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Sports freak overachieves in life and academics Suzanne Levinson Tony Ruzicka, center, Vanguard Sports Editor, babysits his sports writers, Scott Welch, right, and Bob Bondaruk, in the Vanguard office on a typical production day. Tony Ruzicka, 33, a graduate student in political science, is the 1991- 92 Daily Vanguard's Sports Editor. He re­ ceived his first PSU degree with a B.S. in political science in 1984. In 1989, he came back to PSU for a B.A. in English. Ruzicka has maintained a 4.0 GPA, and anticipates receiving an M.A. in political science this fall. Working several jobs and going to school has kept Ruzicka busy, and even more so after the birth of his son, Austen Tyler, on Dec. 18, 1991. The ma­ jor difficulty with Ruzicka's schedule is that it does not allow him much time to spend with his wife, Laurie. "1 started getting involved with sports when I was a kid," says Ruzicka. "My dad took me to Portland Beavers games. I played sports in high school, and I've followed the Blazers since they've started. I used to sit in my room by myself and listen to Bill Schonely call the plays. I went to the first Blazer game, and I've gone to every play-off game." Ruzicka has been writing a weekly sports column for The Down­ towner since July, 1991. This is done in a similar format to his popular "Eor What it's Worth" column that is in the 1990-91 Daily Vanguard: an informal, jargony, "you-sports-guys-know-what- I'm-talking-about" kind of patter, inter­ spersed with clear dialogue on the phi­ losophy of sports, and life in general. Ruzicka changed the visibility of the Sports Page as compared to the rest of the Vanguard, by innovations such as trading cards of the PSU sports figures, and a Q&A column, which he handed to one of his writers, Scott Welch, and of course. The Sportin' Pool, aka Gregory P. Dorr. "I feel that we're the best-run page in the paper," Ruzicka says. Many students would agree, especially since this year has been notable for scandals and other controversial topics in nation­ al sports, giving Ruzicka and his writers the opportunity to express their opinions on such concerns as team names that re­ fer to Native Americans and their cul­ ture. PSU sports past, present and fu­ ture? "We've had our good moments, especially in women's sports," says Ruz­ icka. "All of PSU's sports have been good in the past. But if they stay in the current Division II status, then fans' in­ terest will wane, or slip. I see a lot more interest in women's programs in the fu­ ture. The women's coaches here, I feel, are a lot more accessible than the men's. The men's coaches are more celebrated and aloof." Much will change in sports at PSU, inevitably, due to Ballot Measure 5 budget cuts. All of the athletic programs will struggle to survive. And that will af­ fect what Ruzicka's staff reports. What­ ever the depth of the changes, Ruzicka and his sports writers will leave their successors a hard act to follow. —Suzanne Levinson 79