European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 18, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday August 18,1990 the stars and stripes a Page 25commentarybarnett the Center of . Attention . Football people used to Call we Illis Barnett a big that a when he was throwing his 240 pounds around for the Ben Waters phantoms. Now he a Down to 215. They used to Call him one of the fiercest nose guards in Safe football. Now he a a Center. Way Way Way Back they called him a Young stud. Now he a 39. The phantom Ofphy Othall you could Call this Willis Barnett. He a still playing for Ben Waters after All these years a a dating Back to 1978. Only one other Safe player goes Back farther Ramstein free safety . Jones 38, who joined Pitburg in 1975. You a think with Barnetts resume he would be resumed playing this year at his Normal weight and Normal position. Old Guys Are usually set in their plays. You done to see Bob Golic the 32-year-old los Angeles Raider flopping from defensive tackle to Center. Or shrinking his 280 pounds. Not in his 11th nil season. Head As soon Cut his Samsonite hair. Then there a Willis Barnett. He a the Tommy la Sorda of Safe dieting. The Lyle Alzado of Ben Waters comebacks. That a another thing. Barnett has rearranged his football life after sitting out the 1989 season. The big daddy nose guard disappeared then resurfaced As a Skinny Center. The phantom of a football indeed. Barnett did it the hard Way. The master plan for this master sergeant involved weightlifting aerobics and running. That was during the Winter. He started snapping footballs in May and he looked Snappy enough to impress Ben Waters coach Catfish Hunter. That a James Hunter in real life not to be confused with the former a a and Yankee Pitcher. Hunter goes 210 pounds. He a in such Good shape he might play linebacker in a player coach role. The last time Hunter played Barnett was a fellow phantom defender. Now Hunter 30, sees his 9-year elder and likes Bent Waters blocking already. A a he a a lean mean 215,�?� said Hunter. A and he knows How to attack Hunter spoke while watching Barnett in practice last week. It was photo Day but Barnett did no to want his face shot. Only later did he agree to a picture while wearing a helmet. Why the balk a a he a himself a said Hunter. A once he makes up his mind to do something guess what he does it. He a which explains Why Barnett switched from one masochistic position nose guard to another Center. A the wants to be a Center a said the coach. A no Bucky Fox for a amps Bryan mounts Bent Waters Willis Barnett Peers into an 11th year. Body wants to be a Center. Why centers get beat upside the Barnett makes his new role sound like a duty. A if you have a weak Center Man people run Over your line. I have the strength to do the Job. I always wanted to do it but i did no to pursue it till this in a Way it is a duty. Bent Waters starting Center of last year Robert Milush is scheduled to rotate after two games. Barnett will fill the void. Barnett even has a hand in Long snaps one of the Tricky specialities. You a think he has the Knack for this stuff from his High school Days but he hardly played football while growing up in Goose Creek Sec. He joined the air Force in 1970 but did t put on pads until Landing in Ben Waters in �?T78. He played four seasons then resumed his Ben Waters dynasty in 1983. His Only deviation from the defensive line was 1986, when he bounced to guard. Ten seasons that a a Long trek in air Force football. He remembers Fine teams and players specifically upper Heyford a . Title team of 1983 and its Star quarterback the next two years Jeff Gaddy. Barnett Hopes his new line with fellow ancient Ben Wooten 40 at right tackle can Lead Ben Waters to its first Safe title since 1968. The phantoms enjoy a Bye in the . S opening week then Host Mildenhall sept. 2, when the season ends so will Barnetts football career. Or so he says. The next time we see him. He will probably be a 170-Pound a a a a while the . Waits another week to Start the Continental sports conference enters week 3. Already you can see Why the Csc a free for All a allowing eight of its nine teams to make the playoffs a is a joke. Its supposed to boost morale for Small bases. But look what happened to Wei Brincken. The warriors pulled the biggest upset in years when they thrashed defending Champion Rhein main 40-0 in the opener. But it meant nothing. The rockets turned around and burned 46-8, while Wei Brincken was losing in usual fashion 4112 to Ramstein. That Means Wei Brincken and Rhein main both 1-1, have basically clinched playoff berths. So much for the regular season. As for this weekend i was All ready to pick Hahn to beat Rhein main by 8 Points sunday but the rockets want a postponement because too Many of their players arc working 12-hour shifts. My other picks Spang Dahlum Over Wei Brincken by 13, Wiesbaden Over Pitburg by 2, and Ramstein vacationing at Oesterberg by 24.� a a a a while Napoleon Mccall uhf was in London for the raiders american bowl two weeks ago he discuss his Navy status. You might recall the former naval Academy running Back Wasny to allowed to Moonlight with the raiders after his 1986 Rookie season. A Navy spokesman at the Pentagon said this week that the lieutenant is on terminal leave and will Complete his Active duty commitment and separate from the Navy in september. The Star and Stripe Safe basketball clinics shoot past Torrejon compiled by Bucky Fox staff writer basketball a the Safe coaches and officials clinics have a schedule change. Wake Forest coach Dave Odom and acc official Larry Rose wont teach hoops at Torrejon after All. The Spain base is jammed in connection with the deployment of troops to saudi Arabia so Odom and Rose will hit Pitburg instead sept. 6-7. Odom and Rose will open their classes at 8 . Aug. 30 at the Headquarters building in in Ciurlik a. Dave Odom Turkey then teach at 9 . Sept. 4 at the windjammer gym in Iraklion Crete. Also teaching in the clinics will be Clemson coach Cliff Ellis and Southeastern conference official Don Shea. Their classes Start at 9 . Aug. 30-31 at the recreation Center in Aviano a Italy. I hey continue at 9 . Sept. 4-5 at the officers club in Raf Mildenhall England and join up with Odom and Rose at bit urge a officers club at 9 . Sept 6-7. J softball a three players from Safe were selected for the air Force menus All Star team following the recent air Force menus softball championship local Roundup at Pope fab . Two of european based All stars Are from the Continental sports conference a Donnie Patrick of Ramstein and Jackie Mills of Sembach. Also named was Steve Jones of san Vito Italy from the Mediterranean sports conference. Named head coach and assistant coach respectively were Ron Simpson and John Greer both of Ramstein. The military Airlift come won All seven of its games to take the title. Air training come finished second at 6-1. Safe tied for third at 3-4 with three other teams a Pacific air forces of logistics come and strategic air come. Of systems come finished 2-5 and unified come representing several commands was 1-6. A teams Are needed for a slow pitch tournament aug. 31-sept. 2 at Oesterberg a Netherlands. The entry fee is $100 per team with a deadline of aug. 27. Joe Rauscher is the Contact person at 363-8251/8020. Football a the Rhein main rockets Are sending off Sparks in us Afes Continental sports conference. The defending champions lost their head coach tuesday. They might forfeit sundays game at Hahn. Bob Erwin quit As coach because of his monster Load As Rhein Mains hotel manager according to Rhein Mains ath Letic director Luther Johnson. The rockets who won the 1988 and �?T89 Safe titles were 1-1 under Erwin. Johnson said a successor will be named next week. No head coach had to surface this week because the rockets done to want to play sunday s scheduled 1 . Game at Hahn. Johnson cited a Derth of players because of 12-hour shifts connected with the saudi Arabia deployment. Rhein main would get a further break the itinerary aug. 31, Wiesbaden a . 7, sept. I Hanau sept. 2, Numberg sept. 4, Wurzburg sept. 5-6, Berlin sept. I be because of its Bye the following weekend. But is the Hahn game merely a postponement the Csc a Boss a1 Bianco said thursday he wants Rhein Mains reason in writing by Friday to determine if the game will be played later or if the rockets would suffer a forfeit. Bianco added that the rocket Hawk game is still a a Long shot for sunday. Baseball a the ambassadors of baseball a team comprised of former major leagues will visit Europe at the end of the month. After an appearance at Hilversum Netherlands aug. 28, they will swing through Germany for autograph signing sessions at base exchanges and softball games. Making the trip Are Bobby Bonds Bert , Bill Campbell Tony Chevez. Dave Concepcion Bob Feller Tim Fob George Foster Jerry Grote Randy Jones Jerry to Ornan Lee Lacy Bill Madlock tug Mcgraw a1 Oliver Cary Sorensen Rennie Stennett and Billy Williams. Parma sons sept. 8, Kaiserslautern. Further information on exact times and locations can be obtained from the local mar offices. Wrestling a Wurzburg will Host an invitational freestyle and Greco roman tournament aug. 24-25 at Leighton Barracks. The tourney open to All id card holders will be held in con Justion with the Usa eur wrestling clinic aug. 21-25 at Wurzburg. The entry fee is $2. Weigh ins Are scheduled for 1-3 . Aug. 24 and 7 30-9 30 . Aug. 25. For More information Call 350-6306 or 0931-889-6306. Cycling a Wil Flecken outdoor recreation is sponsoring the v corps Kippel Bach Mountain Bike Challenge sept. 16 at the Kippel Bach ski area. The race will cover u Kilometres of unmarked terrain Over Rock formations streams rope Bridges and other obstacles. A categories of Competition Are menus open 18-39 year menus masters 40 and Over women a open and a fourth division recreational riders for All others. Open to All id card holders 18 years and older Early registration costs $10 and race Day Sig ups will be $15. Entrants Are encouraged to walk the course sept. 15. Overnight camping is available at the ski area for no Cost a All 326-3449 for More information
