nesday, June 15, 1977 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Eleven
essure KO's Clean Gene
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nv The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - Gene Bartow didn't realize
what kind of pressure cooker he was getting into
when he followed the legendary John Wooden as
basketball coach at UCLA, both a Bruin player
and a rival coach said Tuesday.
Bartow, under increasing fire from the media
and Bruin basketball fans, took HHarry Truman's
advice and moved out of "the kitchen" and to the
low-key post of athletic director at the University
of Alabama-Birmingham.
THE MOVE TO a school with no existing ath-
letic program, first rumored last week, became
official Monday.
"I was really surprised when Coach Bartow
first told me he was considering the job," said
Marques Johnson, UCLA's All-American senior
forward. Johnson, who was in New York with
Bartow to receive a Most Valuable Player award
last week, said, "He talked about it with my
father (Jeff) and me. I was surprised at first, but
after talking with him, I understood how he fet."
Bob Boyd, the basketball coach at arch-rival
Southern California, said, "I think it's fair to say
Gene was uncomfortable coaching at UCLA.
"In college coaching, there's a lot of devious-
ness, and I found Gene Bartow not to be in the
least devious," the USC coach said, not elaborat-
ing, "I think he misjudged the impact of being
the new coach at UCLA, particularly being an
outsider taking the job."
BARTOW HAD a 52-9 record and won Pacific-8
championships both of his two years at UCLA,
but the Bruins failed to win the national cham-
pionship, a feat Wooden's teams accomplished 10
times in his last 12 years at the school.
Johnson said Bartow had trouble making the
adjustment from comparably low-pressure coach-
ing jobs at Illinois and Memphis State to the
Bruins job in media-rich and victory-consci ps
Los Angeles.
"I think the fans were a little harsh on him, as
was the press," Johnson said. "Just look at our
record. I think the players expected the criticism
because we didn't go all the way, but he was sur-
prised it was so strong.
"Some of us had been around during the Wood-
en years, and I remember even he drew a lot of
criticism a.couple of years ago when we lost two
straight to Oregon."
BARTOW'S DECISION to take the Alabama-
Birmingham job, Johnson said, was capped by
the media attention after it was disclosed he was
talking with Alabama-Birmingham.
"I know Coach Wooden wis approached all the
time about coaching jobs, jobs in the pros. But
when it came out that Coach Bartow was talking
with Birmingham, I think the resulting stories
helped hi mmake up his mind.
"At first he didn't appear to have any desire
to leave UCLA, but after everything got blown out
of proportion, he said he didn't see why he should
sacrifice his peace of mind to continue at UCLA."
Johnson, the Associated Press College Player
of the Year under Bartow, said he thought a
coach should not hesitate to take the UCLA job.
"I THINK it's the best coaching position in the
country," said Johnson, who was selected by the
Milwaukee Bucks in the recent National Basket-
ball Association draft.
"There are a lot of good players coming back,
and the press and fans can't be much more criti-
cal than they've been already." -
UCLA mum on
new coach
Wanted: Head coach for UCLA basket-
ball team. Requirements: Thick skin, re-
cruiting magic, and charisma.
Apparently, all three will be demanded
of the successor to Gene Bartow, who re-
signed from the post Monday after only
two years on the job.
Although the University has not. made
any officiar statement, those considered
to have the best chance at succeeding Bar-
tow at UCLA are former UCLA Wooden
aides Gary Cunningham and current Louis-
ville head coach, Denny Crum. Other pros-
pects are Digger Phelps of Notre Dame
and North Carolina's Dean Smith.
None of the so-called candidates had any
word as to whether or not they would be
interested if offered the job.
Gene Bartow-on the move
rp, j ,a the s Il
By The Associated Press
az tops AL ballot tally
Boston's Carl Yastrzemski remains the leading vote getter in
e balloting for the American League All-Star team. Yaz has col-
Fted 297,552 votes for one of the three starting outfield positions
ter the second week of balloting.
Kansas City's third baseman George Brett is closest to the
teran Red Sox' star. Brett's 285,136 votes leads all third base-
en and is nearly double that of his nearest competitor, Graig
ettles of the Yankees.
Rod Carew, a perennial starter in the All-Star Classic, has a
bstantial lead in the voting among first basemen. Carew, who
rted for nine years at second base, is bidding to be the starting
t baseman for the second year in a row.
Meanwhile, of the six Detroit Tigers on the punch card ballots,
one has yet to score big with the fans. Bengal Rusty Staub leads
Tiger nominees with 91,795 votes, well out of the running for
second straight appearance in an AL uniform.
am QB Harris to San Diego?
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Chargers say they are negotiat-
B with the Los Angeles Rams to acquire quarterback James
Eugene Klein, owner of the National Football League Charg-
s, confirmed Monday night that talks were in progress. Klein's
tenent came from New York, where he is attending an NFL
ers meeting.
"We have reached the stage where we are seeking added
strength," Klein said. "We are looking for bench strength.
That doesn't mean Harris will be on the bench if we make the
deal-"
The Chargers reportedly offered the Rams draft choices in
change.
Harris lost his starting job with the Rams last season to
t Haden. Acquisition by the Chargers would put him in com-
15n with Dan Fouts, the starter in most of the Chargers'
mes last season.
If he stays in Los Angeles, Harris would be up against Joe
math, Haden and Nebraska rookie Vince Ferragamo.
ank's Lou slapped with fine
ltN YORK - Lou Piniella of the New York Yankees, who
led a bat in the direction of an umpire last Saturday, has been
alded for three days and fined, the American League said
The fine, whose amount was not announced, and the sus-
nsioo will not take effect until a hearing is held.
Pinilta was enraged in the second inning of lest Saturday's
eagainst the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium when um-
Bill Deegan called him out on strikes. He pounded the plate
his bat, flung his helmet to the ground (an automatic ejec-
from the game, then tossed the bat in Deegan's vicinity.
Yanks, trailing 1-0 at the time, won 6-5.
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