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UPE‘E sm,mursday,Feb.9,1‘978,page 16

by John Cairns

Sport, even at the . professional level, must remain continually aware of certain basic concepts. The most fmdanmtal Of these are offense, and defense. Both these elements are required in nest gates, and areof concern to all competit— ors. Contests can be " played in only two ways -—

offensively or defensively .

Either one is on offense- or he is on defense. So you see, the two themes are of never-ending importance in all kinds of sports in all kinds of places.

Like other disciplines, sport allows for various points of via/v. Many a general manager and coach stress powerful offenses, but an equal nutber concentrate on stingy defenses. It all heads to the sane old questions. Can a good offense overwhelm a good defense? Can a strong defense wear down an equally strong offense? Opinions vary and so does the evidence, but the controversy rages

case in point. With players like Tony Perez, Dave Cash, Andre Daws,

and Ellis Valentine the starting line~up rings with a sense of power.

Yet the team remains a dismal fifth in the National league East. The

' reason is poor pitching.

The defense sinply can't Sup rt the offense. Cincinnati Reds had

a similar experience last seasm. Featuring Joe Morgan, Pete Rose, and George Foster, they too were strong on hitting. Neither the starting pitchers, nor the reliev— ers, hcwever, perforned consistently. Even the fielding was strangely erratic. 'Ihe Reds consequently had what for them was a dismal year. Besides losing their world d1anpionship, they failed to even win their division.

’Ihe Expos and Reds may now rake defense their top priority, but that

doesn't always work either.

'me New York ths are proof of that. With Tan Seaver, John Matlack, and Tug McGraw, they had pitching as good as that anywhere. Without hitting

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behind them," however, the hurlers were helpless. Runs, after all, are the things that go onto the scoreboard, and without I them the Mets have been more often dismal than spectacular.

Similar instances occur in hockey. let's consider Atlanta and Dan Bouchard of the Flanes. and Tony Esposito of the Hawks are both excellent goal-— tenders. That they are probably the best players on their teams and that none of their teamnates are big scorers indicate a defensive orientation. Where though, has sud; a set-up got the two

teams? Nowhere! Neither .

one of them have been contenders. Both lack sane much—needed offensive pmch.

m the other side of the slate are the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres. Both handle themselves well

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in the other team's led by Pete Mahcvolidi . in Pittsburgh and Gilbert Perreault in Buffalo, the goals care fairly easily. What doesn't care as easily, Ixzwever, are victories. Neither team has really adequate goaltending or defensive units. Thus while the 1 Penguin and Sabre for— wardscanfillthenetat. one end of the ice, the enemy often does it even faster at the other end. Pittsburgh as a result, loses as often as it wins, and the Sabres can never quite reach the top. The evidence, as you can see, favors a good defense as much as it does a good offense. We can't make a conclusive decision as to which is better. What we can safely decide. though, is that both are

crucial to success. A team‘

with only one of than is seriously flawed. Its

dances of winning a chanp—

ionship are small indeed. The secret of great

beans is an ideal blend of both offense and defense. Everyone searches 7 for the correct catbinaticn, but oily. the few who find it can be true duanpiaxs.

The New You: Yankees had the hitting of Reggie Jacksm, ‘Ihurman Munson and Mickey Rivers, but > they also had the pitching of Mike Torrez and Sparky Dyle. Ibger Staubach and Tmy Dorsett led the ‘ Dallas Cowboy offense, but Haney Martin and T00 Tall Jcnes were there on defense. 01 the Nlcntreal Canadiens, Dryden, Robinson, Savard

and Iapointe keep pucks out

of the net while Shutt and

.Lafleurpqnthemin. 'Jhese

teanehaveallbecone’

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required as neny fine defensive plays as fine a offensive ones. Olly vmen you can make both does

everything fall into place.

Oily then do you have thef ingredients for a dynasty.

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