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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 22, 1978)
THE BATTALION Page 13 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22. 1978 By Mark Patterson A two team conference Look at the big, happy family. There’s the mother, the father and the seven children following behind them. Aren’t they happy? Look at the Southwest Confer ence. There’s the University of Texas, the University of Arkansas and the other seven schools trailing behind them. Far behind them. And the distance is getting greater with every passing athletic season. Now I don’t want you to get alarmed, but the Southwest Confer ence is turning into a two team con ference much like the Big 10 has be come the past few years. It became obvious with football this year. The Longhorns and the Razorbacks fought it out for the con ference crown with Arkansas com ing within five points of taking the championship. The two teams finished number one and two in the final standings, strides ahead of the rest of the con ference. Little has to be said about basket ball and the performance of the two teams. As it was in football, the two teams ran away from the other seven schools in the chase for the conference crown. It took an end of the season surge by the University of Houston to upset the two teams in the tournament. And post-season appearances seem to favor the two teams. In football, Texas was embarrassed in the Cotton Bowl game, but its past post-season record can speak for it self. (16 appearances by Texas in the 41 year history of the Cotton Bowl.) And even though Arkansas hasn’t won the conference football crown since 1976, the Hogs saved the foot ball reputation of the conference last year. After Texas Tech was beaten in the Tangerine Bowl, the Aggies were destroyed in the Bluebonnet Bowl and Texas was beaten in the Cotton Bowl, the Razorbacks came away with the only post-season victory. And it came against the hardest op ponent the four teams had to face, the University of Oklahoma. With their advancement into the semi-finals this weekend in St. Louis, the Arkansas Razorbacks have done more for the SWC bas ketball programs than has ever been seen in the history of the confer ence. The Hogs have displaced the fact that the SWC is strictly a foot ball conference, something the other seven schools have yet to ac cept. The University of Texas has done its share this year to help advance the image of SWC basketball. For the second year in a row a SWC team has advanced into the finals of the National Invitational Tourna ment in New York City. But unlike Houston last year, the Horns won the NIT championship Tuesday night with a 101-93 victory over North Carolina State. The two schools have proven that the SWC can do more than play football. And followers of conference baseball must have been surprised to find Texas not at the top of the final SWC standings last year. In what has been a one team confer ence the past few years, the Long horns had to settle for an unaccus tomed second place finish in the baseball race. And a quick look at the confer ence standings this year has the Ar kansas Razorbacks sitting atop the league with a 6-3 record. Were you surprised? The only hope the other seven conference schools have in surviving the crush of the two powerhouse schools is in the post-season tour naments. At least going into the tournaments all the teams have an equal shot at the title. It appears that for the next two years the foot ball and basketball races will be fought out between Texas and Ar kansas with everyone else being an “also ran“. Then the seven other members of the conference can get back to its accustomed roles as cheerleaders for Texas and Arkansas. It’s a role they must be getting accustomed to. POLITICAL FORUM PRESENTS Hike Moss, a junior from Houston, majoring in Business, won both sets against Clemson Battalion photo by Susan Webb Tiger’s Pender Murphy. Moss won the first set 6-1 and the second at 6-4. setawi i.Sintkl \6cM:ct oyt remains tinner of iggieland 250 United Press International [SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Driver Green' Bobby Allison’s protest of the finish Hthe Aggieland 250 stock car race n BucfeMs denied Tuesday by chief ste- ie of tht ward Billie Saxon, leaving A. J. Foyt s won I as the winner. t BeaifflBAllison, who finished second in ;e theatfte March 12 race at Texas World r andisBeedway, filed an immediate pro- ree yt test charging Foyt had gained a lap jofiier on him during a yellow flag situa- iciety. tion. ittendT'wSaxon informed Allison by tele- ishedplMtrn and letter of his ruling, which vl develfdt Foyt as the victor in the opening pee of the 1978 season for United ding fates Auto Club stock cars. The de- omen psion was announced by USAC headquarters in Indianapolis. Blinder USAC rules, Allison may ils this" re< l ues t an appeal of the steward’s idly pfteision. neys An X, I nter nat iona 1 Conference Join over 600 International Students from every part of the World. When: leave Fri. afternoon March 24, return Sun. afternoon March 26 Where: Camp Lakeview Assembly Palestine, Texas Who: accommodations for single and married students. Why: to discover new friends, enjoy recreation, and share ideas about religion, culture, to a better understanding of our world. Cost: $10.00 per single student, family dependent on size. Register Today — Call Bill Barnett 846-7722 sponsored by the Baptist Student Center £ £ £ AUSTIN TRIP 5 5 Meet with representatives, senators, and other administrators. Thursday, March 30 Applications Available March 9-10 and March 20-22 at the Student Programs Office Apply Early if Possible AGGIES SAVE on the 10% ORDER BY MAIL Write or phone for more information FRAMAR INC. 2265 N. 11th St. Bmt. Tx. 77703 713 892-5793 Topsiders - Frye Boots - Also Available. it* -H4 m r7»Yir?»w*Yi tr.-ti ir.vir/i.u £ Cidl> 4103 S. TEXAS AVE. Bryan Place Bldg. Suite 208 846-5018 Saturdays by Appointment 10% DISCOUNT ON STYLES OR MERCHANDISE WITH THIS AD APPEARING TONIGHT KEN APPELT singer/guitarist 8-12 p.m. ZACHAR1AS GREENHOUSE dub & game gar lor 1201 Hwy. 30 (the Briarwood Apts.) 693-9781 NO COVER CHARGE ******************* IBmgKZB -S' TEXAS A&M SPORT PARACHUTE CLUB M SKYDIVING — still the only legal HIGH in town; learn the art of FREEBALL with us!!! For more information come to our meeting Thursday, March 23 at 7:30 in 302 Rudder. Paid by American Parachute Club Gatesvilfe, Texas Student C Y'cAssoc. All-Faith’s Chapel TSOO Friday - March 24