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$calpers et price
for Blue, OSU clash
By AL GRABENSTEIN
Can a monetary value be put on an athletic sport? Can a classic
confrontation like the Michigan-Ohio State game this weekend be labled with
a set price? The majority of fans for these two schools certainly don't think
so. It's an interaction between the buyer and supplier with the only factor
being the desire to see the game. The feelings seem to differ betweeen
"make a profit," and "this game is worth any price."
Anyone wandering by the Union in the past couple weeks has been sub-
ject to a barrage of football ticket businessmen. Said one seller, "It's the,
basic law of supply and demand. Besides, I can see the whole game on
television complete with replays, so why not make some fast bucks?"
Posters with tear-off phone numbers are popping up all over campus and
ads are being run in all the local newspapers. "TICKETS NEEDED" r
... "WANTED DESPERATELY" ... and the eye catching, "Imperialist
ticket mongers-share your wealth." One person who ran a successful ad
explained, "We just told callers what our last offer was and we sold to the
highest bidder." That selling price was quoted at $45 a ticket for four
together in section 29.
Of course, prices vary depending on the location of the tickets and
amount available, but the going rate for pairs seems to be about $100 and in-
dividual student tickets are averaging around $25. Tempting figures indeed.
In Ohio, the clamour for tickets to the rivalry isn't quite so profound. A
few posters go up, but the local papers refuse to run any ads.
That's the way authorities at Michigan would like to see it. Ticket
Manager Al Renfrew said, "We have no control over scalping."
Did last weekend's loss to Purdue have any effect on sales? According to
two West Quaddies perched in front of the Union yesterday it has. "There
aren't as many people here today (buying and selling tickets), but it will
probably pick up by the end of the week."
No matter the outcome of this week's under the table sales, there is no
: doubt Michigan Stadium will be packed as usual. Just how many of those
4 people will be University of Michigan students will be hard to say, except
that some will be richer and some will be poorer. One can only hope for a
game worth watching.
r
The Michigan Daily-Wednesday, November 14, 1979-Page 9
UFER'S TRUE BLUE
Mr.
'Meechigan'fires
By BILLY NEFF
Dr. Ralph Straffon didn't believe it, nor did the rest
of the Cleveland Clinic staff that day. Their patient, a
man by the name of Bob Ufer, had cancer of the
prostate gland that July day in 1978 and didn't seem a
bit worried.
Most people would approach this eight-hour ordeal
with a great deal of apprehension. But not the
fanatical Ufer. He told the doctor, a former Michigan
fullback in 1950, three important things.
"FIRST," UFER SAID, "I want to get the Buckeye
out of my belly; it's not a tumor or cancer but a
Buckeye." Second, I told the doctor, I want to thank
you in advance for the good job I know you are going
to do. And three, Go Blue! At this point, the sedated
Ufer fell asleep.
Craziness, right? Well, Michigan's number one
football fan and most famous radio personality, sym-
bolizes to many people what Michigan football is all
about - rah-rah Michigan all the way. And there is
no other way.
This spirit has invaded his broadcasts, a spirit that
angers some due to their bias. Ufer concedes that
controversy exists. "I am controversial in a positive
way. Why don't I give you the benefit of the doubt?
The most important quality in life is to be en-
thusiastic, be positive," he said.
"MY PLAY-BY-PLAY is not prejudiced. I give
them all the credit I can. You'll never see me
downgrade another team's players," Ufer continued.
Being positive has been the theme of Ufer's 59
years, whether he is broadcasting, selling insurance,
coaching little league baseball (79-11 with a 40-game
winning streak), or pitching blooperball, where he
has compiled a 258-18 mark.-
Positive feeling just seeps from his pores when he
describes Michigan. "Why shouldn't I be proud of the
school I love? We've accomplished a lot, we've paid
the price, and we can be proud. The top ten schools in
the country, where the hell are they academically?
Michigan, meanwhile, has academic achievement
and athletic excellence," Ufer said.
GROWING UP WITH parents who were Michigan
grads and as a student during the Second World War
at Michigan, he developed his loyalties.
Ever since then, for 34 years, Ufer has been rooting
for Michigan while broadcasting football and doesn't
want to change. "I gotta be Bob Ufer. I never aspired
to go big time. I'm not going to change. I'm not going
there acting. I'm just Bob Ufer enjoying the hell out
of the sport I love," asserted Ufer.
And Michigan rooters have been enjoying him just
as much. In fact, one couple wrote him to say that he
saved their marriage with his enlightening broad-
casts, by bringing them together.
In his interest to captivate his listeners, Ufer em-
ploys many idiosyncracies, like his phrasing of
'Meechigan' and the horn he toots after touchdowns,
field goals, and extra points.
'MEECHIGAN' CAME from Fielding Yost, who
Ufer calls, "The godfather of all Michigan athletics."
Ufer explains, "He (Yost) talked to me about
Michigan, built that great stadium and with that West
Virginia accent, he used to say 'Meechigan.' That's
where it comes from," says Ufer.
The horn, meanwhile, started when "I always
called Bo George Patton Schembechler because of
his strict adherence to discipline combined with a
fetish for physical conditioning. In the summer of
1975, the nephew of General Patton inherited the horn
up or OSU
on Patton's jeep. He called and asked if I wanted it. I
said 'Is the Pope Catholic?' Send'it up here," Ufer,
declared.
Whether using a horn or just spewing Uferisms, the
former Michigan track star and world record holder
in the quarter mile captivates his audience, causing
most people to turn off their televisions and listen to
him. "Sometimes I don't know I have a mike in front
of me. Can you think of a better way of spending a
Saturday afternoon? I do raise my voice and get ex-
cited," he concluded.
UFER ALWAYS gets excited for this week, Ohio
State week. He says, "My heart's so pumped up when
they come out of the tunnel. It's just like I'm playing.
Sometimes I say, 'Calm down, Ufer,' " he continued.
Most of the verbiage in previous years was directed
at the legendary Hayes, who Ufer composed a little
poem for on Saturday. The gist of it, which was direc-
ted at a man who would not speak to Ufer, says, Old
Dr. Strangehayes gave them great respectability and
that in 28 years of Michigan football, he has never
seen a coach have a team better prepared to face
Michigan.
ALWAYS THE OPTIMIST, Ufer has a prediction
for Saturday "Michigan can beat Ohio, they are
prepared to beat Ohio and dammit, they'll whoop-,
those Buckeyes. I have supreme confidence in my
Meechigan. I don't believe that Purdue and Notre
Dame beat Michigan. I think Michigan beat them-
selves. Down deep inside every one of them, they
know that. Bank night is over and there are no more
giveaways," said Ufer.
Well Ann Arbor rooters, who else could be talking
but the same man who told a Cleveland doctor, 'Go:
Blue.'
i
r
WEDNESDAY is
BAHAMA MAMA
NIGHT
LAST YEAR, THE Wolverines had no
trouble closing in on Buckeye quarter-
back Art Schlichter (10) as Ben Need-
ham demonstrates in Michigan's 14-3
victory in Columbus. The Wolverines
may find this SzIurday's contest to be
more challenging as Schlichter has
used the past year to improve his skills
immensely.
Only 1.2
.as
7 pm to Closing
Live Music:
MELODOSO
611 Church
One block south of
South University
FLORIDA STATE, PITT LEAD:
New wave of Independents arise
By BUDDY MOOREHOUSE
Who is Bobby Bowden? Where is
Florida State University and most of
all,,just what is a "Seminole"?
These would all have been valid
questions if they were asked before this
year's football season, but any college
football follower can tell you that the
Florida State Seminoles are the num-
ber five ranked team in the country this
.week. and Bobby Bowden is the coach
that has been responsible for their ban-
ner season.
BOWDEN'S BOYS boast a perfect 9-0
mark going into this week's contest,
and for the first time in their history
they stand an excellent chance of
playing in one of the four major bowl
games.
A university spokesman said that the
bowl situation is still only speculation at
this point, with a lot depending on this
:weekend's games. In addition to the
Sugar and Orange bowls, the Seminoles
have been looked at by the Hall of
Fame, Gator, and Tangerine bowl
selection committees.
The thing that makes Florida State
unique is the fact that they are an in-
dependent; a school without a con-
ference. This means that they, and
other independents like them, are
eligible to play in any bowl they can get
an invitation to, unlike teams in the Big
Ten, Pac 10 or other conferences where
the best teams are bound to one bowl if
they finish on top of their league.
- ,.MORE IMPORTANTLY, it means
thaat they can keep all of the money they
receive for a bowl appearance, instead
of having to divide it up among all the
members of their conference.
Another independent who has en-
joyed a good year thus far is 1976
national champion Pittsburgh. The
Panthers hold down the number 11 spot
in both polls with an 8-1 mark, and they
stand an excellent chance of playing in
some post-season classic. Pitt has been
scouted by the Orange, Gator, Holiday,
Peach, and Fiesta bowls.
A surprise among the independents
this year has been the Temple O
They boast the number one passe
the NCAA in quarterback Bi
Broomell, who has made the Owls ft
in scoring in the country with a 35.6
average, in addition to leading then
the number 16 spot in the UPI poll.
TEMPLE'S ONLY loss thisy
came at the hands of Pitt, who ed
them out 10-9. If they can get by I
State this week they will rr
assuredly see post-season action, n
likely in the two-year old Garden S
Bowl.
The only other independent t
mentioned in the polls this weel
Tulane, who stands at number 19 in
AP poll with an 8-2 mark on the sea;
After a very impressing 49-15 thrast
of Ole Miss last week, the Green W
will certainly garner a bowl invitati
The perennial powers among the
dependent schools have always I
Notre Dame and Penn State, butt
these schools are having sub-
seasons.
NOTRE DAME WAS considere
favorite for the Sugar Bowl, but1
was before last week's disastrous 4
loss at the hands of Tennessee, wl
dropped the Irish to 6-3 on the yi
Now they are wonering if they will
any post-season action at all. TheyI
Miami (Fla.) in Tokyo, Japan
week, and a school spokesman saidt
PASi
I 1
wls. some of the players are considering
r in that to be similar to a bowl trip.
ian Coupled with the possibility that the
urth prestigious institution may not be
willing to accept a bid from a lesser
ppg bowl, one could conclude that Notre
ri to Dame may be staying home for the
holidays.
ear Penn State also sports a 6-3 record,
ged and they have to play tough Temple this.
enn week. If coach Joe Paterno's Nittany
iost Lions do manage to get by the Owls, they
ost stand a good chance of getting an in-
vitation. However, if they lose to the
am Owls, they can more or less resign
c is themselves to the fact that they won't
the be playing any more after the season
on. ends.
ing Other independents who are enjoying
ave a good year include Nevada-Las Vegas,
n. who normally is thought of as a basket-
in- ball power, with an 8-1 mark on the
een gridiron this season. Rutgers has also
oth come on strong this year, going into the
par finaldweek of the season with a 7-2
arrecord.
d a On the other end of the spectrum are
hat independents who are not enjoying par-
htticularly good seasons. They include
0-18 Richmond, with a dismal 0-10 mark, Air
ich Force, who stand at 1-9 and Cincinnati,
ar. with a 2-7 records. Schools such as these
see would no doubt benefit by belonging to a
lay conference that would share bowl
.hat money with them.
OVT
-A
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