Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 21

1 Deaths, 24Monoy, 25 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1987 LINCOLN, NE. JOURNAL 21 i long wait TJFDDfflCTHMM li K'U Cardinal Er Forch eager for his second start at Nebraska celebrate By Ken Hambleton Journal Sport Writer Saturday may not come soon enough for Steve Forch. the Nebraska senior linebacker has to wait until 3:07 p.m. for the nationally televised (ESPN, cable channel 23) kickoff with South Carolina. The waiting is tough.

After four years and two games of playing on the scout teams, mop-up crews and second-string, Forch finally got the starting position he'd always dreamed about last week against Arizona State. Now, he's slated for his second starting role. didn't know I was starting the last game until right before the Wckoff," Forch said. "I was mad about the fact I might not be starting and then I got the job. Now, I cant wait to get my second Forch didn't waste time on the field last week.

He had seven tackles, tipped a pass and then saved Nebraska's 35-28 lead over Arizona State with an interception with 2:38 left in the game. really come around," NU linebacker Coach John Melton said. "He's playing as well as any of our linebackers." The secondary role, playing behind team captain Doug Welniak, was hard on Forch. Tuesday, when we'd come in the locker room to dress, Welniak, who lockers next to me, would have all these to keep them from getting away," he said. The fact the Nebraska defense has given up 73 points in its first three games and is listed 38th nationally in total defense statistics is another source of motivation, Forch said.

"We need bigger plays from our defense, and we need to improve the little things to do that," he said. The challenge of facing the run-and-shoot" offense is special, NU defensive backs Coach George Darlington said. "There were a lot of defensive coaches in the USFL who never figured out how to stop it and they didn't have to worry about quarterbacks like Jim Kel-ley (then of Houston Gamblers) running the option," Darlington said. "With Todd Ellis (South Carolina quarterback), we have to figure out how to stop the added dimension of options and the biggest running back we've faced this year." South Carolina's Harold Green, a 6-2, 215-pound sophomore running back, scored three touchdowns, against Nebraska last year. "Their wingbacks (Sterling Sharpe and Kevin White) are like running backs with wingback abilities.

They can do a lot after they catch the ball," Darlington "So, we can't have our people just sit back and play the receivers, they're going to have to stop the run, the running after the pass and everything else." Probable starters, rosters In Extra Point. Page 4X. messages that be had interviews with four TV stations and three radio "This week, I got my first interviews with the media. It felt good to be recognized," Forch said. "Doug used to Joke with me that he'd let me start in some of the less important games.

That kind of thing just pushed me to try harder. Now, he's pushing me and well both get better because of it." Forch, Welniak and LeRoy Etienne will all need to be their best Saturday, Melton said. "We've got good linebackers, but against South Carolina's run-and-shoot, they're going to be busy. South Carolina throws weil and throws underneath (in linebacker areas) a lot, plus they have a big, strong running back," he said. The run-and-shoot caused the Nebraska defense problems a year ago when the Cornhuskers slipped out of Columbia, S.C, with a 27-24 win.

Comerback Brian Davis, now of the Washington Redskins, said after the game: "It was a panic all day. When the game was over was when my stomach stopped hurting." Forch acknowledged the challenge. "Covering all their passing and running threats gives us a lot to do. We're all going to need an interception or two just I 1 )4 US Forch said he realizes this game may starter was almost impossible and I fi-be more complicated than the first three rally made that after all these years," in terms of assignments. he said.

"I'm sure well have a lot of pass- Tipsters promise everything for a price Ken Hambleton Columnist ST. LOUIS (AP) The St Louis Cardinals did their share of celebrating and champagne-spraying after clinching the National League East title. But the overwhelming emotion was relief. Tm enjoying it all" said reliever Ken Dayley while taking a minute to collect his thoughts after the Cardinals defeated the Montreal Expos 8-2 Thursday night for their third title in six seasons. "But you've got to step back once in a while and take a breather.

"This is a tough business." And it has been a long road to the playoffs for the Cardinals, who endured injuries to catcher Tony Pena, pitcher John Tudor and first baseman Jack Clark to oust the World Champion New York Mets a day before the teams began a season-ending three-game series. Pena suffered a broken left thumb in the third game of the season and missed about two months. Tudor, a 21-game winner for the 1985 National League champions, was out from mid-April to August with a broken leg suffered in a freak dugout injury. Clark, who leads the team with home runs and 106 runs batted in, has been out of the lineup since Sept 9 with an ankle injury and is expected to miss at least Games 1 and 2 of the playoffs against the NL West champion San Francisco Giants. "I think to win, with everything that's happened to us, is amazing to me," Man: ager Whitey Herzog said.

"We've had so many Herzog said he tried to keep an "even keel" despite the problems, and said his easygoing attitude rubbed off on the club. "We've had some hard times," he said. "The Mets talk about' adversity, but we've really had it This year we could have quit several times." Throughout the season, Herzog, who has produced six division champions and one world champion in 15 seasons as a manager at Texas, Kansas City and St Louis, has made all the right moves to cover up the On Thursday, he made perhaps the best one by accident when he was forced to move veteran Dan Driessen from seventh in the 'batting order to the cleanup slot Herzog made the switch when center fielder Willie McGee, who is second on the club with 105 RBI, had to be scratched from the lineup with a jammed finger. Driessen, a 36-year-old veteran of the Cincinnati Reds' "Big Red teams of the 1970s, who was called up from the minor leagues to serve as Clark's stand-in at first base, responded by going 2-for-3 with three RBI "I guess it was just my time," said Driessen, who entered the game with a .218 average. "Lately I had been struggling with the bat "It's a great feeling to help.

I came here to help out" Several players said a crowd of more than 48,000, most of them dressed in red, and waving white towels, inspired them. "It was a fantastic game," outfielder John Morris said. Tm totally ecstatic: right now." "It's everything I thought it would be," pitcher Greg Mathews said. "I dream of days like this. This is great "It's just beginning, though." For the Expos, a team picked by many to finish last in the East, it was the end of a very impressive run for the title.

"We gave it a helluva try," Montreal Manager Buck Rodgers said in a quiet clubhouse. "They (St Louis) won it, they deserve it "Now we have to go after second place. We finished 29 games behind the Mets last year, but we'd like to beat them out this season." Hey buddy, can you loan me $5,000. Ill pay you back as soon as I cash in on Monday. Seriously, youll get your $5,000 and 111 be rich.

I've been promised by Mike Warren. For those who dont know, Warren is the self-proclaimed "name that makes the Vegas bookies quake." -1 Warren is a tipster, an expert in gambling on sports. He offers his expertise to those who want to bet, but want "special" information on which bets to make, in order to make money. Warren is also a self-promoter of the highest rank. For the last three years, I have been receiving weekly mail promotions.

I called the guy's 800 number once for a laugh. It is interesting and always promises profits as well as the moon and come through, do you? You don't think that you and I could become the best tipsters in the world by using an obvious method. Sure, we'd get an 800 number and offer the "Pick of the Week" for $100. Then, to half of the people we say take Nebraska and give 13 points against South Carolina. To the other half, we say take South Carolina.

1 L. We can make good arguments for both sides. 'The ones who win, we call back and offer another special pick for another $500, because they have faith in our. picks. And so on, until we have our own elite inner circle, of very happy people who think we are smart We could send out our own promo-' tional material "Bet with us, Mike Warren considers us some of his' best friends." Well make Vegas quake.

ing. Well stand shoulder to shoulder. We're going to make a fortune. "The reason I'm offering this to you is because of your past friendship," he says. My old pal Mike Warren.

Gee, isnt that nice. He's just trying to help me make a buck. What a guy. It's not often you run into people you've never met willing to help you make $100,000. it turns out that our friendship will cost me $550 if I want to join the inner circle on college games.

If I want pro games, too, then it's $1,100. That sounds pretty steep, but there is the "Board of Directors" that costs $5,000 for college games and $10,000 for the season of pros and colleges. If you and I are going to make $100,000 in the "inner circle," well make millions with the "Board of Directors," that promises "deeper" information from "my top on the scene men." Too good to be true? It's at least as honest as those post- cards that o.fer gifts for visiting a re- sort. "All you have to do is show up and pick up one of the following prizes reserved for you: (a) Cadillac, (b) new house, (c) yacht, (d) pack of gum. i And remember, you cant win the $10,000,000 sweepstakes if you dont mail in the entry form.

It seems likely that the odds of win-, ning with Mike Warren's information -are better than those sweepstakes and free prize offers. Mike Warren even offers to cut our risk." He offers some cheaper services, like the $250 "VIP service" and the $400 "Gold Key," club, but why not get the best? i You don't think that he is going to make a lot of money if his picks don't 1 the stars. The best promotion came recently when a cassette taped message "It's time to enter the inner circle elite," came in the mail "I want lo talk to you friend to friend," Warren says. "I'm projecting enough wins for you to pocket at least $100,000. "Of all my clubs, only the inner circle club members get the games I'm play Thunder'dogs 9 take Bluffs Run by storm Oshkosh home of winners By Gary Svoboda Journal Sports Writer COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa It almost seems Thunderbird Kennel is misnamed.

Make it Thunderdog Kennel and it would fit to a T. The Oshkosh, kennel owned by William Pollard, brought its dogs to the Bluffs Run Greyhound Track in April Since then, the kennel has had a steady stream of "Oshkosh" dogs in the winner's circle The best dogs in the Thunderbird Kennel are Oshkosh Pepper, Oshkosh Wagon and Oshkosh World. The three dogs have been started 61 times at Bluffs Run and have 55 victories, Pepper recently had a 17-race win streak stopped when he got bumped and had to settle for second. Those are the types of numbers which draw the attention of bettors and greyhound fans. But Thunderbird Kennel has a host of good runners.

For instance, Oshkosh Quick has run the fastest 38ths of a mile at Bluffs Run. But Pepper, World and Wagon are grabbing all the headlines with their seemingly never-ending winning dashes to the wire. They are models of conas-tency. Pepper, a 3-year-old, has been started 21 times as of Thursday, with a record of 19 wins, one second and one third. i Pepper's 17-race win streak was the longest at Bluffs Run, and apparently tied the fourth-longest streak on record, according to Bluffs Run officials.

The all-time record of 31 was set by: Joe i Dump in the late 1970s. But it would be hard to say Pepper is the kennel's star, considering the showing by Wagon and World, 2- year-olds from the same litter. World has 20 starts at the Council Bluffs track and 17 victories, a second, a third and a fourth. Wagon has started 20 times withl9 wins and one second. :1 S1 Ironically, Pepper's win streak could be eclipsed by his kennelmate, Wagon, who currently has a 12-race winning streak going into Friday night's special "hot box" race, in which eight of the better dogs at Bluffs Run are matched, 1 So, what produces dogs such as these three? According to Thunderbird Kennel trainer Mark Johnson, "It comes right down to real careful breeding.

Basically everybody trains same way, and while I wouldn't go put here and tell everybody exactly what I feed our dogs, basically everybody feeds the, same, too." It's careful breeding, and a little luck, too, Johnson said. "He (Pollard) could come and breed Wagon's and World's mom and dad again, and not come up with anything nearly as good." Apparently, having a dedicated trainer helps, too. Johnson, a former Air Force veteran and Texas oil field worker, puts in long hours, coming to work at 6 a.m. every day for about four hours of cleaning up, feeding and exercising. On matinee days Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday the morning's activities seldom give Johnson time to go home before the afternoon races begin.

1 GARY SVOBOOVLINCOLN JOURNAL Dog trainer Mark Johnson tends to one of his best dogs, Oshkosh Pepper. 1 More baseball. Page 24. 4 ore NFIj players return: to teams pagsj iiiiil iimiiiB f' NEW YORK (AP) Twenty-seven more striking players returned to their teams Friday, the deadline to still get paid for this week, as NFL owners stuck to their hard-line position of no new talks until the union backs off free agency. That brought to 75 the number of players who have crossed the line since the strike began Sept 22.

There are 1,585 players under union jurisdiction. Eight Cardinals crossed the picket line despite the presence in St Louis of Gene Upshaw, the union's executive director. They included four starters linebacker EJ. Junior, wide receiver J.T. Smith; fullback Earl Ferrell and offensive tackle Lance Smith plus Vai Sikahema, who made the Pro Bowl last year as a kick returner.

They were joined by running bade Derrick McAdoo and two players on injured reserve, linebacker Jeff Paine and wide receiver Adrian McBride, bringing to 13 the number of St Louis players who have returned so far. "It was a selfish move," Upshaw said after meeting with the rest of the Cardinals strikers. "AH they're doing is helping management bust the union." Five Denver Broncos came in, includ ing veteran wide receiver Steve Watson and starting linebacker Jim Ryan. Also joining the replacement team were de-fensiye lineman Walt Bowyer, tight end-running back Bobby Micho and offensive lineman Winford Hood. And in Anaheim, Calif, five Los Angeles Rams checked in, four of them de- See STRIKE on page 23 mm 1 Schools peratwe sponsorship given coo I -V i 'i By Ryly Jane Hambleton Journal Sports Writer Cooperative sponsorship is no longer an abstract theory.

J.The Board of Control for the Nebraska School Activities Association gave Big Springs and Brule unanimous approval Friday for cooperative sponsorship in football and volleyball for the 1988-89 school year. I The Big Springs-Brule application was the only one submitted to the board for its monthly meeting. Applications for football and volleyball can also be made for the Nov. 30 board meeting. "I think this board and our boards of education could see that this is best for the kids," said Brule Superintendent John Frates.

"The thing we like about cooperative sponsorship is that it isnt consolidation. "We can offer more opportunities to our kids and still keep schools in each community." The approval is for one year only. The NSAA classifies schools for a two-year period and the 1988-89 school year is the second of the current classification. Frates and Don Osborn, superintendent at Big Springs, said there is no antee the schools will reapply for cooperative sponsorship but that in all likelihood, they would. They are also considering co-sponsoring other athletic activities, such as basketball and track.

1 cided not to change colors and mascot" Frates said. "We cannot economically afford to buy new uniforms for just one year. When the teams play in Brule, they'll wear Brule uniforms and in Big Springs, they'll wear Big Springs uniforms." Osborn said both communities contributed to the solution of problems in the cooperative sponsorship, i i "Public relations is the most important aspect of this. Little problems become big problems if you don't agree. If you do, they stay little," he said.

"What we are emphasizing is that people view cooperative sponsorship as a challenge and not a threat" "We've been sharing in the classrooms for several years, so I dont think well have any major problems," said Osborn. "This allows us to keep our schools and have viable athletic and academic offerings." Some of the problems facing schools that want to cooperatively sponsor activities include dealing with coaches, uniforms, school, colors, nicknames and cheerleaders. In the Big Springs-Brule co-op, Tim Cooper of Big Springs will be the head football coach and Fred Gleason of Brule will be the bead volleyball coach. The choices were made based on seniority. "Since it is for just one year, we de OAVK) FAHLE80N' UNCOLN JOOHNAL I got it! Lincoln Christian's Kelley Dworak prepares to return against Cedar Bluff's Rhonda Gerrard during ThursJay's match.

The Crusaders won 1 5-3, 1 5-4. City roundup on page 23. --i.