Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 2, 1994 TAG: 9411020066
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Sometimes, Neal's openness gets him in trouble, as it did when coach George Welsh inquired about some semi-inflammatory quotes.
It seems, in an interview following the Cavaliers' 34-10 victory over North Carolina, Neal had spoken disparagingly of Virginia's opponent Saturday, Duke.
``Who'd Duke beat?'' Neal was quoted by a Raleigh, N.C., reporter. ``Army? They're not a great team. Georgia Tech? They're having a down year. Wake Forest is having a bad year. So, who'd [the Blue Devils] beat? They've got a 7-0 record, but to me they're not a real 7-0 team.''
Ouch.
``I asked him about it Friday,'' Welsh said. ``He didn't deny it, but he didn't affirm it, either. I said, `You know, that's probably true, isn't it? They have tape recorders nowadays. You shouldn't have said that.'
``I told him he could do something about it, though. Hopefully, he'll be in the middle of all this.''
Neal already is in the middle - the middle of Duke's bulletin board, in all likelihood.
``It's true we haven't played the strength of our schedule,'' said Fred Goldsmith, the Blue Devils' coach, ``but other teams' schedules aren't that different. One of the players [Neal] that ripped our schedule has a schedule comparable to ours.
``They've beaten one team [North Carolina] we haven't played yet. We don't claim to be anything other than what the record shows. We're a 7-0 team.''
Obviously, Goldsmith's comments were made before the Blue Devils' 59-20 loss Saturday at Florida State.
``They were 7-0, but now they're 7-1, so I guess it doesn't matter,'' Neal said. ``I guess all those points are moot now.''
But Neal couldn't leave the schedule comparison alone.
``He comes from Duke; he should be a little smarter than that,'' Neal said of Goldsmith. ``I don't mean that in a bad way. It's like people ask, `Who's the best football player?' or `Who's the best basketball player?' You can't compare things across the span of time. You catch teams at different levels.''
That was the extent of Neal's inflammatory comments Monday, the day UVa's players regularly meet with the media.
``Hopefully, I won't say anything outrageous,'' he said. ``I won't guarantee a win. I mean, I'm only a college football player. How much does my opinion count anyway? I'm not paid to come on ESPN.''
Neal's reference was to North Carolina State defensive tackle Carl Reeves, who assured the media the Wolfpack would defeat North Carolina on Saturday. The Tar Heels romped, 31-17.
``He guaranteed a win,'' Neal said. ``You've got to be crazy to guarantee a win. I wouldn't say anything that would put us on the spot. I'm not guaranteeing anything other than we'll be there at 12 o'clock. I can't even guarantee that. The bus might break down.''
Neal did not practice last week because of an ankle injury suffered in the game against North Carolina, but he expects to be ready Saturday. After leading the ACC in tackles last year, he has slipped to third on UVa's team, but a knee injury kept him out of one full game and half of another.
``I hope they focus all week on shutting me up, because that's less energy they can spend on Virginia,'' said Neal, a big-play specialist whose interception and 77-yard return for a touchdown sparked Virginia in its 24-7 victory at Georgia Tech.
Neal doesn't mind a little trash-talking and received a taunting penalty against William and Mary.
``That kind of stuff is all cool with me,'' Neal said, ``but our program doesn't condone it. Me being one of the captains, I kind of have to follow the guidelines. I'm not going to make excuses and say I was high from the win [over North Carolina], but I do get emotional.''
Neal acknowledged there may have been some envy in his comments about Duke.
``That was most of it,'' he said. ``When they were 5-0 and 6-0, there were features on them in Sports Illustrated and ESPN. We've been 5-0 since I've been here and never been on ESPN.
``I haven't seen them on film [as of Monday afternoon], but there was a replay of their game with Florida State on TV. They're better than I thought. I hadn't, to myself, given them a whole lot of credit.''
Caught off-guard when he was approached by Welsh, Neal thought the reprimand was relatively light.
``When he asked me if I said it, I said, `Well ...' '' Neal said. ``Then he mentioned that stuff about the tape recorders and I said, `Nah, I probably said it.' It's like the little kid sticking his hand in the cookie jar. I can't keep pushing it.''
by CNB