4 S orts Page 16 Friday, August 7, 1981 The Michigan Daily ILLINI RECEIVE ONE-YEAR PROBATION Illinois sanctions reduced I MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - In the final aialysis, something was better than nothing for the University of Illinois. Late Wednesday evening the Big Ten Conference reduced its sanctions levied against the school following last fall's court battle by former Illini quarter- back Dave Wilson concerning his eligibility. "They realized they had overreac-. ted," said Urbana-Champaign chan- cellor John E. Cribbett of the Big Ten's original penalties, which were issued April 23, 1981. THOSE SANCTIONS called for a three-year probation, plus two years of no post-season competition for all spor- ts and two years of no television revenues. Wednesday night, after a nine-hour meeting at the University of Minnesota, the conference faculty representatives agreed to reduce the sanctions to one year of probation for football only beginning Sept. 1, 1981, plus one year each in the other two areas. "We had really hoped very much not to have any bar on post-season play and that the financial loss would be less," said Cribbet. "They do not like the process of negotiation," he said of the Big Ten. Stanley 0. Ikenberry, president of the university, said because of the one-year reduction for television revenues, the school would lose an estimated $500,000 in TV and post-season football receipts. "THE PENALTIES are still significant, but are a substantial change and this is a substantial step in changing the strained relationship bet- ween Illinois and the Big Ten," said Ikenberry. Jack Wentworth, faculty rep from Indiana, said the reduced sanctions were instituted "based on affirmation by Illinois of their support of conference and academic progress. "The faculty reps feel this is a very substantial reduction, but we think it's for a very good reason," said Wentwor- th. "We're very pleased with what we now see at the University of Illinois." CRIBBET SAID he spoke with foot- ball coach Mike White and had con- fidence that the football team and the entire program would not suffer greatly. "Of course Mike is discouraged," Cribbet said. "He feels it is unfair. This makes it look like there is something wrong with the football program. That is not the case. Maybe it will inspire them (the players) and they will go out and give their all." The original sanctions stemmed from the school's handling of Wilson's eligibility. Wilson, who has since signed a professional contract with the New Orleans Saints, had been denied eligibility by a Big Ten committee last fall after transferring to Illinois from Fullerton, Calif. Junior College because he participated for more than two years there. THE DISPUTE centered on part of one game which he played during his freshman season at Fullerton. Wilson broke his hand in the first quarter of that game and did not play for the remainder of the year, but did play two full seasons after that. The Big Ten wanted to limit Wilson to one conference season - 1981 - but Wilson then got the injunction, even- tually upheld by the Illinois Supreme Court, which enabled him to compete in ,^^^ Cribbet .'Big Ten overreacted' The 6-3, 215-pound Wilson set several school and conference passing records last season, including an NCAA single- game passing mark of 621 yards, in a 49-42 loss to Ohio State. Against Michigan, Wilson completed 24 of 53 passes for 318 yards and one touch- down. WITH WILSON playing for New Orleans now, the Illinois quarter- backing spot will be filled this season by Tony Eason, like Wilson a junior college transfer. White says of his new signal-caller, "He's a better all-around athlete than Dave Wilson, and a com- parable passer. The only thing he lacks is experience." Wilson is expected to play a back-up role to current Saints quarterback Ar- chie Manning, an 11-year NFL veteran. I FORMER ILLINOIS Q UARTERBIAUK Dave wilson, wnose playing last year despite being declared ineligible by the Big Ten was the origin of the dispute, is pictured here in last season's Illinois-Michigan game. The Illini lost the game, 45-14. RECENTLY PAROLED FROM PRISON: a George Rogers' father indicted LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (AP) - The daughter, Jenkins said. He said that Trophy as a 6-foot-2, 220-pound senior at struck the car in which 34-year-old Clif- father of Heisman Trophy winner blood tests indicated the elder Rogers South Carolina. ton Elbert Black and his 16-year-old George Rogers was charged yesterday was intoxicated at the time of the crash. "IT'S A dangerous operation," said daughter Wanda Jean, both of Lawren- with two counts of vehicular homicide, Rogers, who suffered several broken Saints Coach Bum Phillips. "I'd want to ceville, were riding. a Gwinnett County police investigator ribs, interior bleeding and a collapsed be there if it was my dad." The elder Rogers was paroled last lung as a result of the accident, was Jenkins said the warrants had not year from the Georgia Training and Warrants on the two counts were being treated in the hospital's intensive been served because police did not want Development Center at Buford, where sworn out against George Rogers Sr. of ben t est jadze the e ld Rgr' con- he had served eight years of a life sen- Duluth, but police did not immediately care unit, An operation was performed to jeoparize e eer ogestence for murder. He was convicted in arrst ogrs ecusehe emine ~ Wednesday in an attempt to stop the dition. arrest Rogers because he remained in bleeding. "We're not even going to make an at-. connection with the fatal shooting of a serious condition at Gwinnett Com- tempt to serve him until he's about to be woman friend. munity Hospital, said investigator Mike His son, the first draft choice of the released from the hospital," he added. Donnie Lee, a spokesman for the Jenkins. National Football League last spring, Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles THE ELDER Rogers is charged in was excused from practice with the THE INVESTIGATOR said Rogers said, "it would be safe to assume" that connection with a car crash last Friday New Orleans Saints Wednesday to be was driving north on Georgia 124 Rogers would face a preliminary parole which claimed the lives of a Lawren- with his father at the hospital. The toward Lawrenceville on July 31 when revocation hearing if he were charged ceville man and his 16-year-old younger Rogers won the 1980 Heisman his car crossed the center line and with vehicular homicide. - - ,t - t 0 0