I 1973
THE MICHIGAN -DAILY'
Page Nine
THE MICHtGAN DAILY PQge Nine
I
M
=TORmenting
chuck bloom
The Big Ten . ..
... a study in absurdity
V E BIG TEN made a big mistake in sending Ohio State to the
Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes are not the most representative
team; of the conference. For that matter, neither is Michigan.
No, the Big Ten representative should have been the vaunted
and feared Iowa Hawkeyes. They are healthy-their top performer
(Earl Douthitt) is 100 per cent-and the Hawks are quite capable
of putting the ball in the air.
True, Iowa was winless this campaign (0-11) but the team
had to play over a lot of injuries, a rough schedule, and coaching
problems. Still they are the most representative team of the Big
Ten conference. For you see, Iowa is really horrible-and so is
the Big Ten.
The "prestige" of the Big Ten, which is second-most on
the minds of the Athletic Directors behind the all-mighty buck,
has been tarnished by the now-infamous decision even more
than by the poor records of its teams against non-conference
foes.
Tomorrow in Chicago the AD's will hold their annual winter
meeting and first on the agenda is to find a new method to select
which school goes to the Rose Bowl Classic on New Year's Day.
There has been a lot of talk about it since Saturday. Con-
ference Commissioner Wayne "The Manipulator" Duke is pushing
for sudden-death overtime in the case of a tie in the champion-
ship game. Michigan State Athletic Director Burt Smith, who
planted the kiss of death on the Wolverines' lips, would like to
see the big clash played on a "neutral" field-for example Soldier
Field in Chicago.
Neither the present system nor these proposals address
themselves to the actual problem-that all too often two
teams equally deserve to go to Pasadena.It cannot be denied
that the Buckeyes also earned the right to go to some bowl
gamet-just not at theWolverines' expense.
The faults of the present system have been made obvious
over the past few days and need not be rehashed here. However,
one point should be mentioned: one of the members of the Ohio
State team said-
"I'm not sure I really want to go. They (the Athletic Direc-
tors) have put us in an impossible situation. When we go out to
the Rose Bowl, it's going to be win or else. And that is no way
to play football."
The new proposals, which are not new at all, also have their
shortcomings. A sudden-death tie-breaker is a bad way to decide
the outcome of a game. Football is a four quarter game and ties,
like injuries, are part of that game.
the way Duke has presented the plan, the tie-breaker
would be in effect only for the "championship" game. How-
ever, who is to determine when that will be? If the past is
any barometer, it will be when Ohio State meets Michigan
at the end of the season. But who is to say that an Illinois-
Michigan or Minnesota-Ohio State game will not be as im-
portant? A tie-breaker (if adopted) must be for ALL Big Ten
games (yes, that includes Iowa, too).
And what method will be employed as the tie-breaker?
Several alternatives exist. There is. the high-school tie-breaker
where the ball is placed at the 10 and each team has three downs
to garner six points. IM players are familiar with their "deadlock
decider"-the ball is placed at mid-field and after alternating four
downs a side, the team which doesn't have the ball in its own ter-
ritory has won.
Playing championship games on a peutral field is equally
absurd-for the same reasons. It would hinder both teams to
eliminate the home field advantage. A crowd of 105,000 gives great
support to the locals and at the same time provides the visitors
with an equal amount of incentive to win.
The only fair and just remedy to this whole quagmire is to
allow Big Ten representation in more than one bowl game. As
' Michigan coach Bo Schembechler explained, "I've told my play-
ers that if you play your best and win, you will be rewarded."
Under this system, any team who plays up to its capabilities and
is consistently victorious, will be rewarded with an appearance
in a major post-season bowl game.
To keep the people on the West Coast happy, the confer-
ence champion would go to the Rose Bowl. In the case of
co-champions, the team that had not gone most recently
would get the Pasadena nod.
The most equitable compromise this year would have been
to send Michigan to play USC and allow Ohio State to play,
say, in the Orange Bowl against Penn State. The additional
revenue would -do the Big Ten no harm and neither would the
added publicity.
The Rose Bowl committee believes that its game will be
hurt financially if the Big Ten goes to a policy of multiple-bowl
participation. Yet they know full well that the Rose Bowl would
still be the most lucrative game-with or without the Big Ten.
The Big Ten alleges that sending any school to a bowl other
than the Rose Bowl would detract from the conference's attention
on the Pasadena game. Yet last Sunday's vote may already have
done just that.
For too long, the Big Ten and its officials have wallowed in
their archaic beliefs while the rest of the football world has
passed them by. The Big Ten has lost much of its cherished
"prestige" and will continue to do so until changes like the one
proposed above take effect.
SOVIET J EW RY
and ISRAELI SOLIDARITY
PICKET LINES
The following Russian performers ore official rep-
resentatives of the Soviet Union under the Cultural
Exchange Program. They are here to demonstrate
to us the culture of their society. We picket to bring
to light the other facets of the Soviet regime-the
cruel denial of freedom to their Jewish citizens. Our
Jewish brethren demand their right to emigrate to
Israel. We must support that demand here in Ann
Arhr Wth ,nIcrle re Soviet cnmnlicit and sun-
THE BALD SOPRANO
by EUGENE IONESCO
Nov. 29, 30 & Dec. 1 & 2
8 p.m.
at the
Union Gallery
I
lil
st. Floor,
TICKETS ON SAL
GALLERY HO
- - - -- ---- --
Michigan Union
LE AT GALLERY-$1.00
FURS: 10-5 Tues.-Sat.
lIl
D
An unidentified Michigan grappler struggles against his Spartan op ponent in one of last year's victorie
boys begin their season's campaign this weekend with two matches against Western Michigan and O
of a few of last year's champs, Bay had confidence in the skill of his squad.
IN WEEKEND SERIES
Wrestlers roarin'
for
By CLARKE COGSDILL graduated M i c h i g a n captain
Suppose y o u r e the Michigan Mitch Mendrygal. "He has awful-
wrestling team. You've just hadn (331 i v ly big shoes to fill," Bay re-
one of the finest seasons in your marks, "but I think he'll do aI
history, capturingsthe Big Ten fine job for us."
Championships and placing third Freshman Mark Johnson, "an
in the NCAA's. So there's only one " outstanding prospect" from Rock
direction you can go, right? Island, Ill., presently holds forth
If coach Rick Bay, has anything NIGHT EDITOR: at 167, lbs. Eventually, he will be
to say about it, that direction is challenged by either Bob Huizenga
going to be UP. Most of the regu- THERESA SWEDO or John Ryan, who have been bat-
lars from last year's squad return - - thing it out at 177 lbs. in practice.
for another year of action-in fact, career includes two Big Ten cha- eHuizenga will wrestle at 177 this
several of them have had trouble, pionships (1971 and 1972), three weekend. Three seasons ago, he
retaining their spots on the team. All-American citations, and the went undefeated in dual meet com-
Wolverine fans should enjoy record for most career victories by petition at 167 lbs. and placed third
themselves this weekend, when any Michigan wrestler. in the Big Ten's, but hasn't re-
the Maize and Blue host West- At 158 lbs., junior - college turned to the team until quite re-
ern Michigan and Ohio Univer- transfer D a n Brink replaces cently.
sity. The Broncos invade Crisler
Arena tonight at 7:00 p.m., while
the meet against the Ohians is
is scheduled for tomorrow, im-
mediately following the Mich-
igan-Southern Illinois basketball
game. -
Before discussing the m e e t s
themselves, it would be well to
take a look at the Wolverines posi- Gridders head for sunny sies
tion-by-position.
Jim Brown leads off the Maize
and Blue lineup, wrestling at 118 Despite the California catastrophe, a few Michigan gridders will
lbs. Bay describes him as "one of participate in post-season classics. Ed Shuttlesworth, Dave Gallagher
the tops in the nation. Outstanding. and Paul Seal are bound for the Hula Bowl on January 5th in sunny
We expect a big year from him." Hawaii.
Brown has been runner-up for two Gallagher and Seal will get some "practice in at the East-West
strai ht years in the Big Tn, Shrine Game in San Francisco, California, in Decenber .29th.
NCAA's.
Rich Valley, a sophomore outp
most-of last year with injuries, This Weekend in Sports
wilgrapple at 126 lbs. He won
both his matches last year before TODAY
being hurt, and has sent Bill
Davids up to the next-higher weight HOCKEY-at Michigan Tech
class. GYMNASTICS-Windy City Meeting at Chicago Circle
Davids, last year's Big Ten WRESTLING-Western Michigan; Crisler Arena, 7:30 p.m.
runner-up at 126 lbs., defeated TOMORROW
Jeff Guyton in practice to earn
Sthe berth at 134. Guyton is mere- BASKETBALL-Southern Illinois; Crisler Arena, 2 p.m.
ly the defending Big Ten chai- BASKETBALL-VARSITY RESERVE, Lansing CC; Crisler Arena,
pion at this weight. 11:30 a.m.
Out for revdnge at 142 lbs. is SWIMMING-Big Ten Relays; Matt Mann Pool, 2 p.m.
returnee Bill Schuck, who last se.- WRESTLING-Ohio U.; Crisler Arena, 4 p.m.
son finished a disappointing fifth.
in the Big Ten tournament and- ----- - -
failed to qualify for the NCAA's. SUPPER SEMINARS ON
iCaptain Jerry Hubbard is the de-
fending NCAA champion at 150 lbs. CURRENT T WOR L D CONFLICTS
Need I say more? His spectacular
Friday, November 30-6:30 p.m.
"THE MIDDLE EAST: PERSPECTIVES
ON THE CURRENT CONFLICT
AND THEF UTURE"
F ig Bookale
aily Photo by KAREN KASMAUSKI
s for the Wolverines. Rick Bay's
hio University. Despite the lack
opener !
190-pounder Dave Curby is "ab-
solutelv determined" to win a con-
ference championship this time
out. Last year, he was the top
seed in the tournament, but fin-
ished fifth. "He's the kind of guy
any coach loxves to have-a hard
worker-a great example for the
rest of the team," Bay claims.
Back at heavyweight will be
popular Big Ten champion Gary
Ernst. Bay terms his perform- '
ance "remarkable in view of the
fact that we have no other big
guys in the room for him to
practice against." If footballer
Greg Boik decides to come out, MICHAELANGELO THE PAINTER, by Valerio Ma-
this problem should be licked and riani. Publ. by 1Harry Abrams. This book is one of
Ernst could be better than ever. the big ones and one of the best buys. Retailed at
Michigan's opponents this week- $75 and just recently released as a publisher's over-
end frankly don't look too formid- stock. 95 full page color illustrations. Get one at
able-on paper. Western Michigan Borders for
has 167-pounder Doug Wyn, last s$
year's NCAA runner-up in his
class, and five freshmen in the
lineup. Of the frosh, possibly the VINCENT VAN GOGH. This book weighs over 12
mot interesting is Randy Cotton pounds, published at $55 by Reynal and Co. 56
at 134 lbs-he won an Ohio State color plates and 2000-you read it right--200
high school championship last year. black and white-a catalogue of Van Gogh. Many
Ohio University is THE wres- books done on Van Gogh for the casual art student
tling power in the Middle Ame- -this is going deeper Van Gogh. Reference-Art.
* an Conference, nhaving posted Sale priced at
five straight conference cham- Sl rcda
pionships. Last year, the Bobcats $29.95
battled Michigan to a tight 19-13
Wolverine victory not clinched REMBRANDT. H. Gerson. Again by Reynal,once a
until the last match-which was year you can buy this book at a reduced price, in-
decided by a single point.,. stead of the $50 tag. Buy it in Spring and most
The Wolveries have put in more likely will cot $50. Buy it now at Boders for half.
eager for the chance to show off Over 750 illus., 80 full page color plates. Text is
their skills. If past performance is extraordinarily precise and true, combine the facts
any indication, wrestling may very of Rembrandt's life with aspects of his art. Big,
well be the Michigan winter sport big book (5 kilos). Sale priced at
to watch this year.. $24,98
F PICASSO POSTERS by Czwiklitzer, publ. by Random
House at $60 and it was worth it at that price. Over
350 illus. most in full page color. I love this book.
Limited supply. Sold out at the published the first
week. We've got some. An asset to any Picasso
freaks collection. Sale
! $24.98
OPEN evenings 'til 10, Sun. 11-6
316 S. State
FRIDAY and SATURDAY
8 and 10 P.M.
COUZENS CAFETERIA Indisputably Michigan's most literate
Admission 75c bookshop; 105,617 titles in stock
Season Pass $3.00
A CFC Presentation
I ---
NHL
Atlanta 4, Detroit 3
New York 2, Philadelphia 2
Buffalo 2, Los Angeles 1
WHA
New England 5, Houston 2
Edmonton 3, Jersey 2
ABA
Denver 127, Indiana 111
Kentucky 102, Memphis 92
S Iai
HOUSE OF IMPORTS
1st ANNIVERSARY
SALE! Wholesale
PRICES ON A2'S
LARGEST
SELECTION OF
SHEEPSKIN
COATS!
MAXI:
Reg. $185
NOW $115 }
3/4 OATS:
Reg. $149.95
NOW $95
JACKET:
PANEL:
RICHARD P. MITCHELL, Assoc. Prof. of
Middle Eastern History.
DARRELL DYKSTRA, Doctoral Student in
Middle Eastern History, 2 years in Egypt.
KENNETH STEIN, Doctoral Student in
Middle Eastern History, 2 years in Israel.
ECUMENICAL CAMPUS CENTER
921 Church Street
SUPPER--S$1.00 RESERVATIONS: 662-5529
it
FOR THE SNOW LEOPARD!
KNEISSL MC 1000
SKI PACKAGE
I
December 7-"CHILE: THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES"
-IIII_ _
Attention all Phi Sig's
The DELTA DEUTERON CHAPTER
is recolonizing on the
Michigan Campus
Your support is
needed in this endeavor
Kneissl
fiberglas ski
Koflach
racer boot
Tyrolia
step-in binding
3arrecrafter
alum. pole
55.00
39.95
7,50
A A r ~ ~
-AL " -fV.V, -12MV7d'MI" 4 1 1ii11fi