Thursday, August 25, 1977 Tht Dally Tr Heel C7
This summers 'East Carolina decision: case is closed now
Bill Cobey: Carolina could fill
its schedule with in-state foes
By GENE UPCHURCH
Sports Editor
Some people called it the "ECU decision."
Whatever the name, the decision this
summer by the UNC athletic department to
discontinue scheduling non-Atlantic Coast
Conference football opponents from North
Carolina was unpopular among many
Action
people and received much criticism from
area press and particularly from fans and
supporters of East Carolina University.
Bill Cobey, UNC's athletic director, said
the decision was made to free Carolina from
any obligation it might have to play in-state
schools in football. Some people felt that if
Carolina played one school regularly, like
ECU, it should play other in-state schools as
well.
"We would prefer to limit the number of
in-state schools we play," Cobey said,
"During future years, we could fill our entire
schedule with schools from within North
Carolina."
Cobey said the decision was made so the
University could reserve the privilege "of
reconsidering Tfie schoors schedule and
policies as we go along."
Carolina's schedule already has been
completed partially for 1981 to 1988 and
Cobey said the decision will allow teams
within the state to plan their schedules
better.
"We shouldn't lead other teams on or give
them false expectations," he said.
Cobey said much of the criticism the
university had received for the decision to
limit games against in-state schools was
unjustified. He said that the decision was not
directed at ECU alone because ECU has a
powerful enough team to have the potential
to defeat Carolina.
"If we were so afraid of ECU, why did we
schedule them in the first place?" Cobey said.
ECU defeated Carolina 38-17 in 1975 but
Carolina won 12-10 last year.
"ECU thinks of themselves as a football
power, just because they have had some
successes," Cobey said.
The games against East Carolina have
been popular, but not as popular as everyone
thinks, Cobey added. Last year, for example,
the game against ECU was sold out but
Cobey said that game was band day,
cheerleader day and scout day "and we filled
the stands with them." Only 4,800 tickets
were sold by East Carolina for the game, he
said.
"ECU thinks they are prominent, and
because of this prominence, they think we
should play them," Cobey said. "1 see no
reason to play them just because of their
successes."
Because a football schedule sometimes is
made as much as 15 years in advance, it is,
difficult for athletic officials to predict;
exactly what kind of opponent they will face
when it's time for the game.
"We didn't know that Pitt would be
national champions when we scheduled
them," Cobey said. Carolina will play the
Panthers next year. "When we made the
schedule, we didn't know we'd be playing
Kentucky in the Peach Bowl. It's hard to
predict where the various teams will be."
He said that teams such as ECU could
have several years of success, and then their
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Dye: in-state rivalries important to state;
other conference schools playing Pirates
UNC AD Bill Cobey
programs could drop off alter schedules
already had been made.
"Each school should have the right to play
who they want to," Cobey said. "The
overwhelming majority of people interested
in athletics would prefer an intersectional
schedule."
Cobey added that a policy limiting the
number of in-state schools Carolina plays in
basketball has been in effect for years.
"Most people haven't liked it. but they
understood it," he said- "There's something
about it when everybody is treated equally
and not being discriminated against."
Being courteous, Cobey says
Smith refused interview for UCLA
By GENE UPCHURCH
Sports Editor
A chill went up the spine of nearly every North Carolina basketball
supporter this summer when word got out that UNC coach Dean
Smith had been approached by UCLA to be the basketball coach
there.
UCLA was in the market for a new coach when Gene Bartow quit
after two years of intense criticism from southern California press
and UCLA fans for not making the team the perennial national
champions they were under John Wooden.
In the course of his search, UCLA Athletic Director J. D. Morgan
called Smith and asked him to consider the UCLA post.
"Morgan called (me) and asked permission to talk to Smith about
the possibility of an interview for that job," UNC Athletic Director
Bill Cobey said last week.
"They talked by phone a couple of times and explored the
possibility of an interview," Cobey said. "But, Smith never went for
an interview. He just decided not to interview."
Cobey said that Smith was being"courteous" by telling Morgan he
would consider being interviewed for the job.
"If he hadn't told UCLA he'd think about it. he wouldn't be
courteous," he said.
Cobey added that when many coaching jobs in professional and
college basketball become available. Smith often is called for
recommendations and other thoughts he might have on the job. And,
he inevitably is asked what it would take him to consider taking the
job.
"But, he has not interviewed for a job, to my knowledge," Cobey
said.
Cobey added that during the time Smith was considering being
interviewed for the UCLA position, there were no contract
renegotiations between him and Carolina.
"He's been happy and has no intention of leaving," Cobey said. "1
can understand the anxiety that fans had when they learned he could
leave. I had some anxiety myself. It's a compliment to UCLA for him
to be considered because it means they have a program that is as
attractive as the one here and it's a compliment to our program. But
it's a compliment to Coach Smith more than anything."
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By SKIP FOREMAN
Staff Writer
Tucked away in the corner of the
campus of East Carolina University is a
McDonald's restaurant. This is,
however, no ordinary burger parlor. It is
a shrine, or sorts. A shrine to East
Carolina athletics, especially Pirate
football.
In keeping with the ECU decor, the
place is designed in purple and gold.
Puintings of football players are in every
available nook and cranny. To remind
people who is responsible for all this,
there is a painting of Dr. Leo Jenkins
hanging in the center of the main dining
area.
Conspicuously exposed in a corner is
the school's ultimate monument to their
athletic program. It is a painting of the
north stands of Kenan Stadium. There
are three seconds left on the scoreboard
clock in the fourth quarter. Carolina has
17 points, the visitors have 38. Those
visitors are East Carolina.
It is the moment of triumph in ECU
sports. But moments like those will turn
to very distant memories, unless
something changes by 1981. The
University of North Carolina athletic
department has decided to drop its
commitment with East Carolina,
according to athletic director Bill
Cobey, keeping ECU on the schedule
vvould mean having to include other
non-Atlantic Coast Conference in-state
schools for the future.
Needless to say, there are those in
Greenville who see the move as a cop
out, as some sort of a snobbish act to
keep the in-state schools from attaining
any measure of credibility within their
football program. Among the coaches
most offended and perplexed is ECU
Head Coach Pat Dye.
Dye was imported from the land of
football, Alabama. East Carolina
brought him in for the purpose of
upgrading even further a football
program which was growing in leaps
and bounds within the Southern
Conference. Dye's first move was to get
rid of the team's I-formation and switch
to the wishbone.
ECU football became even more fast
paced and more exciting. More plans
were made. It's football stadium would
be expanded to 35,000 to accommodate
the crowds that would come in to see the
South Carolinas, the N.C. States, and
even maybe, the Carolinas. This year,
ECU goes independent.
But, alas, their dream for the moment
has been turned to wishing. An
administrative needle has been punched
into their athletic balloon. Dye does not
understand.
CONSERVE
WATER!!
"The chemistry doesn't add up.
There's nobody in North Carolina who
will be able to challenge UNC as an
academic institution or athletic
institution." Dye said. "Nobody's
threatening that.
Reaction
"If you're good enough, you're going
to team up with anyone anytime." Dye
said. "We can compete with State,
Duke, and UNC."
Meanwhile, ECU went ahead and
sought a game with Duke, something
that for a time appeared doubtful, After
negotiations, and Duke's realization
that they could get no one else for the
date, the contract was signed in May for
the Sept. 10 game. Dye said that he even
tried to arrange a game with Maryland,
but is not disappointed with playing the
Blue Devils.
"I think playing with Duke is very
important. I hope we take 15,000. We
have to take a lot of people." Dye thinki
that the crowd will be beneficial for both
schools. Duke could use a big crowd,
and the Pirates could use the experience.
However, his major concern, aside from
the upcoming season, is rescheduling
Carolina.
"The year before (1975), they played
bad and we played good. We didn't beat
a very good football team. They were on
a low note.
Meanwhile, the jury is still out on
whether ECU will ever see Chapel Hill
after 1981. Pat Dye would like nothing
better than to bring his ol' skinny-legged
boys up from the coastal plain and give
the Piedmont city slickers a good
football game. He sees the effect of the
rivalry as far-reaching.
"1 just hope the thing is resolved. I
think it's important to the state of North
Carolina"
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Sun pftolo by Bmo Clrk
Quarterback Matt Kupec discusses game strategy with offensive coordinator Jim
Donnan during a game against N.C. State last year In Kenan Stadium.
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