University Daily Kansan/Thursday, January 19, 1989
23
Sports
Thompson seeks change in new NCAA legislation
The Associated Press
Georgetown basketball coach and 1988 United States Olympic coach John Thompson, pictured here during the 1984 NCAA Final Four, walked off the court against Boston College on Jan. 14 in protest of the new NCAA academic requirement, Proposition 42.
WASHINGTON — There will be no more symbolic walks across the basketball court for Georgetown coach John Thompson. But that does not mean his protest against tougher penalties on scholarships is close to an end.
Thompson attracted national attention when he walked off the court moments before the Hoyas' game against Boston College Satur-
"I have no more intention of going to the bench and walking off," he said. "I think that point was made. But I will not go to the bench until you just have to feel sincerely that we are moving in the right direction."
Thompson's protest is directed against Proposition 42, which establishes more difficult entrance and scholarship requirements for incoming freshmen. While the rule is scheduled to take effect in early spring, an immediate action taken against the proposal, which he said was discriminatory.
Thompson refused to say what changes or actions he was seeking. He said he planned to talk to some people of influence in the next few days, but refused to specify with whom he would be consulting. He also insisted that he had no intention of placing demands on anyone.
"A lot of what I am trying to do I don't want to reveal because I don't want to intimidate anyone or badger or give an ultimatum." Thompson said. "It would be easy for a person to say they make a mistake and to help you if you don't do that to them with something as sensitive as this. I don't want to put someone in a position where I'm saying, 'If you don't do this, I'm not going to go back on the bench.'"
In an interview with The Associated Press and three newspapers that had requested to meet with Thompson, the coach questioned the balloting process used in adopting the controversial rule.
Thompson said he noticed a discrepancy when comparing a computer printout that showed how each school voted with information he had gathered from individual athletic directors.
"I wonder whether people understood clearly what they were doing about something that is very significant," he said. "I am not certain I am correct, but I am doing research. I wonder whether the process was
explained clearly to these people."
explainied excerpts.
Thompson pointed out that three predominately black schools voted for the measure, and that American University athletic director Joseph O'Donnell said he voted for the rule when the computer printout showed he voted against it.
"I don't know what the story is, but there's something wrong." Thompson said. "It's obvious that it's confusing."
Thompson said the vocal support he had received was flattering, but would not mean a thing if the rule stayed alive until it was discussed again during the January 1990 NCAA convention in Dallas.
convenient. "Why is it so sacred that it cannot be rescinded?" he asked. "We live in America, and any time we let policy rather than people dicate what we do, we live in a sad state. People make decisions and we make mistakes. Let's get the rule off the books."
Let's get the rule of the game.
Because Thompson coaches a team
in the national spotlight and was the 1983 U.S. Olympic basketball coach, many of his peers think he has the stature to make an impact with such a boycott. Thompson disagreed, comparing himself to Rosa Parks, a black woman who refused to sit in the back of the bus in the mid-1950s and helped trigger the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
"I don't believe you have to be in a position of influence to challenge an issue," he said. "You know the little lady who sat down on the bus in Montgomery, Alabama? If she felt that way, we would still be in trouble. I'd like to think whether I had won or lost had not done to do with the fact that I thought (Proposition 42) was wrong."
Proposition 42 would prevent high school students who meet only part of the NCAA's criteria from receiving athletic scholarships while they sit out their first year of collegiate eligibility under Proposition 48.
Proposition 42 spurs debate
Propositio NCAA rule gets supports from Ashe
The Associated Press
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — For-
mer tennis star Arthur Ashe, dis-
agreeing sharply with Georgetown
basketball coach John Thompson,
says athletes who cannot meet new
NCAA academic requirements do not
belong in college.
Proposition 42, approved last week during the NCAA convention, prohibits athletic scholarships for incoming freshmen who do not have both a 2.0 grade-point average in high school and a minimum score of 700 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test or a similar score on another test. The measure takes effect in 1990.
takes effect in 1954.
"If you want to play basketball or football or run track, you've got to hit the books." Ashe told students at the Kingswood-Oxford School, where he was leading a seminar Monday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.
Thompson contends that the SAT contains a cultural bias against underprivileged students. In protest of the rule, he walked off the court before his team's game last Saturday against Boston College.
Thompson said he would not coach again "until I am satisfied that something has been done to provide these student-athletes with appropriate opportunity and hope for access to college."
the SAT consists of a verbal section and a mathematics section, each scored from 200 to 800. The minimum score is 400, the maximum 1,600.
"Seven hundred on the SAT exams — that's like a D average." Ashe said. "Seven hundred is so low that cultural bias — and I'm not an expert
"If you can't score 700, I think you should be in a community college or a junior college, anyway." Ashe said.
Ashe disagrees with Thompson's stance.
— probably won't even play a part in it.
Asne, who writes a sports column for the Washington Post, said he would use the column later this week
Colleges do a disessence when they
cope athletes who cannot meet
gregory's standards.
to speak out in support of the rule.
"I've seen what these athletes have done," Ashe said. "It makes me want to cry because they should not be there. How is going to college going to benefit them?"
"It certainly does not benefit poor, disadvantaged, black student-athletes to come into the classroom with them, but the chance at a professional career."
It tightens an existing NCAA rule known as Proposition 48, which allows some freshmen who did not meet academic requirements to receive athletic scholarships while losing their first year of eligibility.
The rule was sponsored by the Southeastern Conference, whose 10 member schools already had adopted it.
Under Proposition 42, players who do not meet both requirements will not be eligible for athletic scholarships as freshmen. They could, however, receive aid from a booster or from other private sources.
YOU'VE GOT MY HEART
Purple Passion Bouquets ♥ Romantic whippers Gift Baskets
❤ Chocolate Kisses ♥ Grant Hugs n Kisses Balloons ♥
Mickey & Mimie Love Bouquets ♥ Love Potions Bubble Bath
Balloons n. More 603 Vermont 749-0145
Order Now for Valentines Day!
64% of KU students use Coupons
LAWRENCE
Bring this coupon in now thru Feb. 28th & receive $3.00 off $5.00 off Shampoo, Haircut, Style, Permanent Wave ★HAIRSTYLING ★Reflections Reflections
841-5999
TAE-KWON-DO SCHOOL
- Self-Defense
- Self-Confidence
- Self-Discipline
- Self-Esteem
- Self-Fulfillment
- Men and Women of all ages (4, to 80 years)
YOUR STUDY BREAK WITH US
Learn TKD in its original roots and correct form, taught by a Korean Master with long years of experience.
Instructor:
Instructor:
Master Ki-June Park, Ph.D
Certified by World Tae-Kwon-Do Federation. Sponsors of the '88 Olympic Tae-Kwon-Do competition.
FREE
MEMBERSHIP
PLAN
Classes Monday through Sunday.
10th & Massachusetts
843-2121
* New students from KU can transfer
to the KU Tae-Kwon-Do Club.
KANSAS AND BURGE UNIONS
All Prices Effective through January 29th unless stated otherwise.
All sale items are available while current supplies last.
Employees of the Kansas and Burge Unions are not eligible to win