SAT., AUGUST 22,1981
THE CAROLINA TIMES -S
Fison’s Pet Peeves
tailson Armstrong, Jr.
•j'lie Air Controllers
the only people
have to deal with
jjss these days. In the
Id of sports, there are
iiough irritating in
dents to make you have
jers before your time.
Here are a few of the
djgs associated with
igrts that make my hair
on end, my veins
out, and just plain
etme in a foul mood.
l-I just can’t tolerate
,Qple who constantly
rive late for sporting
ents. Don’t • these
urtles” realize that
lere’s something sacred
ibout that opening kick-
first pitch, or open-
ng tap?
[2-How about those
cople who jam you in at .
be stadium parking lot
jaking it impossible for
ou to move your car.
jnd you can bet that
ley’re usually the last to
ave the arena.
3.H0W about the loud
liouth that constantlv
erates a certain player
hen he can’t walk and'
lew gum at the same
me. ■
,4-Those obnoxious
rents at Little League
imes. They really ruin
for the kids.
5-Ali the analyzing
at goes on during an
FL telecast. Why .can’t
ey shut up and let us
itch the game.
h-Listening to a
idger fan tell how
;at his team is every
ir. (Watch them get
iet when ybu ask how
my world series they
ve won lately?)
have this friend
10 every year picks his
forty favorite teams to
win the NCAA cage
playoffs (nothing wrong
with that, right), BUT,
when all of them fell by
the wayside and my
favorite (North
Carolina) made it to the
finals, he tried to rub it
in when the Tar Heels
lost. (Need I add wherei
were ANY of his 40
teams. No, he didrffl
pick Indiana as one of
them.)
8- Arguing collegiate
sports with a fan from
Los Angeles. These-
kooks are the world’s
worst front runners!
9- Hearing Digger
Phelps say that Notre
Dame is the biggest name I
in collegiate basketbalf
behind UCLA. May I
ask Digger how many
times the Irish have been
in the final-four or how Ronalrin
many national titles they' . UU, neildiuu
have won? Heck, Notre . Renaldo Nehemiah (No. 21) USA and world title holder, leading in the London 110 metre hurdle race which he won in ■
Dame is NOT EVEN '•3.17 seconds. On left, Tonie Campbell (USA), second; Mark Holtom (G8, hidden) third; Gault (No. 38) followed
No. 2! bj Rod Milburn (No. 1) were beaten in the Amateur Athletic Association’s Championships at Crystal Palace Sports Center
10- Bigots, both white.:A“g“St8. UPl Photo
and black, who just have 1
Quarterback: Johnson or Harris?
GREENSBORO — California JUCO ranks.
There is an air of con- Despite their lack of
Herschel Walker Wins
Achievement Award
when.
to bring up race
watching sports.
11- Having to watch
the Redskins on the NFC 1
telecast EVERY*
WEEKEND.
12- The amount of
auto racing on the tu^
on weekends .—
ZZZZZZZ!
13- Dallas Cowboy
fans who can see no
wrong (the Cowboys
NEVER PLAY DIRTY).
H-I’m a die hard
UNC fan but even I
blush when 1 see how ob
noxious some Carolina
fans are when it comes to
laughing at their rivals.
15-People who arrive
(Continued On Page 6)
fidence surrounding
Thomas Johnson and
James Harris as the pair
vie for the starting
quarterback position at
North Carolina A&T
State University for the
1981 football season.
Johnson, entering his
sophomore season, never
took snap from center
last season as the Aggies
rolled to an impressive
9-3 record. Harris was
much more active
leading Riverside Junior
College to a 7-3 mark in
the competitive southern
game experience on a
major level, both feel
they have something to
contribute to the success
of a potential big season
'at A&T.
“I learned a lost last
season watching William
Watson and Roland
Myers,” said Johnson, a
6-1, 180 pounder from
LouiSburg High School.
“Watson is now an assis
tant coach and has been
very helpful in going
over technique and other
game type situations
which will be helpful
during the course of the
season.
“We have eight
starters returning from
last year’s team, in
cluding backs like
Charlie Sutton and
Waymon Pitts. I feel like
I’m a young quarterback
with a lot to learn.
“However, with the
talent we have, it won’t
be necessary for me to
carry a heavy load. If I
can perform half as well
as Watson and Myers did
a year ago, I feel we will
have a great year.”
Harris, who was
recruited by New Mex
ico, San Diego State, and
Texas A&M, feels that
his biggest asset coming
into a new situation like
A&T is the maturity he
(Continued On Page 6)
, NEW YORK —
Herschel Walker, of the
University of Georgia,
the freshman football
player of the century,
was honored recently as
the winner of the 1981
Tanqueray Achievement
Award for excellence in
amateur sports at a lun
cheon in New York City.
Walker, who earned
his distinction as the best
first year player ever to
compete in college foot
ball, was the only
freshman ever to become
a unanimous selection on
each of the All-America
teams selected for 1980.
The 220-pound, 6-foot
2-inch running back
from Wrightsville, Ga.,
also finished third in the
annual balloting for the
Heisman Trophy given
to the College Player of
the Year.
For many weeks after
his fabulous finale in the
Sugar Bowl against
Notre Dame, Walker
had to evaluate a million
dollar offer to play pro
football in Canada
against continuing his
college career with a
head start toward
achievement of the best
record in history for a
running back.
Acknowledging the
danger of injuries at a
vulnerable position
where the hazards of get
ting hurt are extremely
high. Walker finally con-
Black Schools/Administrators
Should Support Sports Programs
By Elson Armstrong, Jr.
How many times have you heard this statement:
Hey, we’re a small black school, we lack the
finances, the big predominantly white schools get
II the ink, and our administration doesn’t care
bout sports”. I’ve heard it a lot lately and frankly
msick of hearing it. It’s beginning to sound like a
op-out to me. '
Make no mistake, I also know that the big
tedominantly white schools get the publicity, and
ley have garbs of money, and you know
imething, I pat them on the back for it. You can
|8llit social injustice, the breaks, or whatever. Face
• It s a fact of life and it’s not going to change any
m soon. The bigs are going to continue to get big-
er and that’s that. And furthermore. I’m 1(X)%
khind them.
Before you think that I’ve gone off the deep end
Id sold out to the system, let me point out that I
so favor the survival of the small, predominantly
ack schools. But there seems to be a prevailing
ood among many black college presidents and
ner administrators that says that sports should
K a back seat to other aspects of college life. To
^ capital B!
, J ™ "lay ruffle some feathers,
h loo bad. I know from talking around
rtiam s black community that I’m not the only
son who harbors the following views,
ae reason I said that I heartily back the bigger
wls in their approach to sports is that most of
™ nave seen the light. They realize that success
^ winning football or
oall team can help the school to obtain suc-
Lareas of academia. Cases in point:
., Carolina State went on a winning
ErsV" j ^ major sports in 1973 and ‘74, their
an student enrollment increased greatlyand
the so-called dumb jocks entering
erin' . ^hey were future engineers and
narians who some day will be valuable alum-
r!i[n '^^^tttly, the athletic explosions at North
IsiT’ State, Alabama, Notre Dame, and
ave all been followed by tremendous suc-
!" academics.
ier[cr*^A°^ pointed out recently that this is
er/...- .’'tterica loves a winner, and sports is
ooi^’*"ting is most graphic,
blirit, ^tambling. the most successful
hlack athletic program in this coun-
tbaii ^ wisely played off the fame of their
ai their bands and you better believe
beagfjtj^^^lemic program has reaped much- of
black administrators are too
y exn ® ®lack Ivory Tower and
at’s their ships afloat by taking
lined
f-r# !*
. Vjr
8 en to them by the state and sports be
power. If you keep this at-
Jents m u ^hat all the talented
olina head for places like Duke and
'iciad where they can have their talents
he black
rder 7/"' structure has got to realize that
'"on^y* you’ve got to spend"it. If
lols arp^i"^"^ the sports programs at ACC
He in,, L, ^hvays in the media, they should ex-
it: A ^*'^y sot there. Anothei two cases in
out ®80, UNC decided that it wanted
"lied a * .home football games. So they
Bina Kp,"’ (remember all of those
signs?) and they invested $200,000
in an advertising campaign. Within a year, every
game was a complete sell-out and UNC netted over
$2 million.
In the mid-1970’s, Duke was at the bottom, both
in spirits and on the cage court. State and Carolina
fans often flooded into Duke’s own arena because
the Blue Devil fans stayed away in droves. Enter a
new sports department and before long Duke signs
sprouted all over Durham. Duke athletes appeared
at civic functions and coaching clinics at area
schools and now you rarely can get a ticket to a
Duke basketball game.
For some reason, black administrators haven’t
seen the light. Sure, maybe they don’t have
$200,000 to spend on advertisements, but there are
other ways to push their programs.
First, in the area of sports information. Most
black schools severely tax their sports info people.
More often than not, they have to do all the work.
Some don’t even have secretaries. If money is that
tight, then use student help. Every campus is loaded
with talented sports-oriented students who would
just love to get involved (many of the big schools go
this route).
Next, community involvement. As I said,
everyone loves a winner and they like to feel that
they’re part of thi action. (Fresno State got itself
out of the sports doldrums by getting the communi
ty involved.) The bigger schools have played this
trump card to the hilt.
Again, unfortunately, many black schools have
missed the boat in this area.
In the 1960’s and early 1970’s, all of Durham was
talking about the success that N.C. Central was
having in track and football, but the Eagles failed
to capitalize off their glory. As a result, a sports
“depression” set in by 1975.
More recently, Winston-Salem State had a foot
ball team that created a regional following, but
again, the school did not play it’s No. 1 asset to the
fullest.
The name of the game is selling and when you
have a successful product, you push it. Just watch
how the big boys do it.
Media contacts: You may have the best program
in the world but if you want it to receive exposure,
you’ve got to get the media to cover it and to get
media coverage, they’ve got to know that you exist.
The Raleigh-Durham area is a hot bed for college
sports. If you want your team on the sports page,
then you’ve got to supply the media with reliable
details (on time) and you’ve got to make sure that
they know when something is happening on your
campus-. Just sitting around hoping that the local
papers or TV people show up just won’t get it.
Another thing: Your student athletes shoulcl feel
welcome on your campus. (I’m not advocating
special favors.) They should be introduced to com
munity leaders who can provide them with jobs and
future career contacts. Again, this is an area where
the larger schools have been successful.
Last, but not least, I advocate yearly or semi-
yearly meetings between administrators and sports
information offices. There seems to be a tragic gap
at most black schools, the president seems to place
sports very low on the totem pole.
To administrators who harbor these feelings, I
suggest that you go to sports contests sometimes.
When you see the thrill that comes with winning or
trying your best while supporters proudly wave the
school banners, then maybe, just maybe, you’ll see
that sports has a valuable place on the college cam
pus.
0 (•/
Tanqueray Achievement Award To Herschel Walker
All-America football star, Herschel Walker, accepts the 1981 Tanqueray Achievement
Award for excellence in the field of amateur sports from John E. Heilmann, president of
Somerset Importers, Ltd., in New York recently. Walker, a sophomore at the University of
Georgia, was honored for his outstanding career as a running back for Georgia. He was
the only freshman ever to become a unanimous selection on each of the All-America teams
selected for 1980.
eluded that he wanted to
accept the risk.
“One of the reasons I
wanted to stay in college
was that 1 have a chance
to fulfill my dream of
competing as a runner
for the United States in
the Olympic games,”
Walker said when he an
nounced his decision. “I
decided to continue to
play football at Georgia
because 1 am an
American and it did not
seem right to leave the
country to play pro foot
ball.
“I hope some time to
have a chance to win the
Heisman trophy,” said
Walker. “I will get my
chance. 1 was proud to
come in third in last
season’s voting. When
you are rated third best
among all of the players
in the country, that
means something.”
Coach Vince Dooley
of the University of
Georgia looked back on
the youngster’s
achievements and said “I
don’t think there is a
player in the nation who
was more deserving.
“I feel sure he would
have won the Heisman if
he had not been a
freshman,” said Dooley.
“No one anywhere ac
complished more than he
did.”
John Heilmann, presi
dent of Somerset Im
porters, Ltd., the spon
sors of the Tanqueray
Achievement Award,
said that “Herschel is
another fine example of
the youth factor in these
annual selections.
“Our winners,
generally speaking, have
made theip--, marks as
amateurs while they were
teen-agers,” Heilmann
said. “We"are proud to
have Herschel as our
latest winner, who in his
first year at college had
such tremendous
achievements as a foot
ball player. There is
every indication he will
go on to even greater
achievements in college
and eventually in the
pros.”
Walker will need to be
superlative to match his
accolades received as a
yearling. In addition to
his NCAA records and
selection to the eight ma
jor All-America teams,
he was the Southeastern
Conference Player-of-
the-Year selected by
United Press Interna
tional and made it twice
as the Associated Press
fiack-of-the-Week.
This is the 14th annual
presentation of the Tan
queray Achievement
Award. Included among
Jhe previous winners
were , gymnast Kurt
Thomas, boxers Sugar
Ray Leonard and
Howard Davis, high
jumper Franklin Jacobs,
basketball player David
Thompson, and gymnast
Olga Korbut.
00
Thursday, August 27
7:30 Oakland A’s vs. Boston Red Sox
10:30 Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
^ableyisi^