Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (May 5, 1972)
WW colli (Hi0rasci v I ; "V ' Vi r i .1 1 giR -n , If 1-3 i 1 it'' . 3 r s 'i ' i t Jrw"' gory seacresc The old saying that football is more than a game is certainly true for Nebraska. One of the most interesting sidelights of Husker football is that it is a businessa very big business. William Fisher, the Athletic Department's business manager, notes the Huskers. will gross about $2.8 million for last season's action. This figure includes income from such items as ticket sales, television fees, donations, concessions and bowl games. Once football expenses are figured in. Fisher says the Huskers will have a profit of about $850,000. Not a bad profit. But the football program also has big expenses. In the last fiscal year (which ended June 30, 1971) football had such expenses as $316,367 for athletic scholarships. $169,500 for salaries, $59,820 for recruiting and $53,241 for team travel and lodging. Spending so much money on football is a waste in the eyes of many people. Football critics argue that sports are over-emphasized at UNL to the detriment of the campus' education program. True, it is sad to see state senators rush to build a $12 million fieldhouse after delaying years to build a badly needed $3.5 million addition to Love Library. It is equally sad that the state appears more concerned with the quality of the football team than iff rClMSH-- tkTf &V&!jUi S v - the quality of UNL's education. But before condemning football completely, one should examine the finances of the Athletic Department. Except for the new fieldhouse, the Athletic Department makes and spends its own money and does not use state money. In addition, most of the profits made by football go to support other sports at UNL that can't make it on their own. In the last fiscal year only the football team, of all the sports, showed a profit. For example, the Athletic Department lost almost $100,000 in basketball, $132,868 in track and $61,066 in baseball. The coaches of the various teams on campus might envy the winning ways of the football team, but they are happy that football subsidizes them. Asked if football was being over-emphasized. Big Eight Commissioner Chuck Neinas recently said "Athletics have a place in the educational process. It is not a sin to win as long as you play by the rules." The Big Eight commissioner added that "as student bodies grow and their diversity of interests increase, intercollegiate athletics should attempt to provide a well-diversified program." And the profits of Nebraska football currently provides such a program. Nebraska was the national champion on the football field last season. But how did they do in the off-season battle of recruiting new athletes? "I think we had a good year." said Tom Osborne, who coordinates recruiting for the Huskers. "But it's so hard to tell how a guy is going to turn out. The Huskers have signed 42 athletes, including 17 Nebraskans, to national letters of intent to attend UNL this fall. Osborne said recruiting was "almost down to the end" and that the Huskers were interested in signing only one or two more athletes. Can any of the new recruits break into the starting line-up in the fall? "We have a couple of junior coflese transfers who have a chance to play in the defensive backfieSd, Osborne said. "But we think it wi3 be very difficult for a freshman to make the starting line-up." Osborne said this, year's recruits were "about average or a little better than average" in comparison with past years. That could mean trouble for Nebraska opponents in future years judging by past performances of Husker recruits. Baseball, football, track fill annual All-Sports Day Baseball, football and track contests highlight UNL's 23rd annual All-Sports Day Saturday. The day begins with Nebraska meeting Oklahoma in baseball at 11 a.m. on the UNL diamond. The annual intra-squad football game, which concludes spring practice for the Huskers, follows at 1:30 p.m. in Memorial Stadium. The final event of the day is a triangular track meet involving Nebraska, Colorado and Iowa State at 4 p.m. on UNL's new Tartan track. There will be no admission charged for the baseball game or the track meet. Tickets for the football game are $1 for UNL students and $2 for adults. This year's All-University trophy for intramural sports will be awarded to Phi Deta Theta fraternity. Sigma Alpha Epsilon came in second in the standings with Seta Theta Pi finishing third. The AIRmiversity standing is decided upon a point system of 10-8-6-4-3-2 for team sports PAGE 20 and 5-3-2-1 for individual sports. This school year the Recreation and Intramurals Department sponsored 24 d iff erent events for men. The top five teams in the final All-University intramural standings: I.Phi Delta Theta -82 2 Sigma Alpha Epsilon 645 3. Beta Theta Pi-54.5 4. Alpha Tau Omega 46 J8 5. Delta Upsflon-455 v The Nebraska crew will meet powerful Kansas State in a dual meet Saturday at Manhattan. It will be the last meet of the season for the UNL rowing team. Home finale pits thinclads against Buffs Nebraska and Colorado, the top track teams in the Big Eight during the indoor season, meet outdoors Saturday afternoon in a triangular meet with Iowa State on the Huskers' new Tartan track. During the indoor season, Nebraska beat Colorado in a dual at Boulder, 64-49. A few weeks later, the Huskers won their first Big Eight indoor title since 1963 by edging the Buffs, 46-13 to 44. Husker Coach Frank Sevigne predicts Saturday's meet will be just as dose as the indoor race. "Colorado will be stronger outdoors," he said. "With Qiff Branch, they've got one of the best sprinters in the country. Mike Wed man, their pole vaulter is one of the best in the conference. The 880 should be great, the mile should be great, both relays should be great it should be a great meet. Branch has the best tones in the Big Eight in two sprint events-the 100 (:9-2) and the 220 (:20.4). Branch also runs on the Buffs 440-yard relay team which currently leads the Big Eight with a time of :40.1. Wed man is only one of three Colorado vaulters who have cleared 16 feet this spring. Leading the Buff vaulters is Dave Bussabarger who has cleared 16-4. Colorado will be without the services of Big Eight outdoor sprint champion George Daniels, who will be in Africa competing for his native Ghanian national team in a dual meet with Nigeria. Daniels anchored the Buffs 440 relay team to victory at the Drake Relays last Saturday. O -Hi. L I 1 Hopeton Gordon . . . returns ta cOfi Saturday in tha long and triple jumps. - k THE DAILY NEBRASKA! FRIDAY, MAY 5, 1972