The Miami News from Miami, Florida • 13

r' euDgjoiQDUDU'v hod cp MIKE WARD and OAN CHRISTENSEN consider playing anyone who is ineligible and jeopardize our entire season." Kathleen Emerson, a clerk in Maryland's registrar's office, told The Miami News that Sileo was listed as a part-time student in 1982. But John Misciagna. Maryland's recruiting coordinator and administrative assistant to the athletic director, said that before Maryland allows its athletes to compete, the registrar's office must certify them as eligible and that Sileo was certified in 1983 based on his status as a full-time student in 1982. "According to the certification people, Dan was full-time then," said Misciagna, the Maryland official who contacted Miami. "If he was part time then there's some discrepancy somewhere." NCAA rules allow college football players five seasons of eligibility, starting when they enroll as full-time students, according U-M '87 to NCAA official Nancy Mitchell.

If Sileo was a full-time student in 1982, last season would have been his last year of athletic eligibility. Reporters for the News could not reach Sileo for comment. U-M officials said they also were unable to find him. Sileo's grandparents in Connecticut, where he lived during high school, have an unlisted phone number. Sileo, now 23, graduated from Stamford Catholic High School in Connecticut in June 1982.

In September, he enrolled at University College an extension campus of the University of Maryland at College Park. Sileo was not eligible to play college football that season because he had less than a 2.0 grade point average in high school, according to Stamford football coach Jack Slavinsky and Scott Criner, the Please see SILEO, 4B A top University of Maryland athletic official has told the University of Miami that U-M football star Dan Sileo began his full-time education at Maryland in 1982 which would make him ineligible for the Hurricanes' upcoming season. But U-M Athletic Director Sam Jankov-ich says the Maryland registrar's office lists Sileo as only a part-time student in 1982, making him still eligible this season. Either way, Sileo will be embroited in controversy. If the Maryland athletic official is right, Sileo is not eligible to play this year and the Hurricanes might later have to forfeit any games in which he plays, according to a spokesman for the NCAA, who only commented on a set of circumstances and not on the people or schools i i involved.

If the Maryland registrar's office is correct. Sileo was ineligible to play for Maryland in 1983 and the Terrapins might have to sacrifice their conference championship that season and refund the money they got for playing in Florida's Citrus Bowl, according to the NCAA. Jankovich said yesterday he plans to allow Sileo to play this season. "We're not going by what the (Maryland) athletic department says," Jankovich said. "We're going by official records, the registrar's records.

All the records we have are proof he was a part-time student and is eligible. He will be on our eligibility list. The University of Miami would never Dan Sileo Section Thursday. August 13. 1987 The Miami News Tom Archdeacon Miami News Columnist Rivera: A player without a country INDIANAPOLIS She had just come back from a visit to Puerto Rico.

It had been a final chance to Chargers threaten to trade Dan Fouts Quarterback Dan Fouts will be traded if he continues to refuse the San Diego Chargers' offer to pay him $1 million to play this year, team owner Alex Spanos said yesterday. Spanos said Fouts, who has two years left on a six-year contract that pays him $750,000 annually, is seeking a $1.2 million deal. Fouts, 36, who has played for the Chargers his entire 15-year career, is second on the all-time NFL passing list, with 40,425 career yards. May the cork be with you share her good fortune at nome before dribbling after her dream. In two weeks she would be joining the Pan American women's basketball team of the United States.

She had been the only one of 154 uninvited players chosen to the 12-member team at the Colorado Springs tryouts. But between the flight from familv to fairv tale, she had made had to comply with its guidelines and that meant a change in citizenship. "How do you change from being American to becoming American?" Rivera said incredulously again yesterday. The cruet absurdity of the proposal unleashed a flood of feelings in her. Anger and frustration soon gave way to shock, heartbreak, and finally, a dull ache that may last for quite some time since the ruling extends to March of 1989.

That would mean Rivera would be excluded from the Olympic Games in Seoul. Korea, next year. "The day I got that letter, I walked out of the office and made it home," Rivera said. "Then I called my mother and just started to cry." As Maria sat in her Miami apartment last night Please see ARCHDEACON. 3B I 'ty 1 figured it was information on when we started practice.

"But then I saw it was certified. They don't use certified mail to send practice schedules. "I knew something was wrong." The news turned her numb. The Amateur Basketball AssociationUSA was taking back its invitation. The group claimed it had to bump her from the team because FIBA, basketball's international governing body, had ruled her ineligible.

Because Rivera had played for the now defunct national team of Puerto Rico, FIBA said she couldn't join the American team. The organization said Maria Archdeacon the stop in Miami. And that's when Maria Rivera got the letter. "I stopped by the athletic offices on campus and they told me I had a letter from Colorado," the University of Miami senior said yesterday. "I just The Sept.

11-13 series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Mets in New York should prove interesting. Howard Johnson has suggested that if he hits another home run against the Cardinals, he would pick his bat up after crossing the plate and take it A- f' --W A study in concentration l-l Oil hold Highsmith, Brown play waiting game ALAIN POUPART Miami Nwi lH I 1 7 1 i x' i I I While Vinny Testaverde keeps preparing for his first NFL season with a huge contract in hand, the University of Miami's other two first-round draft picks are killing time, looking to get back to playing football. As the Houston Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles continued yesterday to get ready for their first exhibition games, Alonzo Highsmith and Jerome Brown were at the University of Miami, working out on their own and watching U-M's freshmen practice. Both former U-M players say they're anxious to end their holdouts.

"I definitely want to get going," said Highsmith, who left U-M as the school's all-time second-leading rusher. "I have so much energy ready to be released. I want to play football." Highsmith said things didn't look good in contract negotiations with the Oilers, while Brown said he may join the Eagles by this weekend. Brown, a first-team All-America defensive tackle a year ago. was the ninth player selected in the first round.

He reportedly is seeking a deal similar to the four-year, contract signed by Detroit Lions first-round choice Reggie Rogers, a defensive end from the University of Washington. Eagles general manager Harry Gamble met for the last two days with Robert Fraley, Brown's agent. Brown said he was hoping to be on hand when the Eagles play the New York Jets Saturday Please see HOLDOUTS. 4B whitey Herzog, who accused HoJo of using cork in his bat. Meantime, Cardinals reliever Bill Dawley, who allowed the home run in question to Johnson 10 days ago, said, "He just might have to get drilled." Steelers romancing the Stone Just how fast is Dwight Stone, the Pittsburgh Steelers' free-agent running back? "Beep-beep speed," Steelers coach Chuck Noll said.

Steelers scout Tom Donahoe timed Stone at 4.38 and 4.44 seconds on grass, which is a 4.3 time on Astroturf. So why wasn't he drafted? Well, he's only 5-11, 185, with narrow shoulders, meaning he will not get much bigger. And he rarely blocked or caught. Still, Stone, who had scoring runs of 34, 38, 40, 46, 55 and 85 yards at Middle Tennessee, could be the breakaway back the Steelers lack. "We were fortunate to get him as a free agent," said Donahoe.

Pass the syrup, please Michigan offensive tackle John "Jumbo" Elliot is so big (6-7 and 310 pounds) and dominating that Wolverines officials have created a new statistic just for him. When Elliot flattens a defender, it's called a "pancake." Elliot had 27 statistical pancakes last season, and he likely had hundreds more of the breakfast variety. Pitt's pet shop boys Nobody ever said University of Pittsburgh defensive linemen Tony Siragusa and Burt Grossman were ordinary not after they started putting mustard on vanilla ice cream. The two also have very unique ideas about what makes ideal house pets. Siragusa owns two alligators while Grossman keeps a seven-foot python around for company.

WACky conference The Western Athletic Conference may be one of the most exciting conferences in college football, albeit one of the least known. For years, the conference was known for Brigham Young and its pass-happy quarterbacks Marc Wilson, Gifford Nielsen, Steve Young, Jim McMahon and Robbie Bosco. Now some of the other schools are gaining a reputation for passing, namely defending WAC champion San Diego State and its quarterback, Todd Santos, and Colorado State, which this year produced a first round pick in the NFL draft in quarterback Kelly Stouffer. Plus, you've got to love a conference with a center from Hawaii named Amosa Amosa. Diehard fans Wyoming athletic director and head football coach Paul Roach has persuaded 15 boosters to buy life-insurance policies that makes Cowboy Joe Boosters Club the beneficiary.

The policies should someday provide the Cowboys' football team with $1 million. Roach hopes to solicit $6 more by the end of the year. "We haven't cashed in on any yet." reports Roach, "but the insurance people tell us that if you have 100 policies, one-and-a-half will reach their demise annually." Cotton Club Southern Cat's All-America linebacker Marcus Cotton says his favorite sports have always been basketball and football. "I like basketball because you can slam dunk," says Cotton. "I like football because you can slam dunk." Nacho, Nacho man An early candidate for the all-name college football team is LSU center Nacho Albergamo.

His given first name is Ignazio, but he likes Nacho. And at 6-2 and 260 pounds, he presumably likes several other delicacies as well. Quote unquote 1 Arkansas football coach Ken Hatfield is a very religious man. "Everything I've ever learned is in the Bible," says Hatfield. "The flexbone offense is in there somewhere." QUote unquote II Frank Layden, the 230-pound coach of the The Miami Newt CdEO LOVETT coaches put 39 first-year players through two practices at Greentree Practice Field yesterday.

Story, 4B. Leon Searcy of Orlando listens to a coach's instructions during the first day of freshman practice at the University of Miami. U-M's Sandusky endures another heartache Dolphins '87 Oolphins notebook, 48 ARMANDO SALGUERO Miami Haws Rcportar This was to have been John Sandusky's finest hour. The celebration and pageantry that will mark the opening of Joe Robbie Stadium and the Miami Dolphins 1987 football schedule Sunday night could easily have been a symbolic salute ta the 7 "Life is too mysterious to try to understand," Sandusky said as his deep voice quivered just a bit. "I've had people I love die slowly and I've had them go unexpectedly.

It all hurts just the same." The pain and the tragedies seem to keep a clear perspective on football for Sandusky. "It's a game," he says. "You have to keep reminding yourself of that. It has put me through school and provided me with my life's work, but it's just a game." The game, it seems, is the tool Sandusky uses to fight the hurt that befalls those who have just lost a loved one. "Every year is a new challenge but it's also a new opportunity to succeed," he said.

"The people I work with here are very supportive. They're more than just people you work with, they're friends that help you in times of need." Dan Sekanovich, Miami's defensive line coach, proved that to Sandusky yesterday offering to drive his fellow coach to the airport late today so that he could attend burial ceremonies. "I may take him up on it," Sandusky said. "Friends like him and their support keep you going in times like this." Lilian Sandusky will be buried tomorrow in Philadelphia. mental surgery, and on Jan.

13, the second phase was completed. The coach was in a wheelchair until March all the time keeping his spirits high in public, but privately wondering if he would indeed have to leave the profession he loves. "I knew that if I didn't have the surgery or if it wasn't a success I would have to retire," Sandusky said. "I knew I couldn't continue doing the job like I was used to. And I didn't want to cheat the Miami Dolphins." So instead, Sandusky cheated the doubters who said he was on his way to becoming crippled and bound to a wheelchair.

"By the grace of God, everything turned out all right with the operation," Sandusky said. "I even danced at my wedding." On June 6, Sandusky married the former Shirley Petti, filling a huge void that had been left by the death of Ruth. "The fact that I had a great marriage my first time made me unafraid of it the second time around," Sandusky said. "I felt that marrying Shirley was the thing that would make my life more complete." Sandusky's life seemed indeed full. Until Tuesday, when Lilian Sandusky, the coach's mother, died.

She would have been 87 years old Aug. 29. years, died after a long illness. The Dolphins were in a dogfight to claim a playoff spot that season so Sandusky somehow put his personal tragedy aside and carped out his duties in a 30-27 victory over New England. Last year, it seemed that age was catching up with Sandusky.

His hips were steadily deteriorating after the countless blows Sandusky had taken as a player. He seemed helpless in his battle to remain active. "I couldn't walk from the coaches' offices to lunch," Sandusky said. "I needed someone to drive me over in a little golf cart. On the practice field I couldn't move from one place to another to do my job like I used to.

"And after four quarters I was just about ready to drop. Every game was a test for me." It would be Sandusky's final season, many observers thought, unless the coach could improve his health. Bi-lat-eral hip replacement surgery did just that. On Jan. 5, Sandusky submitted to the first phase of the largely experi Sandusky Dolphins' elder statesman of the coaching staff.

Instead, it will serve Sandusky as a personal tribute to his mother, who died unexpectedly this week. Sandusky has been an NFL coach 29 years, spending the last 12 seasons as the Dolphins' offensive line coach. In that time he has helped mold Miami's line into one of the best units in the NFL. But the years have not been without heartache for the 61-year-old coach. Two years ago, just one day before the Dolphins' 15th game of the season.

Ruth Sandusky, the coach's wife of 34 NBA Utah Jazz: "If I took this body to India, the -1 t-i le would worship it." peoi 3 From Miami New) wtr service md other source Walter Villa.