Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 2, 1984)
Friday, November 2, 1984/The Battalion/Page 11 'Brash 8111/still Sarajevo high United Press International NEW YORK — The downhill racer is still on a high. When the nation last saw Bill Johnson he was the Joe Namath of the alpine ski circuit, predicting he would win the men’s downhill event at the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, then pulling it off much to the chagrin of the European rac ers, especially the proud Austrians. "Brash Billy” they called him and he looked and acted the part. Stand ing in front of a microphone and flashing an impish grin that would have been perfectly at home in an old “Bowery Boys” movie, he reac ted to the question of what the vic tory would mean to him with the perfect wise-guy answer: “Millions. I mean we’re talking millions here.” That was almost nine months ago and yet being a celebrity hasn’t changed Bill Johnson very much. Oh, he gets recognized on the street occasionally and he may have a little bit more money now from his ap pearances at ski shows in conjunc tion with his work for Raichle Moli- tor, a manufacturer of ski supplies. Johnson does not divulge how much money he may be getting in trust from ski manufacturers. But he says there are no millions in his bank account and he still has that carefree attitude that was poetically mirrored in his hell-bent style on the slopes. Not that he couldn’t be extremely wealthy or that he won’t be. It’s just that being recognized as the No. 1 downhill racer in the world is pretty heady stuff and Bill Johnson wants to fly down the mountain some more. There’ll be time to make mil lions later. “I could have made it (the Olym pic gold medal) really lucrative,” Johnson said. “I stayed amateur and didn’t sign with an agency or make any major commitments to national advertisers. Even that kind of stuff is legal now under amateur rules. “I pretty much made a commit ment to some of my sponsors for the next four years. So I’m going to the I I I I I I II I I • A ENJOY THE EASY LIFE! Cripple Creek’s high standard of living lets you enjoy life more! • Lighted Tennis Courts • Swimming Pool • Hot Tub • Ceiling Fan • Mirrored Dining Room Wall • Microwave • Automatic Icemaker For purchase or lease arrangement information, call or visit us today! mm CONDOMINIUMS Developed by Stanford Associates, Inc. 904 University Oaks #56 College Station 764-8682/764-0504 Models Open Daily Mon. thru Sat. 10 a.m. till 6 p.m. Sunday 1 p.m. till 6 p.m. ‘ I I M 25-50% Off on Selected Group of Fall & Holiday Formals ^limited time only Beaded Bautkyue 3.305 S. '‘JetcaA. /Joe. 693-9358 ocaoM jtam fyudctutckesu Battalion Classified 845-2611 Calgary Olympics and try to do it again. After that we’ll play it year-by year.” It has been a full eight and a half months for Johnson since he re turned home from the Olympic Games. There have been ski shows, benefits, motivational talks. Name it and Johnson has probably done it. It’s been New York one day then off to Sacramento, Calif., the next. Not to mention two trips to Europe to practice with the U.S. ski team. This year he will be the Alpine cir cuits’ top dog instead of on the bot tom looking up. After all, he firmly believes he’s the best downhill racer in the world right now. “My style is different than most downhill skiers,” he said. “It’s geared more to the aerodynamics of skiing. 1 lose a little bit of time in the turns due to lack of turning techique but still I get through the turns with good speed and that’s what counts.” Johnson’s high opinion of his ski ing talents has rankled some mem bers of the skiing fraternity. Yet he insists that his prediction lor a gold medal at Saravejo wasn’t imperti nent at all, merely an honest ap praisal of his skills after having care fully analyzed the course. “When I predicted I would win I really believed it at the time,” he said. “I never really set my goals on the top three. It was No. 1 or no thing.” Johnson may be the only thing the U.S. men’s ski team has to cheer about this year. He is the only re turning member from the A-team in either the downhill or the slalom. “It’s hard to say how well we’re going to do in downhill,” Johnson said. “I was just over there the last few days of the camp and I was win ning training runs by a couple of sec onds. That’s quite a bit of time. “Doug Lewis, who finally broke into the top 10 at the last race last year, could come into the next year with some confidence. The rest of them are kind of sporadic. They have one good run in 20.” Like a Bill Johnson we once knew. The Latest Chick in Town Tinsley’s in College Station is now open until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. Tinsley’s at 1905 Texas Ave. in College Station only. 693-1669. Where Do Richard Smith (R) and Neeley Lewis (D) Stand on College Tuition? Neeley Lewis: Richard Smith: “does not promise that the current $4 per semester hour will remain the same through the next session.” “...Colleges need to be prepared to pay more of their share through higher tuition.” According to The B/CS Eagle Oct. 28, 1984 “Promises not to raise...tuition.” “The strength of the state’s colleges is that they are accessible to everyone.” According to The B/CS Eagle Oct. 28, 1984 Richard Smith has been a friend of Texas A&M for a long time. He’s an Aggie, ’59. He is a member of the Association of Former Students and The Aggie Club. All of Richard Smith’s brothers attended Texas A&M, and so have two of his daughters. He fought for our right to vote when the Democrats set the Special Election last semester during Spring Break. Richard Smith then provided a shuttle bus to take students to vote absentee. Richard Smith is dedicated to a better Texas A&M and low tuition. The facts are clear. Don’t be fooled by the Democrat! When the students of Texas A&M needed a friend, Richard Smith was there...and he will continue to be there for us when he’s our State Representative. On November 6, let’s start over. And stay strong. He’ll Put Us First. Pol. Ad\. Paid tor by Citizens tor Richard Smith. P.O. Box 3743 Bryan. Texas 77805.