i
Monday, August 30, 1982The Daily Tar Heel7
NFL confronts
Colleges breeding ground
for serious drug addiction
HEX MEAN 30
VA M T hAY
COKE?
abiise
(QLFll:
The
Bpobts
Page
revelations
By KURT ROSENBERG
It hasn't been a particularly peaceful summer for the
National Football League.
First it was Oakland Raider boss Al Davis, who single
handedly produced, directed, and wrote the screenplay
for the NFL disaster flick, "Escape to Los Angeles."
. Now, after all the battling over the percentage of gross
revenues that the players association is seeking and
nothing having been settled, it appears that an NFL
strike may become a reality.
And soon, there will be another league, perhaps to
serve as a replacement of sorts, if indeed a strike comes
to pass. Although the' United States Football League
doesn't start play until next spring, it could present a
challenge to the NFL somewhere down the line.
These problems have been major ones, by Pete
Rozelle's standards or anyone else's. But when they are
added up, they fall far short of approaching the biggest
crisis currently plaguing the National Football League.
Coke is it. Cocaine.
Since June, when Don Reese asserted in Sports Illu
strated that "a cocaine cloud covers the entire league,"
player after player has come forward and publicly re
vealed his problems with drugs.
San Diego's Chuck Muncie was admitted to a drug
and alcohol rehabilitation program two times. Minnesota
players Tommy Kramer, Randy Holloway and Scott
Studwell also sought help. 1981 Heisman Trophy winnef
George Rogers, the NFL Rookie of the Year last year,
disclosed that he spent $10,000 on cocaine last season
while playing for New Orleans. Charles White, 1980s
Heisman recipient, got help just before drug addiction
ruined his life, in his words.
Those are a few select examples. The latest scandal in
volves, of all teams, the Dallas Cowboys. An undis
closed number of Dallas players were questioned by
federal agents for their alleged association with cocaine
dealers. Tony Dorsett and Harvey Martin were named in
the investigation. Even "America's Team" cannot
escape cocaine's torrid path through the NFL.
Maybe Don Reese did exaggerate the magnitude of the
problem, as many have suggested. But there are players
and coaches who stand behind Reese, who will tell you
that what he said was no exaggeration.
"We shouldn't be sweeping it under the rug," said
Georgia Tech coach Bill Curry, who spent 10 years as an
NFL player. "I think it has the potential to be epidemic
if we don't do something about it."
Last year the league decided to do something about it.
A program of education and medical assistance was in
stituted by each of the 28 NFL teams. A doctor with a
background in chemical dependency oversees each team.
In addition, NFL director of security Warren Welsh, his
assistant, Charles Jackson, and former player Carl Eller,
who serves as a drug consultant, are involved in the edu
cational aspects of the program. They travel to the NFL
training camps, making presentations and discussing the
dangers of drug use.
"We know we have a drug problem and we're con
cerned with the effect that it has on the individuals and
on the integrity of the game," Welsh said. "I think our
program is a good one and the number of people who
have come forward and used it shows that it is working."
But how effectively? Granted, it probably has helped
some NFL players, but how many? The program has ex
isted for more than a year. But the admissions of drug
abuse didn't start flowing until about two-and-a-half
months ago, right after Sports Illustrated hit the news
stands and broke the whole issue wide open. While the
v
league's program deserves some credit for this summer's
events, the fact is that Don Reese deserves a lot more.
Actually, it is incorrect to call it the league's program.
It is really 28 distinct programs around the league with a
few NFL representatives along for the ride to the train
ing camps. "We don't have a program that is ad
ministered by the league office like some of the other pro
leagues," Welsh said.
Since Reese's story was published, nothing significant
has been done to expand or improve the current pro
gram, or to work toward transferring its control to the
league itself. It seems that the NFL has spent more time
and energy denying the accusations made in Sports Il
lustrated. Commissioner Pete Rozelle refuted Reese's claim that
the former player tried to contact the league about the
extensive use of drugs by the New Orleans Saints, one of
the teams he played for. Reese contended he tried to call
Jackson to discuss the problem. He said Jackson never
returned the call. "He never called me about a drug pro
blem," Jackson has said. "Never in the history of his
JNFL life did he call me asking for drug help."
It hasn't been only league ottigjajggjUKg, repu
diated Reese's contentions. San Diego owner Gene Klein
was another who took exception to the charges. Reese
maintained in the article that San Diego has "a big drug
problem." Klein called this "ludicrous ... total non
sense." Oddly enough, the NFL Players Association, which
should be showing more concern than anyone about
drug abuse, has taken a similar stand. The NFLPA's ex
ecutive director, Ed Garvey, was, at the very least, skep
tical of the allegations made by Reese. At the time the
story appeared Garvey said, "I just look at (the maga
zine) and wonder if Sports IHustratecTs circulation is
down. I mean, I thought it was the National Enquirer
when I opened my mailbox."
And NFLPA President Gene Upshaw has said the ar
ticle "gave players a black eye, the league a black eye,
and everyone connected with' it a black eye." Upshaw
said that drug abuse by professional athletes is "a private
matter."
Instead of worrying about invasions of privacy, the
players association should be doing everything in its
power to help its drug-addicted members whose lives are
being destroyed.
Instead of placing so much emphasis on their new
television contract, which will bring each team $14.2
million a year, the NFL owners should be concerned
about the millions of dollars their employees are spend
ing on drugs every year.
And instead of sticking their heads in the sand, the
NFL executives should be attacking the problem by wag
ing an all-out war on cocaine.
But to think that all that will happen in the immediate
future is too naive, too idealistic. The players association
is rigidly opposed to urinalysis testing, which would de
tect drugs in players' bodies. Urinalysis has been standard
procedure for years in many other sports, including box
ing, swimming, and track and field.
The NFL Management Council has advised the teams
that the testing is not in violation of the collective bar
gaining agreement between the league and players, as the
players .association has contended. Still, the use of
urinalysis in the NFL is not widespread.
Rather than merely labeling urinalysis as "okay," the
NFL should make it mandatory. Dr. S. Joseph Mule, a
leading authority on drug testing, said recently, "There
4stio question about the need for urinalysis in football if
they want a clean game."
It's time for pro football to look at the situation
logically. As the Raiders' Greg Pruitt said, "If you've
got nothing to hide, why worry about urinalysis?"
Urinalysis is the first step that should be taken in the
wake of Reese's revelations. The next step should be an
expansion of the current educational program. Discus
sions and lectures should be held on a regular basis
throughout the season, not just occasionally during pre
season training camps. And most importantly, the NFL
has to take control of the problem and show some
authority.
There is a deli in New Orleans that advertises a Saints
Special: Ham & Cheese, $2.50. With Coke, $400. Until
the NFL decides to take command of a problem that is
already out of hand and could ultimately prove to be its
downfall, the Saints Special will remain in effect.
Kurt Rosenberg, a sophomore journalism major from
Stony Brook, N. Y., is a staff writer for The Daily Tar
Heel.
By KURT ROSENBERG
Don Reese's Sports Illustrated story
simply brought to light what had been go
ing on for some time. The revelations
from other players which followed the ar
ticle's publication in rapid-fire succession
made people even more acutely aware of
the problem. And by now, anyone who
calls himself a football fan realizes that
drugs are a pretty popular pastime in the
NFL.
The same fans, however, may not be
aware of how extensive drug use is at the
college level. Of course, there is no way to
determine exactly how prevalent it is. But
the idea currently circulating is that col
lege and even high school football may be
breeding grounds for drug users who
begin to foster a much more expensive
habit, once they have the means to do so
as professional athletes.
"They start at a very young age, pro
bably prior to college," said former NFL
player Carl Eller, who serves as a drug
consultant to the league. "It's certainly a
problem that is inherited by the NFL.
That's just where it blossoms."
College coaches are much more con
scious of the situation now than in pre
vious years. Some will discuss it more
willingly than others, but it seems that
many have finally realized that to have a
player (or players) with a drug problem
doesn't violate the Ten Commandments.
"I don't know why we mealy-mouth
around about it," Florida coach Chaley
Pell said. "Drugs are a serious problem.
We need to talk about it as openly as any.
other problem."
Bill Curry's professional career span
ned a decade, so he can relate a number
of stories about drugs in pro football.
Curry is about to enter his third year as
Georgia Tech coach, and now, he says,
some of the same problems are present in
the collegiate ranks.
"It's very serious," Curry said. ""There"
are probably teams where nobody does it,
but there are also teams where everybody
does it. I think all coaches need to realize
that it's getting out of hand."
Curry has a program at Tech that edu
cates the players about the hazards of
drug abuse. Trainers talk to the athletes
about drug awareness and speakers from
the FBI and the Georgia State Patrol are
brought in to discuss drugs in terms of
facts and figures. The program is just one
facet of Tech's "Total Person Program,"
an overall improvement plan for the
players which includes spiritual, intellec
tual, and physical growth.
As far as drug awareness goes, Curry
said, "We're seeking more and better
ways to let the players know what the
dangers are. It's an ongoing educational
process."
At UNC, there is a similar, if less ex
tensive program than the one at Georgia
Tech. The coaches, as well as visiting FBI
agents, touch upon the same kinds of
things that Curry emphasizes.
"We try to tell them that (drug abuse)
is a problem and that it's a problem that
they should steer clear of," coach Dick
Crum said. "These things need to be
brought to everyone's attention. I think
every university tries to deal with it in its
own way."
At the University of Nebraska, the
dilemma is dealth with in an disciplina
rian fashion. Coach Tom Osborne has a
standard rule that any player caught using
drugs, even marijuana, is immediately
dropped from the team.
So far, that situation has rarely arisen.
"I think in the last nine years I've had
about three cases like this," Osborne
said.
Three cases where players have been
caught, but who knows how many times
members of Nebraska teams have used
drugs undetected?
It seems that the concerns of some
coaches about drug abuse are not limited
to its harmful effects on the individuals
involved. Perhaps unfortunately, the
negative publicity that such revelations
would bring to the school are an impor
tant consideration at colleges. Don
Nehlen, the coach at West Virginia, also
bans from further play anyone who is
known to use drugs. His reasoning?
"I try to explain to our kids," Nehlen
said, "that if any guy on our team gets
caught selling dope or smoking marP
juana, it would just completely annihilate
our football program. It would make
every kid on our team look like a drug ad
dict. So we try to talk about it, bring it in
to the open, and hope and pray they
don't do it."
Texas A&M coach Jackie Sherrill ques
tions the value of drug programs that at
tempt to help a player once he has be
come addicted. " It is impjOssIbleTJsys
to change an Individual after he has turn-1
edl8.
"If he's involved (in drugs) when he
comes onto campus, and he's the type
that's motivated by it, thejj he's going to
be involved," Sherrill said. "You're deal
ing with emotional instability. The ones
"who have that problem are the ones that
had the problem when they were growing
up."
Sherrill may be overly cynical. Most
people directly involved with drug abusers
are more optimistic about rehabilitation.
The growing number of NFL players who
are being aided through various programs
is evidence that, while not everyone can
be cured, many can certainly be helped.
But that day is far from being around
the corner. Said Curry: "I think we all
have a long way to go in learning now to
deal with this thing."
Pitching key to pennants ms season winds down
By S.L. PRICE
The rise in the American League of the
Milwaukee Brewers and the California Angels
two teams that are sitting in or around first
place by virtue of clubbing their opponents into
submission with an arsenal of big bats points
up the surprising lack of solid pitching in the
American League.
In this, the most exciting and best season of
baseball since 1975, 10-6 games come as no sur
prise and the sight of a pitcher going the
distance is as rare as Jim Palmer in boxer
shorts.
The Brewers boast a lineup strong enough
that by season's end four hitters could have
more man 30 home runs. Numbers: shortstop
Robin Yount, a nine-year veteran at 26, 23
homers, 87 RBI, .329; Cecil Cooper, the most
underrated first-baseman in baseball, 24 home
runs, 90 RBI, .315; outfielders Gorman
Thomas, with a major league leading 34 home
runs, 94 RBI, .265, and Ben Ogiivie, with 25
homers and 81 RBI, even while mired in a .237
batting slump.
Meanwhile, over in the AL West, the Angels,
led by . Reggie Jackson (31, 80, .280), first
baseman Rod Carew (.315), third baseman
Doug DeCinces (25, 83, .301), and centerfielder
Fred Lynn (18, 75, .292) are challenging the
Kansas City Royals' monopoly on that
division's crown with only marginal hurling.
In fact, both California and Milwaukee
could be the first division champs with staff
ERAs of over 4.00 since the '79 Angels. The
Brewers have just two solid starters in Pete
Vuckovich and Jim Slaton, and last years MVP
and Cy Young winner in stopper Rollie Fingers.
In California, both Geoff Zahn and Steve
Renko are having good years, but the Angels
need one good short relief man to close the
door on any" late-inning rallies. Again, both
Milwaukee and California have the firepower
to propel them into the World Series, but don't
bet on it; neither one will be there come Oc
tober. Pitching will be the deciding factor.
In the AL East, Earl Weaver and the best pit
ching staff in the American League will conjure
the Baltimore Orioles into first by the end of
September. Jim Palmer has not been beaten in
his last fifteen starts, Mike Flanagan and Scott
McGregor are obviously better than their .500
records indicate, and stopper Tippy Martinez is
the best kept secret in the East. The Birds are
rolling: they've won eight of their last nine
games and first baseman Eddie Murray's bat is,
after a slow start, finally heating up.
And the O's will be playing Kansas City for
the American League championship. The
Royals will slowly outdistance the Angels, again
because of pitching. Larry Gura is having a fine
(15-8) year and Dan Quisenberry is simply the
best reliever in the American League. Dennis
Leonard is finally healthy and a revitalized Vida
Blue, along with rookie Bud Black, round out a
shaky-but-better-than-California staff.
In the National League, where the power pit
cher is still the dominant species, there are more
strikeouts and less hits given up per inning.
There should be no talk about the American
League having better hitting than the National
League; the AL just lacks good staff by staff
pitching and the hitters have a field day all
season long. The batting averages are con
sistently lower in the NL because the pitching is
better, pure and simple.
Despite the amazine job done by 39-year-old
Steve Carlton (16-9, 3.56) and Mike Schmidt's
resurgence ' 17 home runs since the all-Star
break the future lies in the Cards, the St.
Louis Cards. Rookie-of-the-year candidate
Willie McGee and speedster Lonnie Smith have
both picked up the slack from George Hendrick
and Keith Hernandez, who are both having a
sub-par year. Forty-three-year-old-Jim Kaat
(5-2, 3.16), Joaquin Andujar (9-10, 2.88), and
Bob Forsch (12-7, 3.71) anchor the staff that
fireball reliever Bruce Sutter (28 saves) brings
safely into port; if Hendrick and Hernandez
can turn on the power, the Cardinals could fly
away with it all by the end of September. The
Pirates are still a year or two away and the Ex
pos just don't have the clubhouse chemistry,
although they do have the best pitching staff in
the NL East, to put it all together and make a
serious bid for the title.
In the West, the Braves have waited a long
time. Tney're going to wait at least a year
longer. Sorry, fans, but the Braves will not hold
out much longer against the best pitching staff
in baseball. Fernando Valenzuela (17-9, 2.80),
Bob Welch (15-8, 3.04), Jerry Reuss (12-10,
3.39), and stopper Steve Howe (6-2, 2.19, 11
saves) just pitch to prove the assembly-line ef
fectiveness of the LA farm system. Garvey' s
hot, Dusty Baker's hot, and Pedro Guerrero is
the best young outfielder in baseball. Dale Mur
phy will grab MVP honors and Bob Homer has
finally come into his own as team captain. But
Atlanta only has one game's worth of quality
pitching, with Phil Niekro (12-3, 3.68) starting,
, Steve Bedrosian (5-6, 2.07) coming in middle
relief, and Gene Garber (6-6, 2.65, 21 saves)
cruising in to shut things down. Rick Camp and
Bob Walk are marginal at best; the Braves are
two more solid starters away from consistent
contention. .
AL Rookie of the Year: Minnesota's Kent
Hrbek (19 Hrs, 73 RBI, .307) has been the only
bright spot in an otherwise dismal year for the
Twins.
AL Cy Young: Seattle's Bill Caudlll (11-6,
2.14, 22 saves) has given up just 43 hits in 73 in
nings pitched. 'Nuff said.
NL Cy Young: Fernando.
AL MVP: Milwaukee's Robin Yount is the
best all-around shortstop in baseball. He does
everything well.
NL MVP: If Dale Murphy (3 1 HRs, 93 RBI,
.292) doesn't get top honors this year, it would
be nothing short of highway robbery. Without
him, the Braves would be helpless.
S.L. Price, a senior English major from
Stamford, Conn., is assistant sports editor of
The Daily Tar Heel.
BASEBALL STANDINGS
As of Sunday afternoon
National League
East
W L Pet. GB
St. Louis 73 54 .575
Philadelphia 71 57 .555 2Vi
Pittsburgh 68 61 .527 6
Montreal 68 61 .527 6
Chicago 57 73 .438 17V4
New York 50 77 .394 23
West
Los Angeles 72 57 .558
Atlanta 71 57 555 Vi
San Diego 66 63 .512 6
San Francisco 65 65 .500 7Vt
Houston 61 68 .473 11
Cincinnati 50 79 .388 22
American League
East
W . L Pet GB
Milwaukee 75 52 591
Boston 70 , 58 .547 5Vi
Baltimore 69 58 .543 6
Detroit 64 62 508 10Vi
New York 64 63 .504 11
Cleveland 61 63 .492 12
Toronto 61 69 .469 15V4
West
Kansas City 75 54 581
California 74 55 .574 1
Chicago 66 . 61 520 8
Seattle 60 67 .472 14
Oakland 58 72 .446 17V4
Texas 50 77 .394 24
Minnesota 46 82 .359 28Vi
:i..-..v
AP Fecial Fell
Team (1et-plac votes) 1C31 record Point
1. Pittsburgh (35) 11-1-0 1,092
2. Washington (15) 10-2-0 IJKA
. 3. Alabama (3) ,9-2-1 $$$
, 4. Nebraska (2) 9-3-0 94?
5. North CztcZ . (2) 10-2-0 .53
6. Southern Methodist 10-1-0 743
7. Georgia 10-2-0 Cd
: 8. Pcnn Stste 10-2-0 C32
9. Oklahoma 1 ' 7-4-1 633
x 10, Southern Cd 9-3-0 624
Jh Cimscn (1) . 12-00 561'
:i2. Mich:s ' . 9-3-0 552
ri3;''Arkansas;i--f UK'-; 8-4-0 7 471:
.14. Oltio State 9-3-0 423,
15. Mircra (Ha.) 9-2-0 275
16. Florida 7-5-0 357
11. Texas 10-1-1 22 S
18. Notre Dame 5-6-0 157
-19. Arizen Elate 9-2-0 155
20. UCLA 7-4-1 150