6
Tuesday, April 6, 1976
University Dally Kansan
Better schedule would profit KU
BY STEVE SCHOENFELD
Associate Sports Editor
Associate Sports Editor
Remember some of the great basketball teams you've seen the University of Kansas play in Allen Field House the last few seasons. Oregon, Washington and Louisville?
You won't see any of those teams next season
Instead, you'll see such powerhouses as Montana State and Central Missouri State.
HIT ITS NOT ALL bad. There are also home nonconference games with Murray State, Oak Roberts and Arkansas. Murray State isn't a big draw here. Only 7,000 showed up to see the Jayhawks defeat the Racers here this season.
And although Arkansas' program is on the rise, the Razorbacks won't make any fans want to play.
Oral Roberts is a different story. The Titans are a top-nominal basketball school. But they're only big draw outside the house, and they will play in Allen Field House, next year.
THAT'S THE WHOLE problem. The Jayhawks may be playing at schools such as Kentucky, with whom they have a seven-year contract, in Louisville, at Fordham in New York's famed Madison Square Garden and at St. Louis University.
But what about in front of their supporters, the home crowd? Why is next week's election so difficult?
The KU basketball coaching staff will tell you it isn't so weak.
"I DON'T HINT OF these schools as poor quality teams," assistant coach Gregory Kellogg said.
schedule to keep young men attracted to us
and get people to play for us."
The coaches will admit that it's much tougher to get the big-name schools to come to Lawrence. UCLA won't come here. The teams are Notre Dame and Maryland. Reid said.
Notre Dame has ended its contract with the Jawhaws.
"THEY WANT TO come to the metropolitan cities where they recruit, and in turn, the voters."
analysis
see them," Red said. "We'd love to keep
us there." The problem is the two
players may "us."
Maybe so. But it seems strange that Digger Phelps, Notre Dame's coach, would call Allen Field House "The Madison," the home of the Irish team, the Irish contract with the Jawhawks.
"LIT ALLM IT'S tougher to get the good teams to come here. Expenses are up for travel and you want to be in a home-and-home contract with them, and when you already have a set number of home games, you can't go over that number and make the team win."
But there has to be more to it than just that. Some feel that playing at KU isn't as desirable as it once was. Many believe that Jayhawk basketball has slipped, and that
Kansas is no longer one of the top basketball schools in the nation.
I DISAGREE. Sure, the Jayhawks' 13-13 season was disappointing. But how can you say that the program has definitely slipped from its best year four at the NCAA tournament? And then last year they won the Big Eight championship, their second straight conference
KANAS STATE UNIVERSITY didn't get the NCAA tournament because of its schist.
Still, there's a trend among many college teams to pick up as many wins as they possibly can and not worry about the quality of the competition.
Missouri had virtually everybody back from a year ago, eventually won the Big Fight and made it to the finals of the NCAA Midwest Regional. But it drew poorly at home for schools like Farleigh-Dickinson, Iowa State or Dakota State, Lafayette and MacMurray.
Kansas can't afford to ever play a schedule as that.
"We've got Southern Cal lined up in a couple of years and we've got a seven-year contract with Kentucky," head coach Ted Owens said. "We're going to play enough for us." Our season ticket holder is going to see good teams, yet still see home games."
Let's hope so. Because if the Jayhawks don't play a good schedule, fans won't come to the nonconference games. Without the defensive department won't make any money.
And for any business, that's what it's all about.
Mohsen Miri a Jayhawk Pele
Sports Writer
By STEVE CLARK
Mohsen Miri is a member of the University of Karsas Krasos Club. But he's not your average 21-year-old Iranian student. He plays on weekends and kick a ball around.
Miri has scored 17 goals in just six appearances with the KU squad, which is roughly equivalent to hitting 17 home runs in six games. And that's just the beating.
Miri, an intensive English Center student from Tehran, Iran, has played before the U.S. National team.
Miri began playing soccer in Teheran 12 years ago. He got his start in a junior program, similar to American Little League baseball.
HE HAS HOSTED his own television sports show. But the topper is being called Goal magazine, a soccer periodical, one long up-and-coming young players in the world.
That's the Mohsen Miri the few but faithful KU soccer fans have come to respect in the few weeks he's been in Lawrence. He worked with his older brother, a KU business graduate.
His experience as in an international player has taken him to England, France, Germany and the United States.
During this same period, when the national team wasn't playing, he was a major figure in Teheran. His pro team was one of seven in Iran that represent the country's major league.
BUT ALONG WITH THE good experiences, which include meeting the Shah of Iran after a couple of important victories, have come the bad
For Miri, there was only one, he said, and that turned all out right. I came during his speech. I was stunned.
"The national team was going to Thailand," he said yesterday. "The coach wanted me to play, but my captain didn't like soccer and wouldn't let me go."
In an average case, that would be the end of the matter. But anything concerning Miri and soccer isn't average. The public furor that arose when it became known Miri
wasn't going to be allowed to play was so intense that the Arm revered its stance and went on for a while.
SUCH ARE THE BENEFITS accorded to soccer stars in virtually every county in the U.S. and Canada.
fact that soccer in this country has a bird
speed is difficult for Miri to comprehend.
"I inran soccer is very important," he said. "Here there is no money, not enough coaches and not enough exposure. But it will grow."
THE ACQUISITION of the legendary Pole by the New York Cosmos provided much needed exposure for soccer, Miri said. Also, the growth of little league soccer has accelerated, and will produce the good American players so necessary to the sport's growth.
A muscular 5-11, Mirt possesses 4.3 speed in the 40-vard dash. But his outstanding physical attributes are just a part of his talents, said player-coach Bernie Mullin.
"HE'S GOT SUCH A good head for soccer." Mulin said, "that he's always where he should be on the field. Plus, he's so darn clever and quick that he only needs half a chance to score. And even then he creates those half chances by himself."
Teammate Stan Kupniski, who has played against several NASL players, said that Miri could be playing in the NASL right now.
"Beyond a shadow of a doubt," Kupnik said. "He's got everything to take in to the pros already. He's as good as most of the players in the league now and better than any of the Americans, including Kyle Rute."
MRI SAID QUITE confidently that he thought he was good enough to play in the NASL. In fact, he's already had a tryout with the league's Washington club, which wrote him asking him to leave KU and to come negotiate a contract.
But even though he declined, opting to concentrate on school for now, Mullin has no delusions about keeping Miri around for three or four more years.
"HE'S ONLY BEEN here a short while, and we've been hoping he won't get too much publicity, because if he does some pro team will come in and snap him up." Mullin said, adding, "and that's going to happen soon enough."
They will pit the Sabres against the Blues in St. Louis, the Vancouver Carnacks against the New York Islanders at Uniondale, N.Y., the Atlanta Flames against the Kings at Los Angeles, and the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Mantle Leafs in Toronto.
"Well, things happen." "philosophized
you love Joy Smith." "You just have to
accept them."
So, instead of playing the crucial first game of the short series at home, the Sabres will host the second-and-1, if necessary, the third game of the series, which will decide whether they win a quarterfinal-round, quarter-final-round, joining division championship teams, which earned byes.
"The real big one" is Martin's description of the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup playoffs, which begin tonight with the first games of the preliminary round.
NHL Stanley Cup play begins in 4 cities today
Basketball Association game booked in their Memorial Auditorium home.
By the Associated Press
But tonight's first game in the best-of-three series perhaps is the most ironic for the Sabres, because they labored all season against the Rockies and had an advantage-only to see a National
"Now," said Buffalo Sabres left wing Richard Martin "the real hip one starts."
Those clubs are the Montreal Canadians, Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks and defending champion Philadelphia Flyers. Their third consecutive Stanley Cup title.
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KU women win five at Emporia
The KU women's track squad traveled to Emporia over the weekend for the Emporia State Invitational and returned with five first-place finishes.
Shelia Calmese led the team with two individual victories. Calmese, who holds the KU indoor best of 7-1 for 60 yards, sped to an average of 29.2, in the 100- and 220-yard dashes.
Celessa Russell, another indoor record holder, took the 440 with a 48.1.
Sheri Lanter captured the 440 hurdles in a time of 1.073.
The Jaynicks' final win came in the mule
place, where Connie Lane, Nance Lee
and Larry Lee all made it to the playoffs.