Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 39

rl Balancing act works for Sexton: FJfJ jjffififtt Tuesday, Oct. 1, 1985 CMMinirrl fG Lansing Sexton High has no superstars, but fc fc TIGER CORNER 5 CL) ILULi Li the Big Reds are 4-0 and ranked No. 2 in Class HORSE RACING 6 L-TdETROIT FREE PRESS A. See prep ratings, Page 2D. San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark.

COMICS 8,9 I Sport8 Phone, 1-976-1313 ZS lS Call with sports news: 222-6660 I Bad hands shake Tigers in '85 I lUincent As U-M climbs in polls, Bo keeps things in focus ANN ARBOR The microphones were live, the lights were glaring on the two men and the camera was rolling. managers. Those players probably haven't fielded well enough this season to win any post-season awards. Among other Tigers who have had disappointing seasons in the field: Kirk Gibson, who has made 1 1 errors, tops among AL outfielders; Tom Brookens, playing mostly as a third baseman, has made 23 errors more than any other AL player at that position; and Evans, who made only two errors last season, has made 19 this season, most of them as a first baseman. Rookie outfielders Nelson Simmons and Alex Sanchez have shown promise as hitters, but have been so erratic in the field that Anderson hesitates to play them regularly at any position other than designated hitter.

"The big problem with bad defense is that you can't clean it up unless you get a different group of players out there," Anderson said. "You think Julio Franco (the Indians' shortstop) makes 40 errors a year by mistake? (Franco led the AL in errors last season with 36 and leads again this season with 37.) "No, sir, he does it because he's got bad hands. And if you've got bad hands, that's not going to change." By GENE GUIDI Free Press Sports Writer Given a choice between a player who can hit well and a player who can field well, Tigers manager Sparky Anderson prefers the one who can "catch the ball." Anderson believes that without good fielding, a team will never win enough games to become a contender. "You can't play bad defense and win consistently," Anderson said. "Oh, you might win 80 or 90 games, but you're not going to win big." That's what happened to the Tigers this season: They played poor defense, did not win consistently, and will finish with 80 to 90 victories.

The Tigers, who made two errors in Sunday's 8-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox, have 1 42 for the season 1 5 more than in 1984. "We weren't a good fielding team last year, and we've gotten worse," Anderson said. THE TIGERS had a .979 fielding percentage in 1984, which put them in a three-way tie with Kansas City and Seattle for sixth best in the American League. But the Tigers led a charmed existence in '84 and fielding never got to be a problem that couldn't be overcome. It was the kind of the year in which Anderson could get away with a third base platoon of Marty Castillo and Darrell Evans for most of the playoffs and World Series and not have either player commit an error.

But this season, the rest of the Tigers' game hasn't been sharp enough to carry poor play in the field. The Tiger's' fielding average has been around .976 all season, and they have alternated with Cleveland as the worst-fielding team in the league. The Tigers' 142 errors is the AL high. "There's really no excuse for that; our guys play on an excellent field, maybe the best in the American League," Anderson said. THREE TIGERS received Gold Gloves for their fielding excellence in 1984: catcher Lance Parrish, second baseman Lou Whitaker and shortstop Alan Trammell.

They also won Gold Gloves in 1983. Also last season, center fielder Chet Lemon was voted the best defensive outfielder by AL Al Ackerman's web was spun and Bo Schembechler was in it. Channel 4's sportscaster leaned toward football coach, a smile curling his lips, and in an I-told-you-so voice, recalled a conversation they'd had before the college football season began. They had talked about the difficulty of the Wolverines first three games, Ackerman recalled, "and you asked me, if you won all three, if I'd rank you No. 1.

"Well, I am ranking you No. 1." Gillette gives "Well, that makes it a good season right now," Schembechler said, putting the accolade in proper perspective. "I've just won the national title." The goal is a bowl It was a sure sign that things are going well in Ann Arbor. In tougher times, Schembechler U-M plenty to kick about seldom has the time or the inclination to joke around. These, though, are unexpectedly good times.

But they are times that Schembechler wants to keep in focus. Three weeks are gone in the 1985 foot ball season. Eight and a bowl trip remain. And already some people are getting carried away. Unbeaten, untied and their goal line still unvio- lated, the Wolverines have captured the fancy of sports writers and sports- casters from coast to coast, a a 11 iu Vi nemoecn.er shrugged them of a month ago.

Then, they were ignored. Without enough reason. Now, they are being called one of the best By TOMMY GEORGE Free Press Sports Writer ANN ARBOR It was his first field goal attempt a 47-yarder in Michigan's season opener against Notre Dame before more than 105,000 fans and a national TV audience. Freshman Mike Gillette was fidgety, but confident. This kick was a gimmee compared to some in his huge front yard on long summer afternoons.

Back then, Gillette booted them from mailbox to mailbox off a tee made from half a Campbell's soup can. Even then he was good. Real good. But this time Gillette hit the ball low, and it sank a foot short of the goalpost. "I thought I might have lost my job," he said Monday before scurrying to practice.

"It was a bad time to miss in a big game like Notre Dame." Gillette would not miss again on his next six attempts. Through three games he is six-of-eight in field goal attempts and eight-of-eight in extra-point conversions, and leads Michigan scorers with 26 points. GIVEN THE WAY Michigan's defense has dominated allowing no scores in its last six quarters and no touchdowns in three victories Gillette's kicking and the defense have nearly been enough to win. "This kid thinks he can do anything," said Michigan coach Bo Schembechler. "He was as competitive at the high school level.

If it hadn't been for his strong mental attitude, he would not be in there." Gillette won the job in fall scrimmages over senior Pat Moons, sophomore Rick Sutkiewicz and freshman Gulam Kham. "He was eight-of-eight in those and hit the ball consistently strong," said U-M kicking coach Alex Agase. "He's had pressure situations in every game and he's come through. No question, he flat-out won the job and that's why See MIKE GILLETTE, Page 5D teams in the nation. Without enough reason.

The wire service polls hadn't been released at mid-day Monday when Schembechler hosted his weekly press luncheon at Weber's Inn. But he knew what to expect. He knew the wins over Notre Dame, South Carolina and Maryland might 2 ytf I 2 hi I 3 catapult U-M into the top five. "And that, I think, is too big a climb," he said. "From 40th to fourth? That's due to being on national television and winning." When the Associated Press poll was released later Monday, U-M was rated seventh.

The United Press International ratings are due today. Schembechler sometimes likes to pretend he doesn't pay much attention to those of us who fawn over college athletes and what they do, but he recognizes the importance of such exercises. He'll tell you he doesn't put much stock in polls and predictions, but he's smart enough to use them as a Free Press Photo bv CLARENCE TABB, JR U-M kicker Mike Gillette: "I was scared, but I took control of that." U-M jumps to 7th; Iowa is No. 1 motivational tool. When the Wolverines were ignored in pre-season polls, you can bet he made This week's AP rankings sure his players were aware of the slight.

Now, they are no longer being ignored. But recognition, he says, has come too soon. He'd prefer to be ranked high in November. More tolerant, to a point Some people think Bo has mellowed in his 17 Record Last week 1. Iowa (35) 3-0-0 ij 2.

Oklahoma (13) 1-0-0 2 3. Southern Methodist (6)2-0-0 6 4. Florida State (1) 4-0-0 4 5. Ohio State 3-0-0 5 6. Oklahoma State (1) 3-0-0 7 7.

Michigan (3) 3-0-0 12 8. Louisiana State 2-0-0 8 9. Penn State 4-0-0 9 10. Arkansas 3-0-0 10 11. Florida 2-0-1 11 12.

Alabama 4-0-0 15 13. Nebraska 2-1-0 16 14. Auburn 2-1-0 1 15. Brigham Young 3-1-0 14 16. Tennessee 1-0-1 17.

Air Force 4-0-0 19 18. Georgia 3-1-0 19. Baylor 3-1-0 20. Texas 2-0-0 years at Michigan, become more tolerant, raised his boiling point, learned to bear with situations and people he would not have endured once upon a mained No. 2 this week, received 13 first-place votes and 1,046 points.

Auburn plummeted to 14th, and Tennessee (No. 16), Georgia 1 8), Baylor 1 9) and Texas (20) made the Top 20 for the first time this season. Dropping out along with Maryland were UCLA, Maryland, Southern California and Virginia. Iowa coach Hayden Fry had pleaded after the Iowa State game: "Don't put us No. 1.

That might be the kiss of death for us." When told of Iowa's new ranking Monday, he chuckled and said: "That's a little bit unbelievable at the University of Iowa. When we came here seven years ago we were in the worst 10. "Seriously, I think it's super-great. I really don't put a lot of value in early-season rankings, but I'd like to see us there at the end of the season. We're honored to be No.

1, and we'll try our best to stay there." The Associated Press Iowa, which once set an NCAA record of 19 consecutive non-winning seasons from 1962-80, is No. 1 in the Associated Press football poll for the first time since 1961. Michigan jumped from 12th to seventh. Michigan (3-0) scored its third straight victory over a nationally ranked team Saturday, beating Maryland, 20-0. Maryland, No.

17 last week, fell out of the Top 20. The Wolverines' first two victories were against Notre Dame and South Carolina, neither of which are ranked this week. The Hawkeyes walloped Iowa State, 57-3, Saturday and vaulted from third place to the top after No. 1 Auburn's 38-20 loss to Tennessee and No. 2 Oklahoma's 13-7 squeaker over Minnesota.

Iowa (3-0) received 35 of 59 first-place votes and 1 1 1 1 of a possible 1,180 points from a nationwide panel of sports writers and sportscasters. Oklahoma, which re time. Maybe. More likely, he's only gotten better at his job, perfected his act. Ackerman is not the only one who knows how to play the game.

Schembechler has learned to turn to his advantage things he used to scorn. First-place votes in parentheses. Like the polls. There was a time he'd build a brick wall around his football team, shutting out praise and criti cism, from fans, alumni and press. So only his He's making a name voice was heard.

Now there are cracks in that wall, calculated cracks, put there by Schembechler to allow just enough criticism and just enough praise to seep through. By JOHNETTE HOWARD That's why he's not delighted we've all climbed Free Press Sports Writer on the Maize 'n' Blue bandwagon so quickly. He's WINDSOR Rookie Joe Dumars I shrugged. The teenage girl who had introduced herself and motioned for his fearful the sound of the press singing the Michigan fight song might filter through those cracks and drown out some of his words of caution autograph also wanted to know, "Will you remember me forever?" It is, though, an irritant he accepts with a smile. "We'd play a lot better football if you people There was a pause.

"iure, i re weren't so nice to us," he said. "That's the kiss of member you forever," Dumars said with a slight smile. "Now what's my name?" Lions graduate to the next four By CURT SYLVESTER Free Press Sports Writer Darryl Rogers is finally ready to face the reality that Green Bay, Washington, San Francisco and Miami are on the Lions' 1985 schedule. Until Monday, he'd been locked in on the first four-game block Atlanta, Dallas, Indianapolis and Tampa Bay. As things turned out, the Lions were not impressive statistically in the first four, but they are 3-1.

"Now that we have perfect 20-20 hindsight vision, we can say we were fortunate to play teams (excluding Dallas) that don't have winning records," Rogers said. "But I don't remember us saying at the start of the season, 'Oh, boy, we get to play these "I thought Atlanta was going to be a good football team; I thought Tampa Bay was going to be a good football team. And I still think they will. For me, being new in the league, it's hard to say we should beat these teams." Now that the Lions are approaching their second four- game block, it might be even more difficult to say it. See LIONS.

Paae 3D death." There wasn't a trace of malice in his eyes or in his voice. "It's when things like this happen, The girl blushed and shrugged back: when people say all those things about how good ing water coolers off the court and carrying drinks to some veteran players. As Dumars says with a grin: "The guys don't let me forget much that I'm a rookie." Even if he doesn't always play like it. THE PISTONS' training camp swung through its fourth day Monday at the University of Windsor too little time for anyone to say whether the soft-spoken Dumars will evolve into a player "to remember forever." But after eight formal workouts and three scrimmages, Pistons' management is confident that Dumars was a smart pick. He may not be able to carry the team not many guards can but he is expected to get some important playing time right away, and put an emphatic end to Detroit's previous three-year streak of middling success with draft selections.

The reasons are plentiful. "Aren't you Isiah Thomas?" Not quite. Thomas is Detroit peer you are, that you get knocked on your can," he said. "I'd rather have you say we're overrated," less 6-foot-1 point guard who often is called the best small man in the NBA; As Schembechler strode down the hall, eager to Dumars, like Thomas, entered the NBA get back to his players, Lee Vlisides from Channel 2 fell in step with him to relate a piece of news. as a No.

1 draft choice and plays the same position. Brent Musburger, he told Schembechler, had said Joe Dumars: "The guys don't let me forget much that I'm a rookie." For starters, Pistons coach Chuck Daly believes Dumars' scoring ability will carry over from college. In his four-year college career, Dumars averaged 22.3 points a game and finished as the 10th highest scorer in NCAA Division I history. "He's certainly capable of hitting See JOE DUMARS, Page 3D Even Dumars, a b-i rookie from Sunday that Michigan was the No. 1 college team in the land.

McNeese State, had to laugh at the mistaken identity. He won't often be "I think he's out of his mind," Bo said. But he was smiling. confused with Thomas so long as he has to tend to rookie chores like collecting basketballs after workouts, carrv-.