1959 THE MICHIGAN DAILY PAG INSIDE CHATTER .. by Si COLEMAN Rumirors Flyng IT HAS BEEN SAID many times that there is nothing like a losing season to start rumors flying. The 1958-59 sports year has certainly provided its share of gossip material. The rumors have applied not only to professional teams but college teams as well. Michigan athletic squads have provided a part of this rumor material. Perhaps the largest quantity of unfounded stories originates with Michigan's hockey team. Unquestionably the icers have had a losing season, and the explanation for this has stemmed from player-coach conflicts to a lack of unity among the players themselves. Whether these or any other rumors are true will never rally be known, but they do serve a purpose. Whenever teams consistently lose, fan interest must be drummed up in some way, and creating news in the form of rumors is one of the most common methods of doing this., Michigan's hockey team certainly is not the only source of rumors this year. Let's take a look at some of the rumors that have circulated during the past year,?and see how many of them turned out to be true. Detroit's professional teams certainly have not had successful ,seasons. The Red Wings are headed for their worst record in 20 years. This professional hockey team thus has been a prime target for rumors. The Red Wings don't know how to treat young players. They put too much pressure on them and they don't know if they are coming or going. It is a real break for a yourigster to be traded out of that organization. this is the attitude that was revealed by Billy McNeill, recently traded to Detroit's farm club at Edmonton. It certainly ap- pears that strife exists in the internal structure of the Detroit icers. But then again, the statements made by McNeill are echoes of a young, man who has Just been sent down to the "minors".after a third try with the Wings. Rocha Out? .. . DETROIT'S PROFESSIONAL basketball team has also had a rather poor season. The Pistons, but for the "security" offered by Cin- cinnati, could easily have finished in last place in their division. What rumor has circulated about the Detroit cagers? It has been said that owner Fred Zollner is disappointed with his team's performance and lays most of the blam on Red Rocha, the squad's coach. If Rocha returns next year, this rumor will be squashed. Blaming a coach for a poor season is an age-old habit. Firing him always seems to be an accepted policy, and a hopeful step toward future success. The firing of coaches occurs most frequently in college football and professional baseball. Notre Dame had a disappointing season-Terry Brennan was fired. The Philadelphia Phillies were fighting for the cellar in the National League in 1958-Mayo Sm(ith got the order to leave. As long as athletic teams exist, rumors wil continue to fly, and coaches will continue to be fired. t CY HOPKINS TONY TASHNICK DICK KIMBALL JOHN URBANOSOK ... two breaststroke wins ... defends three titles ... ace Wolverine diver ... sophomore flash Michig#an To Defentd Swim Crown By BUZ STEINBERG Michigan's swim team will travel to East Lansing today as guests of Michigan State for the three-day Western Conference Swim Meet. The Wolverines - defending champions -- return with many of the same top swimmers that car- ried them to victory. Tony Tashnick, the number one man last year, will again see much action in the meet. Tashnick won the 200-yd. butterfly last year and at the same time set a new Big Ten and NCAA record. In addition, he set a new pool record while winning the individual medley and also was the top man in the 100-yd butterfly. Another Key Dick Hanley is another Wolver- ine who was a key man last year. He captured the 100- and 200-yd. freestyle and also swam the anchor leg on the medley relay team, which set a new pool record. Cy Hopkins is defending champ in the 100-yd. breaststroke and was second to Tashnick in the 200- yd. butterfly. John Smith took second place in both the 100- and 200-yd. backstroke, besides being a big factor in helping the relay team to its victory. Carl Woolley, another point-get- ter for the Wolverines, took sec- onds in the 1500-meter and the 440-yd. freestyle and a third in the 220-yd. freestyle. Depth Is Great Although these men were big guns at the last Conference meet, Michigan's depth is so great at present that these five cannot be considered the onlykey men. Frank Legacki and John Urbanc- sok in the freestyle events, Ron Clark in the breaststroke, or Alex Gaxiola in the backstroke could outdo his superior in each respec- tive event. Depending on the quali- ,fying events any of these also may play important roles. Others included as possible high qualifiers for Michigan are Dave Gillanders, Ed Pongracz, and Mike Natelson in the butterfly; Harry Huffaker in the individual medley; and John McGuire or Andy Mor- row in the freestyle relay. Best vs. Best This depth has been the quality that has carried the Wolverines through an undefeated season, but the fact that only the best will be competing against the best is something that Coach Gus Stager cannot forget. Along with Michigan, four other teams are potential contenders for the number one spot-Michigan State, Indiana, Ohio State and Iowa. Below is Stager's rundown of what these and the other Confer- ence teams will have to offer: MICHIGAN STATE-The home team has three of the best swim- mers in the country. Bill Steuart should provide top competition for Dick Hanley in the 220- and 440- yd. freestyle races. Steuart was first in the\ 440 last year and sec- ond in the 220. Also he is vying for the 1500-meters crown for the second year in a row. Frank Mo- dine, who just set the national collegiate record in the breast- stroke against Michigan, will prob- ably prove hard to handle. Don Patterson completes MSU's big three. His best event is the indi- vidual medley. State's strength is in the free- style events but it has no depth beyond these -three to make them a major threat otherwise. INDIANA- Frank McKinney, American record holder in the 200-yd. backstroke, should be top man for Indiana. Behind him is another important contender, Bill Barton, who has proved himself quite capable in the butterfly and the individual medley. The only other potential quali- fiers are Dick Hori and Gerry Miki, Other than that, Indiana has no depth and should prove to hinder its chances greatly. OHIO STATE - The Buckeyes have a good medley relay team and some-of the best divers in the Big Ten. Freestylers Don McPhee and George Onekea should be the outstanding representatives at this meet. Again there is a deficit in OSU's depth. IOWA-The Hawkeyes can boast of Gary Morris. He is defending champ in the 50-yd. freestyle and also carries an excellent time in the 100-yd. freestyle. Iowa's hopes hinge on this man. WISCONSIN - Fred Westphal has the best time in the 50-yd. freestyle in the Big Ten this year (:22.3). He is also another leading V 110 SAIDB IT FIRST? A column of incidental intelligence by JOckeq brand - -- - - = l mmxl-. Jo4 3, A., TOBACCONISTS SINCE 1898 Ann Arbor Representative SY MANELLO m 1317 WILMOT NO 5-7653 FEATURING THIS WEEK La Fond's Vintage Briars, made for us by G.B.D. in choice of natural or sandblastfinish. 27 shapes to choose from at $2.98 each, two for $5'.00 FREE SAMPLES of private blends on request. JCCkeq Underwear What's true about expressions is also true about styles. Somebody always got there first. Take Jockeybrand under- wear. 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