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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 5, 1991)
SWC rejects Tulane; smart move Jayme Blasctike Sports Editor Believe it or not, it finally hap pened. After nearly a decade of incompe- tant leadership, the Southwest Con ference has finally done something in telligent. Maybe that's too strong a statement. In all honesty, they merely resisted the temptation to do some thing stupid. The presidents of the eight SWC member schools rejected Tulane's bid to join the 77 year old conference Monday, thus rebelling against the wishes of SWC commissioner Fred Ja coby. Approval from six of the eight SWC schools was necessary for Tu- lane's admission, and conference offi cials indicate the vote wasn't even close. This could actually mean the SWC has a future, afterall. Fred Jacoby has lobbied hard for the admittance of Tulane in the confer ence, presenting them as a replace ment for Arkansas. Tulane — a school whose football team's claim to fame is their annual come-from-behind victory over Rice each season, whose basketball team plays in a worse (and smaller) arena than G. Rollie White Coliseum, and whose student body is smaller than half the schools in the conference. The only things Tulane brings to the SWC is the New Orleans television market and high academic standards. Unfortunately, Rice can testify that academics don't balance the bank ac count, and if the New Orleans tele vision market was so valuable, you can bet the Southeastern Conference would have already snatched that plum. A replacement for Arkansas indeed. If Tulane were let in, why not let in Tulsa, also? They've said they would make an excellent addition to the SWC, and apparently that's all Jacoby needs to hear. Unless, of course, the school hap pens to be a national power. Some sports fans may have heard of a land called Oklahoma, where foot ball is nearly as exciting as that in Texas, basketball is more than a cu riosity, and baseball is played reli giously. Oklahoma has no television markets, but theyalso don't have any professional sports teams, so the two main schools, Oklahoma University and Oklahoma State, have excellent attendance at their games. In the weeks following Arkansas' departure, the athletic director at Ok lahoma stated publicly several times that the Sooners were not satisfied with the situation in the Big 8 Confer ence, and would be interested in re joining the SWC since Arkansas had left. Although Oklahoma State's ath letic director said the Cowboys did not share OU's feelings, many felt the Ok lahoma schools would stick together if one decided to go conference hop ping. Commissioner Jacoby's response? He said it wouldn't be ethical to talk to schools that belonged to other confer ences, even as the Big 8 began calling up Texas Tech. When Arkansas threatened to leave, the SWC sat on it's hands. When basketball was becoming a multi-million dollar sport, the confer ence ignored it. The conference broke recruiting rules during the 80's, and paid for it. Now, finally, with the re jection of Tulane, it appears the mem ber schools have woken from their de cade-long slumber and are demanding real solutions to real problems. Hopefully they'll find the solutions, but Tulane isn't it. ' Richard S. James Dr. Dick Respess, president of Texas World Speedway, explains some of the construction going on at the racetrack. Despite recent heavy rains and unfavorable weather, construction is expected to be completed by June 15. Texas World Speedway celebrates reopening By Richard S. James The Battalion Local officials, heads of motorsports sanctioning bodies, and racing drivers got a firsthand look at the reconstruction of Texas World Speedway at its official reopening Monday afternoon. Reconstruction of the track six miles south of College Station continues in pre- f iaration for the first weekend of racing uly 6 and 7. The first races will feature the SCCA's Escort World Challenge se ries for production-based cars. Dr. Dick Respess, president of Texas World Speedway, said the track is cur rently undergoing phase one reconstruc tion, which includes the racing surface, the fans' comforts, and the corporate amenities. Respess said construce sky boxes, the pit road suites and the 1500-seat speed way club will be complete in time for the first race. Final paving of the track was expected to begin Tuesday, Respess said, and will take about 12 days to complete. The pav ing is being overseen by Clarence Cagle, who has worked on many major race tracks including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Although Respess said the track will be ready well ahead of the grand opening in July, others are not so sure. Bob Ander son, head of SCCA Pro Racing, said he is worried whether the track will be func tional in time for the first race. "We're concerned, but will monnitor the situation," Anderson said. "We'll will be back next week to check on the pro gress." Anderson said he thinks the overall design of the road course is acceptable, but said anytime a road course is put in side of an oval, the road course is com promised. "This is showbusiness," Anderson said. "To be able to have a full course that's viewable from the grandstands is a great asset these days." The inside course is replacing the three-mile road course that incorporated half oi the oval and extended out of the infield. ... . * Doc Bundy, driver for the LotuSport racing team which will compete in the World Challenge series at the track in July, also is happy with the new layout. "It'll be a chaflenge," Bundy said. "We race street circuits, so it doesn't matter what the layout is as long as there's room to race, and obviously there will be. It looks like we're going to generate really good speed too, and I like high speed." The high speeds should make for a good show for the race fans, and many changes are being made to better acco modate them, Respess said. He espe cially hopes to target the students at Texas A&M. "We want the local residents to come out, and one thing that was not done very well in the past was reaching the students," he said. "The students weren't attracted because the prices were too high." Respess said there will be discounts for students. Texas World Speedway currently has four events scheduled for 1991. The first event is the SCCA races in July with the Escort World Challenge series, the Truckguard/Shellzone series for mini pickups, and the American City Racing League which features open-cockpit rac- ingcars. The July lineup will be followed by the American Motorcyclist Association Na tional Road Race Series August 9-11 and the ARCA 500-kilometer stock car race September 21-22. The World Challenge and Racetruck series will return to the speedway as support races for the season fmale of the Liquid Tide Trans-Am Tour October 18-20. Baseball signings add depth to Ags From staff and wire reports Texas A&M Head Baseball Coach Mark Johnson announced the signing of 15 baseball recruits Tuesday. "We are veiy pleased with this class," Johnson said. "They are a quality group." Noting the recent concern over aca demics, Johnson said the recruits would perform in the classroom as well as on the field. "They'll have the opportunity to earn their degrees at A&M," he said. "We feel like each one has that goal." Johnson said the upcoming minor league draft was a concern. In past years, several recruits have passed up A&M to turn pro. "We'll have to see what happens with the draft," he said. "Some of these play ers will be drafted." Texas A&M Baseball Signees NAME Pos Ht Wt Class Barber, Paul INF 5-11 175 Frosh Queen City (High) Carroll, David LHP 6-1 185 Frosh Fairfax, VA (Chantilly HS) Casey, Robert RHP 6-2 190 Sr-TR Bryan (High/Hardin Simmons) Claybrook, Steve OF 6-0 165 Frosh Robstown (Calallen HS) Clemons, Chris RHP 6-4 200 Frosh MacGregor (High) Curl, John OF 6-2 185 Frosh Logansport, IN (High) Estes, Jay IB/OF 6-2 175 Sr-TR Abilene (Cooper/Hardin Simmons) Fowler, Jared INF/C 6-0 180 Frosh Everett, WA (High) Gonzales, Eric INF/OF 5-4 160 Jr/TR Robstown (High/Southmost JC) Keller, John C 6-0 185 Jr-TR Blinn JC Lewis, Robert C 5-11 180 Jr-TR Rolling Hills, CA (LA Harbor JC) McIntyre, Spencer LHP 6-1 175 So- TR Calgary, Can. (Indian Hills JC) Minor, David RHP/OF 5-11 200 Frosh Brazoswood (High) Moore, Trey LHP/IB 6-0 185 Frosh Keller (High) Sherwood, Matt RHP 6-2 215 Jr-TR Abilene (Cooper/Blinn JC) ’•'Miller, Matt C 6-2 205 Frosh San Diego, CA (Mt. Carmel) ^Signed football scholarship, but will also play baseball. Lakers looking for second win CHICAGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers believe they have the poise, talent and experience to win again Wednesday night, in front of the boisterous crowd at Chicago Stadium. The Chicago Bulls saw their league-re cord 15-game playoff home winning streak snapped Sunday, when the Lakers won Game 1 of the Finals 93-91. The Lakers are 5-2 on the road in the postseason. "We know that no one in the crowd can come on the floor and do something to us, so it's what the teams do on the court," James Worthy said. "Our mental preparation to play on the road is the key. "The nucleus of the team, the core of us, knows what to expect. We try to use the hostile crowd as an incentive. The sit uation is not foreign to us." The most experienced Los Angeles layers — Magic Johnson, Worthy and yron Scott — learned a lot about playing on the road in three Finals against the Boston Celtics and the mystique of Bos ton Garden. "The building doesn't make the game," Worthy said. "The fans and at mosphere make the game. Some of the most fun games are on the road." Vlade Divac, the Lakers' second-year center from Yugoslavia, is playing in his first Finals, but said European basketball prepared him for places like Chicago Sta dium. "The crowds in Europe are crazier than here," Divac said. "They throw every thing on the floor there, even chairs. Winning on the road is easier here, even in Chicago." "We've been successful on the road be cause we're totally focused," guard By ron Scott said. "We don't listen to any one saying what we can and can't do on the other team's floor." Magic Johnson had 19 points, 11 as sists and 10 rebounds in the opener. 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