the minor leagues with the Youngstown Hard-hats and Bridgeport Jets, but finally signed with New York as a free agent last year'and gave the team's specialty units a lift with his inspired play. He was especially valuable as a kick return-man, bringing back 39 for 961 yards and leading the National Football League with both figures. His 24.6 average was third best in Jet history and the finest since 1966.

He's worked hard to get where he's at. "Football right now is my living, and it's foremost in my mind," he said. "Physically, I want to keep my body groomed and that makes football a 12-month-a-year job. body could take the ball away from him once he got his hands on it." Brown was responsible for switching Lavelli from halfback to end when he coached at Ohio State and later when forming the Browns. Roosevelt Brown, only the second pure offensive lineman to make the hall, was the 27th-round draft choice of the New York Giants in 1953.

Even so, the Morgan State product was not worried. "I wasn't scared about being cut," said the 6-foot-3, 245-pound Brown, "because I thought once they signed me that meant I had made the team." Brown, who will be presented by former Morgan State assistant Coach Talmadge Hill, became a fixture at offensive right tackle for 13 New York seasons. He was an all-National Football League selection eight times. Connor, at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, is one of the pro game's most versatile performers. With the Chicago Bears, the Notre Dame product was equally adept at playing offense as defense.

Testimony was his selection at three all-NFL positions, offensive tackle, defensive tackle and linebacker, in his eight seasons. George Halas, his coach with the Bears, will induct Connor. "We set high standards for him as a player," Halas said. "He exceeded them. He parlayed leadership, intelligence and fine ability into one of the great careers." CANTON, Ohio (AP) Dante Lavelli, Lenny Moore, George Connor and Roosevelt Brown, all with to-riches stories, reach football immortality Saturday.

The four former playing greats will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, pushing the shrine's total to 85. Two hours later, at 4 p.m. EDT, the Cincinnati Bengals play the Washington Redskins in a preseason game in nearby Fawcett Stadium, which will be televised nationally by ABC. A year ago, the festivities were overshadowed by pickets of the striking National Football League Players-Association. They, in turn, were picketed by oldtime players, demanding a share of the pension fund.

No such problems are expected this year. Lavelli, an Ohio State University dropout, was considered the fifth right end when he reported to the Cleveland Browns in 1946. But he easily beat all competitors, becoming an Ail-American Football Conference all-star as a rookie with 40 catches for 843 yards. Teaming with Hall of Famer Otto Graham, the 6-foot, 199-pound Lavelli hauled in 386 passes for 6,488 yards and 62 touchdowns in his 11 seasons. Cincinnati Coach Paul Brown, who will take part in the ceremonies, said, "I think Dante had the strongest hands I've ever seen.

No And learning something as concrete as the "Everyone is given a certain amount of speed, but then there's technique and form. You have to project your body to cover the most distance in the least amount of time. You have to analyze what to do to improve your speed, It's a science. "I think anyone can improve his speed. It takes concentration until it becomes second na Jets' system for running backs should be a snap compared to what it took for Piccone to learn something as vague as how to run faster.

"I've developed my speed and have had to work at it very hard," said Piccone, who, when flying at his best, can hit 4.3 in the 40-yard dash. "I'm not a football fanatic and think about it all the time, but I am big on conditioning and I want to keep my tools sharp, like a carpenter would. If Piccone takes on any more jobs with the Jets, he just might end up doing that. The Week In Sports Thursday, July 31 BASEBALL Morris Major League Hanover at Parsippany Route 10 at Iron Area Sparta at Mendham Jefferson at Boonton Newto at N.J. National Saturday, Aug.

2 BASEBALL Morris Major League Madison A at Newton N.J. Nationals at Madison Sparta at Hanover Boonton at Madison A Parsippany at Morristown Tuesday, July 29 Morris Major League Jefferson at Parsippany Newton at Madison Route 10 Reds at N.J. Nationals Boonton at Sparta Wednesday, July 30 BASEBALL Morris Major League Mountain Lakes at Parsippany Sunday, July 27 BASEBALL Morris Major League Mtndham at Newton, p.m. Morris-Somerset League Bernardsville at Gladpack Madison at Chester Sr. Babe Ruth Championship AtMendham Borough Park Monday, July 28 BASEBALL Morris Major League.