$ U. THE NATIONAL COLLEGE NEWSPAPER Opinions " APRIL 1988 8 U. THE NATIONAL COLLEGE NEWSPAPER Opinions * APRIL 1988 'Brain' can't compete without brawn By Michael Merschel The University Daily Kansan U. of Kansas It doesn't seem fair. I'm a big fan of that well-discussed team that competes in that famous building on the edge of campus, and when a top player is declared ineligible because of some silly rule, fans can't help but be disappointed. I'm referring to the sad situation re- garding Melvin Blossom, the star play- er for the U. of Kansas' (KU) top-ranked computer programming team, who was recently declared athletically ineligible. Undefeated in their last 39.75 match- es in the computer center, the Data Pro- cessin' Jayhawks were off to a shaky start this year. To make up for the loss of several seniors, KU scouts tried recruiting players from Southern Methodist U., whose programming program was erased after reports about sex and money being offered to high school seniors with high SAT scores. KU also looked at junior colleges like Bartlesville Technical Institute, where Blossom broke school records in bytes scored and defensive debugging. Blossom played as well as expected after he signed with KU. He helped KU remain undefeated at home with upsets over teams like Cal Tech. With Blossom processing, KU had a shot at the final 4.0. Then it happened. As with otherintercollegiate competi- tions, computer programming has a giant rules-making organization over- seeing competition. The National Com- puter Competition Association (NCCA) has strict guidelines regarding who can and can't program. Among other things, the NCCA guidelines call for everyone competing in academic events to pass a simple physical. All a player really has to do is take a deep breath to be allowed to stay on the team. The test isn't designed to weed any- body out. Programmers are given extra- special attention during the year: brea- thing tutors, free oxygen tanks, etc. It takes a lot of effort to fail the physical. That's why it was so shocking when Blossom did. Oh, everybody expects smart people like Blossom to be physical wimps. But in big-time college academics, these guys usually squeak by. When they don't, as in Blossom's case, it seems like the system has failed. I know it doesn't seem fair for our star player to get nailed on a technicality, but it's probably for the best. Once he graduates, Blossom won't have much help. He'll have to function on his own. And in today's society, if he can't breathe, he's as good as dead. ARST G TORO lot- Jo. a z 0 Z MM WST DMNE 0 1 1TION? a z a _ Q v Q r S MOM- CD 1010040% 9WT IMTJK)G O#AAM-NFS Sys "NCO, GLN& Agaw Wtm vo% m ve too The MinnesotaDaily asked internation- al and American students: "What do you think is going to be important in the world this year? What would you like to see happen?" Nowhere to go I wish that no one would have to experience what it's like to live insa state of war. I wish that no one had to feel that they have nowhere to turn to, no family nor a homeland. Abir Abukhadra Pre-business major Kuwait Don't be afraid of glasnost I would like to see the U.S. change its attitude toward the Soviet Union in 1988. The U.S. should take advantage of the glasnost situation in the Soviet Union instead of being afraid of it. The U.S. should not be afraid of advancement in the Soviet Union which could he beneficial for both countries. Angela Goreham Soviet studies graduate program United States Save the rain forest I would like the world to be more concersed with eliminating pollution and conserving na- ture and those many species and plants that are becoming extinct. Saving South American rain forests where nature is being destroyed on a large scale is also very important. Youvaraaj Hanuman Pre-management major British Guyana Scrap missiles I would like to see the U.S. Senate approve the INF treaty, and I want real progress in implementation of the treaty. I want a less aggressive military presence in the Middle East. Michael Holmes Speech-communication major United States Stop the war in Ethiopia I would like to see peace in my country, where guerillas are fighting the government, and a solution to the famine so the people can live with dignity. I want the government to become democratic and I want it to change its priorities so that feeding its people becomes its top priority. Hasia Succar Nursing major Harar, Ethiopia someone I can't identify grabbed me last might and then walked away? Can I prosecute someone for intentionally scaring me? Can I follow you out of a party at night and make you afraid? Oh, I would love to make you afraid! I suppose the next time I want to walk somewhere at night I should call campus security for an escort. "Hello? Yes-would you send someone to escort me to Topliff so I can visit a friend?" Is this me? Afraid to go alone? No, I don't.want to be afraid. I know who you are. Don't think that I don't recognize you. If you are going to walk alone at night, my sister tells me, make sure you look like you have an attitude problem. No one will bother you if you look like you have an attitude problem. Now that's good advice. Take back the night? I will never let you have it. Mara Leventhal Dartmouth College, NH 4 J 4 L ETTERS ToCAMPUSEDITORS Letters to the Editor have been edited for space and content. Prof sorry for 'sloppy' job Editor: I would like to apologize to the students in my Greek history class last fall for a somewhat sloppy job. That the people at the top are treat- ing the U. of New Mexico as a joke is no excuse for the rest of us to allow our standards to slip. Richard M. Berthold Associate Professor, Classical History U. of New Mexico Sex in the field Editor: They say 95 percent of an iceberg is underwater. I think this is the case with the gay issue facing the military. The military readily admits that it would be easy for a gay to get into the military (simply by not admittinghe's gay). There are already gays in the military, and, it poses virtually no problems. Why, then, is the military so against officially allowing gays to enter? I think the real problem is the issue of allowing women into combat units. On today's modern battlefield, there is no reason to believe a woman would be less capable to fight than a man. The only reason they aren't allowed to is because the military insists that there would be a number of sex-related problems. If gays are allowed into the military, it would void the military's argu- ment to disallow women in com- bat units. Timothy Christensen 2nd Lieutenant, U.S. Army ROTC U. of Wisconsin, Madison 1 know who you are Editor: To the person who saw me leave the party alone last Satur- day night, to the person who fol- lowed me: I have never been afraid of the night. If dark streets in New York City do not scare me, what do I have to fear from a solitary walk across theGreen? Haven't I been taught to protect myself? Besides, I am in New Hampshire. I heard you walk up behind me. I saw your drawn shadow approach. I did not think to be threatened or afraid. Not here, not me. I suppose that you just grabbed me to scare me because before I could even react, you had begun your hasty retreat. Well, it work- ed. I was frightened. And I was alone. And it was dark. Alone, in the dark, with nothing to do but walk faster. This morning I am angry. You violated me and I have no chan- nel of recourse. Shall I call cam- pus security and report that