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University Daily Kansan Friday, March 19, 1954
Drawing Fiasco Called Poor Planning Result
Naturally we of KU are disappointed at losing out to Colorado for Big Seven representation in the NCAA basketball tournament, but the fact remains that nothing can be said in favor of the method used to determine which team would go.
The Big Seven conference allows its teams to play a maximum of 21 regular season games, and still the season ended so late that a play-off or series of play-offs was next to impossible. This shows poor planning on the part of the schedule-makers and the conference in general.
Let's take a look at how tournament teams were chosen from the other conferences which ended in a tie.
In the Southwest conference, Rice and Texas tied for the championship. Rice had played 24 games during the season and Texas had played 23, but the season ended early enough so that the two teams participated in a best 2-out-of-3 games play-off series, which Rice won by winning the first two games.
The Pacific Coast conference is divided into northern and southern divisions. Southern California won the southern division crown in a season that included 27 games, and Oregon State won the northern division crown while playing 26 games. Another 2-out-of-3 series was arranged to determine which team would represent the conference in the NCAA tournament. Southern California won the right to go by winning the first and third games of the play-offs.
Kentucky and Louisiana State tied for the Southeastern championship and Cornell and Princeton for the Ivy league crown. During the season Kentucky played 24 games, Louisiana State 23, Cornell 22, and Princeton 23. A single game play-off was arranged in both of these conferences, with Kentucky and Cornell the victors, even though Kentucky declined to enter the tournament and Louisiana State was named Southeastern conference representative.
These were the only conference races ending in ties this season, but most of the other conferences had made provisions for some kind of a play-off in the case of a tie. One notable exception was the Big Ten, which also would have resorted to lottery to determine a representative had the race ended in a tie.
With Big Seven teams playing only 21 games during the regular season, it would be easy enough to schedule the games so there would be plenty of time for a play-off if one became necessary. It would seem that the Big Seven conference has a duty to provide for this, and to once and for all do away with the ridiculous use of a lottery in such matters. Regardless of who wins a draw such as the one just made, the result is certainly anything but satisfactory, as is the method.
In basketball coaching circles there seems to be some kind of an unwritten law that its very unsportsmanlike and ungentlemenly to beat your opponent as badly as possible. This attitude seems entirely inconsistent with the spirit of games of competition of any type.
In playing bridge, for example, one just doesn't sit there and pass while holding four honor count just because he and his partner may be far ahead of their opponents. Likewise, in no other game is it common or normal to "hold back" in any way.
Booing is also considered very unsportsmanlike and out of place at a basketball game. Dr. Allen said he deplored KU students booing or making fun of opposing players when they make mistakes or have bad fortune, but this is seldom if ever the case anyway.
Most of the booing is done at a referee's decision. So what's wrong with booing the referees? Everyone knows that at a baseball game the umpires are "fair game" for the spectators, and boooing the umpires is an expected and almost essential part of the game.
Court Ernst
Publick Occurrences BOTH FORREIGN AND DOMESTICK Friday, March 19, 1954
CAMPUS
The primary election ballot this spring will probably contain nominees from the FACTS party—yet, more important, just one person for each office.
Many expect the title "Miss UN" to go to Sif Elghammer, special student in the college. Miss Elghammer, sponsored by North College and Corbin halls, is from Sweden.
The collegiates will go down to defeat before the onslaughts of the mighty alumni in the student-alumni debate coming Sunday.
The AG-I, true to the 1953 performance of FACTS, will capture the top two All Student Council positions in the April 20 elections. But as before, the other party, whatever be its name by then, will control both houses.
NATIONAL
Employment, on the decline during January and February, should begin to rise during March and April. Construction work brought on by warmer weather will cause the rise.
Sen. McCarthy says he will testify under oath in his most recent squabble with the Army. Don't look for the Army to okay the act. They've had enough headlines, and hope the matter will drop.
Watch for Ike to ask Congress to lift the retail industry's present exemption from the wage-hour law.
Individual tax exemptions will be raised from $600 to $700, despite President Dwight D. Eisenhower's objections. The President will be unable to stop the increase, because most Congressmen expect to make political gains in their home states by supporting the move.
Now that Sen. Karl Mundt (R.-S.D.) has taken over the temporary chairmanship of the McCarthy committee expect Sen. Stuart Symington (D.-Mo.) to come out from the quiet position he has held and become a real "headliner."
INTERNATIONAL
Don't expect the United States to keep pushing western. Countries into not trading with the Soviet Union. It has been a losing battle.
There won't be new elections in Italy in the near future, despite the need for them. The present distribution of strength in Parliament gives real power to none and negative power to too many.
The next Western hemisphere nation to go Communist may be Honduras, the small Central American neighbor of Guatemala. There is an election scheduled for next month there. Watch it.
STATE
George Docking, Lawrence Bank president, is reported to be "tickled pink" about his urging by state Democrats to be their gubernatorial candidate. Prediction: He'll accept.
One Man's Opinion
Many are the caustic comments that have been said and written concerning the lengthy commercials on television and radio. This, within the limits of reason, is understandable since these media are financed by said advertising.
However, there is one media of entertainment at which one doesn't expect to be subjected to commercials—the motion pictures.
BUT—such does not seem to be the case in the city of Lawrence.
And what comes on next—you guessed 'en, Chester—commercials.
After you have paid your admission charge, usually the better part of a dollar, at one of the local cinema houses, you recline in a soft chair ready to enjoy two hours of pure entertainment.
Our question is: "Should this means be offered?"
Not that we would take issue with the Lawrence business houses that take advantage of this means of reaching the public. Under pressure of competition for the public's buck they must take all means of fered to them to show their products
When we attend a cheap side show at a carnival or fair, we more or less expect to be dunned to buy something extra. It's all in the
But when we go to the movies, to absorb a little "higher" entertainment, we don't think it is quite right to have to sit through advertising films.
In reality it boils down to an ethical consideration on the part of theater managers. Their product isn't offered free on the air waves. They charge a valuable consideration for that seat you occupy.
And we have yet to see anything in any ads about "assorted colorful ads" or anything of the sort.
When you buy your ticket to a movie, you are going to see the film that is on display on the billboards in front of the theater and is being plugged in the newspapers.
We remember back in the depression days in a very small Kansas town when the community sponsored free picture shows. Each business house that contributed to the support of said movies was allowed one slide advertising his products.
This is not a very small Kansas town, gentlemen, and the depression has long since gone the way of the 5-cent cigar.
Don Tice.
Lawson Air Force base near Columbus, Ga., has an estimated loss by a tornado at $20 million. Eight "flying boxcars" valued at $1 million each were destroyed. It would seem that much of our tax money has "gone with the wind."
Short Ones
Sen. Knowland (R-Calf.) is bemoaning the fact that he is a majority leader without a majority. Sen. Johnson, the minority leader, is really worried, however. What does a minority leader do with majority?
All good Irishmen were "wearing the green" Wednesday in honor of Saint Patrick. And we noticed that a few of the more rabid ones still carried a tinge of that color Thursday as a result of too much celebrating.
Daily Hansan
University of Kansas Student Newspaper News Room KU 251 Ad Room KU 378 Member of the Kansas Press Assn., N.A. Member of the Kansas Press Assn., Associated Collegiate Press Assn., Associated Collegiate Press Assn. Represented by the National Advertising Service, $420 Madison Avenue, N.Y. City. Purchased by the University of Kansas $4.50 a year (add $1 a semester if in Lawrence). Published in Lawrence, Kan., ever since during the University of Kansas except Senior year. Versity holidays and examination periods. Entered second class matter Sept. 17, 1910 at Lawrence, Kan., Post Office under act
of March 3.1879 NEWS STAFF
Executive editor ... Shirley Piatt
Managing Editor ... Tom Sullivan Mary
Betz, Velma Gaston, Ed Howdon
News editor ... Tom Shamro
Assistant ... Letty Lemon
Sports editor ... Dana Leibengood
Assistant ... Dana Leibengood
Society editor ... Elizabeth Wolghmidt
Telegraph editor ... Karen Hilmer
Telegram editor ... Sharon Hamilton
News adviser .. C. M. Piechot