page 14
daily nebraskan
Wednesday, january 25, 1978
Nicodemus boosters continue rehiring campaign
By Rob Barney
The reason George Nicodemus was fired
as UNL women's basketball coach last
summer still is being pondered by staunch
Nicodemus supporters.
Peter Vavak attended John F. Kennedy
College in Wahoo when Nicodemus was
there. He now is leading the bandwagon to
rehire Nicodemus.
"I wish to heck to raise some interest in
the situation," Vavak said. "There's a guy
sitting in Malmo (where Nicodemus lives)
that can do the job.
"He came to Nebraska with the program
just starting, and went 21-16 last year,
playing such national powers as UCLA and
Nevada-Las Vegas. He did the job with the
girls," Vavak said, t .
Vavak feels Nicodemus was fired for no
reason.
"Jay Davis (UNL women's Athletic
Director) had her own reasons. I think it's
sickening," he said.
"Nic can get across to the girls. He's one
helluva girls coach. I think he's the best at
what he does. He won two national
championships and had runner-up at JFK,"
Vavak continued.
Davis who ,now is looking for a new
women's basketball coach, said she would
not change her decision about Nicodemus,
Davis gave five reasons last "fall for re
lieving Nicodemus. She said Nicodemus
was disorganized and players Cbmplained
about not playing enough. Davis also said
Nicodemus was hard to locate and he did
not submit his travel times for away games
soon enough. Nebraska high school coaches
would not sent their players to UNL be
cause Nicodemus was coach, Davis said.
Vavak said Nicodemus had a verbal
agreement with Lynette Woodard, a high
school all-American who is now attending
Kansas.
"Nic forecasted a national champion
ship," Vavak said. "With her and the talent
they had returning he could have done it."
"I have nothing against Marcia Walker
(who resigned as women's basketball coach
Jan. 17)'" Vavak said. "It's the administra
tion. I don't know how they can get rid of
a coach with national recognition that was
going to bring national recognition to the
program.
"So they (the administration) go and
settle on a second-rate coach. I'm not
saying Marcia Walker is second-rate, but
she came from a small college (Dakota
Wesleyan in Mitchell, South Dakota) to a
division-one school."
4
Vavak has not talked to any of the cur
rent team members about Nicodemus' sit
uation or the team's present situation, but
he says he hears the team is unhappy.
"A friend of mine talked to Mrs. Crouch
(mother of forward Jan) and she said the
team is not happy," UNL student Dan
Novak said.
"If s understandable. What can they do?
They're losing to the same teams they beat
last year. It's the administration's fault,"
he said.
Vavak does not know if he and Novak
can help get back the job for Nicodemus.
He said he just wants to make the situation
known to UNL students.
"Nic still contends the job is his,"
Vavak said. "He said he was given six days
notice when university by-laws say 90
days.
"For Nebraska's sake I hope Nic gets
rehired. He can do the job," he said.
fit
Cagers face toughest test
Tonight is the night.
An expected sellout crowd of more than
15,000 fans will see whether Nebraska bas
ketball coach Joe Cipriano and his 14-3
club truly are a "14-3" team. Playing the
United Press International's sixth-rated
team, the University of Kansas Jayhawks
will be the acid test-a test that could make
or break UNL's Big 8 Championship hopes.
But even with a capacity crowd, a
national power and championship hopes
present tonight in the Sports Complex, the
contest may be played with a sour note.
HY i y r
I J I I time I
iGiumccarmu
Brian Banks is recovering from the flu.
So is Mike Naderer. Banks was released
from the hospital Tuesday and Naderer left
Monday. Both players are small, but their
presence has been paramount in the team's
success.
"It's hard to establish a new guard com
bination this late in the season," Iba said
Tuesday. "Banks is our leader."
Reserves Bob Moore and Gerard Myrthil
may have to form that new combination
if the Huskers are to win. Moore likes to
launch 25-foot bombs from nowhere and
Myrthil likes to lope around, then burst
through the lane for a layup.
If Moore can "hit the bombs" and if
Myrthil can lope the Jayhawk defense to
sleep and then weave for a couple of lay.
ins, Nebraska has a chance.
But Banks and Naderer are question
marks. Lvcn Iba doesn't know whether
they will play, or if they do, how much
they will play.
"1 don't have any idea what we're going
to do," saib Iba, with some frustration.
"We didn't even have 10 players at practice
yesterday (Monday). When i go to practice
today, I hope to see some friendly faces.
Kansas Coach Ted Owens said UNL's
illness problems will not change his game
plan.
"We like to press and we like to run
when we can," he said. "We're not pro
tecting anything by being ranked."
Owens and Cipriano have been known
to stage some classic, verbal encounters
during UNL-KU games. But the off-court
contest Owens insists, is precipitated by
mutual respect and competition.
"Joe's a great guy," Owens stated. "lie's
done an excellent job with the people he
has, and I enjoy coaching against him."
"I think Ted and Joe get along off the
floor," Iba said. "They just compete hard
when the game starts."
People with student tickets, look out at
the UNL-KU game tonight. If you pur
chased a $1 ticket and try to sit in the
court, floor bleachers the men in red and
white stripes will likely boot you toward
the Sports Complex rafters.
In the past non-sellout games, $1 ticket
holders were allowed in the bleachers.
But Helen Ruth Wagner, UNL ticket
manager, said those bleacher seats are re
served for students with season tickets.
About 2,000 students hold season passes,
she said.
Wagner added that if the bleachers are
not full by 7:15 p.m., which is unlikely,
$1 ticket holders may sit in them.
Tickets were selling fast Tuesday after
noon, but some still are available.
Wagner said tickets not sold by 4 p.m.
today, will go on sale before the game.
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