The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, December 07, 1978, Image 12
Page 12 THE BATTALION THURSDAY. DECEMBER 7, 1978 David Boggan Sports Editor Life aint easy for true Texans That was some commotion the boys at the National Broadcasting Co. stirred up in the Lone Star State last Sunday, wasn’t it? With NBC scheduling the Dallas-New England game and the Houston-Pittsburgh game at the same time, folks all across Texas were a mite upset. Two opposing groups of loyalists came forth, with Dallas fans snarling at Houston fans, Houston fans snarling at Dallas fans and all fans collectively snarling at NBC. The situation almost got so bad in San Antonio that Cowboy fans were rumored to be taking refuge in the Alamo while Oiler faithful were heard practicing the Deguello. And things weren’t much better elsewhere. NBC affiliates across the state had to decide which game to air and which set of fans they could most afford to offend. Needless to say, the television stations didn’t stand the chance of a snowball in Laredo in this battle. THERE WAS ALSO a third group ofTexas fans that was affected by Sunday’s simultaneous telecasts. A fan in this third group can he labeled a true Texan. A true Texan is someone who will bet his Tony Lamas on anything associated with the Empire wide and glorious. A true Texan is a fan who roots for the Cowboys and the Oilers, as well as the San Antonio Spurs, the Houston Rockets, the Texas Rangers and even the Houston Astros. The man you saw buying a new channel selector for his television set Monday was a true Texan. But regardless of whether they live and die with the Cowboys or the Oilers or both, Texans are notorious football fans. Yes sir, you can regulate their natural gas, raise their taxes and even take away their gusto. But don’t tamper with their football. Now, with the hostilities of the past weekend behind, Texiis football fans can look towards the NFL playoffs. AFTER DEFEATING NEW England, the Cowboys, who are to the playoffs what Santa Claus is to Christmas, clinched the NFC Eastern Division playoff spot. Dallas is now going to post-season play for the 12th time in 13 years. The brused but equally brusing Oilers need only defeat New Or leans and San Diego to assure themselves of their first playoff spot since 1969. Now what if, just what if both the Cowboys and the Oilers go through the playoffs, win their respective conference championships and find themselves in Miami on Jan. 21? This will he an unprece dented situation. Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have never meet in the Super Bowl, nor have Miami and Tampa Bay or Cincinnati and Cleve land. CALIFORNIANS HAVE NEVER seen either the Rams or the 49ers go against the Chargers or the Raiders for the big money and the Giants have never met the Jets or the Bills in Super Bowl. Of course, an all-Texas Super Bowl will he super for the Texas fan who supports either the Cowboys or the Oilers. But once again the true Texan is faced with a dilemma. Should the true Texan go with the defending World Champions or grab a pompon and back Bum and the boys? Should events transpire that woidd bring Dallas and Houston to gether in Super Bowl XIII, I have no solution to the problem confront ing the true Texan. I can only offer an idea on how to cope with the situation. Come Jan. 21, grab a longneck, mosey over to the easy chair and enjoy the dilemma. Bird’s return delayed United Press International ORLANDO, Fla. — The Detroit Tigers’ hope for 1979 — the return of a healthy Mark Fidrych to the pitch ing lineup — has been dashed. Fidrych, who was sidelined for the second half of 1977 with tendonitis and missed all but his first three starts of 1978, probably will not be able to pitch again until 1980, if at all, doctors said Tuesday. That was the consensus of mem bers of the Association of Profes sional Baseball Physicians, who ex amined “the Bird" and evaluated the condition of his ailing right shoulder. They prescribed an extensive pro gram of rehabilitation, including weightlifting and exercise, but pre dicted it woidd take months for Fid rych to build up strength in his arm and shoulder. They also said the right arm and shoulder has shrunk in size from disuse during the year and a half he has been sidelined. “He can’t pitch until he has built up strength in his arm, said Dr. Harvey O’Phelan, the Minnesota Twins’ team physician and chairman of the doctors’ association. “It could take all of next year, and it could take longer, he said. THURSDAY - DEC. 7 COUNTRY EDITION’ FRIDAY - DEC. 8 “JESS DEMAINE & TEXAS SILVER 1700 Feet From The Villa Maria Exchange On Farm Rd. 2818 SATURDAY - DEC. 9 “GENE WATSON” "BEST IN UVE COUNTRY WESTERN ENTERTAINMENT" HOURS Thurs., Fri. 7:00-12:00 Sat., 8:00-1:00 CARROLLS AND WICKER unusual gift ideas wall decor hammocks furniture Christmas ornaments mens gifts adult games 693-7007 Hours: WOODSTONE CENTER (HWY. 30) 10 _9 Mon.-Sat. North Texas patiently seeks SWC membersli United Press International DENTON — C.C. "Jitter Nolen is a short, jovial fellow given to welltailored suits and elegant con versations. He is president of Texas fifth largest intstitution of higher learning and is well-versed in the art of fund raising. And, in his own words, he is tenacious. "I have the patience of Job, said Nolen, president of North Texas State University. "We are not going away. Nolen s comments were directed at the nine member schools of the Southwest Conference, a group that his school hopes eventually to join. And his remarks came on the eve of the annual winter business meeting of the Southwest Conference in Dal- said Nolen. “So we will North Texas officials originally had planned on being a part of the SWC’s agenda and had prepared their case for admission to the league. At least two schools were ready to place North Texas on the list of discussion items. Now, however. North Texas will not be on the agenda. On the recommendation of what Nolen calls “our friends in the con ference, North Texas will await another occasion to make its pres entation. “They say to us, 'we've got a lot of controversial issues right now. We just can’t stand another controversial question, wait. The controversial questions that will be thrashed out during the meet ings involve complaints about the SWC’s broadcast package and state ments and deeds attributed to coaches and officials of the Univer sity of Arkansas that could bring about a private or public reprimand. Most North Texas officials have been lobbying quietly for the past two years in hopes of gaining admit tance to the SWC. But head coach and athletic director Hayden Fry has used the blustery approach, taking advantage of any forum to sell North Texas. Recently Fry said he was through speaking out, that it was all in the hands of Nolen and the board of re gents. “Work as hard as Hayden has and you get no recognition by others then frustration sets in,” said Nolen. "I think he has been speaking out of sheer frustration and I cannot blame time. There is not any problem of the stature or scope of our academic or athletic program. “I think it is mainly a matter of finances. They want to make sure that we won t be one more mouth to feed and that we can contribute some thing. “And that has been good to hear is not a case of where they have rele gated us to secondary status. Nolen, a former cheerleader at tlu University of Texas who before com ing to North Texas headed the fund It raising department at Tea tian University, saiditisako his school shifted it.sapproK “1 think we are ftoingto form another strategy anil know what that will be, k “Right now all we can continue to do is work our tail off to prove to the conference that we would be a good addition. We have accumulated a great deal of information and for warded it to the schools. "I have talked to school presidents who have read our material and said, T didn t know this about your school. So we are at least making ourselves known. "The feedback 1 get from other presidents is that it is just a matter of FOOTBALL FIESTA SPECIJU Buy a Fiesta Dinner with soft drinkoi tea for only $2.95 Regular $3,71 Good Monday thru Thursday At the following locatk 1816 Texas Ave., Bryan, 823-891 And our newest locatio 907 Hwy. 30, College Statii (Woodstone Shopping Ccnltr 693-2484 Vol. 10 P tliX De Unit TEHRAN, ursday put to evaci rican per dvance c rment lem holv one coupon per customer, p Ihran airp 1 German the sarm es said si ijpipeline I Union Hern oil fi Now comes Miller time. oil ind d Iran to ia throng million cu ese sour ihem oil fi Ibarrels — rit. exports pi last tnoi Ten pen Iran, wl mth Afri ent of I si jmeriean I jam met Its out ( lid Israel qspecial ute and all lb Iranian eir proteci fie U.S. iit'il an ev; those B wish t lized to c: Europe. ” ■re embas: luation of t authorize pendents t< Ih to leavt |mbassy o ■ry depart unediately. iw many A B irhe Aik> et up a s< chool sup neeting Th JBoard pr mree trusti ommittee. wo admini he commit |The threi toting men chool boar To will se Id John R jRobeck \ J finding a whose conti greement, s I want er yourselves, l ng months workload,” 1: The board nation office lending fori: build get th qualifications prim Ur TOKYO liected Jay 'hursday. Ohira was highest polit 511-seat Lo\ tas elected ’ bsentees. The Parli fleet Ohira ipset victor; er Takeo Fi ion last wee However, >ver Ohira’s dose politic; o the post e That viola hat the se >e held by iwn followei Several threatened t >rime minis! inally agree to negotiate